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close| Location | Kenya, Coast Province |
| Central coordinates | 40o 8.00' East 3o 9.00' South |
| IBA criteria | A4i |
| Area | 20 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 5m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See Box for key species. This site hosts large visiting flocks of Glareola ocularis (regularly up to 2,500, with a maximum of 9,000–10,000 in 1978), and is an important resting, roosting and feeding ground for gulls and terns. Good numbers of Palearctic shorebirds also occur, and Limicola falcinellus, a very uncommon bird in Kenya, winters here in flocks of up to 80. The Near Threatened, restricted-range Anthus melindae is resident in and around the grassy dunes. Regionally threatened species include Casmerodius albus (usually present in small numbers) and Rynchops flavirostris (a regular visitor, mainly August–March).
Site description This area comprises the sandbanks, mudbanks, dunes and freshwater pools and marshes at the mouth of the Sabaki, Kenya’s second-longest river, c.5 km north of Malindi town, between the Malindi–Mambrui road bridge and the sea. The state and size of the estuary vary seasonally, depending on river flows. Just north and south of the river mouth are grassy dunes that conceal permanent or temporary pools of freshwater.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Pratincole Glareola ocularis | winter | 1978 | 2,500-10,000 individuals | unknown | A4i | Vulnerable |
| Sooty Gull Larus hemprichii | winter | - | 410 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis | winter | - | 270 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Saunders's Tern Sterna saundersi | winter | - | 900 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Mangrove Kingfisher Halcyon senegaloides | resident | 1999 | - | - | Least Concern | |
| Zanzibar Bishop Euplectes nigroventris | resident | 1999 | - | - | Least Concern | |
| Malindi Pipit Anthus melindae | resident | 1999 | - | - | Near Threatened |
Local conservation groups The local conservation group below is working to support conservation at this IBA.
| Name | Year formed |
|---|---|
| Sabaki River Estuary Youth Group | 2006 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | Estuarine waters; Freshwater lakes and pools; Rivers & streams | - |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
| nature conservation and research | - |
Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.
Management considerations The estuary is unprotected, and heavily used and disturbed by people Recently, off-road vehicles driven along the beach from Malindi have caused damage to dune vegetation and (often intentional) disturbance of roosting or foraging waterbirds. The livelihood of the local residents (and that of many of the waterbirds) depends on the fishery, but this resource appears to be over-exploited. Soil erosion in the river’s catchment is increasing silt loads in the Sabaki, but the effect of this on the estuary’s ecology is unknown. The river mouth is a great attraction to birdwatchers. There have been serious problems with security in the past, but it nonetheless could make an outstanding, locally managed bird sanctuary. Moi University has constructed a research centre on the south bank, between the road bridge and the river mouth.
References Britton and Britton (1973), Fanshawe (1994), Nasirwa et al. (1995b), Seys et al. (1995).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Sabaki River Mouth. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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