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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
Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus	VU	resident	-	present	A1
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus	NT	resident	1998	present	A1, A3
Black Harrier Circus maurus	EN	resident	-	present	A1
Drakensberg Rockjumper Chaetops aurantius	NT	resident	1998	present	A1, A2, A3
Rudd's Lark Heteromirafra ruddi	EN	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	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 (2013) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Rudd's Lark Heteromirafra ruddi	20	20	breeding pairs	100	favourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Grassland	good (> 90%)	moderate (70-90%)	near favourable
Wetlands (inland)	good (> 90%)	moderate (70-90%)	near favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Energy production and mining	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

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 comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1975	Mountain Lake Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	7
2007	Matatiele Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	97

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland		-
Wetlands (inland)		-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Matatiele Nature Reserve (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/matatiele-nature-reserve-iba-south-africa on 22/11/2024.