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• Text account
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• 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
Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis	LC	resident	1982-1992	1,000-1,623 nests	A4i
Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii	LC	resident	1982-1992	2,000-6,080 nests	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.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Pollution	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	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
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1981	Great Barrier Reef	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	100
2001	Michaelmas and Upolu Cays	National Park	100
2004	Great Barrier Reef Coast	Marine Park	97
2004	Great Barrier Reef	Marine Park	96

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland		major (>10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100

Australian Federal Government with management the responsibility of GBRMPA.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Michaelmas Cay (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/michaelmas-cay-iba-australia on 23/11/2024.