Panama: Canal Zone & the Darien

Our Panama birding tour begins with arrival in Panama City, where you will meet your guide and fellow birders. Over dinner and an evening orientation, we will review the itinerary and look ahead to the exciting birding experiences to come. Overnight in Panama City.

We depart early for Cerro Azul, a forested area in the hills east of Panama City and our first introduction to Panama’s remarkable birdlife.

A highlight of the morning is a visit to a feeder setup. Hummingbirds can be particularly abundant here, with possibilities including Snowy-bellied Hummingbird, Blue-chested Hummingbird, Crowned Woodnymph, White-necked Jacobin and Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer. The feeders and surrounding forest can also attract colourful tanagers, euphonias and honeycreepers.

We spend additional time birding the roads and forests around Cerro Azul and Chagres National Park, where Rufous Motmot, White-ruffed Manakin and Swallow-tailed Kite are among the possibilities. We return to our hotel near Panama City for the night.

Today we travel east toward Tortí, making birding stops along the way as time and conditions allow.

We may explore agricultural areas, wetlands and open country around Camino de Tanara and Chepo, where possibilities include Savanna Hawk, Laughing Falcon, Pied Water-Tyrant, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Red-breasted Meadowlark and Wattled Jacana.

If time permits, we may also bird along the Llano–Cartí Road, where forest and foothill habitats provide opportunities for tanagers, toucans and forest raptors. Additional stops may be made around Lake Bayano or other productive locations before continuing east to Tortí. Night in Tortí.

Today we explore some of the excellent birding close to Tortí, including the forest at San Francisco Reserve.

The reserve protects mature forest, streams and open areas that attract a rich assortment of birds. Possibilities include Barred Puffbird, Tropical Royal Flycatcher, Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher and a variety of toucans, woodpeckers and raptors.
Nearby wetlands and the Río Tortí add another mix of species, with opportunities for kingfishers, woodcreepers, antbirds and other lowland birds.

Depending on conditions and bird activity, we may divide the day between the reserve, river and other nearby sites. Night in Tortí.

We make an early start for a full day exploring farther east into the Darién, one of Panama’s most exciting birding regions.

The exact sites visited may vary depending on road, trail and weather conditions, but our day may include areas around El Salto, Yaviza, the Chucunaque River or other productive reserves and forest sites.

Here we search for species characteristic of eastern Panama and the Darién. Possibilities include Black-tailed Trogon, Gray-cheeked Nunlet, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, Black-chested Jay, Purple-throated Fruitcrow and Red-throated Caracara, along with parrots, antbirds and forest raptors.

The Darién is an especially exciting area because conditions and sightings can vary considerably, and there is always the possibility of something unexpected.
Night in Tortí.

We spend our final morning birding around Tortí, often exploring the Río Tortí and nearby fields and forest edge.

This productive area can provide opportunities for kingfishers, flycatchers, woodcreepers and wetland species, as well as another chance to find birds we may have missed during the previous days.

After breakfast we begin our journey west toward the Canal Zone. Depending on timing, we may make birding stops along the way before arriving at our new base at Gamboa.

After settling in, there may be time for some relaxed birding around the hotel grounds and along the Chagres River. Night at Gamboa Rainforest Resort.

We begin with early birding around Gamboa before heading to the legendary Pipeline Road in Soberanía National Park.

Pipeline Road is one of the best-known birding locations in the Neotropics. Its mature tropical forest supports an extraordinary diversity of birds, including antbirds, woodcreepers, puffbirds, trogons and mixed-species flocks.

Among the species we may encounter are Streak-chested Antpitta, Black-breasted Puffbird, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Cinnamon Woodpecker and Crimson-crested Woodpecker.

We may also visit the Ammo Dump Ponds, where wetlands and forest edge can produce Wattled Jacana, Purple Gallinule, Rufescent Tiger-Heron and White-throated Crake. Night at Gamboa Rainforest Resort.

This morning we return to the Pipeline Road area to explore the trails around the Rainforest Discovery Center.

The forest here provides another excellent opportunity for understory birds and mixed-species flocks. Army-ant swarms, when encountered, can attract specialized ant-followers, while other possibilities include Blue Cotinga, Velvety Manakin, Black-faced Antthrush, White-whiskered Puffbird and Golden-crowned Spadebill.

In the afternoon we take a boat excursion on the Chagres River and waterways of the Panama Canal. From the boat we can look for Snail Kite, kingfishers, herons, jacanas and other waterbirds, while monkeys and other wildlife may be seen along the forested shoreline. Night at Gamboa Rainforest Resort.

We begin the day with some final birding around Gamboa before returning to Panama City.

During the day, we plan to visit Metropolitan Natural Park, where possibilities include Lance-tailed Manakin, Red-capped Manakin, Rufous-and-white Wren, woodpeckers, flycatchers and a variety of other forest and edge species.

Depending on the tides, we may also spend time along the Pacific coast, where the tidal flats can attract a wide variety of shorebirds and other waterbirds. including Hudsonian Whimbrel, Willet, Black-necked Stilt, Short-billed Dowitcher, plovers, herons, gulls and terns.

We may also spend some time in the historic Casco Viejo district before returning to our hotel for a final evening together. Night in Panama City.