Costa Rica
Resplendent Quetzals, Three-wattled Bellbirds, and Scarlet Macaws in a beautiful
country with easy travel. Good hotels, easy to moderate terrain, warm to cool and
mostly humid climate.
Our Costa Rica tours are designed to sample nearly all of the country's major habitats.
Birds are everywhere, with many classic tropical species being common, widespread, and
easy to see. The spring tour falls in the heart of the dry season with an excellent chance
for good weather throughout the country. The summer tour coincides with the driest part
of Costa Rica’s “green season,” when breeding activity is high and post-breeding
wanderers often turn up in unexpected places. Birding is phenomenal in either season.
We’ll visit two different sites in the lush Caribbean foothills, then move down slope
to visit the Rio Sarapiqui region and La Selva Biological Station. We’ll also travel to
three very different areas in the mountainous backbone of the country, each at a different
elevation and home to a slightly different cross section of birds. At Monteverde, we’ll
seek among many the stunning Resplendent Quetzal, the scarce Bare-shanked ScreechOwl, and the Three-wattled Bellbird; at Tapanti National Park, targets include Blackbellied Hummingbird, White-bellied Mountain-gem, and Buffy Tuftedcheek, while at
Cerro de la Muerte, we’ll search for the energetic Fiery-throated Hummingbird,
Wrenthrush, and Volcano Junco. In the transition between the dry northwestern lowlands
and the more humid southern Pacific slope, we’ll seek the spectacular Scarlet Macaw,
Fiery-billed Aracari, Yellow-billed Cotinga, Cherrie’s Tanager, and many others. Come
join us and discover for yourself all the reasons why Costa Rica has long been a favorite
destination for our guides and clients alike!
2009: May 10-19 with Jay VanderGaast & Peter Burke
2010: May 8-17
Fee: $2475 (2009) from Toronto. Limit: 12
Holiday Costa Rica: Rancho Naturalista
One-site holiday tour based at the comfortable Rancho Naturalista Lodge, with
excursions to other habitats on Costa Rica's bird-rich Caribbean slope. Good
accommodations, easy to moderate terrain, cool to warm and humid climate.
Situated at 3000 feet in Costa Rica's Cordillera de Talamanca, Rancho Naturalista has
long been regarded as one of the country's finest birding lodges. Comfortable rooms,
personal service, and delicious home-cooked meals combined with great birding and easy
access to other habitats make the lodge a wonderful place to stay.
One of the pleasures of being at Rancho is to start the day birding from the balcony, a
hot cup of coffee in hand and a myriad of tropical species parading below. More than
200 species have been seen from the balcony, and hummingbird feeders and flowers in
the garden below attract a host of beauties, including the incredible Black-crested
Coquette. It's a memorable show that one never tires of watching.
Just behind the cabins, several trails allow access to the lodge's 120-acre private
forest reserve, a small but incredibly birdy mix of secondary and primary foothill forest
habitats. Specialties include Rufous-winged Woodpecker, Brown-billed Scythebill, Dullmantled, Immaculate, and Spotted antbirds, and a trio of manakins.
In addition to Rancho Naturalista, we will also have a chance to bird at several other
sites, from mid-elevation cloud forest to the Caribbean lowlands. A visit to Irazu
Volcano National Park will give us access to some of the many species found only at the
highest elevations, and we hope also to encounter the stunningly lovely Resplendent
Quetzal on the volcano's forested slopes!
2009: May 10-19 with Jay VanderGaast & Peter Burke
2010: May 8-17
Fee: $2475 (2009) from Toronto. Limit: 12
Dominican Republic
Short tour to the eastern half of the endemic-rich island of Hispaniola. Many
specialties and endemics including the unusual Palmchat. Cool to hot climate,
moderate elevation, several long drives, good to excellent accommodations.
The Dominican Republic—the eastern half of the island of Hispaniola—is an interesting
place to visit: there are some twenty-seven endemics here, more than are found in Cuba!
Our tour focuses on the high mountains and foothills of the western part of the country,
where virtually all of the endemics occur. We'll bird the lovely and rugged Sierra de
Baoruco, where habitats range from deciduous scrub and mesquite in the arid lowlands to
epiphyte-laden montane forest and, at the highest elevations, pines and agaves.
The bird life is correspondingly diverse. Many of the most interesting species are still
enigmas to ornithologists: Antillean Piculet, so different from other piculets that it is
placed in its own genus; Palmchat, a gregarious species which builds huge stick nests and
perhaps is related to the waxwings and silky-flycatchers; and Flat-billed Vireo, so unlike
other vireos in behavior and bill shape that it was originally described as an Empidonax
flycatcher.
Our trip will also include a visit to one of the last strongholds of the endemic
Ridgway's Hawk: the remote Parque de Los Haitises near the north coast, where, with
luck, we may find this rare raptor.
2009: May 10-19 with Jay VanderGaast & Peter Burke
2010: May 8-17
Fee: $2475 (2009) from Toronto. Limit: 12
Birding Plus—El Salvador & Banding
A unique opportunity to work in a banding operation, learn basic techniques,
terminology, and instruction on aging and sexing birds in the hand; expect an equal
amount of time in "normal" tour birding. Basic to good accommodations, warm and
humid climate.
El Salvador is the smallest country in Latin America, but one with a rich ornithological
history, and with the formation of SalvaNATURA, research and monitoring have taken
on a long-term importance. SalvaNATURA has operated full-time bird monitoring
stations in the western half of the country for the past five years. These stations have
contributed a mountain of data on migration, site fidelity, and general life history of both
resident and migrant species, and there have even been several species new to the country
captured in these mist nets.
