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RW004
Nyabarongo wetlands
Location Rwanda, Gitarama,Kigali
Central coordinates 30o 16.00' East  2o 16.00' South
IBA criteria A1, A3
Area 10,000 ha
Altitude 1,350 m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Association pour la Conservation de la Nature au Rwanda (Affiliate)



Ornithological information See Box and Table 3 for key species. Around 50 species have been recorded from the wetlands, including Ardeola idae and Circus macrourus. In addition, three species of the Afrotropical Highlands biome (A07) have been reported (Table 3).

Site description The site is located in the south-east of the country, south-east of Kigali, and includes swamps and marshes in part of the flood-plain of the Nyabarongo river, the longest river in Rwanda. The vegetation is composed of Cladium and Typha spp., Cyperus latifolius, C. papyrus and Echninochloa pyramidalis. Average annual rainfall is estimated to be 950–1,100 mm.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Papyrus Gonolek Laniarius mufumbiri resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A3  Near Threatened 
Carruthers's Cisticola Cisticola carruthersi resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
White-winged Scrub-warbler Bradypterus carpalis resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Papyrus Yellow Warbler Chloropeta gracilirostris resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A3  Vulnerable 
Sharpe's Pied-babbler Turdoides sharpei resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafecht resident  1998  -  -    Least Concern 
Northern Brown-throated Weaver Ploceus castanops resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
White-collared Oliveback Nesocharis ansorgei resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Papyrus Canary Serinus koliensis resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Streaky Seedeater Serinus striolatus resident  1998  -  -    Not Recognised 
Thick-billed Seedeater Serinus burtoni resident  1998  -  -    Least Concern 

Local conservation groups The local conservation group below is working to support conservation at this IBA.

Name Year formed
Inyange Site Support Group 2002

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial)   44%
Wetlands (inland)   23%
Shrubland   16%
Grassland   12%
Forest   3%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -

Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.

Management considerations Nyabarongo wetlands are under serious pressure from agriculture and are completely unprotected.

Related state of the world's birds case studies

References Vande weghe (1981).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Nyabarongo wetlands. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013

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