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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
Cape Barren Goose Cereopsis novaehollandiae	LC	resident (1989–2007)	500 birds	A4i
Tasmanian Native-hen Tribonyx mortierii	LC	resident (1998–2008)	present	A2, A3
Short-tailed Shearwater Ardenna tenuirostris	LC	resident (1995)	1,309,169–1,343,618 pairs	A4ii
Black-faced Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscescens	LC	resident (1999)	190 pairs	A4i
Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus	LC	resident (1982–1999)	202 pairs	A4i
Pacific Gull Larus pacificus	LC	resident (1995)	205 pairs	A4i
Green Rosella Platycercus caledonicus	LC	resident (1998–2008)	present	A2, A3
Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster	CR	non-breeding (2008)	present	A1, A3
Black-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus affinis	LC	resident (1998–2008)	present	A2, A3
Yellow-throated Honeyeater Nesoptilotis flavicollis	LC	resident (1998–2008)	present	A2, A3
Tasmanian Scrubwren Sericornis humilis	LC	resident (1998–2008)	present	A2, A3
Scrubtit Acanthornis magna	LC	resident (1998–2008)	present	A2, A3
Tasmanian Thornbill Acanthiza ewingii	LC	resident (1998–2008)	present	A2
Black Currawong Strepera fuliginosa	LC	resident (1998–2008)	present	A2, A3
Dusky Robin Melanodryas vittata	VU	resident (1998–2008)	present	A2, A3

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
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	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	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Biological resource use	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
1999	Bird Island	Game Reserve (VI)	<1
1999	Penguin Islet	Nature Reserve (Ia)	<1
2000	Hunter Island	Conservation Area (V)	48
2007	Stack Island	Game Reserve (VI)	<1
2008	Three Hummock Island	State Reserve (II)	48
2011	Harbour Islets	Conservation Area (V)	<1
2012	Henderson Islets	Conservation Area (V)	<1
2012	Seacrow Islet	Conservation Area (V)	<1
2012	Little Trefoil	Conservation Area (V)	<1
2012	Nares Rocks	Conservation Area (V)	<1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial	major (>10)	Improved grassland & pasture
Shrubland	major (>10)	Closed shrublands & low closed woodlands
Forest	minor (<10)	Eucalypt open forests
Grassland	minor (<10)	Tussock grasslands
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	-

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

The Doughboys, Three Hummock and Penguin Islands are Nature Reserves; Steep Island and Trefoil Island are owned by the Tasmanian Aboriginal community; Hunter Island is a Conservation Area with a private pastoral lease; Stack Island, Bird Island and others are Game Reserves.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Hunter Island Group (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/hunter-island-group-iba-australia on 19/12/2024.