Threatened birds of the Darién highlands, Panama: A reassessment

Abstract

The montane forests of the Darién highlands in eastern Panama and adjacent Colombia embrace the entire ranges of 11 species of bird. By calculating the area which each of these species occupies, a reassessment of their status (using the new IUCN criteria) shows that four should be added to the globally threatened list, on the basis of their ranges being less than 100 km2. Although the area which these birds occupy is protected within national parks, a number of threats appear to be compromising their long-term survival, and thus the Darién region urgently requires further conservation attention.