Asian Important Bird Areas 1
1. The importance of the Asia region for birds
The Asia region includes a great diversity of habitats, ranging from Arctic tundra to tropical forest, and including vast expanses of desert, steppe grassland and boreal forest, as well as the highest mountains in the world. This variety of climates and habitats has resulted in the region being extremely rich in birds and other biodiversity. The Asia region supports more than 2,700 bird species, or more than one quarter of the world’s species.
2. Threats to Asia’s birds and their habitats
As Asia’s economies develop and its human population expands, greater demands are being placed on the region’s natural ecosystems. Throughout the region, forests, grasslands and wetlands are being degraded or lost as a result of human activities, while bird populations are under pressure from over-exploitation. Additional threats to Asia’s birds and their habitats include invasive species and pollution. As a result, 332 of the region’s bird species are threatened with global extinction.
3. The need for an IBA programme
If the degradation and loss of natural ecosystems in Asia are to be halted, and the essential services and products they provide are to be maintained, it is vital that the negative impacts of economic development on biodiversity are mitigated, and that proactive measures are taken to conserve the region’s highest priority sites. The Important Bird Area (IBA) Programme of BirdLife International is a contribution towards these goals.
4. Objectives of the Asian IBA programme
The Asian IBA Programme has five long-term objectives: (i) to provide a basis for the development of national conservation strategies and protected areas programmes; (ii) to highlight areas that should be safeguarded through wise land-use planning, national policies and regulations, and the grant-giving and lending programmes of international banks and development agencies; (iii) to provide a focus for the conservation efforts of civil society, including national and regional NGO networks; (iv) to highlight sites that are threatened or inadequately protected, so that urgent remedial measures can be taken; and (v) to guide the implementation of global conservation conventions and migratory bird agreements.
5. Contributions by a network of people across the region
Data on IBAs have been collated by an extensive network of ornithologists and conservation experts across the Asia region. In 17 countries and territories, this work was coordinated by the relevant BirdLife Partner, Affiliate or Country Programme. Elsewhere, the work was carried out by research contacts of the BirdLife Asia Partnership. In many parts of the region, data were collated in collaboration with relevant government and local civil society organisations.
6. A total of 2,293 IBAs cover 7.6% of the Asia region
In 2004, the BirdLife International Asia Partnership published a region directory of Important Bird Areas in Asia, which documents a total of 2,293 IBAs in all 28 countries and territories in the Asia region (Table 1). These sites cover a total area of 2,331,560 km2, equivalent to 7.6% of the region’s land area. The proportion of Asia’s land area within the IBA network is comparable to that of other regions of the world where IBA analyses have been undertaken: Africa (7%); Europe (7%); and the Middle East (5%).
7. Asia’s IBAs have been identified under several criteria
82% of Asia’s IBAs have been identified because of their significance for globally threatened bird species. Excluding marginal species, 98% of the region’s globally threatened bird species are thought to occur within the IBA network. 41% of Asia’s IBAs were identified because of their significance for restricted-range bird species (those with a global breeding range of less than 50,000 km2). 42% of Asia’s IBAs were identified on the basis of their importance for assemblages of bird species restricted to a biome (or major regional ecological community), while 41% were identified because they hold globally significant congregations of waterbirds, seabirds and/or migratory raptors or cranes (Table 1).
8. IBAs are important for taxa other than birds
Birds have many features that make them good indicators of overall biodiversity, and studies have shown their effectiveness in defining geographical priorities for other taxonomic groups. Analyses of the IBA networks in several Asian countries indicate that protection of the IBA network would also make an important contribution to the conservation of other animals and plants, particularly in those parts of the region where data on other groups are scarce.
9. Forty-three percent of Asia’s IBAs have no formal protection
43% of Asia’s IBAs are wholly included within formal protected areas designated under national law, and a further 14% are partially included. However, the remaining 43% are wholly outside formal protected area networks, although some benefit from non-formal protection, such as community management, or are under land-use designations consistent with biodiversity conservation. In many parts of the Asia region, there is a need to expand national protected area systems to address gaps in coverage of the IBA network.
