Neotropical Birdwatching | Small group birdwatching holidays

Small group birdwatching holidays

Our small group birdwatching holidays have been designed by birdwatchers for birdwatchers, and they visit places that first and foremost produce the best birdwatching experiences. We have further refined them so that they fit well together to build a near-comprehensive coverage of the region’s birds, with little duplication. They cover different areas of endemicity and survey a good range of microhabitats within each region, making for long lists and enjoyably varied birding.

They also make it easy for birdwatchers new to the neotropics to start in the right way, and move on progressively to build up their knowledge, their birding skills and their lists.

Much can be achieved from comfortable lodges with a minimum amount of time lost to travelling. Most of our itineraries fit this description—only for the advanced trips does comfort have to be sacrificed. We also see a lot of general wildlife in most areas, and enjoy the many wonderful locations that our interest in birds takes us to—from Machu Picchu in Peru and the Lost World in Venezuela, to Rio de Janeiro and Havana.

We have divided them into three levels, so you can choose the tour that suits you best and plan future trips in a logical progression.

Level 1: Starting in the neotropics

These introductory trips introduce newcomers to the complexities of neotropical birding. They help identify the major families and the commoner species within each group. Each trip has a substantial biological element with plenty of time to observe courtship rituals, nesting behaviour and feeding strategies, and to understand the key habitats and relationships between wildlife and environment. This will build into a basic understanding of the birdlife of the neotropics that will transfer to other locations throughout the region. ‘Introducing Brazil’s Atlantic Rain Forest’ focuses on a single ecosystem, while ‘The Birds of Costa Rica’ covers a wide range of habitats typical of the neotropics with a minimum of distance travelled.

• Introducing Brazil's Atlantic Rain Forest

• The Birds of Costa Rica

Level 2: Classic neotropical birdwatching experiences

These tours feature the best known species and the best known regions of the neotropics and are designed to achieve long lists while staying in reasonably good accommodation in enjoyable locations. Targeted species are generally those that are considered spectacular: from brightly coloured Cotingas to the magnificent Harpy Eagle and Macaws at clay licks in the Amazon. General wildlife, particularly mammals, features highly in many of the locations visited—often also with spectacular scenery.

For those developing a neotropical specialism these tours build on the basic knowledge and field skills introduced in the Level 1 trips. They deepen appreciation of the variety of species within these huge families and help to gain a familiarity with their complex vocalisations. We will see the patterns of migration within South America and gain experience of the shyer species such as Antpittas and Tapaculos.

• Macaws and Machu Picchu

• The Birds of Venezuela

• The Birds of Northern Ecuador

• The Birds of Peru's Amazonia

• The Birds of Southeast Brazil

• The Birds of Cuba

• The Birds of Bolivia

Level 3: Birdwatching expeditions

These are highly focused tours arranged to target species and groups of species restricted to specialised habitats and regions. Levels of comfort depend on the nature of the region being visited and are secondary, within reason, to the birding objectives. The more remote the region, of course, the greater the excitement as one has the added knowledge that few have gone before. On these trips the primary objective is to see the full range of regional endemics and while the commoner species are also dealt with, they play second fiddle to the specialities.

• Exploring Northern Peru

• Exploring Eastern Venezuela

• Exploring Northeast Brazil

Extensions

One of the advantages of birding with a full-service travel company that specialises in Latin America and the Caribbean is that you can add extra days before or after your trip— perhaps for more birding, to see the sights, visit other parts of the country, or relax on the beach.

Take a look at some suggestions here.

Non-birding partners

On some tours we can also make special arrangements for friends, partners and even kids travelling with you but not joining the birding group itself.

International Flights

For each trip we nominate particular outward and return international flights that fit the dates of each holiday well. You can book those flights through us at a reasonable price, or elsewhere if you prefer (e.g. to take advantage of air miles).

You can choose a different flight if you wish, e.g. to fly from a regional airport, arrive early or add a few extra days at the end of your trip.

The tour price includes being met at the airport off any flight arriving by a specified time on Day 1 and the transfer to the first night’s hotel.