Birding Bolivia

There are plenty of reasons to visit this tropical paradise: The snow-covered peaks of the Andes, Yungas cloudforest lining the slopes, deep canyons and remote villages seeming frozen in time. Bolivia’s biodiversity has only recently started to become unveiled, Nature is wild and abundant, and the general infrastructure is more than appropriate for birders of all kind.

Our tour starts in the thriving city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, where we’ll commence birding the tropical grounds of the botanical gardens and Lomas de Arena Park. Pampas grasslands, marshes, Chiquitano woods and dry forest hold numerous species such as Red-legged Seriema, Whistling Heron, Spectacled Tyrant, Striped Cuckoo, Mato Grosso Antbird and Troupial. We then leave for the mountains of Amboró National Park where we will look for Golden-collared and Military Macaws, Bolivian Tapaculo, Yungas Manakin and many others. The trip continues exploring the inter Andean Valleys, home of several endemics such as Cliff Parakeet, Bolivian Earthcreeper, Bolivian Blackbird and the endangered Red-fronted Macaw. Continuing west towards Cochabamba we'll explore “Polylepis” woodlands and high Andean habitats, where Bolivian Warbling-Finch, Giant Conebill, Rufous-bellied Saltator, Tawny Tit-Spinetail and Maquis Canastero can be found. More Yungas cloudforest on the way to the “Chapare” take us looking for Hooded Mountain-Toucan, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock and Chestnut-crested Cotinga, to finally descend into the lowland rainforest habitats as we head back to Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

An extension trip to La Paz will put us on the Altiplano, which in Bolivia reaches up to 4000 m in elevation. Birding Lake Titikaka and the valleys near Sorata, we are confronted with a totally new set wildlife species: The very special and flightless Short-winged Grebe, Giant Coot, Puna Ibis, Black Siskin and two endemics: Berlepsch’s Canastero and Black-hooded Sunbeam. Join us on this spectacular tour to one of the last birding frontiers!