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

The site was identified as important in 1998 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
Knysna Turaco Tauraco corythaix	LC	resident	1998	present	A2, A3
African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini	LC	non-breeding	-	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
Yellow-throated Woodland-warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Spotted Ground-thrush Geokichla guttata	VU	breeding	-	present	A1
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
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 (1998) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1998. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.

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

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

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1975	Dwesa-Cwebe Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	100
2000	Dwesa-Cwebe Marine Protected Area	Marine Protected Area	6

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Mangrove, Lowland forest - mixed moist evgn & semi-evgn, Lowland forest - dry evergreen, Lowland forest - dry deciduous	91
Artificial/Terrestrial	Farmbush, fallow & ruderal land	8
Grassland	Grassland - edaphic, wet	minor (<10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		minor (<10)
Marine Intertidal		minor (<10)
Marine Neritic		minor (<10)
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers & streams	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
unknown	-

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Dwesa-Cwebe Nature Reserve (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/dwesa-cwebe-nature-reserve-iba-south-africa on 23/11/2024.