Agami Herons by Gary Crowder.
WESTERN VENEZUELA
- One of the world's top bird spectacles, in the wetlands of the Llanos where the numerous waterbirds include Scarlet Ibis, Agami Heron and Sunbittern, and the landbirds include Scarlet Macaw, Yellow-knobbed Curassow and Rufous-tailed Jacamar
- And, in the same place, there are Capybaras and a chance of seeing Giant Anteater, Southern Tamandua, Brazilian Tapir, Pink River Dolphin and Anaconda
- Elsewhere, along the coast and in the mountain forests, one of the best selections of the world's most spectacular birds also includes American Flamingo, Magnificent Frigatebird, Red-and-green Macaw, Black-mandibled and Channel-billed Toucans, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Bearded Helmetcrest, three quetzals, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock and Wire-tailed Manakin
- And the mammals include Three-toed Sloth, Red Howler Monkey and Grey River Dolphin
- If time allows it may be worth also visiting the lowland forests of Junglaven in southern Venezuela where Giant Otter and Pink River Dolphin occur, as well as many birds including Scarlet and Red-and-green Macaws, Grey-winged Trumpeter, Agami Heron, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Yellow-crested Manakin and White-browed Purpletuft. There is even a chance of the rarely seen Rufous-winged Ground Cuckoo.
- Another alternative if more time is available is Eastern Venezuela, the most reliable place in the world for Harpy Eagle, and where other spectacular birds include Scarlet Ibis, Red-and-green Macaw, Oilbird, hummingbirds such as Crimson and Ruby Topazes, White-plumed Antbird, and many cotingas including Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock, Capuchinbird, Purple-breasted and Pompadour Cotingas, Bearded and White Bellbirds, and Handsome and Red-banded Fruiteaters.
- Coastal Range
- Colonia Tovar A chance of Three-toed Sloth, Slate-crowned Antpitta, Golden-breasted Fruiteater and Plushcap.
- Henri Pittier NP Red Howler Monkey, Magnificent Frigatebird, White-tipped Quetzal, Long-tailed Sylph, Golden-breasted (Choroni Road) and Handsome (Rancho Grande) Fruiteaters, and Lance-tailed and Wire-tailed Manakins. Also a chance of Three-toed Sloth.
- Northwest
- Cuare FR and Morrocoy NP Scarlet Ibis, American Flamingo and Reddish Egret.
- Cerro La Mision Red-and-green and Chestnut-fronted Macaws. Also a chance of Horned Screamer.
- Coro Vermilion Cardinal.
- Sanare Tocuyo Sparrow. Also a chance of Rosy Thrush Tanager.
- Yacambu NP Rusty-flanked Crake, Rufous-shafted Woodstar, Golden-winged Manakin and Red-ruffed Fruitcrow.
- Andes
- La Azulita Road Crested Quetzal, Booted Racket-tail, Long-tailed Sylph, Golden-breasted Fruiteater and Grey-throated Warbler.
- Cienagas de Catatumbo NP/Lake Maracaibo Grey River Dolphin, Red Howler Monkey, Horned and Northern Screamers, Slender-billed and Snail Kites, and Chestnut-fronted Macaw.
- Northern Tachira Sword-billed Hummingbird, Ocellated Tapaculo and Slaty-backed Hemispingus.
- Pico Humboldt/Sierra Nevada NP Golden-headed Quetzal and Golden-breasted Fruiteater. Also a chance of Slate-crowned Antpitta, Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia and Plushcap.
- Pico Aguila Bearded Helmetcrest and Ochre-browed Thistletail.
- Santo Domingo Valley Crested Quetzal, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Torrent Duck and Pale-headed Jacamar. Also a chance of Ocellated Tapaculo.
- Llanos (including Hato El Cedral and Hato Pinero) Scarlet Ibis, Agami Heron, Sunbittern, Scarlet Macaw, Yellow-knobbed Curassow, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Boat-billed Heron, Buff-necked Ibis, Jabiru, Aplomado Falcon, Grey-necked Wood Rail, Double-striped Thick-knee, Pied Plover, Large-billed Tern, Black Skimmer, Hoatzin, Common and Great Potoos, all five South American kingfishers, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Capybara and Spectacled Caiman. Also a chance of Giant Anteater, Southern Tamandua, (Green) Anaconda, Pink River Dolphin, Ocelot, Brazilian Tapir, Red Howler Monkey, Vampire Bat, Orinoco Crocodile, Zigzag Heron (Hato El Cedral), Sungrebe and Nacunda Nighthawk.
- The best website for trip reports is Travelling Birder
- but these are also worth a look
- Birdtours
- Fatbirder
- Jon Hornbuckle
- Mammal Watching
- Amazilia Tours
- Discover the rich neotropical and afrotropical avifaunas, and the Caribbean endemics, joining one of the Amazilia Tours birding trips. Small groups, custom tours, expert guides, optimized logistics.
- Birdquest
- Field Guides
- Naturetrek
- Reef and Rainforest
- Sunbird
- Victor Emanuel Nature Tours
- Wings
Best Wildlife in Western Venezuela
Mammals
(Brown-throated) Three-toed Sloth, Capybara, Red Howler and Wedge-capped
Capuchin Monkeys, and Grey River Dolphin. Also a chance of Giant Anteater, Southern Tamandua, Pink River
Dolphin, Ocelot, Brazilian Tapir and Vampire Bat.
Giant Anteater by Jon Hornbuckle.
