On this tour we stay in two jungle lodges which use local materials in the construction of the cabins, here an example from Los Amigos…
On this tour we stay in two jungle lodges which use local materials in the construction of the cabins, here an example from Los Amigos…
Rich Hoyer
…and here some cabins at Tambo Blanquillo. photo Luis Raffo
…and here some cabins at Tambo Blanquillo. photo Luis Raffo
Rich Hoyer
The interiors are simple, but clean and with en suite bathrooms. photo Luis Raffo
The interiors are simple, but clean and with en suite bathrooms. photo Luis Raffo
Rich Hoyer
The common areas are inviting, well-built structures as well. photo Luis Raffo
The common areas are inviting, well-built structures as well. photo Luis Raffo
Rich Hoyer
To get to these lodges we use a combination of an internal flight, a ride in a van, and finally a covered, motorized canoe.rn Peru
To get to these lodges we use a combination of an internal flight, a ride in a van, and finally a covered, motorized canoe.rn Peru
Rich Hoyer
We’re in a jungle wilderness at both places; Los Amigos sits on a high bluff overlooking the Madre de Dios River.
We’re in a jungle wilderness at both places; Los Amigos sits on a high bluff overlooking the Madre de Dios River.
Rich Hoyer
We spend much of our birding time on the trails, but one of the highlights at Tambo Blanquillo is a canopy platform.
We spend much of our birding time on the trails, but one of the highlights at Tambo Blanquillo is a canopy platform.
Rich Hoyer
One of the most delightful and memorable outings will be our paddle on a serene oxbow lake, looking for several special birds and Giant Otters.
One of the most delightful and memorable outings will be our paddle on a serene oxbow lake, looking for several special birds and Giant Otters.
Rich Hoyer
Both have a variety of habitats within the Amazonian rainforest biome, here a palm swamp at Los Amigos.
Both have a variety of habitats within the Amazonian rainforest biome, here a palm swamp at Los Amigos.
Rich Hoyer
The bird lists are famously long. We’ll see some birds in familiar families, such as the oddly colored Cream-colored Woodpecker…
The bird lists are famously long. We’ll see some birds in familiar families, such as the oddly colored Cream-colored Woodpecker…
Rich Hoyer
Or the impressively big Red-necked Woodpecker.
Or the impressively big Red-necked Woodpecker.
Rich Hoyer
And most people should easily recognize members of the parrot family, even on their first trip to the tropics.  White-bellied Parrots are more often heard than seen.
And most people should easily recognize members of the parrot family, even on their first trip to the tropics. White-bellied Parrots are more often heard than seen.
Rich Hoyer
We’ll have a chance to visit a collpa or clay lick to get close views of Red-and-green Macaws, among other parrots.
We’ll have a chance to visit a collpa or clay lick to get close views of Red-and-green Macaws, among other parrots.
Rich Hoyer
Distantly related to ducks and geese is the Horned Screamer, which we might see on a gravel bar in one of the rivers.
Distantly related to ducks and geese is the Horned Screamer, which we might see on a gravel bar in one of the rivers.
Rich Hoyer
But probably entirely unfamiliar to birders first visiting the American tropics are members of the cotinga family, such as this Purple-throated Fruitcrow.
But probably entirely unfamiliar to birders first visiting the American tropics are members of the cotinga family, such as this Purple-throated Fruitcrow.
Rich Hoyer
Bare-necked Fruitcrow is a canopy dweller, like many other cotingas.
Bare-necked Fruitcrow is a canopy dweller, like many other cotingas.
Rich Hoyer
The Cinereous Mourner, a relative of the becards and tityras, is easily overlooked in the midstory of the forest.
The Cinereous Mourner, a relative of the becards and tityras, is easily overlooked in the midstory of the forest.
Rich Hoyer
Not so for the showy members of the tanager family. In good light the colors on this Masked Tanager glow.
Not so for the showy members of the tanager family. In good light the colors on this Masked Tanager glow.
Rich Hoyer
Another neotropical family with many colorful members are the manakins. Band-tailed Manakin maintains leks along some of our trails.
Another neotropical family with many colorful members are the manakins. Band-tailed Manakin maintains leks along some of our trails.
Rich Hoyer
The relatively plain Fiery-capped Manakin must been seen well to be appreciated.
The relatively plain Fiery-capped Manakin must been seen well to be appreciated.
Rich Hoyer
Peru is rich in jacamar species. Purus Jacamar can be found in the stunted vegetation around the edges of oxbow lakes.
Peru is rich in jacamar species. Purus Jacamar can be found in the stunted vegetation around the edges of oxbow lakes.
Rich Hoyer
White-throated Jacamar is scarcer, and family groups prefer small clearings around tree falls in the forest.
White-throated Jacamar is scarcer, and family groups prefer small clearings around tree falls in the forest.
Rich Hoyer
Bluish-fronted Jacamar is a more widespread member of the family in Peru, found in many edge habitats.
Bluish-fronted Jacamar is a more widespread member of the family in Peru, found in many edge habitats.
Rich Hoyer
Very widespread but everywhere extraordinarily rare is the fabled Harpy Eagle; we could get this lucky.
Very widespread but everywhere extraordinarily rare is the fabled Harpy Eagle; we could get this lucky.
Rich Hoyer
We’ll take a few night walks, where you never know what you’ll find – here an Amazonian Mottled Owl.
We’ll take a few night walks, where you never know what you’ll find – here an Amazonian Mottled Owl.
Rich Hoyer
As we slowly walk through the forest, many other forms of life will draw our attention, such as this metalmark.
As we slowly walk through the forest, many other forms of life will draw our attention, such as this metalmark.
Rich Hoyer
There are many confusing species of clearwing butterflies that flit in the forest understory.
There are many confusing species of clearwing butterflies that flit in the forest understory.
Rich Hoyer
There is also a high diversity of mammals here, and we’ll pause in our birding to admire them, such as these Peruvian Spider Monkeys.
There is also a high diversity of mammals here, and we’ll pause in our birding to admire them, such as these Peruvian Spider Monkeys.
Rich Hoyer

