LC
Cape Shoveler Spatula smithii



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note
Spatula smithii (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) was previously placed in the genus Anas.

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2024 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 3,380,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 13300-33300 mature individuals poor estimated 2023
Population trend increasing - suspected -
Generation length 4.47 years - - -

Population justification: The global population size is estimated at 20,000-50,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2023), which equates to 13,300-33,300 mature individuals. The overall population trend is considered to be increasing over three generations (13.41 years) (Wetlands International 2023).

Trend justification:   .


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Angola extant native yes
Botswana extant native yes
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the extant vagrant yes
Eswatini extant vagrant yes
Lesotho extant native yes
Mozambique extant native yes
Namibia extant native yes
South Africa extant native yes
Zambia extant native yes
Zimbabwe extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
South Africa Berg River Estuary
South Africa Cape Whale Coast
South Africa De Hoop Nature Reserve
South Africa False Bay Nature Reserve
South Africa Grasslands
South Africa Orange River Mouth Wetlands
South Africa Rietvlei Wetland: Table Bay Nature Reserve
South Africa Sandveld and Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserves
South Africa Verlorenvlei Estuary
South Africa Wilderness - Sedgefield Lakes Complex

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine Artificial/Aquatic - Salt Exploitation Sites suitable resident
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine Artificial/Aquatic - Wastewater Treatment Areas suitable resident
Grassland Subtropical/Tropical Seasonally Wet/Flooded major resident
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes suitable resident
Marine Neritic Estuaries suitable resident
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes suitable resident
Wetlands (inland) Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) major resident
Altitude 0 - 1400 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Anas platyrhynchos Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) No decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Hybridisation
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Clostridium botulinum Timing Scope Severity Impact
Future Minority (<50%) Rapid Declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Species mortality
Natural system modifications Other ecosystem modifications Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Food - human subsistence, national
Pets/display animals, horticulture international
Sport hunting/specimen collecting subsistence, national

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Cape Shoveler Spatula smithii. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/cape-shoveler-spatula-smithii on 22/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/11/2024.