Close to Panama City is the famed Pipeline Road, one of the premier birding hotspots in the Americas. With a species count of over 400, it is a must see if you are visiting Panama even for a short visit. Most of the ~20 km road is not accessible to the public, but the rest is still very productive.
It was truly one of the best days of birding I have had. With outstanding guide Mario Ocana Guia guiding me, we saw over a hundred species. Could have been even more if one of the observation areas in the forest weren't closed for maintenance, and we didn't have to shelter for some time from rain. I was happy to get my first look at the Yellow-throated Toucan on that day, and some other beauties such as the Golden-collared and Red-capped Manakin, Cinnamon Woodpecker, Rufescent Tiger Heron, and many more.
There is an observation tower built into the forest, made of steel, with a spiral staircase, going up to almost a hundred feet, peeking up above the canopy. This has several observation decks along the way, and at each height above the ground, one can see a whole lot of birds, sometimes from just 20 feet away. It is pretty special to see some high-dwelling species at eye level this way.
It was truly one of the best days of birding I have had. With outstanding guide Mario Ocana Guia guiding me, we saw over a hundred species. Could have been even more if one of the observation areas in the forest weren't closed for maintenance, and we didn't have to shelter for some time from rain. I was happy to get my first look at the Yellow-throated Toucan on that day, and some other beauties such as the Golden-collared and Red-capped Manakin, Cinnamon Woodpecker, Rufescent Tiger Heron, and many more.
There is an observation tower built into the forest, made of steel, with a spiral staircase, going up to almost a hundred feet, peeking up above the canopy. This has several observation decks along the way, and at each height above the ground, one can see a whole lot of birds, sometimes from just 20 feet away. It is pretty special to see some high-dwelling species at eye level this way.
