Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 1999 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor | NT | non-breeding (1994) | 50,000 birds | A1, A4i |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | non-breeding (1994) | 20,000-49,999 birds | A4iii |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1999. The most recent assessment (2023) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2023 | poor | very high | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Wetlands (inland) | moderate (70–90%) | moderate (70–90%) | poor |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | very high |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | very high |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Transportation and service corridors | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Pollution | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Climate change and severe weather | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | low |
| Biological resource use | likely in long term (>4 years) | few individuals/small area (<10%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | Unknown | Some limited conservation initiatives are in place | low |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | 100 | Saline lakes |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| urban/industrial/transport | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Magadi (Kenya). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-magadi-iba-kenya on 27/12/2024.