Peru Hummingbird Photo Tour 15 Days

Day 1: Lima – Chiclayo – Bosque de Pómac – Salas

We take an early flight from Lima to Chiclayo, where our ground transportation meets you, and drive to Bosque de Pómac – Batán Grande to explore carob woodland and deciduous dry forest. Our coastal hummingbird targets are Amazilia Hummingbird, Purple-collared Woodstar, Peruvian Sheartail and Oasis Hummingbird, and Tumbesian specialties such as Peruvian Plantcutter, Rufous Flycatcher and Tumbes Tyrant are also present. Late in the day we drive to Salas, where Short-tailed Woodstar and, with luck, Tumbes Hummingbird are possible. Night in Salas.

Day 2: Pacific Slope – Abra Porculla – Jaén

Before reaching Abra Porculla we spend time in semi-deciduous dry forest on the Pacific slope looking for Tumbes Hummingbird and Short-tailed Woodstar, along with specialties such as Chapman’s Antshrike, Ecuadorian Piculet, Black-cowled Saltator and Elegant Crescentchest. At Abra Porculla we look for Gray-chinned Hermit (subspecies porcullae), Spot-throated Hummingbird and, with good luck, Green-tailed Trainbearer. In the afternoon we drive to Jaén. Night in Jaén.

Day 3: Jaén – Huembo Ecolodge

Today we visit Huembo, home of the Marvelous Spatuletail, one of the most spectacular hummingbirds. On the way we can make a quick stop for the endemic Little Inca-Finch. The feeders at Huembo attract an excellent selection of species: Chestnut-breasted Coronet, White-bellied Hummingbird, Andean Emerald, Bronzy Inca, Lesser and Sparkling Violetears, Little Woodstar, Purple-collared Woodstar, Collared Inca and Speckled Hummingbird, with Purple-throated Sunangel and Violet-fronted Brilliant as rare visitors. Depending on the season, the Marvelous Spatuletail puts on its courtship display. Night at Huembo Ecolodge.

Day 4: Huembo – Abra Patricia

After a full morning around Huembo we move to Abra Patricia for a different set of hummingbirds, including White-bellied Woodstar, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Collared Inca, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Long-tailed Sylph, Tyrian Metaltail, Shining Sunbeam and Sparkling Violetear. In the evening we can look for the Long-whiskered Owlet. Night at Owlet Lodge.

Days 5–6: Abra Patricia – Fundo Alto Nieva

The east slope of the Andes around Abra Patricia is rich in endemics and hummingbirds. At lower elevations we focus on Royal Sunangel, Greenish Puffleg, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Tawny-bellied Hermit, White-tailed Hillstar, Speckled Hummingbird, Wedge-billed Hummingbird, Booted Racket-tail and Rufous-vented Whitetip. In the evening we have another chance for the Long-whiskered Owlet. Nights at Owlet Lodge.

Day 7: Abra Patricia – Arena Blanca Reserve – Moyobamba

We start down the slope with a stop at a good site for the near-endemic Ecuadorian Piedtail, along with Green Hermit, Gray-chinned Hermit, Violet-fronted Brilliant and Fork-tailed Woodnymph. Just below, in the foothills, a private reserve adds many new species: Green-fronted and Blue-fronted Lancebills, Long-billed Starthroat, White-necked Jacobin, Amethyst Woodstar, Many-spotted Hummingbird, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Sapphire-spangled Emerald, Wire-crested Thorntail, Brown Violetear, Blue-tailed Emerald, Gray-breasted Sabrewing and Reddish Hermit, with Napo Sabrewing and Black-throated Brilliant visiting the reserve’s feeders seasonally. Late in the day we drive to Moyobamba. Night at Wakanki Lodge.

Day 8: Wakanki – Mishquiyacu Reserve

A full day of hummingbird photography and birding in the area. The highlight is Rufous-crested Coquette, and Gould’s Jewelfront, Black-throated Mango, Violet-headed Hummingbird, Black-throated Hermit, White-bearded Hermit and White-chinned Sapphire are also possible. The Peruvian endemic Black-bellied Tanager is usually around, as is Mishana Tyrannulet. In the evening we can go owling. Night at Wakanki Lodge.

Days 9–10: Cordillera Escalera

After a long drive we reach the Cordillera Escalera, an isolated mountain range with several foothill hummingbirds: the endemic Koepcke’s Hermit, Black-throated Brilliant, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Pale-tailed Barbthroat, the rare and seasonal Pink-throated Brilliant, and a second chance for Rufous-crested Coquette, plus several lowland species. If time allows we visit a Golden-headed Manakin lek. The next day is a full day of birding in the same area. Nights in Tarapoto.

Day 11: Tarapoto – Oilbird Cave – Arena Blanca Reserve

We leave the lowlands early. After a couple of hours on the road we stop at an Oilbird colony in a cave, where the time of day gives us a good chance for photos. We then head back into the mountains and spend the afternoon at Arena Blanca Reserve looking for species we are still missing. Night at Owlet Lodge.

Days 12–13: Utcubamba Valley – Leymebamba

We leave the east slope and drive along the Utcubamba Valley to Leymebamba, with a couple of birding stops for local specialties such as Koepcke’s Screech-Owl and Marañón Crescentchest. At these higher elevations some hummingbirds still overlap, and over these two days we look for Purple-throated Sunangel, Little Woodstar, Rainbow Starfrontlet, Sword-billed Hummingbird and Shining Sunbeam. Nights at a hotel in Leymebamba.

Day 14: Leymebamba – Marañón Valley – Cajamarca

Before crossing the Marañón Valley we spend a couple of hours in the last humid montane forest of the tour for Coppery Metaltail, an endemic restricted to this area. We then drive down to the valley floor and up the other side, where, if time allows, we look for the endemics Yellow-faced Parrotlet, Buff-bridled and Gray-winged Inca-Finches and Chestnut-backed Thornbird. Crossing the high Andes, we look for Giant Hummingbird, the largest hummingbird, as well as Black Metaltail and Andean Hillstar. Night in Cajamarca.

Day 15: Cajamarca – Gray-bellied Comet – Flight to Lima

The area around Cajamarca has few hummingbird species, but one of them is the threatened, endemic Gray-bellied Comet. There are no feeders here, but we know a couple of reliable sites where it can still be seen at close range, along with Black Metaltail and Giant Hummingbird. The Chonta stream holds another set of endemics: Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail, Striated Earthcreeper and Baron’s Spinetail. After our final targets we return to town for the flight to Lima, where the tour ends.