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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
Madagascar Pratincole Glareola ocularis	NT	non-breeding (1978)	2,500–10,000 birds	A4i
Sooty Gull Larus hemprichii	LC	non-breeding (1995)	410 birds	A4i
Saunders's Tern Sternula saundersi	LC	non-breeding (1995)	900 birds	A4i
Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis	LC	non-breeding (1995)	270 birds	A4i

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.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	moderate (70–90%)	moderate (70–90%)	poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	very high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Most of area (50–90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	No management planning has taken place	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

The Local Conservation Group(s) listed below are working to conserve this IBA.

Name	Year formed
Sabaki River Estuary Youth Group	2006

For more information on BirdLife's work with Local Conservation Groups, please visit Spotlight on local empowerment.

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Marine Intertidal	major (>10)
Marine Neritic	major (>10)

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	-
nature conservation and research	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sabaki River Mouth (Kenya). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sabaki-river-mouth-iba-kenya on 24/12/2024.