The Ultimate In Birding Tours

South America (and its islands)

CENTRAL PERU – Wonderful Peruvian endemics amidst extraordinary scenery

Wednesday 2nd October – Sunday 20th October 2024

Leaders: Leo Garrigues and a top local bird guide

19 Days Group Size Limit 7
Friday 2nd October – Tuesday 20th October 2026

Leaders: Birdquest leader to be announced and a top local bird guide

19 Days Group Size Limit 7

CENTRAL PERU BIRDING TOUR: OVERVIEW

Birdquest’s Central Peru birding tours are part of a series of tours that we operate in one of the world’s greatest birding destinations. Our exciting Central Peru birdwatching holiday focuses on the many species found in the central part of the country, home to numerous localized endemics including Junin Grebe, White-cheeked Cotinga and Golden-backed Mountain Tanager. We also see many range-restricted specialities, including Diademed Sandpiper-Plover and such wonderful but widespread birds as Andean Condor.

Forming a huge block of land on the western side of South America, Peru is one of the continent’s most mountainous countries, where isolated valleys and cordilleras have seen avian evolution in full swing. Peru not only boasts an amazing avifauna of about 1800 species but also holds a considerable number of little-known and highly localized endemics, several dozens of which have only been discovered in the last few decades.

Specifically designed by Birdquest as the Peru birding tour that goes in search of many of the country’s endemic species, this fabulous journey takes us through a wide range of habitats across the topographically complex Peruvian Andes.

We start our Central Peru birding tour in Lima, the capital of Peru, from where we will visit the Lomas de Lachay and their characteristic ‘fog vegetation’, inhabited by such desirable endemics as Coastal and Thick-billed Miners, Cactus Canastero and Raimondi’s Yellow Finch.

Next, we will visit the breathtaking Cordillera Blanca, not only the setting for some of the continent’s most spectacular scenery but also home to yet another set of exciting endemics. Climbing the Fortaleza valley to Conococha, we search for the endangered Russet-bellied Spinetail and Great Inca Finch. In the Huascaran National Park, we will search high-elevation Polylepis woodland, shrubby gullies and boulder-strewn slopes for such interesting birds as Ancash Tapaculo, White-cheeked Cotinga, Plain-tailed Warbling-Finch and Rufous-eared Brushfinch, whilst the awesome contours of Huascaran, Peru’s highest mountain, constantly loom in the background.

Afterwards, we shall descend to Huanuco, our base for exploring Bosque Unchog. One of the major highlights of our Central Peru birding tour will undoubtedly be our visits to the remote Bosque Unchog. Only first visited by ornithologists in the 1970s, this land of misty paramos and contorted elfin forests is where we shall seek out some of Peru’s most wanted endemics, including the enormous Golden-backed Mountain Tanager, the smart Bay-vented Cotinga, the awkward Pardusco and the elusive Rufous-browed Hemispingus.

Further south lies Lago Junín, the second largest lake in Peru, and home to the endangered Junín Grebe and endemic Junin Rail.

The next leg of our spectacular Central Peru birding tour takes us to Villa Rica and Ulcumano, where we search for the localised Cloud-forest Screech Owl and Creamy-bellied Antwren along with an exciting mix of sub-tropical species, including Jet Manakin, the rarely seen Peruvian Treehunter and the magnificent Solitary Eagle. An enticing set of multi-hued tanagers and shimmering hummingbirds will also await us here, as well as such secretive cloudforest-floor endemics as Bay and Chestnut Antpittas. A superb supporting cast of other cloudforest birds includes Masked Fruiteater and Chestnut-crested Cotinga.

From here we will continue our journey to Satipo and Apalla in order to explore some seldom-visited mountains and valleys in the central region of Peru. Here our main targets will be several more endemics: Fire-throated Metaltail, Eye-ringed Thistletail and Black-goggled Brushfinch. We shall also be in the area where a number of newly discovered taxa have been found; the better-known Millpo Tapaculo, undescribed ‘Junin’ Tapaculo, ‘Mantaro’ Wren and ‘Mantaro’ Thornbird. This also gives us yet more spectacular cloud forest sites to explore where we may see the Weskei form of Marcapata Spinetail.

A detour into the Huancayo region will allow us to see the handsome Royal Cinclodes at a surprisingly easy site to access.

Next, we explore the high Andean bogs of Marcapomacocha, the haunt of the legendary Diademed Sandpiper-Plover and a handful of exciting endemics including the critically endangered White-bellied Cinclodes. We should also find the localised Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe and iconic Andean Condor.

Our final Andean excursion takes us up the arid Santa Eulalia Valley to look for Bronze-tailed Comet, Canyon Canastero, Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch and many other range-restricted species.

Birdquest has operated Peru birding tours since 1982.

What makes the Birdquest Central Peru tour special?  Firstly the Birdquest tour itinerary is the most comprehensive birding tour to the region and turns up more endemics and other regional specialities than any other tour. Secondly, we have a smaller group size than most other tours to the area, a  real benefit for our guests.

Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels/lodges are comfortable and of a good or medium standard. It is likwely we will stay in rather more rustic community-based accommodation for one night while exploring the Satipo road. Road transport is by small coach and roads are variable in quality (rough in some areas).

Walking: The walking effort during our Central Peru birding tour is mostly easy or moderate, but there are two or three optional fairly strenuous hikes.

Climate: Rather variable. At low and middle elevations many days are warm or hot, dry and sunny, though on other days it can be cool and overcast. A large part of our time will be spent at high altitudes, where conditions range from warm or cool to decidedly cold. It may well rain at times and it will be rather humid in the Carpish Mountains and at Bosque Unchog.

Bird Photography: Opportunities during our Central Peru birding tour are quite good.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

  • The sheer wonder of participating in the ultimate Peruvian endemics experience!
  • Seeing the stunning Golden-backed Mountain Tanager. The best tanager in the world?
  • Travelling through some of the most amazing Andean scenery anywhere, including the fantastic Llanganuco Lakes
  • Visiting Lomas de Lachay, north of Lima, for a suite of desert specialities including Thick-billed Miner and Cactus Canastero
  • Seeking out the localized endemic Russet-bellied Spinetail and Great Inca Finch
  • Searching remote patches of Polylepis woodland for the highly-desired White-cheeked Cotinga as well as Plain-tailed Warbling Finch and Rufous-eared Brushfinch
  • Seeing endemic Bay and Chestnut Antpittas and the tiny Rufous-breasted Antpittas
  • Visiting the remote Bosque Unchog for a suite of endemics including Bay-vented Cotinga, the strange Pardusco and the stunning Rufous-browed Hemispingus
  • Taking a boat out on to Lake Junin to look for the endangered Junin Grebe, and searching the nearby shores for Junin Rail
  • Visiting the little-known Villa Rica, to search for the localized Cloud-forest Screech Owl and endemic Creamy-bellied Antwren
  • Searching for rare endemics along the spectacular Satipo Road, including several forms yet to be described
  • Visiting high altitude bogs at the watershed in the Andes above Lima, where the brilliant little Diademed Sandpiper-plover, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe and the rare White-bellied Cinclodes reside
  • Watching the handsome Royal Cinclodes at an unusually accessible site.
  • Driving down the incredible Santa Eulalia Valley, seeking Bronze-tailed Comet, and the rare Rufous-breasted Warbling Finch

OUTLINE ITINERARY

  • Day 1: Evening tour start at Lima.
  • Day 2: Lomas de Lachay, then drive to Bahia Paraiso and on to Barranca.
  • Day 3: Drive via Conococha to Caraz.
  • Day 4: Exploring the Cordillera Blanca. Overnight at Caraz.
  • Day 5: Yungay area, then drive via Huascaran National Park to Huanuco.
  • Days 6-7: Bosque Unchog. Overnights at Huanuco.
  • Day 8: Drive to Junín. Lago de Junín.
  • Day 9: Lago de Junín, then drive to Villa Rica.
  • Day 10: Villa Rica area.
  • Day 11: Bosque Shollett reserve, then drive via Oxapampa to Ulcumano lodge.
  • Day 12: Ulcumano area.
  • Day 13: Ulcumano/Oxapampa, then drive to Satipo.
  • Day 14: Satipo area, then drive to Apalla.
  • Day 15: Excursion to Andamarca. Overnight at Apalla.
  • Day 16: Drive via La Oroya to Huancayo.
  • Day 17: Royal Cinclodes, then to San Mateo.
  • Day 18: Marcapomacocha, then continue to Santa Eulalia.
  • Day 19: Santa Eulalia road, then return to Lima for tour end.

To see a larger map, click on the square-like ‘enlarge’ icon in the upper right of the map box.

To see (or hide) the ‘map legend’, click on the icon with an arrow in the upper left of the map box.

To change to a satellite view, which is great for seeing the physical terrain (and for seeing really fine details by repetitive use of the + button), click on the square ‘map view’ icon in the lower left corner of the ‘map legend’.

PRICE INFORMATION

Birdquest Inclusions: Our tour prices include surface transportation, accommodations, meals and entrance fees.

We also include all tipping for local guides, drivers and accommodation/restaurant staff.

Deposit: 20% of the total tour price. Our office will let you know what deposit amount is due, in order to confirm your booking, following receipt of your online booking form.

TO BOOK THIS TOUR: Click here (you will need the tour dates)


2024: confirmed £5680, $7290, €6630, AUD11000. Lima/Lima.
2026: provisional £5680, $7290, €6630, AUD11000. Lima/Lima.

Single Supplement: 2024: £420, $550, €500, AUD830.
Single Supplement: 2026: £420, $550, €500, AUD830.

The single supplement will not apply if you indicate on booking that you prefer to share a room and there is a room-mate of the same sex available.

