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The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	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

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (1999) may differ.

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%)	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Some of site 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	% overlap with IBA
1976	Tana River Primate	National Reserve	100
2010	Ndera Community Conservancy	Community Nature Reserve	31

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Lowland forest - riparian	100

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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 23/11/2024.