Birds of the Isthmus of Panama
Introduction
This 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 ocurr. You will be introduced to a variety of tropical bird families, such as trogons, toucans and puffbirds. Also you will learn to identify an assortment of flycatchers. We'll move to the Cerro Azul foothills where an interesting mix of colorful tanagers wait for us. We explore the Western Highlands of Panama in search of eccentric species, such as Resplendent Quetzals, Three Wattled Bellbird, Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, Turquoise Cotinga and more. The program also includes, a short visit to the Panama Canal and scenic viewpoints. These are full day tours led by a bilingual professional bird guide with good eyes and fully equipped. At slow pace there are opportunities to photograph birds, butterflies or common wildlife. The extension to Darien is perfect for those looking to add Darien Lowlands specialties .
Central Panama
Day 1
Upon arrival to the Tocumen International airport in Panama City you will be met by your guide to be transferred to your hotel for an explanation of the bird itinerary, and delivery of the checklist of the birds of Panama.
Night: Canal Area
Day 2
Pipeline road - Gamboa
This morning we will take you to the famous Pipeline Road, in search of the birds of the Panama Canal Rainforest. We’ll go to a new watch tower, made by the Panama Discovery Center 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 moist forests of Pipeline looking for adding different trogons, manakins, toucans and parrots on the list. Many fruit eaters are commonly seen at Pipeline, this includes Collared Aracaris, Chestnut-mandible Toucan, Purple-throated Fruitcrows and more. We’ll have a picnic lunch at the Discovery Center. For the afternoon we’ll explore several aquatic habitats around Gamboa, including the Ammo Dumps and the Chagres River shores searching for Rufescent-Tiger-Heron, Yellow–tailed Oriole, Limpkin, and many flycatchers.
Night: Canal Area (B,L,D)
Day 3
Old Gamboa Road - Plantation Road
In the morning we'll explore the more semidecidious forests of the Panama Canal (Old Gamboa Road) looking for Spectacled Owls, Fasciated Antshrike and Blue-crowned Motmot. We'll scan the Summit Ponds for Kingfishers and nesting Boat-billed Herons. We will try the call for the secretive Jet Antbird. We’ll have a picnic lunch at the Summit Gardens. In the afternoon we'll go to the Plantation Road, this dirt road goes under tall evergreen forest and follows a small creek. The road is good to find Blue-crowned Manakin, Golden-crowned Spadebill, leaftossers and many others. There are possibilities to find army ant-swarms and many of the birds that follow these ants, such as Spotted Antbird, Bicolored Antbird, Ocellated Antbird, Gray-headed Tanager, and several Woodcreepers.
Night: Canal Area (B,L,D)
Day 4
Achiote Road - Birds of the Atlantic Side of the Canal
We'll spend the day on the Western Caribbean bank of the Panama Canal. We'll go in the morning to Achiote Road, an early start will put us on the road, watching for Spot-crowned Barbet, Pied Puffbird and Gray-headed Kite. The sky should be constantly watched for raptors such as King Vulture, Black Hawk-Eagle and more. At mid-morning we'll go to the Trogon Trail, a short loop under evergreen forest to look for forest-interior birds, such as Chestnut-backed Antbird, Olivaceous Flatbill, and several species of trogons like White-tailed Trogon, and Black-throated Trogon. The tall trees with bromeliads are good places to find White-headed Wrens. In the afternoon we'll travel 30 minutes to the San Lorenzo National Park (former Fort Sherman), where we'll patrol several trails like Skunk Hollow, to try to find Crested Guan and Common Black-Hawks.
Night: Canal Area (B,L,D)
Day 5
Tocumen Marsh - Cerro Azul Foothills
Tocumen Marsh is a good place to look for new species of more open Pacific country and scrubs such as Great-black Hawk, Yellowish Pipit, Ruddy-breasted Seedeater, Pied-water Tyrant, Savanna Hawk , Pale-breasted Spinetail, Pearl Kite, Capped Heron and more. North east of Panama City is Cerro Azul Foothills, contiguous to the Chagres National Park. These foothills are very good to find species not found in the canal corridor. We'll go in search of White-tipped Sicklebill, Rufous-crested Coquette, Violet-capped Hummingbird, and Scaled Pigeons. Soaring Black-and-white-Hawk Eagle is often seen at Cerro Azul. In the afternoon we'll go around Cerro Jefe (1,000m), an area that has elfin forest dominated by a particular palm tree. Cerro Jefe is excellent to find specialties of Eastern Panama, such as Tacarcuna Bush-Tanagers, Xenornis and Russet-crowned Quail-Dove.
