Page 149 - Atlas Sea Birds Ver1

2.2.4.3 Breeding sites of seabirds from Cape Columbine to West Coast
National Park

Authors: AB Makhado, BM Dyer, A Kock, M Masotla, L Upfold, and RJM Crawford

Abstract:
Thirteen seabird species have bred at 14 localities in South Africa between Cape Columbine and the south of West Coast National Park:
African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus), Leach’s Storm Petrel (Hydrobates leucorous or Oceanodroma leucorhoa), Great White Peli-
can (Pelecanus onocrotalus), Cape Gannet (Morus capensis), Cape Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis), Bank Cormorant (P. neglec-
tus), White-breasted Cormorant (P. lucidus), Crowned Cormorant (Microcarbo coronatus), Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus), Hartlaub’s Gull
(Chroicocephalus hartlaubii), Grey-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus), Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii) and Caspian
Tern (Hydroprogne caspia). The petrel and pelican bred in small numbers only for short periods. There were long-term decreases in num-
bers of penguins, gannets and Cape and Bank cormorants breeding in the region that were at least partially attributable to a decreased
availability of good-quality prey. These and other species were also subject to predation by seals, pelicans and gulls, displacement by
seals from breeding sites at Vondeling Island and the joining to the mainland of Marcus Island, which is no longer used by seabirds for
breeding.
Introduction:
Thirteen seabird species have bred between Cape Columbine and the south of West Coast National Park (WCNP) in South Africa:
African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus), Leach’s Storm Petrel (Hydrobates leucorous or Oceanodroma leucorhoa), Great White Peli-
can (Pelecanus onocrotalus), Cape Gannet (Morus capensis), Cape Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis), Bank Cormorant (P. neglec-
tus), White-breasted Cormorant (P. lucidus), Crowned Cormorant (Microcarbo coronatus), Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus), Hartlaub’s Gull
(Chroicocephalus hartlaubii), Grey-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus), Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii) and Caspian
Tern (Hydroprogne caspia).

The breeding took place at 14 localities, which are shown in South Africa, regularly supporting c. 10% of its coastal
in Figure 1 and briefly described below. Seven of the locali- wader population. It also hosted 12% of the global popula-
ties are in WCNP and two, adjacent to it, are a provincial tion of African Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini)
nature reserve or a military conservation area. For each (Barnes 1998).
locality, records of breeding by the different species were Sources of information for species and numbers
collated for all years having information. When multiple breeding: The estimates of numbers of seabirds breeding
counts were obtained for a species in a given year, the at the 10 localities were from the following sources: African
maximum was shown on the relevant table. ‘√’ signifies Penguin (Shelton et al. 1984, Crawford et al. 1995, 2011,
that breeding occurred at a locality but the numbers were 2013a, Sherley et al. 2020); Leach’s Storm Petrel (Whitting-
not ascertained; ‘?’ that breeding may have taken place. A ton et al. 1999, Underhill et al. 2002, Crawford et al. 2007c);
short summary of methods used to obtain the estimates of Cape Gannet (Crawford et al. 1983, 2007a, Sherley et al.
numbers breeding is given in the chapter ‘Introduction to 2019); Cape Cormorant (Cooper et al. 1982, Crawford et al.
Seabird Breeding Localities’. 2007b, 2016); Bank Cormorant (Cooper 1981, Crawford
The inception of West Coast National Park was the proc- 2007, Crawford et al. 1999, 2008, 2015, and the unpublished
lamation of Langebaan Lagoon (including Caspian Island) 1949 diary of DB Price, then Senior Inspector, Union Gua-
and Malgas, Marcus, Jutten and Schaapen islands as a no Islands Division); White-breasted Cormorant (Brooke et
national park in 1985. Subsequent additions to the park in- al. 1982, Crawford 2007, Crawford et al. 2013b); Crowned
cluded the Postberg Nature Reserve (in 1987), a farm and Cormorant (Crawford et al. 1982b, 2012, Crawford 2007);
a lodge (Barnes 1998). The Donkergat military area (in- Kelp Gull (Crawford et al. 1982a, 2009, Whittington et al.
cluding Meeuw Island) at the northern tip of the Langebaan 2016); Hartlaub’s Gull (Williams et al. 1990, Crawford and
Peninsula was not included in the national park but is man- Underhill 2003, Crawford et al. 2007c); Grey-headed Gull
aged as a conservation area (Barnes 1998). The present (Brooke et al. 1999); Greater Crested Tern (Cooper et al.
extent of West Coast National Park is illustrated in Figure 1990, Crawford 2009) and Caspian Tern (Cooper et al.
1. In 1988, Langebaan Lagoon was designated a Ramsar 1992). These observations were updated by unpublished
site (Barnes 1998). Also in 1988, Vondeling Island, which records of South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries
lies offshore adjacent to WCNP, was established as a pro- and the Environment (DFFE). Counts of Great White
vincial nature reserve (Province of the Cape of Good Hope Pelican nests were from DFFE (unpublished records).
1988). It has since been managed by CapeNature, with
access to it being limited. Voeleiland
WCNP and Saldanha Bay Islands were regarded as Coordinates: 32.8824 S; 17.8644 E
an Important Bird Area by Barnes (1998). In addition to Description: A small island in Noordwesbaai close to the
almost 250,000 seabirds that bred mainly at the islands, shore off Swartreit Private Nature Reserve, which is near
Langebaan Lagoon regularly supported 37,500 non-pas- Vredenburg.
serine waterbirds in the austral summer, of which 34,500 Between 1908 and 2011 a quantity of 19 m t of seabird
were waders, 93% being Palearctic migrants. In winter, guano was harvested from the island (Tom et al. 2024).
the lagoon regularly held > 10,500 birds, of which 4,500 Conservation status: It is not protected.
were Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber). Lange- Species and numbers breeding: Bank and Crowned
baan Lagoon was the most important wetland for waders cormorants (Kriel et al. 1980) and once Kelp Gull bred at

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