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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2009 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
Blue-billed Duck Oxyura australis	LC	non-breeding (1993–2006)	416 birds	A1, A4i
Chestnut Teal Anas castanea	LC	resident (1993–2006)	1,300–4,000 birds	A4i
Australian Ibis Threskiornis moluccus	LC	resident (1993–2007)	12,000 nests	A4i
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis	LC	resident (1993–2007)	15,000 nests	A4i
Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis	NT	non-breeding (1983–2004)	1,385–9,008 birds	A4i
Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae	LC	breeding (1959–1986)	40,000–50,000 pairs	A4i
Fairy Tern Sternula nereis	VU	resident (1993–2006)	240 birds	A1, A4i
Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster	CR	non-breeding (2000–2006)	3–9 birds	A1

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2009. The most recent assessment (2008) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (>4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1985	Mud Islands	Nature Conservation Reserve - Wildlife Reserve (no hunting) (Ia)	4
1996	Swan Bay - Edwards Point W.R	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	6
1998	Lonsdale Lakes W.R	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	5
2002	Port Phillip Heads	Marine National Park (II)	66

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Marine Intertidal	major (>10)
Artificial/Terrestrial	minor (<10)	Other urban & industrial areas
Shrubland	minor (<10)	Chenopod shrubs, samphire shrubs and forblands

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	major (>10)
tourism/recreation	minor (<10)
urban/industrial/transport	minor (<10)

Commonwealth; State Government; local council.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Swan Bay and Port Phillip Bay Islands (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/swan-bay-and-port-phillip-bay-islands-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.