About Cerro Azul & Cerro Jefe
East of Panama City, Cerro Azul and Cerro Jefe rise to about 1,000 m (3,000 ft) inside Chagres National Park, the watershed that feeds the Panama Canal. The cloud forest here is home to many foothill species, including some of Panama's most sought-after birds, and about 40 species that are not found in the Canal-area lowlands.
It is one of the best birding destinations close to the city: you can be in cool mountain forest about an hour after leaving your hotel. We drive from site to site and walk the best trails and quiet roads, on hilly and level ground, some narrow and some muddy.
In the foothills, bird activity depends less on the time of day than in the lowlands, so the birding stays good long after the early morning. The Cerro Jefe entrance ticket is included.
What to expect
With an early start, expect to see 60 to 80 species by noon. By the end of the day, a final count of 90 or more is common.
Our favorite day trip from the city. If you only have one full day in Panama and want something different from the lowland rainforest, choose Cerro Azul.
Birds to look for
This list comes from our own tours, plus sightings shared by friends and clients. It changes all the time, so send us your sightings at info@guidedbirdtours.com. For everything else, see the Central Panama bird list.
Specialties and rarities
- Tacarcuna Bush-Tanager
- Rufous-winged Tanager
- Yellow-eared Toucanet
- White-fronted Nunbird
- Blue-fronted Parrotlet
- Rufous-crested Coquette
- Violet-capped Hummingbird
- Violet-headed Hummingbird
- White-tipped Sicklebill
- Brown-billed Scythebill
- Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle
- Ornate Hawk-Eagle
- Speckled Antshrike
- Russet-crowned Quail-Dove
- Purplish-backed Quail-Dove
- Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker
- Three-striped Warbler
- Olive Tanager
- Stripe-headed Brushfinch
Plus the colorful tanagers, honeycreepers and hummingbirds of the foothills: Bay-headed Tanager, Shining and Green Honeycreepers, Scarlet-thighed Dacnis and many more.
What have we seen lately? Our guides log their sightings on eBird, the bird-checklist database run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. See our recent checklists from Cerro Azul & Cerro Jefe and the rest of Panama.
Practical information
Weather
Noticeably cooler than the Canal area: fresh mornings, and middays that rarely pass the low 80s °F (about 28 °C). Clouds, mist and damp trails are common, so bring a light layer.
What to wear
Layers: a light jacket or fleece for the cool morning, then light clothes. Waterproof hiking shoes for muddy trails, a poncho, insect repellent and sunscreen.
What to bring
Binoculars, a notebook and a camera if you like. Your guide carries a spotting scope and a field guide, and we bring drinking water.
Staying nearby
Cerro Azul has small, comfortable family-run B&Bs if you want to stay up in the mountains. Ask us and we will help with the booking.
Food
There are good restaurants in the area for lunch. Each traveler pays for their own meal.
Field guides we recommend
The Birds of Panama: A Field Guide by George Angehr and Robert Dean (2010), the main reference for Panama. An Illustrated Field Guide to the Birds of Panama by Ernesto Ponce and Giselle Muschett (2006), handy for quick checks.
