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This 5-day birding tour extension at Tranquilo Bay is a well-paced and thoughtfully designed way to experience one of Panama’s most biodiverse regions. Based on Isla Bastimentos, the tour combines guided forest walks, boat excursions, and time on a canopy tower, offering a range of perspectives on the surrounding habitats. Each day focuses on different environments, such as mangroves, lowland rainforest, and coastal areas, resulting in an impressive bird list. The local guides here are experienced and insightful, helping with identification while also sharing context about behaviour and ecology of the region.
In addition to birding, there are opportunities to see other wildlife like monkeys and sloths. Comfortable accommodations and consistently good meals make it easy to relax between outings. |
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Tour Information
Dates: January 23-27, 2027 Leader: Gavin McKinnon + local guides Cost: $3395 CAD Single Supplement: $1800 CAD Start/End: Panama City (flights to Bocas del Toro included) Pace: Easy |
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Itinerary
January 23: Upon arrival from Panama City (flight included) in Bocas del Toro we will be met by a Tranquilo Bay representative who will then take us by boat to the lodge. Once we arrive at Tranquilo Bay we will a snack and then you will be settled into your cabana. We will begin birding in the gardens and then make our way up to the tower. In the evening, the canopy tower to watch from a bird’s-eye view, the flight of Red-lored and Mealy Parrots paired up and returning home, as groups of chattering Blue-headed Parrots join in the action as well. Some previous guests have dubbed these daily flights “The Invasion of Tranquilo Bay.” We will also have a good chance of up-close looks at White-crowned and Scaled Pigeons; Black-crowned and Masked Tityras; Lineated and Black-cheeked Woodpeckers; Blue-grey, Palm, and Plain-colored Tanagers; and White-vented Euphonia. Once we watch the beautiful tropical sun set over the Talamanca mountain range, we can walk back to the lodge for hard earned drinks, appetizers, and a home-cooked delicious meal.
January 24: After breakfast, we will leave the dock at 6:00AM and travel by boat to the town of Punta Robalo on the mainland. Today we will be birding in the Palo Seco Protection Forest, 167,000 hectares, that is one of the most vital areas of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve. This area consisting of wet Atlantic forest, foothills, and watersheds, is part of BirdLife International Endemic Bird Area Central American Caribbean Slope. It is a hotbed for restricted range species and altitudinal migrants, like the Three-wattled Bellbird, and is one of the most important protected areas in
the Neotropics. Chestnut-colored and Cinnamon woodpecker; Slaty-backed Nightingale-thrush; Crimson-collared, Dusky-foooted, Speckled, Emerald,
and Silver-throated Tanagers; Lattice-tailed Trogon; Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer; Green Hermit, Green-fronted Lancebill, Snowcap, White-bellied and Purple-throated Mountain-gem; Slaty Spinetail; Dull-mantled Antbird; and Band-backed and Black-throated wrens are all possibilities on the outing. We will also make an effort to see the elusive and rare Lanceolated Monklet. Other lowland specialties might include Brown Jay, White-crowned Parrot, Morelet’s Seedeater, Olive-crowned Yellowthroat, Cinnamon and White-winged Becards, Long-billed Gnatwren, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, Black-and-
Yellow Tanager, Buff-rumped Warbler, Torrent Tyrannulet, Crimson-fronted Parakeets, Red-fronted Parrotlet, and Sulphur-winged Parakeet. Mammal sightings in the area might include sloths, Mantled Howler Monkeys, and Red-brocket Deer. In the late afternoon we will work our way back through the lowland foothills scanning for kettles of raptors, and finally some marsh birds such as various shorebirds, Green Ibis, Southern Lapwings, Blue-winged Teal, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, and Purple Gallinule. A fresh picnic lunch will be served in the field, and we will return to the lodge in the evening for another delicious dinner.
