"Night Bird Watching”

"Night Bird Watching”

Birdwatching is relatively easy by walking the various trails that exist in the Cienaga de Zapata such as: Bermejas, Las Salinas de Brito, Los Arroyones, among others. Of the 368 known birds in Cuba, 70% are present in the Zapata Reserve, including three locally endemic species: the Ferminia, the Cabrerito de la Ciénaga and the Gallinuela de Santo Tomás, true treasures of Cuban ornithology.

Our proposal is that you walk these trails with different natural values. The main values of the Biosphere Reserve are given in the diversity, complexity and degree of conservation of its ecosystems, variety of landscapes with important scenic value, biological diversity, endemism and historical-cultural values.

These trails reveal to the visitor a splendid observatory of endemic and migratory species. On this occasion you will be able to observe the nocturnal birds that inhabit this place.

To carry out the observation of birds we will leave from the place of lodging that is defined for this activity, to arrive at the places where the paths begin we will use the transport that the TTOO or the own clients have, since we do not count on Transfer to carry out the same one. The tours have an estimated duration of 3-5 hours, returning to the initial point of departure (hotel or other places of accommodation), or to the places where lunch and dinner are planned and will be divided into groups with no more than 10 people.

Area Values

The Ciénaga de Zapata is the most humid territory in Cuba and one of the largest in Latin America and the Caribbean, approved by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as a Biosphere Reserve and also declared a Ramsar Site.

It has a wide variety of flora and fauna. The ornitofauna amounts to 212 species, of which 86 are permanent residents of our country, 101 migratory and 25 bimodal residents. It is important to highlight that the endemism of 23 of them constitutes 95.8% of the endemic birds of our country. Six of the seven Cuban endemic genera and three local endemics are also found in this area: the ferminia (Ferminia cerverai), the gallinuela de Santo Tomás (Cyanolimnas cerverai) and the sub-species of the cabrerito de ciénaga (Torreornis inexpectata inexpectata).

The native mammals of the Ciénaga de Zapata are represented by the orders Rodentia, Chiroptera and Sirenia, and this is the only region of Cuba where the three living genera of capromids coexist: Capromys, Mesocapromys and Mysateles. The conga hutia (Capromys pilorides) is the most abundant species in the area and can be seen mainly in Cayo Venado and Cayo Las Vacas, where they have shelters among the stones. Eight bat species have been reported in Cienaga de Zapata. The manatee (Trichechus manatus) is another mammal that inhabits this wetland. It has been reported at the mouth of the Hatiguanico River and can also be seen in areas with brackish water.

Details of the excursion

• Duration: 3 hrs
• Difficulty Level: Low
• Hiking or night birding in the selected area always accompanied by a local guide specialized in ornithological issues.
• Groups will be organized with a maximum of 10 people.

Important:

• The routes by land until arriving at the destination where the trails begin will be carried out in the means of transport that the TTOO or the clients have, as we do not include transfers.
• When the group is staying more than 1 day as part of the birding program, it is mandatory to stay in a single room with the local specialized guide under the same conditions as the group's clients. (Price 14 USD x Room per day)