Current view: Text account
Site description (2014 baseline):
IBA Trigger species: Snares Penguin, Buller's Albatross, Sooty shearwater, Mottled Petrel, Common Diving Petrel, NZ (Snares Island) Snipe.
Besides the trigger species the following species are confirmed or likely to be breeding: Snares Cape Petrel, Fairy Prion, Broad-billed Prion, Brown Skua, Southern Black-backed Gull, Red-billed Gull, Antarctic Tern, Mallard, (Grey Duck), Snares Island Fernbird, Blackbird, Song Thrush, South Island Fantail, Snares Island Tomtit, Silvereye, Chaffinch, Redpoll, House Sparrow, Starling.
Other species recorded: Hoary-headed Grebe, King Penguin, Yellow-eyed Penguin, Gentoo Penguin, Little Penguin, Rock-hopper Penguin, Royal Penguin, Fiordland Penguin, Erect-crested Penguin, Light-mantled Sooty Albatross, Southern Giant Petrel, Northern Giant Petrel, Salvin’s Prion, Blue Petrel, White-faced Storm Petrel, Black-bellied Storm Petrel, Black Shag, Pied Shag, Auckland Island Shag, Spotted Shag, White-faced Heron, White Heron (Great Egret), Cattle Egret, Canada Goose, Chestnut-breasted Shelduck, Australian Wood Duck, Grey Teal, Australasian Shoveler, White-eyed Duck, Australa-sian Harrier, Pied Oystercatcher, Spur-winged Plover, Turnstone, Japanese Snipe, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Eastern Bar-tailed Godwit, Tattler sp., Greenshank, Black-billed Gull (EN), Black-fronted Tern (EN), White-fronted Tern, Arctic Tern, Rock Pi-geon, Red-crowned Parakeet, Oriental Cuckoo, Shining Cuckoo, Long-tailed Cuckoo, Morepork, Spine-tailed Swift, Skylark, Welcome Swallow, Australian Tree Martin, Hedge Sparrow, Grey Warbler, Tui, Yellowhammer, Greenfinch, Goldfinch.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The islands are pest and disease-free with access is strictly limited. However, invasion is a threat, particularly from vessels anchored close to the islands and landing parties.
Human disturbance – No
Predation by alien species – No
Habitat loss or degradation – No
Contamination – No
Natural disaster – No
Other – No
Snares Island - Nature Reserve - Protected area overlaps with site
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Snares (eastern islands) (New Zealand). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/snares-(eastern-islands)-iba-new-zealand on 26/12/2024.
