<< BAHAMAS BIRDING TOURS
A relaxing, all inclusive birding tour to the Bahamas that includes the endemic Bahama Woodstar, Bahama Swallow, Bahama Yellowthroat, Bahama Warbler, Bahama Oriole plus some Cuban species such as Cuban Parrot, Cuban Emerald, La Sagra's Flycatcher, Cuban Pewee and more!
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Inter-island flights are included in the price for these tours |
Quick Info Literature & Audio Photo Gallery Bird Checklist COVID-19
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The Bahama Islands comprise the northernmost archipelago of the West Indies, covering an area of about 2,300 square miles (5,957 square kilometers) with more than a thousand low-lying islands, all located approximately just north of the western half of the Greater Antillean chain formed by Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico. It was in the Bahamas, at San Salvador, where Christopher Columbus and his Spanish crew first touched the New World and recorded the first sighting of an American bird and native people.
Today, the Bahamian avifauna comprises more than 370 recorded species. This avifauna is strongly influenced by the bird fauna of the Greater Antilles (mostly Cuba), and by that of North America. Ten Bahamian birds species are globally threatened and six are endemic to the archipelago, including Bahama Woodstar (Nesophlox evelynae), Inagua Woodstar (N. lyrura), Bahama Swallow (Tachycineta cyaneoviridis), Bahama Yellowthroat (Geothlypis rostrata), Bahama Warbler (Setophaga flavescens) and Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi). About 190 species breed in the archipelago and over 170 additional species have been recorded during migration. Located in the Little Bahama Bank, Abaco is the second largest island in the Bahamas, after Andros. Both islands are part of the northern section of the subdivision of the archipelago. Abaco provides an excellent opportunity to conduct birding activities, as most of the endemic species and specialties of the Bahamas occur there (see Bird Checklist). Our birding tours to the Bahamas start in Great Abaco Island, with a relaxing birding program that include two other islands of the archipelago, New Providence and Andros island. We will visit most of the island's habitats, including those of the exquisitely colored resident race of the Cuban Parrot (Amazona leucocephala bahamensis) and spectacularly beautiful male of the northern race of the Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena townsendi). |
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Tour Route: 1) Great Abaco, 2) New Providence, 3) North Andros
PLANNED ITINERARY |
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DAY 1: Welcome to our Birding Tours to the BahamasArrival on Great Abaco and transfer from Marsh Harbour Airport (MHH). We will be waiting for you at the airport for your transportation to the hotel, where members of the group will check into their reserved rooms. Time permitting and depending of arrival of members of the group, a welcome and introductory birding session will be conducted during the afternoon in the vicinity of Marsh Harbour. At 6:00 p.m. participants will meet the leader in the lobby for discussion of trip plans before dinner. Night in Marsh Harbour.
DAY 2-3: Great Abaco (Bahama Palm Shores, Crossing Rock, Abaco National Park, & Sandy Point)After breakfast at the hotel, we will depart for birding in the southern region of Great Abaco, passing through one of the narrowest parts of the island, where Long Beach is located. South of the Crossing Rock, most of the region is extensively covered with Caribbean pine forest (Abaco National Park). Here we will find the Bahama race of the Cuban Parrot, which nests in solution holes in the ground rather than in tree cavities!
Our target birds in this region include most of the endemics and specialties, such as the Bahama Woodstar, Cuban Emerald, West Indian Woodpecker, the Cuban race of the American Kestrel, Cuban Pewee, La Sagra's Flycatcher, Loggerhead Kingbird, Thick-billed Vireo, Bahama Swallow, Red-legged Thrush, Bahama Yellowthroat, Olive-capped Warbler, Bahama Warbler, Bananaquit, Western Spindalis, Black-faced Grassquit, and Greater Antillean Bullfinch, among others. Reaching the Sandy Point settlement, we will search the mangrove habitat for the Cuban race of the Yellow Warbler. Pelicans, shorebirds, herons, gulls, and terns are present as well, including some plovers, sandpipers, willets, and dowitchers. After lunch in this part of the island, we will head north to Bahama Palm Shores, where we are likely to encounter Cuban Parrots. Time permitting during days in Abaco, we will visit other localities for good views of several duck species. Nights in Marsh Harbour. DAY 4: New Providence (Botanical & Retreat Gardens)Departure in the morning from MHH to NAS airport. After arrival, we will depart for birding in some localities of New Providence, including the Botanical Gardens, near to Nassau. Our target birds in the gardens include some of the endemics and specialties, such as Bahama Woodstar, Cuban Pewee, La Sagra's Flycatcher, Loggerhead Kingbird, Thick-billed Vireo, Bahama Swallow, Red-legged Thrush, Bananaquit, Western Spindalis, Black-faced Grassquit, and Cuban Grassquit, among others. We will search other areas, including localities for shorebirds, herons, gulls, terns, some plovers, sandpipers, willets, and dowitchers.
After lunch, we will head to The Retreat Garden, where we are likely to encounter the introduced Caribbean Dove, Bahama Mockingbird, Greater Antillean Bullfinch, Cuban Grassquit, and more. Time permitting, we will visit other localities for good views of several duck species, including White-cheeked Pintail. Night in Nassau. DAY 5-6: Andros Island (Eastern Section of North Andros)Departure in the morning from Nassau (NAS) to San Andros (SAQ), North Andros Island. As soon as we arrive there, after the hotel check-in, and during the next day, we will be birding in some nature trails, including pine forests and most of the habitats present in this small archipelago. In Andros Island (about 2,300 square miles; 3,701 square kilometers) will be possible some good views of two of our target birds in the Bahamas: the endemic Bahama Oriole (restricted to Andros today) as well as the endemic subspecies of the Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini bahamensis), only found in two other islands.
Other possible species to be observed during this two-day exploration in Andros include the West Indian Whistling-Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Bobwhite, Least Grebe, White-crowned Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Key West Quail-Dove, Zenaida Dove, Smooth-billed Ani, Bahama Woodstar, Cuban Emerald, Clapper Rail, Common Gallinule, American Coot, Limpkin, Least Bittern, Roseate Spoonbill, Reddish Egret, Ridgway's Osprey (Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi), Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Hairy Woodpecker, American Kestrel, La Sagra's Flycatcher, Loggerhead Kingbird, Cuban Pewee, Bahama Swallow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Red-legged Thrush, Bahama Mockingbird, Western Spindalis, Red-winged Blackbird, Shiny Cowbird, Bahama Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Pine Warbler, Bananaquit, and Greater Antillean Bullfinch, among others. A birding session at night, if necessary, will be conducted for nocturnal species such as the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. Nights in Davis Creek. DAY 7: Good-bye & Departure from the Bahamas (Nassau, New Providence)Flight in the morning to Nassau (NAS), New Providence, for departures of the members of the group.
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Alterations in Tour Itineraries: Owing to a variety of circumstances, a planned itinerary as appears on this website, can be changed or modified locally by the leader to accommodate particular weather conditions, bird activity, human disturbances, unexpected situations, or any other reasons considered by the leader. WILLIAM SUAREZ BIRDING TOURS reserves the right to change any itinerary.
