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The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor	CR	non-breeding	1996-2007	120 individuals	A1
Regent Honeyeater Anthochaera phrygia	CR	resident	1996-2007	72 individuals	A1

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2009) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2009. The most recent assessment (2019) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Forest	good (> 90%)	moderate (70-90%)	near favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Transportation and service corridors	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Pollution	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Some of site covered (10-49%)	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1984	Pokolbin	Flora Reserve	<1
2005	Werakata	National Park	4
2007	The Hunter Lakes	Flora Reserve	<1
2011	Werakata	State Conservation Area	4

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Terrestrial	Improved grassland & pasture	major (>10)
Forest	Eucalypt woodlands	major (>10)
Savanna	Eucalypt open woodlands	major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
forestry	major (>10)
rangeland/pastureland	major (>10)
military	major (>10)
nature conservation and research	major (>10)
urban/industrial/transport	major (>10)

Commonwealth/Federal (Department of Defence); state government (Department of Environment and Climate Change); private leasehold.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lower Hunter Valley (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lower-hunter-valley-iba-australia on 24/11/2024.