Download: Ithala Game Reserve - Bird List
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Birding in Ithala Game Reserve
Re: Birding in Ithala Game Reserve
IBA Ithala Game Reserve
SA Number: SA 056
Status: Global IBA (A1, A3, A4i)
Site Description
Ithala Game Reserve is located 15 km from Louwsburg in the rolling hills south of the Pongola River. Geologically, Ithala consists of a mixture of ironstone shale, quartzite, dolomite, granite and sandstone. Drainage lines and deep valleys, extending predominantly north–south, and opening mostly into the Pongola River basin, cleave the area. This results in an extremely varied topography and rugged terrain, with steep rocky cliff faces and deep gorges dissected by numerous streams with a network of pools. The area varies in altitude from 350 m a.s.l. at the Pongola River to 1 550 m a.s.l. on the plateau to the west of Louwsburg. In conjunction with differences in topography and altitude, rainfall is also locally highly variable, ranging from c. 680 mm p.a. in the eastern valleys to c. 900 mm p.a. in the west and up to c. 1 200 mm p.a. on the top of the high-altitude plateau. This variability and complexity in edaphic factors leads to subsequent variation in vegetation. Three main habitat types are recognised: The lowland community found in the valley bottoms; the middleveld found at intermediate altitudes; and the open grasslands of the plateau above 1 250 m.a.s.l.
Birds
The reserve is known to support over 300 bird species. This diversity can be attributed to the reserve's ecotonal nature and the variety of habitats it supports. Included are a number of large widespread birds that have suffered considerably outside larger protected areas. The riverine forest provides habitat for many of the more secretive river-dependent species such as African Finfoot, White-backed Night Heron and Half-collared Kingfisher. The rivers, floodplains, pans, dams and vleis are important for many wetland dependent and associated birds, such as the Black Stork, which breeds in the gorges of the nearby mountains, Saddle-billed Stork and African Marsh Harrier. The mountainous cliffs also hold a colony of Southern Bald Ibis. Several large raptor species that are rare outside South Africa's large parks occur here, including White-backed Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Martial Eagle, Bateleur and Tawny Eagle. Southern Ground-Hornbill, Denham's Bustard, White-bellied Korhaan and African Grass Owl occur in the grassland areas in smaller numbers. The varied woodland communities support several bushveld birds including Natal Spurfowl, White-throated Robin-Chat and Burnt-necked Eremomela. The thicket and forest areas support Brown-headed Parrot and Gorgeous Bush-shrike, both East African Coast specials.
Key Species
Threatened Species
Range and Biome Restricted Species
Other threatened/endemic wildlife
This area supports several species of large mammal that are locally extinct in other parts of the province. Several species have been reintroduced here, including White Rhinoceros, Black Rhinoceros, Buffalo, Nyala, Elephant and Cheetah. Naturally occurring populations of Oribi, Hippopotamus, Leopard, Serval, African Wild Cat, Brown Hyaena, Spotted Hyaena, Aardwolf, African Striped Weasel, Honey Badger, Aardvark, Pangolin, Greater Musk Shrew Crocidura flavescens, Forest Shrew Myosorex varius, Natal Red Hare Pronolagus crassicaudatus and the White-tailed Rat Mystromys albicaudatus also occur.
Endangered reptiles include the African Python and the Nile Crocodile.
Amphibians and reptiles endemic to South Africa include Raucous Toad Bufo rangeri, Natal Hinged Tortoise Kinixys natalensis, Slugeater Duberria lutrix, Crossmarked Grass Snake Psammophis crucifer, Northern Spiny Agama Agama aculeata distanti, Transvaal Girdled Lizard Cordylus vittifer vittifer, Barberton Girdled Lizard Cordylus warreni barbertonensis, Natal Flat Lizard Platysaurus intermedius natalensis, Spotted Gecko Pachydactylus maculatus maculatus and, a KwaZuluNatal endemic, Van Son’s Gecko Pachydactylus capensis vansoni.
Endemic butterflies include Swanepoel’s Copper Aloeides swanepoeli, the Yellow Zulu Alaena amazoula and the Sapphire Iolaus silas.
Rare and localised trees include Protea comptonii, Rhus pondoensis, Warburgia salutaris, Gonioma kamassi and Syzygium legattii. Other plants of special interest include Aloe vryheidensis, Cyrtanthus brachysiphon, Dracosciadium italae, Melanospermum italae, Gladiolus cataractum and Gladiolus microcarpus italaensis.