January 25: This morning, we’ll embark on an eight-mile boat journey to Tierra Oscura. Once there, we’ll explore a recently established road that passes through the area. This route provides excellent access to birdlife as it winds through mature forest. Among the many species we might encounter are Pied Puffbird, Yellow-throated and Keel-billed toucans, Pale-billed and Lineated woodpeckers, Wedge-billed and Cocoa woodcreepers, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Masked and Black-crowned tityras, Cinnamon and White-winged becards, Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, Long-tailed Tyrant, Black-chested Jay, Olive-backed Euphonia, Montezuma and Chestnut-headed oropendolas, Giant Cowbird, Scarlet-rumped Tanager, Slaty-tailed and Gartered trogans, and Thick-billed Seed-Finch. We’ll also keep an eye out for the Green-and-black Poison Dart Frog, a variety of butterflies, and possibly even sloths or howler monkeys.Each island within the Bocas del Toro archipelago supports fascinating wildlife and a high degree of endemism. However, Isla Popa, the second-largest island in the chain, hosts a greater diversity of bird and mammal species due to its closeness to the mainland. A relaxed boat ride of roughly two kilometers will take us to a thick gallery forest bordered by lush mangrove lagoons near Isla Popa. Here, we’ll enjoy birdwatching by boat, quietly observing Keel-billed and Yellow-throated toucans, Crimson-fronted Parakeets, Brown-hooded Parrots, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Golden-hooded Tanager, Plumbeous and Swallow-tailed kites, Pale-billed and Lineated woodpeckers, Mangrove Cuckoo, American-pygmy Kingfisher, Northern-plain Xenops, Crested Guan, Great Tinamou, Uniform Crake, Yellow Warbler (Mangrove), and—with luck—male Snowy Cotingas shining brightly in the sunlight. This mangrove lagoon also features beautiful Turtle Sea Grass, where we can closely observe sponges, starfish, sea urchins, and Upside-down Jellyfish.
January 26: Today will be a relaxing day devoted to “birding by boat” across several rich coastal wetland environments. San San Pond Sak National Park is recognized as a Ramsar site and is also part of the La Amistad UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This region features a wide range of habitats, including Atlantic wet lowland forest, Raphia palm swamps, freshwater river channels, wave-influenced beaches, and mangrove systems. We’ll reach this lush wildlife haven by boat via the historic Snyder Canal, where birds frequently move back and forth across the gallery forest lining the waterway. Following its construction by the Snyder Brothers in the late 1890s, the canal served as a route for transporting bananas from the Changuinola River Valley to the sheltered waters of Almirante Bay at Boca del Drago, where they were loaded onto ships. As Panama’s first canal, it played a key role in the rise of The United Fruit Company and the early formation of what became known as the “Banana Republic.”
This is an outstanding location for observing a variety of lowland bird species, as well as northern migrants, elevational migrants, raptors, and shorebirds. All six species of kingfishers found in the Americas occur here, and we will be on the lookout for regional specialties such as Nicaraguan Seed-Finch, hybrid Golden x White-collared Manakin, Olive-backed Euphonia, Black-cowled Oriole, Canebrake Wren, Three-wattled Bellbird (seasonally), and Black-throated Wren. Other species we may encounter include Common Gallinule, Least Bittern, Short-tailed Nighthawk, Great Potoo, Northern Jacana, and Bare-throated Tiger-Heron. Raptors could include Yellow-headed Caracara, Bat Falcon, Laughing Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Osprey, White-tailed Kite, and Snail Kite. From the treetops of fruiting trees to the grassy and shrubby margins, we might observe Scarlet-rumped and Golden-hooded tanagers, Olive-crowned Yellowthroat, Red-breasted Meadowlark, Buff-throated Saltator, Groove-billed Ani, Squirrel Cuckoo, flocks of Olive-throated Parakeets, Cinnamon-bellied Saltator, Bright-rumped Attila, and the tiny Common, Black-headed, and Slate-headed tody-flycatchers.
With favorable conditions, mammal sightings could include Mantled Howler Monkey, Common Raccoon, White-nosed Coati, Neotropical River Otter, West Indian Manatee, and Bottlenose Dolphin. Soropta Beach, an important habitat for both migratory and resident shorebirds, also supports nesting populations of Leatherback and Hawksbill sea turtles, along with Green Iguanas, Basilisk Lizards, various snake species, and Spectacled Caiman.