This tour is priced in US Dollars. Amounts shown in other currencies are indicative.

Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency will be pleased to arrange your air travel on request, or you may arrange this yourself if you prefer.

CENTRAL PERU BIRDING TOUR: DETAILED ITINERARY

Central Peru: Day 1  Our Central Peru birding tour begins this evening at Lima airport, from where we will drive to a nearby hotel for an overnights stay.

Central Peru: Day 2  Today we will visit the Lomas de Lachay, an area of low coastal hills that are covered in a unique ‘fog vegetation’ (i.e. vegetation exclusively fed by moisture from the near-permanent coastal fog or garua). We will first visit a desolate desert canyon where, among the sparse cacti and large boulders, we shall look for the endemic Cactus Canastero. We shall also keep an eye out for the cryptic Peruvian Thick-knee, the small desert race nanodes of the Burrowing Owl and the near-endemic Greyish Miner (which tends to roam around in flocks at this time of year). Taking the road to the main entrance of the reserve, we will check the sandy desert for the endemic Coastal Miner as well as the diminutive Least Seedsnipe. Rocky areas higher up hold yet another endemic miner, the large Thick-billed Miner. Other birds we may find in the lomas include Amazilia Hummingbird, the gorgeous Oasis Hummingbird and Purple-collared Woodstar, Yellowish Pipit (the local form perhaps meriting specific status as Peruvian Pipit), Band-tailed Sierra Finch, Grassland Yellow Finch and Peruvian Meadowlark. Near the rubbish containers, we may find the restricted-range Sechura Fox, while if we are very fortunate indeed we will even find the now very rare Tawny-throated Dotterel or the nomadic Raimondi’s Yellow-Finch (although our time to look for this species will be limited).

In the afternoon we will head to the immense Bahia Paraiso; a lagoon bounded by a ten-kilometre beach and the Atacama desert. A scan over the nutrient-rich waters of the Humboldt current should produce the huge Peruvian Pelican, Peruvian Booby, Neotropic and Guanay Cormorants, Band-tailed, Grey and Kelp Gulls, and perhaps Guanay Cormorant and the delicate Inca Tern. We will investigate a section of rocky shoreline for Blackish Oystercatcher and if we are lucky we may find the endemic Peruvian Seaside Cinclodes, while a rocky island may hold roosting Red-legged Cormorants. Noisy Killdeer patrol open areas and a scan of the beach may reveal an American Oystercatcher and more gulls and terns. Cinnamon Teal and Grey-hooded (or Grey-headed) Gulls float on the coastal lagoon, and large numbers of wetland species, including White-tufted and Great Grebe, White-cheeked Pintail and large numbers of Nearctic waders during the northern winter. At certain times of the year, the site is good for the endangered Peruvian Tern as well as both South American and Elegant Terns.

Finally, we will continue our journey northwards to the busy coastal town of Barranca.

Central Peru: Day 3  Today finds us exploring the Fortaleza valley as we climb up to Conococha and the high Andes. As the murky dawns awakens life in the riverine woodlands, we will hope to see Lesser Nighthawks swooping over the cane fields while Tropical Kingbirds sing from powerlines and Scarlet-fronted and Yellow-chevroned Parakeets head off to nearby fruiting trees. While our able crew arrange the first of many sumptuous field breakfasts we will begin to explore the nearby riparian scrub and woodlands. Our targets here include the rufescens form of Bran-coloured Flycatcher, which is increasingly considered a separate species and Baird’s Flycatcher, here at its southernmost site. Peruvian Pygmy Owl, Harris’s Hawk, Amazilia Hummingbird and Pacific Parrotlet are common here in the weedy field edges Chestnut-throated Seedeater, Blue-black Grassquit, Long-tailed Mockingbird, Groove-billed Ani and Peruvian Meadowlark abound.

As we make our way to higher elevations a series of stops target the endemic and now endangered Russet-bellied Spinetail and Great Inca Finch. Time permitting we will search scrubby gullies for Bay-crowned Brushfinch. Well above the road the relict pacific forests here support Piura Chat-Tyrant and Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch but we have little time and a long journey ahead of us. With some luck, we may one of these species.

Our last stop will be Lago Conococha where we will see a wide selection of Andean waterfowl including Silvery Grebe, Puna Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Yellow-billed Teal, Andean Duck, Andean Goose, several hundred Giant Coot, Andean Coot, Puna Ibis, Chilean Flamingo and maybe the uncommon Andean Ibis.

After an exciting day, we will continue our journey to Caraz for a two nights stay. Our journey will provide us with vistas of the magnificent snow-capped peaks of the Cordilleras Huayhuash and the Huascaran National Park, surely the most scenic area in Peru.

