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Highlights from Guyana 2024

Posted Nov 22, 2024 by Rich Hoyer
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Rich Hoyer

Leader

Learn more about the Guyana tour

Endless expanses of undisturbed rainforest, vast tropical savannas, and some incredible bird and other wildlife sightings were memories we’ll take home from this year’s Guyana tour. We were super fortunate that a Harpy Eagle nest with a chick was within travel distance from our lodging at Surama, and we were even luckier that the adult arrived with a freshly caught sloth just as we did after over two hours of adventuresome travel under and over trees across the Burro Burro River. We treasured every minute of the two hours we spent viewing the nest from a safe distance, and so it was no surprise this received the most votes for favorite sighting of the tour. An obliging Guianan Cock-of-the-rock was a fine addition to the marvelous Kaieteur Falls viewing, earning a second-place vote, and just as brilliantly colored Sun Parakeets were amazingly cooperative on our early morning drive to Karasabai area. Additional bird highlights were Hoatzins eating leaves on the banks of the Mahaica River, Jabirus by the road in the middle of the Iwokrama Forest, Green Aracaris in the trees around Atta Lodge, the habituated Black Curassows in the grounds of the same lodge, cooperative Red Siskins coming to a seep, and stunning Pompadour Cotingas at the Iwokrama canopy walkway. Early in the trip we were treated to the friendly (and hungry) West Indian Manatees right in Georgetown, and our moth light and sheet attracted the stunning silkmoth Rothschildia erycina, which lingered into the morning for all to see. A stop for the small (i.e., not more than six feet) Green Anaconda sunning on the main dirt road through the country was absolutely necessary. Finally, our first morning’s drive through the Rupununi savannas yielded the highly sought-after Giant Anteater right trundling next to the road. We all endured the hot days and warm nights, but it was worth it!

We were mentally prepared to arrive at the Harpy Eagle nest to find only the chick visible, so we were very fortunate to hear the adult calling just as we arrived, and we were in place when it hopped into the nest with a sloth in its talons.
We were mentally prepared to arrive at the Harpy Eagle nest to find only the chick visible, so we were very fortunate to hear the adult calling just as we arrived, and we were in place when it hopped into the nest with a sloth in its talons.
Rich Hoyer
The scattered marshes in the savanna is where we expected to see the magnificent Jabiru, but a pair in the last bit of water next to the main road would do.
The scattered marshes in the savanna is where we expected to see the magnificent Jabiru, but a pair in the last bit of water next to the main road would do.
Rich Hoyer
This Mangrove Rail was walking out in the open behind the seawall in Georgetown while we watched Scarlet Ibises flying by and foraging on the flats.
This Mangrove Rail was walking out in the open behind the seawall in Georgetown while we watched Scarlet Ibises flying by and foraging on the flats.
Rich Hoyer
Kaieteur Falls was a stunning sight from the air and the ground, and it was the only place we saw Guianan Cock-of-the-rock.
Kaieteur Falls was a stunning sight from the air and the ground, and it was the only place we saw Guianan Cock-of-the-rock.
Rich Hoyer
Outshining the many micromoths at the sheet was this incredible Rothschildia erycina.
Outshining the many micromoths at the sheet was this incredible Rothschildia erycina.
Rich Hoyer
We didn’t see very many Channel-billed Toucans, so this one on our first morning in the Iwokrama rainforest was a good sighting.
We didn’t see very many Channel-billed Toucans, so this one on our first morning in the Iwokrama rainforest was a good sighting.
Rich Hoyer
A pair of Amazonian Black-throated Trogons along the trail at Atta Lodge were very cooperative.
A pair of Amazonian Black-throated Trogons along the trail at Atta Lodge were very cooperative.
Rich Hoyer
We ended up seeing this Black-faced Hawk just inside the forest from Atta Lodge on two days.
We ended up seeing this Black-faced Hawk just inside the forest from Atta Lodge on two days.
Rich Hoyer
Sunbittern is always a great bird to see, a monotypic family found only in the American tropics. This one deftly nabbed a dragonfly that had been resting on the sandy bank of the Essequibo River.
Sunbittern is always a great bird to see, a monotypic family found only in the American tropics. This one deftly nabbed a dragonfly that had been resting on the sandy bank of the Essequibo River.
Rich Hoyer
It was worth the early morning departure from Manari Ranch to first spot a Giant Anteater in the savanna, followed by a fabulous experience with a small flock of Sun Parakeets in a beautiful landscape.
It was worth the early morning departure from Manari Ranch to first spot a Giant Anteater in the savanna, followed by a fabulous experience with a small flock of Sun Parakeets in a beautiful landscape.
Rich Hoyer