ZA043
Mkuzi Game Reserve


IBA Justification

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
Corncrake Crex crex LC winter (-) present A1
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus NT resident (-) present A1
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida LC non-breeding (-) 64–179 birds A4i
Southern Banded Snake-eagle Circaetus fasciolatus NT resident (1998) present A1, 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
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
Lemon-breasted Canary Crithagra citrinipectus LC resident (1998) present A2, A3

IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1998. The most recent assessment (2006) is shown below.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2006 not assessed low high
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes unset good

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Transportation and service corridors 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 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

Habitats

Habitat % of IBA Habitat detail
Forest major (>10)
Savanna major (>10)
Wetlands (inland) major (>10) Ephemeral pools and wetlands; Rivers & streams; Riverine floodplains; Permanent herbaceous swamps and bogs; Freshwater lakes and pools

Land use

Land use % of IBA
nature conservation and research 100
water management 80
tourism/recreation -
agriculture -


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