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) | 6,500 birds | A4ii |
| Brown Noddy Anous stolidus | LC | breeding (1973–2007) | 17,000 birds | A4i |
| Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus | LC | breeding (1973–2007) | 360,000 birds | A4i |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | breeding (1973–2007) | 380,004 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 | not assessed | medium | low |
| 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 | 6,500 / 6,500 (birds) | 100 | not assessed | ||
| Brown Noddy Anous stolidus | 17,000 / 17,000 (birds) | 100 | not assessed | ||
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | 380,004 / 380,004 (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 |
| Pollution | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | past (and unlikely to return) and no longer limiting | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | No management planning has taken place | Very little or no conservation action taking place | low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | Johnston Atoll | National Wildlife Refuge (IV) | 16 |
| 1926 | Johnston Island | National Wildlife Refuge (Ia) | 100 |
| 2009 | Pacific Remote Islands | Marine National Monument (V) | 100 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Johnston Atoll (United States Minor Outlying Islands (to USA)). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/johnston-atoll-iba-united-states-minor-outlying-islands-(to-usa) on 27/12/2024.