Data Zone
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Shoveler Spatula smithii | LC | non-breeding (-) | 110–512 birds | A4i |
| Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata | LC | non-breeding (-) | 503–1,706 birds | A4i |
| Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | LC | breeding (-) | 6,000 pairs | A4i |
| Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | LC | non-breeding (-) | 6,317–30,000 birds | A4i |
| Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor | NT | non-breeding (-) | common | A1 |
| African Spoonbill Platalea alba | LC | resident (-) | 200–500 pairs | A4i |
| African Spoonbill Platalea alba | LC | non-breeding (-) | 426–1,577 birds | A4i |
| Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus | LC | resident (-) | 500–1,500 pairs | A4i |
| Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus | LC | non-breeding (-) | 1,550–3,978 birds | A4i |
| Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta | LC | non-breeding (-) | 1,265–3,460 birds | A4i |
| Grey-headed Gull Larus cirrocephalus | LC | non-breeding (-) | 733–1,332 birds | A4i |
| Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia | LC | breeding (-) | 180–300 pairs | A4i |
| Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia | LC | non-breeding (-) | 158–572 birds | A4i |
| Southern Banded Snake-eagle Circaetus fasciolatus | NT | resident (1998) | present | A1, A3 |
| Mangrove Kingfisher Halcyon senegaloides | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Brown-headed Parrot Poicephalus cryptoxanthus | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Woodwards' Batis Batis fratrum | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Gorgeous Bushshrike Telophorus viridis | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Rudd's Apalis Apalis ruddi | LC | resident (1998) | present | A2, A3 |
| Black-bellied Starling Notopholia corusca | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Spotted Ground-thrush Geokichla guttata | VU | non-breeding (-) | present | A1 |
| Mouse-coloured Sunbird Cyanomitra verreauxii | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Neergaard's Sunbird Cinnyris neergaardi | NT | resident (1998) | present | A1, A2, A3 |
| Pink-throated Twinspot Hypargos margaritatus | LC | resident (1998) | present | A2, A3 |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | non-breeding (-) | 20,000-49,999 birds | A4iii |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | breeding (-) | 20,000-49,999 birds | A4iii |
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.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2013 | poor | very high | high |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | medium | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | moderate (70–90%) | moderate (70–90%) | poor |
| Forest | moderate (70–90%) | moderate (70–90%) | poor |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | very high |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Pollution | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Transportation and service corridors | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Biological resource use | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Climate change and severe weather | likely in short term (<4 years) | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% 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 | The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented | high |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Sodwana Bay | National Park (II) | <1 |
| 1956 | Cape Vidal | State Forest (II) | 5 |
| 1999 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) (UA) | 100 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | - | Mangrove; Lowland forest - undifferentiated; Woodland - mixed; Woodland - riparian |
| Grassland | - | Grassland - edaphic, wet |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | - | |
| Marine Intertidal | - | |
| Marine Neritic | - | |
| Wetlands (inland) | - | Freshwater lakes and pools; Riverine floodplains; Ephemeral pools and wetlands; Rivers & streams |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| water management | 70 |
| nature conservation and research | 10 |
| agriculture | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake St Lucia and Mkuze Swamps (South Africa). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-st-lucia-and-mkuze-swamps-iba-south-africa on 23/12/2024.