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

Site description (2015 baseline)

Seabee Hook is located 0.3 km west of Cape Hallett, situated at the northern extremity of the Hallett Peninsula, Borchgrevink Coast, northern Victoria Land. Seabee Hook is a relatively flat, depositional feature that consists of coarse volcanic parent material forming a series of beach ridges. Steep scree and permanent ice rising to more than 65 m form the western slopes of northern Hallett Peninsula.

The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colony that occupies Seabee Hook, and is coincident with the boundary of ASPA No. 106: Cape Hallett. The ASPA is designated as an outstanding example of biological diversity, including for its large seabird colonies and diverse terrestrial ecology.

The nearest permanent stations are Mario Zucchelli (ITA) and Jang Bogo (KOR), ~330 km to the south in Terra Nova Bay.

Key biodiversity

A mean of 42 628 breeding pairs of Adélie Penguin was reported over 14 seasons sampled between 1981 and 2012 (Lyver et al. 2014). Approximately 63 971 breeding pairs were present in 2009/10 (combined total of direct nest, oblique aerial and ground photo counts made 26 Nov – 3 Dec 2009; unpublished data ERA 2010 cited in ASPA No.106 Management Plan (2010)).

South Polar Skuas (Catharacta maccormicki) breed within the area, and 14 breeding pairs and 66 individuals were observed on Seabee Hook in 2009, and another 23 breeding pairs and 92 individuals were present east of Willett Cove (unpublished data ERA 2010 cited in ASPA No.106 Management Plan (2010)).

Visitors to the area include Emperor Penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri), Chinstrap Penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica), Wilson's Storm-petrels (Oceanites oceanicus), Snow Petrels (Pagodroma nivea) and Southern Giant Petrels (Macronectes giganteus).

Non-bird biodiversity: Weddell Seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) breed in Edisto Inlet and have been observed on Seabee Hook. Leopard Seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) and Minke Whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) are commonly observed offshore.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Seabee Hook, Cape Hallett (Antarctica). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/seabee-hook-cape-hallett-iba-antarctica on 28/11/2024.