McKean Island Marine


IBA Justification

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2012 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
Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda LC breeding (2006–2009) 85 pairs A4ii
Polynesian Storm-petrel Nesofregetta fuliginosa EN breeding (1966–1968) 1,000 birds A1, A4ii
Tropical Shearwater Puffinus bailloni LC breeding (1983) 5,000 birds A4ii
Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel LC resident (2009) 3,000 birds A4ii
Masked Booby Sula dactylatra LC breeding (2006–2009) 640–1,200 pairs A4ii

IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2012. The most recent assessment (2012) is shown below.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2012 good medium very low
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes habitat poor

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat Quantity (% remaining) Quality (% carrying capacity) Result
Marine Neritic good (>90%) good (>90%) good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Pollution happe­ning now some of popul­ation/area (10–49%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) medium
Climate change and severe weather likely in long term (>4 years) whole of popul­ation/area (>90%) no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations) low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation Planning Action Result
Little/none of area covered (<10%) No management planning has taken place Very little or no conservation action taking place very low

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation (management category) % coverage of IBA
2010 Phoenix Islands Protected Area World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) (UA) 100

Habitats

Habitat % of IBA Habitat detail
Marine Neritic 100


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: McKean Island Marine (Kiribati). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mckean-island-marine-iba-kiribati on 23/12/2024.