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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') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Fischer's Turaco Tauraco fischeri	NT	resident	1999	present	A1, A2, A3
Sokoke Scops-owl Otus ireneae	EN	resident	1999	present	A1, A2, A3
Southern Banded Snake-eagle Circaetus fasciolatus	NT	resident	1999	present	A1, A3
Mangrove Kingfisher Halcyon senegaloides	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Eastern Green Tinkerbird Pogoniulus simplex	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Brown-breasted Barbet Pogonornis melanopterus	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Mombasa Woodpecker Campethera mombassica	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Brown-headed Parrot Poicephalus cryptoxanthus	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Green-headed Oriole Oriolus chlorocephalus	LC	non-breeding	1999	rare	A3
Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike Prionops scopifrons	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
East Coast Batis Batis soror	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Gorgeous Bushshrike Telophorus viridis	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Fischer's Greenbul Phyllastrephus fischeri	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Lowland Tiny Greenbul Phyllastrephus debilis	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Little Yellow Flycatcher Erythrocercus holochlorus	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Scaly Babbler Turdoides squamulata	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Black-bellied Starling Notopholia corusca	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Spotted Ground-thrush Geokichla guttata	VU	non-breeding	1999	present	A1
East Coast Akalat Sheppardia gunningi	NT	resident	1999	present	A1, A3
Plain-backed Sunbird Anthreptes reichenowi	NT	resident	1999	present	A1, A3
Amani Sunbird Hedydipna pallidigaster	EN	resident	1999	present	A1, A2, A3
Mouse-coloured Sunbird Cyanomitra verreauxii	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Violet-breasted Sunbird Cinnyris chalcomelas	LC	resident	1999	present	A3
Clarke's Weaver Ploceus golandi	EN	resident	1999	present	A1, A2, A3
Sokoke Pipit Anthus sokokensis	EN	resident	1999	present	A1, A2, A3

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (1999) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1999. The most recent assessment (2023) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Forest	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Savanna	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Residential and commercial development	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	very high
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Biological resource use	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Pollution	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Geological events	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Arabuko Sokoke	National Reserve	100
1943	Arabuko Sokoke	Forest Reserve	84
1979	Arabuko Sokoke	Nature Reserve	10
1990	Arabuko Sokoke	National Park	14

The Local Conservation Group(s) listed below are working to conserve this IBA.

Name	Year formed
Arabuko Sokoke Forest Guides Association	1997

For more information on BirdLife's work with Local Conservation Groups, please click here.

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Woodland - monodominant, Lowland forest - undifferentiated	85
Savanna	Bushland & thicket - evergreen	6

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
forestry	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
other	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Arabuko-Sokoke Forest (Kenya). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/arabuko-sokoke-forest-iba-kenya on 22/11/2024.