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close| Location | South Africa, Free State |
| Central coordinates | 29o 40.00' East 27o 57.00' South |
| IBA criteria | A1, A2, A3 |
| Area | 380 ha |
| Altitude | 1,840 - 2,000m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. This area supports some highly threatened grassland species, including Heteromirafra ruddi, Spizocorys fringillaris, Anthus chloris and Geronticus calvus. Several other grassland species, such as Monticola explorator, Saxicola bifasciata and Eupodotis caerulescens, occur here. The rocky outcrops hold Anthus crenatus and Geocolaptes olivaceus.
Site description This conservancy comprises a single farm, Voordeel 681, situated on the Free State/KwaZulu-Natal border c.30 km south-east of Memel. The area consists of undulating, natural sourveld grassland on a hilly, high-altitude plateau, together with the steeply sloping grassy hillsides and the valley of the main tributary of the Klip river. A proportion of the conservancy is cultivated. The dominant types of natural grassland are moist clay highveld grassland, moist cool highveld grassland and north-eastern mountain grassland.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus | resident | 1998 | present [units unknown] | - | A1, A3 | Vulnerable |
| Blue Bustard Eupodotis caerulescens | resident | - | present [units unknown] | - | A1 | Near Threatened |
| Ground Woodpecker Geocolaptes olivaceus | resident | - | present [units unknown] | - | A1 | Least Concern |
| Rudd's Lark Heteromirafra ruddi | resident | 1998 | present [units unknown] | - | A1, A3 | Vulnerable |
| Botha's Lark Spizocorys fringillaris | resident | 1998 | present [units unknown] | - | A1, A2, A3 | Endangered |
| Buff-streaked Chat Oenanthe bifasciata | resident | 1998 | present [units unknown] | - | A1, A3 | Least Concern |
| Yellow-breasted Pipit Anthus chloris | resident | 1998 | present [units unknown] | - | A1, A2, A3 | Vulnerable |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voordeel Conservancy | Conservation Area | 380 | is identical to site | 380 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | Grassland - highveld | - |
| Shrubland | 100% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| unknown | - |
Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.
Management considerations The site is located within a privately owned farming district and it is not officially protected. The land is used primarily for agriculture. Overgrazing threatens several species as different intensities of grazing suit different species. Management practices such as burning the grassland in November, during the primary breeding season, may affect bird populations. Research should be directed at establishing the impacts of alternative management practices on breeding success of threatened species. Treatments can then be applied to different portions of the grassland so that selected species can benefit.
References Herholdt and Grobler (1987), Stoltz and Geyser (1973).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Voordeel Conservancy. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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