White-whiskered Puffbird— Photo: Kevin Zimmer

From old geography books in grammar school we learned that Panama was a tiny strip of land connecting the two great continents of North and South America. What we probably weren't told was that some three to four million years ago (recent in geological time) this strip of land that we call Panama today didn't even exist. Instead, that space was occupied by a warm, shallow sea, and no land bridge connected North and South America. Gradually, over thousands of years, as continental plates shifted and continents realigned, a narrow strip of land emerged above sea level, joined two hemispheres together and, in the process, set in motion one of the greatest faunal and floral interchanges between two continents that planet Earth has ever known. South American birds spread north, and mammals from the north spread south. Today, a visit to Panama is like visiting a living laboratory of biological history. It is one of the best places in the New World to begin your tropical birding experience.

This is a back-to-the-basics trip, designed especially for those who have not previously visited a tropical region, as well as for those who have, but would like a trip that emphasizes identification skills and natural history. Based at a single location for the entire week, we plan to work on skills associated with recognizing families and genera of tropical birds, and to examine some of the fascinating natural history associated with tropical bird communities and how they are organized. With a little luck we may witness a mass-flowering tree with attendant nectar-feeding birds, or a fruiting tree, or perhaps even birds following an army ant swarm, and we'll discuss what these three big events mean to birds and plants, as well as to humans. And, if you ever wondered where all those little warblers, grosbeaks, and orioles in your backyard go in the winter, this will be a good chance to log some quality time with them in their "other" home.

This will not be a trip for long lists, but it will be a trip long on inquiry and learning. There will be plenty of spectacular tropical birds including trogons, toucans, motmots, puffbirds, manakins, antbirds, tanagers, honeycreepers, and plenty of look-alike flycatchers too. There also will be some evening lectures, and plenty of time for questions. Come join us for this exciting week as we explore the lives of tropical birds.

Top quality accommodations and food at Gamboa Rainforest Resort; single location throughout and excellent birding on hotel grounds; relaxed trip designed for skills, instruction, and learning rather than a long list of birds; easy access to high-quality habitat and excellent nearby sites in former Canal Zone including the famous Pipeline Road; climate warm and humid.