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HISPANIOLA (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC) & PUERTO RICO
Our Hispaniola (Dominican Republic) & Puerto Rico birding tour is a classic combination of two of the richest islands in the Caribbean for birdwatching. Our Hispaniola & Purto Rico tour explores the Dominican Republic part of Hispaniola and targets all but one of the many endemics, including the strange Palmchat, the sole member of its family and so a magnet for family collectors.
Sunday 31st March -
Friday 12th April 2013
(13 days)
Leader:
to be confirmed
Group Size Limit: 9
Tour Category: Easy for the most part, occasionally Moderate
One of the highlights of this tour is getting to grips with four species of Tody. This is a fabulous Broad-billed Tody (Ron Knight)
Columbus discovered the large islands of Hispaniola ands Puerto Rico soon after his famous transatlantic crossing and soon after, in the early 1500s, the Spanish, eager for slaves to work in the goldmines of Hispaniola, conquered the native Indians and colonized the whole region. Santo Domingo, the present-day capital of the Dominican Republic (which occupies roughly two-thirds of Hispaniola), became the centre of Spanish influence and was sacked by Francis Drake in 1586. Buccaneers and pirates used the islands as bases for their pillaging forays. Later millions of slaves were imported from Africa and the resulting blend of different cultures has profoundly influenced the whole history of the West Indies.
Much of these two islands are rugged and mountainous, but they encompass a wide variety of habitats, and are fringed by some glorious white sand beaches dotted with coconut palms and the turquoise-blue waters of the Caribbean. Millions of years ago, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico were mountain ranges connected to both Jamaica and ultimately to what is present-day Central America, but nowadays their endemic-rich animal and plant-life reflect their long isolation both from the North American continental mainland and from the other islands that form the Greater Antilles.
Ornithologically, these islands are perhaps most notable for the occurrence of two restricted-range families, the gem-like Todies, comprising five very similar species restricted to the Greater Antilles, and the enigmatic Palmchat, which is endemic to Hispaniola. With the richest concentration of endemic bird species in the Caribbean, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico offer an attractive combination for anyone with an interest in the avifauna of this beautiful part of the world. Hispaniola boasts 32 endemics (although one, Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager, is virtually confined to Haiti and not possible on bird tours to the Dominican Republic part of the island) and Puerto Rico a further 18 (if one includes one species shared with the Virgin Islands), and there are also a host of more widespread endemic Caribbean specialities. Families that are especially well represented amongst the Caribbean endemics include pigeons, parrots, cuckoos, nightjars, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, tyrant flycatchers, vireos and wood warblers. With persistence we should see the great majority of these specialities. Apart from the endemic birds, the pleasant tropical climate encourages many North American passerines to winter on these islands and even more to make a stopover while on spring migration.
We start our journey in the Dominican Republic, which comprises the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola. Here we will spend most of our time in the forested valleys of the Sierra de Bahoruco and on the shores of Lago Enriquillo, the largest lake in the Caribbean. At lower altitudes we will be looking for the famous Palmchat as well as many other endemics including Ashy-faced Owl, Hispaniolan Nightjar, Least Poorwill, the splendid Broad-billed Tody, Hispaniolan Parrot, the strange Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo, the rare Bay-breasted Cuckoo, Antillean Piculet, Hispaniolan Woodpecker, Hispaniolan Pewee, White-necked Crow, Flat-billed Vireo, Black-crowned Palm-Tanager, Hispaniolan Stripe-headed Tanager (or Hispaniolan Spindalis), and Hispaniolan Oriole.
At higher altitudes we will be looking for Hispaniolan (or White-fronted) Quail-Dove, Hispaniolan Parakeet, Hispaniolan Emerald, Narrow-billed Tody, Hispaniolan Trogon, Golden Swallow, Hispaniolan Palm Crow, the rare La Selle Thrush, the attractive Hispaniolan Highland-Tanager and the skulking Green-tailed Ground-Tanager (the latter two species were previously thought to be parulid warblers!), the skulking Western and Eastern Chat-Tanagers, Antillean Siskin and Hispaniolan Crossbill.
