Parita Bay (19286)
Panama, Central America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Bahía de Parita
Central coordinates: Latitude: 8.1333, Longitude: -80.4667
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 473.51612
Protected area coverage (%): 12.06
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This IBA includes approximately 15,000 ha of tidal mudflats in the Bay of Parita, from just south of Antón, Coclé, in the northeast to the La Villa River near Chitré, Herrera in the southwest. In some places the mudflats extend as much as six km offshore. It also includes adjacent on-shore areas, including mangroves near the mouth of the Río Grande Mangroves, wetlands near Aguadulce and Chitré, and three protected areas, the Cenegón del Mangle Wildlife Refuge, Sarigua National Park, and the Peñón de Honda Wildlife Refuge. Major rivers entering the bay include the Hondo, Grande, Pocrí, Santa María, Parita and La Villa.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: Parita Bay is the second most important site for migratory shorebirds in Panama after the Upper Bay of Panama. The maximum one day count was 14,010 in October 1991, of which 10,676 were small shorebirds (Morrison et al. 1998). If turnover is taken into account, an estimated 39,000 small shorebirds pass through on autumn migration. Nationally, the area is particularly important for Short-billed Dowitcher, with 62.0% of the total in January 1993. Other significant species, with percent of national totals in January 1993, include Willet (6.4%) and Whimbrel (7.4%); (Morrison et al. 1998). The area is the only known breeding site for Black-necked Stilt in Panama. There are important heron and wader nesting colonies at El Rosario, Cenegón del Mangle, and the Chitré area. Several nationally threatened species occur, including Aplomado and Peregrine Falcons and the endemic Panama races of White-winged Dove and Common Ground-Dove. Non-bird biodiversity: American Crocodile occurs (Delgado 1985). Neotropical River Otter may also occur.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: There are extensive areas of mangroves near the mouth of the Río Grande, at Cenegón de Mangle, and in the Chitré area and other areas along the coasts. Inland, the site includes freshwater and brackish wetlands and agricultural land including rice plantations, subsistence agriculture, and cattle pasture. There are extensive areas devoted to shrimp farming near Aguadulce and Chitré. There were formerly large salt ponds near Aguadulce, but these operations are now much reduced. Cover in non-agricultural areas consists mainly of dry scrub.
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | nature conservation and research | rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 16 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 16 | |
| Shrubland | 5 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 16 | |
| Marine Neritic | 16 | |
| Forest | 16 | |
| Artificial - Aquatic | 16 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The mangroves are threatened by extraction for wood, tannin, and charcoal, and by conversion to shrimp ponds. Much of the former freshwater wetlands of the area has been converted to rice. Although mangroves are considered state property and protected by law, there is little enforcement. Illegal hunting is a threat to gamebirds such as ducks. Pesticides and other agricultural chemicals used in agricultural areas could be detrimental to birds. Local residents have protested to ANAM and other agencies over crop-dusting too close to habitations. In 1999 a local rice farmer deliberately poisoned at least 1,000 ducks by spreading poisoned rice to protect his crop. Garbage has been dumped into or adjacent to wetlands in some areas.
Additional information
References: Angehr, George R. 2003. Directorio de areas importantes para aves en Panama. Directory of important bird areas in Panama. Panama: Sociedad Audubon de Panama. Delgado, Francisco. 1985. Panama. in: Scott, Derek A. and Montserrat Carbonell (compilers). A Directory of Neotropical Wetlands, IUCN, Cambridge, U.K., pp. 420-438. Morrison, R. I. G., R. W. Butler, E. S. Delgado, and R. K. Ross. 1998. Atlas of Nearctic shorebirds and other waterbirds on the coast of Panama. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa. Ridgely, Robert S., and John A. Gwynne. 1989. A Guide to the Birds of Panama (Second Edition). Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Wetmore, Alexander. 1965. The Birds of the Republic of Panama. Part 1. Tinamidae (Tinamous) to Rhynchopidae (Skimmers). Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. Wetmore, Alexander. 1968. The Birds of the Republic of Panama. Part 2. Columbidae (Pigeons) to Picidae (Woodpeckers). Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. Wetmore, Alexander. 1973. The Birds of the Republic of Panama. Part 3. Passeriformes: Dendrocolaptidae (Woodcreepers) to Oxyruncidae (Sharpbill). Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. Wetmore, Alexander, Roger F. Pasquier, and Storrs L. Olson. 1984. The Birds of the Republic of Panama. Part 4. Passeriformes: Hirundinidae (Swallows) to Fringillidae (Finches). Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.