Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 1999 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malagasy Pond Heron Ardeola idae | EN | non-breeding (-) | present | A1 |
| Hinde's Babbler Turdoides hindei | VU | resident (1999) | present | A1, A2 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1999. The most recent assessment (2023) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2023 | poor | high | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | medium | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Forest | moderate (70–90%) | moderate (70–90%) | poor |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Invasive and other problematic species and genes | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Pollution | likely in short term (<4 years) | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Energy production and mining | likely in short term (<4 years) | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Natural system modifications | likely in short term (<4 years) | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | likely in long term (>4 years) | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | Unknown | Unknown | low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Mwea | National Reserve (VI) | 100 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | - | Woodland - mixed |
| Savanna | - | Bushland & thicket - evergreen |
| Shrubland | - | Scrub - forest |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mwea National Reserve (Kenya). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mwea-national-reserve-iba-kenya on 23/12/2024.