Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia/Kaikoura (44601)
New Zealand, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1e
Year of last assessment: 2018
National site name: Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia/Kaikoura
Central coordinates: Latitude: -42.3103, Longitude: 173.7185
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 2596
Area of KBA (km2): 308.33252
Protected area coverage (%): 36.13
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. Alliance for Zero Extinction (2018): site confirmed as an AZE site during the AZE project (2015-2018). Taxonomy, nomenclature and Red List category follow the IUCN 2016 Red List.
Additional biodiversity: IBA Trigger Species: Hutton's Shearwater, Spotted Shag, Black-fronted Tern, Black-billed Gull, Kea. Besides the trigger species the following are confirmed or likely to be breeding or resident are: Little Penguin, Pied Shag, Little Shag, White-faced Heron, Reef Heron, Southern Black-backed Gull, Red-billed Gull, Caspian Tern, White-fronted Tern, Canada Goose, Paradise Shelduck, Mallard, Australasian Harrier, NZ Falcon, South Island Pied Oystercatcher, Variable Oystercatcher, Pied Stilt, Banded Dotterel, Spur-winged Plover, NZ Pigeon, Shining Cuckoo, Morepork, NZ Kingfisher, South Island Rifleman, Welcome Swallow, NZ Pipit, Grey Warbler, South Island Fantail, South Island Tomtit, NZ Robin, Silvereye, Bellbird, Tui, Californian Quail, Skylark, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cirl Bunting, Yellowham-mer, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Redpoll, House Sparrow, Starling, Australian Magpie. Other species recorded: Yellow-eyed Penguin, Eastern Bar-tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Siberian Tattler, Asiatic Whimbrel.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: NB: Large areas of the IBA are identified as ‘flyways’ for Hutton’s Shearwaters flying to and from their colonies in the Seaward Kaikoura Range. For this reason , areas of farmland, low-lying land and the township are not included in the habitat description.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 17 | |
| Forest | 17 | |
| Shrubland | 17 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 17 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 17 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 17 |
Additional information
References: Cuthbert, R. J. 1999. The breeding ecology and conservation of Hutton's Shearwater (Puffinus huttoni). dissertation. Ph.D., University of Otago, Dunedin. Cuthbert, R., Davis, L.S. 2002. Adult survival and productivity of Hutton's shearwaters. Ibis 144(3): 423-432. Cuthbert, R., Fletcher, D. and Davis, L.S. 2001. A sensitivity analysis of Hutton's shearwater: prioritizing conservation research and management. Biological Conservation 100(2): 163-172. Harrow, G. 1965. Preliminary report on discovery of nesting site of Hutton’s shearwater. Notornis 12: 59-65. Harrow, G. 1976. Some observations of Hutton’s shearwater. Notornis 23: 269-288. Harrow, G. 2009. Another chance for Hutton's Shearwater. Southern Bird: 6. Sommer, E.; Bell, M.; Bradfield, P.; Dunlop, K.; Gaze, P.; Harrow, G.; McGahan, P.; Morriset, M.; Walford, M.; Cuthbert, R. 2009. Population trends, breeding success and predation rates of Hutton's Shearwater (Puffinus huttoni): a 20 year assessment. Notornis 56: 144-153. Taylor, G. A. 2000. Action plan for seabird conservation in New Zealand. Department of Conservation, Wellington.