Criteria for IBA Designation

IBA Criteria Categories

Click headers to read details.

Category 1 - Sites important to endangered or threatened species in Iowa.

This category includes the current list of Threatened or Endangered bird species for Iowa. Three of these species (Bald Eagle, Piping Plover, Least Tern) are also currently on the federal Threatened and Endangered species list. Species must be breeding 2 years of the previous 6 years (since 1999), with evidence of either confirmed or probable breeding according to definitions given in the Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas, figure 4, page 5.

Endangered Species

  • Northern Harrier
  • Red-shouldered Hawk
  • Peregrine Falcon
  • King Rail
  • Piping Plover
  • Least Tern
  • Barn Owl
  • Short-eared Owl

Threatened Species

  • Long-eared Owl
  • Henslow's Sparrow
Category 2 - Sites important to species of high conservation priority in Iowa.
Category 3 - Sites that contain rare or unique habitat within the state or an exceptional representative of a natural habitat, and that hold important species or species assemblages largely restricted to a distinctive habitat type.
Category 4 - A site that regularly holds significant concentrations of one or more species.
Category 5 - Sites important for long-term research and/or monitoring that contribute substantially to ornithology, bird conservation, and/or education.
Appendix - Habitat breakdown for Category 2 species.

IBA Criteria Species

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Thanks to Jim Dinsmore for the text and to the following photographers for the use of their images: Larry Dau, Jim Durbin, Bruce Ehresman, Jay Gilliam, Bruce Morrison, Kent Nickell, Jim Rathert, Ross Silcock, Dick Stilwell, and Larry Stone.