• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Hawaiian Goose Branta sandvicensis	NT	breeding	2007	97 individuals	A1, A2, A4i
Hawaiian Hawk Buteo solitarius	NT	breeding	1999	present	A2
Hawaii Elepaio Chasiempis sandwichensis	NT	resident	1978	62,782 individuals	A1, A2
Hawaiian Crow Corvus hawaiiensis	EW	resident	2002	2 individuals	A1, A2
Hawaii Creeper Manucerthia mana	EN	breeding	2007	4 individuals	A1, A2
Hawaii Akepa Loxops coccineus	EN	breeding	2007	6 individuals	A1, A2
Hawaii Amakihi Chlorodrepanis virens	LC	resident	1978	348,879 individuals	A2
Iiwi Drepanis coccinea	VU	resident	1978	52,008 individuals	A1, A2
Apapane Himatione sanguinea	LC	resident	1978	225,338 individuals	A2

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2009) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2009. The most recent assessment (2012) is shown below.

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	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Forest	Bird Sanctuary	2
-	Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a 1	Sanctuary	<1
-	Kona Forest National Wildlife Refuge	National Wildlife Refuge	100
-	Hakalau Forest	National Wildlife Refuge	24
1983	Manuka	Natural Area Reserve	16
1983	Kipahoehoe	Natural Area Reserve	4

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	major (>10)
agriculture	minor (<10)
forestry	minor (<10)

Lands comprising the Kona Forests Important Bird Area are owned by several different government agencies and private groups. The State of Hawai`i owns the largest proportion of the IBA overall (59%). Land parcels within the IBA include the Kona Forest National Wildlife Refuge (3%), Pu`u Wa`a Wa`a State Forest Bird Sanctuary (2%), Manuka and Kipahoehoe State Natural Area Reserves (19%), Pu`u Wa`a Wa`a, South Kona, Honualoa, and Waiaha Springs State Forest Reserves (36%), unencumbered State lands (2%), The Nature Conservancy's Kona Hema Preserve (5%), and numerous large and small private parcels (33%). Private lands are owned by Kamehameha Schools, Yee Hop Ranch, E. Stack. T. Atwood, S. Rolles Trust, One Keahole, and several other smaller landowners.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kona Forests (USA). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kona-forests-iba-usa on 23/11/2024.