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SH007
Nightingale Island group
Location St Helena (to UK), Tristan da Cunha
Central coordinates 12o 29.00' West  37o 25.00' South
IBA criteria A1, A2, A4i, A4ii, A4iii
Area 390 ha
Altitude 0 - 337m
Year of IBA assessment 2001





Ornithological information See Box and Table 2 for key species. At least 30 bird taxa are known. Thirteen species of breeding seabird and three of the native landbirds occur. The seabirds comprise Eudyptes chrysocome moseleyi, Diomedea chlororhynchos, Phoebetria fusca, Pterodroma mollis, Pachyptila vittata, Puffinus gravis, P. assimilis, Pelagodroma marina, Fregetta grallaria, Pelecanoides urinatrix (>20,000 pairs), Catharacta antarctica, Sterna vittata and Anous stolidus. The breeding population of P. gravis is the largest known, and at the highest density, in the world, with an estimated one million pairs per km². Pterodroma brevirostris may also breed. The terrestrial species include Nesocichla eremita procax (330–560 pairs, 1974 estimate), Nesospiza acunhae questi (560–1,120 pairs, 1974 estimate) and N. wilkinsi wilkinsi (30 pairs, 1974 estimate).Non-breeding visitors include Diomedea melanophris, Macronectes giganteus, M. halli, Fulmarus glacialoides, Daption capense, Procellaria a. aequinoctialis, P. a. conspicillata and Larus dominicanus.

Site description The site comprises the whole of Nightingale Island as well as Middle and Stoltenhoff Islands and the offshore islets and stacks, as described in the ‘General introduction’.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Northern Rockhopper Penguin Eudyptes moseleyi breeding  1974  125,000 breeding pairs  medium  A1, A4ii  Endangered 
Sooty Albatross Phoebetria fusca breeding  1974  125-250 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4ii  Endangered 
Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos breeding  1974  5,000 breeding pairs  medium  A1, A4ii  Endangered 
Broad-billed Prion Pachyptila vittata breeding  1974  10,000 breeding pairs  -  A4ii  Least Concern 
Soft-plumaged Petrel Pterodroma mollis breeding  1974  100-1,000 breeding pairs  -  A4ii  Least Concern 
Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis breeding  1990  3,000,000 breeding pairs  medium  A4ii  Least Concern 
White-faced Storm-petrel Pelagodroma marina breeding  1974  10,000 breeding pairs  -  A4ii  Least Concern 
White-bellied Storm-petrel Fregetta grallaria breeding  1974  100-1,000 breeding pairs  -  A4ii  Least Concern 
Antarctic Tern Sterna vittata breeding  1974  100-400 breeding pairs  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Southern Skua Stercorarius antarcticus breeding  1974  100-510 breeding pairs  -  A4ii  Least Concern 
Tristan Thrush Nesocichla eremita resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2  Near Threatened 
Wilkins's Bunting Nesospiza wilkinsi resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2  Endangered 
Nightingale Bunting Nesospiza questi resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2  Vulnerable 
A4iii Species group - seabirds breeding  -  -  unknown  A4iii   

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
nature conservation and research -

Other biodiversity The only breeding native mammal is Arctocephalus tropicalis. At least 31 species of native terrestrial invertebrates are known, including five endemic listroderine weevils and seven endemic drosophilid Scaptomyza.

Management considerations The site has been less affected by alien animals than the other sites, and no alien vertebrates have become established. Besides the annual harvest by Tristan islanders of Eudyptes chrysocome moseleyi eggs and Puffinus gravis eggs and chicks, of which the annual toll is not high, the remaining seabirds are little affected. The introduction of mammalian predators and tussock fires are the principal threats, while the recent die-back of trees, possibly caused by an introduced fungal pathogen, is being investigated, but is potentially, serious for Nesospiza wilkinsi.

Further web sources of information 

Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) species/site profile. This site has been identified as an AZE due to it containing a Critically Endangered or Endangered species with a limited range.

BirdLife Community news post on the effects of the 2011 oil spill on the Northern Rockhopper Penguin on Nightingale Island - 6th Feb 2012

Click here for more information about the Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE)

References Broekhuysen (1948), Cooper et al. (1995), Fraser et al. (1994), Hydrographer of the Navy (1977), Richardson (1984), Rowan (1951, 1952), Ryan et al. (1990), Wace and Holdgate (1976).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Nightingale Island group. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife