El único Panamá - Week 3

Welcome to our weekly series about the uniqueness of Panama!

With nearly 1,000 bird species, Panama is a world-class destination for bird watchers and ecotourists. It hosts more bird species than all of North America. You can spot the tiny Volcano Hummingbird to the stolid Harpy Eagle, the largest bird of prey on the continent with a history of prominence among the ancient deities. Over one third of Panama is dedicated National Park land, providing habitat to some of the most sought after species including; the Resplendent Quetzal, the Three-wattled Bellbird, Sapayoa, Brown-backed Dove, Great-green Macaw, Black-tipped Cotinga, and the endemic Coiba Spinetail. The millions of shorebirds and seabirds that flock to the bay of Panama are another unforgettable source of awe whether you are an avid birder or not. Each year 3 million raptors soar over Panama City, the display of which is the greatest hawk migration in the world.

In Panama, birds are also sighted in more than 10 protected and surrounding areas, such as La Amistad International Park, Baru Volcano park, Santa Fe, El Copé, Coiba, Campana, San Lorenzo, Camino de Cruces, and Soberanía, with its world-renowned trails: Pipeline Road and Plantation Road and Darien. Other areas include the wetlands, Bay of Panama, the Metropolitan Natural Park, and Cerro Ancón (www.visitpanama.com)

Word of the week: pájaro (bird)