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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
Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis	LC	non-breeding (1993)	5,400 birds	A4i
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	non-breeding (1993)	2,240 birds	A4i
Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis	LC	non-breeding (1993)	970 birds	A4i
African Openbill Anastomus lamelligerus	LC	non-breeding (1993)	3,530 birds	A4i
African Spoonbill Platalea alba	LC	non-breeding (1993)	3,680 birds	A4i
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis	LC	non-breeding (1993)	11,270 birds	A4i
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	non-breeding (1993)	2,560 birds	A4i
Yellow-billed Egret Ardea brachyrhyncha	LC	non-breeding (1993)	2,000 birds	A4i
Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens	LC	non-breeding (1993)	2,500 birds	A4i
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus	LC	non-breeding (1993)	2,070 birds	A4i
White-fronted Plover Charadrius marginatus	LC	non-breeding (1993)	1,070 birds	A4i
Charadrius mongolus	NR	winter (1993)	2,340 birds	A4i
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea	VU	winter (1993)	12,960 birds	A4i
Little Stint Calidris minuta	LC	winter (1993)	15,310 birds	A4i
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis	LC	winter (1993)	1,690 birds	A4i
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei	LC	winter (1993)	490 birds	A4i
Sooty Gull Larus hemprichii	LC	non-breeding (1993)	830 birds	A4i
Saunders's Tern Sternula saundersi	LC	non-breeding (1993)	3,610 birds	A4i
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	LC	winter (1993)	1,340 birds	A4i
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	non-breeding (1993)	1,450 birds	A4i
Common Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica	LC	winter (1993)	1,450 birds	A4i
Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis	LC	non-breeding (1993)	1,670 birds	A4i
Southern Banded Snake-eagle Circaetus fasciolatus	NT	resident (1999)	present	A1, A3
Mangrove Kingfisher Halcyon senegaloides	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Brown-breasted Barbet Pogonornis melanopterus	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
East Coast Batis Batis soror	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Gorgeous Bushshrike Telophorus viridis	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Basra Reed-warbler Acrocephalus griseldis	EN	non-breeding (-)	present	A1
Fischer's Greenbul Phyllastrephus fischeri	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Scaly Babbler Turdoides squamulata	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Black-bellied Starling Notopholia corusca	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Mouse-coloured Sunbird Cyanomitra verreauxii	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Violet-breasted Sunbird Cinnyris chalcomelas	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Zanzibar Red Bishop Euplectes nigroventris	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Malindi Pipit Anthus melindae	LC	resident (1999)	present	A1, A3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	non-breeding (1993)	100,000-499,999 birds	A4iii

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
Grassland	poor (40–69%)	moderate (70–90%)	very poor
Shrubland	moderate (70–90%)	moderate (70–90%)	poor
Forest	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	very high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Energy production and mining	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Pollution	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low

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)	A compre­hensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not compre­hensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

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

Name	Year formed
Tana Delta Conservation Organization	2009

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

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Grassland	50	Grassland - edaphic, wet
Artificial/Terrestrial	major (>10)	Arable land; Farmbush, fallow & ruderal land
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Shrubland	major (>10)	Bushland & thicket - evergreen; Scrub - woodland
Wetlands (inland)	major (>10)	Freshwater lakes and pools; Riverine floodplains; Rivers & streams; Ephemeral pools and wetlands
Forest	minor (<10)	Lowland forest - riparian; Mangrove
Marine Intertidal	minor (<10)
Marine Neritic	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
fisheries/aquaculture	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tana River Delta (Kenya). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tana-river-delta-iba-kenya on 22/12/2024.