Page 569 - Atlas Sea Birds Ver1

Table 1: Estimates of numbers of Damara Terns (pairs) breeding at South African sites, 1980–2021. ‘√’ signifies that breeding occurred at
a site but the numbers were not ascertained; ‘?’ that breeding may have taken place
De Hoop Old
Alexander Port Oubeep Blou Dreyers Karas Brand- Struis Nature Cape Abalone Dunes Schelm- Alexandria
Year Bay Nolloth Soutpan Pan Pan Pan fontein Bay a Reserve Recife Farm, east of hoek Dunefields
diggings Pan Coega
west coast Coega
1980 14
1983 1
1990 20 c. 2 1
1991 15–20
1992 8 15–20
1993 8 15–20
1994 5 15–20
1995 √ 5 3 2 2 2 4
1996 6 11–13
1997 11–13
1998 11–13
1999 11–13 1? 1
2000 11–13
2001 11–13 1–4
2002 11–13
2003 1?
2005 2
2006 10
2007 √ 10 3
2008 3–5 10+
2009 0 5 20
2010 6 2–3
2011 ? 4 3–4 1
2012 0 0 6 5 0
2013 0 0 5 2 1
2014 0 0 4 0 0
2015 0 0 0 0 0 1 10–12 9–10
2016 0 0 0 0 0 1 4–6 3–6 12
2017 0 0 2 2 0 1 1 9–10
2018 0 0 2 1 2 0 0 4 0 0 2 1 18–19 5–24
2019 3-5 0 13–22 8–25
2020 5 0 17–33 9
2021 9 3 11–17 1–34
a 5 pairs were breeding at Struis Bay in December 2022 (BMD unpubl.)

In Namibia, in 2015 the Damara Tern was regarded 2021). Information updated since that finding suggested
as Near Threatened (Simmons et al. 2015). In South that the correct classification of Damara Terns in South
Africa, in 2015 Damara Terns were classified as Critically Africa is Endangered. Similarly, a recent assessment of
Endangered, based on a population size of < 250 mature Damara Terns in Namibia and Angola suggested that
individuals and an estimated continuing decline of at least the species should also be regarded as Endangered in
25% within one generation (Simmons 2015). However, those countries, which border the northern portion of the
although the population size remains < 250 mature Benguela ecosystem (Braby et al. 2024).
individuals, the rate of decrease has now slowed to just
less than 25% in 1G. Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas
In 2021, IUCN revised its global classification of the
Damara Tern from Vulnerable (VU) in 2016 and 2018 to Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) are identified
Least Concern (LC). This was based upon a range that did through the use of specific criteria. Criterion A1 is that
not approach the threshold for VU under the range size ‘the site is known or thought regularly to hold significant
criterion, a population size which (although small) did not numbers of a Globally Threatened species’ (BirdLife
approach the threshold for VU under the population size International 2020). Guidelines for the application of IBA
criterion (< 10,000 mature individuals with a continuing criteria recommend that to meet A1, ‘a site must support: at
decline estimated to be > 10% in ten years or three least 15 individuals (the equivalent of 5 Pairs/Reproductive
generations, or with a specified population structure) and Units) of a Critically Endangered or Endangered species
a population trend that did not approach the threshold for with a global population of > 1,500 individuals’ (BirdLife
VU under the population trend criterion (> 30% decline International 2020). In view of this, and given that the
over ten years or three generations, BirdLife International species’ minimum population is c. 773 pairs (Table 2), or

563