BirdLife IBA Factsheet

Country/Territory

Burundi

Administrative region(s)

Bururi

Central coordinates

3^o 56' South 29^o 35' East Map

Area

3300 ha

Altitude

1900 - 2307m

Criteria

A1, A2, A3

Site description Bururi Forest is situated on the extreme southern edge of the Congo-Nile divide and is a small patch of forest lying immediately west of the town of Bururi in south-western Burundi. Although the reserve is 3,300 ha, the remaining semi-evergreen forest covers only some 1,600 ha. At least 93 tree species occur, with Strombosia and Myrianthus spp. dominant and Tabernaemontana, Newtonia and Entandrophragma spp. also common. The area is situated at a biogeographic crossroads such that, in addition to holding many plant and animal species of the montane forests of the Congo-Nile divide, it contains elements associated with the Zambezian region to the south, the drier savanna areas of the east and even the lowland evergreen forests of DR Congo. Annual rainfall varies from 1,200 mm to 2,400 mm.

Birds See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. A total of 87 bird species have been recorded, including Apalis argentea, common in some parts. Bururi is also the type-locality for Alethe poliocephala vandeweghei. In addition, two species of the Guinea-Congo Forests biome, one of the Lake Victoria Basin biome and one of the Zambezian biome have been recorded (see Table 3).

Conservation issues Threats include demands for agricultural land and hunting of bush-meat.

Recommended Citation BirdLife International (2009) Important Bird Area factsheet: Bururi Forest Nature Reserve, Burundi. Downloaded from the Data Zone at http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010