THE BIRDS OF PANAMA
14 days/13 nights

An in-depth exploration of avian diversity across the isthmus

 Bird watching in Panama is very easy and rewarding. Its geographical position allows contact with two great mother lodes of avian diversity. You can see Resplendent Quetzals and Umbrella birds in the West as well as four types of Macaws and Harpy Eagles in the East. In the central part the forests of the Panama Canal watershed are within a 45-minute drive from Panama City and harbor more than 400 bird species.   In total the country of Panama boasts an impressive list of 961 species in 40,000 square miles.  

14 Days:
2006 DEPARTURE DATES: December 3-16
2007 Departure Dates: January 31-February 13 // March 4-17 // April 2-15 // December 2-15.

2007 Rates: $2300 per person in double occupancy; $680 single supplement; plus 5% government tax. Minimum of 4 people required for the tour.
Prices valid through November 30, 2007.

This tour may be scheduled on request with a minimum of four people.

ITINERARY:
Birding the Canal Zone lowlands, Chiriqui Highlands and Cana in the Darien National Park.

Day 1 ARRIVE PANAMA
On arrival to Tocumen International Airport our Naturalist Guide will meet us. Transfer to the Gamboa Rainforest Resort near Soberania National Park. Welcome cocktail and briefing.
Night at GAMBOA RAINFOREST RESORT VILLAS

Day 2 PIPELINE ROAD - SUMMIT PONDS - PLANTATION LOOP
This morning we drive to the nearby Pipeline Road within Soberania National Park.  Soberania is home to some 525 species of birds.  Before entering the road we bird the scrub habitat near the ponds looking for Crimson-backed Tanager, Rufescent Tiger Heron, White-throated Crake as well as several Tyrannulets and Greenlets. Located within this protected area Pipeline Rd. is the site where Audubon Society held its world Christmas bird count record for 19 years straight, with 357 species of birds identified in a period of 24 hours.   As one of the most accessible rain forests in the world, Pipeline Road is a great place to look for birds like Slaty-tailed and Black-throated Trogons, Golden-collared Manakin, White-bellied Antbird, Semiplumbeous Hawk, Black-breasted Puffbird, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Blue Cotinga, Pheasant Cuckoo and army antswarm followers.   A picnic lunch will be served at Summit Ponds. Here we will look for the Boat-billed Heron, Rosy Thrush-Tanager and other Pacific woodland species.  At Plantation Loop we will walk along a low ridge where we find some of the humid forest birds such as Royal Flycatcher, Golden-crowned Spadebill, Blue-crowned Manakin and others.          
Night at GAMBOA RAINFOREST RESORT VILLAS (BLD)

Day 3 ESCOBAL / ACHIOTE ROAD
An early morning drive will take us to the areas of Escobal and Achiote roads on the Caribbean side of Panama.  This spot is probably one of the best places to search for diurnal raptors. Also an excellent place to look for specialties like Spot-crowned Barbet, Black Hawk-Eagle, Rufous-crested Coquette, Montezuma Oropendola, Brown-hooded Parrot, Black-bellied Wren, Pied Puffbird and rarities like Gray-cheeked Nunlet and White-headed Wren.  Late afternoon birding around the hotel grounds back in Gamboa.
Night at GAMBOA RAINFOREST RESORT VILLAS (BLD)

Day 4 METROPOLITAN NATURE PARK - CHIRIQUI CLOUDFOREST
Today we drive to Metropolitan Nature Park (the only protected rain forest within capital city limits in Latin America).  With an impressive list of 260 species the possibilities are great.  Specialties include Lance-tailed Manakin, Orange-billed Sparrow, Green Honeycreeper, Rufous and White Wren and many more.  We will also look for the Red-napped Tamarin on the trail named after them.
We will take a mid-morning flight to David, capital of the Chiriqui province.  Chiriqui province is known as “Panama’s breadbasket” having some of the most breathtaking highland scenery in Central America.  Transfer by van to the western side of the Baru Volcano to the town of Volcan.  Lunch will be at the hotel’s restaurant.  In the afternoon we proceed to a coffee farm which offers great birding such as Rufous-browed Peppershrike, White-winged Tanager, Fiery-billed Aracari in a transitional area between the highlands and lower foothills of the western mountain range. 
Night at HOTEL DOS RIOS (BLD)

