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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
Southern Cassowary Casuarius casuarius	LC	resident (1998–2008)	rare	A1
Buff-breasted Buttonquail Turnix olivii	CR	resident (2007)	rare	A1, A2, A3
Lovely Fairywren Malurus amabilis	LC	resident (1998–2008)	common	A2
Banded Honeyeater Cissomela pectoralis	LC	resident (1998–2008)	rare	A3
White-streaked Honeyeater Trichodere cockerelli	LC	resident (1998–2008)	frequent	A2, A3
Silver-crowned Friarbird Philemon argenticeps	LC	resident (1998–2008)	uncommon	A3
Yellow-spotted Honeyeater Meliphaga notata	LC	resident (1998–2008)	abundant	A2
Yellow Honeyeater Stomiopera flava	LC	resident (1998–2008)	uncommon	A3
White-browed Robin Poecilodryas superciliosa	LC	resident (1998–2008)	uncommon	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 (2019) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Forest	very poor (<40%)	poor (40–69%)	very poor

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
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Energy production and mining	likely in long term (>4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Some of area covered (10–49%)	A compre­hensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Far Northern	Marine Park (IV)	<1
1994	Iron Range	Resources Reserve (VI)	1
2008	Kulla (McIlwraith Range) (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land)	National Park Aboriginal (II)	20
2008	Kaanju Ngaachi	Indigenous Protected Area (V)	14
2008	Iron Range	National Park (II)	8
2010	Temple Bay	Fish Habitat Area (A) (VI)	<1
2010	Mungkan Kandju	National Park (II)	2
2010	Silver Plains	Fish Habitat Area (A) (VI)	<1
2011	Kuuku Ya'u	Nature Refuge (VI)	<1
2012	Oyala Thumotang (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land)	National Park Aboriginal (II)	2
2013	Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land)	National Park Aboriginal (II)	8
2013	Angkum - Stage 1	Indigenous Protected Area (IV)	<1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	major (>10)	Eucalypt open forests; Eucalypt woodlands; Melaleuca forests & woodlands; Rainforest & vine thickets
Shrubland	major (>10)	Heath

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

Most of the area is currently under indigenous ownership but there is also a small amount of other freehold and the National Parks are co-managed with QPWS.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Iron and McIlwraith Ranges (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/iron-and-mcilwraith-ranges-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.