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Category: PANAMA
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SENDERO TUCANES, PALO SECO PROTECTION FOREST 
PANAMA

FORTUNA area (Compass)

Lat:00o00´S/00o00´W ha topography msl 
Protected/registered status 
Best Time for visit (26-27th February, 2005)

 

Birding Site Guide

This is an excellent area on the road from Chiriqui on the Pacific coast to Chiriqui Grande on the Carribean side. Chiriqui is about 14km East of David along the Interamericana. Turn left at the petrol station coming from David. The road is in good condition apparently thanks to the oil pipeline that runs along it. About 40km along is a hotel called Finca Suiza which has many trails leading from it (we did not go here). It was a little over our budget though so we did the day trip from David taking the bus towards Changuinola. These leave half-hourly starting at 4am. The ride takes an hour and a half and we took the 5am bus which got us there nice and early. After Finca Suiza the road goes further up and then down and accross the dam over the reservoir. About 8km after this there is a gravel road leading left from the crest of a hill. There is a large sign here reading 'Sendero Tucanes, Bosque Protector Palo Seco'. This road has excellent birding as do some of the trails leading from it. The Continental Divide Trail was especially good and we saw Black Guan and Orange-bellied Trogon among many others. This starts at the highest point along the gravel road. We heard Bare-necked Umbrellabirds and Three-wattled Bellbirds and saw Black Guans but did not manage to find the Blue-and-gold Tanager. I saw 83 species including 9 lifers. 


Species seen


Other Fauna 
A total of -- species of mammals. 

There are -- recorded species of amphibians and reptiles. 

Flora 

Author: Charles Hesse

 

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