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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
Knysna Turaco Tauraco corythaix	LC	resident	1998	present	A2
Black Harrier Circus maurus	EN	resident	-	present	A1
Knysna Woodpecker Campethera notata	NT	resident	1998	present	A1, A2
Victorin's Warbler Cryptillas victorini	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Knysna Warbler Bradypterus sylvaticus	VU	resident	1998	present	A2
Cape Bulbul Pycnonotus capensis	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Chorister Robin-chat Cossypha dichroa	LC	resident	1998	present	A2
Cape Sugarbird Promerops cafer	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Orange-breasted Sunbird Anthobaphes violacea	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Forest Canary Crithagra scotops	LC	resident	1998	present	A2
Cape Siskin Crithagra totta	LC	resident	1998	present	A1, 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 (2013) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Forest	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Shrubland	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Residential and commercial development	happening now	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
Pollution	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1964	Garden Route National Park	National Park	42
1980	Keurbooms River Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	2
1980	Robberg Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
1984	Whiskey Creek Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	1
1985	Annex Arch Rock Private Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
1991	Buitenverwachting Private Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
1998	The Gums Private Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
2000	Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area	Marine Protected Area	50
2000	Robberg Marine Protected Area	Marine Protected Area	4
2001	Brackenburn Private Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
2004	Cape Floral Region Protected Areas	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	13

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Montane forest - mixed	major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Shrubland	Shrubland - Cape (fynbos)	major (>10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		minor (<10)
Marine Intertidal		minor (<10)
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers & streams	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tsitsikamma - Plettenberg Bay (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tsitsikamma--plettenberg-bay-iba-south-africa on 23/11/2024.