Lower Clutha River Mata-Au (44619)
New Zealand, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2014
National site name: Lower Clutha River Mata-Au
Central coordinates: Latitude: -45.8185, Longitude: 169.5273
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 50
Area of KBA (km2): 31.51867
Protected area coverage (%): 1.28
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: Black-billed Gull, Black-fronted Tern Besides the trigger species the following species are confirmed or likely to be breeding: Black Shag, Little Shag, White-faced Heron, Paradise Shelduck, Grey Duck, Australasian Harrier, Variable Oystercatcher, Spur-winged Plover, Southern Black-backed Gull, Red-billed Gull, Black Swan, Mallard, Rock Pigeon, NZ Pipit, Grey Warbler, Sil-vereye, Bellbird, Tui, Skylark, Hedge-sparrow, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Redpoll, House Sparrow, Starling, Australian Magpie. Other species recorded: Royal Spoonbill, South Island Pied Oyster-catcher, Pied Stilt, Banded Dotterel, Caspian Tern, White-fronted Tern.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 28 | |
| Introduced Vegetation | 28 | |
| Forest | 5 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 5 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 28 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 5 |
Additional information
References: Hand, K. 2013. Hughey KFD, Smith LA, Preston DC 1986. Birds of the lower Clutha River, their distribution and habitat use. Occasional Pub-lication 11. Wellington, New Zealand Wildlife Service, Department of Internal Affairs. 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