Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2014 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 List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus | VU | resident (-) | present | A1 |
| Stewart Island Shag Leucocarbo chalconotus | VU | breeding (1955–2013) | 77–155 nests | A1, A4i |
| Southern Red-breasted Plover Charadrius obscurus | CR | non-breeding (1997–2013) | 77–82 birds | A1, A4i |
| Black-billed Gull Larus bulleri | NT | non-breeding (2015) | 36 birds | A1 |
| Black-fronted Tern Chlidonias albostriatus | EN | non-breeding (2015) | 38 birds | A1 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2014. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2014 | not assessed | high | not assessed |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| no | unset | - | |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Invasive and other problematic species and genes | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Pollution | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Climate change and severe weather | likely in short term (<4 years) | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Not assessed | Not assessed | Not assessed | not assessed |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Joey's Island | Scenic Reserve (III) | <1 |
| 1972 | Awarua Bay Wildlife Refuge | Wildlife Refuge (IV) | <1 |
| 1987 | Tiwai Spit | Stewardship Area (III) | 21 |
| 1987 | Seaward Moss | Stewardship Area (III) | 8 |
| 1992 | Awarua Plains | Stewardship Area (III) | 4 |
| 1995 | Awarua Bay | Stewardship Area (III) | <1 |
| 1999 | Seaward Moss | Conservation Covenant (IV) | <1 |
| 2003 | Tikore/Spencer Island | Scenic Reserve (III) | <1 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced vegetation | major (>10) | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | major (>10) | |
| Marine Intertidal | major (>10) | |
| Marine Neritic | major (>10) | |
| Shrubland | major (>10) | |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | minor (<10) |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Bluff Harbour Awarua Bay (New Zealand). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/bluff-harbour-awarua-bay-iba-new-zealand on 23/12/2024.