Panama is a rich birding destination where North and South America's avifaunas mingle, with the country home to more than 1,000 species in a dazzling diversity of habitats. Field Guides tours immerse you in this richness on four distinct itineraries. Continue reading our overview of Panama tours...
Panama Birding Departures
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A birding tour to a remote part of Panama with many specialties seen nowhere else in Central America.
Departures- Dec 27, 2025 - Jan 4, 2026 with John Coons & local guide
- Dec 27, 2026 - Jan 4, 2027 with John Coons & local guide
- Dec 30, 2027 - Jan 7, 2028 with TBA
A superb introduction to Neotropical birds or a complement to your broader Middle American birding, all based at a charming lodge.
Departures- Dec 28, 2025 - Jan 4, 2026 with Chris Benesh & local guide
- Dec 27, 2026 - Jan 3, 2027 with Chris Benesh & local guide
- Dec 30, 2027 - Jan 6, 2028 with TBA
This tour combines the best of both worlds into a great week: The Canopy Tower and Pipeline Road with the Canopy Lodge and the montane forest of El Valle de Anton.
Departures- Jan 25 - Feb 2, 2026 with Megan Edwards Crewe & local guide
- Mar 6-14, 2026 with John Coons & local guide
- Jan 24 - Feb 1, 2027 with TBA
- Mar 6-14, 2027 with TBA
A tour to two Panamanian destinations located in the Chiriqui highlands and Caribbean lowlands at Bocas del Toro.
Departures- Feb 26 - Mar 7, 2027 with TBA
Panama Overview & Highlights
In the central part of the country, two well-known sites offer options for lowland birding near the old Canal Zone or in foothill forest in El Valle de Anton. At the iconic Canopy Tower we wake among the treetops and can seek Blue Cotinga, manakins, toucans, antbirds (some, we hope, attending an army ant swarm), and raptors from the tower itself or on jaunts along famed Pipeline Road or at Semaphore Hill. At our other venue, the lush foothill cloud forests of the Canopy Lodge are alive with hummingbirds, tanagers, and the elusive Tody Motmot, while we might also find a Sunbittern working along a stream. Additional specialties here such as Black-crowned Antpitta and White-tipped Sicklebill will have us watching and listening carefully as well.
Over New Year's we offer an 8-day one-site tour focused on the Canopy Lodge, while at other times of year we have a 9-day trip combining the delights of both the Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge.
Our itinerary to western Panama's Chiriqui highlands and Bocas del Toro lowlands adds a mix of endemics (restricted to this part of Panama and adjacent Costa Rica), cloudforest species, and Caribbean coastal birding, with chances for Snowy Cotinga, Golden-collared Manakin, and seabirds such as Red-billed Tropicbird. This trip, visiting two cozy lodges, samples a wide range of elevations and habitats, with a trip list regularly exceeding 300 species.
For the adventurous, the Darién region's Canopy Camp in the far eastern part of the country opens a window to rare and range-restricted species in one of Central America's wildest corners. The birding is rich, from Chestnut-fronted Macaw and Dusky-backed Jacamar to Black Antshrike and Spectacled Parrotlet, and one of the big draws is the realistic chance to see Harpy Eagle or Crested Eagle--or sometimes both--as local guides keep regular tabs on the nesting activity of these two majestic species.
Throughout, enjoy comfortable ecolodges, delicious local cuisine, and expert guides who make every outing rewarding. Whether you're seeking Neotropical specialties, dramatic scenery, or simply the thrill of discovery, birding in Panama promises an unforgettable trip.
Photo credits: Our thanks to participant Marshall Dahl for the image of Crested Eagle and to guide Chris Benesh for the Tody Motmot photo at the top of this page.
We offer many other CENTRAL AMERICA birding tours, too!