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

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2004 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
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus	LC	passage (2003)	present	A4i
Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus	LC	passage (2003)	present	A4i
Saunders's Gull Saundersilarus saundersi	VU	winter (2003)	present	A1

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2004. The most recent assessment (2015) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Marine Intertidal	good (>90%)	moderate (70–90%)	moderate

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Pollution	likely in long term (>4 years)	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Little/none of area covered (<10%)	No management planning has taken place	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	very low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
2013	Common fishery right area(Kumamoto)	共同漁業権区域 (VI)	93

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal	major (>10)
Marine Neritic	major (>10)

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kumakawa estuary (Japan). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kumakawa-estuary-iba-japan on 23/12/2024.