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