Page 221 - Atlas Sea Birds Ver1

Numbers of seabirds and oystercatchers (pairs) breeding at Robberg Peninsula, 1950–2021

White-
Cape Kelp African Black
Year breasted Source
Cormorant Gull Oystercatcher
Cormorant
1950 60 Crawford et al. (1982)
1973 50 Brooke et al. (1982)
1979 18 Crawford et al. (1982)
2003 65 Whittington et al. (2016)
2007 8 Lamini PJ, Lourens EJ (unpubl.)
2008 14 Lamini PJ, Lourens EJ (unpubl.)
2009 11 Lamini PJ, Lourens EJ, Whitting RW (unpubl.)
2010 11 Lamini PJ (unpubl.)
Lamini PJ, Whitting RW (unpubl.), Whittington et
2011 39 11
al. (2016)
Crawford et al. (2013), DFFE (unpubl.), Wildeman
2012 15 30 13
D (unpubl.)
2013 35 5 DFFE (unpubl.), Van de Voorde et al. (2015)
2014 734 Crawford et al. (2016)
2019 10 Lamini PJ, Minnaar JC (unpubl.)
Hauvette CG, Minnaar JC, Lamini PJ, Lourens EJ
2021 √ √ 51 10
(unpubl.)
DFFE = Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, South Africa
√ breeding occurred but numbers unknown

decreases to the south, where a sandy beach joins the also breed at Robberg Peninsula (Minnaar et al. 2001)
main peninsula to a rocky outcrop known as The Island and numbers where available are shown on the above
(Die Eiland). table.
Conservation status: The Robberg Peninsula is con-
served as CapeNature’s Robberg Nature Reserve and Ma- Keurbooms Lookout Beach, Plettenberg Bay
rine Protected Area. Author: M Witteveen
Species breeding: Cape Cormorant, White-breasted Cor- Coordinates: 34.04781 S;23.37808 E
morant, Kelp Gull. Description: A peninsula-like beach with one border on
Notes: Initiation of breeding by Cape Cormorants at Rob- the Keurbooms Estuary and the other on the Indian Ocean
berg Peninsula was associated with a shift to the south that forms part of the Keurbooms River mouth.
and east in the distribution of this species off South Africa Conservation status: Not protected.
(Crawford et al. 2016). Species breeding: Kelp Gull
Field rangers have often found remnants of Cape Cor- Numbers breeding: The following table shows maximum
morant carcasses that were hunted and eaten by Caracal numbers (pairs) of Kelp Gulls, African Black Oystercatchers,
(Caracal caracal) on the east of the peninsula, above the and White-fronted Plovers (Charadrius marginatus)
Cape Fur Seal (Arctocephalus p. pusillus) colony. In April breeding at Keurbooms Lookout Beach, 1976-2021.
2024, Cape Cormorants were building nests and laying
eggs in the seal colony (CGH pers. obs.).
African Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus moquini)

The steep cliff (foreground) of the Western Head site where Cape
Cormorants have bred and (behind) the cliff used by White-breast-
Cormorants breeding at the Coney Glen stack (photo RM Randall) ed Cormorants (DG Allan in litt., photo RM Randall)

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