This great site is easily accesible from Merida. I birded the trail on 2 day trips from the city. Staying in the park may also be an option. There are some dormitories and also a camp site. Bring your own food and a sleepingbag. Merida is a fairly big city and has many places to stay, eat and do internet. I found a cheap place to stay (15,000 for dormitory) near the cable car station. To get to Mucuy, first take a bus to Tabay (leaving regularly from 6am about 4 blocks west from Plaza Bolivar), about half an hour away. From the plaza in Tabay, there is a sign to the right to 'Parque la Mucuy'. It's about 7km up to the park entrance and the road is paved all the way. You can get a taxi up from the plaza in Tabay, try to hitch, or walk it. The lower entrance has a sign saying open at 8am, but I found it open before this. Up from here, the road runs along the river where you can see White-capped Dipper. Trees nearby have some tanager flocks and also Moustached Brush-Finch. There is an office higher up but no admission is charged. Further up is a fork, go to the right and up the hill, passed some buidlings and try and find the start of the trail. After the last building, walk up a grassy bank and look for a wooden archway that is the start of the trail. From here is is supposedly 9km up to Laguna Coromoto where you can camp. It took my about 4-5 hours up from the entrance and 2-3 hours back down. A sign said it was 3,000m here although I got it as about 3,100m.
| Black Vulture | Coragyps atratus | |
| Yellow-headed Caracara | Milvago chimachima | |
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | Photographed |
| Andean Guan | Penelope montagnii | Photographed Recorded |
| Rock Pigeon | Columba livia | Introduced species |
| Lined Quail-Dove | Geotrygon linearis | |
| Rose-headed Parakeet | Pyrrhura rhodocephala | Endemic Heard only |
| Rusty-faced Parrot | Hapalopsittaca amazonina | Endangered Heard only |
| Speckle-faced (White-capped) Parrot | Pionus tumultuosus (seniloides) | |
| Smooth-billed Ani | Crotophaga ani | |
| Lazuline Sabrewing | Campylopterus falcatus | |
| Green Violet-ear | Colibri thalassinus | |
| Sparkling Violet-ear | Colibri coruscans | |
| Blue-tailed Emerald | Chlorostilbon mellisugus | Possibly seen |
| Speckled Hummingbird | Adelomyia melanogenys | |
| Mountain Velvetbreast | Lafresnaya lafresnayi | |
| Longuemare's Sunangel | Heliangelus clarisse | Photographed |
| Tyrian Metaltail | Metallura tyrianthina | |
| Long-tailed Sylph | Aglaiocercus kingi | |
| Gorgeted Woodstar | Chaetocercus heliodor | Possibly seen |
| Masked Trogon | Trogon personatus | Possibly heard |
| Ringed Kingfisher | Ceryle torquatus | |
| Andean Toucanet | Aulacorhynchus albivitta | Photographed |
| Golden-olive Woodpecker | Piculus rubiginosus | |
| Rufous Spinetail | Synallaxis unirufa | |
| Spotted Barbtail | Premnoplex brunnescens | Possibly seen |
| Pearled Treerunner | Margarornis squamiger | |
| Streaked Xenops | Xenops rutilans | |
| Streaked Tuftedcheek | Pseudocolaptes boissonneautii | |
| Black-banded Woodcreeper | Dendrocolaptes picumnus | |
| Montane Woodcreeper | Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger | |
| Undulated Antpitta | Grallaria squamigera | |
| Chestnut-crowned Antpitta | Grallaria ruficapilla | Heard only |
| Gray-naped Antpitta | Grallaria griseonucha | Endemic Heard only |
| (Merida Tapaculo?) | (Scytalopus meridanus?) | Endemic Recorded |
| Red-crested Cotinga | Ampelion rubrocristata | |
| Green-and-black Fruiteater | Pipreola riefferii | |
| Barred Fruiteater | Pipreola arcuata | |
| Torrent Tyrannulet | Serpophaga cinerea | |
| Black-capped Tyrannulet | Phyllomyias nigrocapillus | |
| Venezuelan Tyrannulet | Zimmerius improbus | |
| White-throated Tyrannulet | Mecocerculus leucophrys | |
| White-banded Tyrannulet | Mecocerculus stictopterus | |
| Black Phoebe | Sayornis nigricans | Photographed |
| Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant | Ochthoeca fumicolor | Photographed |
| Cattle Tyrant | Machetornis rixosus | |
| Tropical Kingbird | Tyrannus melancholicus | |
| Barred Becard | Pachyramphus versicolor | |
| Gray-breasted Martin | Progne chalybea | |
| Blue-and-white Swallow | Notiochelidon cyanoleuca | |
| White-capped Dipper | Cinclus leucocephalus | Photographed |
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | |
| Gray-breasted Wood-Wren | Henicorhina leucophrys | |
| Tropical Mockingbird | Mimus gilvus | |
| Great Thrush | Turdus fuscater | |
| Chestnut-bellied Thrush | Turdus fulviventris | |
| Green Jay | Cyanocorax yncas | |
| Brown-capped Vireo | Vireo leucophrys | |
| Slate-throated Redstart | Myioborus miniatus | |
| White-fronted Redstart | Myioborus albifrons | Endemic Near-threatened Photographed Recorded |
| Black-crested Warbler | Basileuterus nigrocristatus | Photographed Recorded |
| Russet-crowned Warbler | Basileuterus coronatus | Photographed Recorded |
| Three-striped Warbler | Basileuterus tristriatus | |
| Bananaquit | Coereba flaveola | |
| Blue-backed Conebill | Conirostrum sitticolor | |
| Common Bush-Tanager | Chlorospingus ophthalmicus | |
| Gray-capped Hemispingus | Hemispingus reyi | Endemic Near-threatened Photographed |
| White-lined Tanager | Tachyphonus rufus | Possibly seen |
| Blue-gray Tanager | Thraupis episcopus | |
| Blue-capped Tanager | Thraupis cyanocephala | |
| Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager | Dubusia taeniata | Possibly seen |
| Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia | Chlorophonia pyrrhophrys | Photographed Recorded |
| Flame-faced Tanager | Tangara parzudakii | |
| Burnished-buff Tanager | Tangara cayana | |
| Beryl-spangled Tanager | Tangara nigroviridis | |
| Blue-and-black Tanager | Tangara vassorii | |
| Black-capped Tanager | Tangara heinei | |
| Black-headed Tanager | Tangara cyanoptera | |
| Plush-capped Finch | Catamblyrhynchus diadema | |
| White-sided Flowerpiercer | Diglossa albilatera | |
| Masked Flowerpiercer | Diglossopis cyanea | |
| Saffron Finch | Sicalis flaveola | |
| Slaty Brush-Finch | Atlapetes schistaceus | |
| Moustached Brush-Finch | Atlapetes albofrenatus | |
| Rufous-collared Sparrow | Zonotrichia capensis | |
| Carib Grackle | Quiscalus lugubris | |
| Yellow-billed Cacique | Amblycercus holosericeus | |
| Lesser Goldfinch | Carduelis psaltria | Photographed |
| Merida Tapaculo | Scytalopus meridanus |
This is a nice road to bird in the morning. I stayed in Barinitas which is a lot nicer than Barinas and much safer. There seems to be only 1 place to stay here, Hotel El Jardin. It's more like a motel and has about 100 rooms. A room cost me 20,000B. Barinitas has a few hot dog stands and an internet cafe. In the morning, a bus leaves the plaza for Altamira on the way up to another town. A good plan is to get off at the junction on the main road and walk down the hill towards Altamira. I saw some good flocks of tanagers and some nice hummingbirds along here. There are many other areas worth exploring in the Santa Domingo valley too.
