Panama bird watching is home to over 954 different species of birds, over 100 of which are from South American origins and are not found in other areas of Central America. You will find a beautiful variety of birds on Isla Bastimentos. Some common species found in Panama include the Brown-Backed Dove, Azuero Parakeet, Veraguan Mango, Glow-throated Hummingbird, Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker, Beautiful Treerunner, and the Green-naped Tanager.
The National Audubon Society set the world record in Panama for seeing the most birds in 24 hours, seeing 385 different species of birds.
Bird Watching in Panama
Come and do some Panama birding in Bocas del Toro on Isla Bastimentos and search high and low for Panama birds. Panama bird watching in Bocas del Toro is a great activity because there is such a huge variety of birds in the Bocas del Toro archipelago. On our first Bocas del Toro Panama bird watching trip we came upon the infamous Orapendulum bird. This Panama bird looks like a myna bird with super long tail feathers. It has two yellow striped and for a Panama birdwatcher the best part was hearing its metallic “chime” which it used in communication to other birds in Panama.
The orapendulum is one of the most sociable of the local Bocas del Toro birds. They live in colonies of suspended nests that are woven high above the Panamanian rainforest canopy. A Panama birdwatcher can usually see them in groups of two to three birds. A mating pair and offspring can often be found cavorting in the canopy. Anybody who comes to Bocas del Toro will be able to see these birds- guaranteed. Bocas del Toro is slowly becoming the best location to watch Panama birds.
The next highlight for a Bocas del Toro birdwatcher looking for Panama birds is the green parrot. The green parrot is smallish in stature but makes up for it in its gregarious disposition. The Bocas del Toro birdwatcher who comes across this parrot will note its emerald green color. They zoom across the canopy singly or in pairs. Rarely do they move in formations greater than 3 specimens. The Panama birdwatcher will note a red crown on top of the birds head. This is a signifying feature amongst other birds in Panama. If an orapendulum makes a bizarre metallic sound, the green parrot makes an absolutely terrifying series of loud shrieks. You will not mistake the sound of a green parrot.
A Bocas del toro birdwatcher should never be tempted to molest a baby bird or purchase it from the local indigenous communities. Some people sell these fledgling birds for as little as $10.00 and they have generally been taken from nesting parents. These Panama birds are frequently seen in Bocas del Toro as local pets. There charismatic personalities make them attractive pets- but they are best seen in the wild and belong among other birds in Panama. It is my hope that the Panama birdwatcher keeps memories in the form of photographs taken in this incredible bird watching location in Bocas del Toro.
Other Panama birds that are frequently spotted by Bocas del Toro birdwatchers are hummingbirds (a great variety), oceanic or pelagic pelicans and egrets of many varieties. It is a marine environment so great flocks of seabirds can be seen from time to time in this part of Panama. Another Panama bird that is frequently spotted by a Bocas del Toro birdwatcher is the frigate bird. This bird is noteworthy for its tendency to dive bomb other birds and to take their catch or even maim and eat the subject bird. It is an opportunistic predator but usually one can see them wheeling about the tropical skies above the Caribbean. They are a majestic site. Good luck on your Panama birding adventure in Bocas del Toro!
