Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a North American country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a maritime border to the north and north-west with The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, and to the east, across the Mona Passage, the US Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It has a 376 km land border with Haiti to the west, occupying the eastern five-eighths of Hispaniola which, along with Saint Martin, is one of only two islands in the Caribbean shared by two sovereign states. In the Antilles, the country is the second-largest nation by area after Cuba at 48,671 km2 (18,792 square miles) and second-largest by population after Haiti with approximately 11.5 million people, of whom 3.65 million reside in the metropolitan area of Santo Domingo, the capital city.
The Dominican Republic has the largest economy in the Caribbean and the seventh-largest in Latin America. Recent growth has been driven by construction, manufacturing, tourism, and mining. The country is the most visited destination in the Caribbean and the site of the third largest (in terms of production) gold mine in the world – Pueblo Viejo mine.
Cabeza de Toro, Punta Cana – ©Danu Widjajanto CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A geographically diverse nation, the Dominican Republic is home to both the Caribbean’s tallest mountain peak, Pico Duarte, and the Caribbean’s largest lake and lowest point, Lake Enriquillo. The island has an average temperature of 26 °C and great climatic and biological diversity.
It has a tropical rainforest climate in the coastal and lowland areas. Some areas, such as most of the Cibao region, have a tropical savanna climate. Due to its diverse topography, Dominican Republic’s climate shows considerable variation over short distances and is the most varied of all the Antilles. At higher elevations the temperature averages 18 °C while near sea level the average temperature is 28 °C. Low temperatures of 0 °C are possible in the mountains while high temperatures of 40 °C are possible in protected valleys. January and February are the coolest months of the year while August is the hottest month. Snowfall can be seen on rare occasions on the summit of Pico Duarte. The wet season along the northern coast lasts from November through January. Elsewhere the wet season stretches from May through November, with May being the wettest month. Average annual rainfall is around 60 inches countrywide, with individual locations in the Valle de Neiba seeing averages as low as 14 inches while the Cordillera Oriental averages 108 inches. The driest part of the country lies in the west.
Cabo Cabrón (Rincón Beach) Samaná – ©Caballero1967 CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
It has four important mountain ranges. The most northerly is the Cordillera Septentrional, which extends from the northwestern coastal town of Monte Cristi, near the Haitian border, to the Samaná Peninsula in the east, running parallel to the Atlantic coast. The highest range in the Dominican Republic – indeed, in the whole of the West Indies – is the Cordillera Central that has the four highest peaks in the Caribbean: Pico Duarte is 10,164 feet ASL. In the southwest corner of the country, south of the Cordillera Central, there are two other ranges: the more northerly of the two is the Sierra de Neiba, while in the south the Sierra de Bahoruco is a continuation of the Massif de la Selle in Haiti. There are other, minor mountain ranges, such as the Cordillera Oriental, Sierra Martín García, Sierra de Yamasá, and Sierra de Samaná.
Between the Central and Northern mountain ranges lies the rich and fertile Cibao valley. This major valley is home to the cities of Santiago and La Vega and most of the farming areas of the nation. Rather less productive are the semi-arid San Juan Valley, south of the Central Cordillera, and the Neiba Valley, tucked between the Sierra de Neiba and the Sierra de Bahoruco. Much of the land around the Enriquillo Basin is below sea level, with a hot, arid, desert-like environment. There are other smaller valleys in the mountains, such as the Constanza, Jarabacoa, Villa Altagracia, and Bonao valleys. The Llano Costero del Caribe is the largest of the plains in the Dominican Republic. Stretching north and east of Santo Domingo, it contains many sugar plantations in the savannahs that are common there. West of Santo Domingo its width is reduced to 10 kilometres as it hugs the coast, finishing at the mouth of the Ocoa River. Another large plain is the Plena de Azua, a very arid region in Azua Province. A few other small coastal plains are on the northern coast and in the Pedernales Peninsula.
Four major rivers drain the numerous mountains. The Yaque del Norte is the longest and most important. It carries excess water down from the Cibao Valley and empties into Monte Cristi Bay, in the northwest. Likewise, the Yuna River serves the Vega Real and empties into Samaná Bay, in the northeast. Drainage of the San Juan Valley is provided by the San Juan River, tributary of the Yaque del Sur, which empties into the Caribbean, in the south. The Artibonito is the longest river of Hispaniola and flows westward into Haiti. There are many lakes and coastal lagoons.
