Data Zone
Country/territory: Antarctica
IBA criteria met: A4ii, A4iii (2015)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 177 hectares (1.77 km2)
Site description (2015 baseline)
The Brunt Ice Shelf is situated on the Caird Coast, Coats Land. An Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony breeds on fast ice that forms along the northwestern margin of the Brunt Ice Shelf, at a location locally known as ‘Halley Bay' after the nearby British research station Halley.
The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Emperor Penguin colony present and is entirely marine.
The nearest permanent station is Halley VI (GBR), ~20 km to the east on the Brunt Ice Shelf.
Key biodiversity
Hempel & Stonehouse (1987) estimated that 15 400 Emperor Penguin chicks were in this colony in Oct/Nov 1987. Analysis of a satellite image acquired 27 Oct 2009 (Fretwell et al. 2012) indicated that approximately 22 510 Emperor Penguins were present at the colony. No other birds are known to breed in the area.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Brunt Ice Shelf (Halley Bay) (Antarctica). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/brunt-ice-shelf-(halley-bay)-iba-antarctica on 26/12/2024.