Author: Rosannette Quesada

A few months ago, we at Canopy Family were delighted to receive a very special visit. Lucy Smith, an 11-year-old birder from Texas, joined us in Panama for an unforgettable adventure. Before her trip, Lucy had already seen about 300 bird species, an impressive achievement for someone her age. By the end of her time in Panama, that number had soared to over 500 species. Lucy’s birding journey began when she was about nine years old. She and her father visited Lake Whitney State Park in Texas and joined a guided bird walk. While the tour was informal, it sparked something special. Lake Whitney State Park, along the Brazos River, is known for its mix of prairie, woodland, and river habitats, making it an excellent place to observe a wide variety of bird species throughout the year. When they returned home, they realized how much they had enjoyed the experience and decided to do it more often. Before long, they bought binoculars and continued birding together, quickly falling in love with the amazing hobby of birding. Although Lucy had been birding regularly in the United States, her visit to Panama marked her first birding trip outside the country—and we are honored that she chose Panama for this adventure. While searching online for birding trips within the U.S., Lucy and her father discovered that, for a similar price, they could travel to Panama and stay at the Canopy Tower. They were fascinated not only by the diversity of birds, but also by the history of the Tower itself—once a radar station monitoring the Panama Canal, now transformed into a world-renowned birding eco-lodge. Among her favorite birds seen during the trip were the Rufous Motmot and the Rosy Thrush-Tanager. One of the highlights of her visit was Pipeline Road, one of the

Imagine walking beneath shadowing rainforest trees, with the calls of trogons, antbirds, and tinamous echoing all around you. Sunlight filters through the canopy, and with every step, the promise of a new bird sighting takes you deeper into the forest. This is Pipeline Road, a legendary name in the birding world and one of the finest places to experience Neotropical biodiversity in the Americas. Pipeline Road was built during World War II as a service road for a petroleum pipeline constructed by the U.S. through the Canal Zone. The road was intended to allow the movement of oil across the isthmus should the canal be compromised, but the pipeline was never used. Over decades, the road has been overtaken by dense rainforest and is now largely used by scientists, birders, and eco-tourists. Located within the Soberanía National Park, only about 50 minutes from Panama City and 10 minutes from Canopy Tower, Pipeline Road’s reputation was forever cemented in the 1970s. The exact history is not entirely clear, adding a bit of mystery to its legendary reputation among birders, but it was probably when the Audubon Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs), organized here by the Panama Audubon Society, in 1977 recorded 314 bird species in the Central Canal Area, the circle that includes Pipeline Road. Not bad for 24 hours! Even though other areas in the Neotropics and even in Panama recorded more bird species during similar periods, since the 1970s, Pipeline Road has become one of the favorite places for birding in the Neotropics. Over the years, the list of birds has only grown, and nowadays, eBird shows from 444 to 461 documented bird species on Pipeline Road alone. Few places on the planet can rival such richness. Beyond its fame among birders, Pipeline Road has also been at the heart of

Our executive vice-president Daniel Arias and his family, with Victor Emanuel and our Canopy Family president and founder Raúl Arias de Para and his wife Denise Barakat in October 2021 at Canopy Tower Text by Raúl Arias de Para As I write these words, I see a pair of Black-chested Jays flying overhead, and in the distance, I hear the croaking sounds of a Keel-billed Toucan. I'm in El Valle de Antón, and Victor would have loved this moment. In fact, this was the site of his last trip overseas, in August of last year. I first met Victor in January of 2001 when he led a tour to the Canopy Tower with Barry Zimmer. Over the intervening 23 years, his company became our best customer, and he became one of my closest friends. Our friendship went far beyond birds and was more than a commercial relationship. As I was new to the lodging business, Victor advised me on the menus I should serve (no soups at lunchtime), on the conversations I should have with guests (no politics or religion), and on the characteristics of the people I should hire (attitude above all). In short, he was my most valuable mentor.   After dinner, when the guests had retired to their rooms, we would talk about politics, current affairs, and the latest books we had read. At the end of each of his visits, I had a list of three or four books to read in the coming months—the biographies of Martin Luther King Jr., Mandela, Gandhi, the writings of John Muir, among others. In his later years, he was also fond of listening to classical music; his favorite was Beethoven’s 6th Symphony, which we listened to several times together with my wife Denise in our house in El Valle.

Panama is considered the hub of the Americas. It sits at a unique geographic and cultural crossroads—a narrow isthmus where North and South America meet. For centuries, its strategic location has made it a vital point for trade and travel, connecting oceans and continents. Today, it remains a global gateway, home to the world-famous Panama Canal and a major airline hub serving the Americas and beyond. But Panama’s role as a hub goes far beyond business and logistics. It is also a biological bridge—a place where species from both continents converge. Here, northern hummingbirds cross paths with southern tanagers, and iconic species with mostly South American distributions, like the Harpy Eagle, can be found deep in Panama’s forests. This extraordinary mix makes Panama a dazzling opportunity to observe the astounding diversity of the Neotropics in one compact, accessible country. Traveling here is also easier than ever, thanks to Copa Airlines’ Panama Stopover program. This initiative allows travelers flying through Panama City to stay in Panama from 24 hours up to 6 nights at no extra airfare. Whether you're heading elsewhere in Latin America or on your way home, it's the perfect chance to experience Panama’s breathtaking biodiversity without the need for an entirely separate trip. With no additional cost for the flight, it's the perfect chance to explore Panama’s exceptional natural beauty. To take advantage of this opportunity, just go to www.copaair.com and click on Panama Stopover – located at the right of the page inside the box Where do you want to fly. Then, follow the steps by choosing whether you would like to stay in Panama during your outbound or returning flight, and introducing your departure and final destination flight if you choose to visit Panama during your outbound trip, or introducing the destination you will visit before

