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The site was identified as important in 2001 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s)	Population estimate at site	IBA criteria met
Heuglin's Francolin Pternistis icterorhynchus	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Ring-necked Francolin Scleroptila streptophora	NT	resident	1998	present	A3
White-crested Turaco Tauraco leucolophus	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Shoebill Balaeniceps rex	VU	resident	1998	present	A1
Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni	NT	winter	-	present	A1
Rock Pratincole Glareola nuchalis	LC	non-breeding	1999	500-1,000 individuals	A4i
African Skimmer Rynchops flavirostris	LC	non-breeding	1999	1,400 individuals	A1, A4i
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus	NT	passage	-	present	A1
Red-throated Bee-eater Merops bulocki	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	LC	passage	1998	present	A1
Papyrus Gonolek Laniarius mufumbiri	NT	resident	1998	present	A1, A3
Emin's Shrike Lanius gubernator	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Yellow-billed Shrike Lanius corvinus	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Piapiac Ptilostomus afer	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Red-pate Cisticola Cisticola ruficeps	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
White-winged Swamp-warbler Bradypterus carpalis	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Black-lored Babbler Turdoides sharpei	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Purple Starling Lamprotornis purpureus	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Bronze-tailed Starling Lamprotornis chalcurus	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Red-chested Sunbird Cinnyris erythrocercus	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver Plocepasser superciliosus	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Northern Brown-throated Weaver Ploceus castanops	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Black-bellied Firefinch Lagonosticta rara	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Black-rumped Waxbill Estrilda troglodytes	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Grey-headed Oliveback Nesocharis capistrata	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Papyrus Canary Crithagra koliensis	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Brown-rumped Bunting Emberiza affinis	LC	resident	1998	present	A3

The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2001).

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Scientific name	Common name	Reference population	Actual population	Units	% of population remaining	Result
Rynchops flavirostris	African Skimmer	100	135	individuals	100	favourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Habitat detail	Reference area (ha)	Actual area (ha)	Habitat quantity (% remaining)	Habitat quality (carrying capacity)	Result
Forest		0	0	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Savanna		0	0	good (> 90%)	moderate (70-90%)	near favourable
Wetlands (inland)		0	0	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	gathering terrestrial plants - unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target)	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Energy production and mining	oil and gas drilling	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Natural system modifications	fire & fire suppression - increase in fire frequency/intensity	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	tourism and recreation areas	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected-area designation	Management planning	Other conservation action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	high

For more information about IBA conservation status, please click here

Protected area (PA)	PA designation	PA area (ha)	Relationship of PA with IBA	Overlap of PA with IBA (ha)
Murchison Falls	National Park	387,700	protected area contains site	387,700
Karuma	Wildlife Reserve	67,500	protected area overlaps with site	0
Bugungu	Wildlife Reserve	47,300	protected area overlaps with site	0
Budongo	Forest Reserve	81,788	protected area is adjacent to site	0

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Artificial/Terrestrial		-
Unknown		-
Shrubland		-
Savanna		-
Forest		-
Wetlands (inland)	Riverine floodplains, Rivers & streams	-

For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Murchison Falls National Park. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/murchison-falls-national-park-iba-uganda on 24/09/2023.