Fall at Panama's Canopy Tower

Violet-crowned Woodnymph © Barry Zimmer

Species-rich rainforest birding around the incredible Canopy Tower ecolodge with access to famous Pipeline Road, the Chagres River, and the wondrous Panama Canal.

Panama is simply one of the finest birding destinations in the Neotropics, with a rare combination of easy access to extensive tropical forest, fine accommodations, good food and water, and a wealth of wonderful birds to be seen. Whether you are a seasoned tropical birder or someone who has never ventured south of the Rio Grande, this tour will be a delight.

Our base of operations will be the exciting Canopy Tower, a former United States radar station elegantly converted into one of the most unique and enjoyable ecotourist lodges anywhere. Perched above Soberania National Park, the tower offers great birding literally right out your window, including the chance to view gems like Blue Cotinga and Green Shrike-Vireo, both of which can be quite difficult to see from ground level.

There are a number of terrific birding spots nearby, ranging from wetlands with Rufescent Tiger-Heron, White-throated Crake, and a profusion of orioles, tanagers, hummingbirds, and flycatchers to Parque Metropolitano, an amazingly rich tract of forest right on the edge of Panama City that hosts Lance-tailed Manakin, Rosy Thrush-Tanager, and even the endemic Yellow-green Tyrannulet. A day in the foothills of Cerro Azul offers opportunities for a dozen or more species of hummingbirds (including the rare White-tipped Sicklebill), Yellow-eared Toucanet, Spot-crowned Barbet, and an array of tanagers and honeycreepers.

World-famous Pipeline Road is also on our itinerary, of course. Here, one can find puffbirds (including the handsome Black-breasted), trogons (five species possible), motmots, parrots, and many other flashy tropical species in abundance. This is also among the best places anywhere to locate an army ant swarm, with Bicolored, Spotted, and the spectacular Ocellated antbirds among the possible dividends. Seldom seen forest dwellers such as Streak-chested Antpitta, Scaly-throated Leaftosser, and Black-faced Antthrush are real possibilities as well. We will have two full days to cover this fabulous birding area.

Central Panama can also produce an excellent list of tropical mammals with Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth, Hoffman’s Two-toed Sloth, Mantled Howler Monkey, White-throated Capuchin, Geoffroy’s Tamarin, Capybara, Kinkajou, and Northern Tamandua among the possibilities.

This tour occurs during a prime time to observe hawk migration, when virtually the entire U.S. population of Broad-winged and Swainson’s hawks, plus hundreds of thousands of Turkey Vultures, migrate to South America through Panama.

Good accommodations and food; all nights at one location; easy to moderate walking on roads and trails (often muddy); some midday breaks; two long days; warm and humid climate.

Bay-headed Tanager © Barry Zimmer