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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2001 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
Dusky Turtle-dove Streptopelia lugens	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Montane Nightjar Caprimulgus poliocephalus	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Scarce Swift Schoutedenapus myoptilus	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Hartlaub's Turaco Tauraco hartlaubi	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Fischer's Turaco Tauraco fischeri	NT	resident (2000)	present	A1, A2, A3
Fraser's Eagle-owl Bubo poensis	LC	resident (2000)	present	A1, A2, A3
Southern Banded Snake-eagle Circaetus fasciolatus	NT	resident (2000)	present	A1, A3
Mountain Buzzard Buteo oreophilus	NT	resident (2000)	present	A3
Bar-tailed Trogon Apaloderma vittatum	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater Merops oreobates	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Eastern Green Tinkerbird Pogoniulus simplex	LC	resident (2000)	unknown	A3
Moustached Green Tinkerbird Pogoniulus leucomystax	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Brown-breasted Barbet Pogonornis melanopterus	LC	resident (2000)	unknown	A3
Mombasa Woodpecker Campethera mombassica	LC	resident (2000)	unknown	A3
Taita Falcon Falco fasciinucha	VU	resident (-)	present	A1
Grey Cuckooshrike Ceblepyris caesius	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike Prionops scopifrons	LC	resident (2000)	unknown	A3
Fülleborn's Boubou Laniarius fuelleborni	LC	resident (2000)	present	A2, A3
Gorgeous Bushshrike Telophorus viridis	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
White-tailed Crested-flycatcher Elminia albonotata	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Kretschmer's Longbill Macrosphenus kretschmeri	LC	resident (2000)	unknown	A3
Red-capped Forest-warbler Artisornis metopias	LC	resident (2000)	present	A2, A3
Cinnamon Bracken-warbler Bradypterus cinnamomeus	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Eastern Mountain Greenbul Arizelocichla nigriceps	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Olive-headed Bulbul Arizelocichla striifacies	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Shelley's Greenbul Arizelocichla masukuensis	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Montane Tiny Greenbul Phyllastrephus albigula	NT	resident (2000)	present	A3
Yellow-throated Woodland-warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
African Hill-babbler Sylvia abyssinica	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Waller's Starling Onychognathus walleri	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Sharpe's Starling Pholia sharpii	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Kenrick's Starling Poeoptera kenricki	LC	resident (2000)	present	A2, A3
Black-bellied Starling Notopholia corusca	LC	resident (2000)	unknown	A3
White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
White-chested Alethe Chamaetylas fuelleborni	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Usambara Akalat Sheppardia montana	EN	resident (2000)	present	A1, A2, A3
Sharpe's Akalat Sheppardia sharpei	LC	resident (2000)	present	A2, A3
Spot-throat Modulatrix stictigula	LC	resident (2000)	present	A2, A3
Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird Anthreptes neglectus	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Banded Sunbird Anthreptes rubritorques	VU	resident (2000)	present	A1, A2, A3
Usambara Double-collared Sunbird Cinnyris usambaricus	NT	resident (2000)	present	A3
Zanzibar Red Bishop Euplectes nigroventris	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafecht	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Usambara Weaver Ploceus nicolli	NT	resident (2000)	present	A1, A2, A3
Red-faced Crimsonwing Cryptospiza reichenovii	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Yellow-bellied Waxbill Coccopygia quartinia	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Oriole Finch Linurgus olivaceus	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
East African Citril Crithagra hyposticta	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3
Streaky Seedeater Crithagra striolata	LC	resident (2000)	present	A3

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2001. The most recent assessment (2011) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in short term (<4 years)	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	likely in short term (<4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Transportation and service corridors	likely in short term (<4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Natural system modifications	likely in long term (>4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	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 (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Shagayu	Forest Reserve (IV)	21
-	Mkusu	Forest Reserve (IV)	11
-	Ndekemai	Forest Reserve (IV)	4
-	Balangai West	Forest Reserve (IV)	3
-	Shume Magamba	Nature Reserve (IV)	35
-	Lutinde	Forest Reserve (-)	-
1955	Bagai	Forest Reserve (IV)	<1
1961	Kisima Gonja	Forest Reserve (IV)	4
1963	Baga I (Mzinga)	Forest Reserve (IV)	9
1964	Mafi Hill	Forest Reserve (VI)	12

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	94
Shrubland	3
Grassland	1

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	-
forestry	-
water management	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: West Usambara Mountains (Tanzania). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/west-usambara-mountains-iba-tanzania on 23/12/2024.