Volume 1: Environmental Scoping Report – Description of the Environment round or seasonally. At the global level, a set of four categories and criteria are used to assess the significance of the site. The global IBA criteria are as follows: A1. Globally threatened species Criterion: The site is known or thought to hold significant numbers of a globally threatened species, or other species of global conservation concern. The site qualifies if it is known, estimated or thought to hold a population of a species categorized by the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) or Vulnerable (VU). In general, the regular presence of a Critical or Endangered species, irrespective of population size, at a site may be sufficient for a site to qualify as an IBA. For VU species, the presence of more than threshold numbers at a site is necessary to trigger selection. A2. Restricted-range species Criterion: The site is known or thought to hold a significant component of a group of species whose breeding distributions define an Endemic Bird Area (EBA) or Secondary Area (SA). This category is for species of EBAs. EBAs are defined as places where two or more species of restricted range, i.e. with world distributions of less than 50 000 km2, occur together. More than 70% of such species are also globally threatened. Also included here are species of SAs. A3. Biome-restricted species Criterion: The site is known or thought to hold a significant component of the group of species whose distributions are largely or wholly confined to one biome. This category applies to groups of species with largely shared distributions of greater than 50,000km2, which occur mostly or wholly within all or part of a particular biome and are, therefore, of global importance. A4. Congregations Criteria: A site may qualify on any one or more of the four criteria listed below: i. The site is known or thought to hold, on a regular basis, ≥ 1% of a biogeographic population of a congregatory waterbird species. ii. The site is known or thought to hold, on a regular basis, ≥ 1% of the global population of a congregatory seabird or terrestrial species. iii. The site is known or thought to hold, on a regular basis, ≥ 20,000 waterbirds or ≥ 10,000 pairs of seabirds of one or more species. iv. The site is known or thought to exceed thresholds set for migratory species at bottleneck sites. The proposed project is in close proximity to two IBAs, namely the Anysberg Nature Reserve and the Swartberg Mounatins (see Figure 6-8). IBA 1: Anysberg Nature Reserve The Anysberg Nature Reserve, covering an area of 82 310ha, is located 30km south of Matjiesfontein and 20km south-west of Laingsburg within the Western Cape Province. There have been 212 bird species recorded within the Anysberg Nature Reserve, including several Fynbos and Namib-Karoo biome-restricted assemblage species and other arid-zone species. The IBA has a global IBA status and is triggered by five (5) globally threatened species; including the Blue Crane, Ludwig's Bustard, Southern Black Korhaan Afrotis afra, Martial Eagle and Black Harrier. Regionally threatened species found in the area include the Karoo Korhaan, Verreaux’s Eagle, Black Stork, Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus and Cape Rockjumper. Biome-restricted and restricted-range birds that are common to the IBA include Cape Spurfowl, Cape Bulbul and Karoo Chat. Locally common restricted-range or biome-restricted species are Karoo Lark, Layard's Tit-Babbler, Karoo EOH Coastal & Environmental Services 51 Brandvalley Wind Energy Project Volume 1: Environmental Scoping Report – Description of the Environment Eremomela and Namaqua Warbler, while uncommon species in this category are Ludwig's Bustard, Sickle-winged Chat Cercomela sinuata, Cape Rockjumper, Victorin's Warbler, Cape Sugarbird, Cape Siskin, Protea Seedeater Crithagra leucoptera, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Pale- winged Starling and Black-headed Canary. The Anysberg Nature Reserve is Fully Protected and managed by CapeNature. IBA 2: Swartberg Mountains The Swartberg Mountains, covering an area of 179 490ha, is located within the Western Cape and Eastern Cape Provinces, parallel to the Outeniqua Mountains IBA. The IBA comprises of fynbos and karroid endemic species with several restricted-range and biome-restricted assemblage species. There are three (3) globally threatened species found in the area include Martial Eagle, Black Harrier and Hottentot Buttonquail. Regionally threatened species include Verreaux’s Eagle, Karoo Korhaan, Lanner Falcon, Cape Rockjumper and African Rock Pipit. Common restricted-range and biome-restricted species consist of Cape Spurfowl and Cape Bulbul, while locally common species are Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Cape Siskin, Karoo Chat, Layard's Tit-Babbler, Black-headed Canary, Pale-winged Starling and Namaqua Warbler. Uncommon