After a refreshing picnic lunch, we will explore the mouth of the Changuinola River on foot. This area is excellent for spotting Wilson’s, Collared, and Semipalmated plovers; Ruddy Turnstone; Sanderling; Least, Pectoral, and Semipalmated sandpipers; Common Nighthawk and Lesser Nighthawk; Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs; four species of tern; Limpkin; and Roseate Spoonbill. In the afternoon, weather and sea conditions permitting, we will travel about two miles offshore to the stunning rookery known as Swan’s Caye (locally called “Bird Island” or “Isla Pájaros”). Here, we’ll enjoy close views of Panama’s only known breeding colony of Red-billed Tropicbirds, along with Brown Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds.
January 27: Depart Transquilo Bay to Bocas del Toro to catch flights home from Panama City
January 24: After breakfast, we will leave the dock at 6:00AM and travel by boat to the town of Punta Robalo on the mainland. Today we will be birding in the Palo Seco Protection Forest, 167,000 hectares, that is one of the most vital areas of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve. This area consisting of wet Atlantic forest, foothills, and watersheds, is part of BirdLife International Endemic Bird Area Central American Caribbean Slope. It is a hotbed for restricted range species and altitudinal migrants, like the Three-wattled Bellbird, and is one of the most important protected areas in
the Neotropics. Chestnut-colored and Cinnamon woodpecker; Slaty-backed Nightingale-thrush; Crimson-collared, Dusky-foooted, Speckled, Emerald,
and Silver-throated Tanagers; Lattice-tailed Trogon; Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer; Green Hermit, Green-fronted Lancebill, Snowcap, White-bellied and Purple-throated Mountain-gem; Slaty Spinetail; Dull-mantled Antbird; and Band-backed and Black-throated wrens are all possibilities on the outing. We will also make an effort to see the elusive and rare Lanceolated Monklet. Other lowland specialties might include Brown Jay, White-crowned Parrot, Morelet’s Seedeater, Olive-crowned Yellowthroat, Cinnamon and White-winged Becards, Long-billed Gnatwren, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, Black-and-
Yellow Tanager, Buff-rumped Warbler, Torrent Tyrannulet, Crimson-fronted Parakeets, Red-fronted Parrotlet, and Sulphur-winged Parakeet. Mammal sightings in the area might include sloths, Mantled Howler Monkeys, and Red-brocket Deer. In the late afternoon we will work our way back through the lowland foothills scanning for kettles of raptors, and finally some marsh birds such as various shorebirds, Green Ibis, Southern Lapwings, Blue-winged Teal, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, and Purple Gallinule. A fresh picnic lunch will be served in the field, and we will return to the lodge in the evening for another delicious dinner.
January 25: This morning, we’ll embark on an eight-mile boat journey to Tierra Oscura. Once there, we’ll explore a recently established road that passes through the area. This route provides excellent access to birdlife as it winds through mature forest. Among the many species we might encounter are Pied Puffbird, Yellow-throated and Keel-billed toucans, Pale-billed and Lineated woodpeckers, Wedge-billed and Cocoa woodcreepers, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Masked and Black-crowned tityras, Cinnamon and White-winged becards, Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, Long-tailed Tyrant, Black-chested Jay, Olive-backed Euphonia, Montezuma and Chestnut-headed oropendolas, Giant Cowbird, Scarlet-rumped Tanager, Slaty-tailed and Gartered trogans, and Thick-billed Seed-Finch. We’ll also keep an eye out for the Green-and-black Poison Dart Frog, a variety of butterflies, and possibly even sloths or howler monkeys.Each island within the Bocas del Toro archipelago supports fascinating wildlife and a high degree of endemism. However, Isla Popa, the second-largest island in the chain, hosts a greater diversity of bird and mammal species due to its closeness to the mainland. A relaxed boat ride of roughly two kilometers will take us to a thick gallery forest bordered by lush mangrove lagoons near Isla Popa. Here, we’ll enjoy birdwatching by boat, quietly observing Keel-billed and Yellow-throated toucans, Crimson-fronted Parakeets, Brown-hooded Parrots, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Golden-hooded Tanager, Plumbeous and Swallow-tailed kites, Pale-billed and Lineated woodpeckers, Mangrove Cuckoo, American-pygmy Kingfisher, Northern-plain Xenops, Crested Guan, Great Tinamou, Uniform Crake, Yellow Warbler (Mangrove), and—with luck—male Snowy Cotingas shining brightly in the sunlight. This mangrove lagoon also features beautiful Turtle Sea Grass, where we can closely observe sponges, starfish, sea urchins, and Upside-down Jellyfish.
