Birds of the Isthmus of Panama
Introduction
The program covers a variety of habitats and the most spectacular birds of Panama. We begin with the Panama Canal Rainforests, where a phenomenal congregation of species are. You will be introduced to a variety of tropical bird families, such as trogons, toucans and puffbirds. We'll explore foothills areas where an interesting mix of colorful tanagers wait for us. Visit the Western Highlands of Panama in search of eccentric species, such as Resplendent Quetzals, Blue-throated Toucanet, Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher and more. These are full birding days led by a bilingual professional guide with good eyes and fully equipped. At slow pace there are opportunities to photograph birds. The extension to Darien is perfect for those looking to add Darien Lowlands specialties.
Central Panama
Day 1
Arrival to Panama City
You are met at the airport and driven to the hotel located at the Old Canal Zone. The place is in a nice area surrounded by nature and with easy access to the main bird spots of the Panama Canal Rainforest.
Night: Albrook Inn (Old Canal Zone)
Day 2
Pipeline road & Gamboa
This day your specialist leader will guide you through the famous Pipeline Road. We’ll go to a new observation tower, 100 feet’s above the Canopy, to admire the "roof" of the rainforest. From the treetops we’ll have spectacular views of some unique canopy birds, such as the Blue Cotinga. We'll walk the forests of Pipeline looking for Golden-collared Manakin and Slaty-tailed Trogon. We’ll help you to find and identify some of the tiniest ones, such as the Southern Bentbill. We’ll have lunch at the Visitor Center, surrounded by hummingbird feeders. In the afternoon we’ll explore several aquatic habitats around Gamboa, searching for Rufescent-Tiger-Heron and Yellow–tailed Oriole.
Night: Albrook Inn (Old Canal Zone) (B,L,D)
Day 3
Old Gamboa Road & Plantation Road
Explore another hot spot at the Canal Corridor, looking for Spectacled Owls and Blue-crowned Motmots. Scan the Summit Ponds for Amazon, Green, Ringed Kingfishers and nesting Boat-billed Herons. Bird walk under the evergreen forest of Plantation Road, there are possibilities to find army ant-swarms and many of the birds that follow these ants, such as Spotted Antbird, and Ocellated Antbird. Some other specialties of the Plantation Road include: Golden-crowned Spadebill, Olivaceous Flatbill, White-whiskered Puffbird and more. The rainforest of the Panama Canal are highly diverse, we go over the list every day!
Night: Albrook Inn (Old Canal Zone) (B,L,D)
Day 4
Metropolitan Nature Park & Drive to the Caribbean Side
With a list of 267 species, the Metro Park is the largest tropical forest park within the limits of a Latin American City, a good place to find birds of the Pacific forest of the Panama Canal. We’ll look for specialties like: the Panama endemic Yellow-green Tyrannulet (rare), Lance-tailed Manakin, Pheasant Cuckoo and
Rosy Thrush-Tanager. After lunch in a local restaurant, we’ll be driven to the Caribbean side of the Canal to spend 2 nights at the Sierra Llorona Ecolodge; this lodge has a 200 hectares reserve of pristine rainforest.
Night: Sierra Llorona Lodge (Caribbean Foothills) (B,L,D)
Day 5
Achiote Road – Atlantic side of the Panama Canal
We'll spend the day on the Western Caribbean bank of the Panama Canal. Along the Achiote Road, on the edge of the San Lorenzo National Park, we’ll search for Spot-crowned Barbet, Pied Puffbird, and White-headed Wren. At mid-morning we'll go to the Trogon Trail, a short loop under ever-wet forest to look for forest-interior birds, such as Chestnut-backed, Spotted, Bicolored and Ocellated Antbird. Several species of trogons could be found, like White-tailed Trogon, and Black-throated Trogon. Achiote is an important site for diurnal raptors. Skies should be watched for King Vulture, Gray-headed Kite and Hook-billed Kite. Lunch we’ll be at a community owned restaurant at Achiote.
Night: Sierra Llorona Lodge (Caribbean Foothills) (B,L,D)
Day 6
Sierra Llorona – Flight to the Highlands
Morning birding on the slopes of Sierra Llorona, the place is located 400m above sea level on the Caribbean slope, conditions are good to find some foothill tanagers such as Sulphur-rumped Tanager and Rufous-winged Tanager. The private trails of the reserve are good to find Syristes, Olive-striped Flycatcher, Olivaceous Flatbill and more. Sierra Llorona is an excellent place to find Owls, such as: Crested, Mottled and the Black and White Owl, also Common and Great Potoo; sometimes call right out from your window. Afternoon transfer to Panama City, to take our flight to the Western Highlands where we’ll spend 3 nights at the Hotel Dos Rios.
