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close| Location | Panama, Herrera |
| Central coordinates | 82o 39.00' West 8o 7.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A4i |
| Area | 7,500 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 15m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2007 |
Ornithological information The area contains the only known nesting site for Glossy Ibis in Panama. With at least 450 individuals in the area, the site exceeds 1% of the regional population. The nesting site, which is also used by herons and other aquatic birds, is at the Ciénaga del Rey, on private property near the town of Santa María. The area also contains several nationally threatened species, including various ducks, Aplomado Falcon, and the endemic Panama race of Common Ground-Dove. It is the only known breeding site in Panama for Fulvous Whistling-Duck and Killdeer (F. Delgado unpublished data).
Site description This site includes the Las Macanas Multiple-Use Area and surrounding agricultural areas. Las Macanas contains a small lake and associated marshes near the Santa María River between the towns of El Rincón and Paris.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus | breeding | 2005 | - | poor | A4i | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ciénega de las Macanas | Designation Not Known | 2,000 | protected area contained by site | 2,000 |
|
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | major | |
| Wetlands (inland) | major | |
| Grassland | minor |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | major |
| fisheries/aquaculture | minor |
| nature conservation and research | major |
| rangeland/pastureland | major |
| tourism/recreation | minor |
| water management | major |
Other biodiversity Neotropical River Otter and American Crocodile occur (Delgado 1985).
Management considerations Illegal hunting, especially of ducks, is a problem. Pesticide and agricultural chemical use in the agricultural areas could have detrimental effects on the birds and other wildlife.
Protection status The Las Macanas Multiple Use Area was established in 1996. Two park guards are assigned to the area. This protection category places few restrictions on use of the area beyond those on forest clearing and hunting that are applicable nationally. Crop dusting is prohibited andthe use of water for irrigation is regulated, but fishing and cultivation of areas that lack forest are permitted. Recently an observation tower and other facilities have been constructed to serve tourists visiting the area.
Conservation response None known.
References Angehr, George R. 2003. Directorio de areas importantes para aves en Panama. Directory of important bird areas in Panama. Panama: Sociedad Audubon de Panama. Angehr, George R. and James A. Kushlan. Seabird and colonial wadingbird nesting in the Gulf of Panama. Submitted to Waterbirds. Delgado, Francisco. 1985. Panama. in: Scott, Derek A. and Montserrat Carbonell (compilers). A Directory of Neotropical Wetlands, IUCN, Cambridge, U.K., pp. 420-438.
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Santa María Wetlands. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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