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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2003 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 List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	VU	winter (1988–1997)	3,270 birds	A4i
Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus	LC	winter (1988–1997)	30,000 birds	A4i
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus	LC	winter (1988–1997)	5,844 birds	A4i
Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla	NT	winter (1997)	165,000 birds	A4i
Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri	LC	winter (1997)	1,091,000 birds	A4i
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus	VU	winter (1988–1997)	6,273 birds	A4i
Willet Tringa semipalmata	LC	winter (1988–1997)	10,841 birds	A4i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (1988–1997)	1,000,000-2,499,999 birds	A4iii

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2003. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.

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

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Climate change and severe weather	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Pollution	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	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

The Local Conservation Group(s) listed below are working to conserve this IBA.

Name	Year formed
Amigos del Ambiente	2005
Junta Local de Oquendo	2005

For more information on BirdLife's work with Local Conservation Groups, please visit Spotlight on local empowerment.

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal	46
Forest	37	Mangrove
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Artificial/Terrestrial	minor (<10)

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	major (>10)
fisheries/aquaculture	major (>10)
rangeland/pastureland	major (>10)
nature conservation and research	major (>10)
tourism/recreation	minor (<10)
urban/industrial/transport	minor (<10)

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