Willy Perez

Field Guides Leader

Willy Perez, who was born in Ecuador, has been leading birding tours for more than fifteen years. He also served as a resident guide at Maquipucuna Reserve on the west slope of the Andes and at Kapawi Lodge in the Ecuadorian Amazon, mastering the art of finding and identifying the many secretive birds of the lowland rainforest. He worked protecting marine turtles in Costa Rica, and on bird conservation in northwestern Ecuador.

Willy joined Field Guides in 2011 and has been delighting our tour groups ever since; his schedule includes tours to all parts of Ecuador as well as to Chile and Argentina. He lives in England with his wife, Fiona, and their two daughters. He speaks excellent English and has an engaging and outgoing personality that makes every tour he leads enjoyable and fun.

Scroll down to see Willy's current schedule of tours.

Client comment
"I cannot praise Willy highly enough: his extraordinary recognition of bird songs and calls, his ability to locate the birds and help everyone see them, his vivacious energy and sense of humor. He brings the added dimension of having grown up and worked in Ecuador for many years. Throughout the trip, he shared fascinating background about the reserves and parks, ecology, environmental issues, indigenous communities, and history. What a terrific storyteller he is! And what fun it is to bird with him. I would go anywhere Willy is leading a tour. If Field Guides announced a tour with Willy, say, to Rochester, New York, you bet I'd sign up!" J. D., JEWELS OF ECUADOR

"I have had very good experiences with Field Guides in the past, and this was no exception! Being on the Nemo III for the week was great. Guide Willy Perez's kindness, humor, and expertise were a joy to behold and benefit from. He made sure that we all got on those various and sometimes difficult finches. Really can't say enough good things about him." M.J., GALAPAGOS


