Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
The Three Sisters IBA consists of three rocky islands up to 500 m from the coast near Devonport in Tasmania. The islands support a large colony of Black-faced Cormorant, most of which nest on the higher, more conical island of the group. The scant coastal scrub that is present on the islands is most developed on the summits. Although the islands are located close to shore in waters frequented by boats and recreational fishermen, landings are scarce because there are no safe anchorage points or obvious routes by which to access the steeply-sloped shorelines.
White-bellied Sea-Eagles regularly forage around the islands and are sometimes seen among woody vegetation at the summit of the highest island, where they could conceivably nest in future. Pacific Gull and Sooty Oystercatcher breed annually in small numbers, and Caspian Tern has bred in the past.
Non-bird biodiversity: Australian Fur Seals occasionally haul out on the lowest of the three islands.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The impacts of human visitation need investigation. The impacts of gill net fisheries need investigation.
Part of Three Sisters Nature Reserve.
Owned by the Tasmanian State Government and managed by the Parks and Wildlife Service.
Site access / Land-owner requests
There are no safe anchorages or obvious access routes on these steep islands without beaches.
The nomination was prepared by Peter Britton. Mark Fordham and Steve Gall of Parks and Wildlife Service, Ulverstone, kindly supplied data, and Rachael Alderman and Rosemary Gales of DPIW kindly commented on the nomination.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Three Sisters (Bass Strait) (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/three-sisters-(bass-strait)-iba-australia on 23/11/2024.
