The Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic's crystal clear water and sandy beaches...
The Dominican Republic's crystal clear water and sandy beaches...
Gavin Bieber
...historic colonial downtowns...
...historic colonial downtowns...
Gavin Bieber
...and vibrant culture provide a great backdrop for our tour.
...and vibrant culture provide a great backdrop for our tour.
Gavin Bieber
We’ll visit the famed Botanical Gardens...
We’ll visit the famed Botanical Gardens...
Gavin Bieber
...where Palmchats abound in the towering Royal Palms...
...where Palmchats abound in the towering Royal Palms...
Gavin Bieber
...West Indian Whistling-Ducks linger along the creek...
...West Indian Whistling-Ducks linger along the creek...
Gavin Bieber
...Black-crowned Palm Tanagers lurk in the brush...
...Black-crowned Palm Tanagers lurk in the brush...
Gavin Bieber
...and Giant Anoles peer down from their lofty perches.
...and Giant Anoles peer down from their lofty perches.
Gavin Bieber
We'll then visit the rockier Southwest corner of the country...
We'll then visit the rockier Southwest corner of the country...
Gavin Bieber
...where mountains covered in pine forest...
...where mountains covered in pine forest...
Gavin Bieber
...and slow moving creeks wind through vine covered thorn forest...
...and slow moving creeks wind through vine covered thorn forest...
Gavin Bieber
...containing gaudy endemics like Hispaniola Trogon...
...containing gaudy endemics like Hispaniola Trogon...
Gavin Bieber
...and the impossibly cute Narrow-billed Tody....
...and the impossibly cute Narrow-billed Tody....
Gavin Bieber
In the highlands along the Haitian border we'll look for...
In the highlands along the Haitian border we'll look for...
Gavin Bieber
...Rufous-throated Solitaire...
...Rufous-throated Solitaire...
Gavin Bieber
...lots of bright native flowers...
...lots of bright native flowers...
Gavin Bieber
...and perhaps some roaming Haitian farmers.
...and perhaps some roaming Haitian farmers.
Gavin Bieber
We'll also experience the very arid cactus forests in the deep south...
We'll also experience the very arid cactus forests in the deep south...
Gavin Bieber
...where Hispaniolan Woodpecker can be abundant...
...where Hispaniolan Woodpecker can be abundant...
Gavin Bieber
..and we'll scan the picturesque coastline for passing tropicbirds...
..and we'll scan the picturesque coastline for passing tropicbirds...
Gavin Bieber
...and we always have the chance of encountering the impressive Rhinoceros Iguana.
...and we always have the chance of encountering the impressive Rhinoceros Iguana.
Gavin Bieber
Our last stop will be Los Haitises National Park, where our unique hotel...
Our last stop will be Los Haitises National Park, where our unique hotel...
Gavin Bieber
...often has semi tame White-necked Crows.
...often has semi tame White-necked Crows.
Gavin Bieber
A hike into the limestone karst hills...
A hike into the limestone karst hills...
Gavin Bieber
...will hopefully reveal the highly endangered Ridgeway's Hawk...
...will hopefully reveal the highly endangered Ridgeway's Hawk...
Gavin Bieber
...and perhaps the very brightly colored Hispaniolan Boa.
...and perhaps the very brightly colored Hispaniolan Boa.
Gavin Bieber
We'll cap the trip off with a boat trip through the coastal bays and mangroves...
We'll cap the trip off with a boat trip through the coastal bays and mangroves...
Gavin Bieber
...where Great Egrets in their full breeding regalia...
...where Great Egrets in their full breeding regalia...
Gavin Bieber
...will be perched next to Magnificent Frigatebirds...
...will be perched next to Magnificent Frigatebirds...
Gavin Bieber
...and gorgeous flowering Agaves will protect...
...and gorgeous flowering Agaves will protect...
Gavin Bieber
...ancient Taino cliff carvings.
...ancient Taino cliff carvings.
Gavin Bieber
2025 Tour Price
$4,450
2025
Tour Price $4,450
Single Room Supplement $290
2026
Tour Price to be Determined
Maximum group size eight with one leader and a local guide.
Tour balances paid by check/bank transfer may carry a 4% discount

