Tour Highlights:

• Search for all 19 Puerto Rican endemic bird species, including three endangered species: Puerto Rican Amazon, Elfin-woods Warbler, and Puerto Rican Nightjar! An additional 30+ bird species or subspecies that are more general Caribbean endemics are possible too!

• Explore Puerto Rico’s varied habitats - from stunning karst hills, foggy cloud forests, lowland dry forests, mangroves thickets, coastal lagoons, and seaside cliffs!

• This tour is led by local guide, Gabriel Lugo, who maximizes your opportunities to see the island’s endemic birds and other Caribbean specialties on his home turf!

• Optional evening boat trip to the world-famous La Parguera Bioluminescent Bay; one of the Caribbean’s most spectacular natural phenomena! 

Brief Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrivals to Luis Muñoz Marín Int. Airport (SJU), San Juan, Puerto Rico. Transfer to hotel and dinner with Gabriel and the group. Night at Hampton Inn & Suites, Isla Verde/San Juan.

Day 2: Northern Karst Region - Río Abajo & Cambalache Forests. Night at Hyatt Place, Manatí.

Day 3: Puerto Rican Amazon, Northwestern Coast & Puerto Rican Nightjar. Night at Turtle Bay Inn, Lajas.

Day 4: Maricao State Forest & Southwestern Endemics. Night at Turtle Bay Inn, Lajas.

Day 5: Cartagena Lagoon, Plain Pigeon & Central Mountains. Night at Four Points by Sheraton, Caguas.

Day 6: Morning birding and airport departures from Luis Muñoz Marín Int. Airport (SJU), San Juan.

Tour Description:

Puerto Rico offers one of the finest birding experiences in the Caribbean, combining outstanding endemic bird diversity with breathtaking scenery, rich culture, and excellent infrastructure. This exciting 6-day/5-night tour visits the island’s premier birding locations in search of all 19 Puerto Rican endemic bird species in addition to a substantial list of other Caribbean specialties! Many other North American species migrate through or winter on the island as well, including shorebirds, warblers, and waterbirds! 

Led by local guide and Caribbean specialist, Gabriel Lugo, we will visit a wide range of habitats, from the dramatic cliffs and coastal wetlands of the north coast to the limestone karst hills and forests of the northwest, the dry lowland forests and salt flats of the southwest, and the lush montane forests of the central highlands - some of which are true cloud forests! Many of Puerto Rico’s endemic birds are threatened or endangered, including the iconic Puerto Rican Amazon and the highly localized Puerto Rican Nightjar. Other highly-anticipated species include the Puerto Rican Tody and Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo! Along the way, we will enjoy Puerto Rico’s welcoming culture, excellent cuisine, beautiful landscapes, and tropical weather! 

Number of times run: 30+

Average species total: 100

Tour Combinations: 
If you are interested in birding more of the Caribbean Islands, note that some Dominican Republic departures may be combined with our other tours, including the following. Guests combining two Caribbean tours receive one complimentary hotel night between trips. Please contact us for more details!

• Dominican Republic

• Jamaica

Arrive in San Juan at any time today - Luis Muñoz Marín Int. Airport (SJU), San Juan. 

Upon arrival, please call/text Gabriel Lugo so that he knows you have arrived as planned. Use the taxis right outside baggage claim to transfer to the Hampton Inn & Suites, Isla Verde/San Juan, conveniently located just minutes from the airport. Rooms will be ready in your name. Once everyone has arrived, you can meet Gabriel and the rest of the group for dinner at the hotel restaurant where we can go over the plan for the days ahead! 

Today we will explore Puerto Rico’s spectacular Northern Karst Region, one of the island’s most important biodiversity hotspots! Characterized by rugged limestone formations, sinkholes, caves, and the iconic “mogotes” (haystack hills). This region contains the most extensive native forest cover remaining on the island!

The Northern Karst supports more than 1,300 species of plants and animals and provides critical habitat for many endemic, threatened, and migratory species. It is also considered one of the most important areas for the recovery of the endangered Puerto Rican Amazon. Birding in this region will focus on Río Abajo State Forest, Cambalache State Forest, and other nearby sites in search of Puerto Rican endemics and Caribbean specialties. After dark we can try for the shy Puerto Rican Owl!

Target Endemics:

Puerto Rican Amazon, Puerto Rican Vireo, Puerto Rican Tody, Puerto Rican Woodpecker, Puerto Rican Flycatcher, Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo, Puerto Rican Spindalis, Puerto Rican Bullfinch, Puerto Rican Oriole, Puerto Rican Emerald, Green Mango, Puerto Rican Euphonia, Adelaide’s Warbler, and Puerto Rican Owl.

Additional Species Possible:
Gray Kingbird, Loggerhead Kingbird, Lesser Antillean Pewee, Black-whiskered Vireo, Mangrove Cuckoo, White-tailed Tropicbird, White-cheeked Pintail, “Caribbean” Red-tailed Hawk, West Indian Whistling-Duck, White-crowned Pigeon, Scaly-naped Pigeon, African Collared-Dove, Zenaida Dove, Key West Quail-Dove, Ruddy Quail-Dove, Smooth-billed Ani, Grasshopper Sparrow, Least Grebe, Caribbean Martin, “Caribbean” Cave Swallow, Shiny Cowbird, Greater Antillean Grackle, Yellow-faced Grassquit, Black-faced Grassquit, Pearly-eyed Thrasher, and Eastern Red-legged Thrush.

