Current view: Text account
Site description (2015 baseline):
Site location and context
Scorseby Head lies on the northern coast of Smyley Island, between Stange Sound and Carroll Inlet, Trathan Coast, Bellingshausen Sea. The Stange Ice Shelf connects the island in the east with the English Coast, Palmer Land. An Emperor Penguin (
Aptenodytes forsteri) colony breeds on fast ice that forms on the northern coast of Smyley Island several km east of Scorseby Head.
The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Emperor Penguin colony present and is entirely marine.
There are no research stations nearby. The closest permanent stations are Rothera (GBR) and San MartÃn (ARG), located approximately 650 km to the northwest in Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula.
Analysis of a satellite image acquired 12 Nov 2009 (Fretwell
et al. 2012) indicated that approximately 6061 Emperor Penguins were present at the colony. No other birds are known to breed in the area.
Non-bird biodiversity: Southern Elephant Seals (
Mirounga leonina) fitted with satellite transmitters at King George Island have been observed travelling towards the Bellingshausen Sea and remaining on sea ice near Smyley Island (Bornemann
et al. 2000).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
None known.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Scorseby Head, Smyley Island (Antarctica). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/scorseby-head-smyley-island-iba-antarctica on 18/12/2024.
