Where to Go for An Amazon Bird Watching Tour

Home to over a thousand species of birds representing some sixty different families, Peru’s Amazon basin spans the area east of the Andes and includes the regions of Loreto, Ucayali, and Madre de Dios.  This area truly is a mighty jungle and home to the hidden treasure of the Incas.

The capital of Loreto is the wonderful city of Iquitos and is a heaven for avian life that attracts birdwatchers from all over the globe.  Some of the unique species that call this area home include the secretive Nocturnal Curassow and Wattled Curassow.  They are joined by the fabulous Black-necked Red-Cotinga, Pompadour Cotinga, Wire-tailed Manakin, Reddish-winged Bare-eye, and a variety of manakins and jacamars.

This is a productive area to visit year-round and can be explored via river cruise or from various eco-lodges.  Whether you choose a lodge or a cruise will depend on the time of year.  The best times for the eco-lodges are typically between April and July or October-December.

Puerto Maldonado is the capital of the Madre de Dios department and is another stronghold of mega-diversity.  This area is fantastic not only for birders but is also a paradise for the general nature enthusiast.  It boasts a variety of lodges ranging from fairly rustic to luxurious lodges with options to meet the needs of all travelers.  Comfort won’t be a problem here.  One of the must-see attractions of the area is the various Macaw clay-licks. These clay-licks attract large groups of macaws, parrots, parakeets and parrotlets who gather to eat clay from the river bank.  It’s not fully understood why the birds engage in this behavior but research is actively being done in the area and there are excellent opportunities to learn and just enjoy this true spectacle of nature here.  It’s also not unusual for the majestic Harpy Eagle to nest in this area making it a fantastic location to observe this iconic bird.  Another spectacle that is likely to be encountered is the mixed flock.  Mixed flocks are groups of various species of birds that forage together and offer opportunities of extreme excitement as manakins, antbirds, antwrens, woodcreepers, tanagers and many other birds move through the jungle all around you.  Some flocks consist of as many as forty species of birds!  Birds of Peru Tours has many years of experience planning and running trips in this area and would love to host your trip.