Santo Domingo is the site of the oldest European city in the New World, and the capital city of the Dominican Republic. The country occupies the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, the second largest island in the Greater Antilles. Dominated by the highest mountains in the Caribbean and ringed by a startlingly beautiful coastline, this varied landscape is home to no fewer than thirty-two endemic bird species, including Palmchat, the single representative of the monotypic family Dulidae and two species of Todies. Our search for the endemics and regional specialties will take us to the cloud forest, pine savannas, and thorn scrub of the rugged Sierra de Bahoruco, as well as to the bizarre cactus forest of the Lago Enriquillo basin, which is home to Palm and White-necked Crows, American Flamingos, and various species of herons, shorebirds, and waterfowl. A side trip to the very different north shore of the island will allow us to look for the extremely rare Ridgway’s Hawk in lush limestone karst forest. Our visit to the Dominican Republic will be enriched by the gracious hospitality of its people and their excellent Caribbean-style cuisine. 

For those interested in a longer Carribbean adventure, this tour can be combined with Puerto Rico

Tour Team
Itinerary (Click to see more)

Day 1: The tour begins this evening in Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic. Our hotel is situated close to the center of colonial Santo Domingo, and those who arrive early may wish to explore the many historic buildings and museums close by. We’ll start the first evening with dinner and a logistical meeting. We may have time to check a nearby roost of Hispaniolan Parakeets. Night in Santo Domingo.

Day 2: We’ll begin our first full day at the extensive and beautifully maintained botanical garden, centered on a densely forested canyon. A morning walk here provides an excellent introduction to the island’s birds. In addition to the ubiquitous Hispaniolan Woodpecker, we should find Vervain Hummingbird (ostensibly the world’s second-smallest bird), Antillean Palm-Swift, Red-legged Thrush, Black-crowned Palm-Tanager, and Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo. We can also expect to see the bizarre Palmchat, in a family unto itself, which builds enormous communal nests in palm trees. With some luck, we may happen upon West Indian Whistling-Ducks, which can often be found along a small stream in the gardens. Upon leaving the gardens we’ll begin the drive eastward towards Sabana de la Mar, on the Bay of Samaná.  The hotel here is a real treat, with rushing streams all around the grounds, dried leaves impressed into the stucco walls, and wonderful patios. We will search this evening for the endemic Ashy-faced Owl. Night in Sabana de la Mar.

Day 3: In the early morning we plan to search for the critically endangered Ridgway’s Hawk. This formerly widespread species is now extremely local and infrequently seen. By this time of year, adults are usually engaged in nest building, and we hope to have a nest site pinned down. Getting there will likely involve a relatively short but sometimes steep and occasionally wet walk—well worth it for the chance of seeing this wonderful raptor at its nest! In the flowering trees nearby, we could see Hispaniolan Oriole, and we often encounter Ruddy Quail-Doves in the forest understory. If time and conditions allow, we may take a boat trip out into the bay and around the many limestone islets, stopping to look for West Indian Whistling-Ducks, White-crowned Pigeons, Hispaniolan Parrots, nesting Magnificent Frigatebirds, and various waterbirds. In the afternoon we’ll make our way back westward toward Santo Domingo for the evening. Night in Santo Domingo.

Day 4:  We’ll spend much of today traveling west across the country with a few stops for birds and scenic ocean views. Provided travel goes smoothly, we will do some birding near our accommodations in Pedernales in the evening hours. Night in Pedernales.

Day 5: Today we’ll focus on the south side of the Sierra de Bahoruco. Our morning will begin upslope on the paved Alcoa Road. Near the top of this old mining road we will be able to access an extensive upland pine forest. This forest is reminiscent of the longleaf pine forests of the southeastern United States, but here we’ll look for Hispaniolan Crossbill, Golden Swallow (now a Hispaniolan endemic as the population in Jamaica has disappeared), and Antillean Siskin. Hispaniolan Trogons are common in these forests. We’ll spend most of the morning in this rapidly declining habitat before heading to lunch. After lunch we’ll drive south stopping at Oviedo Lagoon, where we will take an hour-long boat trip out into the lagoon for close views of their resident American Flamingos, and a selection of breeding waterbirds and wintering waterfowl. We may also encounter Roseate Spoonbills, and a nice array of shorebirds and waders. Also here we hope to find Mangrove Cuckoos and “Golden” Yellow Warblers lurking in the mangroves. After the boat trip we’ll make our way to our lovely hotel for the evening. Night at Hotel Quemaito near Barahona.

