BIRDING IN NORTHERN PERU: The Classic Tour

After breakfast we will head towards Casupe Road where we will inicially look for one of the last habitat for wild populations of the Endemic White-winged Guan (E). Other great species here are Guayaquil Woodpecker, Piura Chat-tyrant (E) , Chapman´s Antshrike, Black-capped Sparrow, Ecuadorian Piculet, etc.

The afternoon will be spent in Chaparri for Lesser Nighthawk, Scrub Nightjar, Purple-collared Woodstar, Savanna Hawk, Red Masked Parakeet, Collared Antshrike, Pacific Hornero (E), Sooty-crowned Flycatcher, Snowy-throated Kingbird, White-tailed Jay, Tumbes Sparrow (NE), Peuvian Meadowlark, White-edged Oriole.

After dinner we will look for Peruvian Screech-Owl

Night in Chaparri.

Abra Porculla crosses the western Andes (at 2145 meters elevation) and is a semi-humed montane scrub habitat where Gray-chinned (Porculla) Hermit (E), Tumbes Hummingbird (NE), Ecuadorian Piculet, Line-cheecked Spinetail, Black-cowled Saltator, Chapman´s Antshrike, Bay-crowned Brush-Finch, White-winged Brush-Finch & White-headed Brush-Finch, Henna-hooded Foliage Gleaner & Rufous-necked Foliage Gleaner, Piura Chat-Tyrant (E), Marañon Tyrannulet (E), Tumbes Tyrannulet (E), Mouse-gray flycatcher, Tumbes Pewee, Three-banded Warbler & Gray-and-Gold Warbler, Chestnut-Crowned Antpitta, Plumbeous-backed Thrush, Speckle-breasted Wren, White-browed Gnatcatcher, Blue seedeater among others are all good possibilities.

After lunch we will drive towards the upper Marañon Basin.

Night in Jaen

An early short drive will take us to  final short drive will take us to San Lorenzo for a whole-mourning hike to the habitat of the rare and endemic Pale-billed Antpitta. Other species here are the spectaculars Barred Fruiteater, Gray-breasted Mountain-toucan and Yungas Pygmy-owl. Some specialities such as Golden-plumed Parakeet, Rufous-capped Antshrike, Utcubamba Tapaculo (E), Russet-mantled Softail (E), Red-crested Cotinga,Unstreaked Tit-tyrant (E), Peruvian Wren (E), Coppery Metaltail (E), Black-crested Warbler, White-sided & Masked Flowerpiercers and the colorful Hooded & Lacrimouse Mountain-tanagers, Blue-and-black Tanager, etc

After lunch we will head towards the the emblematic Owlet Lodge, a private reserve at the pass of the western Andes where we will spend two full days birding up in this humide montane forest  famous for the efforts of conservation of Long-whiskered Owlet. The pass raises at 2300 masl has great forest and crosses the Andes towards the east side. This is one of the most productive and easy to bird road in the Neotropics. Owlet Lodge is a famous and confortable lodge, from easy birding in the garden where White-bellied Woodstar, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, Fawn-breasted Brilliant and Lesser Violetear are residents to very good birding chasing tanager flocks where beauties like Grass-green Tanager, Yellow-scarfed Tanager (E),  Beryl-spangled Tanager, Yellow-throated Tanager, or Rusty-breasted Antpitta (E) and Rusty-tinged Antpitta (E) or the endemic Jhonson´s Tody-Flycatcher (E).

Night in Owlet Lodge

We leave the lodge after breakfast towards Arena Blanca reserve where we can find Rufous-breasted Woodquail and Little Tinamou at a feeder. Its garden is excellent for hummingbirds such as Blue-fronted Lancebill, Wire-crested Thornbill, Rufous-throated Sapphire, Black-throated Brilliant, Golden-tailed Sapphire and our firts attempt for the spectacular Rufous-crested Coquette. Bird feeders attract Black-bellied Tanager (E) and Burnish-buff Tanager, other species include White-lined Tanager, Green-throated Tanager, Turquoise Tanager & Paradise Tanager. Finally we can also find White-browed Purpletuft, Russet-crowned Crake, Lanceolated Monklet, etc

We will explore Waqanki lodge in Moyobamba where we will spend 2 full days birding where birding in the trails include include: Painted Manakins (E), Golden-headed Manakin & Fiery-capped Manakin, Fiery throated Fruiteater, Lafresnaye´s Piculet, Riparian Parrotlet, Foothill Stipplethroat, Zimmer´s Antbird, Wing-barred Piprites, Golden collared Toucanet, Rufous Nightjar, Cinereous-breasted Spinetail; Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrants & Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrants, Sooty-headed Tyrannulet, Green-backed Trogon; Rufous & Broad-billed Motmot, among others.

The garden of the lodge is rewarding with Mishana Tyrannulet (E), Huallaga Tanager (E), Channel-billed Toucan, Lettered Aracari, Red-shouldered & Black-face Tanagers, and Pale-breasted Thrush.

Hummingbird feeders attract the spectacular Rufous-crested Coquette along with Rufous-breasted Hermit, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Blue-fronted Lancebill, Sapphire-spangled Emerald, among many others.

Road explorations regularly bring Russet-crowned Crake and and a short drive will take us to see the very rare and nocturnal Masked Duck.

Nights are productive as well since Foothill, Tropical & Band-bellied Screech-Owl and Stygian Owl are residentes here.

Nights in Wakanki Lodge

This is our last day of tour, after breakfast we will head to Cordillera Escalera and Aconabikh Reserve, where Koepcke´s Hermit, Buff-tailed Sicklebill, Pink-thorated Brilliant, Hook-billed Kite, Lettered Aracari, Mishana Tyrannulet, White-bellied Pygmy-tyrant, Peruvian Tyrannulet, Black Antbird, Cliff & Brown-crested Flycatcher, White-throated Toucan, Black-faced Tanager, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Rufous-bellied Euphonia, Blue-capped Manakin, Dotted Tanager and we find here an active lek of Golden headed Manakin. Additionally Yellow-tailed Wooly-monkey are often seen here. We will turn back after lunch to get ready for our flight to Lima.

END OF SERVICIES

We recomend to continue our recomended birding extension of our SCARLET-BANDED BARBET Tour.

Private tours may also continue the way to Chachapoyas and Cajamarca.