The Birds of Panama

Panama City

You are met at the airport on arrival and driven to a comfortable hotel in an interesting location: a former US base just across from the Miraflores Lock on the Panama Canal. Its grounds are great for birds

Pipeline Road

A full day on the very productive Pipeline Road with your local specialist birdwatching guide. Amongst a very long list look for Slaty-tailed Trogon, Cinnamon Woodpecker, and Chestnutbacked Antbirds, Black-faced Antthrush, Fasciated Antshrikes, White-flanked and Checker-throated Antwrens and Black-breasted and White-necked Puffbirds.

Metropolitan Natural Park

A full day birding Metropolitan park, mostly semideciduous forest, with a list of 200 species. Look for Rosy Thrushtanager, Lance-tailed Manakin, Slaty Antwren, Pheasant Cuckoo, and Panama endemic Yellow-green Tyrannulet.

Soberania NP

Early pick-up for a morning’s birding at and around Canopy Tower in Soberanía NP. Later continue towards the Caribbean for 2 nights at a waterfront property a short distance from the San Lorenzo National Park

Achiote Road

Full day birding the lovely Achiote Road to Fort Lorenzo for Caribbean lowland birds. The local Christmas Bird Count often reports over 340 species in a 24h period here. The many opportunities include Crested Oropendola, Collared and Slaty-backed Forest-Falcons, Plumbeous and Semiplumbeous Hawks, Hook-billed Kite, Band-tailed Barbthroat, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Ocellated Antbird, Olivaceous Flatbill, Black-tailed Trogon, Speckled Mourner, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Chestnut-mandibled Toucan and Spot-crowned Barbet.

Sierra Llorona & Miraflores Lock

Birding the forest around the lodge. Good for raptors, Pied Puffbird, Wide-headed Wren, Great Tinamou, Grey Hawk, Barred Forest-falcon, Gray-headed Chachalaca, Blue-headed Parrot, Brown-hooded Parrot, Shining Honeycreeper, Indigo Bunting, Blue Cotinga and Long Billed Starthroat. Afternoon visit to Miraflores Lock to see the Canal at work on huge ships that barely fit the double locks’ massive chambers, then to hotel beside the Canal’s Pacific entrance. The Gehry BioMuseo is close by.

Chiriquí Highlands

Morning flight to David in the Chiriquí Highlands. Bird mangroves near David for Yellow-billed Cotinga and Macho de Monte lakes area near Volcán for Masked Duck, Northern Jacana and other water birds. On to Los Quetzales Lodge at Guadalupe (6300ft), your base for 2 nights.

La Amistad National Park – Cerro Punta

Birding the Cerro Punta area with excellent chances of Resplendent Quetzal in the Jan-May nesting season, 25% otherwise. Apart from 10 species of humming-bird, look for Blue-throated Toucanet, Great Curassow, Black Guan, Collared Redstart and Yellow-thighed Finch.

Boquete

Day of birding on Barú Volcano in the La Amistad Park, switching to the western side of the volcano to stay at Finca Lerida, a coffee hacienda in Boquete for 3 nights.

Volcán Barú NP

Day of birding the eastern slopes of Barú Volcano from Boquete for further mid and high elevation species.

Palo Seco Forest Reserve

Early start, dropping down to the Palo Seco Forest Reserve on the Caribbean lowlands for the day. This is a good place for Rufous-winged Woodpecker, Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, Ashy-throated Bush-Tanager, Immaculate Antbird, and Olive-Back Euphonia as well as many warblers.

Birding in the grounds of your lodge in Boquete. Transfer to David for a mid-afternoon flight to Panama City for 2 nights.

Engineering or Nature

Decisions, decisions. On the one hand you could visit to Gatún Locks, continue across the isthmus to Colon and catch an afternoon train back alongside the Canal with views of the lake, the forest and the engineering. Or, at a supplementary cost (and depending on the day of the week), you could either make a ‘partial transit’ of the Canal itself, or visit the Smithsonian Institute’s tropical research centre at Barro Colorado Island.

Panama City

Transfer to the airport for your international flight home, or extend your trip to experience the birds of Burbayar.