Peru Bird Checklists

Between them these 5 lists cover more than 262 species and 6 Peruvian endemics — the full sweep of central-coast birdlife within a day trip of the capital. Looking for where to see a particular bird near Lima? The fog-oasis of Lomas de Lachayholds four coastal endemics — Coastal Miner, Thick-billed Miner, Cactus Canastero and Raimondi's Yellow-Finch — with Least Seedsnipe and Tawny-throated Dotterel on the desert flats. The wetlands of Pantanos de Villa and the Humedales de Ventanilla are the place for marsh specialists like the coastal Black Rail, Many-colored Rush Tyrant, Wren-like Rushbird, Least Bittern and Plumbeous Rail, alongside Chilean Flamingo, grebes and a long roll of migratory shorebirds. On the coast at Pucusana the Humboldt Current delivers Inca Tern, Peruvian Booby, Guanay and Red-legged Cormorants, Peruvian Pelican, the endemic Surf Cinclodes and even Humboldt Penguin, while the desert scrub of the Azpitia Valley adds doves, Amazilia and Oasis Hummingbirds, Long-tailed Mockingbird and dry-country seedeaters.

High above Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas is one of the great birding landscapes of southern Peru, and our day tour threads three of its habitats. Between them these 3 lists hold close to 499 species and 12 Peruvian endemics. The cloud-forest hummingbird sanctuary above Yanahuara— the ‘Ensifera’ camp — is named for the Sword-billed Hummingbird, the only bird on earth with a bill longer than its body, and its feeders draw the endemic Bearded Mountaineer, White-tufted Sunbeam and Green-and-white Hummingbird, with Undulated Antpitta and Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch at the forest edge. On the valley floor the Río Vilcanota at Pachar and Ollantaytambo holds Torrent Duck and Torrent Tyrannulet in the rapids, with the endemic Inca Wren, Cuzco Brushfinch, Creamy-crested and Marcapata Spinetails in the gardens, scrub and Inca ruins. And the highland lake of Piuray above Chinchero fills with Andean Goose, Puna Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Slate-colored Coot and Chilean Flamingo, with Puna Ibis and Andean Flicker on the surrounding puna.