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The site was identified as important in 2015 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum	EN	non-breeding	2010-2014	max 200 individuals	A1
Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus	VU	resident	2010-2014	present	A1
Denham's Bustard Neotis denhami	NT	resident	2010-2014	present	A1
Knysna Turaco Tauraco corythaix	LC	resident	1998	present	A2, A3
Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius	EN	resident	2010-2014	present	A1
Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus	NT	resident	2010-2014	present	A1
Black Harrier Circus maurus	EN	resident	1998	present	A1
Forest Buzzard Buteo trizonatus	NT	resident	1998	present	A1, A3
Ground Woodpecker Geocolaptes olivaceus	NT	resident	1998	present	A1
Knysna Woodpecker Campethera notata	NT	resident	1998	present	A1, A2
Grey Cuckooshrike Ceblepyris caesius	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Olive Bushshrike Chlorophoneus olivaceus	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Drakensberg Rockjumper Chaetops aurantius	NT	resident	1998	present	A1, A3
Barratt's Warbler Bradypterus barratti	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Yellow-throated Woodland-warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Bush Blackcap Sylvia nigricapillus	VU	resident	1998	present	A1, A2, A3
Orange Ground-thrush Geokichla gurneyi	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Brown Scrub-robin Tychaedon signata	LC	resident	1998	present	A2
White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Chorister Robin-chat Cossypha dichroa	LC	resident	1998	present	A2, A3
Buff-streaked Chat Campicoloides bifasciatus	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Gurney's Sugarbird Promerops gurneyi	NT	resident	1998	present	A3
Swee Waxbill Coccopygia melanotis	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Forest Canary Crithagra scotops	LC	resident	1998	present	A2, A3

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2015) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2015. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Wetlands (inland)	poor (40-69%)	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable
Grassland	poor (40-69%)	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable
Shrubland	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Forest	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Some of site covered (10-49%)	No management planning has taken place	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1973	King Williams Town Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
1983	Stutterheim Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
1983	Auckland Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	<1
1983	Stutterheim Bird Sanctuary	Nature Reserve	<1
1994	Qacu Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	<1

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Montane forest - mixed, Woodland - mixed	-
Grassland	Grassland - montane	-
Shrubland	Bushland & thicket - evergreen	-
Wetlands (inland)	Montane bogs, swamps and mires	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Amatola - Katberg Mountain (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/amatola--katberg-mountain-iba-south-africa on 23/11/2024.