About El Valle
El Valle de Antón is about two hours west of Panama City, at around 900 m (2,700 ft). The surrounding mountains rise to about 1,000 m and are covered in foothill and cloud forest, home to many foothill and highland species alongside more widespread birds.
We drive between the best areas, like Cerro Gaital and La Mesa, and bird on foot along hilly trails (narrow in places, muddy in others) and along roads bordered by grassland, where we also watch for raptors. Time permitting, we add El Chirú, Juan Hombrón or Chame on the way back.
There are so many birds around El Valle that every outing is productive, and even the town itself is great birding.
What to expect
With an early start, expect to see 45 to 60 species by noon. By the end of the day, a final count of 70 or more is common.
Stay the night: because of the drive, we recommend staying overnight in El Valle so you can be in the forest at dawn. On the way, we can also stop at Altos de Campana.
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
- Tody Motmot
- Rufous Motmot
- White-ruffed Manakin
- Orange-bellied Trogon
- Yellow-eared Toucanet
- Rufous-crested Coquette
- Snowy-bellied Hummingbird
- Violet-headed Hummingbird
- Green Thorntail
- Purple-crowned Fairy
- Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant
- Black-headed Antthrush
- Slaty Antwren
- Plain Antvireo
- White-bellied Antbird
- Silver-throated Tanager
- Black-and-yellow Tanager
- Emerald Tanager
- Tawny-crested Tanager
- Common Chlorospingus
- Black-faced Grosbeak
- Chestnut-capped Brushfinch
- Tawny-capped Euphonia
- White-throated Thrush
Also look for
- Barred Hawk
- Bat Falcon
- Green Hermit
- Stripe-throated Hermit
- White-tailed Emerald
- Garden Emerald
- Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
- White-vented Plumeleteer
- Crowned Woodnymph
- Keel-billed Toucan
- Lineated Woodpecker
- Spotted Woodcreeper
- Paltry Tyrannulet
- Yellow Tyrannulet
- Lance-tailed Manakin
- Black-chested Jay
- Blue-and-white Swallow
- Clay-colored Thrush
- Red-legged Honeycreeper
- Scarlet-thighed Dacnis
- Thick-billed Euphonia
- Yellow-crowned Euphonia
- Bay-headed Tanager
- Golden-hooded Tanager
- Blue-gray Tanager
- Palm Tanager
- Flame-rumped Tanager
- Crimson-backed Tanager
- White-lined Tanager
- Dusky-faced Tanager
- Red-crowned Ant-Tanager
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 El Valle de Antón and the rest of Panama.
Practical information
Weather
Cooler than the Canal area: fresh mornings and evenings, middays rarely above the low 80s °F (about 28 °C). Clouds are common and scattered showers can come during the day.
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
El Valle has many comfortable B&Bs and hotels. You can book directly or we can help.
Food
Many good local restaurants in El Valle serve Panamanian and international food. 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.
