La Réunion supports 4 endemic land bird species of which one is threatened. In addition, 3 landbird species are shared only with Mauritius. All seven of these species are restricted range which defines the Réunion Endemic Bird Area (EBA). Additionally, there are 3 further species of conservation concern of which 2 are petrel species plus Madagascar Marsh Harrier Circus maillardi which is shared with Madagascar and the Comores.
Iles Eparses support large populations of boobies, tropicbirds, frigatebirds and terns.
There are 12 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in total of which 8 are in La Réunion island itself and cover 216 km2 or 9% of the land surface and the remaining 4 of Iles Eparses cover around 40 km2 or 89% of the land surface. The site names and the administrative regions of the 12 IBAs are as follows:
Piton des Neiges—Gros Morne | Salazie, Saint-Louis |
Grand Bénard—Tapcal | Saint-Louis, Saint-Paul |
Plaine des Chicots—Plaine d’Affouches | Saint-Denis |
Mouth of the Cirque de Salazie | Bras Panon, Salazie |
Rivière des Marsouins—Grand Etang | Saint-Benoit |
Grand Bassin—Le Dimitile | Entre-Deux, Le Tampon |
Rivière des Remparts—Rivière Langevin | Saint-Joseph |
Ravine de la Grande Chaloupe | Saint-Denis, La Possession |
Tromelin | Iles Eparses |
Ile du Lys, Glorieuses Archipelago | Iles Eparses |
Juan de Nova |
Iles Eparses |
Europa | Iles Eparses |
For further details, download the country IBAs from BirdLife International.