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TL05
Sungai Clere
Location Timor-Leste, Manufahi
Central coordinates 125o 58.00' East  9o 4.00' South
IBA criteria A1, A2
Area 42,266 ha
Altitude 0 - 100m
Year of IBA assessment 2007





Ornithological information Twenty-five restricted-range species have been recorded in this IBA, including the Endangered Timor Green-pigeon, and the Critically Endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo also occurs there (Mauro 2003).

Site description Formerly this area was described as “one of the last forested lowland coastal areas on Timor and preserves a rare habitat type (lowland alluvial forest and savannah)” with “moderately high biodiversity values” (FAO/UNDP 1982). The habitats in the IBA currently include a band of seasonally flooded coastal swamp forest dominated by Canarium spp., secondary dry forest and the extensive nationally significant freshwater lake (c.10 km2) of Modo Mahut, and extensive grassland converted from alluvial forest in the Modo Mahut area, and hinterland of Welaluhu and Natarbora villages (Mauro 2003). This area is known in Indonesian as ‘Hutan Metiboat’ (RTK 34) (Ora 2000).

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Dusky Cuckoo-dove Macropygia magna -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Slaty Cuckoo-dove Turacoena modesta -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Near Threatened 
Timor Green-pigeon Treron psittaceus -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2  Endangered 
Pink-headed Imperial-pigeon Ducula rosacea -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Near Threatened 
Yellow-crested Cockatoo Cacatua sulphurea -  2004  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Critically Endangered 
Olive-headed Lorikeet Trichoglossus euteles -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Iris Lorikeet Psitteuteles iris -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Near Threatened 
Olive-shouldered Parrot Aprosmictus jonquillaceus -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Near Threatened 
Streaky-breasted Honeyeater Meliphaga reticulata -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Plain Friarbird Philemon inornatus -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Red-rumped Myzomela Myzomela vulnerata -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Plain Gerygone Gerygone inornata -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Fawn-breasted Whistler Pachycephala orpheus -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Timor Figbird Sphecotheres viridis -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Olive-brown Oriole Oriolus melanotis -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Buff-banded Grassbird Buettikoferella bivittata -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Timor Stubtail Urosphena subulata -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Timor Leaf-warbler Phylloscopus presbytes -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Orange-banded Thrush Zoothera peronii -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Near Threatened 
White-bellied Bushchat Saxicola gutturalis -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Near Threatened 
Black-banded Flycatcher Ficedula timorensis -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Near Threatened 
Timor Blue-flycatcher Cyornis hyacinthinus -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Red-chested Flowerpecker Dicaeum maugei -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Flame-breasted Sunbird Nectarinia solaris -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Tricoloured Parrotfinch Erythrura tricolor -  2007  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Timor Sparrow Padda fuscata -  2004  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Near Threatened 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Sungai Clere Protected Wild Area 30,000 is identical to site 30,000  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest   major
Wetlands (inland)   major
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial)   minor

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
nature conservation and research -

Management considerations Forest conversion by local communities, fires, wood cutting and hunting were listed as threats to this site by FAO/UNDP (1982). Forest conversion has led to extensive natural forest loss and fragmentation. In the past two decades much of the lowland alluvial forest has been converted for agriculture (ricefield and dryland crops) and village expansion with the remaining natural habitats existing as small and highly fragmented patches.

Protection status Proposed as Wildlife Sanctuary by FAO/UNDP(1982), and a 3,000 ha portion was gazetted under this protected area classification in 1996 (Ora 2000). Recognised by UNTAET (2000) as a Protected Wild Area under Regulation Number 2000/19.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Sungai Clere. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife