You are entering to secure booking mode!
BIRDWATCHING NORTH OF PERU & BIRDING PERU
THE WORLD´S GREATEST CENTER OF ENDEMIC BIRDS
Amazon Birding Northern Peru birding tour explores a less-often-visited part of one of South America´s premier birdwatching countries. This exciting tour focuses on the many species found in the northern part of Peru, home to numerous specialities, including White-winged Guan and the extraordinary Marvelous Spatuletail.
One of the topographically most complex countries on earth, Peru boasts an immense avifauna adding up to a staggering total of over 1817 species. While most Peruvian bird tour itineraries omitting almost the entire northern half of this huge country, South American bird addicts have always longed to explore the “unknown” regions of this fabulous land.
No country has seen the discovery of more birds new to science in the last few decades than Peru has, and in the late seventies and early eighties new species were described at an average rate of two per year. Since they were usually found in isolated mountain ranges and remote areas, the full scale expeditions that led to their discovery greatly increased our knowledge of South American birds in general, and more was learnt about many birds that until then were only known from a few old specimens. Notwithstanding, many of the country´s birds are still poorly known, and there are still several species of which practically nothing is known in life.
This adventurous tour focuses on the largely mountainous northern tier of the country, a fantastic treasure chest of endemic, ocalized and little-known birds. With a mountainous backbone sliced up by the mighty Maranon River and its tributaries, this region is a biogeographic jigsaw puzzle that still hasn´t given up all its secrets. Our journey will take us from the Western Cordillera of the Andes into the breathtaking Maranon Canyon, where the headwaters of the Amazon run through an arid mountain valley for over 600 miles (1000km), and from there to the forested mountainsides of the outlying eastern slopes of the Andes. Finally we will explore the deserts and foothills along the Pacific coast. During our travels we will search for some near-legendary species. Whilst focusing on the many specialities, we will also see a large variety of more widespread birds and enjoy some scenery that is among the most spectacular in the continent.
Starting out in the colonial city of Chiclayo to Tarapoto
The world´s most spectacular hummingbird, the amazing Marvelous Spatuletail. Not far away, Owlet Lodge will be our base for exploring the diverse birdlife of the cloudforests on the jagged mountain ridges of Abra Patricia and the luxuriant foothill forests of Afluente lower down. Here we will look for such legendary birds as Royal Sunangel, Cinnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant and Bar-winged Wood-Wren, while also sampling the rich east Andean cloudforest avifauna, including scores of colourful tanagers. Lower down, the foothill forest holds the endangered Ash-throated Antwren and the San Martin form of the Mishana Tyrannulet, which may represent a distinct species.
Retracing our footsteps into the Utcubamba Valley, we will look for yet more Maranon endemics near Jaen. Eventually we will descend into the Pacific coastal lowlands and adjacent foothills where, in addition to searching for the famous White-winged Guan, we will look for Peruvian Plantcutter, the rare Russet-bellied Spinetail, Piura Chat-Tyrant, Rufous Flycatcher and a number of other desert and deciduous forest specialities.
Amazon Birding: less driving more birding!
Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels/guesthouses are mostly of normal Amazon Birding standard. The hotels are simple but adequate, while the lodge at Huembo and the Owlet Lodge at Abra Patricia are surprisingly pleasant with good food and comfortable beds (each bathroom is shared between two rooms at Owlet Lodge). Road transport is by coach and roads are very good asphalt
Important: No camping is required on our tour, yet no sites are missed as a result.
Walking: The walking effort is mostly easy to moderate, but there are two optional harder walks at Abra Patricia.
Climate: Rather variable. At low and middle elevations many days are warm or hot, dry and sunny, though on other days it can be cool and overcast. At high altitudes conditions range from cool to decidedly cold in the early morning. It may well rain at times and it will be rather humid at lower altitudes.
Bird Photography: Opportunities are worthwhile.
Linkable Amazon birding: Central & Southern peru
NORTHERN PERU-TUMBES AND MARANON ENDEMICS
THE LONG WHISKERED OWLED AND MARVELOUS SPATULATAIL
PACIFIC COAST, DRY DECIDOUS FOREST, CLOUD FOREST AND THE MARANON
16 DAYS BIRDING
Overnight in Lima.
