For birders, the opportunity to see tropical species in their natural habitat, and more familiar birds in their wintering grounds, can be a once in a life-time experience.
To add to their life lists, passionate birders travel to exotic locations around the world in the hopes of catching a glimpse of species that very few people have the chance to lay eyes on.
With recent reductions in the travel sanctions between the United States and Cuba, many birdwatchers currently have an opportunity that they have only been able to dream about for the last 50 years.
Birdwatching in Cuba is an experience unlike any other, offering the chance to see 21 endemic species, 19 near-endemics (found only in a small number of Caribbean islands) and other tropical species in an area of the world that very few living Americans have ever seen in person.
What Birdwatchers Can Expect If you are an avid naturalist you will have a once-in-a-lifetime experience while birding in Cuba.
An expert Cuban guide will take you off the beaten path to see "life list" species like the threatened Bee Hummingbird, the vulnerable Fernandina's Flicker, and listen for the endangered Cuban Solitaire.
You'll have an opportunity to see Cuban Parrots, Great Lizard Cuckoos, Cuban Pygmy Owls, and the country's national bird the Cuban Trogon, along with over 200 other species! Of course, when you go birdwatching in Cuba, where you go can be as exciting as what you see while you are there.
A comprehensive tour include visits to several UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, including Sierra del Rosario and it's fascinating Las Terrazas eco-community, and the Zapata Swamp.
You'll also visit memorable sites like Soroa's Orchid Garden and Soroa Waterfall, La Guira National Park, and board Russian army jeeps to travel into the Las Escambray Mountains near Trinidad.
There are so many natural parks, nature reserves, and other locations in Cuba that lend themselves perfectly to birdwatching, and when you consider that the island has migrated hundreds of miles over the past 100 million years, it becomes easy to understand just how many unique species can be found on its soil.
A Truly Rare Opportunity There are many reasons why the opportunity to go birdwatching in Cuba is so rare.
Not only has travel from the US to Cubabeen extremely limited in the past half century, but many current tours still do not travel far beyond Havana or the island's tourist resorts.
In fact, there are many destinations in Cuba that are only available to sustainable tourism companies, which strive to help preserve the landscape as well as the habitats of the island wildlife.
Cuba is incredibly biodiverse, and as the Greater Antilles island that has been the least spoiled by man, it certainly has the most to offer! Where to Turn If you are looking to go birdwatching in Cuba, choosing the right tour is important.
You will certainly want to find a sustainable tour that can take you beyond Havana City and into reserves and environments in Trinidad, Las Terrazas, and Peninsula de Zapata as well.
Taking the time to find a tour that is navigated by a well educated guide and that has received praise from others who have taken it will certainly prove to be worthwhile.
With the right tour and guide, you will have the opportunity to see birds and spectacular landscapes that have rarely been glimpsed by non-Cubans.
Cuba is truly a nature lover's paradise, and if you qualify for professional travel, a birdwatching tour on the island is an experience you will not soon forget.
To add to their life lists, passionate birders travel to exotic locations around the world in the hopes of catching a glimpse of species that very few people have the chance to lay eyes on.
With recent reductions in the travel sanctions between the United States and Cuba, many birdwatchers currently have an opportunity that they have only been able to dream about for the last 50 years.
Birdwatching in Cuba is an experience unlike any other, offering the chance to see 21 endemic species, 19 near-endemics (found only in a small number of Caribbean islands) and other tropical species in an area of the world that very few living Americans have ever seen in person.
What Birdwatchers Can Expect If you are an avid naturalist you will have a once-in-a-lifetime experience while birding in Cuba.
An expert Cuban guide will take you off the beaten path to see "life list" species like the threatened Bee Hummingbird, the vulnerable Fernandina's Flicker, and listen for the endangered Cuban Solitaire.
You'll have an opportunity to see Cuban Parrots, Great Lizard Cuckoos, Cuban Pygmy Owls, and the country's national bird the Cuban Trogon, along with over 200 other species! Of course, when you go birdwatching in Cuba, where you go can be as exciting as what you see while you are there.
A comprehensive tour include visits to several UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, including Sierra del Rosario and it's fascinating Las Terrazas eco-community, and the Zapata Swamp.
You'll also visit memorable sites like Soroa's Orchid Garden and Soroa Waterfall, La Guira National Park, and board Russian army jeeps to travel into the Las Escambray Mountains near Trinidad.
There are so many natural parks, nature reserves, and other locations in Cuba that lend themselves perfectly to birdwatching, and when you consider that the island has migrated hundreds of miles over the past 100 million years, it becomes easy to understand just how many unique species can be found on its soil.
A Truly Rare Opportunity There are many reasons why the opportunity to go birdwatching in Cuba is so rare.
Not only has travel from the US to Cubabeen extremely limited in the past half century, but many current tours still do not travel far beyond Havana or the island's tourist resorts.
In fact, there are many destinations in Cuba that are only available to sustainable tourism companies, which strive to help preserve the landscape as well as the habitats of the island wildlife.
Cuba is incredibly biodiverse, and as the Greater Antilles island that has been the least spoiled by man, it certainly has the most to offer! Where to Turn If you are looking to go birdwatching in Cuba, choosing the right tour is important.
You will certainly want to find a sustainable tour that can take you beyond Havana City and into reserves and environments in Trinidad, Las Terrazas, and Peninsula de Zapata as well.
Taking the time to find a tour that is navigated by a well educated guide and that has received praise from others who have taken it will certainly prove to be worthwhile.
With the right tour and guide, you will have the opportunity to see birds and spectacular landscapes that have rarely been glimpsed by non-Cubans.
Cuba is truly a nature lover's paradise, and if you qualify for professional travel, a birdwatching tour on the island is an experience you will not soon forget.
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