Regional travel in Peru – Travel program PTW-TAM013-en
Bird watching at Tambopata Research Center
9 days / 8 nights – Start: daily
Program tailored to bird watching with a specialized guide. Excursions around the Tambopata Research Center in an uninhabited area in the Tambopata National Reserve. The geographical conditions in the area cause very different forests with a correspondingly diverse flora and fauna. The world's largest collpa (salt lick of parrots) is here where many species of parrots gather.
Day 1: Puerto Maldonado to Posada Amazon Lodge
•
Reception at the airport in Puerto Maldonado.
• Transfer to the office in Puerto Maldonado. In order not to overload the boat, we ask that you only take the bare minimum for the next few days. The remaining luggage can be safely stored in the office during this time.
• Transfer to the port with occasional stops to look out for some birds such as Chestnut jacamar, White-browed blackbird, Pearl kite and Paloma escamosa.
• Boat trip on the Tambopata river to the
Posada Amazon Lodge. Lunch on the boat. Occasional bird watching stops
during the boat trip too, to see birds such as River lapwing, Collared
plover, King vulture, Bat falcon, Para oropendola, Russet-backed
oropendola, Ringed kingfisher and Amazon kingfisher.
• Arrival at the lodge.
• Orientation to the course of the program.
• Dinner.
• Overnight stay at the Posada Amazonas Lodge.
Day 2: Posada Amazonas
• Breakfast.
• A half-hour walk to a 30 m high lookout
tower, which allows bird watching in height of the tree tops. Mixed flocks
of birds are common here. These consist largely of different types of
tanagers such as Paradise tanager, Green-and-
gold tanager, Tangara
crestifuego, Tangara turquesa and Tangara velia. Cream-colored woodpecker,
Gilded barbet, Plum-throated cotinga and Striolated puffbird can also be
easily observed. Macaws and toucans fly by, such as Chestnut-eared
aracari, Lettered aracari, Emerald toucanet, Curl-crested aracari and
Ivory-billed aracari. Also the best opportunity to watch eagles and
harpies in flight.
• Lunch.
• On the «Shahue Trail», the highlights are: Fiery-capped manakin, Round-tailed manakin, Pale-winged trumpeter and Pavonine quetzal.
• Dinner.
• Overnight stay at the Posada Amazonas Lodge.
Day 3: from Posada Amazonas to Tambopata Research Center
• Breakfast.
• A half-hour boat ride and another half-hour walk leads to the Tres Chimbadas Lake, an oxbow lake that also includes palm swamps and grasslands. Ride a catamaran on the lake to observe the animals that live here, such as Giant otter, Cayman, Hoatzin, Horned screamer. The otters are mainly active from sunrise to about 9:00 am.
• Excursion in the bamboo
forests around the lake «Tres Chimbadas». We're on the lookout for the
endemic White-cheeked tody-tyrant, Peruvian recurvebill, Red-billed
scythebill, Rufous-headed woodpecker, Rufous-breasted piculet,
Brown-rumped foliage-gleaner, Large-headed flatbill, Dusky-tailed
flatbill, Crested foliage-gleaner, Flammulated bamboo-tyrant, Dot-winged
antwren, Ornate stipplethroat, Rufous-crested antbird, Rufous-capped
nunlet, Pheasant cuckoo and Striped cuckoo.
• Boat trip (about 6
hours) from «Posada Amazonas» to «Tambopata Research Center». Many birds
can be seen during the drive, e.g. Western great egret, Capped heron,
Cocoi heron, Large-billed tern, Yellow-billed tern, Black skimmer, the
classic Horned screamer,
Razor-billed curassow, Blue-throated piping-guan and Orinoco goose. From time to time Macaws, Toucans and birds of prey fly
past.
• Lunch box on the boat.
• Arrival at the lodge and orientation.
• Dinner.
• After dinner, researchers will provide information on Macaw biology, their feeding habits, theories on the importance of salt licks, their reproduction, feeding ecology, population variability and threats to their conservation.
• Overnight at Tambopata Research Center.