Morning flight from Lima to the coastal city of Chiclayo(1 hour and 20 minutes fly). On arrival we´ll transfer to our Hotel in Chiclayo where we´ll stay for one night and we´ll drive for 17 km to the Pacific Ocean coast to see many Seabirds and Shorebirds. Near Eten port, we´ll bird coastal wetlands for Chilean Flamingo, White-tufted Grebe, Many-colored Rush Tyrant, wren-like Rushbird and many more birds. B:L:D
Today we´ll drive two hours to our Hotel in Olmos where we are going to spend two nights.
Here we´ll bird the Bosque pomac Reserve, Quebrada Frijolillo and the protected Algarrobo woodland for Tumbes Swallow, Rufous Flycatcher, Necklaced Spinetail, Peruvian plantcutter, Baird´s Flycatcher, Superciliated Wren, Coastal Miner, Black-faced Ibis, Purple-collared Woodstar, Tumbes Hummingbird, Amazilia Hummingbird, Long-billed Starthroat, Short-tailed Woodstar, Oasis Hummingbird, Peruvian sheartail, little Woodstar. Other specialists here include Sulphur-throated and Cinereus Finch, Tumbes Tyrant, Tumbes Sparrow, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Gray-breasted Flycatcher, Gray and Gold Warbler, Sooty-capped Flycatcher, Gray and White Tyrannuled, White-Winged Guan, White-winged and White-headed Brush-finch, Elegant Crescentchest, Red-masked Prakeet, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Plumbous-backed Thrush, Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner and many more species.
Before goint to bet we´ll do some Owling for Peruvian Screech Owl and Scrub Nightjar. B:L:D
Driving times between the places are 2 hours from Olmos to Abraporculla, 4 hours from Abra Porculla to Jaen, 1 hour from Jaen to Gotas de agua.
Today we´ll drive 7 hours from Olmos to Gotas de agua, including selected birding stops along the way for Piura Chat-tyranr, Black cowlet Saltator, Andean Tinamou, Three-banded Warbler, Bay crowned brush-finch,Chapman´s Antshrike,Ecuadorian Piculet, Rufous-necked Foliage-gleaner, yellow-bellied and Black and White Seedeaters. Every day we´ll have full birding with Maranon Endemics including: Maranon Crescentchest, Maranon Slaty Antshrike, Buff-bellied Tanager, Chinchipe Spinetail, Sooty-crowned Flycatcher, Maranon pinetail, Maranon Thrush, Yellow-cheeked Becard, Speckle-breasted Wren, Black-capped Sparrow, Tataupa Tinamou, Military Macaw, Little Inca Finch, and many more, we´ll visit rice fields to look for Spotted Rail and Paint-billed Crake. Up the Uctubamba River, keeping an eye out for Fasciated Tiger-heron and Torrent Duck. We´ll spend three nights in Gotas de Agua private Reserve. B:L:D
We´ll drive for six hours (including birding) from Gotas de Agua to Huembo Lodge. Here we may see the famous: Marvelous Spatulatail at the Lek (A communal breading display performed by males to attract females). Some hummingbirds visit the feeders in the garden like Little Woodstar, White-bellied Woodstar, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Collared Inca, Mountain Velvetbreast and more. We may also explore some trails with good patches of cloud forest remain and some of the possibilities here that we have seen in the past include: Torrent Duck, Speckled Hummingbird, Golden-headed Quetzal, Versicolored Barbet, Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, White-tailed and White-banded Tyrannulets, Inca Flycatcher, Chesnut-crested Cotinga, White-capped Tanager, White-collared Jay, Andean Solitaire, Silver-backed and Green-throated Tanagers plust lots more. We´ll spend three nights in Huembo Lodge. B:L:D
Birding and driving from Huembo Lodge to Owlet Lodge will take about four hours. Staying three nights at this beautiful lodge will give us access to an extensive trails system enabling us to look for Antpittas and do some Owling in the garden for White-throated Screech Owl and Rufous-banded Owl. One of the trails will give us access to several territories of the rare and almost mythical endemic Long-Whiskered Owlet. We may bump into mixed flocks with Blue browed, Metallic-green and other Tanagers, exploring side trails we may see the newly described Johnson´s Tody-tyrant, Tyranine woodcreeper, Spotted and Rusty-winged Barbtails and many more target birds like Ash-throated Antwren, Cinnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant, Bar-winged