AUSTRALIA’S IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS Key sites for bird conservation Guy Dutson, Stephen Garnett and Cheryl Gole Bird Australia (RAOU) Conservation Statement No. 15, October 2009 1 IBAs Australia’s Important Bird Areas Contents Australia’s Important Bird Areas: A Report Pages ustralia’s 314 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are among Earth’s most What are exceptional places for birds and are priority sites for bird conservation. Important Bird Areas? ...............................................................3 ABy conserving these key areas, Australians can be more confident of Why identify the long-term survival of our birds. In this report, Birds Australia presents the Important Bird Areas? ....................................................... 4–5 results of a three year project to identify Australia’s IBAs. The project owes its How are success to the contributions of over 1,000 volunteers. Important Bird Areas Almost half of the area covered by Australia’s IBAs has no existing formal identified? ............................................................................................. 6–7 protection, thus representing an opportunity for conservation. Most of Australia’s Where are Australia’s IBAs face challenges such as invasive species, development pressure, overgrazing Important Bird Areas? ....................................................... 8–9 and inappropriate fire regimes, thus presenting a need for management. In only a Important Bird Areas and very small number of IBAs were no challenges identified. habitats, land-use and Between 2005 and 2009, the IBA project designated 314 Australian sites ownership...................................................................................... 10–11 of global significance for bird conservation. These sites encompass almost 44 Important Bird Areas and million hectares of land, which include: protected areas ..................................................................... 12–13 s IBAs in all Australian States and most Territories. Threatened species and Important Bird Areas ................................................... 14–15 s Almost 26 million hectares of habitat in 167 IBAs designated for globally threatened species (some IBAs are designated for more than one Waterbirds and threatened species). Important Bird Areas ................................................... 16–17 Shorebirds and s 121 IBAs in 31 million hectares designated for restricted-range (endemic) Important Bird Areas ................................................... 18–19 species. Seabirds and s More than ten and a half million hectares of habitat in 171 IBAs designated Important Bird Areas ................................................... 20–21 for congregations of waterbirds, including shorebirds. Threats to s 98 IBAs designated at least partly for congregations of seabirds. Important Bird Areas ................................................... 22–23 s 87 island IBAs designated mostly for seabirds. Monitoring and conservation Australia’s IBAs are concentrated in heavily cleared and fragmented of Important Bird Areas.......................................... 25–25 landscapes, along coasts and on islands. All major forms of land ownership Important Bird Areas in are represented. For communities, organisations, industry and all levels New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory .............................. 26–27 of government, this provides a wealth of opportunity for involvement in the conservation and monitoring of Australia’s birds in the places where it Important Bird Areas in matters most. Northern Territory............................................................ 28–29 Important Bird Areas in Queensland ................................................................................. 30–31 ‘Australia can hold ‘The Important Bird Important Bird Areas in its head high in the Area (IBA) program South Australia ..................................................................... 32–33 BirdLife International contributes signifi- Important Bird Areas in community, now that cantly to Australia’s Tasmania .......................................................................................... 34–35 we have identified biodiversity conser- and documented our vation through Important Bird Areas in Important Bird Areas building knowledge Victoria................................................................................................ 36–37 (IBAs). In the 314 IBAs of birds and their Important Bird Areas in we have a national network of globally threats as well as identifying conser- Western Australia............................................................. 38–39 significant sites for bird conservation, vation solutions. This provides value to providing a focus for research and conser- both policy makers and land managers. Acknowledgements ..................................................................40 vation efforts. Thanks to Rio Tinto for their Congratulations to Birds Australia and its generous support, BirdLife International staff large network of committed volunteers for their advice and encouragement, and who have enabled Australia’s IBAs to Dr Guy Dutson and the team who contributed be identified and documented in this their time, knowledge and enthusiasm.’ impressive report.’ Right: Graeme Hamilton. Photo by Jennifer Sutfin Graeme Hamilton, CEO, Steven Creese, Managing Director, Right: Steven Creese. Photo courtesy of Rio Tinto Birds Australia Rio Tinto Australia 2 What are Important Bird Areas? IBAs Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are % %% % % sites that are recognised as % % % %%% % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % internationally important for % % % % % % % % % % % %% % % %% % % % % bird conservation and known % % % % % % % % %%%% % % % % % % % to support key bird species. In % %% % % % % %% % %% a partnership project funded % % % % % % % % % % % by Rio Tinto, between 2005 %% % % % % % %% and 2009 Birds Australia % % % % % % % %% % % % %% identified and selected % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % %%% % % % % Australia’s IBAs. To date, 314 %%% % % % % %%% % % % %%%% %% % % % % % % % % % % %%% % %% %% % % % %% sites have been designated %% % % % %%% % % % % % %% % % % % % %%% % % % %% %% % %% % % % % %% % % % as among the most important % %%% % % % % % %% %%% % % % % % %%% % % % for birds on this planet. This %%%% %% %%%%% %%%% % % % %%%% %%% %%%% report summarises the results %%%%% % % % %% %% of the project. % %%%%%% %% % Above: Australia’s Important Bird Areas. Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are identified through the use of globally agreed criteria. Between 2005 and 2009, 314 IBAs were identified in Australia. They represent sites of critical conservation for Australia’s birds. IBAs in remote oceanic islands are not included on this map. Birds and other elements of biodiversity IBAs are non-government and are not distributed evenly. The IBA non-statutory program was developed by BirdLife IBAs are non-governmental and have been International to identify the most used across the world as a complementary important areas on Earth for birds, to process to governmental conservation. promote their significance for conser- In Australia, IBAs are identified and vation and to assist the prioritisation designated by Birds Australia. The IBA of conservation efforts and resources. identification process is totally independent IBAs are areas known to support key of government. While this means that IBA or ‘trigger’ bird species, as defined by designation has no statutory status or legal global scientific criteria. IBA boundaries implications and is not designed to have Below: Diamantina Floodplain IBA in Queensland. Photo by Roger Jaensch (Wetlands International) are defined by these trigger species and any, it provides a means of communicating their habitat. the high conservation value of IBAs to the land managers responsible for them. IBAs are specific sites IBAs are sites: they are distinct areas or The IBA process is ongoing places that differ from surrounding areas The information in this report was current and can potentially be managed as a in June 2009. In the future, other sites that single unit. They greatly vary in size. For meet IBA criteria may come to attention example, some IBAs supporting colonies and with additional information more of nesting seabirds are less than one species at existing IBAs may be found to hectare in extent, while some are very meet the criteria. Conversely, some existing large. Ten Australian IBAs each exceed IBAs may lose their values if the threats to one million hectares, the largest being them are not addressed, or they become the 2.6 million hectare South-west Slopes lower priorities for conservation if the IBA in New South Wales. In general, ‘trigger’ species (the species of interest) conservation actions are best directed become more common. The database at these individual sites, but in some and websites will be updated regularly to instances species-specific management correct any errors but other revisions will will also be necessary. be undertaken at longer intervals. 3 IBAs Why identify Important Bird Areas? IBAs have been selected to Australia’s birds are threatened Australia lacks site-based Australia is one of the most important conservation priorities identify priority places for countries in the world for birds and In some countries such as the United bird conservation. They are biodiversity. It supports 803 bird species, Kingdom, all sites of conservation of which 312 are endemic (found significance have been identified.