Panama: Under the River of Raptors Oct. 28 – Nov 4, 2021
Join Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory on a thrilling expedition to Panama to witness hundreds of thousands of raptors during their fall migration to South America. Not only will you contribute to the Panama Audubon Society’s annual hawk count, you’ll also be able to spot Panama’s abundant endemic and migratory species from a diversity of settings, including rainforest, cloud forest, tropical dry forest, and mangrove habitats. Spend time in Panama City, El Valle de Antón, and Gamboa and expand your life list as you learn about Panama’s tropical ecology, biological diversity, and the current conservation efforts that have been put in place to protect this incredible country.
There’s also a post-optional trip extension November 4-7th to the more remote Darien Province of Eastern Panama, which includes an incredible array of forest birds – including the rare Harpy and Crested Eagles. You can find more info below on both trips.
Highlights
- Witness the spectacular raptor migration under the leadership of both Margie Menzies, Education Program Director for Hawk Ridge, and a local birding guide native to Panama and well-versed in the natural history and geography.
- Assist Panama Audubon Society with their annual hawk count at Ancón Hill. This site counted a record-breaking 2 million raptors in one day in 2014!
- Bird the cloud forests of Altos de Campana, Panama’s oldest national park, home to tanagers, manakins, antvireos, and hawks.
- Observe migratory shorebirds at the mangroves of Punta Chame and the coastal town of Juan Hombron.
Hike the world-famous Pipeline Road and ascend the 100-foot observation tower at the Rainforest Discovery Center for rare views of the forest’s canopy level. - Visit the world-famous Miraflores Locks and museum of the Panama Canal.
Click on the links below for further information:
Travel Info (UPDATE on COVID-19 Travel Info)
Join this Trip! Enroll HERE Today! *Please note space is limited and deadline to register in full is July 25, 2021. For more information or questions, please contact Debbie Jordan at debbie@holbrooktravel.com or 866-748-6146.
Post-Trip Extension to Darien Nov 4-7: An optional 3-day extension of the trip will provide an opportunity to venture into the more remote Darien Province of Eastern Panama where 
wilderness remains and provides haven for an incredible array of forest birds including rare Harpy and Crested Eagles. Travel downriver in a dugout canoe in search of herons, egrets, kingfishers and oropendolas along the shores of the river. Visit the interior of these dense forests in search of antbirds, macaws, toucans, tanagers and more.
Meet your leader
Margie Menzies
Margie joined the Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory staff as a Naturalist in 2011 and currently is the Education Program Director for Hawk Ridge. She loves birds, learning, and sharing the natural world with people of all ages. She also is the Naturalist at Sugarloaf Cove Nature Center in Schroeder, MN and works with passerine banding at Hawk Ridge during migration and with three MAPS stations studying summer breeding birds at Hawk Ridge, Wolf Ridge ELC, and Sugarloaf Cove.