SL007
Western Area Peninsula Forest National Park This is an IBA in Danger! 


IBA Justification

The site was identified as important 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 List1 Season Year(s) Size IBA criteria
Ahanta Spurfowl Pternistis ahantensis LC resident 2000 present A3
Forest Francolin Peliperdix lathami LC resident 2000 present A3
Afep Pigeon Columba unicincta LC resident 2000 present A3
Western Bronze-naped Pigeon Columba iriditorques LC resident 2000 present A3
Blue-headed Wood-dove Turtur brehmeri LC resident 2000 present A3
Sabine's Spinetail Rhaphidura sabini LC resident 2000 present A3
Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo Cercococcyx mechowi LC resident 2000 present A3
Nkulengu Rail Himantornis haematopus LC resident 2000 present A3
Grey-throated Rail Canirallus oculeus LC resident 2000 present A3
Green Turaco Tauraco persa LC resident 2000 present A3
Yellow-billed Turaco Tauraco macrorhynchus LC resident 2000 present A3
White-crested Tiger-heron Tigriornis leucolopha LC resident 2000 present A3
Fraser's Eagle-owl Bubo poensis LC resident 2000 present A3
Cassin's Hawk-eagle Aquila africana LC resident 2000 present A3
Red-legged Sparrowhawk Accipiter erythropus LC resident 2000 present A3
Western Long-tailed Hornbill Horizocerus albocristatus LC resident 2000 present A3
West African Pied Hornbill Lophoceros semifasciatus LC resident 2000 present A3
Yellow-casqued Hornbill Ceratogymna elata VU resident 2000 present A1, A3
Black Bee-eater Merops gularis LC resident 2000 present A3
Blue-throated Roller Eurystomus gularis LC resident 2000 present A3
White-bellied Kingfisher Corythornis leucogaster LC resident 2000 present A3
Chocolate-backed Kingfisher Halcyon badia LC resident 2000 present A3
Naked-faced Barbet Gymnobucco calvus LC resident 2000 present A3
Western Yellow-spotted Barbet Buccanodon dowsetti LC resident 2000 present A3
Speckled Tinkerbird Pogoniulus scolopaceus LC resident 2000 present A3
Red-rumped Tinkerbird Pogoniulus atroflavus LC resident 2000 present A3
Yellow-throated Tinkerbird Pogoniulus subsulphureus LC resident 2000 present A3
Cassin's Honeybird Prodotiscus insignis LC resident 2000 present A3
Willcocks's Honeyguide Indicator willcocksi LC resident 2000 present A3
Spotted Honeyguide Indicator maculatus LC resident 2000 present A3
Melancholy Woodpecker Dendropicos lugubris LC resident 2000 present A3
Little Green Woodpecker Campethera maculosa LC resident 2000 present A3
Buff-spotted Woodpecker Pardipicus nivosus LC resident 2000 present A3
Brown-eared Woodpecker Pardipicus caroli LC resident 2000 present A3
Fire-bellied Woodpecker Dendropicos pyrrhogaster LC resident 2000 present A3
Timneh Parrot Psittacus timneh EN resident 2000 present A3
Western Black-headed Oriole Oriolus brachyrynchus LC resident 2000 present A3
African Shrike-flycatcher Megabyas flammulatus LC resident 2000 present A3
Fiery-breasted Bushshrike Malaconotus cruentus LC resident 2000 present A3
Sabine's Puffback Dryoscopus sabini LC resident 2000 present A3
Turati's Boubou Laniarius turatii LC resident 2000 present A1, A3
Shining Drongo Dicrurus atripennis LC resident 2000 present A3
Western Crested-flycatcher Trochocercus nitens LC resident 2000 present A3
Red-bellied Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone rufiventer LC resident 2000 present A3
White-necked Rockfowl Picathartes gymnocephalus VU resident 2000 present A1, A2, A3
Western Nicator Nicator chloris LC resident 2000 present A3
Lemon-bellied Crombec Sylvietta denti LC resident 2000 present A3
Kemp's Longbill Macrosphenus kempi LC resident 2000 present A3
Grey Longbill Macrosphenus concolor LC resident 2000 present A3
Sharpe's Apalis Apalis sharpii NT resident 2000 present A2, A3
Olive-green Camaroptera Camaroptera chloronota LC resident 2000 present A3
Square-tailed Saw-wing Psalidoprocne nitens LC resident 2000 present A3
Golden Greenbul Calyptocichla serinus LC resident 2000 present A3
Red-tailed Bristlebill Bleda syndactylus LC resident 2000 present A3
Green-tailed Bristlebill Bleda eximius NT resident 1999 present A1, A2, A3
Grey-headed Bristlebill Bleda canicapillus LC resident 2000 present A3
Honeyguide Greenbul Baeopogon indicator LC resident 2000 present A3
Simple Greenbul Chlorocichla simplex LC resident 2000 present A3
Grey Greenbul Eurillas gracilis LC resident 2000 present A3
Ansorge's Greenbul Eurillas ansorgei LC resident 2000 present A3
Plain Greenbul Eurillas curvirostris LC resident 2000 present A3
Western Bearded Greenbul Criniger barbatus LC resident 2000 present A3
Red-tailed Greenbul Criniger calurus LC resident 2000 present A3
Icterine Greenbul Phyllastrephus icterinus LC resident 2000 present A3
Green Hylia Hylia prasina LC resident 2000 present A3
Brown Illadopsis Illadopsis fulvescens LC resident 2000 present A3
Puvel's Illadopsis Illadopsis puveli LC resident 2000 present A3
Rufous-winged Illadopsis Illadopsis rufescens NT resident 2000 present A1, A2, A3
Grey-hooded Capuchin Babbler Phyllanthus atripennis VU resident 2000 present A3
White-tailed Ant-thrush Neocossyphus poensis LC resident 2000 present A3
White-tailed Alethe Alethe diademata LC resident 2000 present A3
Forest Scrub-robin Tychaedon leucosticta LC resident 2000 present A3
Ussher's Flycatcher Artomyias ussheri LC resident 2000 present A3
White-browed Forest-flycatcher Fraseria cinerascens LC resident 2000 present A3
African Forest-flycatcher Fraseria ocreata LC resident 2000 present A3
Olivaceous Flycatcher Fraseria olivascens LC resident 2000 present A3
Orange-breasted Forest-robin Stiphrornis erythrothorax LC resident 2000 present A3
Lowland Akalat Sheppardia cyornithopsis LC resident 2000 present A3
Fraser's Sunbird Deleornis fraseri LC resident 2000 present A3
Mouse-brown Sunbird Anthreptes gabonicus LC resident 2000 present A3
Little Green Sunbird Anthreptes seimundi LC resident 2000 present A3
Blue-throated Brown Sunbird Cyanomitra cyanolaema LC resident 2000 present A3
Johanna's Sunbird Cinnyris johannae LC resident 2000 present A3
Yellow-mantled Weaver Ploceus tricolor LC resident 2000 present A3
Chestnut-and-black Weaver Ploceus castaneofuscus LC resident 2000 present A3
Blue-billed Malimbe Malimbus nitens LC resident 2000 present A3
Red-headed Malimbe Malimbus rubricollis LC resident 2000 present A3
Crested Malimbe Malimbus malimbicus LC resident 2000 present A3
Western Bluebill Spermophaga haematina LC resident 2000 present A3
Crimson Seedcracker Pyrenestes sanguineus LC resident 2000 present A3
Chestnut-breasted Nigrita Nigrita bicolor LC resident 2000 present A3

