Kaipara Harbour (44582)
New Zealand, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2014
National site name: Kaipara Harbour
Central coordinates: Latitude: -36.3838, Longitude: 174.2435
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 20
Area of KBA (km2): 764.53334
Protected area coverage (%): 1.63
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: IBA Trigger species: NZ Fairy Tern, Black-billed Gull, NZ Dotterel, Wrybill, South Island Pied Oyster-catcher, Australasian Bittern Besides the trigger species the following are confirmed or likely to be breeding or resident within the site’s boundaries: Black Shag, Pied Shag, Little Shag, Little Black Shag, White-faced Heron, Reef Heron, Black Swan, Canada Goose, Cape Barren Goose, Paradise Shelduck, Mallard, Grey Teal, NZ Shoveler, NZ Scaup, Australasian Harri-er, Banded Rail, Spotless Crake, Pukeko, Variable Oystercatcher, Pied Stilt, Banded Dotterel, Black-fronted Dotterel, Spur-winged Plover, Southern Black-backed Gull, Red-billed Gull, Caspian Tern, White-fronted Tern, Californian Quail, Brown Quail, Ring-necked Pheasant, Peafowl, NZ Pigeon, Rock Pigeon, Barbary Dove, Eastern Rosella, NZ Kingfisher, Welcome Swallow, NZ Pipit, North Island Fernbird, Grey Warbler, NZ Fantail, Silvereye, Tui, Skylark, Hedge Sparrow, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Redpoll, House Sparrow, Starling, Common Myna, Australian Magpie. Other species recorded: Australasian Gannet, White Heron, Royal Spoonbill, Cattle Egret, Mongolian Dotterel, Pacific Gold-en Plover, Turnstone, Curlew Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Far-eastern Curlew, Asiatic Whimbrel, Red (Lesser) Knot, Eastern Bar-tailed Godwit, Asiatic Black-tailed Godwit, Grey-tailed (Siberian) Tattler, Terek Sandpiper, Great Sand Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Marsh Sandpiper. NB: All major roost areas are included in the IBA.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | 24 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 24 | |
| Marine Neritic | 24 | |
| Forest | 5 | |
| Shrubland | 24 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Human disturbance – Yes - Anthropogenic disturbance due to harbour and beach users can impact on breeding and feeding seabirds and shorebirds. Predation by alien species – Yes - Feral cats, rats and hedgehogs are present within site. Dogs are a problem. Trapping and warden presence can mitigate impacts Habitat loss or degradation – No Contamination – No Natural disaster – Yes - Storm driven waves can wash through the Fairy Tern nesting area, Tidal flats (foraging areas for waders), and islands and shell banks (roost areas) can change through tidal and wave action. Parasite or pathogen - No Other – No
Additional information
References: Baird, K., Ismar, S. M. H., Wilson, D., Plowman, S., Zimmerman, R., & Bellingham, M.. (2013). Sightings of New Zealand fairy tern (Sternula nereis davisae) in the Kaipara Harbour following nest failure. Notornis, 60: 183-185 Gaskin, C.P. 2015. Statement of primary evidence of Chris Gaskin on behalf of the Environmental Defence Society Incorpo-rated and Royal Forest and Bird Protection society of New Zealand Submission Numbers 4735 and 4848: Hearing Topic 23 - SEA and Vegetation Management 15 July 2015. file:///C:/Users/Chris-kiwi/Downloads/023%20Hrg%20-%20EDS%20and%20Royal%20Forest%20and%20Bird%20Protection%20Society%20(Chris%20Gaskin)%20-%20Primary%20Evidence.pdf Ismar, S.M.H.; Trnski, T.; Beauchamp, T.; Bury, S.; Wilson, D.; Kannemeyer, R.; Bellingham, M.; Baird, K. 2013. Foraging ecolo-gy and choice of feeding habitat of the Critically Endangered New Zealand fairy tern, Sternula nereis davisae. Bird Conserva-tion International.