Manu Road Birding Tour

After an early morning departure from Cusco we’ll make our way towards Manu Road to access Wayqecha Biological Station. Since the drive is long and weaves through many habitats not found at the station we’ll stop frequently to see what birds we can spot. Our first stop will be Huacarpay Lake, south of Cusco, where we’ll look for highlights such as the Puna Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Many-colored Rush Tyrant, Wren-like Rushbird, Plumbeous Rail, Giant Hummingbird, Green-tailed Trainbearer, and the endemic Bearded Mountaineer. As the road takes us high over the mountains we’ll look for highland specialists such as the Taczanowski’s Ground-Tyrant, Peruvian Sierra-Finch, Slender-billed Miner, Creamycrested Spinetail, Mountain Caracara, and the endemic Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch.

We’ll have a relaxing lunch break in the mountains, where we can enjoy the view of the inter-Andean valley and the ecological gradient from the puna grassland to the elfin forest. As we move on into the stunted elfin forest we’ll look for Moustached Flowerpiercers, Shining Sunbeams, Tyrian Metaltails, Great Thrushes, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrants, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanagers, Puna Thistletails and White-throated Tyrannulets. We’ll arrive at Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Station and Birding Lodge, on the east slope of the Andes, late in the afternoon. Before the sun sets on our view of the Amazon basin we’ll look for some station residents such as the Masked Flowerpiercer, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, and the Rufous-capped Thornbill. 

Early in the morning we’ll head down the road to look for mixed flocks of birds like the Pearled Treerunner, Barred Becard, Mountain Wren, Citrine Warbler, White-browed Conebill, Black-capped Hemispingus, Hooded Mountain Tanager, Chestnut-bellied Mountain Tanager, and Black-faced brush Finch. Additionally, we’ll look for target birds such as Barred Fruiteaters, and Andean Pygmy Owls. In the patches of Chusquea Bamboo vegetation look for the Black-throated Tody Tyrant and the Azara´s Spinetail. This elevation also has hummingbirds such as the Chestnut-breasted Coronet and Violet-throated Starfrontlet, and as it warms up we may spot White-rumped Hawks and Golden-plumed Parakeets soaring overhead.

In the afternoon we will explore trails and visit the canopy walkway, which allows visitors to rise over 40 meters above the forest floor. Aside from the amazing views and fascinating insight into a hidden ecosystem, we’ll also look for birds up top such as the Mountain Cacique, Blue-and-black Tanager, and the Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher. Also keep your eyes peeled for Rufous Antpittas, Band-tailed Fruiteaters, Masked Trogons, Crimson-mantled Woodpeckers, Streak-throated Bush Tyrants, Tufted Tit-Tyrants, Andean Swallows, and Black-throated Flowerpiercers. As it gets dark on the way back to the station we will be on the lookout for the Rufous-bellied Nighthawk and the Swallow-tailed Nightjar.

Level of Difficulty: Moderate to difficult

In the early morning before breakfast, we’ll start birding the paths right around the station. At this high elevation we’ll look for species such as the Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Marcapata Spinetail, Red-crested Cotinga, Fulvous Wren, Golden-collared Tanager, White-collared Jay, Spectacled Redstart, Grass Green Tanager, Trilling Tapaculo and the endemic Red-and-white Antpitta.

After lunch we’ll leave Wayqecha for the Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge. At the lower cloud forest, we may encounter the Solitary Eagle, Inca Jay, Crested Quetzal, and Highland Motmot. Also look for mixed flocks with Montane Foliage-gleaners, Bluish Flowerpiercers, Saffron-crowned Tanagers, Yellowthroated Tanagers, Yungas Manakins, Slaty-capped Flycatchers, Threestriped Warblers, Tropical Parulas, and Blue-naped Chlorophonias among others. Continuing down the 1,500-meter elevation change of Manu Road we’ll look for Cinnamon Flycatchers, Andean Solitaires, Green Jays, Blue-banded Toucanets, Golden-headed and Versicolored Barbets, as well as Black-and-chestnut Eagles.

We will end the day at the Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge, checking the hummingbird feeders for Many-spotted Hummingbirds, Violet-fronted Brilliants, Speckled Hummingbirds, White-bellied Woodstars and the spectacular Booted Rackettails.

