Birding in Eastern Venezuela

Caracas

You are met at the airport and transferred to a seafront 3-4* hotel in nearby Macuto.

La Escalera

Fly to Puerto Ordaz and drive south to the La Escalera region below the Gran Sabana for 4 nights at Barquilla de Fresas, a birding lodge. There are Red-billed and Channel-billed Toucan in the garden.

Three full days for birdwatching at La Escalera for Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock, Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet, Sharpbill, Spangled Cotinga, Ruddy Tody-flycatcher, Fiery-shouldered Parakeet, White-chinned Saphire, Peacock Coquette, Velvet-browed Brilliant, White-tailed Goldenthroat, Red-banded Fruiteater, Scarlet-horned Manakin, Roraiman Antwren, Black Nunbird, Greater Flower-piercer, Guianan Red Cotinga, Dusky Purpletuft, Spotted Antpitta, Red-and-black Grosbeak, Orinocan Saltator, Crimson Topaz, Capuchinbird and Great Elaenia, and hear the ringing calls of White and Bearded Bellbirds. 23 of the 34 endemic pan-tepui birds can be found here. (Ask us about special birding trips to the tepuis themselves.)

Full day birdwatching.

Full day birdwatching.

Imataca Forest Reserve / Río Grande

A final early morning at the very productive La Escalera before heading north to the Imataca Forest Reserve (Río Grande), a wet tropical lowland rainforest at the edge of the Orinoco Delta. Stay 3 nights at a simple guesthouse, in El Palmar with private bathrooms.

Two full days for birding in the reserve, home to several spectaculars including Harpy Eagle, our main focus. You can also find Crested Eagle, Agami and Zigzag Herons, Red-fan Parrot, Grey-winged Trumpeter, Long-tailed Potoo, Golden-winged and Painted Parakeets, Paradise Jacamar, Waved Wood-pecker, Short-tailed Pygmy-tyrant, Rose-breasted Chat, Rufous-winged Antwren, White-bellied Antbird, Cinnamon Attila, Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper, Musician Wren, and Rufous-tailed Foliage-gleaner.

Another full days birding

A final morning’s birding in the forest before driving north to Maturín. Stay 2 nights at a 3* motel.

Caño Colorado

Early start to reach Caño Colorado for dawn. Spend the whole day birding this area on the edge of the Delta, for species characteristic of várzea forest, humid forest and woodland edge: Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Black Hawk-eagle, Green Oropendola, Black-dotted Piculet, Yellow-crowned Elaenia, Little Cuckoo, Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet, Swallow-wing, Velvet-fronted Grackle, Jet Antbird, Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, Groove-billed Ani, Chestnut Woodpecker, Red-billed, Black-Mandibled and Channel-billed Toucans, White-chested and Blue-tailed Emerald, Steely-vented and Copper-rumped Hummingbird and Blue-chinned Saphire. The road to Caño Colorado is impassable in the wet season (May–Oct), alternative sites are available.

A second morning’s birding Caño Colorado before driving to a lodge at Caripe, near Humboldt’s Guácharo Cave to see the Oilbird exodus at dusk.

Oilbirds and Caripe

Explore inside the cave to see most Oilbirds fast asleep on their ledges, while others shriek noisily. Bird the lush coffee and citrus plantations around Caripe for a wide range of possibles. Transfer to Claus Muller’s Finca Vuelta Larga for 3 nights.

Finca Vuelta Larga

Finca Vuelta Larga is a super birding base with Orange-winged Parrots, Ruby-topaz Hummingbirds, Black-throated Mango, White-tailed Goldenthroat, Cream-coloured Woodpecker, Cinnamon Attila and Crimson-hooded Manakin with wading birds such as Anhinga, Horned Screamer, Black-crowned Night-heron and night excursions for Potoos. From here you will also bird Cerro Humo on the Paria Peninsula which boasts four rare endemics: Scissor-tailed Hummingbird, White-throated Barbtail, Yellow-faced Redstart, Venezuelan Flower-piercer and the near endemic White-tailed Sabrewing.

A second full days birding.

Fly from Carúpano to Caracas for flights home.