Night: Canal Area (B,L,D)
Chiriqui Highlands
Day 6
Western Foothills – Chiriqui Highlands
We'll leave early in the morning for the Albrook domestic airport in Panama city to take our flight to the Western Highlands (one hour flight), upon arrival at the David airport in Chiriqui, we will be met and transferred to the Volcan Baru foothills; to look for a variety of Western foothill tanagers, such as Silver-throated Tanager and Speckled Tanagers. Lunch will be in a local restaurant at the town of Volcan. In the afternoon we'll continue going higher in route to the lodge. After the check in, we will visit los Quetzales cabins area, where will be able to watch an incredible amount of hummingbirds at the feeders.
Night: Chiriqui Highlands (B,L,D)
Day 7
Chiriqui Highlands - Los Quetzales Trail
After breakfast at your hotel we'll leave for the Quetzales Trail, an area of high endemism which is part of the Talamanca Mountain Range. We will look for mountain forests species, such as Buffy-tufted Cheek, Spotted Barbtail, and Spectacled-foliage Gleaner. Heliconias and flowers attract a variety of gorgeous hummingbirds like White-throated Mountain-Gem, Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Volcano-Hummingbird and Violet-Sabrewing. Some other species typical of the area are Yellow-thighed Finch, Large-footed Finch, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, and the globally endangered Black Guan. We'll dedicate time to find the Resplendent Quetzal on the wild avocado trees. In the afternoon we'll try La Amistad (Friendship) International Park. We'll walk el Retoño trail (1.4 mi) to look for, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Prong-billed Barbet and Wrenthrush (Zeledonia).
Night: Chiriqui Highlands (B,L,D)
Day 8
Chiriqui Highlands - Finca Hartman
This day we'll visit Finca Hartman near the small town of Santa Clara. This is a shaded-grown coffee farm, under remnant rainforest trees, and pre-mountain and highland forest that serve as a buffer zone to Parque Internacional La Amistad. At elevations between 4000-6000 ft there are a number of accessible dirt roads that pass through many habitat types that are excellent for birding. This is a good place in Panama to find the Turquoise Cotinga, White-crested Coquette, Fiery-billed Aracari, White-tailed Emerald, Spot-crowned Euphonia and many others.
Night: Chiriqui Highlands (B,L,D)
Day 9
Chiriqui Highlands - Cerro Punta - David
This day we'll go to Finca Pancho Rios, near Cerro Punta. Some of the species include; Golden-browed Chlorophonia, Common-bush Tanager, Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch, and several Nightingale-Thrushes. We'll look also for Blue-throated Toucanet, Black-and-yellow Silky-Flycatcher and Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher. We'll leave for David to continue birding around the airport looking for western lowlands species such as the Veraguan Mango, late afternoon will take our plane to Panama City.
Night: Canal Area (B,L,D)
Day 10
Departure to International Airport, Continue with Darien extension or a different extension.
Darien - Lowlands
Day 10
Darien Lowlands - The Lower Sambu Valley
We'll take a flight from Panama City to Sambu (one hour). The lower Sambu Valley is an area located near the coast of Darien that has several Emberas Communities along the Sambu River. We’ll look for the Black-capped Donacobious, Black Oropendola and several other Darien Lowlands specialties. After the check inn at our lodge, we'll continue our explorations around different trails near the village.
Night: Sambu Lodge (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 always changes.
Night:Sambu Lodge (B,L,D)
Day 12
Darien Lowlands
We'll walk several trails around the village in search of some Darien specialties, such as Black-billed Flycatcher, Orange-crowned Oriole, White-eared Conebill and more. Other typical birds of the zone are Red-throated Caracaras and Laughing Falcons. This 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 zone are Gray-cheeked Nunlet, Barred Puffbird, Dull-mantled Antbird and Great Antshrike.
Night:Sambu Lodge (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 leave the Lower Sambu Valley. We'll take our flight back to Panama City.
Night: Canal Area (B,L,D)
Day 14
Departure to Tocumen Airport - International Flight (B)
TOUR DATES:December 10-19 (2008) - January 7-20 (2009) - February 11-24 (2009) - March 4-17 (2009).
TOUR RATE: $2600 per person double occupancy, for the 14 Days/13 nights.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $400
TOUR SIZE: 3-8 people.
INCLUDED: bird guide, lodging, transportation, airport/hotel transfers, meals as specified in the itinerary (B, L, D) and entrance fees to parks.
NOT INCLUDED: International Airfares, tourist card ($5), meals not specified in the itinerary, medical and/or cancellation insurance, alcoholic beverages, extras in hotels, gratuities, departure tax ($20).
ACCOMMODATIONS: Comfortable lodges, private rooms and bathrooms with hot water. Our accommodations at Darien are basic but comfortable, it allow travelers that desire a jungle experience to have that, but with the comforts a quality Bed & Breakfast offers to come back to.
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 payment can be done through, banking transfer or check. 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, its 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.
TOUR LEADER: Jose Carlos Garcia and other local guides.
NOTE:The nature of travel in Darien requires flexibility and allowances for alternatives.