• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

Site description
Situated 12 km north-west of Aggeneys, the farm Haramoep (29°07’S 18°40’E; 14,745 ha) forms the central portion of the site. The remainder is formed by neighbouring farms: Dabenoris, Koeries Wes, Koeries Oos, Katkop and the adjoining Goldfields-owned private nature reserves, Black Mountain Mine and the farm Aggeneys. The area consists of extensive sandy and gravel-plains holding perennial desert grassland and shrubs scattered between bare sand patches. The granitic Haramoep mountains lie in the central and eastern parts of the farm, with gravel-plains stretching to the south.

The koppies hold shrubs of Adenolobus and Rhus, especially on the mid-slopes and peak of the Haramoep mountains. The cobble-strewn bases of the koppies are covered with melkboom Euphorbia. The western and northern regions comprise red sand-dunes overlying the fossil course of the Koa river. The gravel-plains are covered by sparse dwarf shrubland and grassland. The drainage lines support taller woody vegetation including shrubs of Euclea, Ozoroa, Acacia and Tamarix, as well as a patch of Prosopis near the homestead.

Key biodiversity
See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. This is one of few sites that protect both the globally threatened Certhilauda burra (700–900 pairs), which inhabits the red sand-dunes, and the near-threatened Spizocorys sclateri (up to 500 individuals), which occurs sporadically on the barren stony plains. This site also holds most of the species restricted to the Namib–Karoo biome and a host of other arid-zone birds. The rocky outcrops of the Haramoep mountain support Geocolaptes olivaceus, Euryptila subcinnamomea, Anthus crenatus and Onychognathus nabouroup.

The extensive plains support Circus maurus, Polemaetus bellicosus, Neotis ludwigii, Eupodotis vigorsii, Cursorius rufus, Pterocles namaqua, Eremalauda starki, Cercomela tractrac, C. sinuata, C. schlegelii, Eremomela gregalis and Malcorus pectoralis. During good rains the nomadic Eremopterix verticalis, E. australis, Serinus alario and Emberiza impetuani can be superabundant. Low scrubby vegetation holds Parus afer, Anthoscopus minutus, Nectarinia fusca, Sylvia layardi, Batis pririt, Bradornis infuscatus, Stenostira scita, Sporopipes squamifrons and Serinus albogularis. Some large trees hold the communal nests of Philetairus socius with the associated Polihierax semitorquatus in attendance. The newly recognized Certhilauda subcoronata occurs at the site.

Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2021) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Haramoep and Black Mountain Mine. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 16/01/2021.