| Black Vulture | Coragyps atratus | |
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | |
| Gray Hawk | Asturina nitida | Recorded |
| Roadside Hawk | Buteo magnirostris | Recorded |
| Scaled Dove | Columbina squammata | |
| White-tipped Dove | Leptotila verreauxi | |
| Brown-throated Parakeet | Aratinga pertinax | Seen in Barinitas |
| Green-rumped Parrotlet | Forpus passerinus | |
| Orange-chinned Parakeet | Brotogeris jugularis | |
| Fork-tailed Palm-Swift | Tachornis squamata | Seen in Barinitas |
| Pale-bellied Hermit | Phaethornis anthophilus | Possibly seen |
| Gray-chinned Hermit | Phaethornis griseogularis | |
| Blue-chinned Sapphire | Chlorostilbon notatus | Photographed? |
| Blue-tailed Emerald | Chlorostilbon mellisugus | |
| Violet-crowned Woodnymph | Thalurania colombica | |
| White-vented Plumeleteer | Chalybura buffonii | |
| Violet-fronted Brilliant | Heliodoxa leadbeateri | Possibly seen |
| Black-mandibled Toucan | Ramphastos ambiguus | Possibly seen |
| Scaled Piculet | Picumnus squamulatus | |
| Red-crowned Woodpecker | Melanerpes rubricapillus | |
| Crimson-crested Woodpecker | Campephilus melanoleucos | Photographed |
| Plain-brown Woodcreeper | Dendrocincla fuliginosa | |
| Streak-headed Woodcreeper | Lepidocolaptes souleyetii | |
| Slaty-capped Flycatcher | Leptopogon superciliaris | |
| Yellow-olive Flycatcher | Tolmomyias sulphurescens | |
| Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Myiarchus tuberculifer | Heard only |
| Great Kiskadee | Pitangus sulphuratus | |
| Rusty-margined Flycatcher | Myiozetetes cayanensis | |
| Tropical Kingbird | Tyrannus melancholicus | |
| Blue-and-white Swallow | Notiochelidon cyanoleuca | |
| Southern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx ruficollis | |
| Pale-breasted Thrush | Turdus leucomelas | |
| Black-billed Thrush | Turdus ignobilis | Photographed |
| Scrub Greenlet | Hylophilus flavipes | Possibly seen |
| Rufous-browed Peppershrike | Cyclarhis gujanensis | |
| American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | |
| Guira Tanager | Hemithraupis guira | |
| Gray-headed Tanager | Eucometis penicillata | |
| White-lined Tanager | Tachyphonus rufus | |
| Red-crowned Ant-Tanager | Habia rubica | |
| Silver-beaked Tanager | Ramphocelus carbo | |
| Blue-gray Tanager | Thraupis episcopus | |
| Blue-necked Tanager | Tangara cyanicollis | |
| Gray Seedeater | Sporophila intermedia | |
| Yellow-bellied Seedeater | Sporophila nigricollis | |
| Saffron Finch | Sicalis flaveola | Seen in Barinitas |
| Pectoral Sparrow | Arremon taciturnus | |
| Buff-throated Saltator | Saltator maximus | |
| Shiny Cowbird | Molothrus bonariensis | |
| Yellow-backed Oriole | Icterus chrysater | |
| Venezuelan Troupial | Icterus icterus | Seen in Barinitas |
| Crested Oropendola | Psarocolius decumanus | Photographed |
This national park is accessed from the small town of Sanare. Sanare is reached from Barquisemeto. Buses leave irregularly from this dangerous city. I was told it is dangerous even inside the terminal although I didn't find it too bad. I was told a bus left for Sanare at 6pm but it finally left at 6:30 and took about an hour and a half. Sanare has a hotel charging 30,000B. I found a slightly cheaper Posada for 25,000B. There are a few shops and hot dog stands around and even internet. There is no public transport to the national park. You have to hitch, or hire a taxi. The taxi driver quoted me 20,000. It's about 30 minutes to get there. Maybe about 15km. From the plaza follow the signs to El Blanquito. If you are hitching, find the stop after the last junction and try to flag down a car. I got a ride as far as the junction for Caspo. Here the forest starts and good birding. Just after here in the morning I saw a flock of Blood-eared Parakeets. A little further on is a sign reading 'La Cima'. Here is an only derelict building where I saw Long-tailed sylph feeding on flowers in the garden. The run goes up and down a couple of times, and after the last pass look out for a small grass-covered lay-by on a right turn just before a hairpin left turn. The forest there (around 1,900m) supposedly has Great Antpitta although I was unable to find them. Further down at 1,800m I had Band-tailed Guan, at 1,740m Scaled Fruiteater in a mixed flock and 1,620m Red-headed Barbet. The road continues down and there is a turning for A small lake called 'El Blanquito. Here I had Caribbean Coot and Rusty-flanked Crake. The later is responsive to Playback. I had good views by cutting down to the lakes far edge from the entrance road and using playback at a little boggy area behind the long grass.
