FOLLOW ALONG

Birding Trails

Tambor Bay has a variety of well marked and maintained trail systems that allow visiting birders access to a variety of different habitats, from mature tropical forest to coastal beaches and mangroves. Each trail is marked with bamboo railings and benches are placed at resting areas along the way where one can sit and enjoy the wealth of species and natural beauty that surrounds. There are three parts to the Tambor Bay Birding trail system:

TAMBOR TROPICAL’S PRIVATE TRAILS

This short private trail system is available exclusively for guests of the Tambor Tropical Hotel. The trail is a figure eight patterns that enters and exits from directly behind the hotel. Despite the relatively small size of this trail it can be extremely productive due to a mix of mangrove and tropical forest trees and it’s proximity to a small lagoon that often holds water birds like boat-billed heron, bare-throated tiger heron, green heron and anhinga. It is also home to a group of spectacled caiman. Along the trail it is common to see black-headed trogon, turquoise browed motmot, streak headed woodcreeper, mangrove vireo, and long-tailed manakin among many more. There has even been recent sightings of a day roosting northern potoo! The fruit feeder at the back of the hotel often attract orioles, summer and blue gray tanagers, and hoffman’s woodpecker and are worth a watch before entering the trail system.

RAPTOR RIDGE

This trail system is located high up on the ridge over looking Tambor Bay at Raptor Ridge Nature Retreat. Access to this trail system must be arranged through the Tambor Tropical Hotel. Raptor Ridge can be rented for an afternoon or morning of birding and relaxation in a private pool from which many birds species can be seen! The higher elevation of Raptor Ridge makes for a birding experience completely different from what is found in the lowlands.

PANICA RIVER BIRDING TRAILS

The is the primary birding trail that follows along the Panica river. Beginning at the river mouth, where the Panica river empties into the Pacific ocean and the beautiful Tambor Bay beach, the trail leads up through mangroves and tropical forest. Halfway way along the route, birders can stop at the H and B restaurant and cabinas to enjoy a meal or a refreshment. Continuing up river, birders will arrive at El Timonel, another restaurant and bar and planted gardens that attract a large variety of birds. The owner up keeps a fruit feeder that attracts large numbers of orioles, tanagers and groups of collared aracari.

In total, close to 300 bird species have been recorded on these trail systems, and it is not uncommon to encounter 100 species or more on a days birding, especially when accompanied by one of our experienced guides or during one of our multiday tours. For a full list of bird species recorded in the Tambor Bay area please CLICK HERE.

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