Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2012 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda | LC | breeding (1973–2007) | 496 birds | A4ii |
| Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel | LC | breeding (1973–2007) | 3,850 birds | A4ii |
| Masked Booby Sula dactylatra | LC | breeding (1973–2007) | 3,763 birds | A4ii |
| Bristle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis | NT | non-breeding (1973–2007) | max 62 birds | A1 |
| Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus | LC | breeding (1973–2007) | 200,000 birds | A4i |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | breeding (1973–2007) | 203,011 birds | A4iii |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2012. The most recent assessment (2012) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2012 | good | medium | high |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | medium | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda | 496 / 496 (birds) | 100 | not assessed | ||
| Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel | 3,850 / 3,850 (birds) | 100 | not assessed | ||
| Masked Booby Sula dactylatra | 4,500 / 3,763 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| Bristle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis | 62 / 62 (birds) | 100 | not assessed | ||
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | 153,061 / 153,061 (birds) | 100 | not assessed | ||
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Climate change and severe weather | likely in long term (>4 years) | whole of population/area (>90%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| 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 | Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity | high |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Howland Island | National Wildlife Refuge (Ia) | 100 |
| 2009 | Pacific Remote Islands | Marine National Monument (V) | 100 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Howland Island (United States Minor Outlying Islands (to USA)). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/howland-island-iba-united-states-minor-outlying-islands-(to-usa) on 25/12/2024.