The rainforests of southeastern Peru have long been known as the most species-rich in the world. Starting in the mountainous regions of Cusco and Puno, several rivers drain off the Andes into the river called Madre de Dios—Mother of God—before joining waters flowing northeast out of Bolivia and eventually making their way down to the Amazon River. 

On their way to the Amazon, these rivers pass through Manu National Park and the Los Amigos Conservation Concession, huge areas of protected forest that abut even larger areas of wild, if at present unprotected, land. We’ll visit two lodges in this watershed, both on the Madre de Dios itself. We’ll cover an amazing variety of habitats, from open riverbanks to closed oxbow lakes and from seasonally flooded forest to tall upland forest well above the rivers. We’ll also sample the area’s high concentration of bamboo-dominated forest, which has a whole host of its own specialists. Topping off the list will be visits to a dirt bank used by hundreds of parrots and macaws each morning as well as a canopy platform to see the world from a unique angle. Besides birds, we’ll have a chance to look for several exciting mammals, such as Giant Otter, while also taking time to observe the myriad reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, and other invertebrates, enriching the entire natural history experience.  

Tour Team
Itinerary (Click to see more)

Day 1: The trip begins at 6 p.m. in the lobby of our Puerto Maldonado hotel. Night in Puerto Maldonado. 

Rich is not only an excellent leader who does his best to get everyone on the birds and make sure that everyone’s personal needs are met, but he is without question the most knowledgable leader I have ever done a tour with. His knowledge of not only birds, but mammals, insects, flowers, reptiles, and just about every aspect of nature on the tour was awesome. -Alan B.

Day 2: Much of today will be devoted to travel as we drive to the port of Laberinto where we’ll board a covered and motorized dugout canoe for a five-hour journey to our home for the next few days, Los Amigos Research Station. The boat ride itself is delightful, and we’ll want to pause the journey for a few birds here and there. We’ll try to fit in some birding in the late afternoon as we familiarize ourselves with the grounds, perhaps seeing the Undulated Tinamous that, quite incredibly, forage in the open lawn. Night at Los Amigos.