We will also explore the remote wilderness that is Los Haitises National Park, an area that is the last stronghold of the increasingly rare endemic Ridgway’s Hawk.
From Hispaniola we will fly eastwards to the much smaller island of Puerto Rico, where we will visit the tropical rainforest of the Luquillo Mountains. Later we will work the trails of the humid reserve of Maricao, before travelling to the dry forests of Guanica. Here we will seeking out such endemics as the weird Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo, Puerto Rican Screech-Owl (which also occurs on the Virgin Islands), the rare Puerto Rican Nightjar, Puerto Rican Emerald, Green Mango, the lovely Puerto Rican Tody, Puerto Rican Woodpecker, Puerto Rican Pewee, Puerto Rican Flycatcher, Puerto Rican Vireo, the rare Elfin Woods Warbler, the lovely Adelaide’s Warbler, Puerto Rican Tanager, Puerto Rican Stripe-headed Tanager (or Puerto Rican Spindalis), Puerto Rican Bullfinch, Puerto Rican Oriole, the declining Yellow-shouldered Blackbird and, with luck, the critically-endangered Puerto Rican Parrot.
By the end of our journey through these two fascinating islands we should have seen the vast majority of their endemic birds, as well as many other Caribbean specialities, while enjoying some beautiful scenery and the special atmosphere of the Caribbean.
Birdquest has operated tours to Hispaniola and Puerto Rico since 1998.
(Note: The above is a summary of the tour. For more information please download the detailed, day-by-day itinerary. The button is at the top right of the page.)
Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels are of normal standard almost throughout. Barancoli Camp in the Sierra de Bahoruco, where we spend two nights, is pleasantly situated but fairly basic and bathrooom facilities are shared. Transport is by small coach and minibus/passenger van, and roads are mostly good, except in the sierras in the Dominican Republic.
Walking etc: The walking effort is easy throughout. There are some very long days in the field in the Dominican Republic, where some of the nightbird specialities are hard to find.
Climate: Mostly warm or hot, dry and sunny, but it is sometimes cool and overcast. It may rain at times.
Bird Photography: Opportunities are worthwhile.
Part-Tour Option: Subject to space being available, you can opt to take the Hispaniola section only or the Puerto Rico section only. Please contact us for further information.
Linkable Birdquest: Jamaica
Tour Price: (provisional): $4420 Santo Domingo/San Juan. Price includes all transportation (including Santo Domingo-San Juan flight), all accommodations, all meals, bottled water, some drinks, all excursions, all entrance fees, all tips for local drivers/guides and for accommodations/restaurants, leader services.
Single Room Supplement: (provisional): $583.
Deposit: 10% of the tour price (excluding any single supplement).
Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency can arrange your air travel in connection with the tour from a departure point anywhere in the world, or you may arrange your own air travel if you prefer. We can tailor-make your itinerary to your personal requirements, so if you would like to travel in advance of the tour (and spend a night in an hotel so you will feel fresh when the tour starts), or return later than the end of the tour, or make a side trip to some other destination, or travel business class rather than economy, we will be happy to assist. Please contact us about your air travel requirements.
Our main target on the island of Hispaniola is the Palmchat, which is the only member of its family, the Dulidae (Ron Knight)
Other Hispaniolan endemics include the cracking Hispaniolan Trogon (Ron Knight)
... and the excellent Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo (Ron Knight)
The uncommon West Indian Whistling Duck is always a great sight (Ron Knight)
The mean-looking Pearly-eyed Thrasher is endemic to Puerto Rico and some of the islands in the Lesser Antilles (Ron Knight)
The attractive Adelaide's Warbler is another fine endemic found on Puerto Rico (Ron Knight)
The Antillean Piculet is placed in its own genus and is endemic to Hispaniola (Ron Knight)
The glorious Hispaniolan Woodpecker is one of the most common Hispaniolan endemics (Ron Knight)
The White-necked Crow has a lovely call and is endemic to Hispaniola (Ron Knight)
Other Caribbean endemics include the smart Greater Antillean Bullfinch (Ron Knight)
and the handsome Caribbean Martin (Ron Knight)
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