Annotated checklist of the birds (Aves) of Cerro Hoya National Park, Azuero Peninsula, Panamá

Abstract

Protected only by the extreme ruggedness of its terrain, the montane regions of Cerro Hoya National Park are among the least biologically known regions of Central America. Here we provide a checklist of 225 bird species recorded from five expeditions to the region over the last 18 years, which represents lower species richness than many comparable areas in Panama and lower Central America. However, we recorded nine IUCN globally threatened species, three species with range extensions over 150 km to the southern Azuero Peninsula, and at least two previously unknown bird taxa. These facts suggest that our list of montane taxa from Cerro Hoya may be incomplete, and that this region represents one of the most important—and neglected—protected areas in Panama.