Salinas de Bani – ©Ronny Medina CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The largest lake is Enriquillo, a salt lake at 148 feet below sea level, the lowest elevation in the Caribbean.
There are many small offshore islands and cays that form part of the Dominican territory. The two largest islands near shore are Saona, in the southeast, and Beata, in the southwest. Smaller islands include the Cayos Siete Hermanos, Isla Cabra, Cayo Jackson, Cayo Limón, Cayo Levantado, Cayo la Bocaina, Catalanita, Cayo Pisaje and Isla Alto Velo. To the north, at distances of 100–200 kilometres are three extensive, largely submerged banks, which geographically are a southeast continuation of the Bahamas: Navidad Bank, Silver Bank, and Mouchoir Bank. Navidad Bank and Silver Bank have been officially claimed by the Dominican Republic. Isla Cabritos lies within Lago Enriquillo.
Birding the Dominican Republic
The country has five terrestrial eco-regions: Hispaniolan moist forests, Hispaniolan dry forests, Hispaniolan pine forests, Enriquillo wetlands, and Greater Antilles mangroves.
Bats make up 90% of the native terrestrial mammal species residing in the Dominican Republic. Lake Enriquillo, located in the Dominican Republic’s southwest, is home to the largest population of American crocodiles.
Parque J. Armando Bermudez – Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
As part of an oceanic archipelago, Hispaniola’s bird fauna has a relatively high numbers of endemic and regional endemic species. In comparison with countries with similar sized landmasses on the American continent, like Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Suriname, Hispaniola has fewer species and fewer bird families represented, but it has many more endemics.
Hispaniola benefits from extremely varied geography and habitats, from lowland swamps and rainforest, to broad savannahs, to arid deserts, to montane rainforest, to highland pine forests. It also is an important stopover and wintering location for migrants from North America, including shorebirds, ducks, and warblers. In many cases these birds are much easier to see here in the winter than they are in North America in the summer, since they are concentrated in a much smaller area.
According to the Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti (See Useful Reading) approximately 306 bird species have been reported on Hispaniola (although this has since been superseded with new observations with a total of 329). About half of these are migrants, including vagrants and rare migrants. The rest are resident birds. Among the residents are 33 endemic species. They include such abundant birds as the Hispaniolan Woodpecker and the Palmchat, and other rare and spectacular treats as the Bay-breasted Cuckoo, Hispaniolan Crossbill, and La Selle’s Thrush. Perhaps the rarest of all is the highly endangered Ridgway’s Hawk. The only endemic Hispaniola bird species not seen (or very rarely seen) in the DR is the Grey-crowned Palm Tanager, restricted mainly to Southwestern Haiti.
Broad-billed Tody Todus subulatus – ©Dubi Shapiro
In addition to the island endemics are about 20 regional endemic species, which are bird species only found in the Caribbean region. For example, the world’s second smallest bird, the Vervain Hummingbird is very common here, and is also found in Jamaica, and the Red-legged Thrush is a very handsome species found on Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Bahamas, and several other small islands.
Another interesting group of birds are the nearly 50 resident sub-species on the island and the 10 adjacent offshore islands, of which some are endemic. For example, there are three resident endemic sub-species of the Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia, albicollis, chlora and solaris. Referred to by some as the ‘Hispaniolan Golden Warbler’ complex, they are restricted to coastal mangroves and scrub at different points around the island. The other resident warbler subspecies is the Setophaga pinus chyrsolueca, or Hispaniolan Pine Warbler, found in highland pine forests. Other resident endemic races include the Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Kestrel, Burrowing Owl and Northern Potoo.
The DR’s relative proximity to the United States and the rest of the Caribbean islands, and its abundant tourism infrastructure, make it an ideal destination for birders, include from Europe, due to abundant direct flight routes.
The capital city of Santo Domingo is a good place to start your birding trip with a visit to the National Botanical Gardens (Jardin Botanico Nacional Moscoso Puello), which provides many of the lowland endemics and some aquatic specialties, including the West Indian Whistling Duck, endangered and very elusive anywhere else.
An hour and a half west of Santo Domingo, Salinas de Bani, with its salt flats, mangroves, sand dunes, and thorn scrub, is a great place for waders and shorebirds, as well as for winter migrants, making it a favourite haunt of local birders. It is a good day trip from Santo Domingo.
