• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

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
Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma	LC	non-breeding	-	830 individuals	A4i
Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius	LC	non-breeding	-	1,085 individuals	A4i
Racquet-tailed Roller Coracias spatulatus	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Whyte's Barbet Stactolaema whytii	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Miombo Tit Melaniparus griseiventris	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Stierling's Wren-warbler Calamonastes stierlingi	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Kurrichane Thrush Turdus libonyana	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
White-throated Robin-chat Dessonornis humeralis	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Miombo Rock-thrush Monticola angolensis	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Boulder Chat Pinarornis plumosus	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
Black-eared Seedeater Crithagra mennelli	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	unknown	-	min 20,000 individuals	A4iii

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 (2015) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Wetlands (inland)	moderate (70-90%)	very poor (< 40%)	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Pollution	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Residential and commercial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Energy production and mining	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1975	Lake Chivero	Recreational Park	100
2013	Lake Chivero and Manyame	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	84

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest		78
Shrubland		21
Wetlands (inland)	Freshwater lakes and pools	major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
water management	-

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Robert McIlwaine Recreational Park (Zimbabwe). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/robert-mcilwaine-recreational-park-iba-zimbabwe on 22/11/2024.