Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 1998 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Pratincole Glareola nuchalis | LC | non-breeding (-) | 320 individuals | A4i |
| African Skimmer Rynchops flavirostris | LC | non-breeding (-) | 136 individuals | A4i |
| Southern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicoides | LC | breeding (1998) | 10,500 adults | A4ii |
| Racquet-tailed Roller Coracias spatulatus | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Nyasa Lovebird Agapornis lilianae | NT | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Meves's Long-tailed Starling Lamprotornis mevesii | 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 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1998. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2013 | not assessed | high | high |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | unset | unknown | |
| Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Invasive and other problematic species and genes | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate deterioration (10–30% in 3 generations) | high |
| Natural system modifications | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | slow deterioration (1–10% over 3 generations) | high |
| Transportation and service corridors | likely in short term (within 4 years) | most of population/area (50–90%) | slow deterioration (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species | Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity | high |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Chewore | Safari Area (VI) | 5 |
| 1975 | Hurungwe | Safari Area (VI) | 42 |
| 1975 | Mana Pools | National Park (II) | 32 |
| 1975 | Sapi | Safari Area (VI) | 17 |
| 1984 | Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas | World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) (UA) | 99 |
| 2010 | Middle Zambezi | UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA) | - |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | 47 | |
| Shrubland | 38 | |
| Forest | 11 | |
| Grassland | 2 | |
| Wetlands (inland) | - | Ephemeral pools and wetlands; Sand dunes and beaches - riverine |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| water management | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Middle Zambezi Valley (Zimbabwe). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/middle-zambezi-valley-iba-zimbabwe on 15/01/2025.