| Little Tinamou | Crypturellus soui | |
| Least Grebe | Tachybaptus dominicus | |
| Neotropic Cormorant | Phalacrocorax brasilianus | Photographed |
| Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis | |
| Black Vulture | Coragyps atratus | |
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | |
| Yellow-headed Caracara | Milvago chimachima | Photographed |
| Rufous-vented Chachalaca | Ortalis ruficauda | |
| Band-tailed Guan | Penelope argyrotis | Photographed |
| Rusty-flanked Crake | Laterallus levraudi | Endemic Endangered |
| Caribbean Coot | Fulica caribaea | Near-threatened Photographed Recorded |
| Southern Lapwing | Vanellus chilensis | |
| Ruddy Pigeon | Patagioenas subvinacea | |
| Ruddy Ground-Dove | Columbina talpacoti | |
| Scaled Dove | Columbina squammata | |
| White-tipped Dove | Leptotila verreauxi | |
| Scarlet-fronted Parakeet | Aratinga wagleri | Photographed Recorded |
| Red(Blood)-eared Parakeet | Pyrrhura hoematotis | Endemic |
| Smooth-billed Ani | Crotophaga ani | |
| Chestnut-collared Swift | Streptoprocne rutila | Possibly seen |
| Gray-rumped Swift | Chaetura cinereiventris | |
| Green-tailed Emerald | Chlorostilbon alice | Endemic Photographed |
| Violet-crowned Woodnymph | Thalurania colombica | |
| Speckled Hummingbird | Adelomyia melanogenys | |
| Booted Racket-tail | Ocreatus underwoodii | Heard only |
| Long-tailed Sylph | Aglaiocercus kingi | |
| Rufous-shafted Woodstar | Chaetocercus jourdanii | Photographed Recorded |
| Collared Trogon | Trogon collaris | |
| Masked Trogon | Trogon personatus | Photographed |
| Red-headed Barbet | Eubucco bourcierii | |
| Scaled Piculet | Picumnus squamulatus | |
| Golden-olive Woodpecker | Piculus rubiginosus | |
| Stripe-breasted Spinetail | Synallaxis cinnamomea | Possibly seen |
| Crested Spinetail | Cranioleuca subcristata | |
| Pearled Treerunner | Margarornis squamiger | |
| Montane Foliage-gleaner | Anabacerthia striaticollis | |
| Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner | Philydor rufus | Photographed |
| Plain-brown Woodcreeper | Dendrocincla fuliginosa | Photographed Recorded |
| Streak-headed Woodcreeper | Lepidocolaptes souleyetii | |
| Plain Antvireo | Dysithamnus mentalis | |
| Immaculate Antbird | Myrmeciza immaculata | Photographed Recorded |
| (Merida Tapaculo) | (Scytalopus meridanus) | Endemic Recorded |
| Scaled Fruiteater | Ampelioides tschudii | |
| Golden-faced Tyrannulet | Zimmerius chrysops | |
| Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant | Lophotriccus pileatus | Heard only Recorded |
| Cinnamon Flycatcher | Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea | |
| Smoke-colored Pewee | Contopus fumigatus | |
| Black Phoebe | Sayornis nigricans | |
| Cattle Tyrant | Machetornis rixosus | |
| Great Kiskadee | Pitangus sulphuratus | |
| Rusty-margined Flycatcher | Myiozetetes cayanensis | |
| Social Flycatcher | Myiozetetes similis | |
| Golden-crowned Flycatcher | Myiodynastes chrysocephalus | |
| Variegated Flycatcher | Empidonomus varius | |
| Tropical Kingbird | Tyrannus melancholicus | |
| Chestnut-crowned Becard | Pachyramphus castaneus | |
| Blue-and-white Swallow | Notiochelidon cyanoleuca | |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | |
| Black-capped Donacobius | Donacobius atricapilla | |
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | |
| Gray-breasted Wood-Wren | Henicorhina leucophrys | |
| Scaly-breasted Wren | Microcerculus marginatus | Possibly heard |
| Tropical Mockingbird | Mimus gilvus | |
| Andean Solitaire | Myadestes ralloides | Heard only |
| Yellow-legged Thrush | Platycichla flavipes | |
| Black-billed Thrush | Turdus ignobilis | |
| Brown-capped Vireo | Vireo leucophrys | |
| Blackburnian Warbler | Dendroica fusca | |
| Black-and-white Warbler | Mniotilta varia | Photographed |
| American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | |
| Slate-throated Redstart | Myioborus miniatus | |
| Three-striped Warbler | Basileuterus tristriatus | |
| Bananaquit | Coereba flaveola | |
| Common Bush-Tanager | Chlorospingus ophthalmicus | |
| Fulvous-headed Tanager | Thlypopsis fulviceps | |
| Guira Tanager | Hemithraupis guira | |
| White-lined Tanager | Tachyphonus rufus | |
| Silver-beaked Tanager | Ramphocelus carbo | |
| Blue-gray Tanager | Thraupis episcopus | |
| Golden Tanager | Tangara arthus | Photographed |
| Saffron-crowned Tanager | Tangara xanthocephala | |
| Speckled Tanager | Tangara guttata | |
| Bay-headed Tanager | Tangara gyrola | |
| Burnished-buff Tanager | Tangara cayana | |
| Blue-necked Tanager | Tangara cyanicollis | |
| Black-capped Tanager | Tangara heinei | |
| Black-headed Tanager | Tangara cyanoptera | |
| Blue-black Grassquit | Volatinia jacarina | |
| Yellow-bellied Seedeater | Sporophila nigricollis | |
| Saffron Finch | Sicalis flaveola | Seen in Sanare |
| Ochre-breasted Brush-Finch | Atlapetes semirufus | Possibly seen |
| Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch | Buarremon brunneinucha | |
| Rufous-collared Sparrow | Zonotrichia capensis | |
| Streaked Saltator | Saltator striatipectus | |
| Buff-throated Saltator | Saltator maximus | |
| Golden-bellied Grosbeak | Pheucticus chrysogaster | |
| Carib Grackle | Quiscalus lugubris | |
| Yellow-backed Oriole | Icterus chrysater | Recorded |