On May 29, 2025, Canopy Lodge was featured in the New York Times! El Valle looks like something out of a fairy tale — wrote Jeffrey Gettleman, the author of the article. He described the Canopy Lodge as a cozy retreat, where he saw many special birds, interviewed Canopy Family's president and founder Raúl Arias de Para, and visited our Canopy Family guide Eric Rodríguez's garden, which has been turned into a special bird-feeding station. Toh Gouttenoire took incredible photographs for this New York Times piece. Read the full article here: Discovering Amazing Wildlife Along the Panama Canal - The New York Times    

On May 10, 2025, the world’s birding community joined forces for the annual Global Big Day, a 24‑hour birdwatching journey powered by eBird and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Around 1.8 million participants identified birds using the Merlin app, and around 75,000 eBird users submitted more than 173,000 checklists, collectively spotting around 7,900 bird species in 204 countries—breaking all previous records. Amazingly, small Panama ranked among the top 10 countries for the number of species recorded, in 7th place! Nestled at the crossroads of the Americas, Panama’s mix of Caribbean coast, Pacific shorelines, tropical forests, and highland cloud forests continues to draw an astonishing diversity of birds. This milestone was the result of an unprecedented collaborative effort in Panama, uniting the Ministry of Environment, non-governmental organizations, private companies, and local birding guides. Together, they coordinated logistics, outreach, and on-the-ground participation to ensure high-quality bird counts across the country, resulting in 430 new eBird users, a 212% increase in the number of eBirders over 2024. The combined action of these diverse sectors marks a new chapter in Panama’s commitment to conservation, eco-tourism, and birdwatching standards. As Canopy Family we are proud and happy to have participated in this achievement. Our Canopy Family guides ventured with our visitors to hotspots such as Pipeline Road, Summit Ponds, El Valle de Antón, the Pacific lowlands, Río Indio and Jordanal, Cerro Azul, the Guna Yala comarca, and the Darién lowlands, collectively identifying hundreds of species. This top-10 ranking underscores not only Panama’s unique tropical biodiversity but also the professionalism and passion of its birding guides and operators. It’s a testament to the dedication of all birding teams, who encourage high-quality data submission and support community participation. For this incredible collective achievement, we would like to congratulate our Canopy Family guides, the Ministry of Environment, Panama Audubon

By Virginia Rettig  With wonder and excitement, we embarked on a day-long journey to find the elusive Crested Eagle in the heart of the Darién. Our expert Canopy Family guide was Eliécer Rodriguez, whose knowledge and enthusiasm were astounding. Our day began with a delicious and filling pre-dawn breakfast at Canopy Camp. We had selected rubber boots from a storage area the evening before, so we were ready to tackle the day. Eliécer drove us to the town of Yaviza, at the end of the Pan-American Highway, and the gateway to our adventure. From there, we boarded a small, covered boat for a 40-minute ride on the Chucunaque River to the town of El Real. The sun was rising as we arrived and transferred to the back of a pick-up truck, embarking on a 30-minute journey to the village where we would begin our hike. We passed locals on foot and horse as we rode on the slightly bumpy gravel road. Suddenly, Eliécer tapped urgently on the hood of the truck cab to signal the driver to stop. He jumped out of the back of the truck and was broadly smiling as he eagerly motioned for us all to get out and see what he was looking at. It was an adult Harpy Eagle! The bird, estimated to be a female due to her incredibly large size, and near 10 years old, perched fiercely on a huge Cuipo tree. We were thrilled! She surveyed the land and preened as we oohed and aahed. As we watched, a Gray-lined Hawk came out of nowhere and side-swiped her. She briefly hunched her wings but otherwise was not bothered by the smaller raptor. We could have watched her for much longer, but we had to continue our quest of the day. We resumed

In 1998, twenty-six years ago, Cheryl Farmer and Arlene Golembiewski were the very first guests to stay at the Canopy Tower. Back then, the tower was a work in progress—there was no kitchen, no cook, and only one bathroom shared with the construction staff. Yet, for these adventurous birdwatchers, the opportunity to be immersed in Panama’s rainforest was irresistible.   Memories blur after 26 years, but one thing they remember vividly is how they ended up at the Canopy Tower. Arlene made the arrangements for a birdwatching trip through a US ecotravel agency. It booked Canopy Tower and two other birding spots for them, and a Panama Audubon Society birding guide, Carmen Martino. They were picked up at the airport by a friendly local guide, expecting to head straight to the tower—but instead, they were told, “You’ll go there tomorrow.” In the meantime, they met with Carmen and enjoyed an incredible day of birding. The next day, they were taken to the tower, and they immediately understood why their arrival had been delayed—it wasn’t quite ready for guests! “We were watching birds from the top of the tower, and we didn’t want to leave,” Cheryl recalls. “We thought, this would be like camping, but with a roof over our heads!” At that moment, Raúl Arias de Para, Canopy Family’s founder and president, arrived to welcome them. He explained that staying wasn’t possible because the only thing they had were the mattresses that had just arrived that very day. The only bathroom available was the one used by the workers, and there was no proper kitchen. Carmen Martino said, “No problem. I’ll bring towels and sheets and a picnic meal" and, the two women convinced Raúl to let them stay. That night, they sat alone on the upper observation deck surrounded

  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!” 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