Farewell Spit (44588)
New Zealand, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1c, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2014
National site name: Farewell Spit
Central coordinates: Latitude: -40.5595, Longitude: 173.0367
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 51
Area of KBA (km2): 113.56157
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: Trigger species: Australasian Gannet, Black-billed Gull, Black-fronted Tern, New Zealand Dotterel, Australasian Bittern. Besides the trigger species the following are confirmed or likely to be breeding or resident: Pied Shag, Black Shag, Little Shag, White-faced Heron, Black Swan, Canada Goose, Paradise Shelduck, Mallard, Grey Duck, Grey Teal, NZ Shoveler, NZ Scaup, Australasian Harrier, Banded Rail, Pukeko, Australian Coot, Variable Oystercatcher, Pied Stilt, Banded Dotterel, Spur-winged Plover, Southern Black-backed Gull, Red-billed Gull, Caspian Tern, White-fronted Tern, NZ Pigeon, Morepork, Little Owl, California Quail, NZ Kingfisher, Welcome Swallow, NZ Pipit, South Island Fernbird, Grey Warbler, South Island Fantail, Silvereye, Skylark, Hedge Sparrow, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cirl Bunting, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Redpoll, House Sparrow, Starling. Other species recorded: Little Black Shag, Spotted Shag, Royal Spoonbill, Cattle Egret, NZ Falcon, South Island Pied Oyster-catcher, Black Stilt (CR), Eastern Bar-tailed Godwit, Asiatic Black-tailed Godwit, Red (Lesser) Knot, Turnstone, Pacific Gold-en Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Far-eastern Curlew, Asiatic Whimbrel, Grey Plover, Large Sand Plover, Wrybill (VU), NZ Dotterel (EN), Brown Skua.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 7 | |
| Forest | 3 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 83 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 3 | |
| Shrubland | 3 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Human disturbance – Yes Predation by alien species – Yes Habitat loss or degradation – Yes Contamination – No Natural disaster – Yes Other – No
Additional information
References: Hawkins, J.M . 1988. The Farewell Spit gannetry - a new sea level colony. Notornis 35: 249-260 Machovsky Capuska, G.E. , Schuckard, R., , Raubenheimer, D. Foraging strategies of Australasian gannets (Morus serrator) at Farewell Spit colony. Report submitted to the Department of Conservation, Nelson Conservancy in fulfilment of the per-mit NM-32772-FAU OSNZ (Birds New Zealand) Wader Count 1996-2013 Schuckard, R., Melville, D., Cook, W., Machovsky Capuska, G.E. 2012. Diet of the Australasian gannet (Morus serrator) at Farewell Spit, New Zealand. Notornis 59: 66-70