I think maybe the most passionate wildlife lovers I have met have been birders. Monkey lovers may give them a run for their love of animals so thankfully here in Panama we can satiate animal lovers of many kinds. With 1,000+ species of birds here, Panama is an ideal location for ornithophiles.
We recently had a fabulous group of conservationists from the UK who we fell in love with because of their sheer enthusiasm to be immersed in the jungle and surrounding nature. True to form for bird lovers, their smiles stretched from ear to ear as they were immediately greeted by our local Toucans, Flycatchers, Parakeets, Manakins and so many more. In fact, in just a few days they were able to identify almost 40 species of birds just walking the biodiversity trail of our property!
That number continued to grow after their visit to the Cerro Hoyas National Park when they saw the Great Green Macaws, Kingfishers, Puff birds, and White hawks. We even sometimes spot King Vultures or Scarlet Macaws as we get a bit higher in elevations.
The Toucan is quite a sight to see and, like the monkeys, they are always awe inspiring. Did you know their beaks are their temperature regulating system which helps them to adapt to the heat of the tropics? Their beak is full of blood vessels where they send their hot blood to cool through the thinner outer shell of their beak when hot and vice versa when they are cooler.
Toucans mate for life so where you see one, you'll usually see two. Rather than being an altitude seeking bird of flight, they generally use the trees to hop up too and then soar across to where they want to go.
Another sweet and colorful bird our guests love to see is the Lance-tailed Manakin. The males are predominantly black with the blue back and red cap. They have a fun dance to attract green colored females who also have orange legs. They are easily spotted in the jungle alongside the hotel where they live all year and grace us with their calls.
The Bare-throated Tiger Heron calls the mangrove and beach his domain. This dramatically beautiful, large and commanding presence of a bird is commonly seen and heard here as he hunts for crabs, fish, frogs, and I've even seen them grab small iguana as they hatch from the safety of their nest.
When the male and female are courting each other, they will throw the head up and down while letting out a loud, low guttural growly sound at each other. The males and females look the same with their easily identifiable golden throat plumage. This is one of my favorite birds of our area for their dramatic presence and because they are easy to watch from our dining area as they dine along the waters edge below.
It's easy to become a bird lover while living in Panama. On our property, as a result of the reforestation and planting of flowers, fruits, and plants that attract birds, butterflies, insects, and other animals, we are constantly seeing new species every year - evidence of how quickly nature can rebound with a little help.
We would love for you to come spend some time on your private terrace sipping a delicious cup of organic coffee in the morning while the jungle wakes around you to see how many birds you can identify during your stay.
Your Friends in Morrillo,
Cari and Ryan Mackey
Owners and Hosts
Morrillo Beach Eco Resort
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