• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Blue-billed Duck Oxyura australis	LC	resident	2001-2007	1,784-13,000 individuals	A1, A4i
Musk Duck Biziura lobata	LC	resident	2001-2007	1,436-2,103 individuals	A4i
Pink-eared Duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus	LC	resident	2001-2007	17,028-50,985 individuals	A4i
Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevosa	LC	resident	2001-2007	57-595 individuals	A4i
Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides	LC	resident	2001-2007	3,081-18,230 individuals	A4i
Australasian Shoveler Spatula rhynchotis	LC	resident	2001-2007	6,608-17,433 individuals	A4i
Chestnut Teal Anas castanea	LC	resident	2001-2007	5,799-10,064 individuals	A4i
Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus	LC	resident	2001-2007	14,055-24,881 individuals	A4i
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata	VU	non-breeding	1981-2007	586-4,060 individuals	A4i
Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis	NT	non-breeding	1981-2007	5,603-15,110 individuals	A4i
Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster	CR	non-breeding	1978-2007	20 individuals	A1

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2009) may differ.

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	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Pollution	likely in short term (within 4 years)	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
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

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
1982	Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	77
1992	The Spit W.R.	Nature Conservation Reserve	12

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine	Other artificial wetlands	major (>10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
urban/industrial/transport	major (>10)
nature conservation and research	minor (<10)
not utilised	minor (<10)
military	minor (<10)

A mix of State and private ownership - Melbourne Water is responsible for Sewage Treatment areas; Victorian Parks for reserves, intertidal areas and Bay waters; Cheetham Salt Company owns the salt works.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Werribee and Avalon (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/werribee-and-avalon-iba-australia on 23/11/2024.