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© Isaac Kilusu

Kilombero Swamp and Ramsar site

-8.18777 , 36.69567

Tanzania

The kilombero valley swamps located in the kilombero flood plains is one of the wetlands of international importance.It  stabilises the functioning of the ecosystems at the Kilombero Valley Ramsar Site and the Selous Game Reserve, both listed as “properties in danger” by the World Heritage Convention due to poaching. The valley connects to the largest block of Eastern Arc Mountains, the Udzungwas, with the Protected Areas of Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Kilombero Nature Reserve and Udzungwa Scarp Forest Nature Reservese.These biodiversity hotspots host threatened flora and fauna – 350 plants and 300 bird species, including 3 endemic birds i.e Kilombero weaver, Kilombero cisticola, and white-tailed sisticola and an endemic frog ,Kilombero reed frog .In addition, 75% of world’s Puku antelope population lives in the valley.The site is 120 km long and 70km wide in the rufiji catchment in south central tanzania.Avisit to the site can be combined with a visit to the nearby ndundulu forest reserve and the Magombera forest.This wetlands is threatened by land reclamation for rice plantations,lost of water and growing population

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The introductory text should contain general information about the site, which may include for instance:
• geographic/ biogeographic location
• habitat and vegetation
• typical bird species/bird communities
• protection status
• land use and history
• importance for birdwatching

Site name was changed by Isaac Kilusu into "Kilombero Swamp And Ramsar Site" (2021-07-28 20:22:57 )

Coordinates were set by Mathias Ritschard (Admin) : -8.1878/36.6957 (2020-12-03 20:28:26 )

Site name was set by Mathias Ritschard (Admin) as "Kilombero Swamp" (2020-12-03 20:28:26 )

Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-07-28 20:50:51
The kilombero valley swamps located in the kilombero flood plains is one of the wetlands of international importance.It  stabilises the functioning of the ecosystems at the Kilombero Valley Ramsar Site and the Selous Game Reserve, both listed as “properties in danger” by the World Heritage Convention due to poaching. The valley connects to the largest block of Eastern Arc Mountains, the Udzungwas, with the Protected Areas of Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Kilombero Nature Reserve and Udzungwa Scarp Forest Nature Reservese.These biodiversity hotspots host threatened flora and fauna – 350 plants and 300 bird species, including 3 endemic birds i.e Kilombero weaver, Kilombero cisticola, and white-tailed sisticola and an endemic frog ,Kilombero reed frog .In addition, 75% of world’s Puku antelope population lives in the valley.The site is 120 km long and 70km wide in the rufiji catchment in south central tanzania.Avisit to the site can be combined with a visit to the nearby ndundulu forest reserve and the Magombera forestforest.This wetlands is threatened by land reclamation for rice plantations,lost of water and growing population
Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-07-28 20:37:48
The kilombero valley swamps located in the kilombero flood plains is one of the wetlands of international importance.It  stabilises the functioning of the ecosystems at the Kilombero Valley Ramsar Site and the Selous Game Reserve, both listed as “properties in danger” by the World Heritage Convention due to poaching. The valley connects to the largest block of Eastern Arc Mountains, the Udzungwas, with the Protected Areas of Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Kilombero Nature Reserve and Udzungwa Scarp Forest Nature Reservese.These biodiversity hotspots host threatened flora and fauna – 350 plants and 300 bird species, including 3 endemic birds i.e Kilombero weaver, Kilombero cisticola, and white-tailed sisticola and an endemic frog ,Kilombero reed frog .In addition, 75% of world’s Puku antelope population lives in the valley.The site is 120 km long and 70km wide in the rufiji catchment in south central tanzania.Avisit to the site can be combined with a visit to the nearby ndundulu forest reserve and the Magombera forest

  • Top species

List up to ca. 25 species that:
• have a limited distribution range and/or are rare on a global level
• are most sought-after by birdwatchers at this site
• and are relatively easy to see at this site (year-round or seasonally)

African Black Duck (Anas sparsa)
Yellow-billed Duck (Anas undulata)
Southern Pochard (Netta erythrophthalma)
Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis)
Scaly Spurfowl (Pternistis squamatus)
Rameron Pigeon (Columba arquatrix)
Delegorgue's Pigeon (Columba delegorguei)
Lemon Dove (Aplopelia larvata)
African Finfoot (Podica senegalensis)
Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta)
Palm-nut Vulture (Gypohierax angolensis)
African Fish-Eagle (Icthyophaga vocifer)
Pallid Honeyguide (Indicator meliphilus)
White-necked Raven (Corvus albicollis)
Trilling Cisticola (Cisticola woosnami)
Black-lored Cisticola (Cisticola nigriloris)
Kilombero Cisticola (Cisticola bakerorum)
Coastal Cisticola (Cisticola haematocephalus)
White-tailed Cisticola (Cisticola anderseni)
African Yellow-Warbler (Iduna natalensis)
Black Sawwing (Psalidoprocne pristoptera)
Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii)
Lesser Striped Swallow (Cecropis abyssinica)
Brown Parisoma (Curruca lugens)
African Stonechat (Saxicola torquatus)
Bertram's Weaver (Ploceus bertrandi)
Southern Brown-throated Weaver (Ploceus xanthopterus)
Kilombero Weaver (Ploceus burnieri)
Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus)
Fan-tailed Widowbird (Euplectes axillaris)
Yellow-bellied Waxbill (Coccopygia quartinia)

Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:08:28)

Bertram's Weaver (Ploceus bertrandi) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:08:11)

