On November 9, 2018 the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) designated Bahia de Lobos as a site of regional importance. The bay located on the coast of Sonora is one of the places where the Bird Laboratory of the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur (UABCS) and Pronatura Noroeste conduct studies and conservation activities.
For some years, the Bird Laboratory – UABCS and Pronatura Noroeste have conducted monitoring in the area, which allowed us to update information and identify other key sites for birds. The registries from these censuses corroborate the importance of Bahia de Lobos as a wintering site on the Pacific migratory route, which is why the researchers submitted the proposal to the WHSRN international committee.
Andrea Cuellar Brito, Bird Conservation Coordinator for Pronatura Noroeste explained that the designation of the bay “helps to reinforce the actions in these places, since the migratory birds that visit them need them” to feed, rest, and reproduce.
The network evaluated the data provided and recognized BahIa de Lobos as a site of regional importance. Diego Luna Quevedo, WHSRN Conservation Specialist, said “Bahia de Lobos has been integrated into our network for sheltering more than 20,000 shorebirds each year, highlighting the presence of species like the Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus), the Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri), the Pacific Red Knot (Calidris canutus roselaari), and the Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa), among others.”
Since 1986, WHSRN has established categories to recognize the importance of sites used by shorebirds in their migratory routes and thereby promote conservation and research. In order for a site to adhere to a designation, it must comply with some characteristics related to the number of birds it houses annually or contain a certain percentage of the population of a species. With the inclusion of Bahía Lobos in the network, Mexico contains 19 of the 106 sites that make up the network.
In this regard, Roberto Carmona, Director of the UABCS Bird Laboratory and Pronatura Noroeste Associate Researcher said “this recognition is an indication that in the northwest of the country there are still important sites for shorebirds that have not been discovered; creating an up-to-date list of such sites is an essential step to properly channel conservation efforts.”
The team has identified and proposed several sites that are part of WHSRN. This designation helps strengthen conservation actions and secure more support to continue the activities in the location, said Cuellar Brito.
