BirdLife International 18/12/12 1 BirdLife International 18/12/12 Conservation of Migratory Birds project: scientific review of migratory birds, their key sites and habitats in West Africa October 2013 Prepared by Rob Martin, Samantha Cartwright, Tris Allinson, Vicky Jones and Lincoln Fishpool BirdLife International Acknowledgements: We would like to thank sincerely all those who reviewed earlier drafts of the report, especially Ali Stattersfield, Geoffroy Citegetse, Paul Robinson and Tim Dodman. We would also like to thank the MAVA Foundation for their generous support of the project. Recommended citation: BirdLife International (2013) Conservation of Migratory Birds project: scientific review of migratory birds, their key sites and habitats in West Africa. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK. BirdLife International Wellbrook Court Girton Road Cambridge CB3 0NA UNITED KINGDOM T: +44 (0)1223 277 318 F: +44 (0)1223 277 200 E: birdlife @ birdlife.org 2 BirdLife International 18/12/12 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 Scope of the report ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Context within the Conservation of Migratory Birds (CMB) project ......................................................... 6 Geographic scope ...................................................................................................................................... 6 Species coverage ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Main sources of data ................................................................................................................................. 7 Overview of West African migrant species ....................................................................................................... 9 Migratory species .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Threat status ................................................................................................................................................ 10 Extinction risk: proportion of species in different IUCN Red List categories .......................................... 10 Red List Index for project species ............................................................................................................ 14 Population trends for project species ..................................................................................................... 16 Key habitats ................................................................................................................................................. 20 Major threats ............................................................................................................................................... 21 Overview of sites known to be significant for West African migrants ............................................................ 23 Sites identified as significant in the Project Region................................................................................. 23 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas .................................................................................................... 23 Location of IBAs identified in project region ........................................................................................... 24 Critical Sites for waterbirds in West Africa .................................................................................................. 27 Top Ten Waterbird Species by percentage of global population ............................................................ 30 Critical Sites for the Top Ten Waterbird Species ..................................................................................... 30 Top ten Critical Sites ................................................................................................................................ 35 Critical Site use by the top ten waterbird species ................................................................................... 37 IBA Status ..................................................................................................................................................... 39 IBA monitoring ......................................................................................................................................... 39 Status of IBA monitoring in the Project Region ....................................................................................... 39 Protection status of project IBAs ............................................................................................................. 41 3 BirdLife International 18/12/12 Sites potentially important for West African migrants ................................................................................... 42 Gap sites identified through the WOW project........................................................................................... 42 Sites identified as potentially important through literature review ........................................................... 44 New sites potentially meeting IBA Criteria:............................................................................................. 45 Sites possibly no longer meeting IBA Criteria:......................................................................................... 46 Sites which may merit recognition for additional trigger species: .......................................................... 46 Marine extensions to IBAs ........................................................................................................................... 48 IBA criteria updates based on Red List changes .......................................................................................... 49 Species conclusions ......................................................................................................................................... 51 Site conclusions ............................................................................................................................................... 53 Regional recommendations............................................................................................................................. 54 Annexes ........................................................................................................................................................... 55 References ....................................................................................................................................................... 55 4 BirdLife International 18/12/12 Conservation of Migratory Birds project: scientific review of migratory birds, their key sites and habitats in West Africa Summary Data relating to migratory birds in the West Africa region are reviewed within the framework of the Conservation of Migratory Birds project. Using data held in the World Bird Database and in the Critical Sites Network (CSN) Tool, lists of priority species are identified, determined by the proportions of the global populations that may occur in the project region at any one time. Thus, 21 globally threatened or Near Threatened species occur in the region, ten of which are identified as being of particular concern due to the proportions of their populations in the region. One of these is Endangered (Eqyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus), three are Vulnerable (Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola, Beaudouin’s Snake-eagle Circaetus beaudouini and Black Crowned-crane Balearica pavonina) and the remaining six Near Threatened (Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus, Denham’s Bustard Neotis denhami, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa, Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata, African Skimmer Rhynchops flavirostris and European Roller Coracias garrulus). The region is of exceptional importance for Aquatic Warbler, since the great majority of the global population winters here. The top ten congregatory waterbird species, measured by the percentage of their global population that may occur in the region, are Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica (up to 63% of the global population), Royal Tern Sterna maxima (54%), Red Knot Calidris canutus (51%), Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus (39%), Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus (38%), Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea (36%), Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia (33%), Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula (23%), Garganey Anas querquedula (19%) and Caspian Tern Sterna caspia (19%). A total of 46 Critical Sites for migratory waterbirds in the region are identified, 43 of which are recognised as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs). The ten sites holding the greatest numbers of migrant waterbirds are the Banc d’Arguin (Mauritania), the Arquipélago dos Bijagós (Guinea-Bissau), the Delta du Saloum (Senegal), Djoudj wetlands (Senegal)—which is also critically important for wintering populations of Aquatic Warbler—Aftout es Sâheli (Mauritania), Rio Tombali, Rio Cumbijã and Ilha de Melo (Guinea-Bissau), Diawling National Park (Mauritania), Gâat Mahmoûdé (Mauritania), Tanji River (Karinti) Bird Reserve (Gambia) and the Rio Mansôa and Gêba estuary (Guinea-Bissau). In all, there are 88 IBAs in the region which qualify