Day 6: This morning we will rise very early and have breakfast on the go. We’ll ride in 4x4 vehicles upslope for our first exploration of the unique cloud forest habitat found in the highest elevations of the island. With luck we’ll find Eastern Chat-Tanager before lunch as well as encounter Bicknell’s Thrush on their wintering grounds. Many other island endemics utilize this habitat including both Narrow-billed and Broad-billed Tody, and Green-tailed Ground Tanager (formerly Warbler), amongst others. After a delicious morning of birding we’ll head to lunch in Barahona and continue our drive to Duverge for the evening. We are likely to go out for a bit of night birding despite an early wake-up tomorrow (optional). Possibilities include Least Pauraque, Ashy-faced Owl, “Northern” Potoo, and Chuck-will’s Widow. Night in Duverge.

Day 7: Today we’ll leave “dark and early” and head back into the high mountains of the south-central part of the island. We’ll ride for multiple hours in 4x4 vehicles to reach a remote section of Sierra de Bahoruco National Park at a site called Zapoten. This site is well known for being the most reliable site on the island for encountering La Selle Thrush, White-winged Warbler (not a Warbler), and Western Chat-Tanager. As we ascend, we’ll make a few pre-dawn stops looking and listening for Hispaniolan Nightjar, Least Pauraque and Northern Potoo. Our main target just after dawn will be the very local LaSelle Thrush, which lives in a beautiful but restricted patch of cloud forest. Other highlights may include Hispaniolan Emerald, Hispaniolan Parrot, Hispaniolan Trogon, Narrow-billed Tody, Green-tailed Ground Warbler, White-winged Warbler, Hispaniolan Spindalis, and Greater Antillean Bullfinch. After birding the high elevation broad-leaf forest we will head further uphill into the pines to look for Hispaniolan Crossbill and the insular subspecies of Pine Warbler. After a nice morning of birding, we’ll make our way back downslope for lower elevation species. Birding around Puerto Escondido may produce Stolid Flycatchers and Greater Antillean Bullfinches. In the dry scrubby forests downslope we should see Flat-billed Vireo. A nearby streamside trail will take us through an excellent patch of humid forest. Birds abound here, and we should see quite a few endemics and a nice array of migrants. With patience we can often locate Key West (and sometimes White-fronted) Quail-Doves walking on the forest floor upslope from the trail. The endemic and spectacular Bay-breasted Cuckoo occasionally puts in an appearance here as well. Night in Duverge.

Day 8: For our last morning we’ll start by cleaning up on any species we missed the day before near Puerto Escondido along the La Placa trail. We’ll have lunch and then drive down to Lago Enriquillo. Lying more than 120 feet below sea level, this intensely saline lake is the remnant of a channel that once divided Hispaniola into two islands. Our primary goal is Hispaniolan Palm Crow, but we may also see an interesting assortment of migrant warblers, lizards, and Plain Pigeon in the very bizarre cactus forest. After this we’ll make our way back to Santo Domingo for our farewell dinner. Night near the Santo Domingo Airport.

Day 9: The tour concludes this morning in Santo Domingo with transfers to the airport.

Last updated Sep 14, 2023
Tour Information (Click to see more)

Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for this tour. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure that what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document which will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose contents supersedes any information contained here.

ENTERING THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: U.S. citizens must have a passport valid at the time of entry and with at least one blank page for an entry stamp. 

Citizens of other (non US, UK, or Canada) countries may need a visa and should check with their nearest Dominican Republic embassy. If required by the embassy or visa-granting entity, WINGS can provide a letter for you to use regarding your participation in the tour. 

All tourist travelers to the Dominican Republic are required to obtain a tourist visa (USD$10). As of 2018, this fee is included in your airfare and no longer paid upon arrival.

COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can review the U.S. Department of State Country Specific Travel Information here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html. Review foreign travel advice from the UK government here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice and travel advice and advisories from the Government of Canada here:  https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories.

PACE OF THE TOUR: Although not physically demanding, this tour involves long days, with one very early start (3:30 am), and several pre-dawn starts with subsequent long drives (two to three  hours each way) due to the distance of our hotels from the best birding sites. Although the main highways in the country are generally in excellent shape the mountain roads can be very rough. We’ll return to the hotel between 5 and 6 p.m. (with at least two optional after dinner trips for night birds).

Walks will vary from easy to moderate and will in several cases involve walking on rocky, gradually inclined roads for two to three hours. Much of the birding is along roadsides. If the close Ridgway’s Hawk nests are not active we will offer an optional walk to a nesting area in a nearby valley, about two miles round trip with an elevation gain of 800 feet. 

HEALTH: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all travelers be up to date on routine vaccinations. These include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot. 

They further recommend that most travelers have protection against Hepatitis A and Typhoid. Dengue Fever is not common on the island but is increasing in the Caribbean. Please contact your doctor well in advance of your tour’s departure as some medications must be initiated weeks before the period of possible exposure. 

Malaria: The CDC says there is a low risk of Malaria throughout the Dominican Republic (but no risk in the cities of Santo Domingo and Barahona).  We do encounter a few mosquitoes during the tour, and on some years small biting gnats can be a nuisance on one afternoon. Please consult with your physician before the tour for advice. 

The most current information about travelers’ health recommendations for the Dominican Republic can be found on the CDC’s Travel Health website at: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/dominican-republic

Elevation: On two (possibly three) of the days we venture into the higher reaches of the Sierra de Bahoruco (above 5500 ft), but most of our birding is near (or even below) sea level. 

Smoking: Smoking is prohibited in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a nonsmoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, do so well away and downwind from the group. If any location where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, that stricter policy will prevail. 

Miscellaneous: It is worth noting that the island of Hispaniola is pleasantly free of chiggers, but small midges and mosquitoes are present in low numbers. 

CLIMATE: The days in the lowlands are generally quite warm (often hovering around 90 degrees F), and summer clothes are suitable year-round. Please be prepared for the possibility of cool, damp (or rainy) weather on our three days in the Sierra de Bahoruco. It can feel surprisingly chilly (in the low 50’s) at the top of the mountains, so a light or even medium weight jacket/sweater will be useful. 

ACCOMMODATIONS: We’ll stay in adequate hotels. Our starting hotel in Santo Domingo is located inside of the old colonial town, and within a block of the main walking street and most important tourist sites.

During our two-night stay in Duverge our accommodations will be basic, though they have improved over the years. Beds are clean and the rooms all have AC units, however hot water isn’t always reliable. WiFi is usually very functional. The benefit of staying here is that we position ourselves as close as possible to hard-to-reach mountain sites for the next morning.

In Barahona we stay in a secluded cliffside hotel run by Europeans. In the past there has been some lack of hot water in the bathrooms, but this has been steadily improving over the years. The rooms have recently been renovated with upgraded bathrooms.

In Sabana de la Mar we stay in an incredible hotel that could easily have been designed by Salvador Dali. Rooms there are large, many with forested balconies, and we will take our meals near the artificial waterfalls in an open-air atrium.

The final hotel used on the tour is a modern chain-type hotel located conveniently out by the airport.

INTERNET: Wifi is good in Santo Domingo, but often too slow to be reliably useful in Barahona, and absent in Sabana de la Mar. Often one can purchase a SIM card with local service in the airport that can be put inside your “unlocked” cell phone.

FOOD: Most breakfasts and lunches will be picnics taken in the field. Our breakfasts will generally consist of standard cold fare, with yoghurt, hard-boiled eggs, cereal, fruit, etc., although on several days we will make use of our hotel’s more substantial offerings. Lunches in the field will consist of sandwiches, fruit, snacks, and cold drinks. Dinners will be taken at or near our accommodation and are varied, ranging from restaurant fare to the excellent three-course family-style dinners prepared by our hotel in Barahona. Chicken and fish are widely eaten in the Caribbean, while beef is less common.

