Costa Rica’s remarkable avian diversity stems from its varied habitats, geographic positioning, topography, and climate.  With over 935 bird species recorded, including 7 endemic species, Costa Rica boasts one of the highest levels of bird diversity in the world, all within an area smaller than West Virginia.

The southernmost mountain range in Costa Rica, the Talamanca, stretches across the southern half of the country into Chiriqui Province in western Panama. These mountains host numerous endemic bird species. Highlight species in this region include Volcano Hummingbird, Scintillant Hummingbird, Black-capped Flycatcher, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Sooty Thrush, Timberline Wren, Ochraceous Wren, Dark Pewee, Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher, Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, White-throated Mountain-Gem, Talamanca Hummingbird, Streak-breasted Treehunter, Ruddy Treerunner, Spangled-cheeked Tanager, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Sooty-capped Chlorospingus, Volcano Junco, Costa Rican Pygmy Owl, Large-footed Finch, Yellow-thighed Brushfinch, Ochraceous Pewee, Flame-throated Warbler, Black-cheeked Warbler, Collared Redstart, Peg-billed Finch, and Yellow-winged Vireo.

The Osa Peninsula, originally an island, became part of the mainland due to tectonic activity. It remains isolated from other rainforests by drier habitats to the north and south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the high Talamancas to the east. This isolation has allowed many
species, including birds, flora, and other fauna, to evolve uniquely. In the Costa Rican south Pacific lowland rainforest, including the Osa Peninsula, species restricted to this region include Charming Hummingbird, Costa Rican Swift, Baird’s Trogon, Fiery-billed Aracari,
Golden-naped Woodpecker, Chiriqui Foliage-gleaner, Black-hooded Antshrike, Yellow-billed Cotinga, Orange-collared Manakin, Riverside Wren, Spot-crowned Euphonia, and the endemic Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager.

Our tour will primarily focus on the Talamanca Mountain Range and Osa Peninsula but we will also visit the intermountain valleys of San Vito and El General. Between these regions, 70 endemic bird species can be found. Our objective is not only to observe these endemics
but also to learn about these crucial areas of biodiversity.

Our guide, Mario Cordoba, will provide illustrated lectures throughout the tour to enhance this educational experience. Our tour coincides with the peak of spring migration, with species from Central and South America moving north.

During our trip we’ll visit:

• Talamanca mountains in San Gerardo de Dota
• Las Cruces Biological Station in San Vito area
• Los Cusingos Bird Sanctuary & El General Valley
• Pacific rainforest lowlands near Golfito and Osa Peninsula

PRICE
$3800 per person for double occupancy
Single Supplement: $650

For questions, or to register, contact Dawn at travelprogram@goldengatebirds.org.

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Our first trip to Bhutan (scheduled for spring of 2021) fell victim to COVID. We waited two years before we were able to offer it. That year we ended up sending two groups. Was it worth the wait? I think you’d get a resounding “yes” from those who went, including GGBA Travel Coordinator Dawn Lemoine. This past spring it was our other Travel Coordinator, Eric Schroeder, who went, and he adds his voice to the chorus  (along with those of former GGBA Trip Leaders Bob Lewis, Eddie Bartley, and Noreen Weeden). For a complete list of the 340 species seen by this group, check out the trip report.

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It’s no wonder that it’s possible to see so many birds in a trip that’s less than three weeks long. Bhutan, a country roughly the size of Maryland, has almost 600 species of birds. Over 70% of its land is forested with 25% protected by National Parks. You’ll visit a range of environments varying from sub-tropical at 150m to alpine at over 4,500m. On this 19-day trip, some of the major targets you’ll be looking for include the big three pheasants—Himalayan Monal, Satyr Tragopan, and Blood Pheasant—as well as some unusual birds like the Ibisbill, some beautiful birds like the Fire-tailed Myzornis, Ward’s Trogon and the aptly named Beautiful Nuthatch, and some critically endangered birds like the Rufous-necked Hornbill and the White-bellied Heron. You can also expect to see 10-15 species of mammals (the group this year was fortunate enough to see Red Panda). Our Bhutanese guide from Langur Eco Travels will not only introduce you to the fauna but also the flora of Bhutan (we’re visiting during the spring peak rhododendron bloom) and its culture (our trip includes visits to several famous sites, including the Tiger’s Nest Monastery).

60 Minutes recently ran a fascinating segment on Bhutan. Click here to watch it.

Date: April 20 – May 6, 2026

TOUR COST
Group Size: 3 – 8 guests
Total: US$4,985 per person, double occupancy
Total: US$5385 per person, single occupancy

FLIGHTS

Druk Air/Bhutan Airlines

Bangkok to Paro and Guwahati to Bangkok + US$935 per person

Note: Flight costs are current prices and are subject to change 

For more information, or to sign up for this trip, contact Dawn Lemoine at travelprogram@goldengatebirds.org. Please do not contact the vendor.…

Have you ever wanted to see them all?  By “them all” we mean the Warblers, of course!

