Panama's Darien Lowlands: Canopy Camp - January 2026
Dates: January 10 - 18, 2026
Leaders: Erik Bruhnke & Local Leader
E-bird
Total Species: 246 birds
Click Here to view list.
Overall Summary
Our Canopy Camp tour in charming eastern Panama was filled with thrilling moments from the start. We were in awesome hands with Tino Sanchez, a renowned birder, butterfly expert, and longtime guide for the Canopy Family. I have led many Panama VENT tours with him over the years, and it was a joy to work with him again!
Our tour began as we made our way east of Panama City toward the Canopy Camp, but not without some birding along the way. Our first stop—a bathroom break at a gas station—was surprisingly exciting, with twenty-three bird species appreciated right in the parking lot! It was fun to see birds such as Orchard Oriole and Common Tody-Flycatcher while being serenaded by a Yellow-green Vireo. A little farther along the Pan-American Highway, we made an impromptu stop beside a vast field, where we scored great views of a Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, an often tricky species to find throughout the trip. A Common Squirrel-Cuckoo serenaded the airspace with its sweet little notes. Later, an obligatory visit around Bayano Lake was wonderful, as many birds came into view, including an Orange-crowned Oriole and Garden Emerald. A lunchtime stop in Tortí had us viewing five beautiful hummingbird species while we dined. After a day of commuting to the Canopy Camp, the camp’s entrance road offered a great view of a resting Common Potoo and a Spot-breasted Woodpecker perched in a tree. As we checked into camp, the hummingbird feeders were in full swing and readily visited by Bananaquits galore—plus a plethora of hummingbirds, including a rare Blue-throated Goldentail. All of this was on our first day!
A tasty breakfast at the camp fueled our morning walk around the grounds. Three King Vultures were seen soaring overhead. A Double-banded Graytail (a regional specialist) fed over our heads while Yellow-throated Toucans yodeled from the canopy. A lovely Gartered Violaceous Trogon perched nearby while a Purple-crowned Fairy fed on nearby flowers. There were so many highlights throughout the day. After a fabulous Canopy Camp lunch and a siesta, we did some birding along the Pan-American Highway. While exploring some wetland environments, we enjoyed a remarkable experience with Black-capped Donacobius, essentially a South American species. These wetland specialists are beautiful and fun, with their comical tail-swaying and bold vocalizations. We set our scopes on several adorable Spectacled Parrotlets that afternoon—a treat to end our day!
Our next day was an early one, with Harpy Eagle being our focus. We birded our way along the Chucunaque River to the town of El Real. While birding by boat, we had great experiences with two Green Ibises, Common Black Hawk, the charismatic Black-collared Hawk, and a Mangrove Swallow among twenty-five species seen just on the boat ride over! Once on land, we made our way to a trailhead leading into deeper forest, focusing on reaching the Harpy Eagle nest site. After a short walk through the woods, we found ourselves looking at a young Harpy Eagle high in a sacred Cuipo Tree. The eagle’s regal yet adorable antics were studied and enjoyed as it checked out its surroundings from within the nest. We admired this bird’s beauty for quite some time. How incredibly magical it was to be in the presence of such a legendary bird—and the national bird of Panama, too! While in awe of the Harpy Eagle, we witnessed two very rare Great Green Macaws flying past. Numerous antbirds were heard and seen nearby. Checker-throated Stipplethroat was a delight, and we had a remarkable scope experience with a Russet-winged Schiffornis, an elusive species often hard to see despite its robust song. After some time viewing the eagle nest, we saw one of the parent Harpy Eagles land beside the young bird and keep watch over it. After some Harpy Eagle zen, we carefully made our way out of the deep forest while appreciating the flora and fauna. Red-breasted Meadowlarks in a nearby field put on a show at our little lunch stop afterward.
