Tambopata Area

The Tambopata Area holds some of the most pristine rainforest remain in the Amazon basin and has incredible birding. All the true lowland species of SE Peru can be found in the region, and visiting the three lodges we use gives an excellent selection of these.
EcoAmazonia Lodge
On the banks of the Madre de Dios River, this lodge is very much geared for conventional tourism. However, the forest around it provides incredible birding. We plan to visit this lodge first since the relatively open understory makes observing birds, including shy species of antbirds and tinamous, relatively easy. There are also two excellent lakes/marshes which are easily accessible for viewing, and these are home to, among others, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Horned Screamer and Wattled Jacana. Among the forest birds are Stipple-throated Antwren, Crested Eagle, Long-tailed Potoo and Black-banded Woodcreeper. The greatest specialty of the area is undoubtedly the enigmatic Black-faced Cotinga, which we have a good chance of observing from the canopy tower constructed in the top of a magnificent emergent tree. In the understory, we will look especially for the elusive Rufous-fronted Antthrush as well as Ruddy Quail-Dove and Plumbeous Antbird. There is a palm swamp which provides excellent birding; among its inhabitants are the local Point-tailed Palmcreeper, Sulphury Flycatcher and Black-collared Hawk. There is a trail through some bamboo where Large-headed Flatbill and Peruvian Recurvebill are among the possibilities.
Explorer's Inn
This lodge has one of the longest bird lists of any site, and, as expected the birding can be spectacular. The main trail leads through pristine forest to Cocococha, home to a family of the endangered Giant Otters as well as birds including Sunbittern, Sungrebe, Green-and-rufous Kingfisher and Agami Heron. Hoatzins are also common along the shore, and Casqued Oropendolas and Cream-coloured Woodpecker can be found around the lake. The High Forest Trail is a loop through excellent terra firme forest where Pale-winged Trumpeters are occasionally found. Musician Wren, Spot-winged Antshrike and White-throated Antbird can also be found along this trail. Laguna Chica, less than a kilometre from the lodge, is a wonderful birding area where Blue-and-yellow Macaws are often seen overhead while Black-capped Donacobius and Rufous-sided Crake inhabit the marshy vegetation. The forest in the area is home to Great Jacamars and White-crested Spadebill among others, and a nearby creek holds Silvery Antbird. Around Sunset Point, Bluish-fronted Jacamar and Red-billed Scythebill can be seen, while Pheasant Cuckoos often call but are very elusive. The night birds around the lodge are prolific; Tawny-bellied Screech-Owls call from all directions, Spectacled Owls are heard occasionally and the grotesque howl of a Great Potoo can be heard nightly. Pauraques are easily seen in the clearing, and Ladder-tailed Nightjars hawk insects over the Tambopata River. Ocellated Poorwills are heard by walking into the surrounding forest.
Tambopata Research Centre
A long but enjoyable boat ride gets us well up into the untouched rainforest where this lodge is situated. Along the way, we may see Jaguars and Orinoco Geese and Sand-coloured Nighthawks, while Capybaras are common along the river. T.R.C. is an incredible place, both for its food, accommodation and birding. The main attractions are the clay lick and bamboo, but there are lots of birds to find in the flood plain forest as well. The clay lick, or "colpa," is visited by up to 16 species of parrots, including five macaws including Red-bellied, and many parrots including Orange-cheeked. It is a spectacle of nature when the birds flood into the area just after dawn. We'll also have a chance to see Little Ground-Tyrant from the observation point. Two of the lodge's trails lead through SE Peru's most extensive bamboo, where Bamboo Antshrike, Manu Antbird, Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Peruvian Recurvebill, Large-headed Flatbill, Rufous-capped Nunlet and Flammulated Bamboo-Tyrant are among the possibilities. These trails end at overlooks where Amazonian Parrotlets can occasionally be seen, while Masked Crimson Tanager, Blue-throated Piping-Guan, White-throated Jacamar and Chestnut-capped Puffbird are among the possibilities in the canopy and edge visible from these sites. There are several manakin leks in the area, and Band-tailed and Round-tailed are both possible. In the true forest areas, the most interesting birds include Razor-billed Curassow, Starred Wood-Quail, Rufous-capped Antthrush and Amazonian Antpitta, while Blue-headed Macaws and Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatchers can be seen from the lodge clearing.

Connecting Sites
This area is generally visited by flying into Puerto Maldonado, although it is possible to reach this city by road from Cusco, which could also provide excellent birding.

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