| Russet-backed Oropendola | Psarocolius angustifrons | Photographed Recorded |
| Oriole Blackbird | Gymnomystax mexicanus | Photographed |
| Yellow-bellied Siskin | Carduelis xanthogastra |
Near to Coro there is some nice dry forest and scrub with some localised species endemic to the NW of Venezuala and NE Colombia. There is also a strange isolated mountain range nearby with some nice birds. The beautiful city of Coro makes a good base. Coro is easily accessed from Valencia. I came from Barquisemeto but had to change cars once. Coro has many places to stay, eat and do internet. I stayed at the Posada El Gallo near the San Clemente church which was nice and only B15,000 for a single room. The couple that own it don´t like to wake up before 7am though which is not great for early mornings. From the centre take a bus back to the terminal and from there buses but more often Por Puestos leave for the town of Curimaguas (about 1 hour away) in the Sierra San Luis. Take this to where the road starts to rise up. Here I found an excellent area for dry forest species. Look out for where the road goes over a dip before starting the climb. Walk along this dry valley. Here I had White-whiskered Spinetail, Orinocan Saltator, Vermillion Cardinal, Buffy Hummingbird, Crested Bobwhite and many other species. If you carry on along this road, you reach La Cumbre (the peak). The coro side of this has a bit of forest with some interesting birds. This area might also be good at dawn and dusk for Yellow-shouldered Parrots. I only heard this species flying over the city in the early morning.
| Little Tinamou | Crypturellus soui | Heard only |
| Black Vulture | Coragyps atratus | |
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | |
| Pearl Kite | Gampsonyx swainsonii | Photographed |
| Harris's Hawk | Parabuteo unicinctus | |
| Black Hawk-Eagle | Spizaetus tyrannus | |
| Crested Caracara | Caracara cheriway | Photographed |
| Yellow-headed Caracara | Milvago chimachima | |
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | |
| Rufous-vented Chachalaca | Ortalis ruficauda | |
| Crested Bobwhite | Colinus cristatus | |
| Rock Pigeon | Columba livia | Introduced species |
| Common Ground-Dove | Columbina passerina | Photographed |
| Scaled Dove | Columbina squammata | |
| White-tipped Dove | Leptotila verreauxi | |
| Brown-throated Parakeet | Aratinga pertinax | |
| Green-rumped Parrotlet | Forpus passerinus | |
| Red-billed Parrot | Pionus sordidus | Recorded |
| Yellow-shouldered Parrot | Amazona barbadensis | Vulnerable Heard only |
| Squirrel Cuckoo | Piaya cayana | |
| Smooth-billed Ani | Crotophaga ani | |
| Sooty-capped Hermit | Phaethornis augusti | Photographed |
| White-necked Jacobin | Florisuga mellivora | |
| Black-throated Mango | Anthracothorax nigricollis | |
| Blue-tailed Emerald | Chlorostilbon mellisugus | Possibly seen |
| Golden-tailed Sapphire | Chrysuronia oenone | |
| Buffy Hummingbird | Leucippus fallax | Photographed |
| Copper-rumped Hummingbird | Saucerottia tobaci | Possibly seen |
| White-vented Plumeleteer | Chalybura buffonii | |
| Red-crowned Woodpecker | Melanerpes rubricapillus | |
| Pale-legged Hornero | Furnarius leucopus | Possibly seen |
| White-whiskered Spinetail | Synallaxis candei | Photographed Recorded |
| Pale-breasted Spinetail | Synallaxis albescens | |
| Crested Spinetail | Cranioleuca subcristata | |
| Straight-billed Woodcreeper | Dendroplex picus | Photographed |
| Black-crested Antshrike | Sakesphorus canadensis | |
| Barred Antshrike | Thamnophilus doliatus | Heard only |
| Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet | Camptostoma obsoletum | |
| Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant | Pogonotriccus ophthalmicus | Photographed |
| Northern Scrub-Flycatcher | Sublegatus arenarum | Photographed |
| Slender-billed Tyrannulet | Inezia tenuirostris | Photographed |
| Vermilion Flycatcher | Pyrocephalus rubinus | |
| Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Myiarchus tuberculifer | |
| Boat-billed Flycatcher | Megarynchus pitangua | |
| Rusty-margined Flycatcher | Myiozetetes cayanensis | Recorded |
| Social Flycatcher | Myiozetetes similis | Possibly seen |
| Tropical Kingbird | Tyrannus melancholicus | |
| Chestnut-crowned Becard | Pachyramphus castaneus | |
| Gray-breasted Martin | Progne chalybea | Photographed |
| Blue-and-white Swallow | Notiochelidon cyanoleuca | |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | Photographed |
| Bicolored Wren | Campylorhynchus griseus | |
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | |
| Tropical Mockingbird | Mimus gilvus | |
| Tropical Gnatcatcher | Polioptila plumbea | |
| Black-chested Jay | Cyanocorax affinis | Recorded |
| Green Jay | Cyanocorax yncas | Heard only |
| Black-and-white Warbler | Mniotilta varia | |
| American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | |
| Bananaquit | Coereba flaveola | |
| Black-faced Tanager | Schistochlamys melanopis | Photographed |
| Common Bush-Tanager | Chlorospingus ophthalmicus | |
| Rosy Thrush-Tanager | Rhodinocichla rosea | |
| White-lined Tanager | Tachyphonus rufus | |
| Silver-beaked Tanager | Ramphocelus carbo | |
| Blue-gray Tanager | Thraupis episcopus | |
| Palm Tanager | Thraupis palmarum | |
