Birds of the Canopy Tower

After a transfer from Tocumen International Airport, settle into the Canopy Tower, a converted radar station turned birding lodge above the rainforest canopy in Soberania National Park. Head to the observation deck at canopy level, where toucans, parrots, raptors and mixed flocks can be seen at eye level. The evening closes with dinner included in the package, making this a gentle introduction to Panama’s birding and rainforest scenery.

Start with early-morning birding from the Canopy Tower Observation Deck, watching honeycreepers, Blue Cotinga, parrots and toucans over coffee as the forest canopy wakes. After breakfast, walk the shady Semaphore Hill Road, a winding mile past wildflowers and a creek, looking for puffbirds, antshrikes and migrating warblers. In the afternoon, visit the Ammo Dump Ponds near Gamboa, prime habitat for White-throated Crake, with tiger-herons, jacanas and pygmy-kingfishers. Return to the Canopy Tower, a converted radar station above Soberania National Park.

Bird the famous Pipeline Road entrance in the Canal Zone, where tanagers, flycatchers, motmots and trogons gather along the road edge and migrants pass through in season. In the afternoon, explore Summit Gardens, a recreation, education and conservation centre whose botanical gardens attract migratory warblers and forest-edge species, with a chance for Streak-headed Woodcreeper. The Harpy Eagle exhibit features a life-size nest and panels on the bird’s place in Panamanian history. Return to the Canopy Tower, a converted radar station above the rainforest canopy in Soberania National Park.

Today begins with breakfast before morning birding on Plantation Trail, an easy rainforest route along the Río Chico Masambi known for antbirds, motmots, trogons, woodcreepers and manakins. After lunch, visit the Gamboa feeders at Canopy Bed & Breakfast, where tanagers, honeycreepers and Central American Agoutis appear close to the Cerro Pelado backdrop. Later, bird the banks and forest edges of the Chagres River, watching kingfishers, herons, terns, pelicans, cormorants, flycatchers, wrens and antshrikes. Dinner follows, with Canopy Tower in Soberania National Park as the day’s lodge, its deck offering canopy-level views.

Spend a full day birding the World Famous Pipeline Road, searching for sought-after specialties such as Great Jacamar, Pheasant Cuckoo, Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo and Harpy Eagle. Look for eight wren species, five trogons, four puffbirds and three motmots, with occasional army-ant swarms, plus river crossings for Sunbittern and Green-and-rufous Kingfisher. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included. Return to Canopy Tower, a converted radar station and birding lodge in Soberania National Park, where the observation deck offers eye-level views of toucans, parrots and raptors.

Birding around Summit Ponds and the overgrown Old Gamboa Road brings Green, Striated, Capped and Boat-billed Herons, kingfishers, flycatchers, manakins, antbirds and woodpeckers, with Spectacled Owl possible at known roosts. The afternoon follows the upper Chagres River and Gamboa grounds for kingfishers, motmots, woodpeckers and becards, plus Embera trails and villagers fishing from canoes, with chances of Little Tinamou, caciques, bright-tailed orioles and Blue Cotinga. The day is based from the Canopy Tower in Soberania National Park.

A day in Soberania National Park centres on the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center, reached after breakfast. Explore canopy observation towers, hummingbird feeders and forest trails, with White-necked Jacobin, Long-billed Hermit and Violet-bellied Hummingbird among the feeders. Lunch is included. In the afternoon, optionally visit the Miraflores Locks to watch container ships negotiate the canal, browse the Miraflores Locks Museum and look for Magnificent Frigatebirds, or relax and photograph instead. Return to the Canopy Tower, a converted radar station birding lodge, for dinner and eye-level views of toucans, parrots and raptors from the observation deck.

Start with an included breakfast before heading to the Canopy Tower, a former radar tower turned birding lodge. From its observation deck at canopy level, watch toucans, parrots, raptors, and mixed flocks at eye level. After this final birding experience, transfer from the Canopy Tower to Tocumen International Airport for departure.