Night: Hotel Dos Rios - Chiriqui Highlands (B,L,D)
Chiriqui Highlands
Day 7
Volcan Baru National Park & Los Quetzales Trail
Find Resplendent Quetzals with the help of your specialist guide. The bird could be found eating the wild avocados and everyone will like to have the perfect photo. The Quetzal was the most sacred symbol of the Aztecs and Mayas. The name quetzal is an ancient Indian term for tail feather and the bird itself represents liberty. We should look also for Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher, Barred Becard, Black-faced Solitaire, Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch, Black-capped Flycatcher, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Ruddy Treerunner Blue-throated (Emerald) Toucanet and more. Continue birding around the area of Cerro Punta looking for more highland birds and endemics.
Night: Hotel Dos Rios - Chiriqui Highlands (B,L,D)
Day 8
La Amistad International Park
Visit to La Amistad International Park. This Park also known as PILA, is a World Heritage site and part of the Talamanca Mountain Range, a volcanic origin formation that congregates the highest concentration of endemic and threatened species in Panama, such as Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Yellow-thighed Finch, Collared Redstart, Flame-throated Warbler, Prong-billed Barbet and Wrenthrush (Zeledonia). Afternoon visit to Cielito Sur, a private reserve with a trail, that winds through hillside forest, passing several streams, providing an opportunity to see some of the highland bird species. Enjoy several sets of hummingbird feeders around the reserve where you can watch the White-throated Mountain Gem, Green Violet-ear, Snowy-bellied Hummingbird, Stripe-tailed Hummingbird, Scintillant Hummingbird, Green-crowned Brilliant and more.
Night: Hotel Dos Rios - Chiriqui Highlands (B,L,D)
Day 9
Volcan Lakes & Flight back to Panama City
The lakes near Volcán are very good to find species not found on the higher slopes of Cerro Punta. Some species include: Masked Duck and Northern Jacanas. Interesting birds of woodland areas such as Golden-winged Warbler, Olivaceous Piculet, Spotted Wood-Quail, Pale-breasted Spinetail and Collared Trogon could be found. After lunch, the small group we’ll go back to David to take the afternoon flight to Panama City.
Night: Albrook Inn (Old Canal Zone) (B,L,D)
Darien - Lowlands
Day 10
Darien Lowlands
Transfer to the Tocumen airport or continue
with the Darien extension. Depart in mini-bus from Panama City along the new Pan-American to Darien, stop for morning birding at the Bayano Lowlands, search for Darien specialties such as Rufous-winged Antwren, Black Antshrike, Orange-crowned Oriole, White-eared Conebill and Green-and-rufous Kingfisher; scan the edge of the Bayano Lake searching for Pied Water-Tyrant and Cocoi Heron, after lunch we’ll continue in route to the port, to take a 70 minutes boat ride deep into the Darien Lowlands, or final destination is a little Embera village located near the coast of Darién. In our way to we'll explore by boat the Black Mangroves looking for Capped Heron and more. We'll spend our nights at the village in a traditional hut raised on stilts above the ground.
Night: Embera Village (B,L,D)
Day 11
Darien Lowlands
This morning we'll go in search of the Harpy Eagle, the emergent trees of the Darien lowland rainforest are the habitat of this majestic raptor. The best way to get looks of the eagle is to find a juvenile on nest, with the help of the Emberas. Soaring Crested Eagles and Harpy Eagles are often seen around this area. Taking only small groups to observe these raptors on their nests, it'll help to protect this endangered bird against the threads of the new world. The Harpy Eagle won’t be a guarantee; the status of Active Nests sometimes changes. Some interesting birds of the forest includes: Golden-headed Manakin, Dull-mantled Antbird and Ornate Hawk-Eagle
Night: Embera Village (B,L,D)
Day 12
Darien Lowlands
We'll walk several trails around the village in search of some Darién specialties, such as Black Oropendolas, Bare-crowned Antbird, Gray-cheeked Nunlet, Red-rumped Woodpecker and more. Other typical birds of the zone are Red-throated Caracaras and Laughing Falcons. This Darien-Mogue area is perfect for those looking to find species from South American origins not found in the rest of Central America. Some other special birds of the area are: Barred Puffbird, Black-and-White Hawk-Eagle, Dull-mantled Antbird, Stripe-throated Wren, Moustached Antwren, Olive-backed Quail-Dove and more.
