LIMA AREA HOTSPOTS 

PANTANOS DE VILLA

This wetlands is the only protected area within the city limits of Lima, and is a RAMSAR site. The complex of lagoons, pools and marsh areas with totora reed (bulrush sedge) clumps, are great for birding with chances for Many-colored Rush-Tyrant, Wren-like Rushbird, Peruvian Thick-knee, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Grebe, Plumbeous Rail, Peruvian Meadowlark, Gray Gull, Grey-hooded Gull among others waterfowl and sea birds.

PUCUSANA

A charming fishing town 60 km south of Lima and very popular among “limeños” looking for seafood and sun, Pucusana is situated inside a small cove and protected by an island just in front of it. Pucusana’s avifauna is that of the typical species of the chilly Humboldt Current. Inca Tern, Peruvian Booby, Belcher’s Gull, Peruvian Pelican, Guanay and Red- legged Cormorants are common here. A colony of Humboldt Penguins also lives in a cave on the island and they can be easily observed during a boat trip. In addition, the endemic Surf Cinclodes can be seen wandering in the coastal tides on the beaches. Depending on time, we may visit some coastal scrub surrounded by agricultural fields too.

AMAZONIA HOTSPOTS

POSADA AMAZONAS LODGE

A spacious ecolodge, complete with a bar, a massage center, and buffet meal service, Posada Amazonas Lodge is located on a native protected area and also near the famous and well- known Tambopata National Reserve. In the heart of a private concession owned by the Native Community of Infierno, the lodge borders Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, an area containing one of the most pristine and diverse rainforests on Earth. Altogether, the protected areas here total 3.5 million hectares, an area nearly the size of Switzerland.

The lodge has a trail system that connects an array of different habitats, with spectacular birding. Early in our visit we could encounter birds such as Pale-winged Trumpeter, Green- backed, Collared, Black- tailed and Blue-crowned Trogon, and Bartlett’s Tinamou plus understory mix-species flocks that can hold many others. Tres Chimbadas, a nearby oxbow lake, might yield Hoatzin, Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, Silver and Band-tailed Antbird, and if we are lucky, perhaps Giant River Otter. Patches of bamboo can hold Peruvian Recurvebill, Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Large-headed Flatbill, Rufous-capped Nunlet, Bamboo Antshrike and more. Night walks near the lodge could also result in sightings of Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl, Great Potoo, Long-tailed Potoo, Ocellated Poorwill or Crested Owl. There is also the possibility of taking macro-photography of frogs, and other creatures of the night. Clay licks located around the lodge area offer chances at Red-and-Green Macaws and Chestnut-fronted Macaw, Dusky-headed Parakeets, Cobalt-winges parakeets, Rock Parakeets and still others. A 42-meter Canopy Tower located in the terra firme forest adds a whole other dimension and can result in mixed canopy flocks tanagers such as Paradise, Green-and-gold, Flame-crested, Turquoise, Opal-rumped, and others. The tower offers Aracaris such as, Chestnut-eared, Lettered, Emerald, Curl-crested, and Brown- mandibled, and raptors too. Sometimes even the mighty Harpy Eagle is seen here. Other scarce or soughtafter birds possible include Pavonine Quetzal, Paradise Jacamar, Round- tailed Manakin, Purus Jacamar, White- browed Blackbird and more.

ANDES HOTSPOTS

CUSCO, MACHU PICCHU, ABRA MALAGA, WAYQUECHA, & THE MANU ROAD

We take time to explore cultural sites like Cuzco (11,000+ feet above sea level) and Machu Picchu (~8000ft), and search for endemics birds like Chestnut-breasted Mountain- Finch, Creamy-creasted Spinetail, Bearded Mountaineer, Rusty-fronted Canastero, and White- tufted Sunbeam. The Sacred valley hold promised for bird like Sword billed Hummingbird, and the endemics mentioned above. Incomparable Machu Picchu is less about the birds and more just about beholding one of the most majestic ruins on Earth. The “Lost City of the Inca” is a sensational sight behold, and with the assistance of a local expert we’ll visit the Citadel to learn all about it. Along the way we might see species like Mitred Parakeet, White- tipped Swift, the endemic Green-and-white Hummingbird, Collared Inca, Ocellated Piculet, Streaked Xenops, Variable Antshrike, Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet, Rusty Flowerpiercer, Oleaginous Hemispingus, Yellow-bellied Seedeater and Hooded Siskin. A visit to magnificent Abra Malaga, a low pass through the mountains, is a good place to find birds like Royal Cinclodes, Creamy-crested Spinetail, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-finch, Junin Canastero, Andean Guan, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Pearled Treerunner, Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Tanager, Moustached Flowerpiercer, and Cusco Brush-Finch. Rarely seen but possible is Gray-breasted Seedsnipe, and Andean Condors are some time seen here too.

At the lagoons of Huacarpay we’ll visit some areas near 12000 feet above sea level, and with high altitude and Puna species such as White-tufted Grebe, Puna Ibis, Puna Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Ruddy (Andean) Duck, Plumbeous Rail, and Andean Lapwing and in the surrounding vegetation we have chances for Giant Hummingbird, Streak- fronted Thornbird, flocks of Greenish Yellow-Finches, Ash-breasted Sierra-Finches, Band-tailed Seedeaters, the endemic Rusty-fronted Canastero, and the endemic and spectacular Bearded Mountaineer.

Wayquecha Biological Station is furnished with feeding stations that attract Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Tyrian Metaltail, Collared Inca and Masked Flowerpiercer, while the trails and the fruit trees around the Lodge offer beautiful tanagers such as Golden-collared Tanager, Grass- green Tanager, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Hooded Mountain-Tanager among others. Other birds of interest here can include Undulated Antpitta, Red-and-white Antpitta, Rusty- breasted Antpitta, Black-faced Brush-finch, and Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan.

The Manu Road and its “El Mirador Union” at 5500+ feet above sea level, has great birding with nice gardens and feeders often hosting Versicolored Barbet, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Orange-eared Tanager, Spotted Tanager, Many-spotted Hummingbird, Wire-crested Thorntail among others.