Birds
Scarlet Ibis, Agami Heron, Sunbittern, Scarlet and Red-and-green Macaws,
American Flamingo, Magnificent Frigatebird, Yellow-knobbed Curassow, Black-mandibled and Channel-billed Toucans,
Sword-billed Hummingbird, Bearded Helmetcrest, Crested, Golden-headed and White-tipped Quetzals, Rufous-tailed
Jacamar, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Wire-tailed Manakin, some of the 40 or so endemics including Groove-billed
Toucanet, Handsome Fruiteater and Slaty-backed Hemispingus, as well as Horned and Northern Screamers, Torrent
Duck, Brown Pelican, Anhinga, Capped and Boat-billed Herons, Fasciated and Rufescent Tiger Herons, Reddish Egret,
Pinnated Bittern, Buff-necked Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Jabiru, King Vulture, American Swallow-tailed and Snail
Kites, White Hawk, Aplomado Falcon, Grey-necked Wood Rail, Limpkin, Double-striped Thick-knee, Pied Plover,
Black-necked Stilt, Wattled Jacana, Large-billed Tern, Black Skimmer, pigeons and doves, parrots, Hoatzin,
Squirrel Cuckoo, Burrowing Owl, Common and Great Potoos, hummingbirds such as Booted Racket-tail, Long-tailed
Sylph and Collared Inca, trogons, all five South American kingfishers, puffbirds, Red-headed Barbet, Andean
(Emerald) Toucanet, Collared and Many-banded Aracaris, woodpeckers, spinetails, Pearled Treerunner, Streaked
Tuftedcheek, woodcreepers, antbirds, antpittas, Ocellated Tapaculo, many flycatchers including Cliff, Vermilion
and Fork-tailed, Golden-breasted Fruiteater, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Golden-winged and Lance-tailed Manakins, White-capped Dipper,
Black-capped Donacobius, Tropical Parula, wintering warblers such as Blackburnian, Cerulean and Prothonotary,
many tanagers, Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia, honeycreepers, Plushcap, flowerpiercers, brush finches, Vermilion
Cardinal, Oriole Blackbird and Venezuelan Troupial. Also a chance of Sungrebe, Nacunda Nighthawk and Rosy Thrush
Tanager.
Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish
Spectacled Caiman. Also a chance of (Green)
Anaconda and Orinoco Crocodile.
Best Sites for Wildlife in Western Venezuela
Best Times for Wildlife in Western Venezuela
The best time to visit the Llanos is between December and March, especially February-March when it is usually drying out and the wildlife becomes more concentrated. The best time to look for Bearded Helmetcrest is during the rainy season which usually lasts from April to November, although a few birds seem to remain on the high Andean paramo throughout the year.
Recommended Books etc. for Western Venezuela
Field Guide to the Birds of Venezuela by S Hilty. Helm, 2002.
Birds of South America: Non-Passerines by J R Roderiguez Mata et al. Harper Collins, 2006.
The Birds of South America: Passerines by R S Ridgely and G Tudor. University of Texas Press, 1989 and 1994 (Two volumes).
Birds of Northern South America by R Restall, C Rodner and M Lentino. Helm, 2006 (Two volumes).
Birding in Venezuela by M L Goodwin. Lynx Edicions, 2003 (Fifth Edition).
Wild Mammals of Venezuela by R D Lord. Armitano Editores, 2000.
Mammals of South America by R D Lord. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007.
Trip Reports for Western Venezuela
Many trip reports, some for Western Venezuela, are posted on the websites listed here. On some of these websites some reports are independent and some are posted by tour companies who organize tours to Western Venezuela. These tour companies and others also post their own reports on their websites, which are listed under 'Some Organized Tours to Western Venezuela' below.
Local Guides and Tours in Western Venezuela
The costs of organized tours partly reflect the quality of the tour leaders. Some leaders are certainly better than others and many companies claim their leaders are the best but even the best rely at least to some extent on the exceptional skills of the local guides they employ. If you are travelling independently, employing such local guides will greatly increase your chances of seeing the wildlife you wish to see.
Accommodation in Western Venezuela
Some Organized Tours to Western Venezuela
There are many tour companies who organize tours to see mammals, birds, other wildlife and other natural wonders. The cost of these tours vary considerably according to such variables as the airlines used, the number of days the tours last, the number of sites visited, the number of people in the group (an important consideration if you wish to see such wildlife as rainforest mammals and birds), the number of tour leaders, the standard of accommodation and transport, and the percentage profit the company hopes to make. Generally, where the number of days tours last and the number of sites visited are similar, the cheapest tours are those that use the cheapest airlines, accommodation and local transport, that have the largest groups with the least number of leaders, and that make the least amount of profit. The most expensive tours tend to be those which are exceptionally long, use the most expensive accommodation (ridiculously lavish in some cases, even for single nights) and which make the most profit. Some tour costs partly reflect the quality of the tour leaders. Some leaders are certainly better than others and many companies claim their leaders are the best but even the best rely at least to some extent on the exceptional skills of the local guides they employ.
While tour companies organize tours with set itineraries many also organize custom tours for individuals and private groups who instead of taking a tour with a set itinerary want to follow their own itinerary to suit their own personal tastes, whether it be mammals, birds, other wildlife, other natural wonders or even man-made attractions, or a mixture of them all. Many organized tours with set itineraries are also fast-paced and target as many species as possible, whether they are mammals, birds or other wildlife or everything, which usually leaves little time to enjoy the best sites and individual species, but on a custom tour those taking part can specify the pace and the sites and species they wish to concentrate on. Custom tours also suit people who like to travel with people they already know, rather than with a group of strangers, and people with partners with different interests. Individuals and small groups will almost certainly have to pay more than the price of an organized tour with a set itinerary but a large group of friends may be able to travel for less than the price quoted for a set tour.
Tour companies who run organized tours or can arrange custom tours to Western Venezuela include the following.