Days 3–7: Los Amigos Research Station and Birding Lodge, owned by the nonprofit Amazon Conservation Association (which also owns Wayqecha and Villa Carmen Biological Stations, visited on the previous tour), is situated where the Los Amigos and Madre de Dios Rivers converge. The biological station is part of a watershed that includes millions of acres of protected wilderness in southeastern Peru. The landscape is a mosaic of terrestrial and aquatic habitats, including palm swamps, bamboo thickets, oxbow lakes, and various types of flooded and unflooded forests. Large stands of Guadua bamboo coupled with the extensive várzea (a wet forest inundated during the peak of the rainy season), terra firme (a forest occurring on higher ground that never gets flooded), and mature transitional floodplain forest ensure a huge variety of birdlife at Los Amigos. A casual day of birding on foot could easily yield 200 species. Two recent big days here tallied 345 and 347 species on foot, making this possibly the single birdiest location on the planet. 

Some of the more interesting and unusual species possible in the bamboo are Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Manu Antbird, Peruvian Recurvebill, and Long-crested Pygmy-Tyrant. Throughout the forest various species of foliage-gleaners and antbirds join in mixed flocks. Some of the scarcer species here include Bartlett’s Tinamou, Razor-billed Curassow, Pale-winged Trumpeter, Pavonine Quetzal, Purus Jacamar, Cream-colored Woodpecker, Banded Antbird, Royal Flycatcher, and Musician Wren, to name but a few, and we’ll certainly look for the especially rare and local Rufous-fronted Antthrush and Black-faced Cotinga. 

Butterflies abound here, and since the dragonflies of this region have been studied more thoroughly than almost anywhere else in the Amazon, we might be able to put names to some of the more colorful ones we see. Thirteen species of primates are known from the reserve, and we’ll surely see a good selection of some of them, and possibly even rarer mammals such as Jaguar, Giant Anteater, and Short-eared Dog. 

Day 8: Today will be a travel day: we’ll motor up the Madre de Dios River to our next lodge, Tambo Blanquillo. Along the way we’ll stop for any number of birds that can be seen along the rivers, such as Sand-colored Nighthawk, roosting Great Potoo, Orinoco Goose, Capped Heron, and various other herons and parrots. Night at Tambo Blanquillo Lodge.

Days 9 - 10: During our two full days at Tambo Blanquillo, we’ll have several activities such as a boat ride on an oxbow lake, a visit to a parrot clay lick, and a visit to the canopy platform. An early morning visit to the clay lick should yield numbers of Yellow-crowned, Orange-cheeked, and Blue-headed Parrots, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, and most mornings groups of Red-and-green Macaws come down, though every day is different and unpredictable. Late morning will see us on the canopy platform where one has a totally novel view of the tropical rainforest. Here we’ll have a better chance to see species such as Gilded Barbet, Amazonian Pygmy-Owl, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, White-necked Puffbird, and Paradise, Turquoise, and Green-and-gold Tanagers. Finally, in the afternoon, we’ll take a two-hour boat ride on the lake, where we’ll look for Hoatzin, Sungrebe, Horned Screamer, American Pygmy and Green-and-rufous Kingfishers, and Pale-eyed Blackbird. With luck, we may see the rare Agami Heron and possibly spot a rail or two while looking for the local family of Giant Otters. Night at Tambo Blanquillo.

Day 11: After some early morning birding around our lodge, we’ll travel back to Puerto Maldonado via a combination of boats and wheeled vehicles, taking up much of the day, including stops for any birds and mammals. Night in Puerto Maldonado.

Day 12: We’ll have a few hours in the morning for some roadside birding near Puerto Maldonado, where we’ll certainly see a few new species. Rusty-margined Flycatcher occurs at the edge of its range here, and several species have spread into Peru from Bolivia in this area including Grassland Sparrow. On one recent tour, we discovered the second country record of White-bellied Seedeater, and on another, a Tiny Hawk was a wonderful surprise. You never know what you’ll see. We’ll have an afternoon flight back to Lima, and after a farewell dinner at the airport area hotel, the tour will conclude at the Lima International Airport.

