Cerro Miramundo (20375)
Guatemala, Central America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B1
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Cerro Miramundo
Central coordinates: Latitude: 14.5090, Longitude: -90.1260
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1600 to 2700
Area of KBA (km2): 55.55191
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Cerro Miramundo is an isolated cloud forest site in southern Guatemela, ranging in elevation from 1600 to 2700 m.
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: Cerro Miramundo is important for biome-restricted species of the Madrean Highlands (18 species recorded). The site supports a small population of the globally threatened Pink-headed Warbler (Ergaticus versicolor) (Valdez et al. 1999). The site is expected to be important for a large number of species restricted to the North Central American Highlands; because of data deficiency the site does currently not apply under the criterion of importance for range-restricted species. Some species records from a rapid assessment (Valdez et al. 1999) are the only recent data available for this IBA.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: About 57% of the IBA is covered with mixed and broadleaf forest, and 43% of the area are used for agriculture: coffee plantations occupy 16% of the IBA, corn fields 5%, secondary growth scrub 16%, and pasture 1% (MAGA 2006).
Land use: agriculture (42%) | hunting | not utilised | rangeland/pastureland (1%) | urban/industrial/transport (1%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 21 | |
| Forest | 57 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 22 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Natural habitat is threatened by an advancing agricultural border, forest fires, unsustainable use of forest resources.
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) Valdez, O. I., D. E. Marroquín, R. E. Orellana, S. G. Pérez, K. J. Sandoval, L. Villar, C. V. Godínez, M. E.Acevedo, J. E. Morales & L. E. Reyes. 1999. Fauna en peligro de extinción de Guatemala: inventarios rápidos para la conservación. Informe final (noviembre). Centro de Estudios Conservacionistas, Univ. San Carlos, Guatemala.
Contributors: The Museum of Natural History Jorge Ibarra hosted a workshop to identy IBA in Guatemala Citi in June 2006. This first assessment of IBAs in Guatemala was conducted by Sociedad Guatemalteca de Ornitología and BirdLife International in the Americas.