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The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Polynesian Storm-petrel Nesofregetta fuliginosa	EN	breeding	2006	20 breeding pairs	A1, A4ii
Phoenix Petrel Pterodroma alba	VU	breeding	2009	30 breeding pairs	A1, A4ii
Christmas Shearwater Puffinus nativitatis	LC	breeding	2006	500 breeding pairs	A4ii
Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel	LC	breeding	2006	4,300 breeding pairs	A4ii
Blue Noddy Anous ceruleus	LC	breeding	2009	3,000 breeding pairs	A4i
Brown Noddy Anous stolidus	LC	breeding	2009	5,000 breeding pairs	A4i
Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus	LC	breeding	2009	300,000 breeding pairs	A4i
Grey-backed Tern Onychoprion lunatus	LC	breeding	2009	1,000 breeding pairs	A4i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	-	2009	309,000 breeding pairs	A4iii

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2012) may differ.

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.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Polynesian Storm-petrel Nesofregetta fuliginosa	20	20	breeding pairs	100	not assessed
Phoenix Petrel Pterodroma alba	30	30	breeding pairs	100	not assessed
Christmas Shearwater Puffinus nativitatis	500	500	breeding pairs	100	not assessed
Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel	4,300	4,300	breeding pairs	100	not assessed
Procelsterna cerulea	3,000	3,000	breeding pairs	100	not assessed
Brown Noddy Anous stolidus	5,000	5,000	breeding pairs	100	not assessed
Grey-backed Tern Onychoprion lunatus	1,000	1,000	breeding pairs	100	not assessed
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	927,000	927,000	individuals	100	not assessed

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%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	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	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1975	Rawaki (Phoenix) Island	Wildlife Sanctuary	100
2006	Phoenix Islands Protected Area	Protected Area	100
2010	Phoenix Islands Protected Area	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	100

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Rawaki (Phoenix Island) (Kiribati). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/rawaki-(phoenix-island)-iba-kiribati on 23/11/2024.