Data Zone
Note: It is not possible to directly download IBA boundaries from this website. However the following notes explain how to request data:
BirdLife International maintains a GIS dataset of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) around the world on behalf of the BirdLife Partnership. This dataset is drawn largely from data provided directly by the Partners but also includes some data digitised by the BirdLife Secretariat or consolidated from 3rd party sources where other information were not available.
Where possible we have included a polygon for each IBA, however there remain some sites where it hasn’t yet been possible to create a boundary polygon, in these instances the site has been represented in a separate dataset by a point showing its approximate location.
The IBA GIS dataset compiled by BirdLife International is usually available on request for non-commercial use in ESRI shapefile format to use in GIS mapping software. Full terms of use (including the definition of non-commercial use) are available here.
IBAs are provided for commercial purposes through the IBAT for Business collaboration between BirdLife International, Conservation International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC as part of a broader set of sites identified for birds and other taxa. If you’re interested in using the IBA data for commercial purposes please visit the IBAT for business website (www.ibat-alliance.org) or contact the IBAT Programme Coordinator (ibat@ibat-alliance.org), rather than completing this form.
Single Country Data Requests: If you’re only interested in the IBA data for one country and that country has a BirdLife Partner, please visit their website and contact them in the first instance as they are usually the original source of the data we maintain. A full list of countries for which we have a partner is available here. Some Partners provide direct access to their data through their own web sites.
To request data for more than one country please email the required details indicated below to DataRequests@birdlife.org. We will then review your request and send the download location for the data to you. If you have any questions about the data or process please do not hesitate to contact us.
Please Note: This is not an automated process and before requests are responded to they undergo internal authorisation by a member of staff, as such requests normally take between 5 and 10 working days to turn around. Please note that at present requests may take longer than normal due to limited staff capacity.
We will use your personal data to respond to your request. For information about how we process your personal data, and your rights in relation to it, please visit https://www.birdlife.org/privacy-policy/.
Please read and accept the terms of use, disclaimer and errors and omissions statement here. In particular, please note that the data cannot be used for commercial purposes, passed on to third parties, or republished. Full and appropriate acknowledgement is required in any materials or publications derived from the data (and copies of these should be sent to BirdLife). For any publications making substantial use of the data, BirdLife International welcomes the opportunity for coauthorship, collaboration and to comment prior to publication.