| Thick-billed Euphonia | Euphonia laniirostris | |
| Orange-bellied Euphonia | Euphonia xanthogaster | |
| Golden Tanager | Tangara arthus | |
| Purple Honeycreeper | Cyanerpes caeruleus | |
| Blue-black Grassquit | Volatinia jacarina | Possibly seen |
| Yellow-bellied Seedeater | Sporophila nigricollis | |
| Saffron Finch | Sicalis flaveola | |
| Streaked Saltator | Saltator striatipectus | |
| Buff-throated Saltator | Saltator maximus | |
| Orinocan Saltator | Saltator orenocensis | Photographed |
| Vermilion Cardinal | Cardinalis phoeniceus | Photographed Recorded |
| Carib Grackle | Quiscalus lugubris | |
| Yellow Oriole | Icterus nigrogularis | |
| Crested Oropendola | Psarocolius decumanus | |
| Lesser Goldfinch | Carduelis psaltria |
These are 2 wonderful protected areas especially for waterbirds. The entrance for Morrocoy is just 10 minutes drive from Tucacas, a popular beach town with several places to stay, the cheapest I could find being B30,000. Cuare is closer to another beach town called Chichiriviche, which is smaller, cheaper and probable safer at night. I found a place to stay here for B15,000 called ‘Morena’s Place’ (good luck in trying to find it). There are restaurants and internet in both towns. Tucaras is on the main Valencia to Coro highway but to get to Chichiriviche you need to tell the driver to let you off at the ‘cruce’ near Sanare and change buses. There are also direct buses for Tucacas to Chichiriviche. It takes about half an hour and costs B3,000.
| Brown Pelican | Pelecanus occidentalis | Photographed |
| Neotropic Cormorant | Phalacrocorax brasilianus | |
| Magnificent Frigatebird | Fregata magnificens | Photographed |
| Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | |
| Great Egret | Ardea alba | Photographed |
| Reddish Egret | Egretta rufescens | Photographed |
| Tricolored Heron | Egretta tricolor | Photographed |
| Little Blue Heron | Egretta caerulea | Photographed |
| Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | |
| Striated Heron | Butorides striata | Photographed Recorded |
| White Ibis | Eudocimus albus | Photographed |
| Scarlet Ibis | Eudocimus ruber | Photographed |
| Caribbean Flamingo | Phoenicopterus ruber | Photographed Recorded |
| Blue-winged Teal | Anas discors | Photographed |
| Black Vulture | Coragyps atratus | |
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | |
| Common Black-Hawk | Buteogallus anthracinus | Photographed |
| Crested Caracara | Caracara cheriway | Photographed |
| Yellow-headed Caracara | Milvago chimachima | Photographed |
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | Photographed |
| Rufous-vented Chachalaca | Ortalis ruficauda | Heard only Recorded |
| Plain-flanked Rail | Rallus wetmorei | Endemic Endangered Recorded |
| Wattled Jacana | Jacana jacana | |
| Black-necked Stilt | Himantopus mexicanus | Photographed Recorded |
| Southern Lapwing | Vanellus chilensis | Photographed |
| Black-bellied Plover | Pluvialis squatarola | |
| Semipalmated Plover | Charadrius semipalmatus | Photographed |
| Wilson's Plover | Charadrius wilsonia | Photographed |
| Collared Plover | Charadrius collaris | Photographed |
| Short-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus griseus | Photographed |
| Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | Photographed |
| Greater Yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | Photographed |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes | Photographed Recorded |
| Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularia | Photographed Recorded |
| Willet | Catoptrophorus semipalmatus | |
| Red Knot | Calidris canutus | |
| Semipalmated Sandpiper | Calidris pusilla | Photographed |
| Western Sandpiper | Calidris mauri | Photographed |
| Least Sandpiper | Calidris minutilla | Photographed |
| White-rumped Sandpiper | Calidris fuscicollis | Photographed |
| Stilt Sandpiper | Calidris himantopus | Photographed |
| Gull-billed Tern | Sterna nilotica | |
| Royal Tern | Sterna maxima | |
| Large-billed Tern | Phaetusa simplex | Photographed |
| Black Skimmer | Rynchops niger | Photographed |
| Rock Pigeon | Columba livia | Introduced species |
| Pale-vented Pigeon | Patagioenas cayennensis | |
| Eared Dove | Zenaida auriculata | |
| Common Ground-Dove | Columbina passerina | |
| Scaled Dove | Columbina squammata | |
| White-tipped Dove | Leptotila verreauxi | |
| Brown-throated Parakeet | Aratinga pertinax | |
| Green-rumped Parrotlet | Forpus passerinus | |
| Squirrel Cuckoo | Piaya cayana | Heard only |
| Greater Ani | Crotophaga major | Possibly seen |
| Smooth-billed Ani | Crotophaga ani | |
| Burrowing Owl | Athene cunicularia | Photographed |
| Lesser Nighthawk | Chordeiles acutipennis | Possibly seen |
| Ringed Kingfisher | Ceryle torquatus | |
| Green Kingfisher | Chloroceryle americana | |
| Red-crowned Woodpecker | Melanerpes rubricapillus | |
| Pale-legged Hornero | Furnarius leucopus | |
| Pale-breasted Spinetail | Synallaxis albescens | |
| White-fringed Antwren | Formicivora grisea | |
| Northern Scrub-Flycatcher | Sublegatus arenarum | |
| Vermilion Flycatcher | Pyrocephalus rubinus | |
| Pied Water-Tyrant | Fluvicola pica | Photographed |
| Great Kiskadee | Pitangus sulphuratus | |
| Boat-billed Flycatcher | Megarynchus pitangua | Heard only |
