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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation 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 List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
King Penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus	LC	resident (2000)	150,000–170,000 pairs	A4ii
Gentoo Penguin Pygoscelis papua	LC	breeding (1984–2002)	3,800–6,800 pairs	A1, A4ii
Royal Penguin Eudyptes schlegeli	LC	resident (1984–1985)	850,000 pairs	A1, A4ii
Southern Rockhopper Penguin Eudyptes chrysocome	VU	resident (-)	100,000 pairs	A1, A4ii
Snowy Albatross Diomedea exulans	VU	resident (-)	10 pairs	A1
Light-mantled Albatross Phoebetria palpebrata	NT	resident (2000–2002)	1,500–1,800 pairs	A1, A4ii
Grey-headed Albatross Thalassarche chrysostoma	EN	resident (-)	100–120 pairs	A1
Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris	LC	resident (1993–1999)	46–141 pairs	A1
Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus	LC	resident (2000–2002)	2,300 pairs	A4ii
White-headed Petrel Pterodroma lessonii	LC	resident (1984–2006)	7,850–9,000 pairs	A4ii
Brown Skua Catharacta antarctica	LC	resident (1974–1984)	204–285 pairs	A4ii

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2009. The most recent assessment (2020) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Residential and commercial development	likely in long term (>4 years)	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	past (and unlikely to return) and no longer limiting	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1997	Macquarie Island	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) (UA)	100
2000	Macquarie Island	Nature Reserve (Ia)	71
2000	Macquarie Island	Nature Reserve (Ia)	29
2000	Macquarie Island (Terrestrial component)	Nature Reserve (Ia)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Grassland	major (>10)	Tundra & subantarctic grasslands; Tussock grasslands
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	-

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100

Tasmanian Government with management the responsibility of Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife Service.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Macquarie Island (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/macquarie-island-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.