ZA075
Swartkops Estuary - Redhouse and Chatty Saltpans


IBA Justification

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
African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini LC non-breeding (-) frequent A1
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta LC non-breeding (-) 490 birds A4i
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres NT winter (-) 363 birds A4i
Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus LC breeding (-) 430 pairs A4i
Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus LC non-breeding (-) 1,112 birds A4i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds n/a unknown (-) min 20,000 birds A4iii

IBA Conservation

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.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2012 very poor very high low
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes habitat medium

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species Actual vs Reference (units) % remaining Result
African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini 55 / 48 (birds) 100 good
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres 601 / 363 (birds) 100 good
Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 1,436 / 1,112 (birds) 100 good
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 22 / 105 (birds) 21 very poor
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida 243 / 243 (birds) 100 good

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat Quantity (% remaining) Quality (% carrying capacity) Result
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine moderate (70–90%) poor (40–69%) very poor
Shrubland moderate (70–90%) moderate (70–90%) poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Natural system modifications happe­ning now most of popul­ation/area (50–90%) rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations) very high
Pollution happe­ning now most of popul­ation/area (50–90%) rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations) very high
Residential and commercial development happe­ning now most of popul­ation/area (50–90%) moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations) high
Biological resource use 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
Energy production and mining 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
Climate change and severe weather likely in long term (>4 years) whole of popul­ation/area (>90%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes happe­ning now few indivi­duals/small area (<10%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) low

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 Some limited conservation initiatives are in place low

Habitats

Habitat % of IBA Habitat detail
Forest 100
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine major (>10) Saltpans
Grassland -
Shrubland -

Land use

Land use % of IBA
nature conservation and research 100
water management 60
tourism/recreation -


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Swartkops Estuary - Redhouse and Chatty Saltpans (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/swartkops-estuary--redhouse-and-chatty-saltpans-iba-south-africa on 23/12/2024.