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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
Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus	VU	resident (1981–2008)	10 pairs	A1

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)	moderate (70–90%)	moderate (70–90%)	poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Pollution	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	No management plan exists, but the management planning process has begun	Very little or no conservation action taking place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1913	Bokarup	Nature Reserve (Ia)	2
1960	Unicup	Nature Reserve (Ia)	14
1963	Kulunilup	Nature Reserve (Ia)	13
1963	Cobertup	Nature Reserve (Ia)	3
1969	Yarnup	Nature Reserve (Ia)	-
1973	Lake Muir	Nature Reserve (Ia)	57

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Wetlands (inland)	major (>10)	Permanent herbaceous swamps & bogs

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	major (>10)

Western Australian State government with management the responsibility of Department of Environment and Conservation.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Muir-Unicup Wetlands (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/muir-unicup-wetlands-iba-australia on 27/12/2024.