biome-restricted species are Victorin's Warbler Cryptillas victorini, Cape Rockjumper, Protea Seedeater, Karoo Lark, Karoo Long-billed Lark, Sickle-winged Chat Cercomela sinuata and Karoo Eremomela. The Swartberg Mountains IBA is Partially Protected with several reserves and mountain catachment areas managed by CapeNature found within the IBA. SKEP - Expert Bird Areas (EBA) The SKEP initiative, as described in section 6.1.4 above, provides expert knowledge from a number of taxonomic groups (amphibians, birds, fish, invertebrates, plants, reptiles and small mammals) to supplement the data on biodiversity features gained through systematic conservation planning. This data was used to map the areas of unique habitats, endemism and species richness. This tool was used to determine whether the project area is located in close proximity to EBAs as identified by SKEP. Figure 6-8 below provides the location of the project area in relation to IBAs and SKEP EBAs. The project area does not fall within an IBA or a SKEP Expert Bird Area. There are, however IBAs and SKEP Expert Bird Areas located relatively close to the project area. There is an IBA and a SKEP EBA located south of the project area, within the Anysberg Nature Reserve, and a SKEP EBA located north of the site, along the edge of Roggeveld Escarpment and the Overberg Pass and an IBA and SKEP EBA location south east of the project area in the Swartberg Mountains. Several birds of conservation importance occur in the project area which includes: one (1) Endangered species (Neotis ludwigii (the Ludwig's Bustard)), four (4) Vulnerable species (Afrotis afra (the Southern Black Korhaan), Anthropoides paradiseus (the Blue Crane), Polemaetus bellicosus (the Martial Eagle), Circus maurus (the Black Harrier) (IUCN 2016). According to NEM:BA the Blue Crane is listed as Endangered and the Martial Eagle and the Ludwig's Bustard are listed as Vulnerable. Thirteen (13) species are listed as Schedule II, seven (7) as schedule III and one as a Schedule VI species in the Northern Cape PNCO. A hundred and thirty four (134) species are listed as Schedule II species in the Western Cape PNCO. A list of birds that may occur within the project area is provided in Table 6-6 below. Birds will be discussed in greater detail in the Avifauna Impact Assessment conducted as part of the EIA phase. EOH Coastal & Environmental Services 52 Brandvalley Wind Energy Project Volume 1: Environmental Scoping Report – Description of the Environment Table 6-6: List of bird SSC that may utilise the proposed project area (BirdLife SA, 2010). Family Scientific Name Common Name IUCN NEM:BA Northern Western ACCIPITRIDAE Accipiter rufiventris Sparrowhawk, Rufous-chested Least Concern - ScheduleCape PNCO I ScheduleCape PNCO II ACROCEPHALIDAE Acrocephalus baeticatus Reed-warbler, African - - Schedule II Schedule II SYLVIIDAE Acrocephalus gracilirostris Swamp-warbler, Lesser Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II SCOLOPACIDAE Actitis hypoleucos Sandpiper, Common Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II OTIDIDAE Afrotis afra Korhaan, Southern Black Vulnerable - Schedule II Schedule II ALCEDINIDAE Alcedo cristata Kingfisher, Malachite - - Schedule II Schedule II ANATIDAE Alopochen aegyptiacus Goose, Egyptian Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II ANATIDAE Anas capensis Teal, Cape Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II ANATIDAE Anas smithii Shoveler, Cape Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II ANATIDAE Anas sparsa Duck, African Black Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II ANATIDAE Anas undulata Duck, Yellow-billed Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II REMIZIDAE Anthoscopus minutus Penduline-tit, Cape Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II GRUIDAE Anthropoides paradiseus Crane, Blue Vulnerable Endangered Schedule II Schedule II MOTACILLIDAE Anthus cinnamomeus Pipit, African - - Schedule II Schedule II MOTACILLIDAE Anthus similis Pipit, Long-billed Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II APODIDAE Apus affinis Swift, Little Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II APODIDAE Apus barbatus Swift, African Black Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II APODIDAE Apus caffer Swift, White-rumped Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II ACCIPITRIDAE Aquila pennatus Eagle, Booted - - Schedule I Schedule II ACCIPITRIDAE Aquila verreauxii Eagle, Verreaux's Least Concern - Schedule I Schedule II ARDEIDAE Ardea cinerea Heron, Grey Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II ARDEIDAE Ardea melanocephala Heron, Black-headed Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II PLATYSTEIRIDAE Batis pririt Batis, Pririt Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II THRESKIORNITHIDAE Bostrychia hagedash Ibis, Hadeda Least Concern - Schedule II Schedule II STRIGIDAE Bubo