Central Peru: Day 4  Our full day birding the exhilarating mountains of the Cordillera Blanca will surely provide us with a truly memorable spectacle of dramatic scenery. We will spend a lot of time at Quebrada Llanganuco above the village of Yungay. A more astounding setting cannot be imagined, as the magnificent peak of Huascaran forms an impressive backdrop that dominates the landscape. The Polylepis groves at the upper end of the valley are among the most accessible in all of Peru and within a short time here one can usually see a very fine variety of birds. A readily found speciality of these gnarled woods (especially where Gynoxis bushes are prominent) is the colourful Tit-like Dacnis, but our prime target will be the striking White-cheeked Cotinga, a low-density bird that may well require some persistence and a modicum of luck. This high-elevation frugivore mainly feeds on mistletoe berries, and so we shall keep an eye out for patches of this parasitic epiphyte.

We will also seek a handful of other endemics inhabiting this scenic area. Black Metaltails thirstily sip from the mistletoe flowers, the secretive Ancash Tapaculo is usually singing from boulder-strewn slopes and the smart Rufous-eared Brushfinch is common here.

Other birds we may well find during our exploration of these wonderful mountains of central Peru include Green-headed Hillstar (often lumped in Andean Hillstar), White-winged Cinclodes, Green-tailed Trainbearer, the streak-crowned cajabambae race of the Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail, D’Orbigny’s Chat-Tyrant, Rufous-webbed Tyrant, and Rufous-naped and Plain-capped Ground Tyrants. A beautiful trail through taller Polylepis woodland lower down leads us into the haunts of the nuthatch-like Giant Conebill, the shy Jelski’s Chat-Tyrant and the endemic Plain-tailed Warbling-Finch, and we should also find Black-crested Warbler (here near the southern limit of its range).

Central Peru: Day 5  An early morning start near Yungay finds us in an area of dry intermontane scrub in the bottom of the ‘Callejon de Huaylas’ where we hope to find the undescribed cinnamon-tailed race of the endemic Pale-tailed Canastero. The endemic Spot-throated Hummingbird is found here, Southern Beardless Tyrannulets deliver their plaintive calls from this cactus-studded habitat and Vermilion Flycatchers add a touch of colour.

All too soon it is time to move on as we make our way through the Huascaran National Park and on to the city of Huanuco for a three nights stay. Along the way, we will enjoy some breath-taking scenery and we will make a few stops to catch up on some of the birds we might have missed so far.

By mid-morning we will reach the high pass between the Cordillera Blanca and the Cordillera Huayhuash, where the scenery is so overwhelmingly stunning that it is regarded by many as unsurpassed in South America, let alone Peru, with line upon line of snow-capped peaks stretching away on both sides. We may see Rufous-bellied and Grey-breasted Seedsnipe in their alpine homes, and we will scan the slopes for the rabbit-like Mountain Viscacha. Descending west of the pass, we will pass through paramos studded with giant Puya raimondi, a terrestrial bromeliad known for having the world’s largest flowering stalks, and if we find one in flower we will stop to watch the show provided by dozens of hummingbirds thirstily zooming in to sip the copious nectar.

Time permitting, we shall stop at a marshy lagoon which is part of the Cordillera Blanca National Park. Photographic opportunities are very good as Giant Coot and Silvery Grebe nest right next to the road and a variety of other aquatic birds may be seen. In the afternoon we cross the headwaters of the Rio Marañon, one of the rivers giving rise to the mighty Amazon, though here it is only a small stream in comparison to the great river that it becomes further north. We will continue our journey through temperate but arid inter-montane valleys, skirting several picturesque Andean villages. Around nightfall, we will roll into our hotel near Huanuco.

Central Peru: Days 6-7  In the 1970s some Louisiana State University researchers stunned the ornithological world with the discovery of three new species to science on a remote mountain in Central Peru. In a high area of wet elfin forests at Bosque Unchog they not only found a splendid new mountain-tanager (the brilliant Golden-backed Mountain-Tanager, the largest of them all!), but also a rare cotinga in a totally new genus (the Bay-vented Cotinga), and a very odd small tanager, the Pardusco, that did not look like anything previously known to science and warranted the description of a new genus (Nephelornis).

Reaching this remote mountain in order to search for these highly-prized and little-known birds requires some effort, but reaching one of the ‘Holy Grails’ of Peru birding tours is well worth the effort. We will head up a narrow and winding road towards the small village of Cochabamba, where nearby drier habitat holds the endemic Brown-flanked Tanager, as well as the endemic Baron’s Spinetail and the striking Black-crested Tit-Tyrant. From there we will bird our way up to the mist-enshrouded Bosque Unchog, high in the mountains above the Carpish Tunnel. We plan to visit this site at least twice, maximizing our chances of finding the area’s specialities. Our days in Bosque Unchog will be spent birding the often misty paramos and treeline forests in search of the three main specialities and several other endemics. The easiest of these is the abundant Coppery Metaltail, and we should soon become familiar with both sexes of this treeline hummer. The odd-looking Pardusco is numerous and is found in small to large flocks, sometimes mixed in with other species, which work their way energetically amongst the stunted bushes on sunny mornings. The other specialities often require more work and patience. We shall diligently scan the tops of bushes and small trees for the elusive Bay-vented Cotinga, which is only sparsely distributed across this inhospitable habitat. Indeed, finding their first Doliornis is often the prime reason for keen birders to make the effort to reach these remote mountains, but we will need a modicum of luck to find this highly prized endemic.

