Best Bird Watching Sites in Dominican Republic

The Sierra de Bahoruco National Park is a haven for 30 out of 31 endemic birds in the nation - reaching into the Pedernales, Barahona, and Independencia provinces with 1,226 square kilometers of broadleaf and mountainous humid cloud forests.

Of those most notable amidst the foliage are the Ciguita Aliblanca (white-winged warbler), Chirrí (eastern chat-tanager), El Perico (Hispaniolan parakeet), and the Jilguero (Antillean siskin).

For the experienced birdwatcher wanting to go the extra mile, this national park forms part of the much larger and extensive protected area of the La Selle-Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, which stretches across the Haitian-Dominican border.

One of only 21 Transboundary Biospheres in the world - you’ll gain access to La Selle National Park in Haiti.

Discover the 10 Amazing Birds of Haiti and the Best Birdwatching Sites of Haiti, to take your adventure on another level!

Punta Cana is more than just a beach resort town, it's an oasis for one of the highest concentrations of varied winged life in the country - due to its location on the east coast. Attracting both Caribbean and Atlantic Oceanic life, the animal scene is one of intense bird activity - typically Ardeidae species.

Within Punta Cana's coastal tropical terrain and open pastures, you'll find over 116 types of birds - including endemic, migratory, and native birds.

You'll be pleased to find the lovely Cuco Lagarto (Hispaniolan lizard cuckoo) - brilliant hummingbirds like the Colibri Verbena (vervain hummingbird) and the Zumbador Dorado (Antillean mango).

Also, satiny dark blue and orange Cigua Canarias (Hispaniolan orioles) and daring Carpinteros de la Hispaniola (Hispaniolan woodpecker) frequent the palms of Punta Cana, contributing to the tropical bird diversity.

The province of El Seibo has recently caught the interest of ornithologists with a curiosity for exploring new Caribbean wildlife ecosystems in the Dominican Republic. With several national parks, natural reserves, and humid mountainous terrain of dense foliage that hides Salto La Jalda, the highest waterfall in the Caribbean.

At the Redonda and Limon Lagoon Natural Scientific Reserve, elegant ducks like Pato Pescuecilargos (northern pintails) and Zaramagullónes (pied-billed grebes) are species seen calmly floating on the still lagoon waters.

Skimming the surface are deep pink Cucharetas (roseate spoonbills), the Gallareta Pico Rojo (common gallinule), and Garzas Reales (grey herons).

And let’s not forget our friend - the often intimidating Stygian Owl (asio stygius) - overseeing this thriving environment.

Monte Cristi National Park is the largest very-dry subtropical region on the northwest coast of the Dominican Republic.

The park has a massive 550 square kilometers of uninterrupted natural beauty. It caters to a broad spectrum of birdlife living around its beaches, valleys, and skyscraping rock formations like the infamous El Morro.

During the mating season months from May through August, you'll observe one of the biggest aerial displays of bird fauna that includes Zumbadores (buzzers), Cotorras (parrots), and Canarios (canaries).

Migratory seabirds like Brown Noddies (charan pardo), Sooty Terns (Gaviota oscura), and Yellow Warblers (Setophaga petechia) also jump in on the fun.