Current view: Text account
Site description (2003 baseline):
Site location and context
The Gulf of Montijo Wetlands includes mangroves (21,000 ha) and adjacent areas along the San Pablo, San Pedro, Punuga, Suay, Tebario, and Angulo Rivers, and the Caté, San Andrés, Cañazas, and Boca de Trinidad Estuaries. Leones, Papagaro, and Verde Islands in the bay are also included, with the high point (194 m) on Leones. Much of the area is accessible by road or small boat.
There has been a recent record of Yellow-billed Cotinga from the area, and a population probably occurs. The Gulf of Montijo is an important wintering area for some species of migratory shorebirds. Although total numbers are not large, it contained 21.7% of national totals of Whimbrel, 10.4% of Short-billed Dowitcher, and 9.9% of Willet on counts in January 1993 (Morrison et al. 1998). Several nationally threatened species are also found, including Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, and Muscovy Duck (Delgado 1985a, Rodríguez 1996).
Non-bird biodiversity: Panamanian Spiny Pocket Mouse, Neotropical River Otter, and American Crocodile occur (Delgado 1985a).
The bay contains extensive areas of mangroves, as well as approximately 3,200 ha of tidal mudflats. Most of the area surrounding the mangroves has been cleared for cattle, rice, and subsistence agriculture, but there is also some secondary forest and scrub.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The area is threatened by cutting of mangroves for wood and fuel and uncontrolled hunting, especially of ducks. Contamination by pesticides and other agricultural chemicals from nearby rice fields is also likely to be a problem. There are no facilities for tourism.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
None known.
The Gulf of Montijo was declared an Internationally Important Wetland under the Ramsar Convention in 1994. However, there are no park guards assigned to the area.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Golfo de Montijo Wetlands (Panama). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/golfo-de-montijo-wetlands-iba-panama on 23/11/2024.
