Birds of Manu

Manu – a birdwatchers paradise… if it had been the first place we had visited on this trip, we would have clocked up an insane number of birds… BUT even after MORE THAN A YEAR in South America, our visit to Manu National Park gave us a whopping FORTY-NINE NEW birds on our bird list 🙂 🙂

My favourite new bird from Manu was a Cloud Forest bird – The Golden-headed Quetzal… it ticked all the boxes – very colourful and pretty close to where we were stood – it also stayed surprisingly still enough for us to get an okay picture!!!

Anyway, here I present to you our photographic collection of the birds of Manu… be warned – they are far from National Geographic photography standard 🙂 – we had VERY difficult conditions to contend with while taking these pictures – such as moving boats, heavy rain, extremely low light, AND birds being way too far away from the boat  – even for our camera zoom… not to mention other people on the tour all vying for the BEST spot!?!

Female Golden-headed Quetzal – Seen in the Cloud Forest on the drive to Rainforest Lodge.
Male Golden-headed Quetzal – Seen in the Cloud Forest on the drive to Rainforest Lodge.
Cinnamon Flycatcher – Seen in the Cloud Forest on the drive to Rainforest Lodge.
Lyre-tailed Nightjar – Seen in the Cloud Forest on the drive to Rainforest Lodge.
McConnell’s Flycatcher – Seen in the Cloud Forest on the drive to Rainforest Lodge.
Tropical Kingbird – Seen at the Port of Atalaya.
Great Potoo – Seen at Bonanza Lodge.
Scarlet Macaw – Seen at Bonanza Lodge.
Black-fronted nunbird – Seen at Bonanza Lodge.
Heaps of Blue-headed Parrots on a clay lick – Seen from our boat on the Madre de Dios River.
Close-up of the Blue-headed Parrots on a clay lick – Seen from our boat on the Madre de Dios River.
Dusky-headed Parakeet on a tree above the clay lick – Seen from our boat on the Madre de Dios River.
Large-billed Tern – Seen flying along the shores of Manu River from our boat.
Black Skimmer – Seen flying along the shores of Manu River from our boat.
Swallow-tailed kite – seen flying high above our boat as we sailed down Manu River.
A gaggle of Orinoco Geese stroll along the shores of the Manu River – Seen from our boat on the way to Casa Machiguenga Lodge.
A Black Caracara sits on the shores of Manu River – Seen from our boat.
A Horned Screamer seems unperturbed by the rain – Seen from our boat on the Manu River close to Casa Machiguenga Lodge.
Hoatzin – Seen at Cocha Salvador (Salvador Oxbow Lake).
Cormorants hanging out at Cocha Salvador (Salvador Oxbow Lake).
A Striated Heron – seen at Cocha Salvador (Salvador Oxbow Lake).
A Sunbittern – seen at Cocha Salvador (Salvador Oxbow Lake).
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture – Seen flying high above Cocha Salvador (Salvador Oxbow Lake).
A Masked Tityra – Seen at Cocha Salvador (Salvador Oxbow Lake).
Sand-colored Nighthawks on Manu River – Seen from our boat as we head upriver on our way out of the park.
White-throated Toucan – Seen from our boat on the Madre de Dios river on our return to Bonanza Lodge.
A Burrowing Owl – Seen on the shores of Madre de Dios River shortly before arriving at Bonanza Lodge.
Mitred Parakeet – seen in Rainforest Lodge.
Grey-necked wood Rail – Seen in the grounds of Rainforest Lodge.

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