LA AMISTAD PARK
PANAMA
LOCALE
| Area (ha): | 401,000 |
| # Species*: | 155 |
| # Excl Vagrants*: | 155 |
| # Endemics*: | 1 |
| # Near Endemics*: | 40 |
| Species/100 ha*: | 0.0 |
| *Based on partial or incomplete data. | |
| Habitat: Temperate deciduous forest | |
ABOUT THE BIRDING
La Amistad Heritage Park encompasses 207,000 hectares of mostly mountainous terrain in Chiriqui Province of western Panama. It protects the watersheds of the Teribe and Changuinola River basins. The park also protects a variety of near-endemic and specialty birds found only in western Panama and the highlands of neigboring Costa Rica.
The trails near the Cerro Punta entrance are wide but uphill, especially at the start. About a half-mile up the trail is a clearing with picnic shelter. Above the shelter the trail forks, with the left fork circling back around to the picnic place and the right fork going farther up the ridgeline. The trail above Guadalupe leads uphill via a staircase through the forest to the cabins owned by Los Quetzales Inn. This is a good area to relax and bird the area.
The biggest attraction is Resplendent Quetzal, which is usually present in the cabins area and sometimes seen above the Cerro Punta entrance. Other specialty birds found in the area include Black Guan, Chiriqui Quail-Dove, Prong-billed and Red-headed Barbets, Buffy Tuftedcheek, White-fronted Tyrannulet, Tufted Flycatcher, Barred Becard, Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher, Black-faced Solitaire, Flame-throated Warbler, Collared Redstart, Sooty-capped Chlorospingus, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, Yellow-thighed Finch, and Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch.
LOCATION OF SITE
La Amistad Heritage Park is situated in Chiriqui Province of western Panama. The park entrance at Cerro Punta is about 1 hour from the city of David. The park can also be accessed above Guadalupe from the cabins owned by Los Quetales Inn. This area is reached by 4-wheel-drive vehicle and then a staircase up the ridgeline through the forest from the parking area.