Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

General characteristics 

The mountainous region centred around the town of Kontum (or Contum) in Gia Lai-Con Tum and southern Quang Nam-Da Nang provinces of central Vietnam (see map, p.450) supports at least three restricted-range species, the threatened Crested Argus Rheinardia ocellata (classified as Vulnerable; also in EBAs143 and 145 in Vietnam and 158 in Peninsular Malaysia), White-cheeked Laughingthrush Garrulax vassali (also in EBAs143 and 145 in Vietnam and Secondary Area s083 in Laos) and Grey-faced Tit-babbler Macronous kelleyi (also in EBAs143 and 144 in Vietnam and Secondary Area s083 in Laos). All three species were recorded there during brief surveys of two sites in 1988, including Kong Cha Rang Nature Reserve (Robson et al. 1989). In 1996, a survey of the highest mountain in this region, Ngoc Linh (2,598m), discovered a new form of barwing Actinodura (which was common there), similar to Spectacled Barwing A. ramsayi, but possibly an undescribed species (J.C. Eames verbally 1996). This mountain lies within the Ngoc Linh nature reserve, and the nearby Kon Kai Kinh and Mom Ray nature reserves may also contain suitable habitat for the restricted-range birds (see IUCN 1992c).

Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Endemic Bird Area factsheet: Kontum plateau. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013

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