Data Zone
Country/territory: Antarctica
IBA criteria met: A4iii (2015)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 9 hectares (0.09 km2)
Site description (2015 baseline)
Lucas Island is situated 3.5 km northwest of Plough Island and 5 km west of southern Long Peninsula, in Prydz Bay on the Ingrid Christensen Coast, Princess Elizabeth Land. Lucas Island is ~ 0.6 km long and up to 0.2 km wide, rises to ~40 m, and is mostly ice free in summer.
The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colony present and comprises all of Lucas Island.
The nearest permanent station is Davis (AUS), ~8 km to the south on Broad Peninsula, Vestfold Hills.
Key biodiversity
Whitehead & Johnstone (1990) estimated 13 663 breeding pairs of Adélie Penguin on Lucas Island in 1981/82. No recent census is available for the colony. Penguins nest over the entire island.
No other birds are known to breed on the island.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lucas Island (Antarctica). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lucas-island-iba-antarctica on 23/12/2024.