Current view: Text account
Site description (2014 baseline):
IBA Trigger species: Black-billed Gull, Black-fronted Tern, Wrybill
Besides the trigger species the following are confirmed or likely to be breeding: Black Swan, Canada Goose, Paradise Shelduck, Grey Teal, Mallard, NZ Shoveler, NZ Scaup, Pied Stilt, Banded Dotterel, Black-fronted Dotterel, Spur-winged Plover, Southern Black-backed Gull, Caspian Tern, Rock Pigeon, NZ Kingfisher, Welcome Swallow, NZ Pipit, Silvereye, Skylark, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Yellowhammer, Cirl Bunting, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Redpoll, House Sparrow, Starling, Australian Magpie.
Other species recorded: White-faced Heron, Australasian Harrier, South Island Pied Oystercatcher, Pacific Golden Plover, Turnstone, Red (Lesser) Knot, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Eastern Bar-tailed Godwit, Sanderling, Red-necked Phalarope, Red-billed Gull, White-fronted Tern, .
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Human disturbance – Yes - Anthropogenic disturbance due to multiple lake, river and riverbed users can impact on breeding and feeding seabirds and shorebirds.
Predation by alien species – Yes - Feral cats, rats and hedgehogs are present within the site. Dogs can also be a problem. Trapping and riverbed group activities and presence can mitigate impacts
Habitat loss or degradation – No
Contamination – No
Natural disaster – No
Parasite or pathogen - No
Other – No
Grassmere Beach - Conservation Area - 15ha - Protected area overlaps with site
The IBA includes one area (1 sq km) between the lake and the beach that is subject to Part IVA Section 24 Conservation Act 1987.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Grassmere (New Zealand). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-grassmere-iba-new-zealand on 22/11/2024.