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2001) may differ.


IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2001. The most recent assessment (2018) is shown below.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2018 very unfavourable very high low
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes habitat medium

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species Reference Actual Units % remaining Result
Yellow-casqued Hornbill Ceratogymna elata 21 21 individuals 100 not assessed
White-necked Rockfowl Picathartes gymnocephalus 10 4 individuals 40 unfavourable
Green-tailed Bristlebill Bleda eximius 8 8 individuals 100 not assessed

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat Quantity (% remaining) Quality (% carrying capacity) Result
Wetlands (inland) poor (40-69%) poor (40-69%) very unfavourable
Savanna poor (40-69%) moderate (70-90%) very unfavourable
Forest moderate (70-90%) moderate (70-90%) unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Biological resource use happening now whole area/population (>90%) very rapid to severe deterioration very high
Human intrusions and disturbance happening now whole area/population (>90%) very rapid to severe deterioration very high
Residential and commercial development happening now some of area/population (10-49%) moderate to rapid deterioration high
Natural system modifications happening now some of area/population (10-49%) moderate to rapid deterioration high
Agricultural expansion and intensification happening now some of area/population (10-49%) slow but significant deterioration medium
Pollution happening now some of area/population (10-49%) slow but significant deterioration medium
Climate change and severe weather happening now some of area/population (10-49%) slow but significant deterioration medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas Management plan Other action Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive Very little or no conservation action taking place low

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation % overlap with IBA
1916 Western Area No or Non - Hunting Forest Reserve 100
2012 Western Area Peninsula Forest National Park 96

Habitats

Habitat1 Habitat detail % of IBA
Forest Mid-altitude forest - transitional, Lowland forest - mixed moist evgn & semi-evgn, Lowland forest - riparian, Mangrove, Montane forest - mixed 70
Savanna Bushland & thicket - deciduous, Bushland & thicket - montane, Wooded grassland 18
Grassland Grassland - edaphic, dry 5
Wetlands (inland) Rivers & streams, Freshwater lakes and pools, Permanent herbaceous swamps and bogs 5
Marine Coastal/Supratidal 1
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) Inselbergs, kopjes & inland cliffs, Scree, boulders & bare rock 1
1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use

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


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Western Area Peninsula Forest National Park (Sierra Leone). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/western-area-peninsula-forest-national-park-iba-sierra-leone on 22/11/2024.