La Amistad International Park (Panama)

🇵🇦 Panama

🐸 Poison Dart Frog & Quetzal Cloudforest

⏱ 2–3 days 🥾 Challenging trails

🌍 #200 Global · 3.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #35 in Central America #93 in Tropical Forest

Talamanca Highlands, Panama 1664 spp. recorded

La Amistad International Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site spanning the Talamanca mountain range across the Panama-Costa Rica border. The Panamanian sector protects 207,000 hectares of pristine cloud forest and páramo — one of the largest unbroken wilderness areas in Central America.

9.142° N 82.406° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Resplendent Quetzal

Pharomachrus mocinno

10–20% · With luck

Three-wattled Bellbird

Procnias tricarunculatus

10–20% · With luck

Brown-throated Sloth

Bradypus variegatus

30–40% · Possible

Mantled Howler Monkey

Alouatta palliata

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

50–60% · Likely

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Amazilia tzacatl

50–60% · Likely

Clay-colored Thrush

Turdus grayi

50–60% · Likely

Blue-gray Tanager

Thraupis episcopus

50–60% · Likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

40–50% · Likely

Strawberry Poison-dart Frog

Oophaga pumilio

40–50% · Likely

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus

40–50% · Likely

Southern House Wren

Troglodytes musculus

40–50% · Likely

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

40–50% · Likely

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Ramphocelus passerinii

40–50% · Likely

Variable Seedeater

Sporophila corvina

30–40% · Possible

Bananaquit

Coereba flaveola

30–40% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

Brown-throated Sloth

Bradypus variegatus

30–40% · Possible

Mantled Howler Monkey

Alouatta palliata

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth

Choloepus hoffmanni

20–30% · Possible

Central American White-faced Capuchin

Cebus imitator

10–20% · Possible

Red-tailed Squirrel

Sciurus granatensis

10–20% · Possible

Variegated Squirrel

Sciurus variegatoides

10–20% · Possible

White-nosed Coati

Nasua narica

10–20% · Possible

Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

10–20% · With luck

Derby's Woolly Opossum

Caluromys derbianus

0–10% · With luck

Central American Agouti

Dasyprocta punctata

0–10% · With luck

Central American Spider Monkey

Ateles geoffroyi

0–10% · With luck

Cacomistle

Bassariscus sumichrasti

0–10% · With luck

Panamanian Night Monkey

Aotus zonalis

0–10% · With luck

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

0–10% · With luck

⭐ Iconic Species

Resplendent Quetzal

Pharomachrus mocinno

10–20% · With luck

Three-wattled Bellbird

Procnias tricarunculatus

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

50–60% · Likely

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Amazilia tzacatl

50–60% · Likely

Clay-colored Thrush

Turdus grayi

50–60% · Likely

Blue-gray Tanager

Thraupis episcopus

50–60% · Likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

40–50% · Likely

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus

40–50% · Likely

Southern House Wren

Troglodytes musculus

40–50% · Likely

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

40–50% · Likely

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Ramphocelus passerinii

40–50% · Likely

Variable Seedeater

Sporophila corvina

30–40% · Possible

Bananaquit

Coereba flaveola

30–40% · Possible

Great-tailed Grackle

Quiscalus mexicanus

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Brown Basilisk

Basiliscus vittatus

20–30% · Possible

Common Caiman

Caiman crocodilus

20–30% · Possible

Green Iguana

Iguana iguana

20–30% · Possible

Mourning Gecko

Lepidodactylus lugubris

20–30% · Possible

Emerald Swift

Sceloporus malachiticus

20–30% · Possible

Border Anole

Anolis limifrons

10–20% · Possible

White-throated Gecko

Gonatodes albogularis

10–20% · Possible

Central American Boa

Boa imperator

10–20% · With luck

Middle American Ameiva

Holcosus festivus

10–20% · With luck

Neotropical Green Anole

Anolis biporcatus

10–20% · With luck

Basiisk Verde

Basiliscus plumifrons

10–20% · With luck

Fer-de-lance

Bothrops asper

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Strawberry Poison-dart Frog

Oophaga pumilio

