Current view: Text account
Site description (2010 baseline):
Site location and context
The site includes forest catchments and lowland valleys through to montane forest. Both Mount Popomanaseu and Mount Makarakomburu are included within the site - the highest mountains in the Solomon Islands.
Three of the montane species are endemic to the island, Guadalcanaria inexpectata, Myzomela melanocephala and Zoothera turipavae, while 3 other species occur only here and in Bougainville, PNG and 1 is also associated with the high mountain range of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu. The lowland forests contain Centropus milo, Columba pallidiceps and Lorius chlorocercus, while there have been a number of recent sightings of Nesoclopeus woodfordi on Guadalcanal.
Non-bird biodiversity: 1 species of endemic montane snail species.
Species of monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex pulchra) is known from only one specimen.
From riverine rainforests to the largest continuous area of cloud forest in the Solomons. Gardens and old village sites are widespread in the low hills and flood plains, but most of the land is still densely forested and has never been permanently inhabited.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Logging.
Survey work in 1990 found signs of black rat, feral cat and pigs in the cloud forest above 900 m.
Mineral prospecting is ongoing in the area.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Any conservation work in this area will probably need to work in conjunction with a mineral prospecting company Australia Resource Management and Survey.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Guadalcanal Watersheds (Solomon Islands). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/guadalcanal-watersheds-iba-solomon-islands on 23/12/2024.