Desert Sand Dunes, Baní – ©Ronny Medina CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Cordillera Central is a good choice for several mountain endemics and specialties. Reserva Cientifica de Ebano Verde (closest to Santo Domingo); Reserva Cientifica Valle Nuevo, and Parque J. Armando Bermudez (La Cienaga entrance) is recommended. Parque Nacional del Este in the eastern section of the island is close to a number of resorts and is a good choice if you are tied into a non-birding trip around this area.
However, the best birding in the whole country is concentrated in the southwest, in and around the Sierra de Bahoruco mountain range. This area includes a variety of habitats that range from dry thorn scrub to mountain pine forests. Bahoruco supports one of the highest bird densities in the Caribbean and it’s the only place where you have a chance at almost all endemics.
A thorough birding trip with an emphasis on the southwestern DR should set aside three to five days. The first place to go is the northern slope of the western Bahorucos. From the town of Duverge, turn up the mountain road towards Puerto Escondido, a small town in an intra-montane valley with excellent birding. It is valuable to spend time in the forest patches around the agricultural fields, on the Rabo de Gato trail, and then along the road west out of the valley where the thorn forests begins to transition into broadleaf, bird density tends to be high including scarce and much-sought-after species like Bay-breasted Cuckoo, Least Poorwill, and Flat-billed Vireo.
Flat-billed Vireo Vireo nanus – ©Dubi Shapiro
This is the road that heads up the mountain into high elevation broadleaf forest through prime birding habitat. On the way up the mountain, you will arrive at Aguacate, a military post right on the Haiti-Dominican Republic border. Stop and check in with the guards. Please take the time to look over into Haiti and you will be stunned to see the deforestation level. Afterwards, keep driving to Zapoten where you will start to approach mixed broadleaf and pines. This is a great area for La Selle’s Thrush, Western Chat Tanager, White-winged Warbler and other rare endemics. Back down to Duverge, the edge of Lago Enriquillo near Vengan a Ver and Baitoa provides an opportunity for aquatic species.
The southern slope is reached by picking up the coastal highway south of Barahona. The best place to start is on the Carretera ALCOA, which is a right turn on the Cabo Rojo intersection. This road is fully paved and starts in thorn scrub habitat and ends in pine forests, and birding can be productive along the road almost anywhere. However, the goal is to reach the higher elevations where the mid-and high elevation species start to be seen. Antillean Siskins, Narrow-billed Todies, Green-tailed Ground Warblers, Hispaniolan Parrots, and many others are found. These pine forests offer some of the best opportunities for the Hispaniolan Crossbill, Hispaniolan Palm Crow, and Stygian Owl. Along the southern coast are several good birding sites: the Oviedo lagoon and Cabo Rojo. These places are good for herons, ducks, Roseate Spoonbills, Flamingos, gulls, and shorebirds.
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Botanical Gardens - Santo Domingo
InformationSatellite ViewThe Botanical Gardens are a necessary stop on your first morning in Santo Domingo. Although the official opening hour is 9AM, birders may be able to enter at earlier hours by explaining to guards that they are bird watching and would pay the entrance fee when departing. La Gran Canada is a great place for West Indian Whistling Duck, Limpkin, and Least Grebe. Many low land endemics and specialties are present here as well, such as: Hispaniolan Woodpecker, Palmchat, Black-whiskered Vireo, Antillean Palm Swifts, Antillean Mango, and many others. In season, it’s a good place for migratory warblers. -
Parque del Este (Guaraguao entrance)
InformationSatellite ViewThis park is in the southeastern part of Dominican Republic, accessible by road through Bayahibe, within reach of the resorts of Bavaro, Punta Cana, and La Romana for a day trip. The Guaraguao entrance is just past the hotels (Dominicus) east of Bayahibe. Once you pass the park cabin there's a trail that winds through the coastal dry forest. Within the park we can find Antillean Piculets, Hisp. Parrots, Flat-billed Vireos, Black-whiskered Vireos, Brown Pelicans, gulls, terns, and others. -
Reserva de Ebano Verde
