Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
This site is currently a disused farm, owned by the state, but up for sale. About 100 km east-north-east of Kasama and lying at the headwaters of the Kalungwishi river, it is in one of the highest parts of the Northern Province. At its heart is a vast dambo flanking the river and its many tributaries, which also support numerous patches of mushitu. The remaining area is predominantly miombo and both the ranch and adjacent areas are very sparsely populated.
See Box and Table 3 for key species. The site is poorly known, but clearly holds a rich diversity of species owing to the variety and maturity of the habitat.
Grus carunculatus is a resident and probably breeds, while
Gallinago media winters. Characteristic of the dambo are
Coturnix chinensis,
Turnix hottentotta,
Sarothrura lugens,
Caprimulgus natalensis,
Hirundo nigrorufa,
Schoenicola brevirostris,
Cisticola tinniens,
Macronyx fuellebornii,
M. ameliae,
Euplectes hartlaubi and
Anomalospiza imberbis. Mushitu species known to occur include
Cossypha bocagei,
Bradypterus lopezi,
Phylloscopus laurae,
Apalis cinerea and
Telophorus multicolor, and the miombo holds a large number of Zambezian biome endemics.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
At present the area is virtually pristine and benefits from the very low density of human habitation. However, the site needs very careful monitoring, especially if it is sold and subdivided.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kalungwishi (Zambia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kalungwishi-iba-zambia on 23/12/2024.
