Data Zone
Country/territory: Antarctica
IBA criteria met: A4ii, A4iii (2015)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 440 hectares (4.40 km2)
Site description (2015 baseline)
Cape Darnley lies at the northern extremity of Bjerkø Peninsula, on the Lars Christensen Coast, Mac.Robertson Land. The Bjerkø Peninsula is fully covered by a permanent ice cap, from which icebergs calve into western Prydz Bay. Fast ice persists along the coast where icebergs can become grounded, providing a stable platform where Emperor Penguins may breed.
The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony present, is entirely marine and is situated on fast ice ~20 km southeast of Cape Darnley and ~80 km northwest of the Amery Ice Shelf.
There are no research stations nearby. The closest permanent station is Mawson Station (AUS), ~290 km to the west on the Mawson Coast.
Key biodiversity
An Emperor Penguin colony was first seen at Cape Darnley from an aircraft in August 1958; ~5000 penguins were estimated to be present (Willing 1958). Fretwell et al. (2012) estimated 3465 Emperor Penguins were present in 2009 based on satellite image analysis. However, B. Wienecke (pers. comm. Dec 2014) reported ~8000 chicks present based on a more detailed photographic survey carried out in December 2013, which suggests that the Fretwell et al. (2012) result for 2009 may have been an underestimate.
No other birds are known to breed in the area.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Cape Darnley (Antarctica). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/cape-darnley-iba-antarctica on 18/12/2024.