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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
Chestnut-breasted Partridge Arborophila mandellii	NT	resident (2002)	present	A1, A2
White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis	CR	non-breeding (2002)	present	A1
Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris	CR	non-breeding (2002)	present	A1
Ward's Trogon Harpactes wardi	LC	resident (2002)	present	A2
Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis	VU	resident (2002)	present	A1, A3
Grey-crowned Prinia Prinia cinereocapilla	VU	resident (2002)	present	A1, A3
Yellow-vented Warbler Phylloscopus cantator	LC	resident (2002)	present	A2, A3
Black-breasted Parrotbill Paradoxornis flavirostris	VU	resident (2004)	present	A1, A2
White-naped Yuhina Yuhina bakeri	LC	resident (2002)	present	A2, A3
Rufous-throated Wren-babbler Spelaeornis caudatus	LC	resident (2002)	present	A2
Blackish-breasted Babbler Stachyris humei	NT	resident (2002)	present	A2
Slender-billed Babbler Argya longirostris	VU	resident (2002)	present	A1
Beautiful Nuthatch Sitta formosa	VU	resident (2002)	present	A1, A3
Rusty-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx hyperythra	NT	resident (2002)	present	A1, A2

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2004. The most recent assessment (2003) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Pollution	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Transportation and service corridors	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Agricultural expansion and intensification	past (and unlikely to return) and no longer limiting	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Kitam	Sanctuary (-)	30

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	-
Grassland	-
Shrubland	-
Wetlands (inland)	-

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
forestry	-
nature conservation and research	-
urban/industrial/transport	-
water management	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lowland forests of South Sikkim (Melli-Baguwa-Kitam, Jorethang-Namchi, Sombarey) (India). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lowland-forests-of-south-sikkim-(melli-baguwa-kitam-jorethang-namchi-sombarey)-iba-india on 23/12/2024.