WebpageSatellite ViewFor mountain birding close to Santo Domingo, the best place is Reserva Cientifica de Ebano Verde, about 1 hr. 30 minutes north. Take the Duarte Highway and exit on the Constanza ramp. Once you reach the highest point on the mountain of Casabito, there will be a sign to the right that indicates the entrance. You will find a 6-kilometer trail that descends to the second entrance. Along this trail Hispaniolan Trogons, Hisp. Pewees, Rufous-throated Solitaires, Golden Swallows, Red Tailed Hawks, Hisp. Spindalis, Hisp. Emeralds, and if lucky, the Eastern Chat Tanager. Prior permission from the Fundacion Progressio (google it) is required to enter. Transportation back up the road to your car can also be arranged, unless you are willing to hike 6 kilometers back up. Ebano Verde might be a good option for those visiting one of the northern shore resorts. In that case, it is about 1 hr. 30 minutes south of Santiago. Other places Central Mountain range locations include Parque Nacional Valle Nuevo at an altitude of 2,200 meters, and La Cienaga in Parque J. Armando Bermudez. These two places are accessible from the mountain city of Constanza. -
Salinas de Bani
WebsiteSatellite ViewTo get to Salinas from Santo Domingo, turn left upon entering the town of Bani. Signs are confusing so you should stop and ask frequently for directions. Once you are out of Bani and on your way south, the road will lead you directly to Salinas. If traveling from the west, the road south near Cruce de Ocoa, then a left turn at the first 'T', and a right turn at the second 'T'. The first birding location will be on the long straight stretch just after the town of Caldera, just before the naval base, where mudflats stretch a kilometer or so and mangroves are visible. Continuing on the road after the naval base, mangroves, thorn forest, and patches of wetlands are good as well. Then go straight through the town of Salinas to the salt flats and more wetlands. The peninsula can be crossed to the Derrumbado beach. -
Sierra de Bahoruco and Neighboring Areas
Satellite ViewSierra de Bahoruco should be your number one choice for birding when you visit the DR. Unfortunately this area is one of the poorest in the country so you must keep an open mind when you visit. Regardless, the area is rich in natural beauty and the people are extremely friendly. Your should base your stay in the bustling town of Barahona where there are several hotels available that range from meager accommodations to the all-inclusive resorts. To access the closest spots in the southern and northern slopes of Bahoruco, you will need to drive about 1 hour and a half. Very early morning trips are essential if you want to get to these spots before dawn.
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Eladio Fernandez
Dominican Republic | eladio_809@hotmail.com
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Steve Brauning
Dominican Republic | stevebrauning@yahoo.com
Hispaniolan Birds
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Number of bird species: 329
(As at March 2025)National Bird: Palm Chat Dulus dominicus (aka Cigua Palmera)
Number of endemics: 1
White-fronted Quail Dove Geotrygon leucometopia (It is probably extirpated from Haiti.Number of endemics: 33 for Hispaniola as a whole
White-fronted Quail Dove Geotrygon leucometopia
Antillean Piculet Nesoctites micromegas Hispaniolan Woodpecker Melanerpes striatus
Hispaniolan Trogon Priotelus roseigaster
Narrow-billed Tody Todus angustirostris
Broad-billed Tody Todus subulatus
Bay-breasted Cuckoo Hyetornis rufigularis
Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo Saurothera longirostris
Hispaniolan Parakeet Aratinga chloroptera
Hispaniolan Parrot Amazona ventralis
Hispaniolan Emerald Chlorostilbon swainsonii
Ashy-faced Owlet Tyto glaucops
Hispaniolan Nightjar Caprimulgus eckmani
Least Pauraque Siphonorhis brewsteri
Ridgway's Hawk Buteo ridgwayi
Hispaniolan Pewee Contopus hispaniolensis
Hispaniolan Elaenia Elaenia cherriei
Flat-billed Vireo Vireo nanus
White-necked Crow Corvus leucognaphalus
Hispaniolan Palm Crow Corvus palmarum
Golden Swallow Tachycineta euchrysea
Palmchat Dulus dominicus
La Selle's Thrush Turdus swalesi
Antillean Siskin Carduelis dominicensis
Hispaniolan Euphonia Euphonia musica
Green-tailed Warbler Microligea palustris
White-winged Warbler Xenoligea montana
Black-crowned Palm-Tanager Phaenicophilus palmarum
Grey-crowned Palm-Tanager Phaenicophilus poliocephalus
Eastern Chat-Tanager Calyptophilus frugivorus
Western Chat Tanager Calyptophilus tertius
Hispaniolan Crossbill Loxia megaplaga
Hispaniolan Oriole Icterus dominicensis
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Avibase
PDF ChecklistThis checklist includes all bird species found in Dominican Republic , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to report them. -
E-Bird
PDF ChecklistThis checklist is generated with data from eBird (ebird.org), a global database of bird sightings from birders like you. If you enjoy this checklist, please consider contributing your sightings to eBird. It is 100% free to take part, and your observations will help support birders, researchers, and conservationists worldwide. -
Wikipedia
Annotated ListThe following is a list of the bird species recorded in the Dominican Republic. The avifauna of the Dominican Republic included a total of 327 species as of October 2024, according to Bird Checklists of the World (Avibase).[1] Of them, 14 have been introduced by humans and 86 are rare or accidental. One is endemic and an additional 28 species are endemic to the island of Hispaniola.
