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, once built as an oil pipeline, it is now a legendary name in the birding world and one of the finest places to experience Neotropical biodiversity in the Americas.
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, when the famous Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC), organized by the Panama Audubon Society, made history. The number of species recorded in the Central Canal Area, the area where Pipeline Road belongs, started to increase. Even the detailed history is not clear and different web sources indicate different numbers, the official CBC site states that from 202 bird species on the first ever CBC in 1973, the number of bird species increased to 270 in 1976 and 314 in 1977. Not bad for 24 hours! And even though, the Atlantic Canal Area recorded more bird species (from 265 species on the first ever CBC to 354 on 1978), since the 1970s Pipeline Road became one of favorite places for birdwatching in the Neotropics.
Nowadays, e-bird shows from 444 to 461 documented bird species solely in Pipeline Road. Few places on the planet can rival such richness. Beyond its fame among birders, Pipeline Road has also been at the heart of science for decades as it is visited by dozens of scientists every year to perform invaluable research and monitoring. In 1977, biannual bird censuses were established on this trail by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI). For 49 years now, STRI has carried out these bird censuses here, providing invaluable long-term data on the health of this tropical forest. Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of this unique census—half a century of continuous monitoring, right here along this trail. Scientists state that, like in other places around the world, bird populations on this unique trail are decreasing, which calls for efficient strategies to ensure the conservation of such unique biodiversity.
Birders come to Pipeline Road dreaming of unique encounters with mixed flocks and army ants swarms, which attracted by the insects the ants the charismatic Ocellated Antbird, Spotted Antbird, Bicolored Antbird, Gray-headed Tanager, Northern Barred-Woodcreeper, and if you are extremely lucky the amazing Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo. The elusive Streak-chested Antpitta, the dazzling Rufous Motmot, and the exceptional Great Jacamar calling above the treetops are also possible sightings, and Howler and White-faced Capuchin monkeys, Northern Tamanduas, Brown-throated Three-toed Sloths and innumerable insects, arachnids, reptiles and amphibians, fungae, and of course fascinating plants may be encountered during your visit. Surprises are part of the journey, and every visit feels different.
Besides its outstanding biodiversity, this iconic trail is easily accessible, wide enough for a vehicle but used by few, easily walked as it is almost flat, and usually visited by only a few nature lovers. Muddy patches will be found, especially during the rainy season, but it’s all part of a birding trip-of-a-lifetime in the Tropics. At Canopy Family, we visit this trail from the Canopy Tower during either the morning or the afternoon, but our visitors can also enjoy a full-day trip with an amazing packed lunch. With guidance of our expert naturalists—who know this road like an old friend, visiting this trail is an experience of a lifetime, and at Canopy Family, we know how to make it special!