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The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Southern Banded Snake-eagle Circaetus fasciolatus	NT	resident	1999	present	A1
Taita Falcon Falco fasciinucha	VU	resident	-	present	A1
Taita Apalis Apalis fuscigularis	CR	resident	1999	present	A1, A2
Taita White-eye Zosterops silvanus	VU	resident	1998	1,500 individuals	A1, A2
Abbott's Starling Arizelopsar femoralis	EN	resident	1999	present	A1
Taita Thrush Turdus helleri	EN	resident	1999	present	A1, A2

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (1999) may differ.

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
Forest	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Pollution	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Most of site (50-90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
-	Mbololo	Nature Reserve	-
-	Vurai	Forest Reserve	<1
-	Chaiwa	Forest Reserve	<1
-	Ngangao	Forest Reserve	<1
-	Yale	Forest Reserve	<1
-	Sagalla	Forest Reserve	<1
-	Ngerenyi	Forest Reserve	<1
-	Kichuchenyi	Forest Reserve	<1
1991	Fururu	Forest Reserve	<1
1991	Macha	Forest Reserve	<1
1991	Mwachora	Forest Reserve	<1

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Artificial/Terrestrial	Forestry & agro-industrial plantations	-
Forest	Mid-altitude forest - transitional	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
forestry	-
nature conservation and research	-
urban/industrial/transport	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Taita Hills Forests (Kenya). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/taita-hills-forests-iba-kenya on 22/11/2024.