Page 570 - Atlas Sea Birds Ver1

Table 2: Estimates of minimum and maximum numbers of Damara Terns (pairs) breeding in Angola, Namibia and at South African sites in
2010 (Braby 2011, based on estimates up until 2010) and of minima in 2018–2021. Information for Angola in 2009 is from Braby (2011),
for Namibia in 2021 from Braby et al. (2024) and for South Africa in 2018 and 2019 from Table 1. The period of the most recent estimate
is colour coded to indicate its age: yellow for the 2000s, green for 2010s/20s. Breeding sites that meet the IBA criterion for holding at
least five pairs of an EN species are highlighted with grey shading. In 2022, five pairs bred at Struis Bay (BMD unpubl.), so that site also
qualified as an IBA
2010 2018-2021
Site
Minimum Maximum Minimum Year % of total
Angola total 15 30 6 2009 0.78
Namibia total 930 2347 715 2021 92.50
Alexander Bay 15 30 0 2018 0.00
Port Nolloth Pan 7 10 0 2018 0.00
Oubeep Pan 3 6 2 2018 0.26
Blou Pan 1 2018 0.13
Dreyers Pan 2 20 2 2018 0.26
Karas Pan 2 16 0 2018 0.00
Brandfontein 2 10 0 2018 0.00
Struisbay 11 13 4 2018 0.52
De Hoop Nature Reserve west coast 2 10 0 2018 0.00
Cape Recife 1 1 0 2018 0.00
Old Abalone Farm 3 5 9 2021 1.16
Dunes east of Coega 3 2021 0.39
Schelmhoek 14 2021 1.81
Alexandria Dunefields 17 25 17 2021 2.20
Total South Africa 65 146 52 6.73
Overall total 1010 2523 773 100

at least 1,546 breeding adults and so > 1,500 individuals, Eastward movement of Damara Terns
should the Damara Tern be reclassified as Globally
Endangered, all sites holding ≥ five pairs would be The shift to the southeast in the breeding distribution of
considered IBAs. There are four such sites in South Africa: Damara Terns in South Africa accords with similar recent
Struis Bay beach (Table 1), Old Abalone Farm, Schelmhoek shifts of several other seabirds in the southern Benguela
Dunefields, and Alexandria Dunefields (Table 2), the last system and may be related to an altered marine climate
three of which are in Algoa Bay at the eastern edge of the (Crawford et al. 2015). Almost all of the Damara Tern
species’ breeding distribution (Figure 1). Between them, population was thought to migrate to the coastal waters of
they hold a minimum of 45 pairs, which is 87% of South West Africa during their non-breeding season (Hockey et
Africa’s population, and c. 6% of the global population al. 2005, Simmons 2015). Then, in 2018, 2019, 2020, and
(Table 2). Hence, it is critically important that these sites 2021, maxima of 29, > 100, 25, and 106 Damara Terns,
be afforded adequate protection. The mobile Struis Bay respectively, were observed at Rattray’s Point on the
colony is unprotected but would benefit from safeguarding San Sebastian Peninsula, near Vilanculos, Mozambique.
in the breeding season. Much of the Alexandria Dunefields Sightings of banded birds suggested they were from
are included in the Woody Cape Section of the Addo colonies in South Africa’s Eastern Cape (Allport et al.
Elephant National Park, although a portion of the Damara 2022). On 9 January 2022 a chick was banded with a
Tern colony is located on private land. The Schelmhoek metal ring (F13823) and a red flag CF at the Old Abalone
Dunefields are not within a Protected Area, although it is Farm, Eastern Cape. It was photographed at Rattray’s
located adjacent to Addo Elephant National Park (Martin Point on 18 June 2022 and later seen at Cape Recife
and Whittington 2024). Most of the Damara Tern nests at on 9 October 2022. Hence it completed a full migration
the Old Abalone Farm are within a 10 ha section of the to and from Mozambique. On 3 January 2022, an adult
Coega Open Space Management Plan (OSMP), designed was seen with a recently fledged young at the Kei River
to protect the colony from development. However, the Mouth (E Marais, pers. comm.) and two adult birds in
colony is moving northeast with the wind-driven dunes breeding plumage were seen at the Keiskamma Estuary,
and several nests now fall outside of the OSMP which Hamburg, on 31 January 2022 (Whittington 2022). These
is concerning as there is ongoing sand mining of the observations support the hypothesis of a recent change in
adjacent dunes and future developments are planned in the migration habits of birds from the Eastern Cape (Martin
the vicinity of the colony (Martin and Whittington 2024). 2019, Allport et al. 2022).

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