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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2009 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 List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Hawaiian Hawk Buteo solitarius	NT	resident (1999)	50-249	A1, A2
Hawaii Elepaio Chasiempis sandwichensis	NT	resident (2005)	14,621 birds	A1, A2
Omao Myadestes obscurus	NT	resident (2005)	82,378 birds	A1, A2
Akiapolaau Hemignathus wilsoni	EN	resident (2005)	1,073 birds	A1, A2
Hawaii Creeper Manucerthia mana	EN	resident (2005)	2,268 birds	A1, A2
Hawaii Akepa Loxops coccineus	EN	resident (2005)	2,556 birds	A1, A2
Hawaii Amakihi Chlorodrepanis virens	LC	resident (2005)	154,749 birds	A2
Iiwi Drepanis coccinea	VU	resident (2005)	78,154 birds	A1, A2
Apapane Himatione sanguinea	LC	resident (2005)	491,928 birds	A2

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2009. The most recent assessment (2009) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Some of area covered (10–49%)	No management plan exists, but the management planning process has begun	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1916	Hawai'i Volcanoes	National Park (II)	26
1916	Hawaii Volcanoes	National Park (II)	11

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	90
forestry	5
hunting	5

The majority of the Ka`u Forest Important Bird Area is owned by the State of Hawai`i. Most of this land comprises the Ka`u and Kapapala Forest Reserves. A small portion of the State land is leased to a private rancher and is managed as the Kapapala Cooperative Game Management Area. The western end and much of the northern edge are federally owned and are part of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Several small parcels along the southern edge of the area are owned by The Nature Conservancy of Hawai`i and Kamehameha Schools.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kau Forest (USA). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kau-forest-iba-usa on 23/12/2024.