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A Birdwatcher’s Guide to Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico & the Caymans
| By Guy Kirwan, Arturo Kirkconnell & Mike Flieg | Prion | 2010 | Paperback | 198 pages, Line illustrations, maps | ISBN: 9781871104127 Buy this book from NHBS.com -
Field Guide to the Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti
| By Steven Latta, Christopher Rimmer, & Kent McFarland | PUP | 2022 | Edition 2 | Paperback | 228 pages, 57 colour plates, b/w distribution maps | ISBN: 9780691232393 Buy this book from NHBS.com -
Ruta Barrancolí
| A Bird-Finding Guide to the Dominican Republic | By Steven C Latta, Kate J Wallace, Dana Gardner & Dax Román E | National Aviary, USA | Dec 2012 | Paperback | 241 pages, 32 plates with colour illustrations; colour photos, 33 colour maps | Out of Print | ISBN: 9780615625683 Buy this book from NHBS.com -
The Birds of Hispaniola
| (Haiti and the Dominican Republic) | By Allan R Keith, James W Wiley, Steven Latta & Jose Ottenwalder | British Ornithologists' Union | 2003 | Hardback | 309 pages, 32 pp col photos, tabs, figs, plates | Out of Print | ISBN: 9780907446262 Buy this book from NHBS.com -
The Birds of the West Indies
| By Guy M Kirwan, Anthony Levesque, Mark W Oberle & Christopher J Sharpe | Lynx Edicions | 2019 | 400 pages, 1600+ colour illustrations, 650+ colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9788416728176 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Birds of the West Indies
AndroidThis bilingual, mobile field guide for the West Indies includes all 415 bird species of Puerto Rico and the northeastern Lesser Antilles: Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Saint Martin (Sint Maarten), Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, Sint Eustatius, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Barthélemy (St. Barts), and Saba.
Birds of the West Indies
Apple iOS |Explore the vibrant Caribbean islands with Birds of the West Indies – your pocket guide to Caribbean birdwatching!
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BirdLife
InformationDominica Republic - BirdLife DataZone
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Hispaniolan Ornithological Society
WebsiteSOH Conservacion es una organización ambiental sin fines de lucro dedicada a la conservación de especies en peligro y sus hábitats en la isla de Hispaniola.
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BR Baoruco Mountain Range
InformationSatellite View -
NP Cueva de las Maravillas
InformationSatellite ViewThe Parque nacional Cueva de las Maravillas (Cave of wonders) is a national park located approximately 10 kilometres (7 miles) west from La Romana, in the south-eastern part of the Dominican Republic. -
NP Jaragua
InformationSatellite ViewJaragua National Park is located in Pedernales Province in the extreme southwest of the Dominican Republic. It has an area of 1374 km² (905 km² of which are marine). Alto Velo Island, Bahia de las Aguilas and Lago de Oviedo (noted for its diverse bird life) are part of the park. -
NP Los Haitises
InformationSatellite ViewLos Haitises National Park is a national park located on the remote northeast coast of the Dominican Republic. Being a coastal and marine park, it contains a large variety of birds, including most of the species endemic to the country. -
NP Sierra De Baoruco
InformationSatellite ViewPart of the area is protected within the Sierra de Bahoruco National Park (Parque Nacional Sierra de Bahoruco), also a Biosphere reserve. -
NP WII BR Lake Enriquillo
InformationSatellite ViewLake Enriquillo (Spanish: Lago Enriquillo) is a hypersaline lake in the Dominican Republic located in the southwestern region of the country. Its waters are shared between the provinces of Bahoruco and Independencia, the latter of which borders Haiti. Lake Enriquillo is the lowest point for an island country. Among the numerous bird species found at the lake, American flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) are prominent; flocks of flamingos are especially concentrated on Isla Cabritos and near the eastern end of the lake. -
NR Saona Island
InformationSatellite ViewSaona Island is a tropical island located a short distance from the mainland on the south-east tip of the Dominican Republic. The seas around the Island are rich in wildlife, with many species of birds and tropical marine fish, and there are large areas where natural sandbars offshore bring the depth to just a few feet. -
Protected areas of the Dominican Republic
InformationSatellite ViewInteravtive list of biosphere resewrves, national parks, RAMSAR sites etc. -
Wetland of International Importance
WebpageSatellite ViewThe Dominican Republic currently has 4 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area of 135,097 hectares.