| Rusty-margined Flycatcher | Myiozetetes cayanensis | Heard only |
| Social Flycatcher | Myiozetetes similis | |
| Tropical Kingbird | Tyrannus melancholicus | |
| Fork-tailed Flycatcher | Tyrannus savana | Possibly seen |
| Gray-breasted Martin | Progne chalybea | |
| White-winged Swallow | Tachycineta albiventer | Photographed Recorded |
| Southern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx ruficollis | |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | |
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | Recorded |
| Tropical Mockingbird | Mimus gilvus | |
| Bare-eyed Thrush | Turdus nudigenis | |
| Tropical Gnatcatcher | Polioptila plumbea | |
| Scrub Greenlet | Hylophilus flavipes | |
| Bananaquit | Coereba flaveola | |
| Bicolored Conebill | Conirostrum bicolor | |
| Blue-gray Tanager | Thraupis episcopus | |
| Glaucous Tanager | Thraupis glaucocolpa | |
| Palm Tanager | Thraupis palmarum | |
| Thick-billed Euphonia | Euphonia laniirostris | |
| Gray Seedeater | Sporophila intermedia | Possibly seen |
| Saffron Finch | Sicalis flaveola | |
| Red-breasted Blackbird | Sturnella militaris | |
| Eastern Meadowlark | Sturnella magna | Photographed Recorded |
| Carib Grackle | Quiscalus lugubris | |
| Oriole Blackbird | Gymnomystax mexicanus | |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus |
This is a wonderful Nacional Park very close to Caracas (an hour and a half to Maracay). Buses leave the terminal in Maracay hourly for Ocumare on the coast which pass the Rancho Grande Biological Station run by UCV. It only takes about half an hour to get to the entrante but you must pay the full fare to Ocumare of B5,000. The drivers know it but it is just befote the pass, so if the bus starts going back down again. You’ve missed it. Normally there is probable no need to make a reservation as there is ample space in the dormitorios, but when I arrived, there were many entomology students on a field course and space was tight.
| Little Tinamou | Crypturellus soui | Heard only |
| Black Hawk-Eagle | Spizaetus tyrannus | Recorded |
| Venezuelan Wood-Quail | Odontophorus columbianus | Endemic Near-threatened Photographed |
| Ruddy Pigeon | Patagioenas subvinacea | Heard only |
| White-tipped Dove | Leptotila verreauxi | |
| Ruddy Quail-Dove | Geotrygon montana | |
| Red(Blood)-eared Parakeet | Pyrrhura hoematotis | Endemic Photographed Recorded |
| Lilac-tailed Parrotlet | Touit batavica | Photographed |
| Red-billed Parrot | Pionus sordidus | |
| White-collared Swift | Streptoprocne zonaris | Photographed |
| Gray-rumped Swift | Chaetura cinereiventris | Photographed |
| Vaux's Swift | Chaetura vauxi | Photographed |
| White-tipped Swift | Aeronautes montivagus | Photographed Recorded |
| Lazuline Sabrewing | Campylopterus falcatus | Photographed |
| Golden-tailed Sapphire | Chrysuronia oenone | |
| Violet-fronted Brilliant | Heliodoxa leadbeateri | Photographed |
| Violet-chested Hummingbird | Sternoclyta cyanopectus | Endemic Photographed |
| Long-tailed Sylph | Aglaiocercus kingi | Photographed |
| Groove-billed Toucanet | Aulacorhynchus sulcatus | Endemic Photographed |
| Scaled Piculet | Picumnus squamulatus | |
| Red-crowned Woodpecker | Melanerpes rubricapillus | Recorded |
| Golden-olive Woodpecker | Piculus rubiginosus | |
| Crested Spinetail | Cranioleuca subcristata | Recorded |
| Montane Foliage-gleaner | Anabacerthia striaticollis | Photographed |
| Guttulated Foliage-gleaner | Syndactyla guttulata | Endemic Photographed |
| Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner | Philydor rufus | |
| Gray-throated Leaftosser | Sclerurus albigularis | |
| Plain-brown Woodcreeper | Dendrocincla fuliginosa | Photographed |
| Olivaceous Woodcreeper | Sittasomus griseicapillus | |
| Strong-billed Woodcreeper | Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus | Photographed |
| Cocoa Woodcreeper | Xiphorhynchus susurrans | Photographed |
| Red-billed Scythebill | Campylorhamphus trochilirostris | Photographed |
| Plain Antvireo | Dysithamnus mentalis | |
| White-streaked (Venezuelan) Antvireo | Dysithamnus leucostictus | |
| Slaty Antwren | Myrmotherula schisticolor | Recorded? |
| Black-faced Antthrush | Formicarius analis | Recorded |
| Short-tailed Antthrush | Chamaeza campanisona | Heard only Recorded |
| Schwartz's Antthrush | Chamaeza turdina | Photographed |
| Plain-backed Antpitta | Grallaria haplonota | Heard only |
| Handsome Fruiteater | Pipreola formosa | Endemic Photographed |
| Olive-striped Flycatcher | Mionectes olivaceus | Photographed |
| Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant | Pogonotriccus ophthalmicus | Photographed |
| Venezuelan Bristle-Tyrant | Pogonotriccus venezuelanus | Endemic Near-threatened Recorded |
| Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant | Lophotriccus pileatus | Recorded |
| Cinnamon Flycatcher | Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea | Photographed |
| Smoke-colored Pewee | Contopus fumigatus | Recorded |
| Pale-edged Flycatcher | Myiarchus cephalotes | Photographed |
| Golden-crowned Flycatcher | Myiodynastes chrysocephalus | Photographed |
| Streaked Flycatcher | Myiodynastes maculatus | |
| Southern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx ruficollis | |
| Rufous-breasted Wren | Thryothorus rutilus | Possibly heard |
