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Panama Trip Report - 28 March - 17 April 2009
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Our Peregrine Bird Tour to the narrow isthmus of Panama was a great success and at the same time, was also very enjoyable. This Central Americana country is very rich in colourful tropical birds. Although Panama was the first part of mainland America to be discovered by Europeans, much of it still remains undeveloped and covered in rainforest. Our species total for the trip of 388, included many range restricted and threatened birds. Just some of the many memorable birds observed during the tour included the following resident birds, Tiny and Plumbeous Hawks, Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon, Sunbittern, Pheasant Cuckoo, Choco Screech-Owl, Spectacled Owl, Rufous-crested Coquette, Resplendent Quetzal, Tody and Blue-crowned Motmots, Black-breasted Puffbird, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Keel-billed Toucan, Striped Woodhaunter, Brown-billed Scythebill, Black Antshrike, Ocellated Antbird, Black-faced Antthrush, Streak-chested Antpitta, Brownish Twistwing, Speckled Mourner, Blue Cotinga, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Broad-billed Sapayoa, Thrush-like Schiffornis and Sulphur-rumped Tanager. We also saw a fine selection of North American migrants, the many species of wood-warblers, in their newly acquired breeding plumage, were particularly attractive. Mammalian highlights included, Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth, Hoffman's Two-toed Sloth, Western night Monkey, Geoffroy's Tamarin, Nine-banded Armadillo and best of all a splendid Kinkajou, just meters away, for a prolonged period of time. The following long list of birds seen on the tour would not have been possible without the exceptional talent and skill of our four outstanding local guides, Jonathan, Michael, Tino and Alexsis. |
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