Important Bird Areas in Antarctica

• Main Authors: Harris, Colin, Fishpool, Lincoln, Lascelles, Ben, Lorenz, Katharina
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Antarctic Environments Portal 2016
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.18124/d40594; https://www.environments.aq/information-summaries/important-bird-areas-in-antarctica/

There is a large amount of information on birds in Antarctica but this has never previously been assembled and analysed to determine exactly where the most significant breeding sites for the avifauna as a whole are. Such information is essential in order to inform the conservation actions needed to protect them against the range of threats identified in Antarctica. These include direct disturbance by visitors, disturbance by aircraft or vehicles, exposure to pollutants, ingestion of or fouling by marine debris, competition for prey from fisheries, accidental by-catch on fishing lines or in nets, introduction of disease from other parts of the world and climate change. Recent analyses have identified 204 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Antarctica, for all of which detailed site accounts have been compiled. Sites were identified using internationally agreed criteria that have been applied in 200 countries over the past 35 years. The compiled list of IBAs provides a baseline against which change can be measured and conservation actions considered.