| Gray-breasted Wood-Wren | Henicorhina leucophrys | Photographed Recorded |
| Scaly-breasted Wren | Microcerculus marginatus | Photographed Recorded |
| Yellow-legged Thrush | Platycichla flavipes | |
| Pale-breasted Thrush | Turdus leucomelas | |
| White-necked Thrush | Turdus albicollis | Photographed |
| Green Jay | Cyanocorax yncas | Recorded |
| Brown-capped Vireo | Vireo leucophrys | Photographed |
| Golden-fronted Greenlet | Hylophilus aurantiifrons | Possibly seen |
| Rufous-browed Peppershrike | Cyclarhis gujanensis | |
| Tropical Parula | Parula pitiayumi | |
| American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | |
| Northern Waterthrush | Seiurus noveboracensis | Photographed |
| Slate-throated Redstart | Myioborus miniatus | Photographed Recorded |
| Three-striped Warbler | Basileuterus tristriatus | Photographed |
| Bananaquit | Coereba flaveola | |
| Common Bush-Tanager | Chlorospingus ophthalmicus | Photographed |
| Gray-headed Tanager | Eucometis penicillata | Photographed |
| White-lined Tanager | Tachyphonus rufus | Photographed? |
| Silver-beaked Tanager | Ramphocelus carbo | |
| Blue-gray Tanager | Thraupis episcopus | Photographed |
| Palm Tanager | Thraupis palmarum | |
| Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager | Anisognathus somptuosus | |
| Orange-bellied Euphonia | Euphonia xanthogaster | Photographed |
| Blue-naped Chlorophonia | Chlorophonia cyanea | Photographed |
| Golden Tanager | Tangara arthus | Photographed |
| Speckled Tanager | Tangara guttata | |
| Bay-headed Tanager | Tangara gyrola | Photographed |
| Black-headed Tanager | Tangara cyanoptera | |
| Swallow-Tanager | Tersina viridis | |
| Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch | Buarremon brunneinucha | Photographed Recorded |
| Blue-black Grosbeak | Cyanocompsa cyanoides | Photographed |
| Russet-backed Oropendola | Psarocolius angustifrons | Recorded |
This excellent site is fairly easy to reach but may involve some walking or hitching if you don't have your own transport. From the terminal in Carupano, take a 'por puesto' to Irapa on the Paria Peninsular. This takes about an hour and a half and costs 14,000B. Cars leave for Guiria more often (17,000) and you could take one of those and get off at the junction. Irapa has 2 or 3 hotels charging about 30,000 but I found a small posada for just 10,000 2 blocks east from the church. There are plenty of shops to buy food and even 2places for internet although it is slow. If you have your own transport, staying in Irapa is your best bet as it only takes about 45 minutes to get to the forest.
| Little Tinamou | Crypturellus soui | Heard only Recorded |
| Magnificent Frigatebird | Fregata magnificens | |
| Black Vulture | Coragyps atratus | |
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | |
| Roadside Hawk | Buteo magnirostris | |
| Ornate Hawk-Eagle | Spizaetus ornatus | Heard only Recorded |
| Crested Caracara | Caracara cheriway | |
| Yellow-headed Caracara | Milvago chimachima | |
| Rufous-vented Chachalaca | Ortalis ruficauda | Heard in Irapa |
| Laughing Gull | Larus atricilla | Seen along the coast from Carupano |
| Ruddy Pigeon | Patagioenas subvinacea | Heard only |
| Common Ground-Dove | Columbina passerina | |
| Ruddy Ground-Dove | Columbina talpacoti | |
| White-tipped Dove | Leptotila verreauxi | Possibly heard |
| Gray-fronted Dove | Leptotila rufaxilla | |
| White-eared Parakeet | Pyrrhura leucotis | |
| Golden-winged Parakeet | Brotogeris chrysopterus | |
| Blue-headed Parrot | Pionus menstruus | |
| Squirrel Cuckoo | Piaya cayana | |
| Smooth-billed Ani | Crotophaga ani | |
| White-collared Swift | Streptoprocne zonaris | Possibly seen |
| Gray-rumped Swift | Chaetura cinereiventris | Possibly seen |
| Fork-tailed Palm-Swift | Tachornis squamata | |
| Rufous-breasted Hermit | Glaucis hirsuta | |
| Green Hermit | Phaethornis guy | |
| Little Hermit | Phaethornis longuemareus | Possibly seen |
| White-tailed Sabrewing | Campylopterus ensipennis | Near-threatened Recorded |
| Blue-chinned Sapphire | Chlorostilbon notatus | |
| Fork-tailed Woodnymph | Thalurania furcata | |
| Copper-rumped Hummingbird | Saucerottia tobaci | |
| Scissor-tailed Hummingbird | Hylonympha macrocerca | Endemic Vulnerable Recorded |
| Collared Trogon | Trogon collaris | Recorded |
| Red-billed Toucan | Ramphastos tucanus | |
| Red-crowned Woodpecker | Melanerpes rubricapillus | |
| Golden-olive Woodpecker | Piculus rubiginosus | |
| Chestnut Woodpecker | Celeus elegans | |
| Stripe-breasted Spinetail | Synallaxis cinnamomea | Heard only Recorded |
| Plain-brown Woodcreeper | Dendrocincla fuliginosa | |
| Olivaceous Woodcreeper | Sittasomus griseicapillus | |
| Black-banded Woodcreeper | Dendrocolaptes picumnus | |
| Great Antshrike | Taraba major | Heard only |
| Barred Antshrike | Thamnophilus doliatus | Recorded |
| Slaty Antwren | Myrmotherula schisticolor | |
| White-fringed Antwren | Formicivora grisea | |
| Black-faced Antthrush | Formicarius analis | |
| Slate-crowned Antpitta | Grallaricula nana | |
| Handsome Fruiteater | Pipreola formosa | Endemic |
| Forest Elaenia | Myiopagis gaimardii | |
| Yellow-bellied Elaenia | Elaenia flavogaster | |
| Slaty-capped Flycatcher | Leptopogon superciliaris | |
