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Year of most recent IBA criteria assessment: 1998

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s) of estimate	Population at site	IBA criteria triggered
Cape Shoveler Spatula smithii	LC	non-breeding	-	113-603 individuals	A4i
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	non-breeding	-	1,564-3,932 individuals	A4i
African Spoonbill Platalea alba	LC	resident	-	20-50 breeding pairs	A4i
African Spoonbill Platalea alba	LC	non-breeding	-	152-294 individuals	A4i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	non-breeding	-	236-2,273 individuals	A4i
Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius	LC	resident	-	200-400 breeding pairs	A4i
Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius	LC	non-breeding	-	496-1,087 individuals	A4i
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea	NT	winter	-	8,281-16,881 individuals	A4i
Hartlaub's Gull Larus hartlaubii	LC	breeding	-	500-670 breeding pairs	A4i
Hartlaub's Gull Larus hartlaubii	LC	non-breeding	-	1,341-2,030 individuals	A4i
Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus	LC	breeding	-	250-500 breeding pairs	A4i
Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus	LC	non-breeding	-	657-1,640 individuals	A4i
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	LC	non-breeding	-	106-199 individuals	A4i
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus	LC	winter	-	394-2,623 individuals	A4i
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	winter	-	695-1,555 individuals	A4i
Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii	LC	non-breeding	-	160-646 individuals	A4i

Note: The current IUCN Red List category may differ from the category that was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment.

For more information about the IBA criteria, please click here

Threats to the site (pressure)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	annual & perennial non-timber crops - agro-industry farming	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - agro-industry grazing, ranching or farmin	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - intentional use (species being assessed is the target)	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	drought	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Energy production and mining	mining and quarrying	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Energy production and mining	renewable energy	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	recreational activities	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	work and other activities	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	introduced genetic material	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - named species	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	problematic native species/diseases - named species	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	problematic native species/diseases - unspecified species	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	dams & water management/use - large dams	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	fire & fire suppression - increase in fire frequency/intensity	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Pollution	agricultural & forestry effluents - nutrient loads	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	air-borne pollutants - type unknown/unrecorded	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Pollution	domestic & urban waste water - type unknown/unrecorded	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	excess energy - noise pollution	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Pollution	garbage & solid waste	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	industrial & military effluents - type unknown/unrecorded	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	commercial and industrial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Residential and commercial development	housing and urban areas	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	tourism and recreation areas	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	flight paths	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	roads and railroads	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Transportation and service corridors	utility & service lines	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Condition of the site (state), by habitat
Habitat	Habitat detail	Reference area (ha)	Actual area (ha)	Habitat quantity (% remaining)	Habitat quality (carrying capacity)	Result
Wetlands (inland)		0	0	moderate (70-90%)	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable

Conservation actions taken at the site (response)
Protected-area designation	Management planning	Other conservation action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	negligible

For more information about IBA conservation status, please click here

Protected area (PA)	PA designation	PA area (ha)	Relationship of PA with IBA	Overlap of PA with IBA (ha)
Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve	386,161	protected area overlaps with site	6,621

The Local Conservation Groups below are working to support conservation at this IBA.

Name	Year formed
Botanical society	0
Heritage society	0
Lower berg river conservation association	0
West coast bird club	0

For more information on BirdLife's work with Local Conservation Groups, please click here.

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Marine Neritic		-
Marine Intertidal		-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-
Grassland		-

For further information about the IUCN habitat classification, please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
water management	-

For further information about the land-use classification, please click here.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Berg River Estuary. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/7158 on 03/06/2023.