Download PDF Site Description
SA Number: SA 056
Status: Global IBA (A1, A3, A4i)
Site Description
Ithala Game Reserve is located 15 km from Louwsburg in the rolling hills south of the Pongola River. Geologically, Ithala consists of a mixture of ironstone shale, quartzite, dolomite, granite and sandstone. Drainage lines and deep valleys, extending predominantly north–south, and opening mostly into the Pongola River basin, cleave the area. This results in an extremely varied topography and rugged terrain, with steep rocky cliff faces and deep gorges dissected by numerous streams with a network of pools. The area varies in altitude from 350 m a.s.l. at the Pongola River to 1 550 m a.s.l. on the plateau to the west of Louwsburg. In conjunction with differences in topography and altitude, rainfall is also locally highly variable, ranging from c. 680 mm p.a. in the eastern valleys to c. 900 mm p.a. in the west and up to c. 1 200 mm p.a. on the top of the high-altitude plateau. This variability and complexity in edaphic factors leads to subsequent variation in vegetation. Three main habitat types are recognised: The lowland community found in the valley bottoms; the middleveld found at intermediate altitudes; and the open grasslands of the plateau above 1 250 m.a.s.l.
Birds
The reserve is known to support over 300 bird species. This diversity can be attributed to the reserve's ecotonal nature and the variety of habitats it supports. Included are a number of large widespread birds that have suffered considerably outside larger protected areas. The riverine forest provides habitat for many of the more secretive river-dependent species such as African Finfoot, White-backed Night Heron and Half-collared Kingfisher. The rivers, floodplains, pans, dams and vleis are important for many wetland dependent and associated birds, such as the Black Stork, which breeds in the gorges of the nearby mountains, Saddle-billed Stork and African Marsh Harrier. The mountainous cliffs also hold a colony of Southern Bald Ibis. Several large raptor species that are rare outside South Africa's large parks occur here, including White-backed Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Martial Eagle, Bateleur and Tawny Eagle. Southern Ground-Hornbill, Denham's Bustard, White-bellied Korhaan and African Grass Owl occur in the grassland areas in smaller numbers. The varied woodland communities support several bushveld birds including Natal Spurfowl, White-throated Robin-Chat and Burnt-necked Eremomela. The thicket and forest areas support Brown-headed Parrot and Gorgeous Bush-shrike, both East African Coast specials.
Key Species
Threatened Species
Range and Biome Restricted Species
Other threatened/endemic wildlife
This area supports several species of large mammal that are locally extinct in other parts of the province. Several species have been reintroduced here, including White Rhinoceros, Black Rhinoceros, Buffalo, Nyala, Elephant and Cheetah. Naturally occurring populations of Oribi, Hippopotamus, Leopard, Serval, African Wild Cat, Brown Hyaena, Spotted Hyaena, Aardwolf, African Striped Weasel, Honey Badger, Aardvark, Pangolin, Greater Musk Shrew Crocidura flavescens, Forest Shrew Myosorex varius, Natal Red Hare Pronolagus crassicaudatus and the White-tailed Rat Mystromys albicaudatus also occur.
Endangered reptiles include the African Python and the Nile Crocodile.
Amphibians and reptiles endemic to South Africa include Raucous Toad Bufo rangeri, Natal Hinged Tortoise Kinixys natalensis, Slugeater Duberria lutrix, Crossmarked Grass Snake Psammophis crucifer, Northern Spiny Agama Agama aculeata distanti, Transvaal Girdled Lizard Cordylus vittifer vittifer, Barberton Girdled Lizard Cordylus warreni barbertonensis, Natal Flat Lizard Platysaurus intermedius natalensis, Spotted Gecko Pachydactylus maculatus maculatus and, a KwaZuluNatal endemic, Van Son’s Gecko Pachydactylus capensis vansoni.
Endemic butterflies include Swanepoel’s Copper Aloeides swanepoeli, the Yellow Zulu Alaena amazoula and the Sapphire Iolaus silas.
Rare and localised trees include Protea comptonii, Rhus pondoensis, Warburgia salutaris, Gonioma kamassi and Syzygium legattii. Other plants of special interest include Aloe vryheidensis, Cyrtanthus brachysiphon, Dracosciadium italae, Melanospermum italae, Gladiolus cataractum and Gladiolus microcarpus italaensis.
Download PDF Site Description