Jarvis Island


IBA Justification

The site was identified as important 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 List1 Season Year(s) Size IBA criteria
Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda LC breeding 1973-2007 2,500 individuals A4ii
Polynesian Storm-petrel Nesofregetta fuliginosa EN breeding 1973-2007 3 individuals A1
Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel LC breeding 1973-2007 4,000 individuals A4ii
Brown Booby Sula leucogaster LC breeding 1973-2007 2,000 individuals A4ii
Masked Booby Sula dactylatra LC breeding 1973-2007 7,000 individuals A4ii
Bristle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis NT non-breeding 1973-2007 max 51 individuals A1
Blue Noddy Anous ceruleus LC breeding 1973-2007 650 individuals A4i
Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus LC breeding 1973-2007 1,000,000 individuals A4i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds n/a breeding 1973-2007 1,011,761 individuals A4iii

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2012) may differ.


IBA Conservation

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 favourable medium high
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes population medium

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species Reference Actual Units % remaining Result
Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda 2,000 2,500 individuals 100 favourable
Polynesian Storm-petrel Nesofregetta fuliginosa 3 3 individuals 100 favourable
Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel 4,000 4,000 individuals 100 not assessed
Brown Booby Sula leucogaster 2,000 2,000 individuals 100 not assessed
Masked Booby Sula dactylatra 7,000 7,000 individuals 100 not assessed
Bristle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis 51 51 individuals 100 not assessed
Procelsterna cerulea 650 650 individuals 100 not assessed
A4iii Species group - waterbirds 1,011,761 1,011,761 individuals 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 (beyond 4 years) whole area/population (>90%) slow but significant deterioration medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes happening now whole area/population (>90%) no or imperceptible deterioration low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas Management plan Other action Result
Whole area of site (>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

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation % overlap with IBA
1974 Jarvis Island National Wildlife Refuge 100
2009 Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument 100


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Jarvis Island (United States Minor Outlying Islands (to USA)). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/jarvis-island-iba-united-states-minor-outlying-islands-(to-usa) on 23/11/2024.