Day 4: Tambopata Research Center
• Parrot clay lick. At sunrise we cross the river, where hundreds of parrots and macaws and up to 15 species of parrots gather every day at the largest salt lick: Red-and-green macaw, Blue-and-yellow macaw, Scarlet macaw, Red-bellied macaw, Chestnut-fronted macaw, Blue-headed macaw, Southern mealy parrot, Yellow-crowned parrot, Blue-headed parrot, Orange-cheeked parrot, White-bellied parrot, Dusky-headed parakeet, White-eyed parakeet, Cobalt-winged parakeet, Tui parakeet and Dusky-billed parrotlet.
• Breakfast.
• Excursion to two
fundamental forest areas. The 5 km Ocelot-trail runs through
intermittently flooded forest and the 5 km Toucan-trail runs through
forest with tall trees that rarely or never floods. Both are habitats with
a very large
variety of bird species. Among many others live here: Starred
wood-quail, Pale-winged trumpeter, various Trogons, Foliage-gleaner,
Black-tailed leaftosser, many Woodcreepers, Antbirds, Flycatchers,
Manakins, and many, many more. Mixed flocks of birds are particularly rich
in species with 30 to 40 or more bird species. Dusky-throated antshrike,
Red-crowned ant-tanager, Plain-winged antshrike, Bluish-slate antshrike,
White-eyed stipplethroat, Plain-throated antwren, Thrush-like antpitta,
White-winged shrike-tanager, Amazonian barred-woodcreeper, and Spix's
woodcreeper. The Ocelot-trail also leads to perpetually flooded ancient
ponds inhabited by Agami heron, Rufescent tiger-heron, American pygmy
kingfisher, Green-and-rufous kingfisher and Sunbittern.
• Lunch.
• After a lot of walking we go watching birds around the Tambopata Research Center. You can see, for example: Squirrel cuckoo, Masked crimson tanager, Cinnamon-throated woodcreeper, Speckled chachalaca and Yellow-tufted woodpecker.
• Dinner.
• Overnight at Tambopata Research Center.
Day 5: Tambopata Research Center
• Breakfast.
• After breakfast we walk the ocelot and toucan trails for the second time. Literally hundreds of birds live in these forests and often completely different birds can be spotted in the same spot from one day to the next. We keep an eye out for flocks of birds which may include Black-spotted bare-eye, Black-banded woodcreeper, Sooty antbird and maybe even a Rufous-vented ground-cuckoo. With eyes and ears we try to spot extraordinary ground birds such as Tinamus, Striated antthrush and Alagoas curassow. Pavonine Quetzal, Black-bellied Cuckoo, Hardy's pygmy-owl, Great jacamar, Ringed antpipit, Chestnut-headed oropendola, Speckled spinetail, mixed flocks of birds led by White-winged shrike-tanager and many other bird species may also be seen. Rare surprises such as Crested eagle, Harpy eagle, Forest-falcon and Yellow-bellied tanager are also possible.
• Lunch.
• Excursion to the transitional forests above the parrot lick. There was a
bamboo forest here until a few years ago, when it bloomed and died. Here,
among others, White-throated jacamar, Buff-throated saltator,
Cinnamon-bellied saltator, Scarlet-hooded barbet, Crested oropendola,
Russet-backed oropendola, Piratic flycatcher, Yellow-billed nunbird can be
observed. The somewhat elevated location offers a great view of the
winding Tambopata coming from the highlands.
• Dinner.
• Overnight at Tambopata Research Center.
Day 6: Tambopata Research Center
• Breakfast.
• Explore a riparian
habitat formed by the river's oxbow lake just minutes upstream featuring
ant trees, ambatsch and bamboo undergrowth. This is the habitat of
Rufous-fronted antthrush, Lemon-throated barbet, Spot-breasted woodpecker,
Cabanis's spinetail, Amazonian antpitta, Blackish antbird, Fuscous
flycatcher, Guira tanager, and Orange oriole. Leaving the swampy forest,
we head to grassy areas with tessaria and young ant trees.
