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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2001 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
Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis	LC	non-breeding (-)	500 birds	A4i
Pale-billed Hornbill Lophoceros pallidirostris	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Southern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicoides	LC	breeding (-)	2,000 pairs	A4ii
Racquet-tailed Roller Coracias spatulatus	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Dickinson's Kestrel Falco dickinsoni	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Nyasa Lovebird Agapornis lilianae	NT	resident (1998)	present	A3
Miombo Tit Melaniparus griseiventris	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Rufous-bellied Tit Melaniparus rufiventris	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Stierling's Wren-warbler Calamonastes stierlingi	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Meves's Long-tailed Starling Lamprotornis mevesii	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Kurrichane Thrush Turdus libonyana	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Arnot's Chat Myrmecocichla arnotti	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Shelley's Sunbird Cinnyris shelleyi	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
White-breasted Sunbird Cinnyris talatala	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Broad-tailed Paradise-whydah Vidua obtusa	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Black-eared Seedeater Crithagra mennelli	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2001. The most recent assessment (2023) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (<4 years)	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
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (<4 years)	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	likely in short term (<4 years)	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	Not assessed	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1980	Rufunsa	Game Management Area (VI)	3
1983	Lower Zambezi	National Park (II)	93

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	42
Shrubland	38
Artificial/Terrestrial	18

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
water management	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lower Zambezi National Park (Zambia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lower-zambezi-national-park-iba-zambia on 22/12/2024.