Description: Amazon Birding Expedition visiting the Allpahuayo-Mishana Reserve, Amazon river islands, the Madre Selva Biological Station, and the Santa Cruz Forest Reserve.
Cost and Space: $1925 (repeat client $1725). Minimum of 5 and maximum of 8 participants.
Amazon birding can be incredibly rewarding - and frustrating at the same time! There are so many species, with many of them being quite secretive and already living in dense habitats, or high in the canopy overhead. But “warbler-neck” is well worth it when you finally catch a good view of a black-necked red cotinga or paradise tanager. And you’ll forget about the mud, spiny palms and mosquitos when you finally track down a zigzag heron along a forest creek.
This 10-day, 9-night expedition will focus on searching out various Amazon “specialty” birds - along the way, we’ll almost certainly find all the commoner species as well. While the itinerary will be somewhat flexible to allow for the vagaries of both weather and birds, the following habitats will be visited:
River islands and river edge brush, sandbars, and mud-flats. These can be incredibly productive, and there are several dozen species that are “island” specialists, including various antbirds, flycatchers, tanagers and more.
Nutrient-poor varillal forest growing on white sand soils at the Allpahuayo-Mishana Forest Reserve. The actual numbers of birds may be lower than other sites, but many species are strictly dependent on this type of habitat and very range-restricted. Our main target will be the Iquitos gnatcatcher, first described in 2005, and with a global population of only about 50 pairs.
Varzea forest - seasonally flooded forests along white and black-water rivers host their own suite of specialist species. Water levels will be low at this time of the year, so we’ll have opportunity to access this habitat on foot.
Upland primary and secondary forest on clay soils - at the Project Amazonas field stations of Madre Selva (south of the Amazon) and Santa Cruz (north of the Amazon, west of the Napo) - we’ll have access to excellent trails that lead directly from the accommodations into the forest. Both day and night birding will be easy.
River edges by boat - both early morning and night excursions by boat can be very productive. Early morning trips are excellent for a number of hawk and canopy species that are much harder to see within the forest itself.
Grassy and young-secondary habitats - these often host species not normally found inside forest, including a number of rare or unpredictable vagrant species of seedeaters, finches, cuckoos and more.
A typical day will start early (with coffee, of course) with some heavy-duty birding in the first cooler hours when bird activity is at its peak. Breakfast will be followed up by some more birding, with lunch at around 1:30 PM. The mid afternoon is the least productive birding time, so we’ll use that to catch up on records, calls, recordings, and siesta time. At about 4 PM, bird activity picks up again, and so will we. After dinner at about 7 PM, anyone who wishes to do some night birding (also good for reptiles, amphibians, mammals and insects) will be welcome to do so.
Transportation between sites will be by mini-van (for the varillal forest) and by speedboat and skiff for the other locations. Lodging will be at hotels in Iquitos (for 2-3 nights) and at Project Amazonas field stations.
Trip Leader: Devon Graham (birding in Peru since 1994) along with local birding guides who know specific destinations well.
Group Size: Minimum of 5 participants, maximum of 8 participants.
Cost: $1925 per person - includes single occupancy accommodations at all sites (doubles will be available for couples/friends/etc.), all land and river transport, all meals at field stations and during transport (some meals in Iquitos will be on your own), crew and field station staff services. There will be opportunity to do laundry mid-trip.
Participants should plan on arriving in Iquitos (IQT) the afternoon or evening before the trip start (hotel included) or on one of the earliest flights on the start date. We’ll have a farewell lunch on the Iquitos waterfront on the last day, after which we’ll provide transport to the airport for flights connecting back to the USA or elsewhere.
Contact us early for additional information!Itinerary: Inquire. Itinerary can be adjusted to target specific species.