Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
The Three Hummocks Island group is south of Wanyanmera Point in north-east Arnhem Land. They are a group of partially vegetated granite island with large numbers of Bridled Terns nesting on the four largest islands. The IBA also includes the nearby rocky and sandy Dudley Island to the south and a number of unnamed rocky islets to the north. These are island refs S038, S039, S041, S104 and S105 in Chatto (2001).
Chatto (2001) made nine counts on the Three Hummocks Island group. The estimated numbers of Bridled Terns nesting in the four years between 1993-1999 when counts were made were 10,000, 5000, 7500 and 20,000-50,000. On the small islands to the north, up to 500 Roseate Terns and 450 Black-naped Terns were recorded as irregularly nesting. On Dudley Island to the south, up to 300 Black-naped, 200 Bridled and 200 Roseate Terns have been recorded nesting.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
No known threats. The numbers of nesting seabirds should be monitored.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
The islands captured by the IBA are included in the 'Gove Peninsula and north-east Arnhem coast' site of conservation significance as classified by the Northern Territory Government (Harrison et al. 2009; Ward & Harrison 2009).
There is an overlap with the Laynhapuy Indigenous Protected Area.
Arnhem Land ALT
Site access / Land-owner requests
Traditionally-owned land.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Three Hummocks Island (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/three-hummocks-island-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.
