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Republic of Suriname

Harpy Eagle Harpia harpyja ©Dubi Shapiro Website

Suriname is a country in northern South America, sometimes considered part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a developing country with a medium level of human development; its economy is heavily dependent on its abundant natural resources, namely bauxite, gold, petroleum, and agricultural products. Situated slightly north of the equator, over 90% of its territory is covered by rainforests, the highest proportion of forest cover in the world. Suriname is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, and Brazil to the south. It is the smallest country in South America by both population and territory, with just c.635,000 inhabitants in an area of just under 164,000 km² (over 63,000 square miles). The capital and largest city is Paramaribo, which is home to roughly half the population.

The country can be divided into two main geographic regions. The northern, lowland coastal area (roughly above the line Albina-Paranam-Wageningen) has been cultivated, and most of the population lives here. The southern part consists of tropical rainforest and sparsely inhabited savanna along the border with Brazil, covering about 80% of Suriname’s land surface. There are six terrestrial ecoregions: Guayanan Highlands moist forests, Guianan moist forests, Paramaribo swamp forests, Tepuis, Guianan savanna, and Guianan mangroves. Its forest cover is 90.2%. The two main mountain ranges are the Bakhuys Mountains and the Van Asch Van Wijck Mountains. Julianatop is the highest mountain in the country at 4,219 feet above sea level.

Voltzberg Mountain – ©Jan Willem Broekema CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Lying two to five degrees north of the equator, Suriname has a very hot and wet tropical climate, and temperatures do not vary much throughout the year. Average relative humidity is between 80% and 90%. Its average temperature ranges from 29 to 34 °C. Due to the high humidity, actual temperatures are distorted and may therefore feel up to 6 °C hotter than the recorded temperature. There are two wet seasons, from April to August and from November to February. It also has two dry seasons, from August to November and February to April.

Due to the variety of habitats and temperatures, biodiversity in Suriname is considered high. In 2013, international scientists researching the ecosystems during a three-week expedition in the Upper Palumeu River Watershed catalogued 1,378 species and found 60, including six frogs, one snake, and 11 fish that may be previously unknown species. According to the environmental non-profit Conservation International, which funded the expedition, Suriname’s ample supply of fresh water is vital to the biodiversity and healthy ecosystems of the region.

Fungu Island, Coppename River – ©Jan Willem Broekema CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The Central Suriname Nature Reserve has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unspoiled forests and biodiversity. There are many national parks in the country, including Galibi National Reserve along the coast; Brownsberg Nature Park and Eilerts de Haan Nature Park in central Suriname; and the Sipaliwani Nature Reserve on the Brazilian border. In all, 16% of the country’s land area is national parks and lakes.

Birding Suriname

Suriname is a part of the Guyanese shield, between the Amazon and the Orinoco rivers. It is for a large part covered with Amazonian rainforest. The country has some excellent birding places that are easily and safely accessible. Several national parks and nature reserves can be visited and several organisations organise trips to places in the interior, where one can also visit local villages. Most of these trips are by plane and so will cost several hundred dollars. The coastal area and the neighbouring savannahs can best be visited with a rented car, and places near the capital, Paramaribo by taxi.

One of the best places for birders to visit is the Ralleigh Falls / Voltzberg Nature Reserve. Its checklist has more than 480 species. It is part of a larger reserve that is, unfortunately, mostly inaccessible; the Central Suriname Nature Reserve being about 150kms by 70kms. This unspoiled rainforest reserve has many large birds, such as Ara Parrots, birds of prey, including the Harpy eagle, and game-birds.

In the vicinity of Voltzberg are open areas with many hummingbirds, tanagers and parrots visiting the flowers and fruit trees at the edge of the forest. A research station with room for 20 hammocks open for tourists has been constructed near the Voltzberg, a granite outcrop with a height of 240 meters (Suriname is a mainly flat country, so this is high above the surroundings) which means you are in the best place at the beginning and end of the day. Besides birds there are many mammals to be seen, including eight species of monkey. The trip to Ralleigh Falls is best made by boat (several hours must be endured out in the open sun); but it can be made by plane.

