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• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Australian Ibis Threskiornis moluccus	LC	breeding	1998	125,000-160,000 individuals	A4i
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis	LC	breeding	1998	230,000 individuals	A4i
Plumed Egret Ardea plumifera	LC	breeding	1998	46,000 individuals	A4i
Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus	VU	resident	-	rare	A1
Nankeen Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus	LC	breeding	1998	92,000-108,000 individuals	A4i

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2009) may differ.

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
Wetlands (inland)	very poor (< 40%)	moderate (70-90%)	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	very high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Other	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	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%)	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Very little or no conservation action taking place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1999	Gwydir Wetlands: Gingham and Lower Gwydir (Big Leather) Watercourses	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	2
2014	Gwydir Wetlands	State Conservation Area	9

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Eucalypt woodlands	major (>10)
Wetlands (inland)	Ephemeral, Riverine floodplains, Rivers & streams	major (>10)
Introduced vegetation		minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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

Private stations including "Yarrol", "Lynworth" and parts of "Old Dromana" and "Bunoor".

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gwydir Wetlands (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gwydir-wetlands-iba-australia on 23/11/2024.