email a friend
printable version
GW006
Rio Tombali, Rio Cumbijã and Ilha de Melo
Location Guinea-Bissau, Quinara,Tombali
Central coordinates 15o 20.00' West  11o 15.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A3, A4i, A4iii
Area 77,500 ha
Altitude 0 - 5m
Year of IBA assessment 2001





Ornithological information See Box and Table 2 for key species. The total number of wintering waterbirds that use this area has been estimated at over 160,000.

Site description This site is situated on the south-east coast, near the town of Catió, and consists of the estuary of Rio Tombali, the coastal mudflats between the mouths of the Rio Tombali and the Rio Cumbijã and the Ilha de Melo which lies between the mouths of the Rio Cumbijã and the Rio Cacine, immediately to the east. The site includes 32,500 ha of sandflats and mudflats and c.45,000 ha of mangroves and drier woodland and forest.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis breeding  1983  300 breeding pairs  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens winter  1983  1,250 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
African Darter Anhinga rufa breeding  1983  300 breeding pairs  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola winter  -  9,800 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula winter  -  13,400 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus winter  -  6,400 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica winter  -  28,200 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus winter  -  13,900 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus winter  -  4,700 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres winter  -  1,200 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Red Knot Calidris canutus winter  -  40,600 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Little Stint Calidris minuta winter  -  13,600 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea winter  -  25,200 individuals  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Senegal Parrot Poicephalus senegalus resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Guinea Turaco Tauraco persa resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Violet Turaco Musophaga violacea resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black-throated Coucal Centropus leucogaster resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Red-throated Bee-eater Merops bulocki resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
African Pied Hornbill Tockus fasciatus resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Yellow-casqued Hornbill Ceratogymna elata resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A3  Vulnerable 
Spotted Honeyguide Indicator maculatus resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Little Green Woodpecker Campethera maculosa resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Buff-spotted Woodpecker Campethera nivosa resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Sooty Boubou Laniarius leucorhynchus resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Yellow-billed Shrike Corvinella corvina resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black-headed Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone rufiventer resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Piapiac Ptilostomus afer resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Honeyguide Greenbul Baeopogon indicator resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Spotted Greenbul Ixonotus guttatus resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Grey-headed Bristlebill Bleda canicapillus resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Bearded Bulbul Criniger barbatus resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Red-tailed Bulbul Criniger calurus resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Yellow-spotted Nicator Nicator chloris resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Blackcap Babbler Turdoides reinwardii resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Bronze-tailed Glossy-starling Lamprotornis chalcurus resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
White-crowned Robin-chat Cossypha albicapilla resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
White-fronted Black-chat Myrmecocichla albifrons resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Green Sunbird Anthreptes rectirostris resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Bush Petronia Petronia dentata resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Vieillot's Black Weaver Ploceus nigerrimus resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Gray's Malimbe Malimbus nitens resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Red-headed Malimbe Malimbus rubricollis resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch Nigrita bicolor resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Lavender Waxbill Estrilda caerulescens resident  1997  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  -  -  unknown  A4iii   

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial)   8%
Unknown   6%
Forest   84%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -

Other biodiversity The mammal Trichechus senegalensis (VU) occurs.

Management considerations Main threats include clearance of mangroves for fuelwood and for rice cultivation.

References Ledant (1985), Maretti and Sales (1994), Zwarts (1988).

Contribute  Please click here to help BirdLife conserve the world's birds - your data for this IBA and others are vital for helping protect the environment.

Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Rio Tombali, Rio Cumbijã and Ilha de Melo. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013

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