• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important in 2006 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Shy Ground Dove Pampusana stairi	LC	resident	2005	rare	A1, A2
Barking Imperial-pigeon Ducula latrans	LC	resident	2005	common	A2
Golden Dove Chrysoena luteovirens	LC	resident	2005	common	A2
Many-coloured Fruit-dove Ptilinopus perousii	LC	resident	2005	uncommon	A2
Collared Petrel Pterodroma brevipes	VU	breeding	1984	165 individuals	A1, A4ii
Fiji Petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi	CR	breeding	2004	< 50 adults	A1, A4ii
Tahiti Petrel Pseudobulweria rostrata	NT	breeding	2005	present	A1
Fiji Goshawk Accipiter rufitorques	LC	resident	2005	frequent	A2
Maroon Shining-parrot Prosopeia tabuensis	LC	resident	2005	common	A1, A2
Collared Lory Phigys solitarius	LC	resident	2005	rare	A2
Sulphur-breasted Myzomela Myzomela jugularis	LC	resident	2005	abundant	A2
Fiji Woodswallow Artamus mentalis	LC	resident	2005	common	A2
Vanikoro Flycatcher Myiagra vanikorensis	LC	resident	2005	abundant	A2
Fiji Shrikebill Clytorhynchus vitiensis	LC	resident	2005	common	A2
Fiji White-eye Zosterops explorator	LC	resident	2005	common	A2
Polynesian Starling Aplonis tabuensis	LC	resident	2005	common	A2

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2006) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2006. The most recent assessment (2020) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Forest	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	very high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Natural system modifications	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Biological resource use	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Some of site covered (10-49%)	No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	not assessed

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest		major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
other	minor (<10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gau Highlands (Fiji). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gau-highlands-iba-fiji on 26/11/2024.