The most glamorous bird in Bosque Unchog is the spectacular Golden-backed Mountain Tanager, which moves through the tops of Escallonia trees as the sun comes up in the morning. Later in the day, this avian jewel can, in spite of its glamorous appearance, remain out of sight for long periods of time. The small family groups may also move long distances between feeding areas, making finding this superb endemic something of a waiting game.

Hopefully, we will also encounter the handsome Rufous-browed Hemispingus, another Peruvian endemic that is hard to find elsewhere. We plan on spending plenty of time at a particular forest patch where this attractive bird is an unobtrusive but core member of mixed flocks working through the dense stands of Chusquea bamboo. It forages closer to the ground than other members of the genus, and it can be a hard bird to see well, even once found, as it often keeps out of sight as it hops among moss-laden, fallen trunks.

We will also listen for the monotonous calls of the endemic Neblina (or Elfin Forest) Tapaculo, while we hope to find the smart Line-fronted Canastero in grassy areas with large boulders.

We should have time to cover the trails into taller forest at lower altitude. White-banded Tyrannulet and Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher are common here, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrants often perch in the open, and at the trumpet-shaped Datura flowers we may see the unbelievable Sword-billed Hummingbird. We will also make special efforts to see the endemic Large-footed Tapaculo as well as the reclusive obscura race of the Rufous Antpitta (likely to be elevated to full species status and often referred to as ‘Fulvous Antpitta’). We will also have another chance to see the endemic Tschudi’s Tapaculo should we have missed it earlier.

Other birds which are likely to be found in this misty environment while we quietly stalk our main targets are White-chinned Thistletail (here of the endemic southern race, which is sometimes split as Plenge’s or Peruvian Thistletail), Many-striped Canastero, Barred Fruiteater, White-throated Tyrannulet, Peruvian (or Kalinowski’s) Chat-Tyrant, Red-rumped Bush Tyrant, Paramo Pipit, Blue-backed Conebill, Golden-collared Tanager, the endemic Yellow-scarfed Tanager and Buff-breasted Mountain Tanager. Open areas hold the retiring Curve-billed Tinamou, but this highly sought-after bird usually manages to keep well out of sight. Arriving pre-dawn one morning may produce a roding Andean Snipe.

On one day, on our return to Huanuco from Bosque Unchog, we will stop in the arid Huallaga Valley in search of Plain-breasted and Croaking Ground Doves, Smooth-billed Ani, White-bellied Hummingbird, Black Phoebe, Fasciated Wren (which has an isolated population in this valley) and Blue-grey Tanager.

Central Peru: Day 8  Today we travel south of Huanuco to an arid canyon where we will look for the endemic Rufous-backed Inca Finch. We shall diligently search the bush tops and cacti for this secretive endemic, which tends to deliver its high-pitched song from a conspicuous Agave but keeps in thick cover for most of the day. Along the way, we will keep an eye on a rushing stream that runs adjacent to the road for both Torrent Duck and White-capped Dipper.

In the afternoon we will climb to the high plains around Lago Junin stopping at some Polylepis woodlands en route. These woodlands give us another opportunity to see the endemic Brown-flanked Tanager as well as Giant Conebill. Continuing to Junin we will stop to look for Ornate Tinamou, Aplomado Falcon,  Common Miner and Black Siskin on the high plains.

In the late afternoon, we will make for the sedge-choked marshes lining certain sections of the great lake where we hope to see the elusive endemic Junin Rail, often considered a separate species from Black Rail. We will then make our way to the high plains town of Junin for an overnight stay.

Central Peru: Day 9  Lago de Junín is one of the largest lakes in Peru, second only to the enormous Lake Titicaca, and like the latter it harbours a flightless species of grebe. Sadly the Junín Grebe has suffered a steep decline during the last century, and our prime goal this morning is seeing this endangered endemic. It lives and breeds in the floating reed beds well out into the lake and so we shall go out in a motorized boat in order to find this legendary bird. Our expert boatmen will manoeuvre us among the reeds, where we will sort through the rather similar-looking Silvery Grebes as we try to find our quarry.

The waters are crystal clear, often allowing for interesting views of the lake bottom, and we will also see a wide variety of other waterbirds. Possibilities include White-tufted Grebe, Speckled and Puna Teals, Yellow-billed Pintail and Andean Duck. Puna Ibises and Andean Gulls are often present in large numbers and we shall scan the shallows for Great and Snowy Egrets, Cinereous Harrier, the large garmani race of the Common Moorhen, Andean Coot and the elegant Andean Avocet. The Acrocephalus-like Wren-like Rushbird and the lovely Many-coloured Rush-Tyrant are common in the reedbeds, and around the fringes of the lake, we may spot the secretive Plumbeous Rail. Overhead we will watch for Short-billed Pipits performing their relentless song flights, and in surrounding fields and meadows we should find a number of passerines, such as Common Miner, Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant, Andean Negrito and Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch.

