Satipo Road-Otuto

This is one of Peru's newest hotspots, and also one of its best. It has only ever been visited by birders, in recent times, on three occasions, and each trip has produced exciting results. The lower section of the road is home to Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Sunbittern, Mottle-backed Elaenia, Hairy-crested Antbird (foothills race), Hazel-fronted Pygmy-Tyrant and Lanceolated Monklet among others. The middle section of the road has much excellent cloud forest which is holds Blue-banded Toucanet, Slaty Brush-Finch, Band-tailed Fruiteater, Large-footed Tapaculo and Sword-billed Hummingbird. In the upper forest and tree-line areas, Fire-throated Metaltail, Chestnut-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Sapphire-vented (Coppery-naped) Puffleg and Drab Hemispingus can be found, while one of the road's best birds, Eye-ringed Thistletail is found, somewhat spottily, in this area. The road then climbs into puna habitat, where birds recorded so far include Andean Condor, Junin Canastero and White-tailed Shrike-Tyrant. After a few hours of driving through the puna, there is a turn-off which leads to the Otuto area. Here, the striking Black-spectacled Brush-Finch can be found, along with Rust-and-yellow Tanager and Striated Earthcreeper. Perhaps the most interesting part of this whole area is the number of undescribed species. Among them are one or possibly two tapaculos, a Thryothorus wren, and a potentially new Grallaria antpitta.  

Connecting Sites
The road needs a minimum of four days; either end can be reached in a day from Huánuco or Lima, or half a day from Lake Junin. The bottom end is half a day from Oaxapampa.