A variety of introduced exotic species are now established in the wilds of Puerto Rico, including Northern Red Bishop, Indian Silverbill, Scaly-breasted Munia, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Pin-tailed Whydah, House Sparrow, Saffron Finch, and various exotic parrots and parakeets!

This morning we return to Río Abajo State Forest, home to Puerto Rico’s most successful reintroduced population of the critically endangered Puerto Rican Amazon. Once extirpated from the region, the parrot was reintroduced in 2006 and has since established a thriving wild population! The endangered Caribbean subspecies of Broad-winged Hawk can also be found in this area!

Following our morning birding at Rio Abajo, we will visit private hummingbird feeders to relax in the shade while watching for Puerto Rico’s three endemic hummingbirds - Puerto Rican Emerald, Puerto Rican Mango, and Green Mango! Bananaquits and other “backyard” birds should make appearances too! 

Later, we travel west and south toward Puerto Rico’s subtropical dry forest region - one of the island’s premier birding areas. At dusk we will search for one of Puerto Rico’s most sought-after endemics, the Puerto Rican Nightjar! 

Guests may also choose to join an evening boat excursion to La Parguera’s famous Bioluminescent Bay, where microscopic dinoflagellates illuminate the water with a remarkable blue-green glow when disturbed! This is a fun, quick trip to a special area!

Today we will explore the cool, montane forests of Maricao State Forest! This area is one of the most unique birding sites in Puerto Rico! Our primary targets here include the endemic Elfin-woods Warbler, Puerto Rican Tanager, and Puerto Rican Euphonia, along with numerous other island specialties. The Elfin-woods Warbler is one of the Caribbean’s most celebrated bird discoveries, formally described in 1972 and found only in Puerto Rico’s montane cloud forests. The Puerto Rican Tanager is a very unique songbird, and the only member of its Genus! If we are very lucky, maybe a “Puerto Rican” Sharp-shinned Hawk or “Caribbean” Black Swift will soar overhead!

During the afternoon we will continue birding the dry, lowland forests and savannahs of the southwest, searching for the endangered Yellow-shouldered Blackbird, Caribbean Elaenia, Venezuela Troupial, and any remaining target species! At Cabo Rogo Salt Flats we can expect some shorebird diversity! The vast salt flats and the dense mangrove thickets around their perimeter are important habitats for many species! We might see (or at least hear) “Caribbean” Clapper Rail, Wilson’s Plover, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Ruddy Turnstone, and a variety of wintering warblers are possible! Mangrove Yellow Warbler can also be found! Sandwich Tern, Royal Tern, Magnificent Frigatebird, and Brown Pelican are regular along the immediate coastline!

This morning we plan to visit Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge, one of Puerto Rico’s most important wetland ecosystems. The refuge combines freshwater wetlands, dry forest, and coastal habitats to provide excellent opportunities for a variety of resident and migratory birds. Targets here include Yellow-breasted Crake, Masked Duck, and other wetland specialties before we continue into the central mountains in search of the endangered Plain Pigeon. Afternoon stops along our route eastward may be made for any remaining target species, including two more hummingbird species: Antillean Crested Hummingbird and Green-throated Carib!

We can spend a few hours in the morning to track down any remaining target species, and then will transfer participants to the airport around 12pm/noon. Please plan afternoon flights accordingly. 

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• Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo

• Puerto Rican Nightjar

• Puerto Rican Mango

• Green Mango

• Puerto Rican Emerald

• Puerto Rican Owl

• Puerto Rican Tody

• Puerto Rican Woodpecker

• Puerto Rican Amazon

• Puerto Rican Flycatcher

• Puerto Rican Vireo

• Puerto Rican Euphonia

• Puerto Rican Tanager

• Puerto Rican Spindalis

• Puerto Rican Oriole

• Yellow-shouldered Blackbird

• Elfin-woods Warbler

• Adelaide’s Warbler

• Puerto Rican Bullfinch

• Trails & Walking: We will walk a few miles per day on mostly flat, well-maintained paths, wide dirt tracks, boardwalks, sandy beaches, and other reasonable paths with minimal tripping hazards.

• Pace: Leisurely, but with frequent stops. Daily field time 8+ hours. Easy access right to the birding spots. Plenty of time to stop and enjoy the birds, with helpful tips from our expert guide(s)! Good photo opportunities!

• Elevation: Sea level to 3,000ft.

• Weather: Puerto Rico’s tropical climate provides excellent conditions for birding and wildlife observation year-round. Temperatures are generally warm, with coastal areas hotter and mountain forests noticeably cooler. Morning hours offer the most comfortable temperatures and the best wildlife activity. Be prepared for sun, humidity, and occasional brief rain showers. The temperature range is generally 75-90F (24-32C) year-round in Puerto Rico. Please check the weather forecast ahead of travel, and consult with your guide(s).

• Logistics: Some portions of each day may be optional, but please review the itinerary carefully and consult with your guide(s).

• Vehicle Seating: We typically use a mini-van or large passenger van for this tour, but we try to limit the number of guides + birders to 8 total people per vehicle. There are no drives longer than 2 hours during the course of this tour. We make frequent bathroom breaks too!