In the afternoon we shall head to Villa Rica for a two nights stay.

Central Peru: Day 10  Today we depart in good time to reach some shade coffee plantations for dawn. Here we hope to see the endemic Creamy-bellied Antwren in the large and highly active mixed flocks that pass back and forth through the low canopy.

As we are in the lower sub-tropics the diversity of species is very high and we should see or at least hear Tataupa Tinamou, Black-throated Mango, Blue-tailed Emerald, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Ocellated Piculet, Crimson-crested and Lineated Woodpeckers, Red-throated Caracara, Blue-headed and Red-billed Parrots, White-eyed Parakeet and, if we are lucky the magnificent Military Macaw, Streaked Xenops, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Peruvian Tyrannulet, Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher, Olive-faced Flatbill, Long-tailed Tyrant, Yellow-cheeked and White-winged Becards, Coraya Wren, Purple-throated and Thick-billed Euphonias, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Blackburnian Warbler, Crested and Russet-backed Oropendolas, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Giant Cowbird, Bananaquit, Magpie Tanager, Silver-beaked Tanager, Palm Tanager, Blue-necked, Paradise and Silver-backed Tanagers, Blue Dacnis, Purple and Green Honeycreepers and Buff-throated Saltator. This list is by no means exhaustive and we could see a good many more species depending on exactly where we go or indeed which way we turn along some of the trails.

Central Peru: Day 11  Our pre-dawn birding at Bosque Shollett, a little known cloud forest reserve set up to protect the watershed forests, may produce the restricted-range Cloud-forest Screech Owl as well as Rufous-bellied Nighthawk.

While working the bromeliad festooned cloud forests of Bosque Shollett, we may find Trilling Tapaculo, Golden-collared and Yellow-scarfed Tanagers and Bluish Flowerpiercer. As we investigate dense bamboo thickets we hope to find the rarely seen Peruvian Treehunter or maybe Maroon-chested Ground Dove, if we are indeed very lucky.

Commonly found in these forests is the superb endemic Masked Fruiteater and we should certainly see this key species if we have not done so already. Crimson-bellied Woodpecker is also found with some regularity in the area and we shall search diligently for this unobtrusive species. We shall also be keeping an eye on the sky for a number of raptors including White Hawk, Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle. We shall also hope to see the localized Peruvian-endemic form of the Black-winged Parrot as they hurtle low over the canopy.

Afterwards, we descend to Oxapampa and then head to the delightful Ulcumano lodge nestled in the hills above town for a two nights stay.

Central Peru: Day 12  At Ulcumano lodge we will walk the trails in search of some local specialities including Sickle-winged Guan, the stunning Golden-headed Quetzal, Andean Motmot, Powerful Woodpecker, Blackish Antbird, Jet Manakin and Chestnut-crested Cotinga. The cloudforest interior is the realm of the endemic Chestnut and Bay Antpittas, and we shall make a concerted effort to try and see these ultimate forest floor skulkers. Other furtive denizens of the dark understorey are Trilling Tapaculo and the endemic Peruvian Rufous-vented Tapaculo. We shall be seeking out a number of additional Peruvian endemics found in this fabulous area, including Masked Fruiteater, ‘Huanuco Fruiteater’ (a small, distinctive race of Green-and-Black Fruiteater which probably merits being elevated to species level), Peruvian Tyrannulet, the bamboo-loving Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, Inca Flycatcher and the vociferous Peruvian Wren. If we are very fortunate we will even see such highly sought-after specialities as White-rumped Hawk, the shy Golden-browed Chat-Tyrant or the mega-elusive Masked Saltator.

Nightbirding at this remote lodge is excellent and we have another chance to find the rarely seen Cloud-forest Screech Owl, a genuinely enigmatic denizen of these beautiful forests. While out at night we might also see the stunning Swallow-tailed Nightjar, White-throated Screech Owl and the noisy Rufous-banded Owl.

Central Peru: Day 13  After spending the best part of the morning around Oxapampa we will make our way to the base of the Andes to drive through the foothills to Satipo for an overnight stay.

As we descend to the tropics along much of this route we have a chance to enjoy some leisurely tropical birding, seeing a stunning variety of species not available on the rest of our Central Peru tour. Amongst these, we might see Swallow-tailed and Plumbeous Kites, Ruddy Ground Dove, Smooth-billed Ani, Short-tailed Swift, Neotropical Palm Swift, Green Kingfisher, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Yellow-headed Caracara, Great Antshrike, Social and Grey-capped Flycatchers, Great kiskadee, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Short-crested Flycatcher, Violaceous Jay, White-banded Swallow, Black-billed thrush, Orange-backed Troupial, Yellow-browed Sparrow and Chestnut-bellied Seedeater. Depending on time available to us we may also see many other tropical species but these are not our priority for this trip. We should arrive in Satipo in the early evening.

