Birding with Nils: Short Western Cuba Itinerary

Arrival in Havana and transfer to Viñales, visiting the Soroa Orchid Garden and surrounding areas along the route, an excellent starting point for the endemic species list including Cuban Trogon, Cuban Tody, Cuban Green Woodpecker, Scaly-naped Pigeon, White-crowned Pigeon, Western Spindalis, West Indian Woodpecker, Cuban Oriole, Tawny-shouldered Blackbird, Cuban Pewee, Yellow-headed Warbler, Western Red-legged Thrush (Rusty belly), Cuban Vireo, La Sagra’s Flycatcher, Loggerhead Kingbird, Giant Kingbird, among other migratory species. Lunch at a local restaurant.

Transfer to Viñales, approx. 1.5 hrs (2 nights). Visit to Nils’ home-studio, where he will present his original illustrations of Cuban birds and share exclusive details about his projects and his upcoming book Birds of Cuba, A Comprehensive Field Guide. Dinner on the terrace at sunset, in an intimate and specialized atmosphere, preparation of the “checklist”. Accommodation at B&B.

The Viñales National Park and Viñales Valley, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1999), represent one of the most spectacular landscapes in Cuba, surrounded by limestone mogotes and renowned for its tobacco-growing tradition.

Morning birding around the San Vicente Farm area to locate Scaly-naped Pigeon, Cuban Solitaire, Olive-capped Warbler, Cuban Vireo, Yellow-headed Warbler, Red-legged Honeycreeper.

Exploration of trails within Viñales National Park in search of: Cuban Trogon, Cuban Tody, Cuban Green Woodpecker, Cuban Grassquit, Scaly-naped Pigeon, Antillean Palm Swift, Western Spindalis, West Indian Woodpecker, Cuban Pygmy Owl, Cuban Oriole, Tawny-shouldered Blackbird, Cuban Pewee, Yellow-headed Warbler, Cuban Bullfinch, Cuban Vireo, Great Lizard Cuckoo, Eastern Meadowlark, in addition to Nearctic migrants (warblers, tanagers, emberizids).

In the afternoon, birding in the Mural de la Prehistoria area. Checklist review and dinner at an ecological restaurant with one of the best sunset views in the valley. Accommodation at B&B.

Early departure toward Playa Larga, Zapata Swamp (5+ hours), with strategic stops at wetlands along the highway to observe: King Rail / Cuban, Northern Jacana, Snail Kite, as well as different species of ducks, gulls, and shorebirds.

Visit to the Las Terrazas Biosphere Reserve, where excellent views of different Cuban endemics and migratory species of warblers and vireos can be obtained, with a special opportunity to search for “targets” such as Cuban Grassquit and Stygian Owl. Countryside lunch at the family ecofarm “El Rocío”, with the possibility of birding in the surrounding areas and exploring for Fernandina's Flicker and other Cuban and Caribbean endemics, as well as taking a tour around the farm and visiting the breeding area of the Cuban Stingless Bee and tasting its honey with remarkable healing properties.

Arrival at Playa Larga, in Bay of Pigs. The Zapata Swamp is the largest wetland in the insular Caribbean, a Biosphere Reserve and Ramsar Site, with more than 254 recorded species and considered the best birdwatching destination in the entire Cuban archipelago due to its high habitat diversity and concentration of endemic species.

Accommodation at B&B (3 nights). Checklist and dinner.

Exploration of marshes, mangroves, and open wetlands, where it is possible to observe: Cuban Black Hawk, American Flamingo, Roseate Spoonbill, White Ibis, Reddish Egret (red and white morph), American Wood Stork, Osprey, Clapper Rail, Black Skimmer, Yellow Warbler, and the charismatic white morph of the Great Blue Heron, among many other species of gulls, shorebirds, herons, and ducks.

Seafood lunch at the classic and picturesque restaurant “El Ticki”, located in front of the bay in Playa Larga with beautiful views.

In the afternoon, visit to the Casa Ana backyard, where we will be welcomed by our host Adrian, and it will be possible to observe up close the world’s smallest bird, the Bee Hummingbird, Cuban Emerald, Tawny-shouldered Blackbird, Cuban Crow, Cuban Pygmy Owl, and numerous migratory warblers, including Cape May Warbler and Black-throated Blue Warbler.

Then we will visit the “Jardín de Rocío”, located in the rural settlement Los Hondones, a true bird paradise where tranquility prevails, in direct contact with nature and the hospitality of hosts Julio “El Chino” and his wife Yona. Here it is possible to enjoy close encounters with: Blue-headed Quail-Dove, Zenaida Dove, Cuban Blackbird, Tawny-shouldered Blackbird, Shiny Cowbird, Bee Hummingbird, among other Cuban, regional, and migratory species.

Checklist and dinner. Accommodation at B&B.

Departure to La Turba, a sedge and herbaceous wetland habitat within the Ciénaga, where it is possible to find two of Cuba’s rarest and most restricted species: Zapata Wren and Zapata Sparrow, as well as the Red-shouldered Blackbird, along with other endemic and migratory species.

Visit to an ecological station where ex-situ conservation projects are being developed for threatened aquatic species such as the Cuban Gar and the Cuban Slider.

In the afternoon, exploration of the savannas of Soplillar in search of: Cuban Amazon and Cuban Parakeet. A nocturnal excursion will be conducted to observe: Bare-legged Owl, Cuban Nightjar, American Barn Owl, and Stygian Owl.

Checklist, dinner, and accommodation at B&B.

Breakfast and return to discover Havana in style (approx. 2 hours), traveling through the beautiful streets of the Cuban capital aboard an elegant classic American car from the 1950s.

After breakfast, the iconic American vintage cars will pick you up for a tour of Old Havana, making stops at the main points of interest. This will be followed by a guided walking tour of the five most important colonial squares, around which the city was founded and later expanded.

While walking through the narrow streets with your guide, you will immerse yourself in the colonial atmosphere and visit majestic buildings such as the Cathedral of San Cristóbal, the Fortaleza de La Cabaña, and the Castillo del Morro.

You will enjoy lunch and have the afternoon free, or alternatively you may dedicate it to birdwatching at Playa del Chivo (optional), the most recognized site in the city for observing shorebirds.

The day concludes with a farewell dinner at the restaurant “Guajirito”, an excellent place to enjoy Cuban music, where the Buena Vista Social Club band (Grammy winners) often performs.

Transfer to the airport.