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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
Wattled Crane Bugeranus carunculatus	VU	resident	-	10 breeding pairs	A1
Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus	VU	resident	-	1 breeding pairs	A1
Ground Woodpecker Geocolaptes olivaceus	NT	resident	-	present	A1
Drakensberg Rockjumper Chaetops aurantius	NT	resident	1998	present	A1
Buff-streaked Chat Campicoloides bifasciatus	LC	resident	1998	present	A1
Yellow-breasted Pipit Hemimacronyx chloris	VU	resident	1998	present	A1

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' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Wattled Crane Bugeranus carunculatus	10	5	breeding pairs	50	unfavourable
Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus	2	2	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Ground Woodpecker Geocolaptes olivaceus	10	10	breeding pairs	100	not assessed
Drakensberg Rockjumper Chaetops aurantius	30	30	individuals	100	not assessed
Buff-streaked Chat Campicoloides bifasciatus	20	20	breeding pairs	100	not assessed
Yellow-breasted Pipit Hemimacronyx chloris	5	5	breeding pairs	100	not assessed

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

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	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
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

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
1972	Umgeni Vlei	Provincial Nature Reserve	99
2013	Umgeni Vlei Nature Reserve	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	90

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Woodland - mixed	-
Grassland	Grassland - edaphic, wet	-
Wetlands (inland)	Montane bogs, swamps and mires	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Umgeni Vlei Nature Reserve (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/umgeni-vlei-nature-reserve-iba-south-africa on 22/11/2024.