Soberanía National Park
🇵🇦 Panama
🐦 Pipeline Road Toucan BirdingSoberanía National Park protects 22,000 hectares of lowland tropical rainforest along the Panama Canal, just 45 minutes from Panama City. Its legendary Pipeline Road holds the world record for a Christmas Bird Count — 525+ bird species have been recorded in the park.
9.115° N 79.651° W
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
Geoffroy’s Tamarin
Saguinus geoffroyi
★ 
Keel-billed Toucan
Ramphastos sulfuratus
★ 
Mantled Howler Monkey
Alouatta palliata
★ 
Brown-throated Sloth
Bradypus variegatus
📊 Most Spotted
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Central American Agouti
Dasyprocta punctata
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Forest Toad
Rhinella alata
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Red-lored Parrot
Amazona autumnalis
Cocoa Woodcreeper
Xiphorhynchus susurrans
White-nosed Coati
Nasua narica
Palm Tanager
Thraupis palmarum
Slaty-tailed Trogon
Trogon massena
Western Slaty-Antshrike
Thamnophilus atrinucha
Orange-chinned Parakeet
Brotogeris jugularis
⭐ Iconic Species
★ Geoffroy’s Tamarin
Saguinus geoffroyi
★ Mantled Howler Monkey
Alouatta palliata
★ Brown-throated Sloth
Bradypus variegatus
📊 Most Spotted
Central American Agouti
Dasyprocta punctata
White-nosed Coati
Nasua narica
Central American White-faced Capuchin
Cebus imitator
Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth
Choloepus hoffmanni
Northern Tamandua
Tamandua mexicana
Proboscis Bat
Rhynchonycteris naso
Red-tailed Squirrel
Sciurus granatensis
Lesser Capybara
Hydrochoerus isthmius
Panamanian Night Monkey
Aotus zonalis
Variegated Squirrel
Sciurus variegatoides
Kinkajou
Potos flavus
Collared Peccary
Pecari tajacu
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Red-lored Parrot
Amazona autumnalis
Cocoa Woodcreeper
Xiphorhynchus susurrans
Palm Tanager
Thraupis palmarum
Slaty-tailed Trogon
Trogon massena
Western Slaty-Antshrike
Thamnophilus atrinucha
Orange-chinned Parakeet
Brotogeris jugularis
Wattled Jacana
Jacana jacana
Crimson-backed Tanager
Ramphocelus dimidiatus
Dot-winged Antwren
Microrhopias quixensis
📊 Most Spotted
Green Iguana
Iguana iguana
Common Basilisk
Basiliscus basiliscus
Common Caiman
Caiman crocodilus
White-throated Gecko
Gonatodes albogularis
Black Spiny-tailed Iguana
Ctenosaura similis
Middle American Ameiva
Holcosus festivus
American Crocodile
Crocodylus acutus
Panama City Anole
Anolis apletophallus
Fer-de-lance
Bothrops asper
Common House Gecko
Hemidactylus frenatus
Central American Boa
Boa imperator
Mourning Gecko
Lepidodactylus lugubris
📊 Most Spotted
Forest Toad
Rhinella alata
Guayaquil Dwarf Frog
Engystomops pustulosus
Red-eyed Treefrog
Agalychnis callidryas
Giant Marine Toad
Rhinella horribilis
Rosenberg's Gladiator Frog
Boana rosenbergi
Green and Black Dart-poison Frog
Dendrobates auratus
Savage's Thin-toed Frog
Leptodactylus savagei
Milk Frog
Trachycephalus macrotis
Harlequin Treefrog
Dendropsophus ebraccatus
Fitzinger's Robber Frog
Craugastor fitzingeri
Leaf Litter Toad
Rhaebo haematiticus
Rainforest Rocket Frog
Silverstoneia flotator
Recent sightings in Soberanía National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
2Geoffroy's Tamarin Breeding Season
Barely bigger than a squirrel, the Geoffroy's Tamarin becomes especially animated during its breeding season, when family troops chase through the mid-story with high whistling calls. Look for these tiny black-and-white monkeys with pale crowns bounding between vines in tight, cooperative groups.
1Fall Raptor Migration
As the narrow isthmus funnels North America's raptors southward, immense swirling kettles of Turkey Vultures and Broad-winged Hawks pour overhead in living rivers of wings. Watch them spiral up on thermals and stream past in the tens of thousands over the forest canopy.
3Boreal Migrant Songbird Peak
A wave of northern songbirds floods the forest, filling the canopy with the golden flash of Yellow Warblers, the rich red of Summer Tanagers, and the streaked flanks of Bay-breasted Warblers. Mixed feeding flocks make every branch flicker with restless, brightly colored migrants refueling on their long journey south.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Fall Raptor Migration
- 2Geoffroy's Tamarin Breeding Season
- 3Boreal Migrant Songbird Peak
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
We also saw capuchin and howler monkeys, lizards, leaf cutter ants, butterflies (several morpho).
Without even stepping into the national park or Pipeline road, we saw a green iguana, a toucan, bats, agouti, fireflies, tanagers, parrokeets, tons of butterflies, turtles, frogs and capybara.....all within a several minute walk from Ivan's place.
Despite that, we were lucky enough to spot a few toucans and even ran into a coati who didn’t seem to mind our presence. (If I’m wrong and that wasn’t a coati, please let me know!) Next time we visit Panama, we plan to go earlier in the morning to catch more wildlife in action.
Over the course of four hours we saw sloths, crocodiles, monkeys, countless colorful birds, and more wildlife than I could possibly remember.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Soberanía National Park?
The most likely sightings are Black Vulture (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Keel-billed Toucan (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Central American Agouti (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Turkey Vulture (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Mantled Howler Monkey (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers) — among 1161 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Soberanía National Park for wildlife?
October has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Geoffroy’s Tamarin in Soberanía National Park?
Yes — about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Geoffroy’s Tamarin sighting in Soberanía National Park, based on 435 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Keel-billed Toucan in Soberanía National Park?
Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Keel-billed Toucan sighting in Soberanía National Park, based on 10,100 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Mantled Howler Monkey in Soberanía National Park?
Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Mantled Howler Monkey sighting in Soberanía National Park, based on 636 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Brown-throated Sloth in Soberanía National Park?
Yes — about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Brown-throated Sloth sighting in Soberanía National Park, based on 283 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
Very goodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
ExcellentHow likely to see animals?
Experience
GoodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
.jpg/330px-Darien_Gap_on_Pacific_Coast_of_Panama_-_panoramio_(3).jpg)