Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
The IBA is identical to Gregory National Park, in the north-west of the Northern Territory. The National Park and the IBA consists of two separate sections, a smaller eastern block which has had some bird surveys and a larger western block which is very poorly known but is predominately habitat suitable for White-quelled Rock-Pigeons. The whole National Park is taken as it is suitable habitat for the eastern subspecies of the White-quelled Rock-Pigeon although much of the western section of the park is poorly-known. The IBA boundaries could also be extended along the Victoria River to capture the majority of this population of Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens, which is isolated between the populations in the Kimberley and the Gulf. Gregory is dominated by eucalypt open woodlands on rocky ground and is surrounded by extensive cattle-grazing pastoral stations. The eastern section of the park has been burned less than the surrounding land, with most land burned once between 2004-7. It is in the southern savanna or semi-arid savanna zone, with mean min and max temperatures of 20-34 oC and an average of 661 mm rain mostly between November and March.
The endangered Gouldian Finch has been recorded in East Gregory NP (Northern Territory government database; accessed March 2008; Atlas of Australian Birds database) but is more common outside park (A. Fisher pers. comm. 2008). This area was not noted to support many birds in the Gouldian Finch Recovery Plan and better data are needed. The near threatened Grey Falcon and Australian Bustard and the rare northern (sub)species of the Crested Shrike-tit have been recorded (Atlas of Australian Birds database; NRETA unpublished data).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Ensure appropriate fire management. Investigate extent and impact of invasive alien weeds. Work with adjacent land-owners to promote conservation of Purple-crowned Fairy-wren habitat along Victoria River.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Areas of sandstone country at the northern end of the IBA are included within the 'Victoria River middle reaches and Gregory area' site of conservation significance as classified by the Northern Territory Government (Harrison et al. 2009; Ward & Harrison 2009).
Northern Territory Government with park administered by Parks NT.
Alarick Fisher, Louise Harrison, Ann-Marie van Dorn and Gay Crowley kindly provided data.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gregory National Park (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gregory-national-park-iba-australia on 22/11/2024.