Day 5 LA AMISTAD INTERNATIONAL PARK & WORLD BIOSPHERE RESERVE
Shared with neighboring Costa Rica and recognized in 1982 as a Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site, La Amistad is located at a point on the Central American land bridge where flora and fauna from North and South America reach their maximum species mix, with great ranges in altitude, precipitation, soils and temperature.  We spend the morning hiking and exploring La Amistad in the area of El Retoño in search of Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Andean Pygmy-Owl, Barred Becard and many other western highland species. 
After lunch at a local restaurant we drive to Baru Volcano National Park located along the Talamanca mountain range and also being the highest point of the country (3,475 meters above sea level).  The Baru Volcano and La Amistad parks are part of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor.  Here we will search for Buffy Tuftedcheek, Resplendent Quetzal, Ochraceous Pewee, Silvery-throated Jay, different hummingbirds and other highland species.
Night at HOTEL DOS RIOS (BLD)

Day 6 TAPIR’S CANYON - QUEREVALO ROAD - BOQUETE   
This morning we will stop at Tapir’s Canyon in search of Lesser Elaenia, Bay-headed Tanager, Crested Oropendola, American Dipper, and a myriad other species. In route to Boquete we will descend back to the lowlands and drive through some rice, corn and sugar cane fields where we keep an eye out for Brown-throated Parakeets, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Dickcissels, and other grassland birds.  We continue our exploration on the Eastern side of Baru Volcano to Boquete, a countryside town dotted with flower, fruit and vegetable farms, coffee plantations and also lush tropical cloud forests.  Afternoon birding around the hotel grounds and main road.
Night at HOTEL PANAMONTE (BLD)

Day 7 FINCA LERIDA CLOUD FOREST
We explore Finca Lerida, a privately owned preserve, just outside Baru Volcano National Park.  At an elevation of 2,286 meters above sea level, we have an opportunity to see the elusive Resplendent Quetzal, Three-wattled Bellbird, Black-faced Solitaire, Volcano Hummingbird, Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher and Prong-billed Barbet in their cool habitat of orchids, bromeliads and wild avocados.  After a picnic in the cloud forest we continue birding before returning to our hotel to get ready for our transfer to David for our flight back to Panama City.
Night at HOTEL EXECUTIVE (BLD)

Day 8 DARIEN NATIONAL PARK – SANTA CRUZ DE CANA
This morning after breakfast we will proceed to Albrook domestic airport where we board our chartered plane to Santa Cruz de Cana, in Darien National Park and World Biosphere Reserve, where Ancon Expeditions manages a field station.  As we fly in we can admire the vast forest cover of Panama’s largest park (1.3 million acres).  Cana is located at the foothills of Pirre Mountain, which stands like an island in the most remote area of Panama.  Very few places in the world rival Cana in birding potential.  From the plane be on the lookout for King Vultures and Macaws.
After getting settled at the Field Station we explore the Boca de Cupe Trail and surrounding area.  Specialties here include Blue and Gold, Red and Green, Great Green and Chestnut-fronted Macaws, Black tipped Cotinga, Swallow Tanager, Red-throated Caracara, Streaked Antwren, Dusky-backed Jacamar, Ornate Hawk-Eagle and others. 
Night at CANA FIELD STATION (BLD)

Day 9 CANA FIELD STATION
Today is a good day to explore the Mine Trail where rusting machinery was left to be overtaken by the jungle after the British Gold Mine ventures collapsed at the beginning of the last century. Specialties of this area include Great Curassow, Crested Guan, Dusky-faced Tanager, Olivaceous Piculet.    Also the Seteganti Trail with open scrub areas and mature forests are good for various Woodpeckers such as Crimson-bellied and Red-rumped, Red-billed Scythebill, Brown Violetear. 
Night at CANA FIELD STATION (BLD)