Wood-Wren, Royal Sunangel, Equatorian Graytail, White capped and Scaly-naped Parrots, White Capped Tanager, Wedge-billed Hummingbird, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Montane woodcreeper. We may hear (or see if are lucky) Ochre-fronted and Rusty-tinged Antpittas, Long-tailed Antbird, Large-footed Tapaculo, Golden-faced Tyrannulet, Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulet, Ecuadorian Tyrannulet, Fiery-throated and Scaled Fruiteaters, Andean Cock of the Rock, Lanceolated Monklet, Fine-barred Piculet, Barred Becard, Sharpe´s Wren, Black-created Warbler, Bicolored Antvireo and many more. Night birding should be good here with Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Rufous-bellied Nighthawk and Cinnamon Screech Owl all possible. Three nights at Owlet Lodge. B:L:D
Driving and birding from Owlet Lodge to Moyobamba will take us about five hours. Through beautiful upper tropical forests, new and exciting birds will be possible with excellent chances of seeing the Speckle-chested Piculet, Ecuadorian Piedtail, Black-bellied Tanager, Yellow-throated and Ashy-throated Bush Tanagers, Yello-breasted Antwren, Gray-mantled Wren, Ruddy and Plumbeous Pigeons, White-eyed Parakeet, Red-billed Parrot, Black-mandibled Toucan, Golden-olive and Smoky-brown Woodpeckers, Olivaceous and Olive-backed Woodcreepers, Ash-browed Spinetail, Montane and buff-fronted Foliage-gleaners, Streaked Xenops, Lined Antshrike, Plain Antvireo, Rufous rumped Antwren, Blackish Antbird, White-crowned Tapaculo, Golden-winged Manakin, Slaty-capped, Ornate and Olive-chested Flycatchers, Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant, Plumbeous-crowned and Ecuadorian Tyrannulets, Northern Slaty Antshrike, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, Speckled Chachalaca, Blue Ground-Dove, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Blue-crowned Trogon, Blue-crowned Motmot, Black-fronted Nunbird, Planalto Hermit, Chestnut Eared and Lettered Aracaris, Lafrensnaye´s Piculet, Plain-crowned and Chestnut-throated Spinetail´s, Stripe-chested Antwren, White-browed Antbird, White-bellied Pygmy-Tyrant, Boat-billed and Piratic Flycatchers, Black-and-white Hawk Eagle, Mouse-colored Antshrike, Undulated Antshrike, Chestnut-headed Crake, Ashy-headed Greenlet and many more. Three nights in Moyobamba. B:L:D
After our last morning of birding, we´ll have an afternoon drive of two hours from Mollobamba to tarapoto to catch an evening flight back to Lima (one hour and 15 minutes). Overnight in Lima. B:L:D
CLIMATE: Hot and humid in the lowlands to very cold at Abra Malaga. In a dry season tour there is the possibilty of a “Friaje”, a strong cold front moving up from the south that can bring periods of unusually cool weather and rain.
DIFFICULTY: Moderate. There are some long journeys and early starts, but the walking is usually fairly easy. The walk up to the Polylepis is optional, those not wishing to do the hike can stay with the bus.
ACCOMMODATION: The jungle lodges are comfortable but simple; some do not have full-time electricity, but provide a generator for a few hours a day to charge batteries. The hotels in Cusco, Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu and Puerto Maldonado are Amazon Birding Standard. The hotel we use in Lima depends on flight schedules. Sometimes we use an airport hotel that is very convenient though a bit noisy, while other times we use a hotel in a better part of the city.
Bird Photography: Opportunities are worthwhile.
Linkable Amazon birding: Central & Northern peru
What to Bring
We advise you to bring:
Aside from Binoculars and photo-equipment (the important birdwatchers stuff), we advise:
NOTE: In rainy season we provide umbrella and rubber boots in many popular sizes for rainy days.
Amazon Birding look forward to welcoming and guiding you soon!
Last minute bookings will be accepted but you must be aware that there is the possibility that we will not get space at the hotel or tour that you need.
* PLEASE CHECK OUR SOUTHERN PERU BIRD LIST
PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
AMAZON BIRDING: Conservation through bird-ecotourism.
PHOTOS GALLERY – BIRDING MANU BIOSPHERE
