Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
Dunga (or Tako river mouth) is a wetland situated about 10 km south of Kisumu town on the shores of Winam Gulf, Lake Victoria. At the western limit is a beach, used as a major fish landing point. Papyrus
Cyperus papyrus stands stretch south-eastwards along the shore from here for c.1.5 km, in a strip that varies in width from about 50 to 800 m. A number of streams drain into the lake through the swamp, the main one being Tako river.
See Box and Table 3 for key species. This is one of the most reliable sites in Kenya for the scarce and threatened
Chloropeta gracilirostris, which is often seen along the lakeward side of the swamp. All but one of Kenya’s nine Lake Victoria Basin biome species have been recorded here, and it is especially important for
Laniarius mufumbiri (relatively common),
Bradypterus carpalis and
Serinus koliensis, all papyrus endemics.
Non-bird biodiversity: No information is available. Wetlands around the shores of Lake Victoria are known to be important refuges for a number of the lake’s endemic haplochromine fish species.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Dunga is close to a major town, and this puts particular strain on the wetland. Papyrus harvesting is often excessive and unsustainable. The incoming streams bring pollution in the form of sewage and solid wastes from nearby residential estates. Lake Victoria’s papyrus swamps are under increasing pressure in general. Water-hyacinth
Eichhornia crassipes has infested much of the Winam Gulf. By preventing fishermen from fishing, it forces them to seek other forms of livelihood. Often, the only alternative available is to harvest papyrus, or to clear it in order to cultivate crops. Dunga urgently requires formal protection, as it has no conservation status at present. The site is already a popular area for recreation. Its proximity to Kisumu gives it potential for environmental education and bird tourism focused on the papyrus endemics.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Dunga swamp (Kenya). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/dunga-swamp-iba-kenya on 22/12/2024.
