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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 IBA criteria.

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

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Striped Flufftail Sarothrura affinis	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Knysna Turaco Tauraco corythaix	LC	resident (1998)	present	A2, A3
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus	NT	resident (-)	present	A1, A3
Ground Woodpecker Geocolaptes olivaceus	NT	resident (-)	present	A1
Grey Cuckooshrike Ceblepyris caesius	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Olive Bushshrike Chlorophoneus olivaceus	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
Blue Swallow Hirundo atrocaerulea	EN	breeding (-)	present	A1, 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	A1, 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

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1972	Malalotja Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve (II)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	87
Shrubland	12

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Malolotja Nature Reserve (Eswatini). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/malolotja-nature-reserve-iba-eswatini on 24/01/2025.