Field Guides and SalvaNATURA have partnered to offer participants the opportunity
to be involved in the banding operations at two stations in western El Salvador: one in
cloud forest, the other in semi-deciduous tropical forest. We will learn basic banding
techniques including banding terminology, net placement, net maintenance, bird handling
and extraction, bird processing (data collection and banding), and release. There will also
be instruction on aging and sexing individuals.
In addition, we'll spend half our time in "normal" tour birding. The tour is timed to
see a good number of Neotropical migrants as well as resident birds (expect to band and
see many!). El Salvador is guide Jesse Fagan's second home, and he looks forward to
welcoming you to this wonderful country.
2009: May 10-19 with Jay VanderGaast & Peter Burke
2010: May 8-17
Fee: $2475 (2009) from Toronto. Limit: 12
Guatemala: Shade-grown Birding
Numerous Middle American specialties, among them Resplendent Quetzal, a host of
hummingbirds, and Azure-rumped Tanager, set against a dramatic volcanic landscape
and colorful Mayan culture. Friendly accommodations, moderate terrain, warm to
cool climate.
Guatemala is a wonderful birding destination, with many avian specialties, beautiful
scenery, a colorful culture, and some of the best coffee in the world. We combine these
to give you an unforgettable experience. The proud Mayan culture, perhaps the richest
remaining New World indigenous culture, is vibrant and alive, and we'll get a good view
of Mayan history and craftwork during the trip.
For much of the tour we'll be based at shade-coffee plantations with wonderful native
forest on their land. Where else can you wake up to a great breakfast at a friendly familyrun finca, drink your morning cup of locally grown coffee, walk up superb and wellmaintained trails, and then sit at benches specially set up for birders to watch for the rare
Azure-rumped (Cabanis's) Tanager? And on the way back to lunch you could very well
encounter a Resplendent Quetzal, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful
birds in the world. The habitats we will visit are varied, from pine-oak forests near
Antigua to tropical lowland forests near Retalhuleu ("Reu" for short) and cloud forests on
the slopes of volcanoes bordering Lake Atitlan.
Alternate cultural options, such as visits to Antigua, Chichicastenango, the ruins of
Abaj Takalik, Lake Atitlan, and coffee tours at the fincas, will be available for those who
want to share this superb country with a non-birding spouse or friend.
2009: May 10-19 with Jay VanderGaast & Peter Burke
2010: May 8-17
Fee: $2475 (2009) from Toronto. Limit: 12
Honduras: Land of the Emeralds
Tour for the endemic Honduran Emerald plus arid Pacific-slope, Central Highland,
and Caribbean lowland coverage. Excellent to basic accommodations, moderate to
strenuous terrain, cool to hot and humid.
The second-largest country in Central America, Honduras boasts over 720 species of
birds, including the endemic Honduran Emerald. We'll begin in the Central American
highlands at La Tigra National Park above the capital city of Tegucigalpa. The cloud
forest and surrounding fincas are a great location for many northern Central American
endemics including Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge, Green-breasted Mountain-gem (a
near-endemic), Bushy-crested Jay, Rufous-browed Wren, and Blue-and-white
Mockingbird. The birding is fun and relaxing as we continue looking for other nearendemics and highland specialties like White-breasted Hawk (the chionogaster race of
Sharp-shinned, believed by many to be a separate species), White-faced Quail-Dove,
Sparkling-tailed and Wine-throated hummingbirds, Scaled Antpitta, and Slate-colored
Solitaire. Just a short drive away, we'll visit arid thorn forest for several Pacific-slope
specialties--Orange-fronted Parakeet, White-throated Magpie-Jay, White-lored
Gnatcatcher, and Lesser Ground-Cuckoo.
From the highlands we'll head north crossing the Continental Divide, sampling the
extensive pine-savannah near Zambrano, before stopping at Lake Yojoa, the wettest spot
in the country. Surrounded by spectacular peaks and two national parks, this large lake
with bordering wetlands is ideal for locating rare crakes, Spotted Rail, and Masked Duck.
A visit to nearby Cerro Azul-Meambar National Park and the Embalse de Yure will give
us opportunities for Rufous-breasted Spinetail, Prevost's Ground Sparrow, and our first
chance at the elusive Keel-billed Motmot.
The tour continues along the North Coast in the bustling and colorful Caribbean town of
Tela. We'll visit coastal mangroves and a Garifuna village for live music, as well as the
Lancetilla Botanical Gardens. A sampling of Caribbean lowland birds found at Lancetilla
includes Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Black-crowned Tityra, Cocoa Woodcreeper, and
Great Antshrike. Continuing east along the Caribbean coast to Pico Bonito National Park,
we'll see the Cordillera Nombre de Dios rise up spectacularly on our right. This range has
experienced little ornithological coverage, and many areas have not been surveyed. We'll
stay at the world-class Pico Bonito Lodge where quality tropical rainforest is found just
beyond the pool. A few noteworthy species we could see on the lodge's property include
Sunbittern, Tawny-faced Quail, Black-crested Coquette, Keel-billed and Tody motmots,
the very rare Gray-headed Piprites, and Lovely Cotinga. In the evening, we'll look for
Vermiculated Screech-Owl, Mottled Owl, and, if we're lucky, the mysterious Crested
Owl. Our final day will find us in the arid Aguan Valley, in the rainshadow of the North
Coast mountains, enjoying scope-filling views of the Honduran Emerald!