Please mail nomination form, and all accompanying information, to:

U.S. IBA Program
American Bird Conservancy
P.O. Box 249
The Plains, VA 20198
Phone: 540-253-5780
Fax: 540-253-5782
Email:

Download Form Now

Additional Form Instructions

6. Ownership: Federal (FWS, USFS, etc.), State, County, Private, etc. (if multiple ownership, list all owners ).

9. IBA bird criteria: Place an X in the boxes by the criteria used to nominate this site. In the space to the right provide an overview of the species meeting the criteria. For example, place a check in box 1 and mention the 60 Black-capped Vireos found at the site.

10. Detailed species information: List the species the site is being nominated for, how many of them are there, the season, the number of birds (differentiate between maximum and average counts), the years the data are based on and the degree of confidence in the numbers. Please be specific (e.g., 15,000 Mallards and 5,000 Northern Pintails, NOT 20,000 ducks).

11. Data sources? What were the data sources for the information presented in #10? Some examples are Breeding Bird Survey, Christmas Bird Count, colonial waterbird surveys, seabird surveys, etc. Please provide the literature citation if the data came from a published source.

12. Additional bird notes of interest: Provide ornithological data of a more general or summarized nature, e.g. the overall total number of raptors migrating through a "bottleneck" site, the total number of waterfowl wintering at the site, species richness of neotropical migrants and so on, as well as any other comments, e.g., on how well known the site is, importance of the site to the species, etc.

15. General description of the site: Describe the site. This description could include a summary of the site’s habitat and/or topography, major plant communities, other significant species using the site, economic value of the site to the surrounding community, etc. This is the description of the site that will be included in the IBA directory.

16. Conservation Problems: Identify the conservation problems facing the site as either Critical (C, affecting more than 50% of the resource), Major (M, affecting between 10% and 50% of the resource), or Local (L, affecting less than 10% of the resource). The resource could be water in a lake, the trees in a forest, the water flow in a stream, the population of a threatened bird species at the site, and so on. For problems that could potentially occur, or that are actually proposed, use P (potential) followed by C, M, or L depending upon the magnitude of the change.

17. Summarize the primary conservation problems and conservation measures taken, in progress or proposed: Briefly summarize any human activities at the site and surrounding area, that have had, are having, or may have a harmful effect on the natural ecological character of the site, including any proposed changes in land-use and any planned development projects involving the site. Give details as to whether the site is protected and the degree to which the protection extends. Detail other conservation measures (e.g., easements, stewardship plans, zoning, closures) that affect the site. Specify whether proposed conservation measures are existing or new proposals that lack official endorsement.

19. Name and address of existing or potential advocacy group or individuals for this site: Hopefully, most IBAs will be ‘adopted’ by local groups that can assist with the monitoring and conservation of the site. Many sites will already have groups or an active volunteer program in place (e.g., Friends of San Pedro, etc.), others may need to be established. Provide the name and address of an existing group or individual that might undertake this task.

20. Is the land owner or manager aware that the site is being nominated as an Important Bird Area? While notification is not required it is preferred.

Additional supporting comments or references (attach separate sheet): Cite any key references relevant to the site. Reprints or copies of documents should be appended with the data-sheet whenever possible. Please attach copies of any maps available, with the IBA boundary clearly delineated, as well as protected area boundaries where these differ. A color slide or slides of the site would also be appreciated.