Puerto Rican Tody— Photo: David Ascanio

A short trip in the Greater Antilles offering up to 15 endemic species, mixed with many Caribbean specialties. Good chance of seeing most of these species and two quail-doves in habitats easy to visit.

Enhancing our exciting and adventurous trip to the Dominican Republic, our trip to Puerto Rico focuses on the southwest part of the island where we will look for the widespread Puerto Rican Tody and Puerto Rican Bullfinch, as well as more difficult-to-see birds including Elfin-woods Warbler, Puerto Rican Screech-Owl, and Puerto Rican Nightjar. Other more widespread species include Loggerhead Kingbird, Black-faced Grassquit, and Caribbean Elaenia.

Our tour begins in the Maricao highlands, home of the relatively recently discovered Elfin-woods Warbler. Two mornings will be devoted to finding the warbler and other endemics such as the Puerto Rican Screech-Owl and the Puerto Rican Spindalis. We will continue to another protected area at a lower elevation, the Susua Forest. This is probably the best site in the Antilles for two species of quail-dove and Adelaide's Warbler. An evening or predawn outing in the Maricao Forest will take us to areas where the Puerto Rican Nightjar occurs.

Good accommodations; excellent food; travel by vehicle or van; great roads with birding sites near lodges and hotels; short walks; neither long nor steep trails; one night outing; midday breaks; warm and humid weather, one area higher and cooler.