Data Zone
The site was identified as important in 1998 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kurrichane Thrush Turdus libonyana | LC | resident | 1998 | present | A3 |
| White-throated Robin-chat Dessonornis humeralis | LC | resident | 1998 | present | A3 |
| Boulder Chat Pinarornis plumosus | LC | resident | 1998 | present | A3 |
| White-breasted Sunbird Cinnyris talatala | LC | resident | 1998 | present | A3 |
| Eastern Miombo Sunbird Cinnyris manoensis | LC | resident | 1998 | present | A3 |
| Broad-tailed Paradise-whydah Vidua obtusa | LC | resident | 1998 | present | A3 |
1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (1998) may differ.
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1998. The most recent assessment (2011) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2011 | near favourable | high | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| no | habitat | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Grassland | good (> 90%) | moderate (70-90%) | near favourable |
| Forest | good (> 90%) | moderate (70-90%) | near favourable |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | good (> 90%) | good (> 90%) | favourable |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Natural system modifications | happening now | majority/most of area/population (50-90%) | moderate to rapid deterioration | high |
| Biological resource use | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Invasive and other problematic species and genes | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | slow but significant deterioration | medium |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | no or imperceptible deterioration | low |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | small area/few individuals (<10%) | no or imperceptible deterioration | low |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | some of area/population (10-49%) | 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%) | Unknown | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Lake Matopos | Recreation Park | 1 |
| 1926 | Matopos | National Park | 100 |
| Habitat1 | Habitat detail | % of IBA |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 90 | |
| Shrubland | 9 | |
| Grassland | Grassland - edaphic, dry | - |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | Inselbergs, kopjes & inland cliffs | - |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| forestry | - |
| nature conservation and research | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| water management | - |
| other | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Matobo Hills (Zimbabwe). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/matobo-hills-iba-zimbabwe on 23/11/2024.