Day beds in the pool at Islas Secas resort allow guests to cool down while enjoying a spectacular view of the ocean | Islas Secas
A guest enjoys the magnificent sights on offer during the nature tours of the tropical wilderness of Islas Secas resort | Islas Secas
Two large birds fly over the horizon as the sun sets at Islas Secas resort | Islas Secas
A woman treads the shallows of the ocean on the beautiful islands of the Islas Secas resort | Islas Secas
Guests enjoy a spectacular diving experience at the Islas Secas resort | Islas Secas

A Marine Safari with World-Class Birding: Islas Secas

A Marine Safari with World-Class Birding: Islas Secas

I slas Secas Has Some of the Best Birding in the World – Here’s Why

written by Islas Secas
  • Marine Safari

Did you know that the Isthmus of Panama was formed around 3 million years ago? You may wonder what that has to do with birds – but this geological happening, believed by scientists to be one of the most important geologic events of the last 60 million years, is the reason we’re blessed with such a huge variety and quantity of birds at Islas Secas.

Drawing species from both the northern and southern hemispheres, Islas Secas acts as a natural meeting point for a cornucopia of birdlife. The result: an extraordinary mix of endemic and migratory birds which you will be hard-pressed to see together elsewhere, from blue-footed boobies and soaring frigatebirds, to Yellow-headed Caracaras and Galápagos shearwaters.

With 114 identified species (and counting), any time of year offers fantastic birding experiences, but the highlights of the calendar are March to April and September to November, when huge colonies of migratory birds journey through the Gulf of Chiriquí.

And given Islas Secas’s strong focus on nature and conservation, you’ll be guaranteed expert guidance from our team, whether it’s in our gardens, on one of our groomed trails, on a special family excursion or a trip further afield.

“Once people start birdwatching, they rethink their whole environment,” explains Beny Wilson, director of Conservation at Islas Secas. “We are exposed to these spectacles of nature, but it takes someone to guide us and light that flame to appreciate them.”

Here are three new Islas Secas birding experiences we are delighted to offer as a unique part of our marine safari offering. All trips include an on-the-go breakfast, a box lunch, snacks and drinks, and the services of our expert guide and experienced captain – inquire for rates.

1. Birdwatching in Coiba National Park

Explore the pristine primary rainforests of this world-famous national park, and spend a full day in the company of our birding experts. Here’s what you might see:

  • Brown-backed dove
  • Coiba spinetail
  • Scarlet macaw
  • King vulture
  • White-throated thrush
  • Three-wattled bellbird
  • Red-rumped woodpecker

2. Cloud Forests and Birding in Fortuna Forest Reserve

Immerse yourself in the mist-snagged wilds of Fortuna Forest, an atmospheric cloud forest in Panama’s western highlands. You’ll spend the day amidst a vast array of flora and fauna with the chance of seeing:

  • Yellow-thighed finch
  • Ornate hawk-eagle
  • Collared trogon
  • Azure-hooded jay
  • Sulphur-winged parakeet
  • Speckled tanager
  • Elegant euphonia
  • Golden-olive woodpecker

3. Deep-sea Pelagic Birding

Head out on our fully-fitted boat for an adventurous day on the high seas, visiting the deserted Ladrones and Paridas islands and seeing the fascinating variety of migratory and endemic birds of the Gulf of Chiriquí. Bird species you might see include:

  • Blue-footed booby
  • White ibis
  • Galápagos shearwater
  • Wedge-tailed shearwater
  • Nazca booby
  • Wedge-rumped storm petrel.

Islas Secas Archipelago

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