Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
Seagull Island is a large sand island mostly covered by grass and vines, about 4 km off the north-western coast of Melville Island, north of Darwin. Island ref S009 in Chatto (2001).
Small numbers of Silver Gulls (maximum 800 birds) also nest, and possibly Roseate and Bridled Terns. Large numbers of migrant Little and Common Terns use the island for roosting, as do smaller numbers of Brown Boobies and frigatebirds.
Non-bird biodiversity: Important Olive Ridley Turtle nesting site (Chatto 2001).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Support the monitoring of the egg harvest and occasional counts of the colony. Ensure that exotic weeds do not colonise the island. Investigate the level of natural predation on tern eggs and chicks.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Seagull Island is included within the 'Tiwi Islands' site of conservation significance as classified by the Northern Territory Government (Harrison et al. 2009; Ward & Harrison 2009). The traditional owners have a basic system of monitoring the harvest of Crested Tern eggs and sometimes close the island to harvesting. Egg harvests of >1,000 eggs per season are extremely rare. Watanabe (1999) concluded that predation by Silver Gulls was a much greater threat to breeding success.
The traditional owners have a basic system of monitoring the harvest of Crested Tern eggs and sometimes close the island to harvesting. Egg harvests of >1,000 eggs per season are extremely rare. Watanabe (1999) concluded that predation by Silver Gulls was a much greater threat to breeding success.
Tiwi ALT.
Site access / Land-owner requests
This IBA is on Traditionally Owned land.
Cyril Kalippa gave permission and Jack Long, Caji Dunn, Kate Hadden and the Tiwi Land Council kindly arranged a visit to the island by Guy Dutson. Nomination endorsed by Tiwi LC in 2006.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Seagull Island (Tiwi Islands) (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/seagull-island-(tiwi-islands)-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.
