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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation 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 List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus	VU	resident (-)	present	A1
Blue Bustard Eupodotis caerulescens	NT	resident (-)	present	A1
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus	NT	resident (-)	20–40 pairs	A1, A3, A4i
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus	NT	non-breeding (-)	100–200 birds	A1, A4i
Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres	VU	non-breeding (-)	present	A1
Black Harrier Circus maurus	EN	resident (-)	present	A1
Ground Woodpecker Geocolaptes olivaceus	NT	resident (-)	present	A1
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	LC	winter (-)	500–1,000 birds	A1, A4ii
Drakensberg Rockjumper Chaetops aurantius	NT	resident (1998)	present	A1, A2, A3
Bush Blackcap Sylvia nigricapillus	VU	resident (1998)	present	A1, A3
Buff-streaked Chat Campicoloides bifasciatus	LC	resident (1998)	present	A1, A3
Gurney's Sugarbird Promerops gurneyi	NT	resident (1998)	present	A3
Mountain Pipit Anthus hoeschi	NT	resident (1998)	present	A1, A2, A3
Yellow-breasted Pipit Hemimacronyx chloris	VU	resident (1998)	present	A1, A3
Drakensberg Siskin Crithagra symonsi	LC	resident (1998)	present	A1, A2, A3

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1998. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Wetlands (inland)	good (>90%)	moderate (70–90%)	moderate
Grassland	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good
Forest	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good
Shrubland	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Transportation and service corridors	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Residential and commercial development	likely in long term (>4 years)	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A compre­hensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not compre­hensive and are limited by resources and capacity	high

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	-
Grassland	-	Grassland - highveld; Grassland - montane
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	-
Shrubland	-	Shrubland - bushy Karroo
Wetlands (inland)	-	Rivers & streams

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Golden Gate Highlands National Park (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/golden-gate-highlands-national-park-iba-south-africa on 22/12/2024.