Important Bird Areas

22 sites qualify under criteria set down by BirdLife International as areas of global importance for birds in the Falkland Islands.

These sites cover a total area of 717 sq km, about 5.9% of the total land area of the Falkland Islands. Only five are situated on the main islands (one of the West and four on East Falkland), the 17 other IBAs consisting of islands and island groups (a total of 186 islands and dependent islets) which are spread all around the Falklands. This reflects the Islands’ importance for seabirds. It also recognises that birds such as the striated caracara, tussacbird and Cobb’s wren are now generally restricted to rat-free islands where human impact has been lessened by their inaccessibility.