Tours
An amazing adventure. A learning journey.
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From the complex ecosystem of our mountains, jungles and beaches to the city scene, Panama has an incredible offer for the birdwatching enthusiast.
METROPOLITAN NATURE PARK AND PANAMA CITY
Despite a population of over one million people, Panama City is a great place to birdwatch. Millions of migratory birds stop to rest and regain strength in the mud flats and the urban forest of the City of Panama on their journeys north and south. Within the city limits is an area called Metropolitan Nature Park, the only tropical forest located within city limits in Latin America.
This tiny park host a large list of birds: Lance-tailed Manakin, the endemic Yellow-green Tyrannulet, Rosy Thrush-tanager, Crested Caracara, Yellow-crowned Amazon, Yellow Tyrannulet, Red-crowned Ant-tanager, Yellow-crowned Euphonia, Snowy-bellied Hummingbird and many migratory birds.
The tour to Metropolitan Nature Park includes transportation, park fees, refreshments, my services as tour guide and use of a telescope. It won’t include lunch or any other meals, alcoholic beverage, tips for driver or guide.
8 Hours
SOBERANIA NATIONAL PARK
Early this morning you will be picked up at your hotel in Panama City for a full morning of birding on the famous Pipeline Road. During World War II an oil pipeline was built to transfer fuel from one ocean to the other in case the Panama Canal was ever attacked. The Canal was never assaulted and today the preserved road built alongside the pipeline is one of the active birding sites in Central America.
Located at the Soberania National Park, only a 40 minute drive from Panama City, the diversity of Pipeline Road can be attributed to the habitat heterogeneity in the park; secondary, old growth forest, swamps, and streams.
If army ants are found, several professional ant-followers can be seen; Spotted Antbird, Bicolored Antbird, Ocellated Antbird, Chestnut-backed Antbird and the prized Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo, if you are very lucky!. Manakins include the Golden-collared Manakin, Blue-crowned Manakin and Red-capped Manakin. Pipeline is well known for its trogons; five of them can be seen in a very lucky day: Slaty-tailed Trogon, Violaceous Trogon and Black-throated Trogon are the most common. The long never ending whistle of the Great Jacamar reveals the presence of this iridescent bird.
The tour to Sobernia National Park and surrounding areas includes transportation, national park admission fee, refreshments, my services as tour guide and use of a telescope. It doesn’t include lunch or any other meals, alcoholic beverage, tips for driver or guide.
BAYANO RAINFOREST AND TORTI
Be ready to get up in the dark! Today we will leave very early to catch the first hours of the morning in the Bayano area. The Darien Lowlands are home to some of Panama’s specialties such as the White-eared Conebills, Rufous-winged Antwren, One-colored and Cinereous Becard, Orange-crowned Oriole, Black Antshrike, Stripe-throated Wren. Other species seen here are Laughing Falcon, Bright-rumped Attila, Barred Puffbird and Red-rumped Woodpecker.
The town of Torti will be our base to explore the rich and little-visited area of Darien Lowlands. During the afternoon we will bird watch the nearby Torti gallery forest. This area boasts some interesting surprises like Pacific and Mustached Antwrens, Royal Flycatcher, Black Antshrike, and Bay Wren.
The tour to Bayano forest and San Francisco Forest Reserve and surrounding areas includes transportation, national park admission fee, refreshments, lunch at a local restaurant, my services as tour guide and use of telescope. It doesn’t include alcoholic beverage, tips for driver or guide.
14 hours
CERRO AZUL FOOTHILLS
This morning we head toward the hills above Panama City to the east, where we will encounter a completely different climate, habitat, and collection of birds. Up here in the foothills of the San Blas Mountains of Cerro Azul (2,500 ft.) and Cerro Jefe (3,300 ft.), named after the two tall peaks in the area, we encounter cloud-forested hills with peaks of elfin forest.
Among the species we will be looking for include Yellow-eared Toucanet, Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Spot-crowned Barbet, Black-eared Wood-Quail, and a nice mix of tanagers, including Silver-throated, Emerald, Speckled, Rufous-winged, Bay-headed, Black-and-yellow, Golden-hooded, and Hepatic.
We can also search for the specialty hummers, including Rufous-crested Coquette, White-tipped Sicklebill, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, Green Thorntail, as well as Violet-capped, Violet-headed & Snowy-bellied Hummingbirds! We should also find the endemic Stripe- cheeked Woodpecker, along with Lineated Woodpecker, Black-striped & Spotted Woodcreepers, Red-capped & White-ruffed Manakins, Russet Antshrike, and White-vented & Tawny-capped Euphonia
The tour to Cerro Azul foothills and surrounding areas includes transportation, national park admission fee, refreshments, my services as tour guide and use of a telescope. It doesn’t include lunch, alcoholic beverages, tips for driver or guide.
12 hours