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The site was identified as important in 1998 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
African Penguin Spheniscus demersus	CR	resident	-	5 breeding pairs	A1
Cape Gannet Morus capensis	EN	resident	-	4,000-6,000 breeding pairs	A1, A4ii
Cape Gannet Morus capensis	EN	non-breeding	-	8,000-15,000 individuals	A1, A4ii
Crowned Cormorant Microcarbo coronatus	LC	resident	-	5-10 breeding pairs	A1
Crowned Cormorant Microcarbo coronatus	LC	non-breeding	-	100-170 individuals	A1, A4i
A4iii Species group - seabirds	n/a	resident	-	10,000-19,999 individuals	A4iii

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (1998) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1998. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
African Penguin Spheniscus demersus	500	0	individuals	0	very unfavourable
Cape Gannet Morus capensis	18,000	18,000	individuals	100	favourable
Crowned Cormorant Microcarbo coronatus	170	25	individuals	15	very unfavourable
African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini	8	2	individuals	25	very unfavourable
Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus	500	80	individuals	16	very unfavourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Pollution	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1988	Lambert's Bay Penguin Island Provincial Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	70
1988	Bird Island	Other Area	100

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
agriculture	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Bird Island (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/bird-island-iba-south-africa on 23/11/2024.