Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation 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 List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda | LC | breeding (2008) | 285 chicks | A4ii |
| Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel | LC | breeding (2008) | 5,472 chicks | A4ii |
| Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus | LC | breeding (2008) | 41,243 chicks | A4i |
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.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2012 | good | medium | very low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | poor | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Marine Neritic | good (>90%) | good (>90%) | good |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Pollution | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Climate change and severe weather | likely in long term (>4 years) | some of population/area (10–49%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Little/none of area covered (<10%) | No management planning has taken place | Very little or no conservation action taking place | very low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Suwarrow | National Park (IV) | - |
| 2017 | Cook Islands Marine Park | Marine Park (VI) | 100 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 100 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Suwarrow Atoll Marine (Cook Islands). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/suwarrow-atoll-marine-iba-cook-islands on 27/12/2024.