• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	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 individuals	A1, A4i
Black-billed Gull Larus bulleri	NT	non-breeding	2015	36 individuals	A1
Black-fronted Tern Chlidonias albostriatus	EN	non-breeding	2015	38 individuals	A1

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2014) may differ.

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.

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 area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Pollution	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1969	Joey's Island	Scenic Reserve	<1
1972	Awarua Bay Wildlife Refuge	Wildlife Refuge	<1
1987	Tiwai Spit	Stewardship Area	21
1987	Seaward Moss	Stewardship Area	8
1992	Awarua Plains	Stewardship Area	4
1995	Awarua Bay	Stewardship Area	<1
1999	Seaward Moss	Conservation Covenant	<1
2003	Tikore/Spencer Island	Scenic Reserve	<1

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
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)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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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 22/11/2024.