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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 (2007)	820–1,100 pairs	A4ii
Polynesian Storm-petrel Nesofregetta fuliginosa	EN	breeding (2007)	200–500 pairs	A1, A4ii
Phoenix Petrel Pterodroma alba	VU	breeding (2007)	2,300–3,800 pairs	A1, A4ii
Christmas Shearwater Puffinus nativitatis	LC	breeding (2007)	4,000–7,000 pairs	A4ii
Tropical Shearwater Puffinus bailloni	LC	breeding (2007)	3,100–4,100 pairs	A4ii
Brown Noddy Anous stolidus	LC	breeding (2007)	15,000–31,000 pairs	A4i
Black Noddy Anous minutus	LC	breeding (2007)	100,000 pairs	A4i

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.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Marine Neritic	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Pollution	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (>4 years)	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Little/none of area covered (<10%)	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	very low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1975	Cook Islet Closed Area (Kiritimati WS)	Bird Reserve (Ia)	-
1975	Motu Tabu Islet Closed Area (Kiritimati)	Closed Area (Ia)	-
1975	Motu Upua Closed Area	Closed Area (Ia)	-
1979	Ngaontetaake Islet Closed Area (Kiritimati)	Closed Area (Ia)	-
1999	Kiritimati Atoll (Christmas Island)	Multi/Multiple Use Conservation Area (Ia)	-

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Neritic	100

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kiritimati (Christmas Island) Marine (Kiribati). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kiritimati-(christmas-island)-marine-iba-kiribati on 14/12/2024.