Central Peru: Day 14  Departing from Satipo in time to be on-site for dawn we climb the Satipo road to explore the cloud forests above the town. We will on the lookout for Amazonian Umbrellabird the gaudy Andean Cock-of-the-rock, the magnificent Black and chestnut Eagle and active tanager flocks passing through the canopy accompanied by numerous flycatcher and furnariid species.  Excellent mixed-species flocks regularly make their rounds, and among a colourful palette of tanagers, we may well see Common and Grey-hooded Bush Tanagers, White-browed, Superciliaried, Oleaginous, Black-eared and Drab Hemispinguses, Grass-green, Rufous-crested, Blue-capped, Saffron-crowned, Flame-faced, Beryl-spangled and Blue-and-black Tanagers, and Hooded, Lacrimose and Blue-winged Mountain Tanagers.

A variety of suboscines also accompany these often chaotic mixed flocks. Streaked Tuftedcheeks inspect the detritus accumulating inside the omnipresent bromeliads, Montane Woodcreepers and Pearled Treerunners shuffle up moss-encrusted branches and Band-tailed Fruiteaters unobtrusively flit through the foliage in their quest for protein-laden berries. A multitude of glittering hummingbirds are found in these bird-rich cloudforests and possibilities include Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Bronzy and Collared Incas, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Emerald-bellied Puffleg and Long-tailed Sylph.

We will have a wide range of birding options in the area, ranging from the foothill forests to the upper subtropical zone, depending on the species we still need to look for.

Other birds we may find as we work up and down the forest-clad slopes include Turkey Vulture, Roadside and White-rumped Hawks, Andean Guan, Speckle-faced and Scaly-naped Parrots, Golden-headed Quetzal, Masked Trogon, Black-throated Toucanet, Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Bar-bellied, Crimson-mantled and Powerful Woodpeckers, Azara’s and Rufous Spinetails, Rusty-winged Barbtail, Striped Treehunter, Buff-browed Foliage-gleaner, Uniform and Variable Antshrikes, Long-tailed Antbird, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, the impressive Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Streak-necked, Flavescent, Cinnamon, Dusky-capped and Golden-crowned Flycatchers, Rufous-headed Pygmy Tyrant, White-tailed and Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulets, Smoke-colored Pewee, Maroon-chested Chat-Tyrant, Smoky Bush Tyrant, Barred Becard, Grey-breasted Wood-Wren, the gorgeous White-eared Solitaire, Mountain Wren, the melodious Chestnut-breasted Wren, Glossy-black Thrush, White-collared Jay, Brown-capped Vireo, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Tropical Parula, Citrine and Russet-crowned Warblers, Capped Conebill, Plush-capped Finch, Tricolored, Slaty and Stripe-headed Brushfinches, Yellow-billed Cacique and Dusky-green Oropendola.

After a full day of birding in these highly productive forests we head for the Colibri Cloud-forest Lodge at Apalla for a two nights stay.

Central Peru: Day 15  Today will leave very early for the road to Andamarca. This small Indian village is located in the dry Rio Mantaro Valley, where our primary target will be the recently described, endemic Black-goggled Brushfinch. The shrubby slopes also provide a home for the endemic Creamy-crested Spinetail as well as Red-crested Cotinga, Sierran Elaenia, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, White-winged Black Tyrant, Blue-and-white Swallow, Pale-legged Warbler, Black-throated Flowerpiercer and Golden-billed Saltator. Also present in dense scrub and bamboo is a recently discovered Thryothorus wren, either an undescribed race of the endemic Inca Wren or perhaps a new species to science; the Mantaro Wren.

We will descend a little lower towards the town of Andamarca stopping in some drier scrubby habitat where we will search for a recently discovered Phacellodomus thornbird that may be a new species; the Mantaro Thornbird. Retracing our steps towards Satipo we aim to reach a patch of high-elevation shrubbery, the haunt of three little-known and highly localized Mantaro endemics, the evocatively-named Fire-throated Metaltail, the fidgety Eye-ringed Thistletail (it will not take long for us to find this striking furnariid) and the Milpo Tapaculo. Other birds found in this area of central Peru include the noisy but handsome endemic Striated Earthcreeper, the striking Stripe-headed Antpitta, the rather prosaically named Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant and Sedge Wren.

In the late afternoon, we will return to the Colibri Cloud-forest Lodge through open puna grasslands and stunning unbroken cloud forests. In the temperate forests, we will search for the weskei form of Marcapata Spinetail, which might prove to be a distinct endemic species.