Night: Embera Village (B,L,D)
Day 13
Darien Lowlands
We'll have some time to learn more about the Embera Culture and the way they survive in the rainforest, before we take our boat out of the River. We'll leave our indigenous friends and we'll continue on our way back to Meteti and then to Panama City.
Night: Albrook Inn (B,L,D)
Day 14
Departure to Tocumen Airport - International Flight
Early morning birding around the hotel (if time permits) and transfer to Tocumen Airport (PTY) for international flight. (B)
TOUR DATES: March 8-17,2012 - 10 Days
PRICING: US$1950.00 per person for the 10 days / US$2645.00 per person for the 14 Days. Double occupancy.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: US$390.00
TOUR SIZE: 4-10 participants
WHAT'S INCLUDED: English speaking Birding guide, accommodations, meals (BLD), entrance fees to all sites we will be visiting, domestic flight to Chiriqui (round trip), transportation by mini-bus to Darien, motor boats (round trip), all touring and transfers in air-conditioned motor coach, checklist, all logistics.
NOT INCLUDED: International flights, personal services, including laundry, telephone, alcoholic drinks, gratuities etc.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Albrook Inn – 3 nights: located in the Old Canal Zone is comfortable, the place is next to forest and only 5 minutes from the Metropolitan Nature Park. Amenities: Private rooms with electricity plugs, full baths, hot water, wifi, laundry service, bar, restaurant, american full breakfast, nature trails and rainforest, etc.
Sierra Llorona Lodge - 2 nights: Beautiful lodge with nice views and located at 400m above sea level on the Caribbean Slope of the Canal. Amenities: Private rooms with electricity plugs, full baths, hot water, wifi, laundry service, bar, restaurant, american full breakfast, private reserve of 200 hectares of Rainforest with trails, etc.
Hotel Dos Rios – 3 nights: This nice hotel is located at Volcan at an elevation of 1500m. Amenities: Private rooms with electricity plugs, full baths, hot water, laundry service, bar, restaurant, american full breakfast, nature garden with birds etc.
For the Darien Extension: Accommodations could vary from Indigenous Communities to basic hotels to Basic Eco-Lodges; this will depend on many factors such as: Harpy Eagle locations, domestic flight availability and others.
Indigenous Communities: Sometimes we stay at indigenous Communities in this case the nights will be on private (Fully Screened tents with small mattresses) accommodated in a traditional hut, raised on stilts above the ground.
Albrook Inn or similar for the last nights in Panama City after coming back from the Chiriqui Highlands or Darien.
HOW TO BOOK: The complete registration form and payment terms will be sent once we start the planning process. A deposit of US$200 per person will be due to register for a trip. The balance of the trip price is payable 60 days before your trip start.
WALKING CONDITIONS: The path and trails are wide and flat around the Canal Area and Darien. The terrain is more broken on the Highlands but none of the bird walks will be strenuous.
EQUIPMENT: The tour leader will have a professional spotting scope; but if you have one, it's ok to bring it. The most important things to bring for the Panama birding tour are a pair of binoculars, a field guide and a camera with extra batteries. You should also bring sunglasses and sunscreen, a small flashlight or headlamp, small alarm clock, water bottle, camera, film and spare batteries and a small daypack.
ABOUT THE TOUR: The forest walks start early morning, the program is designed to maximize the number of species and reserves to be seen. However we won’t be in a rush, just to get numbers. The walks are at slow pace, this allows for bird and wildlife photography. We visit several private reserves, gardens and feeders where is easier to find many of the key species. The driving and the flights are scheduled during hot hours when the activity is slower. The afternoon plans allow for those who would like to have some rest, to do that at the lodges, at least for half of the program.
RECOMMENDED FIELD GUIDE
:
The Birds of Panama: A Field Guide by George R. Angehr.
This book has a Checklist on the back, good to study prior to arrival.
Upon your arrival we will provide you with a Checklist Booklet of the Birds of Panama.