Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2015 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca | LC | non-breeding (2010–2011) | 1,000-2,499 birds | A4i |
| South African Shelduck Tadorna cana | LC | non-breeding (2010–2011) | 1,000-2,499 birds | A4i |
| Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata | LC | non-breeding (2010–2011) | 1,000-2,499 birds | A4i |
| Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus | VU | non-breeding (2010–2014) | 100–300 birds | A1 |
| Ludwig's Bustard Neotis ludwigii | EN | resident (2010–2014) | present | A1, A3 |
| Karoo Bustard Heterotetrax vigorsii | LC | resident (2010–2014) | present | A3 |
| Blue Bustard Eupodotis caerulescens | NT | resident (2010–2014) | present | A1 |
| Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius | EN | resident (2010–2014) | 1 pairs | A1 |
| Melodious Lark Mirafra cheniana | LC | resident (2010–2014) | present | A1 |
| Namaqua Warbler Phragmacia substriata | LC | resident (2010–2014) | present | A3 |
| Layard's Warbler Curruca layardi | LC | resident (2010–2014) | present | A3 |
| Pale-winged Starling Onychognathus nabouroup | LC | resident (2010–2014) | present | A3 |
| Karoo Chat Emarginata schlegelii | LC | resident (2010–2014) | present | A3 |
| Sickle-winged Chat Emarginata sinuata | LC | resident (2010–2014) | present | A3 |
| Black-headed Canary Serinus alario | LC | resident (2010–2014) | present | A3 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2015. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2014 | poor | high | medium |
| 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 |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | good (>90%) | poor (40–69%) | poor |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | good (>90%) | poor (40–69%) | poor |
| Wetlands (inland) | good (>90%) | poor (40–69%) | poor |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Pollution | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Invasive and other problematic species and genes | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | high |
| Natural system modifications | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | high |
| Climate change and severe weather | likely in short term (<4 years) | whole of population/area (>90%) | slow decline (1–10% 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%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | low |
| Transportation and service corridors | 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 |
| Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not comprehensive | Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity | medium |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | - | Other artificial wetlands |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | - | |
| Wetlands (inland) | - | Rivers & streams |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Upper Orange River (South Africa). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/upper-orange-river-iba-south-africa on 23/12/2024.