• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

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
Cape Spurfowl Pternistis capensis	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Ground Woodpecker Geocolaptes olivaceus	NT	resident	-	present	A1
Knysna Woodpecker Campethera notata	NT	resident	1998	present	A1
Cape Rockjumper Chaetops frenatus	NT	resident	1998	present	A1, A2, A3
Victorin's Warbler Cryptillas victorini	LC	resident	1998	present	A2, A3
Cape Bulbul Pycnonotus capensis	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Cape Sugarbird Promerops cafer	LC	resident	1998	present	A2, A3
Orange-breasted Sunbird Anthobaphes violacea	LC	resident	1998	present	A2, A3
Protea Canary Crithagra leucoptera	NT	resident	1998	present	A1, A2, A3
Cape Siskin Crithagra totta	LC	resident	1998	present	A1, 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 (2012) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Forest	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Shrubland	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable

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

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Most of site (50-90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	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

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1964	Garden Route National Park	National Park	30
1970	Outeniqua Mountain Catchment Area	State Forest	-
1972	Ysternek Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	1
1985	Knysna National Lake Area	Protected Environment	<1
1986	Attakwaskloof Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	7
1986	Lelievlei Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	1
1987	Church Millwood Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	4
1988	Doringrivier Wilderness Area	Forest Wilderness Area	6
1994	Jubilee Creek Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	1
2004	Cape Floral Region Protected Areas	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	49
2015	Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve	22

The Local Conservation Group(s) listed below are working to conserve this IBA.

Name	Year formed
WESSA	0

For more information on BirdLife's work with Local Conservation Groups, please click here.

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Montane forest - mixed	-
Shrubland	Shrubland - Cape (fynbos)	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
water management	88
nature conservation and research	38
forestry	10
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Outeniqua mountains (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/outeniqua-mountains-iba-south-africa on 23/11/2024.