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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
Striped Flufftail Sarothrura affinis	LC	resident (1998)	present	A3
White-winged Flufftail Sarothrura ayresi	CR	non-breeding (1998)	6–12 birds	A1, A4i
Wattled Crane Bugeranus carunculatus	VU	resident (-)	4 pairs	A1
Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus	VU	resident (-)	present	A1
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus	NT	resident (1998)	30–40 pairs	A1, A3, A4i
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus	NT	non-breeding (-)	100–350 birds	A1, A4i
Ground Woodpecker Geocolaptes olivaceus	NT	resident (-)	present	A1
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	LC	winter (-)	1,000–3,000 birds	A1, A4ii
Rudd's Lark Heteromirafra ruddi	EN	resident (1998)	present	A1, A2, A3
Buff-streaked Chat Campicoloides bifasciatus	LC	resident (1998)	present	A1, A3
Gurney's Sugarbird Promerops gurneyi	NT	resident (1998)	present	A3
Yellow-breasted Pipit Hemimacronyx chloris	VU	resident (1998)	present	A1, 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 (2013) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Grassland	moderate (70–90%)	moderate (70–90%)	poor
Wetlands (inland)	moderate (70–90%)	moderate (70–90%)	poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Transportation and service corridors	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Pollution	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	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
Little/none of area covered (<10%)	A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	100
Grassland	-	Grassland - highveld
Wetlands (inland)	-	Riverine floodplains

Land use	% of IBA
forestry	60
water management	10
nature conservation and research	4
agriculture	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Steenkampsberg (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/steenkampsberg-iba-south-africa on 22/12/2024.