| Yellow-olive Flycatcher | Tolmomyias sulphurescens | |
| Cinnamon Flycatcher | Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea | |
| Great Kiskadee | Pitangus sulphuratus | |
| Boat-billed Flycatcher | Megarynchus pitangua | Heard only |
| Rusty-margined Flycatcher | Myiozetetes cayanensis | |
| Social Flycatcher | Myiozetetes similis | |
| Piratic Flycatcher | Legatus leucophaius | |
| Tropical Kingbird | Tyrannus melancholicus | |
| Gray-breasted Martin | Progne chalybea | |
| Southern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx ruficollis | |
| Rufous-breasted Wren | Thryothorus rutilus | Recorded |
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | |
| White-necked Thrush | Turdus albicollis | |
| Brown-capped Vireo | Vireo leucophrys | |
| Rufous-browed Peppershrike | Cyclarhis gujanensis | |
| Tropical Parula | Parula pitiayumi | |
| Cerulean Warbler | Dendroica cerulea | Possibly seen |
| Yellow-faced (Paria) Redstart | Myioborus pariae | Endemic Endangered |
| Three-striped Warbler | Basileuterus tristriatus | |
| Bananaquit | Coereba flaveola | |
| Oleaginous Hemispingus | Hemispingus frontalis | Possibly seen |
| White-lined Tanager | Tachyphonus rufus | |
| Silver-beaked Tanager | Ramphocelus carbo | |
| Blue-gray Tanager | Thraupis episcopus | |
| Blue-capped Tanager | Thraupis cyanocephala | |
| Palm Tanager | Thraupis palmarum | |
| Thick-billed Euphonia | Euphonia laniirostris | |
| Speckled Tanager | Tangara guttata | |
| Bay-headed Tanager | Tangara gyrola | |
| Blue-black Grassquit | Volatinia jacarina | |
| Yellow-bellied Seedeater | Sporophila nigricollis | |
| Grayish Saltator | Saltator coerulescens | |
| Blue-black Grosbeak | Cyanocompsa cyanoides | |
| Carib Grackle | Quiscalus lugubris | Seen in Irapa |
| Giant Cowbird | Molothrus oryzivorus | Possibly seen |
| Yellow Oriole | Icterus nigrogularis | |
| Orange-crowned Oriole | Icterus auricapillus |
This park has the largest know oilbird cave with many thousands of birds roosting inside. You can take a bus or taxi to the entrance and join a tour of the cavern. This is very popular with Venezuelan tourists but the tours are mainly for looking at the formations. I used the town aos Caripe as a base where I managed to find a hotel for 20,000B. There are also a few places to eat (hot dogs) and do internet. I tried to find good forest on Cerro Negro at altitudes for some of the endemics such as Grey-headed Warbler and White-throated Barbtail. I found some after getting totally lost but none noteworthy. There is a nice trail accross from the cave entrance which goes up to a waterfall. This is at a lower elevation and is only good for general birding. I tried to climb up this to get to forest higher up without success. After talking to one of the cave guides, I found out a place to try is called Sabana de Piedra but I didnt have any more time. Ask locals about access. This is nearby and you can hike up from here to reach forest with interesting species.
| Black Vulture | Coragyps atratus | |
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | |
| Roadside Hawk | Buteo magnirostris | |
| Black Hawk-Eagle | Spizaetus tyrannus | Recorded |
| Rock Pigeon | Columba livia | Introduced species |
| Ruddy Ground-Dove | Columbina talpacoti | |
| Gray-fronted Dove | Leptotila rufaxilla | Possibly heard |
| Lined Quail-Dove | Geotrygon linearis | Possibly seen |
| Brown-throated Parakeet | Aratinga pertinax | Recorded |
| Green-rumped Parrotlet | Forpus passerinus | |
| Smooth-billed Ani | Crotophaga ani | |
| Oilbird | Steatornis caripensis | Photographed Recorded |
| Collared Trogon | Trogon collaris | Possibly heard |
| Groove-billed Toucanet | Aulacorhynchus sulcatus | Endemic |
| Red-crowned Woodpecker | Melanerpes rubricapillus | |
| Black-banded Woodcreeper | Dendrocolaptes picumnus | Possibly seen |
| Yellow-bellied Elaenia | Elaenia flavogaster | |
| Slaty-capped Flycatcher | Leptopogon superciliaris | |
| Black Phoebe | Sayornis nigricans | |
| Great Kiskadee | Pitangus sulphuratus | |
| Boat-billed Flycatcher | Megarynchus pitangua | Heard only |
| Tropical Kingbird | Tyrannus melancholicus | |
| Gray-breasted Martin | Progne chalybea | |
| Blue-and-white Swallow | Notiochelidon cyanoleuca | |
| Bicolored Wren | Campylorhynchus griseus | |
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | |
| Tropical Mockingbird | Mimus gilvus | |
| Green Jay | Cyanocorax yncas | Photographed |
| Tropical Parula | Parula pitiayumi | |
| American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | Recorded |
| Slate-throated Redstart | Myioborus miniatus | |
| Golden-crowned Warbler | Basileuterus culicivorus | |
| Bananaquit | Coereba flaveola | |
| White-lined Tanager | Tachyphonus rufus | |
| Blue-gray Tanager | Thraupis episcopus | |
| Palm Tanager | Thraupis palmarum | |
| Speckled Tanager | Tangara guttata | |
| Bay-headed Tanager | Tangara gyrola | |
| Blue-black Grassquit | Volatinia jacarina | |
| Yellow-bellied Seedeater | Sporophila nigricollis | |
| Ochre-breasted Brush-Finch | Atlapetes semirufus | |
| Grayish Saltator | Saltator coerulescens | |
| Carib Grackle | Quiscalus lugubris | |
| Orange-crowned Oriole | Icterus auricapillus | |
| Crested Oropendola | Psarocolius decumanus | |
| Oriole Blackbird | Gymnomystax mexicanus |