Guyana Birding Tours

Introduction to Guyana

With an area of 215,000 square kilometers (83,000 square miles) and located in the north-eastern part of South America, bordering Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, and the Atlantic Ocean, Guyana is the third-smallest sovereign country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay. Guyana has almost 80% of its territory covered by forest and still holds some of the few remaining areas of untouched, unspoiled, primary rainforest of the entire Neotropical region. Our Guyana birding tours take you to a remote and mostly untouched part of South America where a suite of evocative bird species may be enjoyed.

Guyana birding highlights

Guyana is known among birders as a top-class birding destination containing many (47!) Guiana Shield endemics, found only in Guyana and neighboring Venezuela, Brazil, and Suriname (although granted, the country has no country endemics among its 800 plus bird species). Guyana’s bird list includes some of the most sought-after and unique species in South America many of which are possible on our Guyana birding tours. Some of these specials include the likes of Harpy Eagle, Grey-winged Trumpeter, Black-faced Hawk, Black Curassow, Crimson Topaz, Tufted Coquette, Marail Guan, Little Chachalaca, Crimson Fruitcrow, Capuchinbird, Black Nunbird, Guianan Puffbird, Guianan Trogon, Guianan Toucanet, Guianan Red-necked Cotinga, Guianan Warbling Antwren, Guianan Streaked Antwren, Guianan Schiffornis, and with luck the seldom-seen Rufous-winged Ground Cuckoo.

Parrot lovers will greatly appreciate the fact that our Guyana birding trip offers very good chances to see species like Festive Amazon, Orange-winged Amazon, Yellow-crowned Amazon, Caica Parrot, Black-headed Parrot, Painted Parakeet, Golden-winged Parakeet, Red-fan Parrot, and the charismatic Red-shouldered, Scarlet, Blue-and-yellow, and Red-and-green Macaws. In addition we could encounter a number of classic South American species on our Guyana birding tours, such as Hoatzin, Jabiru, Long-winged Harrier, Pinnated Bittern, and White-plumed Antbird as well as gems like Scarlet Ibis, Blood-colored Woodpecker, White-bellied Piculet, Rufous Crab Hawk, Waved Woodpecker, Dusky Purpletuft, Ferruginous-backed Antwren, Spangled and Pompadour Cotingas, Black Manakin, Golden-headed Manakin, and Red-and-black Grosbeak.

Guyana offers perhaps the best opportunity to see nearly all South American Nyctibiidae species in a single trip (except Common Potoo), with scarce species such as White-winged, Rufous, Long-tailed, and Great Potoo often encountered (though never guaranteed).

However, for many birdwatchers, especially avid listers, Guyana conjures up the image of two special target species, which of course we will not ignore on our trip: the most-wanted Sun Parakeet and Red Siskin, both Endangered (IUCN). We have specific territories to maximize the chance of finding both species, but it will require lengthy drives through the Guyana savannas and Rupununi grasslands, which are the habitat of Double-striped Thick-knee and Bearded Tachuri, regularly seen on our Guyana bird watching tours.

Guyana wildlife highlights

Wildlife viewing on this trip rivals the Pantanal in Brazil and remote Paraguay. Endemic primates such as Guianan Weeper Capuchin, Guiana Spider Monkey, Guianan Bearded Saki, and Guianan Red Howler Monkey could be enjoyed, as well as other outstanding species like Giant Anteater, Giant Otter, Black Caiman, and with luck Puma and Jaguar.

Join Birding Ecotours in Guyana

Our trip will take us to explore many of Guyana’s highlights. On our 16-day birding trip we will visit many of Guyana’s highlights including the trip from Georgetown Botanical Gardens to Kaieteur Falls, the vast Guianan savannas with breathtaking sunsets, the Rupununi river with oxbow lakes and the largest concentration of Amazon Water Lilies in the world,  the rainforest of the Surama Eco-Lodge, Iwokrama Forest and the fabulous Iwokrama Canopy Walkway of Atta Rainforest Lodge.

Join our experienced local guides and enthusiastic and knowledgeable Birding Ecotours leaders, as we promise you a great experience for both avid birders as well as general nature and wildlife lovers. Guyana is waiting for you!