Birding Resources in the Highlands of Veraguas

Highlighting Area Birds

Santa Fe National Park encompasses over 70,000ha of protected areas.  The birds are as diverse as their ecosystems.  Around 20% of the birds of Santa Fe National Park are endemic to the highlands and restricted to mountainous habitats.  As such, they are very vulnerable to anthropogenic changes and global warming.  The other 80% are those found in lowlands and mid elevations.  Migratory birds also use the forests of the National Park and surroundings for refuge.  Santa Fe National Park is also home to vulnerable, threatened, and endangered bird species such as the Crax rubra, Chamaepetes unicolor, Cephalopterus glabricollis.

Author: Panama Wildlife Conservation, in conjunction with Smithsonian and SNI

Local Resources:

Abbreviated Field Guide by Panama Wildlife Conservation, SNI and Smithsonian

Apps:

Excellent resources for those visiting Panama include the free apps (iphone or android) Merlin (be sure to download the Bird Pack for Panama) and ebirds.  Basically, birders record observations in ebirds, and those records inform Merlin.  If you are a casual birder, or unfamiliar with local species, using Merlin can really help to identify the most common species in the area, including photo, calls and songs.  One caveat, since Merlin is informed by ebirds, and the use of ebirds is rather new, not all species will show up.

Santa Fe Bird Lists:

The Panamanian Audubon Society and Santa Fe based Coffee Mountain Inn and Tours also pulled together a bird species list based on historic records and sightings.

Where do Birders go in Santa Fe?

Many birders who want to do it themselves, walk along the Toucan Trail in Alto de Piedra, walk along the dirt road Santa Fe-Narices, and drive along the road from Santa Fe-Guabal, that goes through the national park, stopping at different locations.

Do you want someone to go out with you?

                The first question is if you want an experience solely focused on birds.  

If you are a serious birder, these local birders are also guides: Edgar Toribio (Santa fe wild life Expeditions) 6121-4286. Advanced Reservations Recommended.

Or, I have ebirds/Merlin on my phone and I just need someone to show me trails

Check out our list of activities and guides. Providers know trails, and can spot birds, but are not birders

Or, would you like to go to a rural farm and the owner a local who grew up spotting birds on his or her land:

Check out: El Salto Farm