Peru
Machu Picchu
Travelers fortunate enough to visit the splendid lost city of the Incas may also be rewarded by seeing some very good birds, including the endemic Inca Wren and Green-and-white Hummingbird, as well as Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Silver-backed, Saffron-crowned, Yellow-throated, and Rust-and-yellow Tanagers, Andean Guan, Speckle-faced Parrot, a number of other hummingbirds and several sorts of tyrannulets, plus numerous other species.
For other details, including a longer birdlist, see Wheatley, Where to Watch Birds in South America.
Manu National Park
Manu National Park
The park is one of the premier birding spots in the world, with a list that runs well over a thousand species. No list here could even begin to suggest the splendor of this place, where Amazonian rainforest meets subtropical forest and Andean slope temperate forest. Arrangements for reservations at the lodges in the park need to be made well in advance.
For other details, including a birdlist, see Wheatley, Where to Watch Birds in South America.
Chiclayo area
The northwestern Peruvian city of Chiclayo gives birders access to the thorn forests, the thickets that cover the dunes, and the Santa Rosa marshes 16 km south of the city. The birds to be found in the marshes include Peruvian Thick-knee, Coastal Miner, Sulphur-throated Finch, and Tawny-throated Dotterel. Leaving the city in the direction of Batan Grande birders can work the thorn forests and dunes for two endemics the Peruvian Plantcutter and the Rufous Flycatcher. Other birds possible here include such things as Amazillia Hummingbird, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Gray-and-gold Warbler, Cenereous Conebill, Tumbes Sparrow, and Sulphur-throated Finch.
For other details, including a longer birdlist, see Wheatley, Where to Watch Birds in South America.
Maraņon Valley
Jaen is one obvious place from which to bird this fine valley. A number of endemics are to be looked for in the lowland areas, including Chinchipe Spinetail, Maraņon Crescentchest, Maraņon Thrush, Maraņon Spinetail, and Maraņon Slaty-Antshrike. A visit to the river Maraņon could add such birds as Pied Lapwing and Yellow-billed Tern.
For other details, including a birdlist, see Wheatley, Where to Watch Birds in South America.
Abra Patricia Pass area and Pomococha
Perhaps the best location from which to bird this area is the town of Pomococha, also sometimes called Florida. Between the town and the bridge that lies five km west of the town look for the Marvellous Spatuletail. The bird also occurs on the trail that leads along the river from the bridge.
The road that passes through the Abra Patricia pass, which connects the wet Amazonian east with the drier area on Maraņon, has an impressive bird list: White-capped and Scaly-naped Parrots, Ash-throated Antwren, Royal Sunangel, Wedge-billed Hummingbird, Ecuadorian Piedtail, and Golden-collared Honeycreeper, and many more. Beyond the pass, in the stunted forest, birds like White-capped Tanager, Spotted Barbtail, Ochre-fronted Antpitta and Long-whiskered Owlet have been found. In the forests at the bottom area Olive-chested Flycatcher, Thrushlike Antpitta, and Dusky Spinetail occur.
For other details, including a longer birdlist, see Wheatley, Where to Watch Birds in South America.
Iquitos
More than five hundred species have been recorded in the Amazonian rainforest near this city. Access is by air. There are several lodges that are aimed in part at birders. Some special birds are Zigzag Heron, Nocturnal Currasow, Purple-throated Cotinga, Pearly-breasted Conebill, Agami Heron, Lanceolated Monklet, half a dozen kinds of Antbirds, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Red-throated Ground-Cuckoo, and many, many more.
For other details, including a longer birdlist, see Wheatley, Where to Watch Birds in South America.
Lima environs hotspots
There are a number of good birding spots in and around Lima.
Parque el Olivar (in San Isidro) is opposite the Camino Real Shopping Center. The resident birds are Red-masked, Mitred and Scarlet-fronted Parakeets, Saffron Finch, Chestnut-throated Seedeater, and Vermillion Flycatcher. Look especially for the melanistic variant of the flycatcher. It is found only in and around Lima.
Lima area beaches and waterfront provide opportunities to see both seabirds and some interesting land birds, including Croaking Ground-dove, Amazilia and Oasis Hummingbirds, Short-tailed Field-Tyrant, Slender-billed Finch and others. Explore parks for land birds For seabirds visit the beaches, at Miraflores, Chorillos, and Villa, and the waterfront at Callao. Look for Inca Tern, Peruvian Booby, Grey Gull, Guanay Cormorant, Peruvian Pelican.
