Data Zone
Country/territory: Cuba
IBA criteria met: A1, A2, A3 (2008)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 16,930 ha
Site description (2008 baseline)
Mil Cumbres IBA embraces a complex landscape within the
municipalities of Los Palacios, La Palma and Bahía Honda, in
Pinar del Río province. The landscape comprises agricultural
plains, karst valleys, mojotes, slate cliffs, sinkholes, sulphur
springs and hills, and includes the Sierra de los Órganos, Sierra
del Pan de Guajaibón, and the Cajálbana Plateau. The IBA
protects an important aquifer and the catchment areas of the
San Marcos and San Diego rivers.
Key biodiversity
This IBA supports 32 biome-restricted species, 15 of which are
Cuba endemics and 11 globally threatened birds. The
Endangered Blue-headed Quail-dove Starnoenas cyanocephala,
Giant Kingbird Tyrannus cubensis, and Gundlach’s Hawk
Accipiter gundlachi occur and the area is particularly important
for the Vulnerable Fernandina’s Flicker Colaptes fernandinae,
and Near Threatened Painted Bunting Passerina ciris, Cuban
Solitaire Myadestes elisabeth, and Plain Pigeon Patagioenas
inornata.
Non-bird biodiversity: The herpetofauna includes the Critically Endangered frog Eleutherodactylus symingtoni and other Pinar del Río endemics Anolis vermiculatus and A. bartschi. Mammals include the hutias Mysateles prehensilis and Capromys pilorides, and 10 bat species. Two locally endemic freshwater fish are also present. Of a flora with 1,143 species, 52 are endemic to Cajálbana and 24 to Sierra de la Güira.
Acknowledgements
Authors:HIRAM GONZÁLEZ, ARTURO KIRKCONNELL
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mil Cumbres (Cuba). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mil-cumbres-iba-cuba on 22/11/2024.