Willy's Upcoming Tours


BIRDS OF BRITAIN
Status: One space available
May 4-13, 2024 ($4750) with Willy Perez
Tour Limit: 6
Our own Willy Perez, based in Britain, will guide this springtime tour of England's East Anglia, combining lowland birding with cultural visits to Sutton Hoo and Blickling Hall, with a continuing extension to the pine forests and highlands of Scotland.
(Scottish Highlands Extension to May 18, 2024)
GALAPAGOS: AN INTIMATE LOOK AT DARWIN'S ISLANDS
Status: Provisionally full; waitlist available
Jul 13-23, 2024 ($8225) with Willy Perez & local guide
Tour Limit: 14
A must for any naturalist and birder; small-group, broad coverage of the islands with plenty of time for the birds, exploring, and photography.
May be combined with Cloudforests of Ecuador
CLOUDFORESTS OF ECUADOR: ALL THE BEST OF THE WILD NORTHWEST
Status: Open
Jul 22 - Aug 1, 2024 ($4350) with Willy Perez
Tour Limit: 8
We'll be based at just two great lodges on Ecuador's west slope to experience a diversity of great birds and have the chance for a highlight mammal, Spectacled Bear.
May be combined with Galapagos or Amazonian Ecuador: Sacha Lodge
AMAZONIAN ECUADOR: SACHA LODGE
Status: Open
Jul 31 - Aug 9, 2024 ($4950) with Willy Perez & local guide
Tour Limit: 8
One-site tour to one of the most comfortable lodges in western Amazonia with some of the birdiest canopy platforms anywhere.
May be combined with Cloudforests of Ecuador
FRANCE: CAMARGUE & PYRENEES
Status: Open
Aug 31 - Sep 10, 2024 ($4725) with Megan Edwards Crewe & Willy Perez
Tour Limit: 12
Two of Europe's finest birding destinations combined in this wonderful eleven-day tour, with varied highlights and some great French food.
NORTHWESTERN ARGENTINA: THE CHACO, CORDOBA & NORTHERN ANDES
Status: Provisionally full; waitlist available
Oct 12-30, 2024 (Fee TBD) with Willy Perez & local guide
Tour Limit: 10
Comprehensive birding tour of the many habitats of the diverse northwest; many specialty birds.
May be combined with Southern Argentina
CHILE: THE CLASSIC TOUR
Status: Provisionally full; waitlist available
Nov 15 - Dec 5, 2024 ($10075) with Willy Perez & local guide
Tour Limit: 12
Comprehensive survey tour of this visually spectacular and tourist-friendly country.
ECUADOR'S WILDSUMACO LODGE
Status: Open
Dec 28, 2024 - Jan 7, 2025 ($4375) with Willy Perez
Tour Limit: 8
Exploring the riches of the eastern Andean foothills of northern Ecuador for numerous specialties at Wildsumaco Lodge.
May be combined with Amazonian Ecuador: Sacha Lodge
COLOMBIA'S EASTERN CORDILLERA
Status: Provisionally full; waitlist available
Jan 14-22, 2025 (Fee TBD / 2024=$4225) with Willy Perez & local guide
Tour Limit: 7
An endemic-filled week-plus of exciting highland birding, with a pre-tour option to visit the eastern llanos.
(Llanos Pre-trip Extension from Jan 10, 2025)
May be combined with Colombia's Marvelous Magdalena Valley
SOUTHEAST ECUADOR: ORANGE-THROATED TANAGER & FOOTHILL SPECIALTIES
Status: Open
Feb 13-22, 2025 (Fee TBD / 2024=$4150) with Willy Perez
Tour Limit: 8
Weeklong survey of the upper tropical foothills of the far southeast along the Peruvian border, where we'll search for the Orange-throated Tanager and many other specialties of this distinctive and remote region of Ecuador.
May be combined with Southwestern Ecuador Specialties
SOUTHWESTERN ECUADOR SPECIALTIES: JOCOTOCO FOUNDATION RESERVES
Status: Open
Feb 22 - Mar 6, 2025 (Fee TBD / 2024=$5550) with Willy Perez
Tour Limit: 8
Focuses on the many specialties of the southwest, in particular the very local endemics of the humid foothills and mountains, and on Tumbesian specialties.
May be combined with Southeast Ecuador
SPAIN: LA MANCHA, COTO DONANA & EXTREMADURA
Status: Provisionally full; waitlist available
Apr 19 - May 1, 2025 (Fee TBD / 2024=$5850) with Godfried Schreur & Willy Perez
Tour Limit: 12
To La Mancha, famous Coto Donana, Extremadura, and the Gredos Mountains for some of Europe's best birding.
BIRDS OF BRITAIN
Status: One space available
May 3-12, 2025 (Fee TBD / 2024=$4750) with Megan Edwards Crewe & Willy Perez
Tour Limit: 12
Our own Willy Perez, based in Britain, will guide this springtime tour of England's East Anglia, combining lowland birding with cultural visits to Sutton Hoo and Blickling Hall, with a continuing extension to the pine forests and highlands of Scotland.
(Scottish Highlands Extension to May 17, 2025)
AMAZONIAN ECUADOR: SACHA LODGE
Status: Open
Jul 3-12, 2025 (Fee TBD / 2024=$4950) with Willy Perez & local guide
Tour Limit: 8
One-site tour to one of the most comfortable lodges in western Amazonia with some of the birdiest canopy platforms anywhere.
May be combined with Galapagos
GALAPAGOS: AN INTIMATE LOOK AT DARWIN'S ISLANDS
Status: Provisionally full; waitlist available
Jul 12-22, 2025 (Fee TBD / 2024=$8225) with Willy Perez & local guide
Tour Limit: 14
A must for any naturalist and birder; small-group, broad coverage of the islands with plenty of time for the birds, exploring, and photography.
May be combined with Amazonian Ecuador: Sacha Lodge or Cloudforests of Ecuador
CLOUDFORESTS OF ECUADOR: ALL THE BEST OF THE WILD NORTHWEST
Status: Open
Jul 21-31, 2025 (Fee TBD / 2024=$4350) with Willy Perez
Tour Limit: 8
We'll be based at just two great lodges on Ecuador's west slope to experience a diversity of great birds and have the chance for a highlight mammal, Spectacled Bear.
May be combined with Galapagos
FRANCE: CAMARGUE & PYRENEES
Status: Open
Aug 30 - Sep 9, 2025 (Fee TBD / 2024=$4725) with Megan Edwards Crewe & Willy Perez
Tour Limit: 12
Two of Europe's finest birding destinations combined in this wonderful eleven-day tour, with varied highlights and some great French food.
May be combined with Morocco
CHILE: THE CLASSIC TOUR
Status: Open
Nov 7-27, 2025 (Fee TBD / 2024=$10075) with Willy Perez & local guide
Tour Limit: 12
Comprehensive survey tour of this visually spectacular and tourist-friendly country.
ECUADOR'S WILDSUMACO LODGE
Status: Open
Dec 29, 2025 - Jan 8, 2026 (Fee TBD / 2024=$4375) with Willy Perez
Tour Limit: 8
Exploring the riches of the eastern Andean foothills of northern Ecuador for numerous specialties at Wildsumaco Lodge.
May be combined with Amazonian Ecuador: Sacha Lodge