Day 10  PIRRE CLOUD FOREST CAMP
Today we begin our slow-paced 5-hour hike to the Pirre Cloud Forest.  At 1,200 meters above sea level, the Pirre Cloud Forest is a good place to look for specialties such as Beautiful Treerunner, Tooth-billed Hummingbird, Slaty Antwren, Tody Motmot, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Rufous-breasted Ant thrush, Immaculate Antbird, Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo, Pirre Warbler, Pirre Hummingbird, Pirre Bush Tanager, Greenish Puffleg, Orange-bellied Euphonia.
Night at PIRRE CAMP (Screened tents with sleeping mats) (BLD)

Day 11  PIRRE CLOUD FOREST CAMP
This morning we hike to the top of Pirre Mountain in search of the Golden-headed Quetzal, Gray and gold Tanager, Sharpbill, Chlorophonia and several Tanagers among other highland species.  Late afternoon birding around the Pirre Tent Camp.
Night at PIRRE CAMP (Screened tents with sleeping mats) (BLD)

Day 12  CANA FIELD STATION
After breakfast we will start our descent to the field station.  This afternoon is spent looking for birds around the main camp.  Possibilities include Gray-cheeked Nunlet, Spotted Barbtail, Barred Puffbird, Yellow-green Tyrannulet, Jet Antibird, Black-crowned, Fulvous-bellied, Ochre-breasted and Scaled Antpittas, White-fronted Nunbird, Cinereous Becard, Golden-headed Manakin.
Night at CANA FIELD STATION  (BLD)

Day 13  DARIEN – PANAMA CITY – OLD PANAMA MUDFLATS – JUAN DIAZ MANGROVES
This morning our charter flight takes us back to Panama City.   Upon arrival, tide level permitting, we will visit the Old Panama Mudflats for a chance to see Collared Plovers, Short-billed
Dowitchers, Marbled Godwit, Whimbrel and others.  Lunch will be at a local restaurant. 

We continue to bird at Juan Diaz scrub and mangrove area where we will look for Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Ruddy-breasted Seedeater, Northern Scrub-Flycatcher, Mangrove Black-Hawk, Mangrove Warbler, Sapphire-throated and Scaly-breasted Hummingbirds, Rufous-browed Peppershrike among others. We will also stop at Costa del Este in search of Black-necked Stilt, Least Sandpiper, Cocoi Heron, Yellowlegs, Night-Herons.  Farewell dinner at a Panamanian cuisine restaurant.
Night at HOTEL EXECUTIVE (BLD)

Day 14  DEPART PANAMA
Today we are picked up at the lobby of the hotel 2.5 hours prior to our scheduled departure flight and transferred to Tocumen International Airport.  Fly home (B)

Optional post trip extension to Darien’s Punta Patiño Nature Reserve,
the Realm of the Harpy Eagle.

TRIP CLASSIFICATION: Moderate/long hiking 3-5 hours per day over variable terrain, slippery, muddy. Accommodations vary from hotel, comfortable lodges, field stations and tent camps. 

INCLUDED:  Lodging, all land, air and water transportation within Panama.  All airport/hotel transfers on scheduled arrival and departure dates, meals as specified in the itinerary (B - breakfast; L - lunch; D - dinner), entrance fees, guides’ services and services of an in-bound land operator for airline re-confirmations and tour operations.

NOT INCLUDED: International airfare, tourist card ($5 per person), meals not specified in the itinerary, alcoholic beverages, personal equipment, extras in hotels (laundry, telephone calls, room service, etc.) or gratuities.

NOTE:  Weight restrictions apply to luggage in both commercial and chartered flights within Panama.  A maximum of 25 lbs. of checked luggage per person is allowed.  Arrangements can be made with Ancon Expeditions to store luggage that will not be needed on a particular leg of the trip.  Excess baggage charges assessed by commercial carriers are the responsibility of the passenger.

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST: Binoculars (preferably 7x35 or larger), Birds of Panama book, camera with extra batteries & film, flashlight with extra bulb & batteries, bathing suit, insect repellant, sunscreen, hat, day pack, water bottle, lightweight/quick dry cotton clothes, windbreaker, hiking boots, sandals, sneakers, rain gear, money in small denominations, toiletries & personal medications.  The Naturalist Guide carries a spotting scope.