Northern Peru: Marvelous Spatuletail, Long-whiskered Owlet and Feeder Birding
A 14-day northern Peru birding route linking Tarapoto, Moyobamba and Abra Patricia, with Marvelous Spatuletail, Long-whiskered Owlet and a network of productive community reserves and feeders.
About this tour
Travel from the eastern Andean foothills near Tarapoto to the cloud forests of Abra Patricia on a route rich in Peruvian endemics and feeder-based photography. Private reserves around Cordillera Escalera, Wakanki, Moyobamba and Rioja provide access to hummingbirds, manakins, crakes and a broad range of foothill birds.
Owlet Lodge is the base for several days in montane forest, including a night search for Long-whiskered Owlet. A dedicated visit to Huembo targets Marvelous Spatuletail, while Arena Blanca and Santa Elena add tinamous, wood-quail, wetland species and further regional specialities.
The scheduled Birding Ecotours programme includes accommodation, most meals, private transport, guiding, airport transfers, admission and the excursions described. Bird and mammal sightings remain dependent on current conditions.
Planning a wider trip? Read our birdwatching guide to Peru.
Birds you can spot
Calliphlox amethystina
target
Cranioleuca curtata
target
Cotinga maculata
target
Gymnopithys bicolor
target
Grallaria rufocinerea
target
Ramphomicron dorsale
target
Trochilus scitulus
target
Odontophorus leucolaemus
target
Donacobius atricapilla
target
Pittasoma michleri
target
Formicarius analis
target
Bathmocercus rufus
target
Xiphorhynchus lachrymosus
target
Heliodoxa schreibersii
target
Anthracothorax nigricollis
target
Hemitriccus granadensis
target
Aulacorhynchus atrogularis
target
Scytalopus latrans
target
Veniliornis sanguineus
target
Cotinga nattererii
target
Dacnis cayana
target
Claravis pretiosa
target
Riccordia bicolor
target
Chlorophonia cyanea
target
Heliodoxa rubricauda
target
Chalybura urochrysia
target
Chalcostigma heteropogon
target
Coeligena coeligena
target
Phylloscopus pulcher
target
Xiphorhynchus guttatus
target
Ramphastos vitellinus
target
Odontophorus hyperythrus
target
Boissonneaua matthewsii
target
Hemitriccus cinnamomeipectus
target
Xiphorhynchus susurrans
target
Ardea cocoi
target
Coeligena torquata
target
Grallaricula lineifrons
target
Cranioleuca subcristata
target
Campephilus melanoleucos
target
Pipra aureola
target
Colaptes rivolii
target
Silvicultrix frontalis
target
Melopyrrha nigra
target
Microrhopias quixensis
target
Euschistospiza cinereovinacea
target
Aratinga weddellii
target
Microdynamis parva
target
Heliodoxa rubinoides
target
Myiopagis gaimardii
target
Laterallus spilonota
target
Capito auratus
target
Selenidera reinwardtii
target
Chrysuronia oenone
target
Heliodoxa aurescens
target
Chlorophanes spiza
target
Trogon viridis
target
Nengetus cinereus
target
Brachypodius priocephalus
target
Campephilus gayaquilensis
target
Chlorophonia musica
target
Synallaxis kollari
target
Opisthocomus hoazin
target
Glaucis dohrnii
target
Chrysuronia humboldtii
target
Myiopagis cotta
target
Anthracothorax mango
target
Geothlypis formosa
target
Xiphorhynchus fuscus
target
Thamnophilus tenuepunctatus
target
Crypturellus soui
target
Veniliornis passerinus
target
Chaetocercus bombus
target
Scytalopus androstictus
target
Phaethornis longirostris
target
Heliomaster longirostris
target
Nasica longirostris
target
Aglaiocercus kingii
target
Xenoglaux loweryi
target
Ceblepyris cinereus
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Ochthoeca thoracica
target
Loddigesia mirabilis
target
Formicarius moniliger
target
Ara militaris
target
Grallaria alleni
target
Steatornis caripensis
target
Myiophobus cryptoxanthus
target
Icterus croconotus
target
Arremon aurantiirostris
target
Crypturellus transfasciatus
target
Megastictus margaritatus
target
Grallaria saltuensis
target
Phyllomyias fasciatus
target
Chlorophonia sclateri
target
Anthracothorax aurulentus
target
Discosura longicaudus
target
Grallaria erythroleuca
target
Malimbus coronatus
target
Geotrygon montana
target
Synallaxis unirufa
target
Epinecrophylla haematonota
target
Odontophorus speciosus
target
Rufirallus xenopterus
target
Urosticte ruficrissa
