IBA Criteria
Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are identified using
information about bird populations. Common and standard
criteria are used by all
BirdLife partners to
identify these sites.
IBAs are home to threatened birds, large groups of
birds, and birds restricted by range, or by habitat.
When bird species occur at a site in sufficient numbers
during one or more seasons (winter; migration;
breeding), they become known as trigger species, and the
site at which they are found is designated as an IBA.
Using common criteria enables us to compare
population trends and
status of sites at global, continental, and national
levels. It also supports the case for stronger
protection. Protecting IBAs
is vital to the long-term conservation of the world’s
birds, and helps to conserve globally diverse habitats.
Learn more about the criteria used in Canada during
the first phase of IBA identification (1996-2001).
|