Level of difficulty: Moderate to difficult

We’ll start the day early by visiting an Andean Cock-of-the-Rock lek, as this will be a great opportunity for photos and observation of such a charming bird. After watching their unique display, we’ll bird along the road toward the lodge, which will be good for spotting Black-billed Treehunters, Slaty Gnateaters, Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulets, Marble-faced Bristle Tyrants, Slate-throated Redstarts, Variable Antshrikes, Longtailed Antbirds, Yellow-breasted Antwrens, Bolivian Tyrannulets, Gray-mantled Wrens, Yellow-throated BushTanagers, and Spotted Tanagers. We’ll return to the lodge for breakfast, where we can watch for Wedge-billed Hummingbirds, Wire-crested Thorntails, Buff-throated Saltators, and Golden-eared Tanagers at the feeder stations. After breakfast we’ll look for Amazonian Umbrellabirds, White-crowned Tapaculos, Two-banded Warblers, Dusky-green Oropendolas and Olivaceous Siskins in the vicinity of the forest.

Next on the agenda is to head further along Manu Road to Manu Biolodge Biological Station and Birding Lodge, where we will spend the night. Manu Biolodge is nearly one thousand meters lower than the lodge, so once again the drive down will give us excellent chances to spot new species. Keep your eyes peeled for White-eared Solitaires, Black-streaked Puffbirds, Lanceolated Monklets, Crimson-bellied Woodpeckers, Stripe-chested Antwrens, Lemon-browed Flycatchers, Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrants, as well as Beryl-spangled and Golden-naped Tanagers. As the road drops lower and lower we’ll emerge into more open areas and agricultural communities where we’ll look for King Vultures and Greater Yellow-headed Vultures, Roadside and Gray Hawks, Long-tail Tyrants, Social Flycatchers, Magpie Tanagers, Violaceous Jays, Chestnut-bellied Seedeaters, and hopefully endemic Black-backed Tody-Tyrants.

Level of difficulty: Moderate

The trails at Manu Biolodge are a combination of second-growth forest, local native Bamboo (Guadua), primary forest, and successional forest. Together these provide an incredible array of habitats for birds. Walking along the trails you may be able to see White-browed Antbirds, Plain-winged Antshrikes, Pygmy Antwrens, Gray Antwrens, Wedge-billed Woodcreepers, Rufous-capped Nunlets, and Chesnut-backed Antshrikes. Right around the station, we’ll be looking for species such as the Plain-crowned Spinetail.

Lesser Kiskadee, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Little Ground Tyrant, Crested Oropendola, and the Yellow-rumped Cacique. Around the fish pond and the marsh vegetation we’ll look for the Sunbittern, Blackish Rail, Purple Gallinule, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Uniform Crake, Amazon Kingfisher, and the Gray-necked Wood Rail.

We will also explore bamboo patches and try to pick up bamboo specialists such as the Bamboo Antshrike, Manu and Striated Antbird, Dusky-cheeked Foliage-gleaner, Rufous-capped Nunlet, White-cheeked TodyFlycatcher, Flammulated Pygmy-Tyrant, and the Large-headed Flatbill.

Level of difficulty: Moderate

In the morning, we’ll do some birding in the foothills of Manu Biolodge, looking for Blue-headed Macaws, Military Macaws, Bluish-fronted Jacamars, Chestnut-capped Puffbirds, and Finebarred Piculets.

In the afternoon, we’ll be looking up to the sky and in the trees to spot Black Hawk-eagles, Zone-tailed Hawks, White Hawks, White-collared Swifts, Fork-tailed Palm Swifts, White-winged Swallows, Orange-fronted Plushcrowns, Yellow-tufted Woodpeckers, White-lored Tyrannulets, and Band-tailed and Fiery-capped Manakins.

We’ll end with some night birding near the station to look for Tawny-bellied Screech-Owls, Tropical Screech Owls, Black-banded Owls, Common Potoos and Pauraques.

Level of difficulty: Moderate to difficult

In the morning we’ll explore the gardens once more hoping to pick up some hummingbirds we may have missed, such as Gould’s Jewelfronts, Pale-tailed Barbthroats, Fork-tailed Woodnymphs, Blue-tailed Emeralds, and Long-billed Starthroats. We’ll then begin to take the Manu Road back towards Cusco.

We’ll stop frequently to bird and enjoy the views. On our way back through the cloud forest we’ll look for Andean Guans and Scaly-naped Parrots, whereas in the inter-Andean valleys we’ll hope for Black-faced Ibises, Mountain Caracaras, Greenish Yellow-Finches and Rufous-webbed Bush-Tyrants. We’ll arrive in Cusco late in the afternoon.

Level of difficulty: Easy to moderate