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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
Regent Honeyeater Anthochaera phrygia	CR	breeding (1980–2008)	uncommon	A1
Yellow-faced Honeyeater Caligavis chrysops	LC	passage (2006)	200,000 birds	A4ii
Pilotbird Pycnoptilus floccosus	VU	breeding (1980–2008)	common	A2
Rockwarbler Origma solitaria	LC	breeding (1980–2008)	common	A2, A3
Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea	LC	breeding (1980–2008)	uncommon	A1
Diamond Firetail Stagonopleura guttata	VU	breeding (1998–2008)	uncommon	A1

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
Forest	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good
Shrubland	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Geological events	likely in long term (>4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Pollution	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Energy production and mining	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (<4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Transportation and service corridors	likely in short term (<4 years)	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
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A compre­hensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
2000	Greater Blue Mountains Area	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) (UA)	100
2006	Gardens of Stone	National Park (II)	1
2010	Kanangra-Boyd	National Park (Ib)	7
2011	Nattai	National Park (Ib)	5
2015	Wollemi	National Park (Ib)	47
2015	Blue Mountains	National Park (II)	25
2015	Yengo	National Park (Ib)	14

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	major (>10)	Eucalypt open forests; Eucalypt tall open forests
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	minor (<10)	Inland cliffs
Shrubland	minor (<10)	Mallee shrublands & woodlands

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	major (>10)
urban/industrial/transport	minor (<10)

National Parks managed by NSW NPWS.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Greater Blue Mountains (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/greater-blue-mountains-iba-australia on 22/12/2024.