Southern Brown-throated Weaver (Ploceus xanthopterus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:07:59)

Yellow-bellied Waxbill (Coccopygia quartinia) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:07:41)

African Stonechat (Saxicola torquatus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:07:14)

Rameron Pigeon (Columba arquatrix) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:06:49)

Delegorgue's Pigeon (Columba delegorguei) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:06:28)

Lemon Dove (Aplopelia larvata) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:05:53)

Pallid Honeyguide (Indicator meliphilus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:05:18)

Brown Parisoma (Curruca lugens) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:04:49)

Black Sawwing (Psalidoprocne pristoptera) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:04:26)

African Yellow-Warbler (Iduna natalensis) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:03:50)

Lesser Striped Swallow (Cecropis abyssinica) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:03:26)

White-necked Raven (Corvus albicollis) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:02:40)

Coastal Cisticola (Cisticola haematocephalus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:02:21)

Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:02:04)

Scaly Spurfowl (Pternistis squamatus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 21:01:40)

Fan-tailed Widowbird (Euplectes axillaris) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:58:11)

Black-lored Cisticola (Cisticola nigriloris) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:57:32)

African Fish-Eagle (Icthyophaga vocifer) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:57:01)

Palm-nut Vulture (Gypohierax angolensis) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:56:44)

Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:56:13)

Trilling Cisticola (Cisticola woosnami) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:55:46)

White-tailed Cisticola (Cisticola anderseni) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:55:17)

Kilombero Weaver (Ploceus burnieri) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:54:35)

Kilombero Cisticola (Cisticola bakerorum) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:54:15)

Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:52:47)

Southern Pochard (Netta erythrophthalma) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:52:18)

Yellow-billed Duck (Anas undulata) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:51:58)

African Black Duck (Anas sparsa) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:51:39)

African Finfoot (Podica senegalensis) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-07-28 20:51:22)

  • Timing and strategy

Kilombero valley can be visited anytime of the year.Get dropped off at magufuli bridge and start your birding from there on a walking safari.The village weaver birding tours offers a selection of tours to the southern highlands or get intouch with joseph cosmas at josephcosmas205@gmail.com

Give recommendations for making your visit as productive as possible.
This may include for instance:
• best season
• best time of the day
• how much time to spend at the site
• best means of locomotion within the site
• recommended routes / areas within the site
• guiding

Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-07-28 20:40
Kilombero valley can be visited anytime of the year.Get dropped off at magufuli bridge and start your birding from there on a walking safari.The village weaver birding tours offers a selection of tours to the southern highlands or get intouch with joseph cosmas at josephcosmas205@gmail.com
  • How to get there

You can drive from iringa or Morogoro town or fly in to the nearby ifakara airstrip.From Morogoro to kilombero is 16000tsh(8usd)and from iringa to kilombero is 20000tsh(10usd).From Mang'ula to at Udzungwa to kilombero is about 1.5hours and cost around 5000tsh(2.5usd)

Explain from where and how to get to this site with private and public transport.

Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-07-28 20:43
You can drive from iringa or Morogoro town or fly in to the nearby ifakara airstrip.From Morogoro to kilombero is 16000tsh(8usd)and from iringa to kilombero is 20000tsh(10usd).From Mang'ula to at Udzungwa to kilombero is about 1.5hours and cost around 5000tsh(2.5usd)

Get your permits at the nearby ifakara office and go straight and start you birding at kilombero/magufuli bridge,the reeds nearby host the endemic kilombero weaver and kilombero cisticola

Provide information on how to enter this site, which may include:
• entry points
• entry permits / entry tickets and fees
• opening hours / opening season
• other restrictions

Note that this section should only contain information on how to ACCESS (= enter) a site. Info on how to REACH a site should be added to "How to get there" section.

Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-07-28 20:45
Get your permits at the nearby ifakara office and go straight and start you birding at kilombero/magufuli bridge,the reeds nearby host the endemic kilombero weaver and kilombero cisticola
  • Other attractions

Big game such as Elephants,Buffalos,the endangered puku are ever present,a visit to the kilombero sugar company, plantations,and the rice scheme

Add information about other attractions at this site, including
• wildlife (apart from birds)
• sights (natural, cultural, archaeological, etc.)
• activities (e.g. for non-birding companions)

Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-07-28 20:49
Big game such as Elephants,Buffalos,the endangered puku are ever present,a visit to the kilombero sugar company, plantations,and the rice scheme

the nearby accommodation is in ifakara hotel or you can choose to stay at either Udzungwa falls lodge or Udzungwa Mountain lodge

Provide information about what type of facilities are available at
or near this site, including:
• information centers / information points
• catering
• accommodation
• hides and watchtowers
• restrooms / toilets

Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-07-28 20:46
the nearby accommodation is in ifakara hotel or you can choose to stay at either Udzungwa falls lodge or Udzungwa Mountain lodge

Mosquitoes are ever present here,big game like elephants and african Buffalo sometimes frequent the site especially during the dry season

Are there any security issues or other annoyances at this site? For
instance, these may include:
• offenses like robbery or theft
• natural hazards
• dangerous or annoying animals or plants (mosquitoes, leaches, thorn bushes, etc.)
• noise pollution

Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-07-28 20:48
Mosquitoes are ever present here,big game like elephants and african Buffalo sometimes frequent the site especially during the dry season
All information about this site was contributed by Orniverse users. Neither Orniverse nor the contributors accept responsibility for the completeness and accuracy of the information provided.

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