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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
Fischer's Turaco Tauraco fischeri	NT	resident (1999)	present	A1, A2, A3
Southern Banded Snake-eagle Circaetus fasciolatus	NT	resident (1999)	present	A1, A3
Mangrove Kingfisher Halcyon senegaloides	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Brown-breasted Barbet Pogonornis melanopterus	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Mombasa Woodpecker Campethera mombassica	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike Prionops scopifrons	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
East Coast Batis Batis soror	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Gorgeous Bushshrike Telophorus viridis	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
White-winged Apalis Apalis chariessa	NT	resident (1999)	present	A1, A2, A3
Tana River Cisticola Cisticola restrictus	DD	resident (1972)	present	A1, A2, A3
Basra Reed-warbler Acrocephalus griseldis	EN	non-breeding (-)	present	A1
Fischer's Greenbul Phyllastrephus fischeri	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Little Yellow Flycatcher Erythrocercus holochlorus	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Scaly Babbler Turdoides squamulata	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Black-bellied Starling Notopholia corusca	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
East Coast Akalat Sheppardia gunningi	NT	resident (1999)	present	A1, A3
Plain-backed Sunbird Anthreptes reichenowi	NT	resident (1999)	present	A1, A3
Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird Anthreptes neglectus	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Mouse-coloured Sunbird Cyanomitra verreauxii	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Violet-breasted Sunbird Cinnyris chalcomelas	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Malindi Pipit Anthus melindae	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3

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.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Forest	moderate (70–90%)	moderate (70–90%)	poor

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%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	very high
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Pollution	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	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
Some of area covered (10–49%)	A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not compre­hensive and are limited by resources and capacity	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1976	Tana River Primate	National Reserve (II)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	100	Lowland forest - riparian

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-
forestry	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
other	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lower Tana River Forests (Kenya). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lower-tana-river-forests-iba-kenya on 23/12/2024.