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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
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 (2014) is shown below.

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

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	likely in short term (within 4 years)	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
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Other	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Pollution	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible 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)	Unknown	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1978	Klein Swartberg Mountain Catchment Area	Mountain Catchment Area	10
1978	Swartberg-Oos Mountain Catchment Area	Mountain Catchment Area	6
1978	Groot Swartberg Mountain Catchment Area	Mountain Catchment Area	45
1978	Anysberg Mountain Catchment Area	Mountain Catchment Area	19
1987	Kleinberg Private Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	1
1992	Gamkapoort Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	5
1994	Gamkaskloof Provincial Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	2
2001	Die Poort Private Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	1
2004	Cape Floral Region Protected Areas	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	54
2015	Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve	100

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Shrubland	Shrubland - Cape (fynbos)	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
water management	36
agriculture	-
tourism/recreation	-

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