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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2014 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
Black-billed Gull Larus bulleri	NT	breeding (1995–2014)	77–250 pairs	A1
Black-fronted Tern Chlidonias albostriatus	EN	breeding (1979–2008)	12–37 birds	A1

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2014. The most recent assessment (2014) 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	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in short term (<4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

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
-	Four Rivers Plain	Stewardship Area (III)	<1
1911	Shenandoah	Scenic Reserve (III)	<1
1987	Matakitaki River Headwaters	Stewardship Area (III)	6
1987	Riverbed Maitkitaki River	Stewardship Area (III)	<1
1987	Maruia Saddle Road	Stewardship Area (III)	<1
1987	Riverbed Buller River	Stewardship Area (III)	<1
1987	Matakitaki River - Thomas	Stewardship Area (III)	<1
1987	Thomas Special Lease	Stewardship Area (III)	<1
1987	Owen River	Stewardship Area (III)	-
1987	Essex St - Murchison	Stewardship Area (III)	-
1987	Riverbed Matiri River	Stewardship Area (III)	<1
1987	Essex St - Murchison	Stewardship Area (III)	-
1987	Nuggety Creek Road	Stewardship Area (III)	<1
1987	Buller River - Thurlow	Stewardship Area (III)	<1
1987	Maruia River Paenga	Stewardship Area (III)	<1
1991	Matakitaki River Murchison	Stewardship Area (III)	<1
1994	Maruia Falls	Scenic Reserve (III)	<1
2005	Howard River Valley	Scientific Reserve (Ia)	<1
2007	Kawatiri Junction	Stewardship Area (III)	<1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Introduced vegetation	major (>10)
Shrubland	major (>10)
Wetlands (inland)	major (>10)
Grassland	minor (<10)

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Upper Buller (New Zealand). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/upper-buller-iba-new-zealand on 23/12/2024.