Bottled Water: Bottled water will be available in the tour vehicles throughout the tour. 

Food Allergies / Requirements: We cannot guarantee that all food allergies can be accommodated at every destination. Participants with significant food allergies or special dietary requirements should bring appropriate foods with them for those times when their needs cannot be met. Announced meal times are always approximate depending on how the day unfolds. Participants who need to eat according to a fixed schedule should bring supplemental food. Please contact the WINGS office if you have any questions. 

TRANSPORTATION: For most of the drives around the island (on excellent paved highways) we’ll be travelling in a climate-controlled tourism coach.

Occasionally we’ll be on rough gravel roads with clearance issues so we may use four-wheel drive SUVs on at least two days on the trip. Participants should be able to ride in any seat in tour vehicles. 

We will offer at least 2 boat trips during the tour. One on a shallow brackish lagoon in a small mostly covered skiff with a single outboard that typically lasts about an hour. The other out into Sabana Bay in a small powerboat, probably 20 ft long.  We’re never more than a few hundred yards from shore in a protected bay. There is no toilet but we disembark onto docks in a few places that have facilities, and we’re only on the boat for stretches of 30 minutes or less.

Last updated Mar 06, 2024
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Narrative (Click to see more)

2024 Narrative

Day 1: We gathered this evening in the courtyard of our Santo Domingo hotel for an evening stroll through the heart of Zona Colonial for a tasty dinner together at El Buho Eatery. After delicious food and a welcome meeting we turned-in for a good night’s rest.

Day 2: Shortly after sunrise we gathered at the National Botanical Gardens for our first real taste of Hispaniolan bird life. As we enjoyed breakfast from the parking lot we watched a group of six Hispaniolan Woodpeckers moving about the treetops, their mechanical movements making them look like windup toys.

Nearby a flock of Hispaniolan Parakeets raced overhead while Antillean Palm Swifts flew in and out of the native Cana Palms (their favorite place to nest). The gardens could be renamed the National Palmchat Gardens as this endemic species is around every corner and in every palm tree. Throughout the morning we soaked up views of this endemic monotypic family, Dulidae, and we managed to see them everyday on the trip. The abundant flowers in the gardens attracted Hispaniolan Mangos and the bee-sized Vervain Hummingbirds for repetitive close views. These same flowers also hosted a Broad-billed Tody, one of everybody’s most wanted endemics.

The lush vegetation at the gardens offers great habitat for wintering Wood-Warblers and we enjoyed views of American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush, Ovenbird, as well as Black-and-White Warbler, Cape May, and Prairie Warblers. A Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo bounced through the tangles giving short but satisfactory views.

A Black-crowned Palm-Tanager was an introduction to the endemic family of Hispaniolan tanagers, Phaenicophilidae. Stolid Flycatchers called mournfully from the trees nearby. A stream running through the gardens held two West Indian Whistling-Ducks, Common Gallinules with chicks, a Least Grebe, and one each of Spotted and Solitary sandpipers. From the gardens we pushed NE to the Bay of Samana in the karstic hills of northeastern Dominican Republic. We enjoyed lunch and a brief break before heading out for an evening boat trip through the nearby mangroves and incredible magotés (giant limestone pinnacles that rise out from the sea for hundreds of feet) of Haitises National Park. As we snaked through the mangroves along the Rio Cano Hondo we enjoyed close views of West Indian Whistling-Ducks, Little Blue Heron, and both flavors of Night-Herons.

Upon reaching the San Lorenzo Bay we encountered multiple large groups of Whistling-Ducks, totalling 82 individuals.

Nearby, a large mangrove-covered magote provided nesting habitat for Brown Pelicans and courting grounds for Great Egrets. After dinner we went for a walk amongst moonlit limestone cliffs, where we heard two Ashy-faced Owls, but were never able to get views of them. Along the trail we encountered a large Hispaniolan Boa Constrictor, a rarely seen endemic snake.

