Palo Verde Wetlands (20404)
Costa Rica, Central America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1e, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2025
National site name: Humedales de Palo Verde
Central coordinates: Latitude: 10.3490, Longitude: -85.3110
System: freshwater, terrestrial, marine
Elevation (m): 0 to 257
Area of KBA (km2): 361.34641
Protected area coverage (%): 79.13
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Palo Verde Wetlands is located in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica. It includes Palo Verde National Park and the wetlands in this KBA is a refuge for a high diversity of bird species. Tropical dry rainforest is another important habitat in the KBA. The elevation range is 0-257 m asl.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The site hosts the only known population of the Endangered tree species that meets criterion A1e, Eugenia paloverdensis. In addition, one bird species triggers criterion D1a. Three legacy bird species need to be reassessed under the current KBA criteria.
Manageability of the site: The manageability of the site has not been documented.
Delineation rationale: No delineation rationale is available.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 100 |
Additional information
Contributors: KBA originally identified using pre-existing criteria. Latest assessment of the KBA includes tree species completed by BGCI.