There is not a
great difference in the bird species found here, but this is the main
habitat for Plain-crowned spinetail, Dark-breasted spinetail,
Mottle-backed elaenia, Spotted tody-flycatcher, Black-billed thrush and
Orange-headed tanager.
• Lunch.
• On the Bamboo Trail, we focus on the bird species that prefer the bamboo forest, such as the endemic White-cheeked tody-tyrant, Peruvian recurvebill, Red-billed scythebill, Rufous-headed woodpecker, Rufous-breasted piculet, Brown-rumped foliage-gleaner, Large-headed flatbill, Dusky-tailed flatbill, Crested foliage-gleaner, Flammulated bamboo-tyrant, Dot-winged antwren, Ornate stipplethroats, Rufous-crested antbird, Rufous-capped nunlet, Pheasant cuckoo, and Striped cuckoo.
• Dinner.
• Spotting birds at night
in the area surrounding the lodge such as Pauraque, Tawny-bellied
screech-owl,
Great potoo, Long-tailed potoo, Ocellated poorwill and with a
bit of luck a Mottled owl or a Crested owl. Other nocturnal creatures can
also be spotted, such as American bullfrogs, horned frogs and tree frogs.
• Overnight at Tambopata Research Center.
Day 7: Tambopata Research Center to Refugio Amazonas
• Breakfast.
• Approximately 3˝ hour boat ride from Tambopata Research Center to Refugio Amazonas.
• Lunch on the boat.
• A 25 m high canopy tower is reached in a half-hour walk. An internal staircase leads safely to the upper platforms. As the tower is built on an elevated position, this further improves the view of the surrounding primary forest and the Tambopata National Reserve. Mixed flocks of birds can be seen, as well as toucans, macaws and birds of prey.
• Dinner.
• Overnight stay at Refugio Amazonas.
Day 8: Refugio Amazonas
• Breakfast.
• Bird-watching on a
trail along the Tambopata river that goes through different types of
forests and has such a variety of plants and animals. You can see
Black-fronted nunbird, Bluish-fronted jacamar, Fiery-capped manakin,
Grey-
crowned flycatcher and Yellow-browed tody-flycatcher, among others.
• Lunch.
• Because Refugio Amazonas was built on the terrain of a logging concession and cattle ranch, there is some secondary forest along trails. Therefore, we focus here primarily on Barred antshrike, Short-tailed pygmy-tyrant, Streaked flycatcher, Boat-billed flycatcher, Solitary cacique, Grey-fronted dove and Ruddy ground-dove.
• Dinner.
• Overnight stay at Refugio Amazonas.
Day 9: Refugio Amazonas to Puerto Maldonado
• Breakfast.
• Boat trip to Puerto Maldonado.
• Transfer to the airport or hotel in Puerto Maldonado.
Included
• Airport transfer in Puerto Maldonado. • Private transportation by land and water throughout the program. • Guided tours in spanish-english. • Accomodation. • Meals at the lodge and on excursions.Not included
• Flight to and from Puerto Maldonado. • Possibly additional overnight stay in Puerto Maldonado. • Alcoholic and bottled beverages. • Insurance. • Laundry. • Telephone. • Confirmation of flights. • Personal matters. • Tips.
Program extensions
• Flight to and from Puerto Maldonado. • Additional nights in Puerto Maldonado. • Connection to a round trip «Peru Experience». • Additional programs in other parts of Peru: Regional tours in Peru.
Transfers between Puerto Maldonado and Posada Amazonas
• From Puerto Maldonado to the Lodge: daily at 13:00 h and 14:30 h.
• From the Lodge to Puerto Maldonado: daily at 07:00 h and 08:00 h.
Photos
• Parrot lick: Leslie Howle. • Blue-throated piping-guan, Great black-hawk, Amazonian oropendola, Pale-winged trumpeter, Snowy egret, Woodcreeper, Violaceous jay: Murray Cooper. • Parrot lick: Mike Ritters. • Black vulture: Vision 21. • Toucan: Rainforest Expeditions.
Note: In order to adapt the various activities to the specific circumstances, as well as for climatic or organizational reasons, changes in the schedule can be made.