Last updated Jul 20, 2021
Tour Information (Click to see more)

Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to Peru: Rainforest Lodges of the Madre de Dios. 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 PERU: For United States citizens, a passport valid on the day of entry and with at least one blank page for an entry stamp, and return airline ticket are required. Visas are not necessary, and recently tourist permits and customs forms have been dispensed with; only your passport will be stamped upon arrival. If this changes, and you are given an immigration form, keep the tourist permit stub with your passport at all times — it may be required for departure from the country.

A valid Yellow Fever vaccination is required if you are arriving from a country where the disease is a risk. See http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapter-3-infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/yellow-fever#1948 for more information.

COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can review the U.S. Department of State Country Specific Travel Information here:  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html and the CIA World Factbook here:  https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/. 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: Sunrise in southern Peru this time of year is around 6:00 a.m. and sunset is at about 5:40 p.m. We plan to be in the field at dawn, with breakfast at about 5:30 each day in order to be out during the best birding hours. On one day we’ll depart at 5:00 a.m. before breakfast to see parrots at a clay lick, followed by a later breakfast. Except on travel days we’ll schedule time off after lunch for an hour or so before a late afternoon outing.  We’ll always have at least an hour off before dinner and typically end most days, having eaten and completed the day’s bird list, by 8 pm. On some days we’ll schedule optional owling/nightjar outings either in the evening or before dawn.

All of our walking will be on trails, and we’ll do a fair amount of walking on this tour. Arriving at lodges by boat means ascending the riverside banks or bluffs, via well-built staircases, upon which the lodges are built. In the case of Los Amigos, the bluff is very high and the staircase a daunting 280 steps, but we do this just once when we arrive. The remaining trails are mostly flat with some sloping stretches, which we take slowly. Footing can be very unstable with rock and roots in places. We sometimes make it less than a mile in morning of birding, but the longer walks are could be up to three and a half miles in length round-trip (1.75 miles each way). In any event we go slowly and spend a lot of time standing and looking. Anyone with balance issues should carry a hiking stick. One should be prepared for long periods of standing and walking slowly; a small travel stool is handy for those who find this tiring. The forest trails may be muddy in spots, and short roadside vegetation could be wet from dew or rains, so waterproof footgear is highly recommended – waterproof hiking boots or even rubber boots are best, but if you don’t mind having wet feet, a cheap pair of sneakers also works, as long as you have something dry and clean to change into back at the room.

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. 

Malaria: The CDC considers Peru to be of low risk for travelers contracting malaria. While malaria is not common in the Madre de Dios area, it does exist, and the CDC has determined that a traveler who is on an appropriate antimalarial drug has a greatly reduced chance of contracting the disease.

Zika: This virus is expanding northward from tropical South America into the northern Caribbean and southern United States and health authorities are still trying to gauge its full impact. Couples who expect/hope to become pregnant should consult their physician. The virus is transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes, a day-flying mosquito typically found near people in crowded urban environments that have only a minimum of public services like sanitation, window screens, and drainage.  We will be spending all of our time in natural areas where the Aedes aegypti mosquito is altogether absent.

Yellow Fever: Yellow Fever vaccination is recommended by the CDC. 

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. 

The most current information about travelers’ health recommendations for Peru can be found on the CDC’s Travel Health website at here: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list

Elevation: This tour does not go to any high elevation areas.

Insects: Many potential health problems can be prevented by adequate protection against insects. Even when mosquitoes may be sparse, biting gnats and chiggers can still be a nuisance. To be protected, bring plenty of spray repellent and wear long sleeves and pants when in the field. We recommend using insect repellents with a concentration of DEET of at least 20%. 

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: We do not often encounter snakes and take time to observe them whenever possible; most are not venomous, and venomous ones are not aggressive.  At times we will be remote, and while the lodges have emergency medical supplies, professional medical assistance will be several hours away from some of them. 