Day 3: We took an early morning hike to search for the highly endangered Ridgway’s Hawk, whose global population stronghold is here in Los Haitises NP. Along the walk we found several Louisiana Waterthrushes near the headwater of Rio Cano Hondo. A pair of Antillean Piculets flew back and forth across the trail, only stopping for very brief glimpses. In the open fields behind the lodge we watched three Ridgway’s Hawks - an adult and two subadults - flying circuits overhead in morning sunshine. After lunch we headed back to Santo Domingo for a bit of down time and a delicious dinner at Buche Perico in the colonial zone.

Day 4: Today was mostly a driving day but we enjoyed some nice birding at the Las Salinas salt pans and mangroves. At our first stop we watched as two Caribbean Clapper Rails crept through the mangroves at a close distance, stopping to preen and bath right before our eyes. Across the road we found a large group of Least Sandpipers with a lone Semipalmated Plover.

Two American Flamingos strained the waters of the lagoon. These magnificent birds were rescued from a nearby resort and were released here in hope that they’ll take up residence with the wild flock of flamingos and have a second chance at life after having their wings clipped and used as “live decoration” for beachside resorts. So far they’re keeping to themselves, but time will tell.

At the salt farm we enjoyed views of many shorebirds and terns including Royal, Sandwich, and Gull-billed terns. A giant feeding flock of waders consisted of Great, Snowy, and white morph Reddish egrets. A few Tricolored and Little Blue Herons worked the edges of the feeding frenzy. A Roseate Spoonbill sifted the waters in the back, while a flock of Stilt Sandpipers, both flavors of yellowlegs, and some Black-necked Stilts worked the front edge. A nearby mudflat held two White-rumpled Sandpipers (unexpected at this time of year), a small group of Ruddy Turnstones, and a Black-bellied Plover.

After lunch in Barahona, we finished the long drive to Pedernales, stopping for another early evening boat trip. Here at the Oviedo Lagoon, part of Jaragua National Park, we found large flocks of American Wigeons, a single pair of Blue-winged Teal, and scattered White-cheeked Pintails. American Flamingoes performed well, though their numbers were much lower than years past with no clear reason why. This continues to be a great place to find overwintering species from the North American continent.

A large group of Common Terns mixed with Royal Terns, and an immature Northern Harrier patrolled the shoreline. In the distance a group of three, small, dark terns hovered low over the surface of the water. They looked to be Black Terns, but views were distant so we moved in for a closer look; and to confirm there wasn’t a White-winged Tern hiding in there. Close views revealed three Black Terns, a rarity in Dominican Republic. After documenting our rare find we returned to shore and headed to Pedernales for the night.

Day 5: This morning was chilly high in the mountains above Pedernales. Along the drive we spotted two Hispaniolan Nightjars hunting the road in the van’s headlights. We stopped for a better view but they were shy and retreated to a nearby grove of trees where they sang incessantly. Shortly after sunrise we wandered downslope toward the sound of one of the favorite birds of the trip, a male Hispaniolan Trogon that sat beautifully in the understory of the Hispaniolan pine forest for all of us to admire.

A pair of Green-tailed Ground-Tanagers foraged in the shrubs along the edge of the road, at times approaching so close that our binoculars couldn’t focus on them.

Droves of Hispaniolan Parakeets passed by overhead. Further up the mountain, near the old bauxite mine, we watched six Golden Swallows carving circles out of the sky just overhead. Nearby a small group of Hispaniolan Crossbills called from the trees but they were deep enough into the forest that we couldn’t locate them - the wind didn’t help. Meanwhile, Hispaniolan Parrots and Hispaniolan Palm Crows passed by overhead. Back at the van the crows congregated overhead in the pines, providing great opportunities to study them and listen to their nasally calls. A nearby stock tank provided surface water to local wildlife and we watched Hispaniolan Mangoes chasing each other back and forth around the edges. Common Yellowthroats “smacked” from the reeds within.  A pair of Hispaniolan Euphonias called in the distance and then flew into a bit of play-back. These fabulously colored finches landed overhead as we were preparing to head downslope for a picnic. After said picnic lunch we retreated to the lowlands for the long drive to Hotel Quemaito, a beautiful hotel overlooking the Caribbean Sea from an oceanside bluff. It was here that we parted ways with Manny Jimenes, our local guide and co-owner of Explora EcoTours and said hello to Efrain, one of our local guide for the remainder of the trip.