Other birds such as Least Seedsnipe, Tawny-throated Dotterel, and Peruvian Thick-knee are to be found at Puente San Pedro, 34 km south of Lima.
Callao pelagics. Regular whale-watching and seabird watching trips operate out of Callao, just outside Lima. Some of the possible birds are Humboldt Penguin, Waved Albatross, Peruvian Diving-Petrel, Ringed, Markham's, Wilson's, and White-vented Storm-petrels, Sooty and Pink-footed Shearwaters,and White-chinned Petrel are resident. Birds passing through change with the season, May-August bringing the possibility of seeing Black-browed and Gray-headed Albatrosses, Cape Petrel, and Chilean Skua among others, while October-March might bring Black Storm-petrel, Westland Petrel, Buller's Shearwater, and Swallow-tailed Gull and others.
Fifteen kilometers north of Lima, at Playa Ventanilla, shorebirds can be found at the right seasons. The coastal marshes , set in a sandy desert, provide habitat for both aquatic species, e.g. White-tufted Grebe, Straited and Green Herons, Cinnamon Teal, Andean Duck, Slate-colored Coot, Plumbeous Rail, and others, and passerines such as Common Miner, Wren-like Rushbird, Many-colored Rush-Tyrant, Chestnut-throated and Parrot-billed Seedeaters. In October-March a number of sandpipers and other shore birds can be found here.
To reach Playa Ventanilla follow the Panamerican Norte north for about 10 km before turning left towards the Playa.
This coastal lagoon just south of Lima is one of the few fresh water wetlands in a desert landscape. It has reedbed and vegetation as well as mudflats and open water, which makes it important for migrating shorebirds and wintering ducks. It is landscaped with trails. Also check the beach behind the lagoon. Birds include, offshore the Guanay Cormorant and Peruvian Pelican, while resident birds in the lagoon area include Striated, Green Little Blue hern and Black-crowned Night-Heron, Puna Ibis, Cinnamon and Puna Teal, Slate-colored Coot, and Peruvian Thick-knee, among others. In the period October-March it adds a number of sanpipers and several other visitors.
For more information including more complete bird lists for these hotspots see see Milne, Where to Watch Birds: World Cities.
Lima region - Pucusana Harbor
Pucasana, a coastal fishing village, about 60 km south of Lima, provides an opportunity to see some of the abundatn pelagic birds of Peru. The rocks and cliff faces surrounding the town temm with seabirds, plus the endemic Peruvian Seaside-Cinclodes. Boatmen will probably approach visitors, offering a harbor tour, which might make seeing some of the birds easier. Just outside the harbor itself pelagic birds come quite close to shore. Among birds to be found: Humboldt Penguin, Peruvian Pelican, Peruvian Booby, Guanay Cormorant, Red-legged Cormorant, Gray, Gray-headed and Band-tailed Gulls, and Peruvian Tern. In the October-March period a few species of shorebirds are present.
For more information including a more complete bird list see Milne, Where to Watch Birds: World Cities. Lima region - Santa Eulalia Valley
East of Lima the Andes rised abruptly, producing valleys that only look barren. They support many species of birds, including some endemics. The road up to Santa Eulalia from the Central Highway offers good birding opportunities. Resident species include Torrent Duck, Andean Condor, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Variable Hawk, Bare-faced Ground-Dove, Wcarlet-fronted and Mountain Parakeets. Hummingbirds are Bronze-tailed Comet, Oasis Hummingbird, Peruvian Sheartail, and Purple-collared Woodstar. There are a number of different Tyrannidae, and many other species.
The area, about 75 km from Lima, is reached by going east on the Central Highway to and through Chosica, turning left on the exit for Santa Eulalia. The road soon ascends into the mountains and the vegetation changes. The road ascends about 3,000 meters between Chosica and San Pedro de Casta. On such a steep and winding mountain road, park in the spaces provided at turns in the road where your vehicle will be visible from both directions and bird on foot.
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For more information including a more complete bird list see Milne, Where to Watch Birds: World Cities. |
