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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2004 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Fairy Pitta Pitta nympha	VU	breeding (2003)	present	A1

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2004. The most recent assessment (2015) is shown below.

State (condition of the key species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Forest	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
No known threats	happen­ing now	whole popul­ation/area (>90%)	no deteri­oration (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	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	Very little or no conservation action taking place	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1953	Aya kenyurin	都道府県指定鳥獣保護区 (IV)	21
1982	Kyushuchuosanchi	国定公園 (V)	97
1985	Kawanaka	都道府県指定鳥獣保護区 (IV)	27
1997	Kirishima -Yaku	National Park (V)	100
2006	Ayagawa Upstream Area	緑の回廊 (V)	19
2008	Aya	森林生態系保護地域 (Ib)	35
2012	Aya	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA)	-

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ayakawa valley (Japan). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ayakawa-valley-iba-japan on 15/01/2025.