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Site description (2006 baseline):
Site location and context
Bull Point, at the southernmost tip of East Falkland, is low
lying. The habitat is varied, comprising maritime heath in
the higher areas, with a variety of rocky and sandy beaches
on the coast. There are extensive dune systems covering
much of the southern point. Wide areas of coastal greens
interspersed with permanent and seasonal pools provide
habitat for wading birds and waterfowl. There is scattered
Tussac at Porpoise Point and also on small islands
immediately offshore.
The site is managed as part of a working farm and it has
been grazed for many years. The tip of the point has
recently been completely cleared of stock, and fencing
improved to prevent accidental access. This has
undoubtedly led to an improvement in the quality and
diversity of the fl
The pool areas are particular favourites with birdwatchers,
who have recorded many rare and visiting species, such as
the Coscoroba Swan, Ashy-headed Goose, Cinnamon Teal
and breeding Black-necked Swan. Chiloe Wigeons and all
resident duck species are frequently seen. At the
southernmost tip, where a ring of dunes surrounds the
central green areas, the density of penguins and geese
during the summer months is extremely high. This is also a
good place to see juvenile Striated Caracaras. The
Tussacbird is present but probably not breeding due to the
presence of rats and cats. Bull Point has extensive beach
and dune areas where White-rumped Sandpipers
congregate in large numbers with local Two-banded
Plovers, Rufous-chested Dotterels and the two species of
oystercatcher. Magellanic Snipe and Brown-hooded Gulls
probably breed. Endemic sub-species recorded here include
the White-tufted/Rolland’s Grebe, Upland Goose, Shorteared
Owl, Falkland Grass Wren, Dark-faced Groundtyrant,
Falkland Pipit, Falkland Thrush and the Long-tailed
Meadowlark. This is also a site of special interest for
watching seabirds passing by the point.
Non-bird biodiversity: There is a small breeding colony of Southern Sea Lions on
the far eastern point, which produces fewer than five pups
each year. The area is also a major haul-out site for
Southern Sea Lions and Southern Elephant Seals. The
plants have been fairly well surveyed: 101 species were
recorded, including Dusen’s Moonwort Botrychium dusenii,
a vulnerable and legally protected native fern that is only
known to occur in two other localities in the Falklands.
Another interesting plant is Southern Dock Rumex
magellanicus. In addition there are four endemic plants here:
Clubmoss Cudweed Chevreulia lycopodioides, Lady’s Slipper
Calceolaria fothergillii, Coastal Nassauvia Nassauvia
gaudichaudii, and Vanilla Daisy Leucheria suaveolens.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
There are biannual visits by Falklands Conservation to
conduct seabird monitoring. The two-hour overland
journey from the nearest settlement at North Arm protects
the site from large numbers of visitors. However, the
development of roads through East Falkland has made the
area more accessible and, with an increasing move towards
restoring ‘outside’ houses as holiday homes, there is a risk
that there may be increasing numbers of tourists to Bull
Point. Particularly in the lower point area, it is extremely
easy to cause disturbance, simply due to the volume of
birds passing from one side of the point to the other and
the open nature of the terrain. It is very important that the
Falkland Islands Countryside Code (see Appendix 1) is
followed, particularly to guard against the risk of fire. The
traditional sheep farming practice of burning rank
Whitegrass is still used in the southern half of East
Falkland. As strict guidelines are in place to control this
and the season is limited by legislation, accidental burning
at Bull Point is unlikely.
As with all sites on mainland East Falkland, feral cats and
rats are present and undoubtedly affect the bird
populations. It may be possible to put some controls in
place to reduce these predators but this is not a long-term
solution. All visitors should be informed about the dangers
of accidentally introducing alien species to the Falklands.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Bull Point, East Falkland (Falkland Islands (Malvinas)). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/bull-point-east-falkland-iba-falkland-islands-(malvinas) on 23/12/2024.
