WHERE TO GO BIRDING IN PERU

Pucallpa is jungle port that can  be reached overland from Lima (after a good birding trip to Carpish and Tingo Maria) as the road is mostly paved from Tingo Maria. This road should be travelled during daytime, since armed hold-ups have been heard of during night-time. Pucallpa can also be reached from Lima by regular flights.

Close to Pucallpa is the beautful Yarinacocha lake. This is a good area to see river dolphin and Black-tailed Antbird, as well as Hoatzin and other common lakeside birds.

Cerros de Sira
Pucallpa is also the gateway to Sira mountains. It is 5 hours journey to Puerto Inca. Sira is home of the endemic Sira Tanager as well as the Peruvian subspecies of Horned Curassow (which some authors suspect may be a good a species), which was recently re-discovered in 2005.
The whole area is extremely rich in birds including many localized lowland and foothill birds such as Blue-headed Macaw, Curl-crested Aracari, Sulphury Flycatcher, Black-capped and White-bellied Parrots, Wing-banded Wren, Crested and Band-bellied Owls, Solitary Eagle, Koepcke's Hermit, Black-streaked Puffbird, Creamy-bellied Antwren, Peruvian Tyrannulet, Cerulean-capped and Jet Manakins, Fiery-throated and Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater, Olivaceous Piha and Rufous-brown Solitaire.
Most of the area around Puerto Inca has yet no protection. Eco-tourism could be a very important way to create viable alternatives to deforestation and expansion of agriculture and livestock. If you venture for the Sira Tanager which is found above 1200m, you need to coordinate with INRENA - the Peruvian Natural Resources Agency or organize your trip with a local operator who does this for you.