USING PATTERNS OF DISTRIBUTION AND DIVERSITY OF KENYAN BIRDS TO SELECT AND PRIORITIZE AREAS FOR CONSERVATION

Patterns and environmental correlates of species distributions and ric hness are identified for Kenyan birds at a quarter degree-square scale . This information is used together with iterative complementarity ana lyses, which employ species richness, taxonomic dispersion and range-r estrictedness, to identify priority areas for possible conservation at tention. Bird species apparently not conserved by existing protected a reas in Kenya are identified. Six avifaunal zones (and one transitiona l zone) are distinguished based on distributions of suites of bird spe cies. Variation in biotope diversity (the number of forest and aquatic systems) accounts for 79% of the observed variation in Kenyan bird sp ecies richness. Although both rainfall and altitudinal range are signi ficantly correlated with species richness, they only explain an additi onal 3% of the observed variation. The priority areas identified are s ituated mainly within highlands and coastal lowlands. Although few pri ority areas are identified in northern Kenya, this region also constit utes a priority, as it contains a suite of xeric species with habitats that are not represented elsewhere in Kenya. The papyrus yellow warbl er, Chloropeta gracilirostris, William's bush lark, Mirafra williamsi, white-winged dove, Streptopelia reichenowi, and Jubaland weaver, Ploc eus dichrocephalus, are identified as endemics or near-endemics that a re probably not adequately conserved in Kenya at present.