Highlights from Western Panama

Posted Dec 20, 2024 by Gavin Bieber

Gavin Bieber

Learn more about the Panama: Bocas del Toro and the Western Highlands tour

Our Western Panama tour in 2024 started around the Caribbean coast and Bocas Archipelago, where the sunrises are often divine.

Tranquilo Bay Sunrise

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And our main transport vehicle was an unusual one for a birding tour.

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Our lodge was supremely comfortable, nestled on the southern end of Isla Bastimentos, and is a popular spot for birders and birds from more northern climes.

Prothonotary Warbler

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The lowlands and islands of Bocas del Toro are biodiverse, and we’ll had a few days to explore finding several hundred species of birds and an array of other wildlife.

Green Basilisk Lizard

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Carmine Skimmer

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Magnificent Frigatebird

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Red-billed Tropicbird

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Central American Eyelash Viper

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We then moved into the cool highlands, where we were greeted by a completely new avifauna, with many regional endemics like COLLARED WHITESTART, BLACK-AND-YELLOW SILKY-FLYCATCHER, STREAK-BREASTED TREEHUNTER and FIERY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD that are restricted to the Talamanca Highlands of Costa Rica and Panama joining more widespread gems like SILVER-THROATED TANAGER.

Collared Whitestart

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Black-and-Yellow Silky-Flycatcher

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Fiery-throated Hummingbird

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Silver-throated Tanager

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This year we were also treated to unparalleled views of the nomadic and stunning MAROON-CHESTED GROUND-DOVE coming into a newly established feeding station.

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We capped the trip off with a day in the Pacific lowlands, with yet another suite of new species such as these comical FIERY-BILLED ARACARIS.

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