Day 6: We rose early to enjoy some coffee and breakfast before birding. A short distance from the hotel we turned upslope toward the highland community of Cachote and bumped along in 4x4 vehicles for an hour or so, enjoying the sun rising over the mountains to the east. As we arrived at Cachote the cool morning air and wet vegetation was a stark contrast to the dry heat of the desert lowlands. Ramon, a local birder from the community greeted us. We followed Ramon through the cloud forest to an area where he’s been attracting Ruddy and White-fronted Quail-Doves to his chicken feeding station. Along the trail we had our first glimpses of Eastern Chat-Tanager, one of only two species in the Hispaniolan endemic family, Calyptophilidae. While working to get views of the Chat-Tanagers we were treated to eye level views of a Rufous-throated Solitaire as it sang its ethereal dawn song.

We observed the chicken feeding station for at least an hour, enjoying views of up to five Ruddy Quail-Doves, but sadly the White-fronted never appeared. After lunch we checked in at our accommodations in the town of Duverge and napped off the afternoon heat. In the evening we birded in a nearby agricultural community where we had wonderful views of Antillean Siskins and Hispaniolan Orioles.

A flock of neotropical migrants held American Redstarts and Northern Parulas, as well as Black-and-white, Prairie, Cape May, and Tennessee warblers. We returned to Duverge for dinner and called it an early evening.

Day 7: We departed at o’dark thirty, 3:30am to be precise, in order to make the long and bumpy journey to the highest reaches of Sierra de Bahoruco National Park. For three hours we endured horrendous road conditions in 4x4 vehicles to reach the cloud forest site known as Zapoten, one of the last large tracts of cloud forest on the island and a globally important site for endemic flora and fauna of the Caribbean. Here we found many of our remaining endemic bird targets including LaSelle Thrush which comes to the roadside right at sunrise and then retreats to the forest floor for the rest of the day. This bird is the main reason we have to leave so early in the morning.

Additionally we found Western Chat-Tanager, Hispaniolan Crossbill, Hispaniolan Emerald, Hispaniolan Spindalis, and White-winged Highland-Tanager. A couple lucky folks spotted a White-fronted Quail-Dove as it flushed from the edge of the trail.

Just before lunch we stopped at an overlook to take in the views of Haiti in the distance and we struck gold by finding a Bay-breasted Cuckoo on the adjacent hillside. We were treated to views of this rarity at eye-level for up to ten minutes as it hunted through the treetops, stopping occasionally to broadcast its bellowing calls through the forest. Bay-breasted Cuckoos are not only critically endangered but they’re also cryptic and very difficult to see, so this was a real treat and certainly a highlight of the trip.

The endemic birds of Hispaniola are always a treat to see, but so are the birds from continental North America that call this island their wintering grounds. A notable encounter of the morning was a Bicknell’s Thrush singing from the pre-dawn shadows. The highlands forests of the Dominican Republic are one of the only places this species is known to winter, making it of utmost importance to the conservation of this species.

Day 8: After breakfast we headed to the subtropical dry forest around Puerto Escondido to find our last remaining endemic bird of the Dominican Republic, the Flat-billed Vireo, which we found without issue at our first stop. From here we made our way to the shores of Lago Enriquillo, a hyper saline lake that was a shallow ocean channel flanked by coral reefs only 6,000 years ago, dividing the island of Hispaniola into a north and south Islands. In the desert around the edges of the lake we found multiple Ricord’s Rock Iguanas, a critically endangered lizard whose numbers teeter around 2,500 wild individuals. The holes dug by the iguanas provide important shelters and nesting sites for the endemic Guadalupensis subspecies of Burrowing Owl, which watched us intently as we maneuvered the cactus laden scrub in search of iguanas.

After lunch we said our goodbyes to Efrain and returned to Santo Domingo for our final dinner to celebrate finding all of the endemic species of Dominican Republic and to prepare for our flights home the next day.

eBird Trip Report: https://ebird.org/tripreport/207724

                                                                                                                                                                           - Raymond VanBuskirk

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Tour Notes

Maximum group size eight with one leader and a local guide.

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Feb 21-27, 2025Raymond VanBuskirk