We shall also stop at higher elevations, where we may find Andean Ibis, White-throated Hawk, Band-tailed Pigeon, Shining Sunbeam, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Purple-backed Thornbill, Tyrian Metaltail, Brown-bellied Swallow, Great Thrush, Spectacled Redstart, and Masked and Moustached Flowerpiercer.

Central Peru: Day 16  Taking our leave of the Colibri Cloud-forest lodge, we climb up to the high Puna.

Depending on what we need to see we can stop at any elevation in the cloud forests from the humid sub-tropics to the elfin forest scrub at Carrizales. In all likelihood, we will stop in the sub-tropical zone, where we may well see the stunning Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Blue-banded Toucanet and the massive Strong-billed Woodcreeper. It is probably here that we will enjoy a very productive early morning session working the flocks. However, we are essentially travelling through the Andes to get to San Mateo by the early evening. Passing La Oroya we hope to reach Milloc bog, a high elevation wetland bog, in time for our first chance to see the endangered endemic White-bellied Cinclodes.

Afterwards, we will will head for Huancayo for an overnight stay.

Central Peru: Day 17  The reason for our detour into this area is to visit a surprisingly accessible site for the sought-after Royal Cinclodes. After starting our search, it should not be too long before we are feasting our eyes on this very handsome endemic cinclodes.

Afterwards we head off to San Mateo for an overnight stay

Central Peru: Day 18  Providing an exciting finale to our high Andean birding, the cold, high-elevation bogs of Marcapomacocha are home to one of the world’s most highly sought-after waders, the exquisite, restricted-range Diademed Sandpiper-Plover. We shall find the air pretty thin this morning as we will be birding at an elevation of over 14,800ft (4500m), but the superb set of special birds to be found here will make our physical efforts well worthwhile. The scenery is without comparison, and at this time of year, we can expect sun and a scattering of snow. We may well flush a startled Puna Snipe as we search through this often waterlogged habitat, while the drier slopes hold the small Grey-breasted Seedsnipe.

We shall also be hoping to find four high-altitude endemics in this area. Among boulder-strewn grassy areas, we will look for the large White-bellied Cinclodes (probably the most spectacular member of the Furnariidae), while flat areas hold Dark-winged Miners, sparse flowers attract shimmering Black-breasted Hillstars and areas of thick bunchgrass are home to strikingly-patterned Junin Canasteros.

Olivaceous Thornbills often walk on matted grass in search of their scarce insect prey, while other birds we may find in this scenic area include Andean Goose, Crested Duck, Mountain Caracara, Aplomado Falcon, Andean Lapwing, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Andean Flicker, Slender-billed Miner, Plain-breasted Earthcreeper, Bar-winged Cinclodes, Streak-throated Canastero, Puna, Cinereous, White-fronted and Ochre-naped Ground Tyrants, Black Siskin, Plumbeous Sierra-Finch, White-winged Diuca-Finch, Plain-colored Seedeater and Bright-rumped Yellow Finch.

After we complete our high-elevation explorations we will descend to the delightful town of Santa Eulalia for an overnight stay.

Central Peru: Day 19  An early start along the dusty but spectacular Santa Eulalia road will take us high into the mountains above Lima. After crossing a bridge over a tremendous chasm we shall reach a shrubby hillside and small ravine where the rare and endemic Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch is still regularly seen. As the early morning sun hits the slopes we will be sorting through flocks of the much more numerous Mourning Sierra Finch in the hopes of finding this elusive speciality, but we will be fortunate if we encounter this threatened species. Giant Hummingbirds are particularly numerous here, but we shall be on the lookout for the endemic and less conspicuous Bronze-tailed Comet.

Other endemics we will try to find in this area are Black-necked Woodpecker, Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail (here the nominate race with a solid rufous crown), Canyon Canastero and Rusty-bellied Brushfinch.

The supporting cast may include Black Vulture, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Variable Hawk, American Kestrel, Eared and White-tipped Doves, Bare-faced and Black-winged Ground-Doves, White-collared and Andean Swifts, Sparkling Violetear, Peruvian Sheartail, Streaked Tit-Spinetail, Pied-crested and Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrants, White-browed Chat-Tyrant, Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant, Spot-billed Ground Tyrant, House Wren, Long-tailed Mockingbird, White-capped Dipper, Chiguanco Thrush, Hooded Siskin, Cinereous Conebill, Rufous-chested and Blue-and-yellow Tanagers, Peruvian Sierra-Finch, Collared Warbling-Finch, Band-tailed Seedeater, Greenish Yellow Finch, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Golden-bellied Grosbeak and Scrub Blackbird. With a modicum of luck, a majestic Andean Condor will even grace the scene.

Afterwards, we will head for the city of Lima, where our Central Peru birding tour ends.

CENTRAL PERU TOUR REPORT 2022

by Leo Garrigues

View Report

CENTRAL PERU TOUR REPORT 2018

View Report

CENTRAL PERU TOUR REPORT 2016

View Report

Other endemic-rich South American tours include: