Macauley & Haszard Islands (31223)
New Zealand, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2014
National site name: Macauley & Haszard Islands
Central coordinates: Latitude: -30.2290, Longitude: -178.4352
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 238
Area of KBA (km2): 2.48546
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: IBA Trigger Species: White-necked (White-naped) Petrel, Black-winged Petrel, Wedge-tailed Shearwater, White-faced (Kermadec), Storm Petrel*, Red-tailed Tropicbird, Grey Noddy (Grey Ternlet), Red-fronted (Kermadec) Parakeet. * Regarded as full species in New Zealand. (NZ Checklist 2010). Besides the trigger species the following are confirmed breeding or resident on these two islands: Kermadec Petrel, Kermadec Little Shearwater, Tasman (Masked) Booby, Sooty Tern, Black Noddy. Other species recorded: Black Shag, White-faced Heron, White-necked Heron, Australasian Harrier, Pacific Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Turnstone, Asiatic Whimbrel, Grey-tailed Tattler, Wandering Tattler, Little Tern, Long-tailed Cuckoo, NZ kingfisher, Welcome Swallow, NZ Pipit, Silvereye, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Starling.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 5 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 32 | |
| Shrubland | 32 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 32 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Human disturbance – No Predation by alien species – No Habitat loss or degradation – Yes - Erosion of the island's coast has impacted on some breeding sites - for example, a large sand dune at the back of Sandy Bay was washed away by wave and storm action. Many burrows would have been lost. Contamination – No Natural disaster – Yes - The island is the visible part of the edge of a huge submarine caldera which remains active. A large-scale eruption of the volcano would have a devastating impact on breeding seabirds. Other - No
Additional information
References: Gaskin, C.P. 2012. Seabirds of the Kermadec Region: their natural history and conservation. Science for Conservation 316. Department of Conservation, Wellington. 71p. Greene, T.C.; Scofield, R.P.; Dilks, P.J. 2004: Status of Kermadec red-crowned parakeets and the likely effects of a proposed kiore eradication programme. Macauley Island Expedition July 2002. DOC Science Internal Series 179. Department of Conser-vation, Wellington. 33 p. Merton, D.V. 1970: Kermadec Islands expedition reports: a general account of birdlife. Notornis 17: 147–199. Sykes, W.R.; West, C.J.; Beever, J.E.; Fife, A.J. 2000: Kermadec Islands flora: a compilation of modern materials about the flora of the Kermadec Islands. Special edition. Manaaki Whenua Press, Landcare Research, Lincoln. 216 p. Taylor, G.A.; Tennyson, A.J.D. 1988: Report to the Department of Conservation on a trip to the Southern Kermadec Islands, September 1988. (Unpublished report; held at Auckland Conservancy office, Department of Conservation.) Tennyson, A.J.D.; Taylor, G.A.; Scofield, P. 1998: Another visit to Macauley Island. OSNZ News 52: 4–5. Veitch, C.R.; Miskelly, C.M.; Harper, G.A.; Taylor, G.A.; Tennyson, A.J.D. 2004: Birds of the Kermadec Islands, South-west Pacific. Notornis 51: 61–90. Waugh, S.M., Tennyson, A.J.D., Taylor, G.A., Wilson, K-J. 2013. Population sizes of shearwaters (Puffinus spp.) breeding in New Zealand with recommendations for monitoring. Tuhinga 24: 159-204.