Day 1: Travel to Bellavista
We shall travel to Bellavista after with stop at the dry scrub of Quebrada Upaquihua to check for birds as Huallaga Slaty Antshrike, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Planalto Hermit, Rufous Casiornis, Mishana Tyrannulet, Comb Duck, Stripe-chested Antwren and others. Night in Bellavista Hotel Monteverde.
Day 2-3: Scarlet Banded Barbet camp
It takes about four hours by 4WD to get to the village which will serve as our base camp. On the way we shall look for Napo Sabrewing and Blackish Pewee which has been seen along the road.
While Scarlet-banded Barbet and Cordillera Azul Antbird are our main targets many other birds will also be searched for. These include Chestnut-tipped Toucanet, Scaled, Fiery-throated and Scarlet-breasted Fruiteaters, the foothill form of Long-tailed Woodcreeper which is soon to be described as a new species, Grey-tailed Piha, Rose-fronted Parakeet, Foothill and Slaty Antwren, Rufous-breasted Antthrush. Scaled Antpitta, Foothill Schiffornis, Short-tailed Antthrush, Ash-browed and Chestnut-throated Spinetails, Yellow-throated Spadebill, Yellow-cheeked Becard, Andean Lanisoma, Roraiman Flycatcher and Jet, Yungas and Blue-rumped Manakin, Grey-mantled Wren, and many tanagers such as Blue-browed, Golden-eared and Straw-backed Tanagers.
The local form of White-crowned Tapaculo also needs some attention as this complex surely includes more than one species based on the difference in the songs. At night we can search for Vermiculated Screech-Owl, Subtropical Pygmy-Owl (rare) and Band-bellied Owl.
Day 4: Drive back to Tarapoto
Additional birding in the morning, until early afternoon if necessary. On the way down we’ll make stops to look for birds we may have missed. We drive to Tarapoto, and if time permits we shall stop at ricefields to look for Spotted and Blackish Rail, and nearby search the localized Planalto Hermit.
We may take a late evening flight back to Lima or stay overnight in Tarapoto to continue to explore more of northern Peru.
