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The site was identified as important in 1999 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
Yellow-necked Francolin Pternistis leucoscepus	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Donaldson-Smith's Nightjar Caprimulgus donaldsoni	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
White-bellied Go-away-bird Criniferoides leucogaster	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Hemprich's Hornbill Lophoceros hemprichii	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus flavirostris	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Jackson's Hornbill Tockus jacksoni	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Abyssinian Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus minor	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
D'Arnaud's Barbet Trachyphonus darnaudii	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Red-and-yellow Barbet Trachyphonus erythrocephalus	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Black-throated Barbet Tricholaema melanocephala	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Three-streaked Tchagra Tchagra jamesi	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Somali Tit Melaniparus thruppi	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Mouse-coloured Penduline-tit Anthoscopus musculus	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Pink-breasted Lark Calendulauda poecilosterna	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Grey Wren-warbler Calamonastes simplex	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Pale Prinia Prinia somalica	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Kenya White-eye Zosterops flavilateralis	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Rufous Chatterer Argya rubiginosa	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Bristle-crowned Starling Onychognathus salvadorii	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Magpie Starling Speculipastor bicolor	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
African Grey Flycatcher Bradornis microrhynchus	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Brown-tailed Chat Oenanthe scotocerca	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird Anthreptes orientalis	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Hunter's Sunbird Chalcomitra hunteri	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Shining Sunbird Cinnyris habessinicus	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
White-headed Buffalo-weaver Dinemellia dinemelli	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Purple Grenadier Granatina ianthinogaster	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Blue-capped Cordon-bleu Uraeginthus cyanocephalus	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Black-cheeked Waxbill Estrilda charmosyna	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Grey-headed Silverbill Odontospiza griseicapilla	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Steel-blue Whydah Vidua hypocherina	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Straw-tailed Whydah Vidua fischeri	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Golden Pipit Tmetothylacus tenellus	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Northern Grosbeak-canary Crithagra donaldsoni	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
White-bellied Canary Crithagra dorsostriata	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Somali Bunting Emberiza poliopleura	LC	resident	1999	present	A3

The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (1999).

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	Woodland - mixed	0	0	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Savanna	Bushland & thicket - evergreen	0	0	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Wetlands (inland)	Freshwater lakes and pools	0	0	poor (40-69%)	moderate (70-90%)	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	annual & perennial non-timber crops - small-holder farming	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Climate change and severe weather	drought	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - named species	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	domestic & urban waste water - type unknown/unrecorded	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Pollution	garbage & solid waste	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	housing and urban areas	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Transportation and service corridors	shipping lanes	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected-area designation	Management planning	Other conservation action	Result
Most of site (50-90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	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	medium

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)
Ruko Community Widlife Conservancy	Community Nature Reserve	17,897	protected area overlaps with site	0
Lake Baringo	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	31,469	protected area contains site	28,400
Lake Baringo	National Reserve	0	protected area contains site	0

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Forest	Woodland - mixed	-
Savanna	Bushland & thicket - evergreen	-
Wetlands (inland)	Freshwater lakes and pools	-

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

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
agriculture	-
water management	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
forestry	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Baringo. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-baringo-iba-kenya on 30/09/2023.