Bird watching in Panama
One of the very best countries in the world for birding is Panama, according to Avibase – Bird Checklist of the World. Up until August 2021, over 1000 species were identified. That’s a great deal of birds!
So, let’s put that in perspective. There are approximately 10,500 bird species in the entire world and more species are to be found in South America than any other continent. Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, and Bolivia have more resident species than Panama, but they also have much larger landmasses.
Panama is the isthmus or land bridge between two huge continents, acting as the motorway service station for birds on the migration superhighway between North and South. It’s a natural host to many birds visitors each year.
About a third of all the birds seen in Panama are migratory birds. And they seem to mix well with the resident birds where they feed and live together in the tropical rainforests or mudflats and mangroves, lakes, and estuaries. Typically, warblers, tanagers, thrushes, sandpipers, and hawks arrive in Panama during the Northern hemisphere’s winter season and then return for the short summer season.
One of the most incredible sights we ever saw in Panama is the Raptor Migration along the route of the Panama Canal. These raptors are mostly vultures and hawks heading south, not stopping to feed, but using the thermal pockets of warm air over the land to cruise and conserve energy on their long journey.
This incredible sight starts around late August and goes through to early November with the densest numbers seen at the end of October. One of the best places to see this, close to Panama City, is at the top of Ancon hill where you have a spectacular view over the Canal. Around 30 species of raptors can be seen with the most common being the Turkey Vulture, Mississippi Kite, Swainson’s Hawk, and the Broad-winged Hawk. Rarer species include Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, Swallow-tailed Kite, Plumbeous Kite, Red Tailed Hawk and Merlin. Cerro Ancon make a daily count and publish their results which you can see on their website (see the Source list at the end of this article).
And the best time of year to see a larger variety of birds is in the dry season between December and the end of March. Panama is fast becoming a tourist destination not only for experts or “twitchers” but for those that just enjoy bird watching.
Birdspotting in Buenaventura
In January 2021, a group of bird enthusiasts or “twitchers” rented Villa Ibis and identified over 30 different types of birds.
During the Covid Pandemic we were lucky enough to spend the entire year at Buenaventura and discovered a huge number of birds that we had never seen before such as Storks, Ibis, Blue Tanagers and the magnificent Osprey.
It was at that time that we decided to name our Villa, Villa Ibis as we were enchanted with the Ibis birds that were frequenting the lake. (The best time to see them is around sunset when they fly directly over the lake in a flock to go and roost on the other side of Buenaventura).
Imagine sitting on the terrace, just a couple of meters/yards from the water’s edge, you’ll hear the chanting and chattering of the brightly colored fly catchers and the calls of the cheeky grackal. And you’ll easily catch sight of the Anhinga, ducking and diving and re-appearing some meters away. Meanwhile, the white Egrit’s stand up to their ankles in the water waiting for an unsuspecting fish to swim by and the Amazon Kingfisher flits by on the bird superhighway. Hopefully, you’ll also catch a glimpse of the enormous grey Heron, bossing all the other birds around who attempt to visit the lake.
Flocks of Southern Lapwings dance and swoop in choreographed unison and if you are lucky, you can see the Crimson Crested or Lineated Woodpeckers attach themselves to the trunk of the coconut palms. And while the flycatchers sneak a dip in the pool for a drink when you aren’t looking, the hummingbirds arrive for the nectar from the burnt orange Heliconias. It’s a hive of bird activity at Villa Ibis and you’ll be thoroughly entertained.
Download a free list of over 40 Birds you can see in Buenaventura
With a little help from our Canadian guests, we have compiled a list of all the birds they spotted in and around Buenaventura.
When we combined their list with ours, the list totalled over 40 birds seen in Buenaventura! To download the list simply fill in the form below the article.
To help you get an even closer look at the birds, we have a Bird Spotting Scope which you are very welcome to use. You can take the scope outdoors to get a closer look at the birds on the other side of the lake. And so that you can cross reference the birds from our download list, we have a handy Birds of Panama Book at Villa Ibis.
One of our favourite pastimes is to relax on the sunbeds at sunset with a long drink in one hand and a pair of binoculars in the other, just seeing how many different birds we can spot heading off to roost for the night!
Join our mailing list and get a free Guide to the 40+ Birds you can see in Buenaventura
We’ve created a special Birding Guide to the birds you can see in Buenaventura and it’s completely free when you sign up to our mailing list.
Once you’ve signed up you’ll receive an email once a month with:
* Special offers, exclusive to our mailing list
* The latest news and information about events and what’s happening in Buenaventura
* Advance availability information
We look forward to welcoming you to our mailing list!
