Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
Lockerbie Scrub is located on the most northerly part of mainland Australia, at the tip of Cape York Peninsula. The IBA boundary is defined as the closed forest vegetation communities at the tip of the peninsula which acts as a funnel for migratory terrestrial birds moving between Australia and New Guinea via the Torres Strait. The surrounding land is predominantly tropical savanna woodland which does not concentrate these migrant birds. There is a mosaic of vegetation types in the IBA although monsoonal rainforest predominates. The IBA could be extended or an additional IBA created to include heathland habitat for the White-streaked Honeyeater but this species' distribution is known too poorly to be mapped. The climate is monsoonal with pronounced wet and dry seasons.
Also present in the area are a number of Cape York endemics including Palm Cockatoo, Trumpet Manucode, Magnificent Riflebird, Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, Northern Srub-robin, Yellow-legged Flycatcher, Tropical Scrubwren, Frill-necked Monarch, Red-bellied Pitta and Yellow-billed Kingfisher. The endangered Southern Cassowary was last recorded in Lockerbie Scrub in 1986 and is now almost certainly extinct in the area. A single record of the near threatened Bush Stone-curlew, two records of the biome-restricted Silver-crowned Friarbird and three records of the biome-restricted Yellow Honeyeater were obtained during 74 Atlas of Australian Birds surveys from 1998 to 2008. Graceful Honeyeaters are common at Lockerbie Scrub (S. Garnett and A. Freeman pers. obs).
Non-bird biodiversity: Other fauna of conservation concern that occurs here includes Northern Quoll and the Spectacled Flying Fox and Bare-backed Fruit-bat. Because of its locality there is also a high probability that other significant bat populations occur in Lockerbie Scrub.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Investigate and manage the threat of ongoing degradation from the impacts of feral animals and weeds is currently unmanaged. Investigate the impact of increasing tourist numbers at the tip of Cape York.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
The area is periodically visited by researchers, particularly taxonomists.
None
Lockerbie Scrub is predominately aboriginal (Deed of Grant in Trust) land with some pockets of freehold particularly around the communities of Bamaga and New Mapoon.
The nomination was prepared by Alastair Freeman.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lockerbie Scrub (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lockerbie-scrub-iba-australia on 23/11/2024.
