Biodiversity (1 - SRK Consulting

Table 4: The expected frequency of occurrence of threatened bird species on and
around Portion 3 of the farm Zuurwater 63.
Probability of occurrence on site
Threatened Status
Species
Regular
resident
Frequent
visitor
Erratic
visitor
Infrequent
vagrant
Near Threatened Chestnut-banded Plover X
Black Harrier
X
Lanner Falcon
X
Sclater's Lark
X
Vulnerable Ludwig's Bustard X
Kori Bustard
X
Martial Eagle
X
Secretarybird
X
Red Lark
X
TOTALS 9 2 2 5 0
These analyses indicate that by far the most important habitats to conserve for
threatened species are the grassy plains and the red sand/dunes, with the bare washes
and pans also important at the times when they are productive after rains. However, the
grassy plains form part of extensive similar habitat in the area, while the red dunes are
more restricted but also much more productive, for livestock and birds alike, including
the Red Lark that is a restricted-range endemic to Bushmanland. The bare washes/pans
(for Chestnut-banded Plover) and gravel fields (for Sclater's Lark) are only really
productive after good rains, while the mountains have nest sites for the Lanner Falcon
when good rains attract large numbers of nomadic insect- and seed-eating birds.
Two Vulnerable species are expected to be regular breeding residents (Ludwig's
Bustard and Red Lark). The Vulnerable Martial Eagle and Secretarybird, and the New
Threatened Lanner Falcon are expected to be regular visitors to the area, when their
prey animals are abundant, but while no sufficiently large trees were seen as likely nest
sites for the Eagle or Secretarybird, the large south-facing cliffs, especially on Hoedkop,
could well support nesting ledges for the falcon, as they apparently do for Verreaux's
Eagle. The Vulnerable
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