One can never completely escape the risk of parasites or fungal infections. Please consult with your physician. We avoid tap water but filtered and bottled water are readily available. 

CLIMATE: At the time of our visit, the austral spring, coastal Lima is seasonally foggy, damp, and chilly, necessitating a sweater. But in the lowlands at Puerto Maldonado and our lodges, expect temperatures in the high 80s°F each day with high humidity – though a heat wave can see temperatures into the upper 90s°F, and a long day of rain keeps temps in the mid-70’s. Rain is probable at least occasionally on a few days though highly unpredictable. To deal with such an unpredictable contingencies we recommend light weight warm weather clothes for the lowlands (long pants and long sleeve shirts in the field), in addition to a rain jacket, poncho, and a compact umbrella for birding in light rain.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Our hotels and lodges are always among the best available, comfortable and modern, and all have rooms with private baths at all locations. In Lima we stay in a standard modern airport hotel, as in Puerto Maldonado, though the rooms there are much simpler. At our two lowland lodges, the accommodations are more basic eco-lodge quality, but still very nice, wooden construction with hot water and private baths. At Los Amigos there is solar-powered electricity in the rooms, while at Tambo Blanquillo there is at present no electricity in the rooms. Batteries can be recharged at the central buildings during certain hours where electricity is provided by diesel generators.

As is typical in the tropics, small lizards, amphibians, harmless small mammals, or unusual insects occasionally may visit a hotel room.

INTERNET AND MOBILE PHONE ACCESS: Mobile phone access is limited on this tour and is only available in and around Lima and Puerto Maldonado. Wifi internet is available at our hotels in Lima and Puerto Maldonado, while at Los Amigos there is wifi from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the common areas. As of this writing there is no internet at Tambo Blanquillo, but that may change by the time our tour runs.

FOOD: Food on our southeastern Peru tours is quite good. We’ll start all days with warm breakfasts, almost always including scrambled eggs or an omelet. Lunches are either back at our lodge or, during transfer days, a boxed lunch prepared by the lodge, usually including something like a chicken-pasta dish, fruit, juice, and cookies. All dinners are at our lodges and, like the sit-down lunches, usually start with a delicious soup and then follow with a main dish with trout, chicken, or beef, rice, potatoes, cooked vegetables, and sometimes a salad. Dinners are followed by a simple dessert. We have no reservations about eating fresh vegetables or drinking beverages with ice at our lodges, which cater largely to foreigners like ourselves. Los Amigos has only beer and wine, while all other places have a full bar and can prepare pisco sours, the Peruvian national cocktail.

Drinks: Bottled water and/or a soft drink or a beer is provided at lunch and dinner, as is coffee or tea. All other drinks or ‘personal’ drinking water for use in your room etc. is the responsibility of the individual; our lodges typically have filtered water available for refilling your own bottles. We also keep bottled water on the bus for ‘emergency’ use during the day.  

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: The flights to and from Puerto Maldonado will be in modern, full-sized jets (such as an Airbus 320), and our transportation from there will be in a small bus provided by our ground agent. There is limited road travel on an unpaved, often bumpy road (about an hour), but we’ll travel for 3 hours by long, motorized, dug-out style boat with comfortable seats and a covered roof.

Last updated Jul 20, 2021
Bird Lists (Click to see more)
Map (Click to see more)
Narrative (Click to see more)

2021 Narrative

The rainforest lodges of Madre de Dios were an abrupt but delightful change of pace from the first Peru tour, where we had been mostly in mountains of the neighboring department of Cusco. For one, it was warm and humid, though on two days we were under the influence of a late cold front, when the overcast skies and cooler temperatures were quite welcome. We walked every day, piling on the miles, but one of the most enjoyable aspects of this tour is being able to bird right outside our rooms. And with a pared down group, we could focus on the species we wanted to see the most. We saw and heard 360 species in our ten days of birding, as well as many beautiful plants, butterflies, beetles, and other critters.

