Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. The forests in this IBA hold a considerable number of the escarpment race of Poicephalus robustus robustus. Southern Africa’s most southerly populations of Zoothera gurneyi and Lioptilus nigricapillus are also found in the Amatole Forests. Other forest specials include Buteo oreophilus, Tauraco corythaix, Campethera notata, Cossypha dichroa, Cercotrichas signata and Serinus scotops. The localized patches of open proteoid woodland in the grassy areas hold both Promerops cafer and P. gurneyi (the only area where these species are sympatric). At high altitudes, where barren rocky slopes become prominent, Geocolaptes olivaceus, Chaetops aurantius, Saxicola bifasciata and Monticola explorator are found. In the lower-altitude regions of rolling grassland, Circus maurus, Vanellus melanopterus, Neotis denhami, Grus paradisea and Balearica regulorum occur.

Site description The centre of this site lies c.20 km north-west of King William’s Town and 24 km south-west of Stutterheim. The IBA consists of a series of montane forest blocks surrounding fragmented urban and rural areas. The forest complex runs from Hogsback State Forest in the east to Fort Cunningham State Forest in the west, and includes large State-owned forest blocks as well as smaller patches which provide continuity between the larger blocks, especially in the Keiskammahoek area. The boundaries are not distinct and the forests merge with the rural and urban areas on the borders of the IBA.

The area is generally rugged and comprises cliffs, steep slopes and thickly forested gorges, with several high peaks such as Elandsberg (2,016 m) and Gaika’s Kop (1,963 m). There are numerous perennial and non-perennial streams. The largest of these, the Buffalo river, feeds the Maden and Rooikrantz dams, which supply water to the greater King William’s Town/Bisho District. The Amatole mountains support a diverse array of plant communities, with 442 plant species described from the area. The forest complex holds both wet and dry forests, with scrub-forest at lower altitudes. Dominant trees of the canopy include Podocarpus, Xymalos, Rapanea, Ptaeroxylon, Canthium, Celtis, Trichocladus, Curtisia and Vepris. Pinus plantations, which abut the indigenous forests directly, occur as small, isolated, scattered pockets throughout the area. The highest areas, particularly in the rain-shadow, are characterized by a mixture of montane grassland and fynbos heath.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species	Season	Period	Population estimate	Quality of estimate	IBA Criteria	IUCN Category
Black Harrier Circus maurus	resident	-	present [units unknown]	-	A1	Vulnerable
Mountain Buzzard Buteo oreophilus	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A3	Least Concern
Knysna Turaco Tauraco corythaix	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A2, A3	Least Concern
Knysna Woodpecker Campethera notata	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A1, A2	Near Threatened
Ground Woodpecker Geocolaptes olivaceus	resident	-	present [units unknown]	-	A1	Least Concern
Olive Bush-shrike Telophorus olivaceus	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A3	Least Concern
Grey Cuckooshrike Coracina caesia	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A3	Least Concern
African Scrub-warbler Bradypterus barratti	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A3	Least Concern
Yellow-throated Woodland-warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A3	Least Concern
Bush Blackcap Lioptilus nigricapillus	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A1, A2, A3	Near Threatened
Black-bellied Glossy-starling Lamprotornis corruscus	resident	1998	-	-		Least Concern
Drakensberg Rockjumper Chaetops aurantius	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A1, A3	Least Concern
Orange Ground-thrush Zoothera gurneyi	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A3	Least Concern
White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A3	Least Concern
Chorister Robin-chat Cossypha dichroa	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A2, A3	Least Concern
Brown Scrub-robin Erythropygia signata	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A2	Least Concern
Buff-streaked Chat Oenanthe bifasciata	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A1, A3	Least Concern
Mouse-coloured Sunbird Nectarinia veroxii	resident	1998	-	-		Least Concern
Gurney's Sugarbird Promerops gurneyi	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A3	Least Concern
Cape Sugarbird Promerops cafer	resident	1998	-	-		Least Concern
Swee Waxbill Estrilda melanotis	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A3	Least Concern
Forest Canary Serinus scotops	resident	1998	present [units unknown]	-	A2, A3	Least Concern

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Hogsback State Forest	DWAF (Dept. Water & Forestry) Forest Area	4,086	protected area contained by site	9,738

Local conservation groups The local conservation group below is working to support conservation at this IBA.

Name	Year formed
Cata, Eastern Cape Site Support Group	2007

Habitats

IUCN habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Forest	Montane forest - mixed	-
Grassland	Grassland - montane	-

Land use

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
nature conservation and research	40%
nature conservation and research	1%

Other biodiversity The tributaries of the Kieskamma and Buffalo river systems, which occur within the IBA, hold two endemic threatened and highly localized fish species, Sandelia bainsii (EN) and Barbus trevelyani (CR). Among herptiles, the Amatoles are the only home to the extremely range-restricted Bufo amatolicus (VU) and, along with the Katberg-Readsdale forests (IBA ZA070), they also support Anhydrophyrne rattrayi, which is endemic to both of these mountain blocks. The Amatoles also support the South African endemic Afroedura amatolica, Bradypodion ventrale and an isolated population of Macrelaps microlepidotus.

Management considerations Although this area was previously managed by Ciskei Forestry, control of all indigenous forests was handed over to the Directorate of Nature Conservation of the Eastern Cape Province authorities in 1996, and management plans for all forests are in preparation. Commercial forestry (SAFCOL) and smaller private forestry concerns are operational within and surrounding the area. It is important that their interests are monitored. There are no grazing or hunting rights as specified in the Forest Conservation Act, although resource extraction (fuelwood, bark, building materials, etc.) does take place.

The boundaries of the forests are not physically demarcated and there is considerable movement of faunal populations between adjacent forest areas. Together, the complex forms a large forest network, which is likely to maintain its biological integrity provided no further fragmentation or habitat destruction occurs. Water-hungry non-native plantations, above indigenous forest zones, deprive indigenous forests of water, potentially changing forest structure and functioning. Plantations should be managed to ensure that the indigenous forests receive their water requirements.Other threats to the area’s forests include unsustainable harvesting of indigenous timber, targeting Podocarpus in particular. Poicephalus robustus robustus is threatened by illegal trapping for the cage-bird trade. Illegal hunting using dogs, snares and weapons poses a threat to several small mammals and birds. Grazing of domestic livestock occurs within the forest and at forest margins, resulting in ecotone degradation.

References Castley and Kerley (in press), Castley (1996), Cawe and McKenzie (1989a,b), Commins (1962), Everard and Hardy (1992, 1993a,b,c), Feely (1954), Gaylard and Castley (1996), Hardy and Everard (1993), Johnson and Cawe (1987), Maddock (1986), Poduschka (1980), Skead (1964a,b, 1971), Story (1952), Thompson (1991), Wells (1973).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Amatole forest complex. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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