WHERE TO GO BIRDING IN PERU

This classical birding site is arguably one of the prime sites in the world! The actual road (for birding) starts at Acjacio about 4 hrs from Cusco and about 1 hr past Paucartambo. At the pass one can start birding the roadside scrub for birds like Puna Thistletail, Puna and Diademed Tapaculos. As you descend on the east side it gets more humid and more species are added. Golden-collared Tanager and Black-throated Tody-tyrant are among some. A few kilometres lower down you come to two tunnels at about 3000 m. Around here you are likely to catch up with more diverse flocks including Marcapata Spinetail, Grass-green Tanager and Gray-breasted Mountain-toucan. Around here you should start hearing your first Red-and-white Antpittas. Birding is good anywhere along the road so just stop and walk or drive and listen for flocks.

At 2550 m in a sharp left-hand curve is Pillahuata and the Antpitta is rather common around here. Yungas Pygmy-owl, Rufous-bellied Bush-tyrant and Peruvian Chat-tyrant are just some birds to look out for here. Greater Scythebill has been seen here too. At a viewpoint above Pillahuata is a known site for Swallow-tailed Nightjar. As you descend more species starts to occur and good hummers like Buff-thighed Puffleg and Gould´s Inca can be seen. White-eared Solitaire, White-collared Jay and Pale-footed Swallow are other options. Lower down in a sharp left-hand curve is a viewpoint with a grand view of the lower part of the road. This is a good place to scan for raptors like Black-and-chestnut Eagle and Solitary Eagle. In the bamboo here Slaty finch can be seen. Soon you come to Manu Cloudforest lodge by the river. Highland Motmot can be seen here as well as Lyre-tailed Nightjar and Slaty Tanager.

Next is the famous Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge at 1400 m, a popular place to stay. The lodge have a good trail down to the river and also feeders. The trail is good as it gives access to the forest interior and birds like Slaty Gnateater, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Rufous-backed Antshrike, Hazel-fronted Pygmy-tyrant and Versicoloured Barbet are just some of the options here. The feeders often attracts Many-spotted Hummingbird, Wire-crested Thorntail and White-bellied Woodstar. Birding from the lodge porch can also be productive with Amazonian Umbrellabird a possibility. Caerulean-capped Manakin is around here and Fiery-capped Manakin have been found. Just five minutes up the road is a lek for Cock-of-the-Rock and Yungas manakins are often seen here too. Another ten minutes up the road is a site for Lyre-tailed Nightjar. Birding along the road up and down from the lodge is great with very diverse flocks. Birds to look for in particular includes Yellow-rumped and Yellow-breasted Antwrens, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Black-streaked Puffbird and Golden-eared Tanager just to mention a few. A few kilometres below the lodge is another viewpoint and around here are lots of bamboo and a new species of Tanager has been found here.

At 1000 m is the Quita Calzones bridge and a partly new set of birds. Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulet, Peruvian Piedtail and Rufous-webbed Brilliant have been seen around here. Golden-bellied Warbler and Black Antbird occurs along the road here too. Lower down posibilities includes Manu antbird, Bamboo Antshrike, Black-backed Tody-flycatcher and Yellow Tyrannulet. Once down on the plain villages starts to appear and the habitat is more degraded but birding is still good. The rice-fileds can be checked for migrant waders and seedeaters.

Eventually you end up in Pilcopata which has hotels and restaurants. This is usually the last stop before going down the river to lodges in the lowlands. Another half hour from here is Atalaya which is the port village. Birding between the villages is also good and birds like Scarlet-hooded Barbet, Rufous-breasted and Fine-barred Piculets can be seen as well as a range of lowland Tanagers and other birds. Above Atalaya is an obvious viewpoint from where one can scan for flyby parrots. Military Macaw is regulary seen here and sometimes also Blue-headed Macaws.