TZ070
East Usambara Mountains


IBA Justification

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') at the site:
Species Red List1 Season Year(s) Size IBA criteria
Montane Nightjar Caprimulgus poliocephalus LC resident 2000 present A3
Fischer's Turaco Tauraco fischeri NT resident 2000 present A1, A2, A3
Sokoke Scops-owl Otus ireneae EN resident 2000 present A1, A2, A3
Fraser's Eagle-owl Bubo poensis LC resident 2000 present A1, A2, A3
Mountain Buzzard Buteo oreophilus NT resident 2000 present A3
Southern Banded Snake-eagle Circaetus fasciolatus NT resident 2000 present A1, A3
Bar-tailed Trogon Apaloderma vittatum LC resident 2000 present A3
Eastern Green Tinkerbird Pogoniulus simplex LC resident 2000 present A3
Moustached Green Tinkerbird Pogoniulus leucomystax LC resident 2000 present A3
Brown-breasted Barbet Pogonornis melanopterus LC resident 2000 present A3
Mombasa Woodpecker Campethera mombassica LC resident 2000 present A3
Green-headed Oriole Oriolus chlorocephalus LC resident 2000 present A3
Grey Cuckooshrike Ceblepyris caesius LC resident 2000 present A3
Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike Prionops scopifrons LC resident 2000 present A3
East Coast Batis Batis soror LC resident 2000 present A3
Gorgeous Bushshrike Telophorus viridis LC resident 2000 present A3
White-tailed Crested-flycatcher Elminia albonotata LC resident 2000 present A3
Kretschmer's Longbill Macrosphenus kretschmeri LC resident 2000 present A3
Red-capped Forest-warbler Artisornis metopias LC resident 2000 present A2, A3
Long-billed Forest-warbler Artisornis moreaui CR resident 2000 present A1, A2, A3
Eastern Mountain Greenbul Arizelocichla nigriceps LC resident 2000 present A3
Eastern Mountain Greenbul Arizelocichla nigriceps LC resident 2000 present A3
Shelley's Greenbul Arizelocichla masukuensis LC resident 2000 present A3
Fischer's Greenbul Phyllastrephus fischeri LC resident 2000 present A3
Lowland Tiny Greenbul Phyllastrephus debilis LC resident 2000 present A3
Yellow-throated Woodland-warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla LC resident 2000 present A3
Little Yellow Flycatcher Erythrocercus holochlorus LC resident 2000 present A3
Waller's Starling Onychognathus walleri LC resident 2000 present A3
Kenrick's Starling Poeoptera kenricki LC resident 2000 present A2, A3
Black-bellied Starling Notopholia corusca LC resident 2000 present A3
Orange Ground-thrush Geokichla gurneyi LC resident 2000 present A3
White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata LC resident 2000 present A3
Swynnerton's Robin Swynnertonia swynnertoni VU resident 2000 present A1, A2, A3
White-chested Alethe Chamaetylas fuelleborni LC resident 2000 present A3
East Coast Akalat Sheppardia gunningi NT resident 2000 present A1, A3
Sharpe's Akalat Sheppardia sharpei LC resident 2000 present A2, A3
Dapple-throat Arcanator orostruthus NT resident 2000 present A1, A2, A3
Spot-throat Modulatrix stictigula LC resident 2000 present A2, A3
Plain-backed Sunbird Anthreptes reichenowi NT resident 2000 present A1, A3
Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird Anthreptes neglectus LC resident 2000 present A3
Banded Sunbird Anthreptes rubritorques VU resident 2000 present A1, A2, A3
Amani Sunbird Hedydipna pallidigaster EN resident 2000 present A1, A2, A3
Mouse-coloured Sunbird Cyanomitra verreauxii LC resident 2000 present A3
Zanzibar Red Bishop Euplectes nigroventris LC resident 2000 present A3
Usambara Weaver Ploceus nicolli NT resident 2000 present A1, A2, A3
Red-faced Crimsonwing Cryptospiza reichenovii LC resident 2000 present A3
Yellow-bellied Waxbill Coccopygia quartinia LC resident 2000 present A3
Oriole Finch Linurgus olivaceus LC resident 2000 present A3
East African Citril Crithagra hyposticta LC resident 2000 present A3

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2001) may differ.


IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2001. The most recent assessment (2023) is shown below.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2023 unfavourable not assessed high
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
no population good

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species Reference Actual Units % remaining Result
Long-billed Forest-warbler Artisornis moreaui 250 122 adults 49 unfavourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat Quantity (% remaining) Quality (% carrying capacity) Result
Forest good (> 90%) moderate (70-90%) near favourable

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas Management plan Other 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 The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented high

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation % overlap with IBA
- Bombo West Forest Reserve 9
- Longuza Forest Plantation 5
- Mgambo Forest Reserve 3
- Bombo East I Forest Reserve 3
- Bamba Ridge Forest Reserve <1
- Magoroto Forest Reserve 3
- Semdoe/Msige Forest Reserve 3
- Kwamrimba Forest Reserve 2
- Mlinga Forest Reserve 2
- Mfumbia Forest Reserve 2
- Longuza_Kihuhwi Range Forest Plantation 1
- Bombo East II Forest Reserve 1
- Mlungui Forest Reserve <1
- Kihuhwi Forest Reserve <1
- Nkombola Forest Reserve -
- Amani East Forest Reserve -
- Kwamkoro Forest Reserve -
- Lutinde Forest Reserve -
- Mnyusi Scarp Forest Reserve -
- Longuza Forest Reserve 4
- Amani-Sigi Forest Reserve -
- Amani Forest Reserve -
- Kwamsambia Forest Reserve -
- Kilanga Forest Reserve -
- Amani West Forest Reserve -
1934 Kihuhwi Sigi Forest Reserve 2
1955 Manga Forest Reserve 2
1955 Sengoma Forest Reserve 3
1955 Kwamgumi Forest Reserve 6
1967 Mtai Forest Reserve 8
1994 Kambai Forest Reserve 3
1997 Amani Nature Reserve 21
2000 East Usambara UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 100

Habitats

Habitat1 Habitat detail % of IBA
Forest 100
1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use

Land use % of IBA
agriculture -
forestry -
nature conservation and research -
water management -


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: East Usambara Mountains (Tanzania). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/east-usambara-mountains-iba-tanzania on 22/11/2024.