Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information The globally near-threatened Plumbeous Hawk, Harpy Eagle, Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle and Great Curassow have been recorded. It is likely that several endemics of the Darién Lowlands as well as additional threatened species also occur, since surveys of the avifauna are incomplete. The wetlands are important for migratory shorebirds, with a highest single-day count of 10,117 in February 1998 (Morrison et al. 1998). It is likely that the site might reach threshold levels for somes species at times, especially Whimbrel, but specific data is lacking.

Site description The Punta Patiño Nature Reserve, located on the southern side of the Gulf of San Miguel, includes the area of Punta Patiño and Punta Alegre and the lower valley of the Mogue River. The eastern border is formed by the Mogocénega River and the western by the Quebrada Metezuana and the Cordillera de Bernal. On its southern border, the reserve is contiguous with the Bagre Biological Corridor (31,175 ha), which forms a connection with Darien National Park. There are small settlements on the Mogue and Mogocénega Rivers and at Punta Alegre, and a road from the town of La Palma reaches Mogocénega.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Bagre	Biological Corridor	31,275	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Punta Patiño	Wetland of International Importance	13,198	protected area contained by site	13,805
Punta Patiño	Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar)	13,805	protected area contained by site	13,805

Habitats

Land use

Other biodiversity Mammals reported include Silky Anteater, Giant Anteater, Northern Naked-tailed Armadillo, Geoffroy's Tamarin, Western Night Monkey, Central American Spider Monkey, Capybara, Crab-eating Raccoon, Bush Dog, Ocelot, Margay, Jaguarundi, Puma, Jaguar and Baird's Tapir. American Crocodile also occurs (ANCON 1992).

Management considerations In the past there have been some conflicts with local residents regarding use of natural resources in the reserve.

Protection status The area is comprised of two former cattle ranches that were purchased by the conservation group ANCON and declared a private reserve in 1992. The Punta Patiño Wetlands, consisting of the tidal mudflats of the area and a thin fringe of coast, were declared a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar convention in 1994. The reserve overlaps with the Chepigana Forest Reserve (257,219 ha), created in 1984, but there are no park guards assigned to Chepigana.

Conservation response The conservation organization ANCON maintains the site as a private reserve. There is a small ecotourism facility on the coast.

References ANCON. 1992. Evaluación Ecológica Rápida: Punta Patiño. ANCON, Panamá. Angehr, George R. 2003. Directorio de areas importantes para aves en Panama. Directory of important bird areas in Panama. Panama: Sociedad Audubon de Panama. Morrison, R. I. G., R. W. Butler, E. S. Delgado, and R. K. Ross. 1998. Atlas of Nearctic Shorebirds and Other Waterbirds on the Coast of Panama. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Punta Patiño Nature Reserve and Wetlands. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/05/2013

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