Panama: A Cloud Forest Retreat & The Canal Zone
March 22 – March 30, 2026
eBird Trip Report
Guided by Holly Merker
This tour started in the lush tropical lowlands of Panama’s Canal Zone, and delivered many memorable birding highlights for our group. Exploring these rich lowland habitats brought wonderful encounters with a remarkable diversity of birdlife, along with close-up views of the Panama Canal, sightings of a variety of mammals, and the shared joy of discovering new places together through birding.
For those who arrived into Panama early, we were treated to some iconic views of the Panama Canal. An unexpected change in hotel for early arrivals ended up a bonus for us, since the location put us right in front of the Canal and with walking access to Ciudad del saber (City of Knowledge). Some of us were treated to a bonus trip with Marta Curti, co-owner of Whitehawk Birding, to a wetland that offered us encounters with some locally nesting wading birds, including Boat-billed Herons.
