Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2007 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda | LC | breeding (-) | 450 breeding pairs | A4ii |
| Bristle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis | NT | non-breeding (-) | 41 individuals | A1 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2007. The most recent assessment (2012) is shown below.
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2012 | not assessed | medium | very low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | medium | |
| State (condition of the key species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda | 442 / 442 (breeding pairs) | 100 | not assessed | ||
| Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Climate change and severe weather | likely in long term (beyond 4 years) | whole population/area (>90%) | slow deterioration (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Invasive and other problematic species and genes | happening now | whole population/area (>90%) | no deterioration (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | past (and unlikely to return) and no longer limiting | whole population/area (>90%) | no deterioration (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Little/none of site covered (<10%) | No management planning has taken place | Very little or no conservation action taking place | very low |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | - | Coconut plantations |
| Marine Intertidal | - | |
| Marine Neritic | - | |
| Shrubland | - |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Maria (French Polynesia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/maria-iba-french-polynesia on 09/01/2025.