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MZ010
Mount Chiperone
Location Mozambique, Zambezia
Central coordinates 35o 18.00' East  16o 21.00' South
IBA criteria A1, A2, A3
Area 40,000 ha
Altitude 800 - 2,200m
Year of IBA assessment 2001





Ornithological information See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. The avifauna of the site is known only from a report by Benson, based on a brief collecting expedition which took place in 1950. Alethe choloensis and Apalis chariessa are believed to occur in the montane forest—the only site in Mozambique for the latter species. It is likely that more globally threatened and restricted-range species occur. One species of the East African Coast biome has been reported, as has one of the Zambezian biome, Nectarinia shelleyi (Table 3). The latter species has been recorded in woodlands in the vicinity, making this the only IBA in Mozambique where it is known to be present. However, it is probably fairly widespread, and may yet be found at other sites.

Site description Mount Chiperone is an isolated mountain peak at the southern extremity of a chain of East African mountain ranges. It lies 40 km south of the frontier town of Milange. It supports substantial montane forests and is surrounded by deciduous woodlands (mainly Brachystegia-dominated).

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Bar-tailed Trogon Apaloderma vittatum resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Grey Cuckooshrike Coracina caesia resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Green-headed Oriole Oriolus chlorocephalus resident  1999  -  -    Least Concern 
White-tailed Crested-flycatcher Elminia albonotata resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
White-winged Apalis Apalis chariessa resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2  Vulnerable 
Yellow-throated Woodland-warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Orange Ground-thrush Zoothera gurneyi resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Thyolo Alethe Alethe choloensis resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Endangered 
White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Olive-flanked Robin-chat Cossypha anomala resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Shelley's Sunbird Nectarinia shelleyi resident  1999  -  -    Least Concern 
Red-faced Crimson-wing Cryptospiza reichenovii resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Shrubland   29%
Forest   70%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
forestry -
not utilised -

Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.

Management considerations Further ornithological exploration is a priority. Recent unpublished information indicates that the forests at the summit are substantially untouched, but that encroachment by subsistence farmers and logging is likely to occur in the near future.

References Benson (1950).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Mount Chiperone. 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