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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
Knysna Turaco Tauraco corythaix	LC	resident (1998)	present	A2, A3
Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres	VU	resident (-)	40–70 pairs	A1, A4ii
Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres	VU	non-breeding (-)	85–140 birds	A1, A4ii
Knysna Woodpecker Campethera notata	NT	resident (-)	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	resident (-)	present	A1
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

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
Grassland	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good
Forest	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good
Wetlands (inland)	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	good

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 popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Transportation and service corridors	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low

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 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 (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Mkambathi	Nature Reserve (-)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial	71
Forest	28
Grassland	minor (<10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	minor (<10)
Marine Intertidal	minor (<10)
Wetlands (inland)	minor (<10)	Permanent herbaceous swamps and bogs

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mkhambathi Nature Reserve (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mkhambathi-nature-reserve-iba-south-africa on 23/12/2024.