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

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
Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides	LC	resident (-)	5,016 birds	A4i
Banded Stilt Cladorhynchus leucocephalus	LC	non-breeding (1989–2007)	60,389 birds	A4i
Red-necked Avocet Recurvirostra novaehollandiae	LC	non-breeding (-)	4,296 birds	A4i
Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus	LC	non-breeding (-)	1,488 birds	A4i

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)	good (>90%)	poor (40–69%)	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
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Pollution	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	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

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1986	White Lake, Douglas W.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	9
1986	Bow Lake W.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	3
1986	Lake Coyrahilla (Copper Colour) W.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	2
1987	Hateleys Lake W.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	1
1988	Mitre Lake F.F.R	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	9
1988	Grassflat Swamp F.F.R	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	<1
1988	Ti Tree Swamp W.R.	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	1
1988	Heard Lake W.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	2
1990	McGlashin Swamp W.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
1991	North, Centre and other Lakes W.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	7
1991	Mitre F.F.R	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	1
1991	Bitter Swamp W.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
1992	Olivers Lake F.F.R	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	5
1992	Lake Carchap W.R	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	1
1992	Arapiles B.R	Natural Features Reserve (IV)	<1
1997	McClures Swamp W.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2002	Jacka Lake & lakes to north W.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	1
2003	Gashes Swamp W.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2004	Jilpanger N.C.R.	Natural Features Reserve (Ia)	4
2005	Lake Clarke W.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	2
2011	Lake Wyn Wyn W.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	10

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Wetlands (inland)	major (>10)	Ephemeral; Freshwater lakes & pools; Saline lakes
Shrubland	minor (<10)	Chenopod shrubs, samphire shrubs and forblands

Land use	% of IBA
hunting	major (>10)
nature conservation and research	major (>10)
tourism/recreation	major (>10)
rangeland/pastureland	minor (<10)

State government and private. Most of the lakes in the IBA are situated within reserves managed by Parks Victoria.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Natimuk-Douglas Wetlands (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/natimuk-douglas-wetlands-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.