Antigua Guatemala (20373)
Guatemala, Central America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1d, B1, B2
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Antigua Guatemala
Central coordinates: Latitude: 14.4747, Longitude: -90.7827
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 500 to 3900
Area of KBA (km2): 1377.72083
Protected area coverage (%): 18.85
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: IBA Antigua Guatemala is located in the Guatemalan volcanic belt, bordered in the west by the IBA Atitlan. The site ranges in altitude from 500 to 3900 m and includes the major volcanoes Agua, Fuego (active), and Acatenango, in the surroundings of the colonial town Antigua Guatemala, as well as the active volcano Pacaya to the southeast.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: IBA Antigua Guatemala is important for range-restricted species of the North Central American Highlands (15 species recorded) and for biome-restricted species of the Madrean Highlands (36 species). The site supports populations of three globally threatened species: Highland and Horned Guan (Penelopina nigra and Oreophasis derbianus), and Pink-headed Warbler (Ergaticus versicolor), according to recent bird records (Tenez 2005, Pérez 2006, González-García et al. 2006, Rivas Romero 2006, Eisermann & Avendaño 2007).
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Broadleaf, mixed, and conifer forest cover in the IBA has been reduced to 23%, 66% of the area is used for agriculture: coffee plantations cover 30% of the IBA, 14% corn fields, 6% sugar cane plantations, and 3% ornamental plants. About 11% are covered by secondary growth scrub (MAGA 2006).
Land use: agriculture (65%) | forestry | hunting | nature conservation and research (30%) | not utilised | rangeland/pastureland (1%) | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport (5%) | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 63 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 1 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 2 | |
| Forest | 23 | |
| Shrubland | 11 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: About 150 years ago began the establishment of coffee plantations, which caused an extensive loss of habitat for species like Highland Guan, which are now considered threatened. Bird populations are threatened by management deficiencies in protected areas, an advancing agricultural border, illegal logging and hunting, and forest fires.
Additional information
References: CONAP. 2007. Lista de áreas protegidas inscritas en el SIGAP. Consejo Nacional de Áreas Protegidas (CONAP), Guatemala. (Database accessed in June 2007) Eisermann, K. & C. Avendaño. 2007. Lista comentada de las aves de Guatemala - Annotated checklist of the birds of Guatemala. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. González-Garcia, F., Rivas Romero, R. A. & Cóbar Carranza, A. J. 2006. Horned Guan (Oreophasis derbianus). Pp. 36-41. In D. M. Brooks (ed.) Conserving Cracids: the most threatened family of birds in the Americas. Miscellaneous Publications of the Houston Museum of Natural Science 6. MAGA. 2006. Mapa de cobertura vegetal y uso de la tierra a escala 1:50,000 de la República de Guatemala, Año 2003 (Incluye 5 cultivos perennes actualizados al año 2005). Memoria técnica y descripción de resultados. Ministerio de Agricultura Ganadería y Alimentación –MAGA– / Unidad de Planificación Geográfica y Gestión de Riesgo –UPGGR–, Guatemala Ciudad, Guatemala. Pérez, E. S. 2006. Formulario de solicitud para el Establecimiento de una Reserva Natural Privada Finca Filadelfia, Aldea San Felipe, Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepéquez. Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza, Guatemala. (Unpublished document) Rivas Romero, J. A. 2006. Distribución actual y selección de sitios para el estudio y conservación del pavo de cacho (Oreophasis derbianus G. R. Gray 1844) en Guatemala (Fase III). The Nature Conservancy, Guatemala. (Unpublished report) Tenez, D. 2005. Aves del Volcán de Acatenango y Fuego. Consejo Nacional de Áreas Protegidas, Guatemala. (Unpublished report) Wilson, R. 2005. Annotated Bird List : Antigua Guatemala – Panchoy Valley (Guacalate-Pensativo drainage). (Unpublished document)
Contributors: Consejo Nacional de Areas Protegidas (CONAP) - Solola supported a workshop to identify IBAs in June 2006, hosted by University del Valle – Altiplano in Solola, and the Museum of Natural History Jorge Ibarra, hosted a workshop in Guatemala City in June 2006. Input of unpublished data and suggestions for the delimitation of the IBA were provided during these workshop by representatives of CONAP, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala - Altiplano, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Fundación para el Ecodesarrollo y la Conservación (FUNDAECO) - Huehuetenango, Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Alimentación de Guatemala (MAGA) - Sololá, Cuerpo de Paz, Municipalty of Tecpán, Autoridad para el Manejo Sustentable de la Cuenca del Lago Atitlán y su Entorno (AMSCLAE), Centro de Acción Legal – Ambiental y Social de Guatemala (CALAS), and Los Tarrales Nature Reserve. This first assessment of IBAs in Guatemala was conducted by Sociedad Guatemalteca de Ornitología and BirdLife International in the Americas.