Tag: panama
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Black Hawk-Eagles in Panama
Amongst the several species of raptors that one can see in Central and South America, the Black Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus) is probably one of the most common to see. They can be found in different types of habitats ranging from secondary and primary lowland forests, disturbed forest, open areas, woodlands and forest edges practically all…
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Darien, Panama: A Land of Exceptional Diversity
I visited Darien, Panama, for the first time, more or less, 10 years ago. At the time, I was working on a conservation project for The Peregrine Fund. My goal for the trip was to help capture and radio tag a juvenile Harpy Eagle. Darien impressed me from the first moment. On the day of…
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Bird Migration in Panama
The Isthmus of Panama is a land bridge that connects North America to South America. Historically, it was the key location of the Great Faunal Interchange, where large land mammals crossed freely between the two continents. Today, it still remains one of the greatest places on Earth to experience the spectacle of migration year after…
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A Neotropical Birding Mecca: Pipeline Road Panama
For any birder who has a keen interest in Neotropical birds, Pipeline Road is a must! It is located just 30 minutes from the “hub of the Americas,” Panama City. Pipeline Road traverses through a large stretch of lowland rainforest in Soberania National Park. For decades and to this day, Pipeline Road is one the…
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Panama Birds & Butterflies: A New Nature Tour
It goes without saying that birds are what brought us together here at Whitehawk. From our individual backgrounds as bird enthusiasts, educators and field biologists, we all met because of birds. We worked together on various bird conservation projects in Central America long before Whitehawk was formed. Though we were all originally drawn to birds…
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Top 10 Birds of Panama
Panama, as you probably know from us by now, is a birding paradise. We couldn’t have chosen a better place to make our home, and this small Central American country thrives with its incredible natural assets. Over 1000 species of birds have been recorded here, owing to Panama’s varied habitats, elevational reaches, tropical climate and…
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Central American Hummingbirds – the gems of the region
Hummingbirds are one of the most diverse groups of birds in the New World. There are more than 345 species from Alaska (Rufous Hummingbird) to Tierra del Fuego (Green-backed Firecrown), including the Caribbean islands. It’s no surprise that the greatest number of hummingbirds are in the tropical region, including a large number in Central America. Here,…
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Ornitherapy in Panama: Birds, Beaches and Yoga
Whitehawk’s first ornitherapy tour is set in the tranquil forests and white sand beaches of Belize. Now we are excited to introduce our second tour in this style, in our home-base country of Panama. Imagine waking up to a spectacular view of Pacific dry forest from the front porch of your private cabin. Imagine being…
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Ocellated birds: what they are and why they have that name
While guiding in the humid forest of Colombia, I spotted an Ocellated Tapaculo, a beautiful but elusive bird. Upon hearing this species’ name, one of the birders asked “Where do these names come from? What does that name mean?” At the time, I had no answer to give him. But I wanted to be able to answer…