• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

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
Australian Ibis Threskiornis moluccus	LC	resident	1978-2005	6,700 nests	A4i
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis	LC	resident	1987-2005	55,000 nests	A4i
Plumed Egret Ardea plumifera	LC	resident	1978-2005	20,200 nests	A4i
Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus	VU	resident	1998-2008	4 individuals	A1
Nankeen Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus	LC	resident	1978-2005	15,500 nests	A4i
White-necked Heron Ardea pacifica	LC	resident	1983-2005	2,304 individuals	A4i
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata	VU	non-breeding	1983-2005	3,000 individuals	A4i

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
Wetlands (inland)	very poor (< 40%)	very poor (< 40%)	very unfavourable

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%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Residential and commercial development	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Pollution	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Biological resource use	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	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%)	No management plan exists but the management planning process has begun	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1986	The Macquarie Marshes	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	7
2012	Ginghet	Nature Reserve	<1
2014	Macquarie Marshes	Nature Reserve	8

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Wetlands (inland)	Riverine floodplains, Permanent herbaceous swamps & bogs, Rivers & streams	major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
rangeland/pastureland	90
nature conservation and research	10

Private and state government (New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service).

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Macquarie Marshes (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/macquarie-marshes-iba-australia on 22/11/2024.