Tucked between busy roadways and the expanding edges of Panama City lies an unexpected sanctuary—one of the most bird-rich wetlands in the region. Known informally as the Ammo Dump Ponds, this series of shallow freshwater pools and marshy thickets sits near the entrance of the former U.S. Canal Zone military installations, now part of the reverted Soberanía National Park buffer zone. Despite its industrial past, the site has blossomed into a magnet for wildlife and a favorite among local birders.

What makes the Ammo Dump Ponds remarkable is their diversity in such a compact area. Within just a few hundred meters, birders can observe species typical of freshwater marshes, forest edges, and open savanna. Wattled Jacanas tiptoe across floating vegetation, Purple Gallinules gleam like jewels among the reeds, and Anhingas spread their wings to dry in the early morning sun. Overhead, swallows and swifts dart through the sky, while the surrounding forest echoes with the calls of toucans, trogons, and manakins.

Migratory birds like the Yellow Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, and Bay-breasted Warbler can also be spotted during the right season, adding flashes of color and energy to the already vibrant landscape.

These ponds are not natural, but were formed by drainage and excavation related to nearby military activities. Over time, nature reclaimed the area, and it now serves as an accidental wetland teeming with biodiversity. Their presence illustrates the resilience of tropical ecosystems and how even marginal, human-made environments can evolve into vital habitats.

Local conservationists and researchers continue to monitor the site, noting the importance of preserving these unassuming wetlands not just for birds, but for amphibians, reptiles, and even the occasional caiman. For those exploring the Gamboa area or birding along Pipeline Road, a stop at the Ammo Dump Ponds is essential—a reminder that in Panama, nature always finds a way to return.

Sources:

• Birds of Panama: A Field Guide by George R. Angehr and Robert Dean

• Checklist data and field reports from eBird.org

• Personal observations from Ammo Dump Ponds, Gamboa, Panama

• Conversations with local birders and guides from the Gamboa region

Photo credits: Luis Camargo.

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