BirdLife IBA Factsheet

Country/Territory

Guatemala

Administrative region(s)

Chimaltenango, Escuintla, Quetzaltenango, Quiché, Sololá, Suchitepéquez, Totonicapán

Central coordinates

14^o 43' North 91^o 15' West Map

Area

276869 ha

Altitude

500 - 3500m

Criteria

A1, A2, A3

Site description Atitlan is located in the Guatemalan volcanic belt and includes Lake Atitlan, volcanoes San Pedro, Toliman, and Atitlan, as well as Cerro Tecpan and the conifer forests around Totonicapan. This IBA ranges in elevation from 500 to 3500 m.

Birds More than 320 bird species have been recorded in Atitlan. The area is important for range-restricted birds of the North Central American Highland (20 species reported) and the North Central American Pacific slope (2 species), and for biome-restricted species of the Madrean Highlands (47 species) and the Pacific Arid Slope (5 species). The site supports populations of four threatened species, Horned and Highland Guan (Oreophasis derbianus and Penelopina nigra), Pink-headed Warbler (Ergaticus versicolor), and Azure-rumped Tanager (Tangara cabanisi) (Méndez 2000, Eisermann 2006, Eisermann et al. 2006, González García et al. 2006, Eisermann & Avendaño 2006, Rivas Romero 2006, Eisermann et al. 2007) Lake Atitlán supported once a small population of the now extinct Atitlan Grebe (Podilymbus gigas) (Hunter 1988).

Protection status About 50% of the IBA are legally protected (CONAP 2007). The surroundings of Lake Atitlan are included in a multiple use protected area. A management plan for this reserve has been released in 2007. A network of private nature reserves and several municipal parks are a stronghold for the conservation of high-elevation habitat >1600 m.

Conservation issues About 150 years ago began the establishment of coffee plantations, which caused an extensive loss of habitat for species like Azure-rumped Tanager and Highland Guan, which are now considered threatened. However, today several of the enterprises are strongly involved in conservation of remaining forests and also in reforestation. Current threats to bird populations of conservation concern include forest fires, illegal hunting and logging, an advancing agricultural border, and natural disasters (major landslides) caused by deforestations (Villalobos & López 2002, ParksWatch 2002, Castellanos et al. 2002, Ríos 2003, CEPAL 2005, Girón 2006).

Recommended Citation BirdLife International (2009) Important Bird Area factsheet: Atitlan, Guatemala. Downloaded from the Data Zone at http://www.birdlife.org on 30/7/2010