target
Atlapetes nationi
target
Synallaxis fuscorufa
target
Chrysuronia coeruleogularis
target
Veniliornis callonotus
target
Chamaeza turdina
target
Chrysuronia goudoti
target
Phylloscopus forresti
target
Synallaxis subpudica
target
Saltator grossus
target
Microchera albocoronata
target
Threnetes niger
target
Pogonotriccus eximius
target
Cotinga cayana
target
Colibri coruscans
target
Laterallus notatus
target
Campephilus splendens
target
Spiziapteryx circumcincta
target
Premnoplex brunnescens
target
Pardirallus maculatus
target
Cranioleuca hellmayri
target
Pseudocolaptes boissonneautii
target
Xiphorhynchus obsoletus
target
Mecocerculus minor
target
Grallaria chthonia
target
Amaurolimnas concolor
target
Thamnophilus caerulescens
target
Tachyspiza hiogaster
target
Aglaiocercus berlepschi
target
Atlapetes terborghi
target
Ramosomyia violiceps
target
Heliodoxa leadbeateri
target
Mecocerculus stictopterus
target
Chaetocercus mulsant
target
Gymnopithys leucaspis
target
Pseudopipra pipra
target
Florisuga mellivora
target
Pithys albifrons
target
Leucoptilon concretum
target
Zentrygon frenata
target
Megascops albogularis
target
Discosura popelairii
target
Atlapetes tibialis
target
Pachyglossa chrysorrhea
target
Phyllomyias weedeni
target
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrival in Tarapoto
The northern Peru journey begins in Tarapoto. Meet the tour leader at Guillermo del Castillo Airport, then transfer to the hotel and settle in.
Day 2
Cordillera Escalera
Explore the Aconavit reserve and nearby foothill habitat for Cliff Flycatcher, Military Macaw and mixed flocks. A hummingbird station offers chances for Koepcke's Hermit, Gould's Jewelfront and other eastern-slope species.
Day 3
Tarapoto to Moyobamba
Use the morning around Tarapoto before travelling toward Moyobamba, with an Oilbird stop en route. Afternoon feeder birding at Wakanki focuses on coquettes, woodstars, emeralds and other hummingbirds.
Day 4
Morro de Calzada and Rioja wetlands
Visit a reserve where Rufous-sided Crake and Golden-collared Toucanet are possible, then work rice fields and wetlands for donacobius, seed-finches, herons and other open-country birds.
Day 5
Moyobamba to Abra Patricia
Make a final Moyobamba search for local forest birds, then stop at feeder sites while climbing toward Abra Patricia. Continue to Owlet Lodge for the first montane-forest session.
Day 6
Abra Patricia and Owlet Lodge (days 6-10)
Spend several days on lodge trails and nearby forest sectors for Yellow-scarfed Tanager, Lulu's Tody-Flycatcher, antpittas, tapaculos and mixed flocks. Evening work includes a dedicated search for Long-whiskered Owlet, while feeders support close hummingbird views.
Day 11
Marvelous Spatuletail at Huembo
Visit Huembo's feeders for the endemic Marvelous Spatuletail and associated hummingbirds. Nearby forest and scrub may add Black-throated Toucanet, tapaculos, wrens and foliage-gleaners.
Day 12
Arena Blanca and Moyobamba
Begin before dawn at Arena Blanca for tinamous, Rufous-breasted Wood Quail and feeder hummingbirds including Wire-crested Thorntail. Continue to Moyobamba after birding the reserve.
Day 13
Santa Elena wetlands and Tarapoto
Explore Rio Negro and Santa Elena for Sungrebe, kingfishers, antbirds and wetland wildlife. Return to Tarapoto for the final night.
Day 14
Departure
After breakfast, transfer to Tarapoto Airport for the onward journey. Domestic and international flights, and meals later in the day, are not included.
Locations & map
- Tarapoto - Peru
Availability & pricing
Availability is confirmed after your inquiry.
Included
- Airport transfers
- Hotel and lodge accommodation
- Private tour leader
- Private vehicle throughout
- Admission fees
- Meals except where stated
- Drinking water in the field
- Excursions described in the itinerary
- Tipping
Not included
- Flights
- Airline excess-baggage fees
- Personal expenses and alcoholic drinks
- Meals on day 14 other than breakfast
- Activities outside the itinerary
- Health and trip-cancellation insurance
Send inquiry
Ask about this tour before booking. Your preferred date is optional and availability will be confirmed after your inquiry.