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

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
Sarus Crane Grus antigone	VU	breeding (1999–2002)	frequent	A1
Brolga Grus rubicunda	LC	resident (1999)	1,000–2,000 birds	A4i
Australian Bustard Ardeotis australis	LC	resident (1998–2008)	uncommon	A1
Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris	LC	resident (1989–1999)	206–466 birds	A4i
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	resident (1989–1999)	5,174–8,474 birds	A4i
Charadrius mongolus	NR	non-breeding (1989–1999)	1,484–4,000 birds	A4i
Little Curlew Numenius minutus	LC	non-breeding (1989–1999)	2,029–25,042 birds	A4i
Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis	EN	non-breeding (1989–1999)	1,031–1,811 birds	A4i
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	non-breeding (1989–1999)	18,394–27,256 birds	A1, A4i
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris	EN	non-breeding (1989–1999)	50,032–72,333 birds	A4i
Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus	VU	non-breeding (1989–1999)	1,000–1,740 birds	A4i
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata	VU	non-breeding (1989–1999)	3,742–6,073 birds	A4i
Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis	NT	non-breeding (1989–1999)	16,593–29,971 birds	A4i
Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes	LC	non-breeding (1989–1999)	481–785 birds	A4i
Varied Lorikeet Psitteuteles versicolor	LC	resident (1998–2008)	uncommon	A3
Silver-crowned Friarbird Philemon argenticeps	LC	resident (1998–2008)	uncommon	A3
White-gaped Honeyeater Stomiopera unicolor	LC	resident (1998–2008)	uncommon	A3
Yellow Honeyeater Stomiopera flava	LC	resident (1998–2008)	uncommon	A3
Yellow-tinted Honeyeater Ptilotula flavescens	LC	resident (1998–2008)	uncommon	A3
Australian Yellow White-eye Zosterops luteus	LC	resident (1998–2008)	common	A3
Star Finch Neochmia ruficauda	LC	resident (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 (2008) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (>4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Energy production and mining	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
2004	Mutton Hole Wetlands	Conservation Park (III)	<1
2008	Finucane Island	National Park (II)	1
2010	Morning Inlet - Bynoe River	Fish Habitat Area (A) (VI)	1
2010	Nassau River	Fish Habitat Area (A) (VI)	1
2011	Rutland Plains	Nature Refuge (VI)	6
2011	Staaten-Gilbert	Fish Habitat Area (A) (VI)	1
2013	Dinah Island	Nature Refuge (VI)	<1
2014	Nijinda Durlga	Indigenous Protected Area (V)	4
2014	Mutton Hole Wetlands	Conservation Park (III)	<1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Shrubland	40	Chenopod shrubs, samphire shrubs and forblands
Grassland	25	Tussock grasslands
Forest	13	Eucalypt woodlands; Mangroves
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	10
Marine Intertidal	7
Savanna	5	Tropical eucalypt woodlands & grasslands

Land use	% of IBA
rangeland/pastureland	major (>10)
hunting	minor (<10)

Lease-hold stations; Crown Land below high water mark.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gulf Plains (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gulf-plains-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.