Current view: Text account
Site description (2014 baseline):
IBA Trigger species: Little (Kermadec Little) Shearwater, Black-winged Petrel, White-bellied Storm Petrel*, Grey Noddy (Grey Ternlet).
* Taxonomic uncertainty for white-bellied storm petrel complex.
Besides the trigger species the following are confirmed breeding or resident on these two is-lands: Wedge-tailed Shearwater, White-bellied Storm, Petrel, Tasman (Masked) Booby, Red-tailed Tropicbird, Sooty Tern, Brown Noddy, Black Noddy, Grey Noddy. Other species recorded: Christmas Island Shearwater, Black Shag, White-faced Heron, Australasian Harrier, Pacific Golden Plover, Turnstone, Asiatic Whimbrel, Wandering Tattler, Siberian Tattler, Red-crowned (Kermadec) Parakeet, Welcome Swallow, NZ Pipit, Silvereye, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Yellowhammer, Goldfinch, Starling.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Human disturbance – No
Predation by alien species – No
Habitat loss or degradation – No
Contamination – No
Natural disaster – Yes - Curtis Island is an active volcano and a major eruption would have a devastating impact on breeding birds.
Other - No
Kermadec Islands - Marine Reserve - Protected area adjacent to site (Protected area out to 12nm)
Kermadec (all islands) - Nature Reserve - 3360ha - Protected area contains site
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Curtis & Cheeseman Islands (New Zealand). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/curtis-&-cheeseman-islands-iba-new-zealand on 26/12/2024.
