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The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Black-billed Gull Larus bulleri	NT	breeding	1951-2006	2,374-5,789 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
Black-fronted Tern Chlidonias albostriatus	EN	breeding	1993-1999	16-20 breeding pairs	A1

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2014) may differ.

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 area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Natural system modifications	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Pollution	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1981	Clifden	Scientific Reserve	<1
1987	Waiau River Mouth	Stewardship Area	4
1987	Waiau River, Tuatapere	Stewardship Area	3
1987	Wairaki River, Otahu	Stewardship Area	2
1987	Paddock Hill	Stewardship Area	2
1987	Waiau River, Monowai Road	Stewardship Area	<1
1987	Clifden	Stewardship Area	1
1987	Waiau River, Otahu	Stewardship Area	<1
1987	Mangapiri Forest	Stewardship Area	<1
1987	Waiau Lagoon	Stewardship Area	<1
1987	Waiau River, Piko Piko	Stewardship Area	<1
1987	Bluecliffs Beach Road	Stewardship Area	<1
1987	Taylors Bush Forest	Stewardship Area	<1
1987	Molyneaux Wetland	Stewardship Area	<1
1987	Waiau River, Merrivale	Stewardship Area	<1
1987	Waiau River Mouth	Stewardship Area	1
1987	Waiau River, Monowai Road	Stewardship Area	<1
1987	Waiau River, Piko Piko	Stewardship Area	<1
1987	Ferry Reserve	Stewardship Area	<1
1987	Waiau River, Monowai Road	Stewardship Area	<1
1993	Land Held For Cons Purposes	Stewardship Area	<1

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Introduced vegetation		major (>10)
Shrubland		major (>10)
Wetlands (inland)		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		minor (<10)
Marine Neritic		minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Waiau River Southland (New Zealand). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/waiau-river-southland-iba-new-zealand on 22/11/2024.