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eBird
SightingseBirding This Month
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BirdQuest
Tour OperatorJAMAICA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC & PUERTO RICO – A feast of Caribbean endemic families and species... -
Birding Ecotours
Tour OperatorMost birders access the large Caribbean island of Hispaniola, and its 30 avian endemics, by visiting the Dominican Republic. This is an essential destination for family listers, as Palmchat is the only member of its family and is only found here. But there are also two todies, a trogon and so many other tantalising endemics. Do join us on our Dominican Republic birding tour, which focuses on the endemics but certainly without ignoring all the other goodies. -
DomRep Tours
Tour OperatorBirdwatching Dominican Republic -
Dominican Expert
Local Tour OperatorThe island of Hispaniola features more than 300 bird species which is why the Dominican Republic is a hotspot for birding in the Caribbean. -
Explora Ecotour
Local Tour OperatorPrivate birding tours - day tours and week long -
FieldGuides
Tour OperatorThe Dominican Republic is a birdwatcher's paradise... -
HeatherLea
Tour OperatorOn this epic multi-island adventure, we travel to three spectacular countries in the Greater Antilles chain. -
La Cua Birding & Wildlife Tours
Local Tour OperatorLa Cua tours are designed to cover the most beautiful regions of the island. The varied terrain, rich biodiversity, and one of the highest bird populations of the Caribbean allows guests to experience phenomenal birding from sea level up to 2,250m -
Naturalist Journeys
Tour Operator...home to at least 31 single-island endemics, the largest number in the entire Caribbean... -
Red Hill Birding
Tour OperatorThe Dominican Republic is a must-stop on the Caribbean birding circuit, with the possibility of encountering 30 endemic species. -
Rockjumper
Tour OperatorDominican Republic - Endemics of Hispaniola (Small Group)(9 days) -
Tropical Birding Tours
Tour Operator...30 bird species are only found on the island of Hispaniola and there are no less than five bird families endemic to the Caribbean (Todies, Spindalises, Hispaniolan Tanagers, Chat-Tanagers, and Palmchat). The latter three of these are only found on this Caribbean island. -
WINGS
Tour OperatorDominated by the highest mountains in the Caribbean and ringed by a startlingly beautiful coastline, this varied landscape is home to no fewer than thirty-two endemic bird species, including Palmchat, the single representative of the monotypic family Dulidae and two species of Todies. -
Wildside Nature Tours
Tour OperatorDOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Hispaniola Endemic Birding -
William Suarez Birding Tours
Tour OperatorOur birding tours to the Dominican Republic offer the possibility to see and understand why Hispaniola is the most interesting island for birdwatching in the Caribbean.
