Birding in Peru: Birdwatching around Lima

Located in one of the driest deserts in the world, the Lomas de Lachay Reserve has a truly unique ecosystem whose principal source of moisture is fog from the ocean. The reserve supports ever drought conditions in summer (December to May) and enjoy the moisture from heavy fog in the winter (June to November). The humid conditions during the wet season allows the extraordinary growth of seasonal vegetation and even small patches of forest in the area. Four endemic birds can be found in this reserve, Coastal Miner, Thick-billed Miner, Raimondi’sYellow-finch and Cactus Canastero. Among others species that can be seeing here are Least Seedsnipe, Mountain Parakeets, and some hummingbirds like Oasis Hummingbird, Peruvian Sheartail and Purple-collared Woodstar usually very active in the flowering plants.

This is one of the most popular tours for birders that have a spare day in Lima. A full-day tour that combines water birds at the Villa Marshes Reserve near Lima and seabirds at the Pucusana fishing village. Plus, some birding at the Lurin river on the way back to the city. You can expect to see between 60 to 80 species on this day depending on the season including specialties like Peruvian Thick-knee, the endemic Surf Cinclodes and Humboldt Penguins.

The Santa Eulalia road goes up from the coast to the west slope of the Andes. It covers a wide range of habitats at different altitudes, including arid montane scrubs, riparian thickets, streams and agricultural fields. Some of the endemic species that can be seen during this tour includes Black-necked Woodpecker, Black Metaltail, Bronze-tailed Comet, Rusty-crowned Tit-spinetail, Rusty-bellied Brush-finch and Great Inca-finch.

The Humboldt Current is one of the major upwelling systems of the world, supporting an extraordinary abundance of marine life. The result is the great biodiversity that we can find including all the Peruvian Current endemic seabirds species and other migratory marine birds.

Species that we might see before reaching the 15 miles are: Peruvian Diving-petrel, Wilson’s Storm-petrel, White-bellied Storm-petrel, Sooty Shearwater, Pink-footed Shearwater, Sabine´s Gull, Swallow-tailed Gull, Chilean Skua, Parasitic Jaeger, Red-necked, Red Phalarope and Waved Albatross. Upon reaching the 15 miles we stop to chum, with luck we can observe, Hornby’s Storm-petrel, Markham’s Storm-petrel, Wedge-rumped Storm-petrelamong others.

The Paracas National Reserve is located 250 km (155 miles) south of Lima, and is easily accessible via the Panamerican Highway. The reserve stretches over 335,000 hectares. Paracas is one of two protected areas that preserves Peru’s coastal marine ecosystems.

Thanks to the Humboldt Current, a deep upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water sweeping northward along the Peruvian coast, the reserve support an abundant and varied population of sea and bird life. Paracas National Reserve is known as one of the most biologically productive marine areas in the world, serving as a breeding ground for fishes, marine mammals and birds. Paracas is home of many endangered and threatened species like the South American Fur Seal, Green and Leatherback Sea Turtles and the elusive Marine Otter.

The trip take a small transect of the Peru’s Northern Tourist Corridor from the Pacific coast to the jungle lowlands in Tarapoto city. The beauty of this trip is the combination of incredible landscapes, different habitats and the opportunity to see and enjoy a great diversity of wildlife and endemisms.

On 11 days along this route you can observe around 300 – 400 species, Including the threatened White-winged Guan in Lambayeque, and endangered Marvelous Spatuletail in Amazonas; all of which can only be found in northern Peru. Others specialties and endemics species includes: Peruvian Plantcutter, Rufous Flycatcher, Henna-hooded Foliage- Gleaner, Ecuadorian Piculet, Little Inca Finch, Marañon Crescentchest, Royal Sunangel, Long Whiskered Owlet, Rufous-Crested Coquette and Black-throated Hermit, Oilbirds, Dotted Tanager, Koepcke’s Hermit among others.