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The site was identified as important in 2021 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Grey Gull Larus modestus	LC	non-breeding	2016-2021	500-3,000 individuals	A4, B3a
Belcher's Gull Larus belcheri	LC	resident	2016-2021	150 individuals	A4, B3a
Peruvian Tern Sternula lorata	EN	breeding	2016-2021	20 individuals	A1, A4, B3a

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2021) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2021. The most recent assessment (2021) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Marine Intertidal	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	very high
Pollution	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Transportation and service corridors	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Some of site covered (10-49%)	No management planning has taken place	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	low

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Desert	Desert	major (>10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Desembocadura del Río Loa (Chile). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/desembocadura-del-río-loa-iba-chile on 27/11/2024.