Our flight arrived too late in Puerto Maldonado for a safe boat ride to the lodge, so we had to spend the night in town, giving us time in the afternoon to bird at the edge of the city. Here we soon latched on to one of the main targets, White-throated Jacamar. A canopy flock with Mouse-colored Tyrannulet, Small-billed Elaenias, Yellow-green Vireos, and several tanagers kept us busy, while the fishponds had Solitary Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, and Wattled Jacana. It was fun to see a flock of about 40 migrant Eastern Kingbirds move through.

The boat ride to Los Amigos went without hitch, and it was nice to do it in the morning when not so hot, though it never did get super-hot during our tour. A migrant American Golden-Plover was our rarest bird, and it was interesting to see recently fledge Large-billed Terns and Black Skimmers. We were at Los Amigos well before lunch, after which we did a loop on some trails, missing a turnoff, and taking the much longer route back via a steep ravine. Oops. But we had some nice birds along the way – a pair of very cooperative Great Jacamars, a White-throated Tinamou that slinked across the trail, a Dark-billed Cuckoo in a vine tangle over the trail, and a Needle-billed Hermit carrying nesting material were some of the highlights. A troop of Curl-crested Aracaris in a huge tree mostly blocked by the mid-story vegetation was frustrating, but we at least had glimpses.

It seemed promising when early on our first full morning we heard the highly-desired Black-faced Cotinga just back up the road. We backtracked quickly, saw something fly off, and never heard it again. Despite playback here and again on and off throughout the week, this would be our only encounter with the species. But that’s the way it goes with tropical birds – nothing is truly static, and they are only predictable until they aren’t. We birded around the soccer field quite a bit this first morning, as it offered a good view of the canopy and roving flocks of tanagers. Paradise, Green-and-gold, Masked, and Turquoise were all there, as were three species of dacnis. A pair of Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatchers were building a nest in the far corner, and we could hear Fiery-capped Manakins teasing us from the viney understory. A White-browed Hawk zipped over the clearing, giving us only the briefest view. On the trail system we caught up with some singing White-chinned Sapphires on an exploded lek then surprised a Cream-colored Woodpecker at eye-level in the understory. It inexplicably flushed only a few feet and then stayed put for several minutes as we took time to get the best of photos in the low light levels. We had success with some patience in the Band-tailed Manakin lek (though they were even more cooperative a few days later when we passed by again – even showing the band in the tail, which virtually no one ever sees). An Amazonian Pygmy-Owl just happened to be right overhead when Rich used the call to try to elicit a mobbing response from some birds, and we had strained looks at it right overhead. Farther down the trail we finally figured out a White-bellied Tody-Tyrant, and then only a short way down the trail noticed a bit of activity at a huge tree dropping red fruits to the ground, causing us to pause. It turned out to be Pseudolmedia laevis in the mulberry/fig family, and as we were about to pass it, we detected the sounds of Pale-winged Trumpeters approaching. In the next ten minutes we enjoyed a close encounter with a group of at least seven birds as they crossed the trail back and forth and then worked down the trail to the next wooden boardwalk. It was a magical time with a truly amazing bird. In the afternoon we entered the bamboo zone and retraced the steps we meant to take the previous day. A Bamboo Antshrike eventually showed, and the same huge tree hosted the Curl-crested Aracaris, which we got a much better view of this time. Almost back to the lodge we encountered a singing Rufous-fronted Antthrush in a location that had not had a territory in previous years. We tried playback, but it did not want to come anywhere near the trail. One highlight of the afternoon was the White-lined Leaf Frog that Pat, the station science coordinator, showed us that had been sitting on the same leaf for several days.

Our second full day began as would the rest – a greeting of the morning at the overlook by our rooms, where we had our daily fix of macaws (many Red-bellied this morning). After breakfast we hiked to the abandoned airstrip where we hoped for some more bamboo specialties. An exciting find here was a rare Brown-banded Puffbird which flew in silently as we were scanning the canopy for a singing Western Striolated-Puffbird that had been singing; this was a first for Rich in Peru. The bamboo prize bird was the Long-crested Pygmy-Tyrant on the same territory as two years earlier, and we had great views of a White-lined Antbird in the same spot. Johannes’s Tody-Tyrant was another one we saw only in this area. On the way back we flushed the same Great Jacamar as on the first afternoon, making us think they may have a nest nearby. In the afternoon we hiked to the southern end of the Carretera to try for the Rufous-fronted Antthrush territory from previous years, but a new gold dredging operation right across the river was deafening, and we eventually gave up without hearing any song. On the way there we connected with the family of adorable White-throated Jacamars on not far from the lodge, and on the way back we enjoyed the enchanting song of a Musician Wren.

