Diversity of bird species in three adjacent coastal forest fragments, Kwale County, South coast-Kenya

The coastal forests in Kenya which include most of the Mijikenda Kayas are highly threatened by human activities, but the biodiversity in all of them has not been comprehensively inventoried. This dataset comprises of observation of bird species recorded in February-March 2008 in two National Monuments (Kayas Gandini and Mtswakara) and Mwache Forest Reserve, all of which occur close to each other. Birds were surveyed using 22 Timed Species Counts (TSCs) in each study site. A total of 64 bird species were record in all study sites; including 42 species in Kaya Gandini, 44 in Kaya Mtswakara and 43 in Mwache Forest Reserve. Two (Plain-backed Sunbird Anthreptes reichenowi and Fischer’s Turaco Tauraco fischeri) globally threatened bird species were recorded in the three study sites. Although the three study sites were highly exploited by local people for the supply of household and sometimes commercial building poles, firewood and timber, they provided important habitat for many bird species. Thus, the urgent need for all stakeholders (National Museums of Kenya, Duruma Council of Elders, Kenya Forest Service and Kwale County Government) to collaborate in enhancing the conservation of the three coastal fragments. In addition, there is a need to conduct a follow-up bird survey in the study area, in order to understand the current status of habitats and avian communities since the last detailed study in 2008.

肯尼亚沿海地区的森林，其中大部分为Mijikenda Kayas所占据，正遭受人类活动的严重威胁。然而，这些森林中的生物多样性尚未得到全面调查。本数据集包含了2008年2月至3月期间在两个国家级纪念地（Kayas Gandini和Mtswakara）以及Mwache森林保护区记录的鸟类物种观察数据。这些地点彼此相邻。鸟类调查采用22次定时物种计数（TSCs）在每个研究地点进行。所有研究地点共记录了64种鸟类，包括Kaya Gandini的42种，Kaya Mtswakara的44种，以及Mwache森林保护区的43种。在三个研究地点中记录了两种（平背太阳鸟Anthreptes reichenowi和费舍尔犀鸟Tauraco fischeri）全球受威胁的鸟类物种。尽管这三个研究地点被当地人民高度开发，用于提供家庭和有时商业建筑支柱、木柴和木材，但它们为许多鸟类物种提供了重要的栖息地。因此，所有利益相关者（肯尼亚国家博物馆、Duruma长老会、肯尼亚森林服务局和Kwale县政府）迫切需要合作，以增强对这三个沿海片段的保护。此外，有必要在研究区域进行后续的鸟类调查，以便了解自2008年详细研究以来的栖息地和鸟类群落现状。