Important Bird Area

Abstract: Protected Areas (PAs) form a core component of efforts to conserve biodiversity, but are designated for a variety of reasons. We assessed the effectiveness of PAs in covering the ranges of 157 globally threatened terrestrial bird species in mainland Africa and Madagascar. To reduce commission errors, rather than using Extent of Occurrence (EOO) as a measure of distribution, we estimated the Extent of potentially Suitable Habitat (ESH) for each species within its EOO, using data on habitat preferences and land cover. On average, 14% of species' ESH fell within PAs, with negligible coverage of Critically Endangered species. By contrast, an average of 30% of species' ESH fell within Important Bird Areas (IBAs), a network of sites identified using globally standardized criteria as critical for bird conservation. IBAs that overlapped or fell within PAs were significantly less effective at covering the ESH of threatened birds than those falling outside the PA network, and for IBAs partly overlapping with PAs, coverage of threatened birds was significantly greater in the unprotected part. Expansion of the PA (and IBA) networks in parts of Madagascar, the Albertine Rift, Cameroon Highlands, Eastern Arc and eastern Kenya would benefit globally threatened bird species conservation.

Abstract: We forecasted potential impacts of climate change on the ability of a network of key sites for bird conservation (Important Bird Areas; IBAs) to provide suitable climate for 370 bird species of current conservation concern in two Asian biodiversity hotspots: the Eastern Himalaya and Lower Mekong. Comparable studies have largely not accounted for uncertainty, which may lead to inappropriate conclusions. We quantified the contribution of four sources of variation (choice of general circulation models, emission scenarios and species distribution modelling methods and variation in species distribution data) to uncertainty in forecasts and tested if our projections were robust to these uncertainties. Declines in the availability of suitable climate within the IBA network by 2100 were forecast as ‘extremely likely’ for 45% of species, whereas increases were projected for only 2%. Thus, we predict almost 24 times as many ‘losers’ as ‘winners’. However, for no species was suitable climate ‘extremely likely’ to be completely lost from the network. Considerable turnover (median = 43%, 95% CI = 35–69%) in species compositions of most IBAs were projected by 2100. Climatic conditions in 47% of IBAs were projected as ‘extremely likely’ to become suitable for fewer priority species. However, no IBA was forecast to become suitable for more species. Variation among General Circulation Models and Species Distribution Models contributed most to uncertainty among forecasts. This uncertainty precluded firm conclusions for 53% of species and IBAs because 95% confidence intervals included projections of no change. Considering this uncertainty, however, allows robust recommendations concerning the remaining species and IBAs. Overall, while the IBA network will continue to sustain bird conservation, climate change will modify which species each site will be suitable for. Thus, adaptive management of the network, including modified site conservation strategies and facilitating species' movement among sites, is critical to ensure effective future conservation.

Abstract: Surveys were undertaken of 100 major wetlands across ten distinct regions of Algeria in 2002–2008, to determine the numbers of wetland birds using these sites, to provide new data on wetlands of international importance, and thus to indicate priorities for conservation action. Ninety-nine wetland birds were recorded and 41 sites met one or more of the criteria required for an Important Bird Area (IBA). This brough the total number of sites qualifying as IBAs in Algeria to 53 of which 21 are not currently listed as part of the IBA network. Fourteen of Algeria’s current IBAs qualify as Ramsar sites, and all 21 of the potential IBAs also qualify for designation as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The sites visited during the surveys were spread across the Tell, the Hauts Plateaux and the Sahara and most held over 1% of a threatened waterbird species. Many of the sites included in the surveys were found to be more important for breeding and migratory waterbirds than had previously been recognised, and their locations along three north–south corridors make them particularly vital as staging areas before or after crossing the Sahara desert. We focused on sites used by wetland birds for breeding and found that Lake Fetzara was particularly important, hosting 23 of the 36 species known to breed in northeast Algeria. Building upon previous work, the present study provides a thorough assessment of the ornithological importance of Algerian wetlands. Many of the internationally important sites and ornithological hot-spots are under heavy pressure from man and are in urgent need of protection and other conservation measures.