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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-backed Duck Thalassornis leuconotus | LC | non-breeding (-) | 120–220 birds | A4i |
| Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma | LC | non-breeding (-) | 1,000–2,000 birds | A4i |
| Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma | LC | breeding (-) | 400–600 pairs | A4i |
| African Spoonbill Platalea alba | LC | non-breeding (-) | 350–600 birds | A4i |
| African Spoonbill Platalea alba | LC | breeding (-) | 100–120 pairs | A4i |
| Dwarf Bittern Ixobrychus sturmii | LC | non-breeding (-) | 500–800 birds | A4i |
| Dwarf Bittern Ixobrychus sturmii | LC | breeding (-) | 200–300 pairs | A4i |
| Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax | LC | breeding (-) | 500–700 pairs | A4i |
| Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides | LC | non-breeding (-) | 600–1,300 birds | A4i |
| Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides | LC | breeding (-) | 300–550 pairs | A4i |
| Great White Egret Ardea alba | LC | non-breeding (-) | 400–600 birds | A4i |
| Great White Egret Ardea alba | LC | breeding (-) | 200–500 pairs | A4i |
| African Snipe Gallinago nigripennis | LC | non-breeding (-) | 500–1,000 birds | A4i |
| African Snipe Gallinago nigripennis | LC | breeding (-) | 250–400 pairs | A4i |
| Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni | NT | winter (-) | 180–500 birds | A1, A4i |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | unknown (-) | min 20,000 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 (2011) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2011 | very poor | very high | medium |
| 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 |
| Wetlands (inland) | moderate (70–90%) | poor (40–69%) | very poor |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | whole of population/area (>90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | very high |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | very high |
| Energy production and mining | likely in short term (<4 years) | whole of population/area (>90%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | very high |
| Pollution | happening now | whole of population/area (>90%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | high |
| Natural system modifications | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Invasive and other problematic species and genes | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Biological resource use | likely in long 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 |
| Some of area covered (10–49%) | 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 | medium |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | - | Grassland - edaphic, wet |
| Shrubland | - | Scrub - woodland |
| Wetlands (inland) | - | Ephemeral pools and wetlands |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | 30 |
| water management | 15 |
| agriculture | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Nyl River Floodplain (South Africa). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/nyl-river-floodplain-iba-south-africa on 23/12/2024.