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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
Short-tailed Shearwater Ardenna tenuirostris	LC	resident (1975–1995)	458,000–735,607 nests	A4ii
Black-faced Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscescens	LC	resident (1984–1987)	450 individuals	A4i
Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris	LC	resident (2006–2007)	110 breeding pairs	A4i
Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus	LC	resident (2006–2007)	50 breeding pairs	A4i
Hooded Plover Thinornis cucullatus	VU	resident (2006–2007)	60 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
Pacific Gull Larus pacificus	LC	resident (1984–1987)	33 breeding pairs	A4i
Fairy Tern Sternula nereis	VU	resident (2006–2007)	120–150 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
Green Rosella Platycercus caledonicus	LC	resident (1998–2008)	uncommon	A2, A3
Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster	CR	non-breeding (1980–2007)	70 individuals	A1, A3
Black-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus affinis	LC	resident (2001–2002)	frequent	A2, A3
Strong-billed Honeyeater Melithreptus validirostris	VU	resident (2001–2002)	common	A2, A3
Yellow-throated Honeyeater Nesoptilotis flavicollis	LC	resident (1998–2008)	common	A2, A3
Yellow Wattlebird Anthochaera paradoxa	LC	resident (1998–2008)	common	A2, A3
Tasmanian Scrubwren Sericornis humilis	LC	resident (1998–2008)	common	A2, A3
Scrubtit Acanthornis magna	LC	resident (2001–2002)	rare	A2, A3
Tasmanian Thornbill Acanthiza ewingii	LC	resident (1998–2008)	common	A2
Black Currawong Strepera fuliginosa	LC	resident (1998–2008)	frequent	A2, A3
Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea	LC	breeding (1998–2008)	uncommon	A1, A3
Dusky Robin Melanodryas vittata	VU	resident (1998–2008)	common	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	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	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	Seal Rocks	State Reserve (III)	2
1999	New Year Island	Game Reserve (VI)	1
1999	Christmas Island	Nature Reserve (Ia)	1
1999	Currie Lightkeepers Residence	Historic Site (V)	<1
2000	Cape Wickham	State Reserve (III)	<1
2008	Councillor Island	Nature Reserve (Ia)	<1
2010	Red Hut Road #1	Conservation Covenant (IV)	2
2011	Lavinia	State Reserve (II)	35
2011	Stokes Point	Conservation Area (V)	1
2011	Porky Beach	Conservation Area (VI)	1
2011	Red Hut Point	Conservation Area (V)	1
2011	Cataraqui Point	Conservation Area (V)	1
2011	Sea Elephant	Conservation Area (VI)	1
2011	Colliers Swamp	Conservation Area (VI)	<1
2011	Cape Wickham	Conservation Area (V)	<1
2011	Disappointment Bay	State Reserve (II)	<1
2011	Muddy Lagoon	Nature Reserve (IV)	<1
2011	Badger Box Creek	Nature Reserve (V)	<1
2012	Sandfly Beach	Conservation Covenant (IV)	<1
2013	City of Melbourne Bay	Conservation Area (V)	1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Shrubland	major (>10)	Closed shrublands & low closed woodlands; Heath
Artificial/Terrestrial	minor (<10)	Improved grassland & pasture
Grassland	minor (<10)	Tussock grasslands
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	minor (<10)
Marine Intertidal	minor (<10)
Marine Neritic	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	major (>10)
not utilised	major (>10)

Most of coast is Crown Land; Lavinia State Reserve (and Ramsar site) is managed by Tasmanian NPWS.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: King Island (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/king-island-iba-australia on 03/01/2025.