Current view: Text account
Site description (2014 baseline):
IBA Trigger species: NZ Fairy Tern, Black-billed Gull, NZ Dotterel, Wrybill, South Island Pied Oyster-catcher, Australasian Bittern
Besides the trigger species the following are confirmed or likely to be breeding or resident within the site’s boundaries: Black Shag, Pied Shag, Little Shag, Little Black Shag, White-faced Heron, Reef Heron, Black Swan, Canada Goose, Cape Barren Goose, Paradise Shelduck, Mallard, Grey Teal, NZ Shoveler, NZ Scaup, Australasian Harri-er, Banded Rail, Spotless Crake, Pukeko, Variable Oystercatcher, Pied Stilt, Banded Dotterel, Black-fronted Dotterel, Spur-winged Plover, Southern Black-backed Gull, Red-billed Gull, Caspian Tern, White-fronted Tern, Californian Quail, Brown Quail, Ring-necked Pheasant, Peafowl, NZ Pigeon, Rock Pigeon, Barbary Dove, Eastern Rosella, NZ Kingfisher, Welcome Swallow, NZ Pipit, North Island Fernbird, Grey Warbler, NZ Fantail, Silvereye, Tui, Skylark, Hedge Sparrow, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Redpoll, House Sparrow, Starling, Common Myna, Australian Magpie.
Other species recorded: Australasian Gannet, White Heron, Royal Spoonbill, Cattle Egret, Mongolian Dotterel, Pacific Gold-en Plover, Turnstone, Curlew Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Far-eastern Curlew, Asiatic Whimbrel, Red (Lesser) Knot, Eastern Bar-tailed Godwit, Asiatic Black-tailed Godwit, Grey-tailed (Siberian) Tattler, Terek Sandpiper, Great Sand Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Marsh Sandpiper. NB: All major roost areas are included in the IBA.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Human disturbance – Yes - Anthropogenic disturbance due to harbour and beach users can impact on breeding and feeding seabirds and shorebirds.
Predation by alien species – Yes - Feral cats, rats and hedgehogs are present within site. Dogs are a problem. Trapping and warden presence can mitigate impacts
Habitat loss or degradation – No
Contamination – No
Natural disaster – Yes - Storm driven waves can wash through the Fairy Tern nesting area, Tidal flats (foraging areas for waders), and islands and shell banks (roost areas) can change through tidal and wave action.
Parasite or pathogen - No
Other – No
Manukapua - Wildlife Management Reserve - 63ha - Protected area contained within site
Tauhoa - Conservation Area - 129ha - Protected area contained within site
Okahukurua - Conservation Area - 150ha - Protected area contained within site
Millets Island - Scientific Reserve - 275ha - Protected area contained within site
Moturemu - Scenic Reserve - 5ha - Protected area contained within site
Parakai - Conservation Area - 43ha - Protected area contained within site
South Head Road - Scientific Reserve - 12ha - Protected area contained within site
Whakatu - Conservation Area - 132ha - Protected area contained within site
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kaipara Harbour (New Zealand). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kaipara-harbour-iba-new-zealand on 22/11/2024.