January 26: Today will be a relaxing day devoted to “birding by boat” across several rich coastal wetland environments. San San Pond Sak National Park is recognized as a Ramsar site and is also part of the La Amistad UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This region features a wide range of habitats, including Atlantic wet lowland forest, Raphia palm swamps, freshwater river channels, wave-influenced beaches, and mangrove systems. We’ll reach this lush wildlife haven by boat via the historic Snyder Canal, where birds frequently move back and forth across the gallery forest lining the waterway. Following its construction by the Snyder Brothers in the late 1890s, the canal served as a route for transporting bananas from the Changuinola River Valley to the sheltered waters of Almirante Bay at Boca del Drago, where they were loaded onto ships. As Panama’s first canal, it played a key role in the rise of The United Fruit Company and the early formation of what became known as the “Banana Republic.”
This is an outstanding location for observing a variety of lowland bird species, as well as northern migrants, elevational migrants, raptors, and shorebirds. All six species of kingfishers found in the Americas occur here, and we will be on the lookout for regional specialties such as Nicaraguan Seed-Finch, hybrid Golden x White-collared Manakin, Olive-backed Euphonia, Black-cowled Oriole, Canebrake Wren, Three-wattled Bellbird (seasonally), and Black-throated Wren. Other species we may encounter include Common Gallinule, Least Bittern, Short-tailed Nighthawk, Great Potoo, Northern Jacana, and Bare-throated Tiger-Heron. Raptors could include Yellow-headed Caracara, Bat Falcon, Laughing Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Osprey, White-tailed Kite, and Snail Kite. From the treetops of fruiting trees to the grassy and shrubby margins, we might observe Scarlet-rumped and Golden-hooded tanagers, Olive-crowned Yellowthroat, Red-breasted Meadowlark, Buff-throated Saltator, Groove-billed Ani, Squirrel Cuckoo, flocks of Olive-throated Parakeets, Cinnamon-bellied Saltator, Bright-rumped Attila, and the tiny Common, Black-headed, and Slate-headed tody-flycatchers.
With favorable conditions, mammal sightings could include Mantled Howler Monkey, Common Raccoon, White-nosed Coati, Neotropical River Otter, West Indian Manatee, and Bottlenose Dolphin. Soropta Beach, an important habitat for both migratory and resident shorebirds, also supports nesting populations of Leatherback and Hawksbill sea turtles, along with Green Iguanas, Basilisk Lizards, various snake species, and Spectacled Caiman.
After a refreshing picnic lunch, we will explore the mouth of the Changuinola River on foot. This area is excellent for spotting Wilson’s, Collared, and Semipalmated plovers; Ruddy Turnstone; Sanderling; Least, Pectoral, and Semipalmated sandpipers; Common Nighthawk and Lesser Nighthawk; Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs; four species of tern; Limpkin; and Roseate Spoonbill. In the afternoon, weather and sea conditions permitting, we will travel about two miles offshore to the stunning rookery known as Swan’s Caye (locally called “Bird Island” or “Isla Pájaros”). Here, we’ll enjoy close views of Panama’s only known breeding colony of Red-billed Tropicbirds, along with Brown Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds.
January 27: Depart Transquilo Bay to Bocas del Toro to catch flights home from Panama City