HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS OF COASTAL BIRDS IN PANAMA

We compared the distribution of shorebirds, wading birds, and seabirds in coastal habitats along the entire Pacific and Atlantic coasts of P anama in January 1993. For all birds combined, the greatest densities occurred on mudflats with mangrove swamps adjacent to ocean-upwelling zones in the Bay of Panama. Median densities on mudflats with mangrove s were more than 26 times greater than on mudflats without mangroves, and more than 100 times greater than in habitats without mudflats and mangroves. Median density of shorebirds in sectors with mudflats and m angroves was more than 32 times greater than on mudflats without mangr oves, and more than 1,000 times greater than densities in habitats wit hout mudflats and mangroves. The respective median densities of seabir ds and wading birds were 16 and 3 times greater on mudflats with mangr oves than on mudflat without mangroves. We conclude that coastal water birds in Panama occur in greatest densities where a combination of geo morphological features and ocean upwelling lead to the formation of hi ghly productive, broad mudflats backed by mangroves.