Our next day was another fun-filled one as we birded local spots not far from the Canopy Camp. We started out among the vast rolling landscape of Sanson Abajo. At our first stop, Tino played just a little playback to see what birds were in the area. He dubbed this recording the “chicken playback,” as it unintentionally included background chickens crowing throughout the track. Comical rumor has it that it worked birding magic . . . and within moments, a kaleidoscope of birds appeared right in front of us. Great studies of Red-legged Honeycreeper and Blue Dacnis ensued, along with Baltimore Oriole and Prothonotary Warbler, among others. Seeing so many species at one time left us in awe. Later in the morning, we savored views of a very rare Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, a lifer for everyone on our tour—including me. A Pearl Kite was seen shortly before a Striped Cuckoo appeared out in the open. We enjoyed 67 species of birds along about half a mile of birding that morning. In a nearby area that afternoon, we observed both Chestnut-fronted and Blue-and-yellow macaws, in addition to delightful birds like Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Spot-breasted Woodpecker, and an adult Gray-lined Hawk. So many highlights!
The next day had us setting our sights on the legendary Salto Road. Four Choco Sirystes brought big smiles to our faces, as did a radiant male Blue Cotinga. Purple-throated Fruitcrow bugled from the woods. Tiny and flashy birds like Yellow-winged Flatbill were seen, as well as the adorable Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher. Scope views of a Cinnamon Woodpecker stole the show at one point. Antbirds observed included Dusky, Bare-crowned, and White-bellied. In the afternoon, we birded another renowned hotspot, the Yaviza Wetlands. We started with a fantastic study of a Zone-tailed Hawk flying overhead, in addition to an uncommon Swainson’s Hawk. Four rare Great Green Macaws passed by, along with a Chestnut-fronted Macaw. The Pied Water-Tyrant caught our attention as two Bat Falcons worked the treetops. A sneaky Paint-billed Crake teased us with its bizarre vocalizations before we left. After dinner that night, a Crested Owl was heard calling in the distance at the Canopy Camp. Phew!
On our last full day at the camp, we made our way along the Chucunaque and Tuquesa rivers to the Emberá village of Nuevo Vigía. The birding-by-boat experiences were a delight. Throughout the morning, we saw so many amazing birds such as Amazon and Ringed kingfishers, Mangrove Swallows, and three species of herons (Striated, Green, and Little Blue). A highly sought-after and very regional Black Oropendola flew over the river at one point! While birding nearby trails off the boat, we saw amazing birds like the highly regional Dusky-backed Jacamar, in addition to Gray-cheeked Nunlet, a lek of Golden-collared Manakins, and a Northern Plain-Xenops, to name a few. Back in the village, we admired the many beautiful handmade bowls, plates, and masks crafted by the Emberá people, each piece made with care and available for purchase to support the village. As I write this trip report, I look over beside my laptop and see the beautiful little colorful woven plate from Nuevo Vigía.
Our last day always comes too soon, as every day of this adventure is a remarkable thrill. After saying goodbye to the manager, fabulous lodging staff, and outstanding cooks at the Canopy Camp, we made our way to San Francisco Reserve. Hiking through this beautiful riverside natural area is always exciting. Throughout the morning, we scored both Black Hawk-Eagle and Ornate Hawk-Eagle (completing the hawk-eagle trifecta), in addition to fabulous birds like Checker-throated Stipplethroat, Lesser Greenlet, and two of our big targets there . . . the Graceful Black-throated Trogon and endemic Yellow-green Tyrannulet! Scope views of a chunky, vocalizing Barred Puffbird were wonderful. A lunch stop at Hotel Avicar was a treat both food-wise and hummingbird-wise.
A big thank you goes out to Tino Sanchez for being such a fabulous guide. It was great to bird with him again. The birds, butterflies, sloths, and so much more—all that we came across—were just incredible. We observed so many amazing birds, with a great number of them being regional specialists of the Darién area. The entire tour feels like a dream. A big thank you also goes out to the entire Canopy Camp staff for making our rooms, meals, transportation, and overall experience as wonderful as possible. And thank you to everyone who joined this tour! The birding and camaraderie made every day so much fun.
Day-by-Day Summary
January 10 - Traveled east from Panama City toward Canopy Camp with birding stops along the way. Highlights included Orchard Oriole, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Orange-crowned Oriole, Common Potoo, and a rare Blue-throated Goldentail at the camp feeders.
