Birding tour for photographers.
Quetzals, hummingbirds and other wonderful birds.
Panama is a small country, but the diversity of its biotopes makes it one of the richest in avian fauna. The Audubon Society, which lists observed species each year, classified 1206 different ones in 2024. This places the country in 11th position worldwide for the species count/km2 ratio!
If you enjoy observing and photographing birds, this 12-day (11-night) program offered by Jabiru-tour® will allow you to seek out the most beautiful birds of Panama.
To relax after the international flight and pre-warm your devices’ memories, you will spend two days at highly renowned sites near the capital that will offer beautiful and diverse observations. The first will be at the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center and the second on the heights of Cerro Azul.
At the end of the afternoon on the second day, a one-hour flight will drop you off in David, the capital of the magnificent Chiriqui province, very rich in bird species. The biotopes are very varied, ranging from the Pacific Ocean coastline to Volcán Barú, Panama’s highest point at 3475 m.
You will start in this region with two days on the shore of a Pacific Ocean gulf, to observe beach birds and others from wetlands in the mangroves.
You will then head to the superb volcano region, to reach the realm of the mythical Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno). On the foothills of Barù, you will stay in a superb hotel, Finca Lérida, surrounded by a lush garden, located in the heart of nature. It will be the starting point for beautiful strolls in search of the Resplendent Quetzal and many other species. In the garden, you can observe many species, especially 6 or 7 different hummingbirds, including the magnificent Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla).
This territory is also the realm of high-altitude hummingbirds, among them, the magnificent Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) which comes from Canada to spend the boreal winter here, the White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora), and the endemic Veraguan Mango (Anthracothorax veraguensis). There are 61 different species in Panama, 26 of which are present in this region.
During walks, hundreds of other species can also be discovered.
For further observations, in the lowlands, you will spend a day at Birding Paradise, a Finca (agricultural property) converted into a small ornithological reserve. Here, more than 200 different species were observed last year!
The stay will then take place on the foothills of the other side of the Barú Volcano, in Cerro Punta. The base camp will be the beautiful “Los Quetzales” hotel for three nights. From there, you will set out each day in search of the Quetzal, which is nesting at this time, but also many other species of the humid mountain forest.
At the end of the afternoon on the eleventh day, the plane will take you back to Panama.
The next morning, a final stroll in a national park on the outskirts of the capital. After lunch, it will be time to head to Tocumen Airport for your international flight.
You will return from this trip, with memories overflowing with GBs and filled with the quantity and quality of observations you will have made, accompanied by highly competent guides.
Possible extension
If you have more time, and if you wish to seek out other bird species in a very different biotope, Jabiru Tour® offers an optional five-day program in the Darien. This magnificent region is the last refuge of primary forest and its wildlife; you can consult the article on my other blog, sagapanama.fr, here.
In motorized canoes on the country’s longest river or on foot through the virgin forest, you will go in search of very beautiful species. Notably, the Ringed Kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata), the Cocoi Heron (Ardea cocoi), the Capped Heron (Pilherodius pileatus) and many others. If our local Amerindian guide has spotted a nest before your arrival, you will have the unforgettable chance to discreetly observe the national bird, the Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja).
Without obligation on your part, you can obtain the detailed program, dates, and prices using the button below:
All photos in this article are by Yoann Lebrun and Michel Lecumberry. They are not royalty-free.