Page 67 - Atlas Sea Birds Ver1

2.2.3.2 Coastal breeding localities of seabirds between Ugab River

Mouth and Mile 4, Swakopmund

Authors: RJM Crawford, RJ Braby, J Braby, and DB Tom

Abstract:
Four species of seabird have bred at 22 localities along that portion of the coastal zone of the Dorob National Park (DNP), Namibia, that
extends from the Ugab River at the southern border of Skeleton Coast National Park (SCNP) to, but not including, Mile 4 Saltworks at the
north of Swakopmund. They were: Cape Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis), White-breasted Cormorant (P. lucidus), Kelp Gull (Larus
dominicanus) and Damara Tern (Sternula balaenarum). This chapter collates estimates of numbers of all species breeding at each locality.
Wooden platforms in Cape Cross Lagoon, from which seabird guano was harvested, provided important breeding habitat for nesting
by Cape and White-breasted cormorants. The most up-to-date estimates of Damara Terns suggest 122 pairs, or c. 16% of the global
population, bred in DNP in 2021/22.
Introduction:
Records exist of breeding by four species of seabird at 22 localities along that portion of the coastal zone of Dorob National Park (DNP),
Namibia, which extends from the Ugab River at the southern border of Skeleton Coast National Park (SCNP) to the north of Swakopmund
(excluding Mile 4 Saltworks at the north of Swakopmund). DNP was gazetted as a national park under the Nature Conservation Ordinance
No. 4 of 1975 on 1 December 2010 and sites falling within it are protected in terms of regulations promulgated for DNP. The species that
breed in this region are the same as those that breed in the coastal zone of SCNP: Cape Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis), White-
breasted Cormorant (P. lucidus), Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) and Damara Tern (Sternula balaenarum), except that Grey-headed Gull
(Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus) has not been recorded to bred in the region. The sites include a wrecked ship, three groups of wooden
platforms, which were erected at Cape Cross Lagoon to collect guano deposited by the two cormorant species (on which Kelp Gulls also
nested) and 18 locations where Damara Terns bred. The positions of these localities are shown in Figure 1.
Records of breeding are collated below with brief descriptions of localities. ‘√’ signifies breeding occurred at the locality but the numbers
were not ascertained. A short summary of methods used to obtain counts is given in the chapter ‘Introduction to Seabird Breeding
Localities’. The localities used by the cormorants and gulls are dealt with first and then followed by accounts of those used by Damara
Terns. In both instances, the localities are ordered from north to south.
Where data were available, the numbers of Damara Terns breeding in 2021/22 were estimated from Kolberg (2022), as the larger of
the count of pairs/nests (each fledgling seen was assumed to represent a pair) and an estimate of breeding pairs that was derived from a
relationship between approximately concurrent counts of numbers of pairs and adults (Braby et al. 2023).
In 1998, the Cape Cross Lagoon was considered a Namibian, southern African and globally Important Bird Area (Simmons et al.
1998). In addition to the seabirds, it hosts large numbers of other waterbirds, including Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), Greater
(Phoenicopterus ruber) and Lesser (Phoeniconaias minor) Flamingo, Chestnut-banded Plover (Chadarius pallidus) and other shorebirds
(Simmons et al. 1998).

Conservation status: Despite regulations promulgated for (Rand 1963). Cape Cormorants have nested on platforms
DNP, seabirds at some breeding sites may be subject to in the northern (21.8174; 14.0129 and 21.8235; 14.0188)
unintentional disturbance by humans. and central (21.8379 S; 14.0381 E) regions (Cooper et
al. 1982) and White-breasted Cormorants on platforms
1. Cormorant and gull breeding localities in all three regions (Brooke et al. 1982). Kelp Gulls have
bred on or in the vicinity of platforms in all three regions
Winston shipwreck, 10 km south of Durissa Bay (Crawford et al. 1982) and large numbers have roosted at
Coordinates: 21.27 S; 13.68 E the most southern of the northern platforms (Rand 1963)
Description: A shipwreck 10 km south of Durissa Bay that appears to be no longer used by cormorants. Lagoon
(Brooke et al. 1982) that has broken up since White- water is deepest in the central region (Rand 1963), so those
breasted Cormorants nested at it. platforms are best protected from mammal predators.
Species and numbers breeding: Additionally, fences running into the lagoon have been
White-breasted Cormorant constructed around some platforms. The platforms in the
Year No. of pairs southern region (21.8522 S; 14.0510 E) were incompletely
constructed and in close proximity to land on three sides in
1977 a 16 1963 (Rand 1963). They have since disintegrated and their
1979 a 27 scaffolds have become joined to land. Seabirds stopped
1980 a 28 breeding at this site in 2020 or earlier. The platforms were
built to encourage nesting and roosting of seabirds and
1981 a 32 deposition of guano (Rand 1963).
2007 b 0 Gevers (1936, cited by Cooper et al. 1982) noted
‘The lagoon is inhabited by thousands of flamingos and
a Brooke et al. (1982) hundreds of thousands of cormorants which roost on low
b RJM Crawford (unpublished record) islets in the lagoon and are the cause of the accumulation
of quantities of guano.’ A total of 200,000 short tons [c.
Cape Cross Lagoon 197,300 metric tons] of guano was removed from these
Description: islets between 1895 and 1903, but it was uncertain if the
A variety of low wooden platforms having a total area deposits were old or relatively new (Rand 1952, cited in
of 68,000 m are situated in three regions of the lagoon Cooper et al. 1982). Guano at the central platforms was later
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