January 11 - Birded around the camp and nearby wetlands, seeing King Vulture, Double-banded Graytail, Yellow-throated Toucan, Black-capped Donacobius, and Spectacled Parrotlets.
January 12 - Traveled by boat along the Chucunaque River to El Real and hiked to an active Harpy Eagle nest. Also enjoyed sightings of Great Green Macaw, Green Ibis, and Checker-throated Stipplethroat.
January 13 - Explored the rolling countryside around Sanson Abajo, where highlights included Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, Pearl Kite, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Blue Dacnis, and Blue-and-yellow Macaw.
January 14 - Birded Salto Road and the Yaviza Wetlands, finding Choco Sirystes, Blue Cotinga, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Zone-tailed Hawk, Pied Water-Tyrant, and Paint-billed Crake.
January 15 - Took a boat trip along the Chucunaque and Tuquesa rivers to Nuevo Vigía. Highlights included Black Oropendola, Dusky-backed Jacamar, Golden-collared Manakin, and time spent visiting the Emberá village.
January 16 - Birded San Francisco Reserve before lunch at Hotel Avicar. Highlights included Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Graceful Black-throated Trogon, Yellow-green Tyrannulet, and Barred Puffbird.
January 17 - Departed Canopy Camp and returned to Panama City with additional birding opportunities along the route.
January 18 - International departures from Panama City.
Wildlife Seen:
MAMMALS:
Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus)
Geoffroy’s Tamarin (Saginus geoffroyi)
White-throated Capuchin (Cebus capuchinus)
Mantled Howler Monkey (Alouatta palliata)
Red-tailed Squirrel (Sciurus granatensis)
Neotropic River Otter (Lontra longicaudis)
White-nosed Coati (Nasua narica)
Bat Sp.
REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS:
House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus)
Yellow-tailed Gecko (Gonatodes albogularis)
Turnip tail gecko (Thecadactylus rapicauda)
Green iguana (Iguana iguana)
Granular Glass Frog (Cochranella granulosa)
Forest Toad ( Rhinella alata)
Basalisk Lizard (Basiliscus basiliscus)
DAMSELFLIES:
Blue-winged Helicopter (Megaloprepus caerulatus)
Purple Dancer (Argia pulla)
DRAGONFLIES:
Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa)
Tropical Woodskimmer (Uracis imbuta)
BUTTERFLIES:
Pale-clubbed Hairstreak (Denivia hemon)
Sky-blue Hairstreak (Pseudolycaena damo)
Pale Yellow (Pyrisitia venusta)
Barred Yellow (Eurema daira)
Plain Longtail (Urbanus simplicius)
Brown Longtail (Urbanus procne)
Great White Longtail (Urbanus chalco)
Antiochus Longwing (Heliconius antiochus)
Crimson-patch Longwing (Heliconius erato)
Green Longwing (Philaethria dido)
Sara Longwing (Heliconius sara)
Panna Skipper (Ouleus panna)
Two-eyed Eighty Eight (Callicore pitheas)
Variable Cracker (Hamadryas feronia)
Starry Cracker (Hamadryas laodamia)
Orion Cecropian (Historis odius dious)
Dusky Owl-eye (Caligo illioneus)
Pale Owl-Butterfly (Caligo telamonius menus)
Common Morpho (Morpho helenor peleides)
Orange-spotted Tiger Clearwing (Mechanitis polymnia)
Julia Heliconian (Dryas iulia)
Simple Sarota (Sarota acantus)
Blue-gray Satyr (Magneuptychia libye)
Variable Cattleheart (Parides erithalion smalli)
Green-celled Cattleheart (Parides childrenae)
Dirce Beauty (Colobura dirce)
Banded Peacock (Anartia fatima)
Tropical Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus oileus)
Monarch (Danaus Plexippus)
GRASSHOPPER:
Abracris Flavolineata
STICK INSECT:
Pseudophasma unicolor
BORER:
Ceiba Borer (Euchroma giganteum)