Mokohinau Islands (31229)
New Zealand, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2014
National site name: Mokohinau Islands
Central coordinates: Latitude: -35.9067, Longitude: 175.1147
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 136
Area of KBA (km2): 1.78138
Protected area coverage (%): 44.54
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: Trigger species: Common Diving Petrel, Grey-faced Petrel, Red-fronted Parakeet, Kaka (occasional visitor) Ornithological information: Besides the trigger species the following are confirmed breeding or resident on the islands: Little Penguin, Grey-faced Petrel, Black-winged Petrel, Sooty Shearwater, Northern Little Shearwater, Fluttering Shearwa-ter, White-faced Storm petrel, Common Diving Petrel, Australasian Gannet, Pied Shag, Southern Black-backed Gull, Red-billed Gull, White-fronted Tern, Reef Heron, White-faced Heron, Australasian Harrier, Morepork, NZ Kingfisher, Welcome Swallow, NZ Pipit, North Island Fantail, Grey Warbler, Silvereye, Bellbird, Tui, Skylark, Hedge Sparrow, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Starling. Other species recorded: Buller’s Shearwater*, Fles-footed Shearwater*, Fairy Prion**, Cook’s Petrel2, Pycroft’s Petrel*, Black-bellied Storm Petrel (most likely NZ Storm Petrel)*, NZ Storm Petrel**, Little Shag, Wandering Tattler, Eastern Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Noddy (Grey Ternlet), NZ Pigeon, Rock Pigeon, Shining Cuckoo, Long-tailed Cuckoo, Common Myna. * Attracted to lighthouse light ** Attracted during spotlighting
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced Vegetation | 19 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 19 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 19 | |
| Forest | 19 | |
| Shrubland | 19 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Human disturbance – Yes - Burgess Island is open public access however there are some restrictions in place (no camping, fires and dogs). Bait and tracking stations are in place on the island and maintained infrequently by DOC staff from Great Barrier Island. Predation by alien species – No Habitat loss or degradation – No Contamination – No Natural disaster – No Other - No
Additional information
References: Auckland University Field Club scientific trip to the Mokohinau Islands, May 1979 (numerous papers) Cameron, E.K. 1990. Vascular plants of the main northern Mokohinau Islands, north-eastern New Zealand Tane Vol. 32:113-131 Esler, A.E. 1978. Botanical features of the Mokohinau Islands. Tane 24: 187-197 Bellingham, M Fleming, C.A. 1946. Breeding of red-billed gull, a preliminary census of Mokohinau Colony. NZ Bird Notes 2 Fleming, C.A. 1950. The Geology of the Mokohinau Islands, North Auckland. Trans. RSNZ Vol. 78:255-268 Gaskin C, Baird K 2005. Observations of black and white storm petrels in the Hauraki Gulf, November 2003–June 2005: Were they of New Zealand Storm Petrels? Notornis 52:181–194. Gaskin, C.P., Heiss-Dunlop, S. 2010. Seabird habitat surveying & bio-acoustic monitoring Burgess Island (Pokohinu) . Presen-tation, Hauraki Gulf Seabird Seminar, University of Auckland. Gaskin C, Fitzgerald N, Cameron EK, Heiss-Dunlop S. 2011. Does the New Zealand storm-petrel (Pealeornis maoriana) breed in northern New Zealand? Notornis 58: 104-112 Gillham, M. E. 1960. Plant Communities of the Mokohinau Islands, Northern N.Z. Trans. of the RSNZ Vol 88: 79-98 Gurr, L. & Kinsky, F. C. 1965. The distribution of breeding colonies and status of the red-billed gull in New Zealand and its outlying islands. Notornis 12: 223-240. Hemmings, A. D. 1988. Red-billed gulls feeding on ngaio at the Mokohinau Islands. Notornis 35: 116. Ismar S.M.H., Taylor G.A., Gaskin C.P., Rayner M.J. 2012. First breeding report of black-winged petrel (Pterodroma nigripen-nis) on Burgess Island, Mokohinau Group, Hauraki Gulf. Notornis 59: 176-179. Ismar, S. M. H., Baird, K. A., Gaskin, C. P., Taylor, G. A., Tennyson, A. J. D., Rayner, M. J. 2014. A case of natural recovery after the removal of invasive predators - community assemblage changes in the avifauna of Burgess Island. Notornis, 61: 188-195. McCallum, J. 1986. Evidence of predation by kiore upon lizards from the Mokohinau Islands. NZ Journal of Ecology 9: 83-87 MacFadden, I. Greene, T. 1990. Using brodifacoum to eradicate kiore (Rattus exulans) from Burgess Island and the Knights Group of the Mokohinau Islands. Science & Research Series 70. Department of Conservation, Wellington Sandager, F. 1889. Observations on the Mokohinau Islands and the birds which visit them. Trans. Of the NZ Institute 22:286-294 Veitch, C.R. 1974. Report on island survey – Mokohinau Islands November 1973. Wildlife Branch, Dept. of Internal Affairs 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. Whitaker, A.H.1974. Report on a visit to the Mokohinau Islands 20 November - 4 December 1973. Ecology Division, DSIR, Wellington Wilson, R. 1959. Bird Islands of New Zealand. Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd., Christchurch.