40–50% · Likely

Giant Marine Toad

Rhinella horribilis

20–30% · Possible

Green and Black Dart-poison Frog

Dendrobates auratus

20–30% · Possible

Red-eyed Treefrog

Agalychnis callidryas

20–30% · Possible

Savage's Thin-toed Frog

Leptodactylus savagei

10–20% · Possible

Striped Rocket Frog

Allobates talamancae

10–20% · Possible

Harlequin Treefrog

Dendropsophus ebraccatus

10–20% · With luck

Masked Tree Frog

Smilisca phaeota

10–20% · With luck

Green Climbing Toad

Incilius coniferus

10–20% · With luck

Sipurio Snouted Treefrog

Scinax elaeochroa

10–20% · With luck

Striped Poison-Dart Frog

Phyllobates lugubris

10–20% · With luck

Vaillant's Frog

Lithobates vaillanti

0–10% · With luck

Animal Events

🐦

Resplendent Quetzal Nesting Season

FebMarAprMay

During breeding, the Resplendent Quetzal pairs excavate cavities in rotting cloud-forest trees, the emerald male trailing his shimmering meter-long tail streamers as he flashes into the nest hole to feed the chicks. It is the year's best window to spot this legendary bird against the misty canopy.

Resplendent Quetzal

Pharomachrus mocinno

10–20% · With luck

🐦

Three-wattled Bellbird Calling Season

MarAprMayJun

In the breeding season, male Three-wattled Bellbirds claim high cloud-forest song perches and hurl out a metallic, ear-splitting BONK that carries across the valleys, the three worm-like wattles dangling from their beaks. Follow the ringing calls uphill and you can watch them duel for the best perch.

Three-wattled Bellbird

Procnias tricarunculatus

10–20% · With luck

🐸

Rainy-season Frog Breeding Chorus

MaySepOctNov

When the rains break, Red-eyed Treefrogs and Green-and-black Poison-dart Frogs erupt into an explosive breeding congregation, filling the humid nights with a pulsing chorus around forest pools. Scarlet-eyed treefrogs cling to dripping leaves while the tiny toxic dart frogs call from the wet leaf litter below.

Green and Black Dart-poison Frog

Dendrobates auratus

20–30% · Possible

Red-eyed Treefrog

Agalychnis callidryas

20–30% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

30–40

30–40

40–50

40–50

30–40

Resplendent Quetzal

10–20

10–20

10–20

10–20

10–20

10–20

0–10

10–20

<5

<5

<5

0–10

Three-wattled Bellbird

10–20

10–20

10–20

10–20

0–10

10–20

10–20

10–20

0–10

<5

0–10

0–10

Brown-throated Sloth

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

20–30

30–40

20–30

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

Mantled Howler Monkey

30–40

20–30

20–30

10–20

20–30

10–20

30–40

20–30

20–30

20–30

10–20

20–30

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

Clay-colored Thrush

40–50

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

Blue-gray Tanager

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

20–30

40–50

30–40

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

Strawberry Poison-dart Frog

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

Tropical Kingbird

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

30–40

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

50–60

40–50

Southern House Wren

30–40

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

Variable Seedeater

20–30

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

20–30

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

20–30

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

Animal Events

🐦 Resplendent Quetzal Nesting Season

🐦 Three-wattled Bellbird Calling Season

🐸 Rainy-season Frog Breeding Chorus

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Good

🐸 Poison Dart Frog & Quetzal Cloudforest

🦜

Biodiversity

Excellent

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

975

🐒 Mammals

284

🦎 Reptiles

210

🐸 Amphibians

195

1664 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

104 Threatened 94 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

2.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

47%

📊

Coverage (341 species at ≥5% of 1664 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

20%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (11 bird, 1 amphibian)

47% Global avg

20%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

234

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

10

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

10

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