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close| Location | Australia, Tasmania |
| Central coordinates | 144o 30.00' East 40o 25.50' South |
| IBA criteria | A1, A4ii |
| Area | 73 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 35m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2008 |
Summary Albatross Island & Black Pyramid Rock support about 40% of the world population of Shy Albatross and about 20% of the world population of Australasian Gannet. Numbers of Fairy Prion and Common Diving-Petrel are poorly known but very large.
Ornithological information Small numbers of Little Penguins, Short-tailed Shearwaters, Pacific and Silver Gulls and Sooty Oystercatchers nest. Records of Lewin's Rail at Albatross Island are noteworthy, when the decline of the endemic Tasmanian race brachipus gives cause for serious concern. Peregrine Falcon noted at Albatross Island and breeding at Black Pyramid Rock. Other species recorded from the IBA include the near threatened Flame Robin and the Australian cool/temperate biome-restricted Pink Robin.
Site description This IBA consists of two tiny islands offshore from the north-west of Tasmania. Albatross Island (33 ha) is very rocky, with a coastline of eroded boulders, gulches and caves and a short cover of grasses and herbs across the interior. Black Pyramid Rock (40 ha) is a spectacular basaltic rock surrounded by steep cliffs, steep grassy slopes and a small central plateau. It is sparsely vegetated as the gannets have taken most as nesting material.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta | resident | 1995-2005 | 5,000-5,100 breeding pairs | - | A1, A4ii | Near Threatened |
| Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur | resident | 1983 | 30,000-340,000 breeding pairs | - | A4ii | Least Concern |
| Common Diving-petrel Pelecanoides urinatrix | resident | 1983 | 200,000 breeding pairs | - | A4ii | Least Concern |
| Australasian Gannet Morus serrator | resident | 2007 | 18,731 breeding pairs | - | A4ii | Least Concern |
| A4iii Species group - seabirds | - | - | 10,000 breeding pairs | unknown |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albatross Island | Nature Reserve | 33 | protected area overlaps with site | 17 |
|
| Black Pyramid Rock | Nature Reserve | 40 | protected area contained by site | 40 |
|
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Coastline | Sea cliffs, rocky shores & rocky islets | major |
| Grassland | Hummock grasslands | major |
Land ownership Tasmanian State Government with management the responsibility of DPIW.
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | 100% |
Other biodiversity Australian Fur Seal and New Zealand Fur Seal regularly haul out at Albatross Island.
Management considerations The avian pox virus in Shy Albatross should be investigated further and potentially managed. Further work to reduce long-line fishery by-catch is needed to conserve the Shy Albatross at sea.
Protection status Black Pyramid Rock Nature Reserve, Albatross Island Nature Reserve.
Access/Land-Owner requests Visitors should check regulations with DPIW.
Acknowledgements The nomination was prepared by Peter Britton. Aleks Terauds and Sheryl Hamilton kindly supplied data. Rachael Alderman and Rosemary Gales of DPIW kindly commented on the nomination.
References BirdLife International (2007) Species factsheet: Thalassarche cauta. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 29/6/2007.
Brothers, N., Pemberton, D., Pryor, H. & Halley, V. 2001. Tasmania's Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery: Hobart.
Bunce, A., Norman, F.I., Brothers, N. & Gales, R. 2002. Long-term trends in the Australasian gannet (Morus serrator) population in Australia: the effect of climate change and commercial fisheries. Marine Biology 141: 263-269.
Robertson, G.G. & Gales, R. 1998. Albatross Biology and Conservation. Surrey Beatty & Sons Pty Ltd, Australia.
Skira, I.J., Brothers, N.P. & Pemberton, D. 1996. Distribution, abundance and conservation status of Short-tailed Shearwaters Puffinus tenuirostris in Tasmania. Marine Ornithology 24: 1-14.
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Albatross Island and Black Pyramid Rock. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013
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