This trip, run by She Flew Birding Tours, ventures into Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan to see all the eastern warblers plus many other passerines. Expect 200+ species including the rare Kirtland’s Warbler in their Jack Pine habitat.

Each spring, this region explodes with migrating warblers and other beautiful passerines all dressed up in their best feathers. As they migrate through, the males are singing and many of the leaves aren’t fully out yet. This makes for great viewing and photographing.

Dawn is doing this trip in May 2025, so she will be able to tell you all about it!  

Sam Zuckerman, GGBA member, took the trip in 2024.  Here’s his list of warblers observed.  (They got them all – 36!)

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Ovenbird, Worm-eating Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Waterthrush, Golden-winged Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Swainson’s Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded Warbler, American Redstart, Kirtland’s Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Palm Warbler, Pine Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler. Prairie Warbler. Black-throated Green Warbler, Canada Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler

PRICE:
Double Occupancy – $3,995
Single Supplement = $700
Deposit:  $1,300

Questions?  Ready to sign up?  Contact Dawn at travelprogram@goldengatebirds.org.

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This trip with Wild Latitudes has become a GGBA favorite. The itinerary is perfect for first-time visitors to Alaska, but also for returning nature lovers who want to learn more about this fascinating place. Our focus will be birding as well as wildlife watching (Moose, Grizzly Bears, Dall Sheep, Caribou, and Sea Otters) with some geology and ecology in the mix. Special birds we’ll be looking for include Horned Puffin, Willow Ptarmigan, Long-tailed Jaeger, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Bluethroat, and Arctic Warbler. We’ll explore several major

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ecosystems across Alaska, including rugged coastlines, boreal forests, and subarctic tundra. The tour begins in Fairbanks, then we head to Denali National Park. Next, we visit the Kenai Peninsula, where we’ll take a day-long boat ride into beautiful Kenai Fjords National Park. The final few days are an exciting exploration of Nome in the far west. We’ll venture out on backroads to experience the subarctic tundra ecosystem. This tour will be an exciting, educational adventure all around!

If you are interested in this trip, please contact Dawn first.  She will put you in contact with Wild Latitudes.

Cost for the 11-day tour: $6,995 Single Supplement: $1,600

Photo: Willow Ptarmigan by Ivan Phillipsen

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This trip was so popular in 2025 (we ran two trips–both full) that we’re bringing it back in 2026. On our 12-day tour to the Pantanal and Iguazú Falls, we’ll explore two very different ecosystems; in Brazil we’ll visit a huge wetlands system while in Argentina we’ll visit the Atlantic forest. This is a version of a trip we ran in 2022—on that trip we recorded 325 bird species and 14 mammal species (for a complete list, see the trip report). October is the end of the dry season and the perfect time to explore both of these fascinating places.

We begin this trip with a visit to the world’s largest wetland, the Pantanal, which provides us with the best opportunity on the planet to see Jaguar, and of course it hosts a large suite of birds. Target birds include five kinds of kingfishers (Amazon, Ringed, Green, Green-and-rufous and American Pygmy), Red-billed Scythebill, Bare-faced Curassow, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Agami Heron, Jabiru, Golden-collared Macaw, Golden-collared Macaw, Black-collared Hawk, Sungrebe, and Gretter Rhea. In addition to the Jaguar, other charismatic mammal targets include Giant Otter, Giant Anteater, Crab-eating Fox, Marsh Deer, and Lowland Tapir.

Our visit to the Atlantic Forest starts on the Argentine side of Iguazú Falls, which not only provides dramatic scenery, but excellent birding. The Iguazu River, where it tumbles over the edge of the Parana Plateau, is by many people considered the world’s most spectacular waterfall. The falls span over 1.6 miles and are comprised of 275 distinct falls. But the birds are spectacular, too. One of our target birds occurs at the fall, the Great Dusky Swift, which roost on the waterfall cliffs. Our target Atlantic forest birds include Red-rumped Cacique, Toco Toucan, Chestnut-eared Araçari, Blonde-crested Woodpecker, Ochre-collared Piculet, Swallow-tailed Manakin, Southern Antpipit, Eared Pygmy-Tyrant, Chestnut-bellied Euphonia, Green-headed Tanager, Streak-capped Antwren, Surucua Trogon, Rufous-capped Motmot, Greenish Schiffornis, Rufous Gnateater, Dusky-tailed Antbird, and the elusive Black-fronted Piping-Guan.

For questions or to sign up, contact Eric Schroeder at travelprogram@goldengateaudbon.org.  

Price: $8870 per person, based on double occupancy
Single Supplement: $940
Price includes internal transportation (e.g., domestic flights worth $500).

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