The Asia region includes a great diversity of habitats, ranging from Arctic tundra to tropical forest, and including vast expanses of desert, steppe grassland and boreal forest, as well as the highest mountains in the world. This variety of climates and habitats has resulted in the region being extremely rich in birds and other biodiversity. The Asia region supports more than 2,700 bird species, or more than one quarter of the world’s species.
2. Threats to Asia’s birds and their habitats
As Asia’s economies develop and its human population expands, greater demands are being placed on the region’s natural ecosystems. Throughout the region, forests, grasslands and wetlands are being degraded or lost as a result of human activities, while bird populations are under pressure from over-exploitation. Additional threats to Asia’s birds and their habitats include invasive species and pollution. As a result, 332 of the region’s bird species are threatened with global extinction.
3. The need for an IBA programme
If the degradation and loss of natural ecosystems in Asia are to be halted, and the essential services and products they provide are to be maintained, it is vital that the negative impacts of economic development on biodiversity are mitigated, and that proactive measures are taken to conserve the region’s highest priority sites. The Important Bird Area (IBA) Programme of BirdLife International is a contribution towards these goals.
4. Objectives of the Asian IBA programme
The Asian IBA Programme has five long-term objectives: (i) to provide a basis for the development of national conservation strategies and protected areas programmes; (ii) to highlight areas that should be safeguarded through wise land-use planning, national policies and regulations, and the grant-giving and lending programmes of international banks and development agencies; (iii) to provide a focus for the conservation efforts of civil society, including national and regional NGO networks; (iv) to highlight sites that are threatened or inadequately protected, so that urgent remedial measures can be taken; and (v) to guide the implementation of global conservation conventions and migratory bird agreements.
5. Contributions by a network of people across the region
Data on IBAs have been collated by an extensive network of ornithologists and conservation experts across the Asia region. In 17 countries and territories, this work was coordinated by the relevant BirdLife Partner, Affiliate or Country Programme. Elsewhere, the work was carried out by research contacts of the BirdLife Asia Partnership. In many parts of the region, data were collated in collaboration with relevant government and local civil society organisations.
6. A total of 2,293 IBAs cover 7.6% of the Asia region
In 2004, the BirdLife International Asia Partnership published a region directory of Important Bird Areas in Asia, which documents a total of 2,293 IBAs in all 28 countries and territories in the Asia region (Table 1). These sites cover a total area of 2,331,560 km2, equivalent to 7.6% of the region’s land area. The proportion of Asia’s land area within the IBA network is comparable to that of other regions of the world where IBA analyses have been undertaken: Africa (7%); Europe (7%); and the Middle East (5%).
7. Asia’s IBAs have been identified under several criteria
82% of Asia’s IBAs have been identified because of their significance for globally threatened bird species. Excluding marginal species, 98% of the region’s globally threatened bird species are thought to occur within the IBA network. 41% of Asia’s IBAs were identified because of their significance for restricted-range bird species (those with a global breeding range of less than 50,000 km2). 42% of Asia’s IBAs were identified on the basis of their importance for assemblages of bird species restricted to a biome (or major regional ecological community), while 41% were identified because they hold globally significant congregations of waterbirds, seabirds and/or migratory raptors or cranes (Table 1).
8. IBAs are important for taxa other than birds
Birds have many features that make them good indicators of overall biodiversity, and studies have shown their effectiveness in defining geographical priorities for other taxonomic groups. Analyses of the IBA networks in several Asian countries indicate that protection of the IBA network would also make an important contribution to the conservation of other animals and plants, particularly in those parts of the region where data on other groups are scarce.
9. Forty-three percent of Asia’s IBAs have no formal protection
43% of Asia’s IBAs are wholly included within formal protected areas designated under national law, and a further 14% are partially included. However, the remaining 43% are wholly outside formal protected area networks, although some benefit from non-formal protection, such as community management, or are under land-use designations consistent with biodiversity conservation. In many parts of the Asia region, there is a need to expand national protected area systems to address gaps in coverage of the IBA network.
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