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

Site description (2007 baseline)
Yallahs IBA covers an elongated area along the south-east coast in the lee of the Blue Mountains, it forms part of two southeast watershed basins (16 & 17 Yallahs & Morant Rivers). The area is formed by a sedimentary basin through high-gradient streams depositing sediment and culminates in an alluvial fan delta. The Morant, Negro, and Yallahs Rivers have very small to small quantities of fresh water perennially available. However, there is a pipeline, located south of Llandewey on the Yallahs River, which transports about 26.7 million cubic meters per year (0.84 cubic meter per second) to the city of Kingston. About 13.3 million cubic meters per year (0.42 cubic meter per second) of water is also diverted from the Negro River to Kingston. These diversions may reduce these rivers to little more than intermittent streams in the dry season. Both the Morant and Yallahs Rivers have wide, rocky channels in their lower reaches with deep deposits of alluvium. These rivers may become intermittent in dry months, but then have torrential flows after moderate rains. The mid-to-upper reaches of these rivers have steep gradients, flow very quickly, and transport large amounts of sediments. Downstream, the river gradients flatten, flow decreases rapidly, and deposition of carried sediment. Artemia (brine shrimp) farming is considered for the ponds. The highest point is Yallahs Hill at 730m. Vegetation is degraded xeric (dry/fairly dry limestone scrub on alluvium below 380m), with small patches in moister areas near to rivers or in higher elevations where there is remnant mesic forest on limestone and higher up, on shale. Due to the position of Yallahs in the rain shadow foothills of the Blue Mountains, rainfall is generally low and the area is susceptible to stochastic events such as hurricanes, earthquakes and floods.

Key biodiversity
Yallahs supports a diversity of bird life – the suite of terrestrial species is not distinctive, but it is an important staging point for terrestrial migrants both arriving and departing, also for migrant sea and shore birds; and for nesting of some sea and shore birds. Notable migrants have been the Greater Flamingo and Roseate Spoonbill. The near threatened Plain Pigeon (Patagioenas inornata) has been observed here, and the invasive host parasite Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) was first recorded in the wild in scrub beside the ponds.

Non-bird biodiversity: Jamaican Kite Swallowtail Eurytides marcellinus (VU); Greater Fishing Bat Noctilio leporinus mastivus; Pallas’ Long-tongued Bay Glossophaga soricina antilarum; Jamican Fig-eating Bat Ariteus flavescens (IUCN Red List-VU); Jamaican Boa Epicrates subflavus (VU); A newly described crab species (Sesarma ayatum sp. n.,) is restricted to the eastern part of the island, it may occur here.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Yallahs (Jamaica). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/yallahs-iba-jamaica on 22/11/2024.