• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

Site description (2003 baseline)
This site includes the peaks of El Montuoso (987 m), Cerros El Ñuco (866 m), Gato de la Peña (700 m), and Garanganos (686 m), and Loma del Cántaro (640 m) near the northern end of the cordillera that runs along the western side of the Azuero Peninsula. It contains the headwaters of the Villa River, flowing into Parita Bay, and the Mariato, Angulo, and Tebario Rivers, flowing into the Golfo de Mon-tijo. The reserve’s lowest points (c. 100 m) are on the Mariato and Tebario. It can be reached by dirt road via the town of Las Minas.

Key biodiversity
The globally threatened Brown-backed Dove and Three-wattled Bellbird occur. El Montuoso is one of four known sites for the former, the others being Coiba National Park, Cébaco Island, and Cerro Hoya National Park. The Bellbird is seasonally present and probably breeds. Two species of the Central American Pacific Slope EBA occur, Brown-backed Dove and Orange-collared Manakin.

Non-bird biodiversity: The fauna other than birds is poorly known. Coiba Howler, Central American Spider Monkey, Neotropical River Otter, Ocelot, and Jaguarundi have been recorded. Jaguar and Puma formerly occurred in the area but are very rare if still present. Panamanian Spiny Pocket-Mouse and Darien Harvest Mouse probably occur. There is no information about reptiles and amphibians but the frog Eleutherodactylus azueroensis could occur.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: El Montuoso Forest Reserve (Panama). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/el-montuoso-forest-reserve-iba-panama on 26/12/2024.