Our third day started the same with checking the open areas at the overlook and around the soccer field, noting the progress with the Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher nest and seeing our first Opal-rumped Tanager. We returned to the bamboo on trail 10 and found another specialty, Dusky-tailed Flatbill. We then entered the taller forest, and noting a big, hollowed out trunk, Rich veered off the trail to investigate. Before he could shine his headlamp into it, a bat scrambled out of the top of the cavity and perched in the open on the trunk, a sac-winged bat in the genus Saccopteryx. All along the trail we admired the many types of traps researchers had set out to document the diversity of dung beetles, including one bated with a dead guinea pig; later in the evening we were to learn from camera trap footage that a Jaguar stole that dead guinea pig about an hour and a half after we had been standing in that very spot. A little further along, a Pavonine Quetzal responded amazingly well to a whistled imitation, and we got great views. There was one understory mixed flock, and in it was our only Rio Madeira Stipplethroat of the tour. We saw our second Needle-billed Hermit along this trail as well; they usually just zip by, but this one lingered, giving us excellent views. As we completed the loop, the trail brought us through the middle of a Reddish Hermit lek, and we got a good reaction from one bird while an Ornate Hawk-Eagle sang in flight somewhere over the canopy, well out of sight. When we got back to the lodge clearing, four King Vultures could be seen soaring at once. A late afternoon attempt for night birds at the airstrip wasn’t terribly successful, though we did see a Common Pauraque and at the cliffs on the way back a Ladder-tailed Nightjar.

The hike on our fourth full day was full of adventure. We wandered down trail 10 through the bamboo once again, but this time the surprise was a pair of super close Rufous-capped Nunlets, sitting well below eye level in the cane right next to trail. Flammulated Pygmy-Tyrant continued to ignore our attempts to see it (and that trend would continue through the rest of the tour), but the bamboo also gave us Goeldi’s Antbird and Brown-rumped Foliage-gleaner. A tanager flock contained another Opal-crowned Tanager and several Paradise Tanagers, and Letter Araçari was surprising only in that it was a write-in bird; for some reason it is very uncommon here. We descended to the floodplain forest down a very steep trail that we had no intention on rescaling, even when we found that the old footbridge had been removed (not replaced), and we were forced to cross a muddy swamp on fallen tree logs. Michael chose the more adventurous elevated log and ended up with a rejuvenating mud bath treatment (fortunately a relatively soft landing). A blooming cannonball tree (Couroupita guianensis) stopped us in our tracks for a while, and just beyond it, a Ruddy Quail-Dove flushed from a nest containing two eggs in a tangle just above eye level. As we headed back towards the lodge, we took a look at the fruiting tree where the trumpeters had been and instead found some action in the canopy, which included a pair of noisy Casqued Caciques, and we eventually discovered a gorgeous Plum-throated Cotinga perched quietly just under the foliage; it sat there for scope views for quite some time as it either digested or took a nap. We detoured past the Band-tailed Manakin lek too, getting much better views than the first time, before returning for lunch and siesta. In the afternoon we descended the steps to the boat landing area only to discover that a Rufous-fronted Antthrush was singing in the thickets at the bottom of the steps. It took a lot of patience but sitting down in the dense undergrowth to avoid scaring the bird seemed like the best plan. It was not showing well from that vantage point after all, but once we risked standing up and scaring the bird, we were able to peer down through the branches and had great views of this very local species. We had seen a few Amazonian Parrotlets briefely up until now, but this time we had great views of several birds feeding in what turned out to be fruiting Guazuma crinita trees (family Malvaceae).

