For the third consecutive year, we are thrilled to celebrate an incredible achievement—our dedicated visitors David and Tamara McQuade, have once again finished #1 in both the American Ornithological Union (AOU) region and North America as top birders on eBird! Their 2024 totals were outstanding, with 1,136 species recorded in the AOU region and 1,082 in North America.
Panama was the perfect place to end 2024, delivering an astonishing 314 species in just five days. Of these, 185 were year birds for the AOU list, while 186 were year birds for North America. And what a way to kick off 2025—with 289 species in the first four days of the year! Over the course of their nine-day adventure while visiting the Canopy Tower and the Canopy Camp, they tallied 389 birds, of which 61 were lifers. This is an extraordinary achievement that highlights their passion and expertise, and also celebrates Panama’s rich biodiversity.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the expert guidance, meticulous planning, and top-notch hospitality of the Canopy Family team. Every detail—from well-planned routes to perfectly timed picnic lunches with ice-cold drinks—made this trip an unforgettable experience, David and Tamara expressed.
They enjoyed each of the species they saw, but three were surprising highlights:
- The Harpy Eagle – “Not just an amazing bird, but the entire adventure to get there—van, boat, truck, horseback, and a hike—plus the incredible local guides who made it all happen!”
- Great Potoo feeding – “Watching those enormous eyes and seeing it devour a giant moth—just incredible!”
- Ruby-topaz Hummingbird – “A breathtakingly beautiful species and such a surprise to see in Central America!”
David and Tamara about to watch the amazing Harpy Eagle in Darién
Beyond the birds, it was the dedication of our Canopy Family guides Eliécer Rodríguez, Oscar Fría, Jorge Pineda, and the entire Canopy Family team, that truly made this trip exceptional. Every night, they meticulously reviewed target species, fine-tuned the next-day plan, and ensured that nothing was left to chance. Their focus and expertise were key to achieving such outstanding results.
In the words of David and Tamara: “To the Canopy Family, your staff is simply incredible, and you made our trip absolutely perfect! We can’t wait to return for another unforgettable birding adventure!”, and of course, at Canopy Family we are looking forward to welcoming them back for another unprecedent record with even more highlighted moments!