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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2014 | poor | medium | low |
| 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 |
| Shrubland | moderate (70–90%) | moderate (70–90%) | poor |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Transportation and service corridors | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | 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 |
| Other | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Climate change and severe weather | likely in short term (<4 years) | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Natural system modifications | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | low |
| Pollution | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Biological resource use | likely in short term (<4 years) | 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 |
| Most of area (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 (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Cape Floral Region Protected Areas | World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) (UA) | 54 |
| 2015 | Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve | UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA) | 100 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | - | Shrubland - Cape (fynbos) |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | 100 |
| water management | 36 |
| agriculture | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
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 23/12/2024.