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

Site description (2003 baseline)
This IBA includes approximately 15,000 ha of tidal mudflats in the Bay of Parita, from just south of Antón, Coclé, in the northeast to the La Villa River near Chitré, Herrera in the southwest. In some places the mudflats extend as much as six km offshore. It also includes adjacent on-shore areas, including mangroves near the mouth of the Río Grande Mangroves, wetlands near Aguadulce and Chitré, and three protected areas, the Cenegón del Mangle Wildlife Refuge, Sarigua National Park, and the Peñón de Honda Wildlife Refuge. Major rivers entering the bay include the Hondo, Grande, Pocrí, Santa María, Parita and La Villa.

Key biodiversity
Parita Bay is the second most important site for migratory shorebirds in Panama after the Upper Bay of Panama. The maximum one day count was 14,010 in October 1991, of which 10,676 were small shorebirds (Morrison et al. 1998). If turnover is taken into account, an estimated 39,000 small shorebirds pass through on autumn migration. Nationally, the area is particularly important for Short-billed Dowitcher, with 62.0% of the total in January 1993. Other significant species, with percent of national totals in January 1993, include Willet (6.4%) and Whimbrel (7.4%); (Morrison et al. 1998). The area is the only known breeding site for Black-necked Stilt in Panama. There are important heron and wader nesting colonies at El Rosario, Cenegón del Mangle, and the Chitré area. Several nationally threatened species occur, including Aplomado and Peregrine Falcons and the endemic Panama races of White-winged Dove and Common Ground-Dove.

Non-bird biodiversity: American Crocodile occurs (Delgado 1985). Neotropical River Otter may also occur.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Parita Bay (Panama). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/parita-bay-iba-panama on 23/12/2024.