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

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2002 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
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio	LC	resident (1997)	2,000–16,000 birds	A4i
Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus	NT	resident (2000)	8 birds	A1
Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala	LC	non-breeding (2000)	380 birds	A4i
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus	LC	breeding (1999–2000)	527–1,368 birds	A4i
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea	LC	resident (1999–2001)	565–1,006 birds	A4i
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	non-breeding (2001)	1,582–2,030 birds	A4i
Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis	NT	non-breeding (2000–2001)	6 birds	A1
Little Cormorant Microcarbo niger	LC	breeding (1999–2001)	1,528–1,696 birds	A4i
Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus	LC	resident (1997)	1,000–18,000 birds	A4i
Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum	LC	passage (2001)	1,790 birds	A4i
Rufous-winged Buzzard Butastur liventer	LC	resident (1997)	present	A3
Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Indochinese Cuckooshrike Lalage polioptera	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Racquet-tailed Treepie Crypsirina temia	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Indochinese Bushlark Mirafra erythrocephala	LC	resident (1997)	present	A3
Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus blanfordi	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Black-collared Starling Gracupica nigricollis	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnia malabarica	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Vinous-breasted Myna Acridotheres leucocephalus	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3
Plain-backed Sparrow Passer flaveolus	LC	resident (1999)	present	A3

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2002. The most recent assessment (2008) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus	112 / 142 (birds)	79	moderate
Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis	14 / 14 (birds)	100	good

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Forest	-	-	very poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Transportation and service corridors	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 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 (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	U Minh Thuong	National Park (-)	-
2002	U Minh Thuong	Vườn quốc gia (II)	35
2006	Kien Giang	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial	50	Perennial crops, orchards and groves; Abandoned farmland, disturbed ground; Small settlements, rural gardens; Rice paddies; Improved pasture land
Forest	20	Peat swamp forest (tropical); Mangrove forest (tropical)
Grassland	15
Wetlands (inland)	15	Artificial wetlands; Permanent swamps; Rivers and streams

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	50
nature conservation and research	36
forestry	9
not utilised	6

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: U Minh Thuong (Vietnam). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/u-minh-thuong-iba-vietnam on 23/12/2024.