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Knysna Lagoon (34032302)

Western Cape

CWAC status REGISTERED-COUNTED REGULARLY
Authority South African National Parks & Private
Management status UNKNOWN
Conservation status UNPROTECTED
IBA information
Ramsar information
Heritage information
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Information 

Date_registered
1993-01-24
Brief_description
Tidal lagoon and open estuary of the Knysna River. Globally significant numbers of the near-threatened African Black Oystercatcher in winter, and nationally significant numbers of this and Cape Shoveller in summer, when good numbers of Yellowbilled Duck also occur in some years. Noteworthy counts of Grey Plover, Greenshank, Curlew Sandpiper and Whimbrel in summer, and of Blackwinged Stilt in winter. Seasonal variation in types of birds using site well shown by biomass and total count graphs: large numbers of small birds (mostly shorebirds) in summer and smaller numbers of large birds (cormorants, egrets, ibises, gulls) in winter. Critically threatened by siltation from local urban development; important threats are bait collection, recreational activities and harassment by dogs.

SppCommon nameTaxonomic nameMinAvgMaxIBASubregional
IBA
RAMSAR
72Scopus umbretta11.001   
256Calidris pugnax47.5015  
1016Anas platyrhynchos11.172
269Avocet, PiedRecurvirostra avosetta136.54127 125 
4136Black-backed Gull, LesserLarus fuscus11.001 
212Coot, Red-knobbedFulica cristata16.5216   
49Cormorant, BankPhalacrocorax neglectus3939.0039   
48Cormorant, CapePhalacrocorax capensis1184.89943   
51Cormorant, CrownedMicrocarbo coronatus22.002   
50Cormorant, ReedMicrocarbo africanus1197.86481   
47Cormorant, White-breastedPhalacrocorax lucidus121.63119   
203Crake, BlackZaporina flavirostra12.504
267Curlew, EurasianNumenius arquata13.148   
52Darter, AfricanAnhinga rufa15.1821   
10005Duck, HybridAnas hybrid44.004
100Duck, White-faced WhistlingDendrocygna viduata3535.0035   
96Duck, Yellow-billedAnas undulata280.73490   
60Egret, Intermediate [x]Ardea intermedia11.001   
59Egret, LittleEgretta garzetta188.78264   
61Egret, Western CattleBubulcus ibis128.02151   
149Fish Eagle, AfricanHaliaeetus vocifer12.115
86Flamingo, GreaterPhoenicopterus roseus22.002   
266Godwit, Bar-tailedLimosa lapponica11.001   
89Goose, EgyptianAlopochen aegyptiaca1159.39604   
88Goose, Spur-wingedPlectropterus gambensis517.8945   
4Grebe, Great CrestedPodiceps cristatus11.253   
6Grebe, LittleTachybaptus ruficollis111.2840   
263Greenshank, CommonTringa nebularia2199.06780   
288Gull, Grey-headedChroicocephalus cirrocephalus11.672   
287Gull, KelpLarus dominicanus1274.741123300150700
167Harrier, African MarshCircus ranivorus11.001
55Heron, Black-headedArdea melanocephala14.3826   
54Heron, GreyArdea cinerea147.52123   
57Heron, PurpleArdea purpurea11.001   
81Ibis, African SacredThreskiornis aethiopicus1165.09205820001000 
83Ibis, GlossyPlegadis falcinellus23.005   
84Ibis, HadadaBostrychia hagedash128.9386   
395Kingfisher, GiantMegaceryle maxima12.106
396Kingfisher, Half-collaredAlcedo semitorquata11.001
397Kingfisher, MalachiteCorythornis cristatus11.284
394Kingfisher, PiedCeryle rudis115.6442
247Lapwing, African WattledVanellus senegallus7070.0070   
245Lapwing, BlacksmithVanellus armatus148.01121   
509Martin, Brown-throatedRiparia paludicola11.001
210Moorhen, CommonGallinula chloropus17.6229   
69Night Heron, Black-crownedNycticorax nycticorax14.678   
172Osprey, WesternPandion haliaetus11.895
231Oystercatcher, AfricanHaematopus moquini2056.09110482455
894Oystercatcher, EurasianHaematopus ostralegus11.001
922Plover, American GoldenPluvialis dominica12.504
233Plover, Common RingedCharadrius hiaticula136.16140   
239Plover, Greater SandCharadrius leschenaultii11.001   
241Plover, GreyPluvialis squatarola2174.35666   
237Plover, Kittlitz'sCharadrius pecuarius133.35101   
238Plover, Three-bandedCharadrius tricollaris19.6961   
235Plover, White-frontedCharadrius marginatus16.6917   
102Pochard, SouthernNetta erythrophthalma11.001   
197Rail, AfricanRallus caerulescens22.674-1
258Sandpiper, CommonActitis hypoleucos14.2822  
251Sandpiper, CurlewCalidris ferruginea1805.643205  
262Sandpiper, MarshTringa stagnatilis127.00116   
895Sandpiper, PectoralCalidris melanotos11.001
257Sandpiper, TerekXenus cinereus11.001 
264Sandpiper, WoodTringa glareola18.7150   
90Shelduck, South AfricanTadorna cana22.605   
94Shoveler, CapeAnas smithii557.91216 175 
250Snipe, AfricanGallinago nigripennis12.574   
85Spoonbill, AfricanPlatalea alba117.25100 75 
270Stilt, Black-wingedHimantopus himantopus156.92184   
253Stint, LittleCalidris minuta116.2081   
79Stork, BlackCiconia nigra11.001   
208Swamphen, AfricanPorphyrio madagascariensis11.001  
99Teal, Blue-billedAnas hottentota13.506   
98Teal, CapeAnas capensis125.2094   
97Teal, Red-billedAnas erythrorhyncha15.7919   
290Tern, CaspianHydroprogne caspia12.686   
291Tern, CommonSterna hirundo165.98207   
298Tern, Greater CrestedThalasseus bergii145.13727500250200
296Tern, SandwichThalasseus sandvicensis114.8236   
10009Tern, UnidentifiedN/A N/A1336.1463
274Thick-knee, WaterBurhinus vermiculatus15.1814   
232Turnstone, RuddyArenaria interpres11.754   
10008Wader, UnidentifiedN/A N/A215.5040
686Wagtail, CapeMotacilla capensis131.33107
268Whimbrel, EurasianNumenius phaeopus1146.14554   
14206Whimbrel, SteppeNumenius phaeopus11.001 
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Tuesday 02 September 2025 04:04
FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
Department of Biological Sciences - University of Cape Town

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