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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2009 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 List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata	VU	non-breeding (2008)	4,500 birds	A4i
Mangrove Honeyeater Gavicalis fasciogularis	LC	resident (1998–2008)	uncommon	A2

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2009. The most recent assessment (2019) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Energy production and mining	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Pollution	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Transportation and service corridors	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Little/none of area covered (<10%)	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	very low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1981	Great Barrier Reef	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) (UA)	15
1988	Mackay / Capricorn	Marine Park (IV)	1
1994	Rundle Range	National Park (II)	<1
1994	Long Island Bend	Conservation Park (III)	<1
2000	MacKenzie Island	Conservation Park (III)	<1
2008	Fitzroy River	Fish Habitat Area (A) (VI)	26
2009	Paddy's Lagoon	Nature Refuge (VI)	<1
2014	MacKenzie Island	Conservation Park (III)	<1
2014	Long Island Bend	Conservation Park (III)	<1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Savanna	40	Tropical eucalypt woodlands & grasslands
Forest	29	Eucalypt woodlands; Melaleuca forests & woodlands
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	16
Artificial/Terrestrial	5	Other urban & industrial areas
Shrubland	5	Chenopod shrubs, samphire shrubs and forblands
Marine Intertidal	2
Marine Neritic	2

Land use	% of IBA
rangeland/pastureland	major (>10)
nature conservation and research	minor (<10)

Private; state or local government.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Fitzroy Floodplain and Delta (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/fitzroy-floodplain-and-delta-iba-australia on 24/12/2024.