Current view: Text account
Site description (2022 baseline):
Site location and context
This IBA consists of often deep and broad-bottomed stream and river valleys with Lantana thickets, on the lower south-east slopes of the Aberdare Mountains (IBA KE001), in the upper catchment of the Tana River. The area of the IBA cannot be precisely defined without further survey work, but it includes at least 110,000 ha in the catchments of the Ruarai, Tambaya, Thiha and Sagana rivers on either side of the Thangathi–Kanunga road near Mukurweini town.
See Box and Table 2 for key species.
Turdoides hindei, a threatened Kenya endemic with a very restricted range, occurs at relatively high densities (4.7 birds/km of watercourse; population estimated at 380 birds in 88 groups). It is confined to the valleys, with group territories centered on patches of the exotic shrub Lantana camara, which the babblers depend on for shelter and nest sites. Other bird species are typical of forest edge and scrub habitats in the central Kenya highlands, but species diversity in this agricultural landscape is low.
Non-bird biodiversity: A comprehensive biodiversity survey is required in the IBA to outline the other Bird and Non bird biodiversity available in the IBA.
This is a zone of high agricultural potential and is intensively cultivated, the major crops including coffee, maize and arrowroot. Little natural vegetation remains in most places, apart from scattered indigenous trees such as Newtonia buchananii and Ficus thoningii. Thickets of the exotic Lantana camara occur at the edges of cultivation, in fallow farmland and unweeded coffee plantations, and in inaccessible river valleys.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
This is one of the few areas where Turdoides hindei occurs in reasonable numbers. Further survey work is required to discover the limits of its distribution. Threats facing the IBA and its biodiversity include, habitat loss, human disturbance, agrochemical pollution, lack of awareness among community members, poverty leading to pressure on existing resources and climate change. Increase in population in the area has augmented pressure on land use with humans fragmenting land for agricultural use ultimately clearing the few habitats available for the Hinde’s Babbler among other bird species. There seem to be no strategy by the government to enhance conservation of this unprotected yet very crucial area. Unlike Kianyaga Valleys (KE002), birds are not extensively hunted in Mukurweini, but the effect of human disturbance on nesting success may still be considerable. One privately owned bird sanctuary, Wajee Camp (10 ha), already exists, with Turdoides hindei a major visitor attraction.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
To safeguard and promote conservation of Mukurweini Valleys IBA, local community champions, Mukurweini Environment Volunteers (MEVO), a Site Support Group established in 2004 has been working around the clock to increase awareness on the Hinde’s babbler. The SSG with assistance from Nature Kenya and National Museums of Kenya (NMK) has been conducting a bi-annual survey of the Hinde's Babbler since 2004. It also organizes volley ball tournaments during the annual environment day’s celebrations attracting active participation of teams from local schools, colleges and general public.
No protected area
The area consist of privately owned lands.
Site access / Land-owner requests
Requests to visit the site are made to the land owners.
We acknowledge effort put forward by MEVO, local farmers, National Museums of Kenya, Nature Kenya, and Wildlife Clubs of Kenya among other stakeholders in ensuring that the IBA remains intact and its benefits are known.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mukurweini valleys (Kenya). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mukurweini-valleys-iba-kenya on 22/11/2024.