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2015 [03 March] - Jesse Fagan & Tom Johnson
ReportOur final full day in the Dominican Republic was designed to give us the best possible chance to see one of Hispaniola's rarest birds, Ridgway's Hawk. After we stopped for stunning views of displaying White-tailed Tropicbirds on the way east out of Santo Domingo, we headed to the outskirts of Los Haitises National Park. Timoteo, a local man who helps to keep an eye on the critically endangered hawks, helped us find a perched female Ridgway's Hawk, and we also saw and heard a male displaying high overhead. -
2016 [03 March] - Ross Gallardy - Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic
PDF Report...This area included Antillean Euphonia, Antillean Piculet, Antillean Siskin, Hispaniolan Pewee, Hispaniolan Parrot, and Hispaniolan Parakeet. The areas of pine forest further along the road were dominated by Pine Warblers and the occasional Stolid Flycatcher(mostly just heard) as well as the occasional flyby of Golden Swallow... -
2016 [03 March] - Tom Johnson & Jesse Fagan
Report...we saw the incredible deforestation along the Haitian border and (in intact forest on the DR side of the border) picked up such key species as La Selle Thrush, Western Chat-Tanager, Greater Antillean Nightjar, Least Pauraque, Flat-billed Vireo, White-fronted Quail-Dove, White-necked Crow, and so much more. Our only "heard only" endemic was the Hispaniolan Crossbill that called a few times (presumably as it flew over) from the pine forest at Zapoten. However, we made up for it with the gigantic, gurgling, cooing Bay-breasted Cuckoos in the scrub forest in the foothills -- this rare species was a tour headliner for us this year with such incredible views... -
2017 [01 January] - Dušan Brinkhuizen
PDF Report...A female Black-throated Blue Warbler confused us for a moment, but soon we realised it was not the hoped for White-winged Warbler. Green-tailed Warblers were common along the track and back at the car, we enjoyed great views of a true White-winged Warbler (the species is sometimes called Hispaniolan Highland Tanager). ... -
2017 [04 April] - Mark Van Beirs - Greater Antilles
PDF ReportOur recent Greater Antilles island hopping tour produced all the single island endemics of Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and The Bahamas... -
2018 [02 February] - Forrest Rowland
PDF Report...We had a quick view of Ruddy Quail-Dove and fabulous looks at a cooperative Flat-billed Vireo. We hung around until dusk, at which point we successfully targeted Least Poorwill (heard by all, seen by some) and had another encounter Hispaniolan Nightjar! A fine endingto a day packed with fantastic endemics... -
2018 [03 March ] - Michiel de Boer - Jamaica & Dominican Republic
ReportFor some time I wanted to visit these Islands in the Caribbean. Jamaica because of the Streamertails and Dominican Republic (DR) for the Trogon, the monotypic Palmchat and both Islands for the Todies. The annoying fact that there are no direct flights between J and DR has put me off going there in earlier years... -
2019 [04 April] - Mark Van Beirs - Hispaniola & Puerto Rico
PDF ReportThe highlight of our recent Hispaniola and Puerto Rico endemics extravaganza was without a doubt the magnificent male Antillean Crested Hummingbird that showed so very well in a flowering tree in northeastern Puerto Rico -
2022 [02 February] - Gilles Delforge
PDF ReportThe objective of the two of us (Gilles Delforge and Benoît Forget) was to see all the endemics of the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico and as much as possible of the other Caribbeans specialties as we had never been to Cuba, Jamaica or the Lesser Antilles. -
2022 [03 March] - Hans Matheve
ReportDOMINICAN REPUBLIC & PUERTO RICO -
2022 [04 April] - Ian Merrill
PDF Report...Twenty minute drive to Santa Domingo Botanical Gardens for two hours of great introductory birding. Key bird: West Indian Whistling Duck. c4.5 hour drive west to Puerto Escondido, via lunch stop at Restaurant Francia, Azua. Birding on Rabo de Gato Trail until dark. Check into Rio Barrancoli Eco Lodge, evening meal and early night... -
2022 [12 December] - Lieven De Temmerman
PDF ReportThe obvious goal was to try and see all possible endemics and as many other species. Since it was December, some species are hard / impossible to see: Caribbean Martin, Antillean Nighthawk, White-tailed Tropicbird (summer breeders) and Black-capped Petrel (not present at the breeding sites 15th of Nov- end of Dec, according to Petrel researchers I contacted). -
2023 [12 December] - Adam Walleyn
PDF ReportBirdlife is abundant here and we were soon feasting our eyes on the country’s national bird and monotypic family, the wonderful Palmchat. We also found several Black-crowned Tanager, a striking member of the Hispaniolan tanager family, another family only found on the island. G -
2023 [12 December] - Adam Walleyn
PDF ReportJust as we started eating our breakfasts a Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo popped up and gave us a good view. We then had great views of our first of many Palmchat... -
2024 [02 February] - Bobby Wilcox
PDF Report...We quickly logged some common and gregarious endemics like Palmchat and Hispaniolan Woodpecker as Antillean Palm Swifts knifed through the skies overhead... -
2024 [02 February] - Jesse Fagan
Report...However, before we left, we were treated with a rare sighting when a Bay-breasted Cuckoo flew in and landed just over our heads!... -
2024 [04 April] - Jesse Fagan
Report... In the evening, we were successful in finding a cooperative Ashy-faced Owl, another tough endemic...
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Aves Endemicas de la Republica Dominicana
WebpageLa Hispaniola presenta una gran diversidad de especies de aves. Entre las 31 especies endémicas en la Hispaniola e islas adyacentes, 30 pueden ser observadas en la República Dominicana.