On our last full day we visited only trails we had been on before, but we still stumbled into new things. We had been hearing the Undulated Tinamous every day, but finally we caught them wandering around on the lodge grounds where we could observe them at length. The new, makeshift overlook had a pair of Plain Softtails, and then farther down the trail in the river floodplain forest we came across our first swarm of army ants. It was only a small swarm, hosting a pair of White-throated Antibirds and a single Black-spotted Bare-eye. Farther down another trail was an even smaller swarm, but this one hosted one of the rare and beautiful ant swarm-attending skippers, Tarsoctenus praecia, as well as a scarce Black-banded Woodcreeper. A mixed canopy flock gave us fleeting views of a Chestnut-shouldered Antwren, but maybe the number of amazing beetles, fulgorids, caterpillars, damselflies, and frogs were more fascinating than the birds on this particular walk. In the afternoon the lodge narrowly avoided being hammered by a nearby downpour, and we did a loop after it dissipated and left only a heavy overcast. But before we had left the lodge clearing, we noticed a pair of Dusky-headed Parakeets poking their heads out of a cavity right near our rooms, something we hadn’t noticed on the previous days. Moments later we were surprised by a Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl that may also have been in a nest when it made a ruckus scrambling up from deep within a hollowed-out palm trunk and poked its face out of the top. If that weren’t enough nesting evidence for the day, on our walk we found a Gilded Barbet doing exactly the same, poking her head out of a probable nest cavity.

After a couple of fruitful hours of birding around the lodge clearing on our last morning, we embarked for the 7 ½-hour ride upstream to Tambo Blanquillo lodge. The previous day’s storm from a passing front made for a delightful ride under overcast skies, and there were plenty of birds to look at along the way. Swallow numbers were particularly high and included migrants heading south to breed, like Southern Martin and Blue-and-white Swallow, and those arriving from the north for their winter, such as Barn, Bank, and Cliff. We saw an Amazonian Umbrellabird fly over the river, real Muscovy Ducks, and all the expected herons and egrets, terns and skimmers.

The last days of birding at Tambo Blanquillo were a nice change of pace. Our first afternoon we added Burrowing Owl where we got off the boat, then found Chestnut-capped Puffbird and watched a Blue-throated Piping-Guan behind the dining room. Down one trail we flushed a Common Pauraque off her eggs right next to the path. We spent most of the next morning at the famous clay lick, but an extra-early start added Common Potoo to the list, as it was still foraging as we waited for a ride to the boat. It was a thrill to see a flock of about a hundred Red-and-green Macaws take off in a deafening flight at the end of our time at the blind – they never did come down to feed on the dirt, but many other species did, including a collection of Blue-headed, Orange-cheeked, and Mealy parrots. In the afternoon we had a delightful paddle around one of the oxbow lakes, where Pale-eyed Blackbird, dozens of Hoatzins, Greater Anis, Sungrebe, and many other species presented themselves. A favorite bird of the tour and a lucky find was a lone Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, perched typically in the deep shade of the overhanging vegetation. We then had a final early morning on the Camungo canopy platform, where highlights were a Dark-billed Cuckoo, a Bare-necked Fruitcrow on a nest in our very tree, an Amazonian Pygmy-Owl, a Chestnut-shouldered Antwren, two Black-banded Woodcreepers, Masked Crimson and Paradise Tanagers, and yet more Amazonian Parrotlets – a lot packed into just two hours.

Birding wasn’t quite over as we returned to Puerto Maldonado by boat, then taxi, then boat, then van. Horned Screamers gave us their best views along the Madre de Dios River and glancing out the window of the van at just the right time brought brief views of Red-breasted Meadowlark as we approached the city.

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Testimonials (Click to see more)

Rich is not only an excellent leader who does his best to get everyone on the birds and make sure that everyone’s personal needs are met, but he is without question the most knowledgable leader I have ever done a tour with. His knowledge of not only birds, but mammals, insects, flowers, reptiles, and just about every aspect of nature on the tour was awesome.

- Alan B. on Peru: Rainforest Lodges of the Madre de Dios
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Maximum group size eight with one WINGS leader

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