Wairau River (44595)
New Zealand, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1c, B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2014
National site name: Wairau River
Central coordinates: Latitude: -41.7175, Longitude: 173.0953
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 5 to 1200
Area of KBA (km2): 131.08277
Protected area coverage (%): 2.85
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: Black-billed Gull, Black-fronted Tern, Kea Besides the trigger species the following are confirmed or likely to be breeding: Black Shag, Little Shag, White-faced Heron, Canada Goose, Paradise Shelduck, Mallard/Grey Duck, Australasian Harrier, Pukeko, South Island Pied Oystercatcher, Pied Stilt, Banded Dotterel, Black-fronted Dotterel, Spur-winged Plover, Shining Cuckoo, NZ Kingfisher, Rifleman, Welcome Swallow, NZ Pipit, Grey Warbler, South Island Fantail, Silvereye, Bellbird, Skylark, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Redpoll, House Sparrow, Starling, Australian Magpie. Other species recorded: NZ Falcon, Caspian Tern, NZ Pigeon, Brown Creeper, Tui.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 5 | |
| Shrubland | 32 | |
| Introduced Vegetation | 32 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 32 |
Additional information
References: Bell M 2005. Breeding success of black-fronted tern on the Wairau River. Unpublished report. Renwick, Department of Con-servation. O’Donnell, C.F.J., Sedgeley, J.A., Westbrooke, I. 2006.Habitat use by black-fronted terns (Sterna albostriata) on the Wairau River, New Zealand; preliminary results O’Donnell, C.F.J., Hoare, J.M. 2011. Meta-analysis of status and trends in breeding populations of black-fronted terns (Chlidonias albostriatus) 1962-2008. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 35: 32-43 Steffens, K. 2012. Helicopter surveys of black-fronted terns in Marlborough, New Zealand. Internal report DOCDM-892932. Department of Conservation, Nelson Lakes.