Other great birding areas include Brownsberg Nature Park, just 100 km south of the capital, with its very wet rainforest and special fauna because of its 500m height and the savannahs near the airport of Zandery and on the southern border with Brazil, the Sipaliwini savannah (although a trip to the latter can be costly).

Nieuw Aurora River, Sipaliwini District – ©-JvL- from Netherlands, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The coastal areas are very flat and have many marshes. Many waterbirds can be found here and, along the road to the west are many places of interest to birders, especially in the early morning. Other areas of interest include town parks like the Cultuurtuin and an old coffee plantation named Peperpot as well as any of the less populated areas of the country.

Flamingos in Bigi Pan – ©-JvL- from Netherlands, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

All these places are safely accessible. All months are great for birding trips, but the weather at the height of the wet season (June) makes trips by car more difficult, because the road conditions are not at their best.

One of the best birding books is the fairly recently (2018) revised Field guide to the birds of Suriname. Alternative field guides to use are the Birds of Venezuela by de Schauensee and Phelps, together with a guide on the birds of eastern North America for the many North American migrants.

Top Sites

  • Brownsberg Nature Park

    InformationSatellite View
    Brownsberg Nature Park is a nature reserve located in Suriname. The site measures 12,000 ha and is located in the district of Brokopondo around 130 km south from the capital city Paramaribo. The 500 meter high Brownsberg is the central point of the park.

  • Coastal Marshes

    Satellite View
    The coastal area of about 40km wide near Paramaribo and about 100km wide in the west of the country is very flat and has many marshes. There are some good places to see birds along the coast, such as Weg Naar Zee (20km west from the centre of Paramaribo); a rural area along a road towards the seaboard. The sea is muddy and the mudflats harbour a lot of herons and other wading birds. The Bigi Pan area in the west of the coutry, near New Nickerie is famous for Scarlet Ibis. Many waterbirds can be found in its shallow marshes. Along the road to the west many places are of interest to birders, especially in the early morning.

  • Savanna

    Satellite View
    The savanna near the airport of Zandery has many good spots for observing savanna birds, one of the best is Hannover savanna just to the north of the airport. Also other places around the airport and on the road south of Zandery, in the direction of Brownsberg are very quiet and can be beautiful and full of birds in the morning and evening. More savannas and pieces of remaining forest can be found along this road. Deep in the south is a savanna ot the border with Brazil, the Sipaliwini savanna. It has many special birds including large birds such as storks. It is a great place for birding, but a trip is difficult to organize.

  • Town Parks & Plantations

    Satellite View
    Near Paramaribo, easy to visit and full of birds, are places such as the Cultuurtuin (a park in the town, 2km from its centre) and Peperpot, an old coffee plantation just across the Suriname river. In Peperot you can see the near endemic Blood-colored Woodpecker and the Guianan (Arrowhead) Piculet. Near Lelydorp, a village 25km to the south of Paramaribo, there are many roads leading into less populated areas which are also good for birding.

  • Voltzberg Nature Preserve & Ralleigh Falls

    InformationSatellite View
    Voltzberg Nature Reserve and has a checklist of more than 460 species. It is part of a larger reserve that is, unfortunately, mostly inaccessible; the Central Suriname Nature Reserve of about 150 by 70 kilometers. This unspoiled rainforest reserve has many large birds, such as Parrots, birds of prey, [including the Harpy eagle] and gamebirds like the White-headed Piping-guan and the Black Curassow. Most famous is the lek of the Guianan Cock-of-the-rock, it sometimes has more than 50 males dancing like orange flames in the green forest. Of course there are many small birds (antbirds, flycatchers) that are best recognised by their sound. The Voltzberg area has open areas with many hummingbirds, tanagers and parrots visiting the flowers and fruit trees at the edge of the forest. A research station with room for 20 hammocks open for tourists has been made near the Voltzberg granite outcrop that allows you to be in the best place at the beginning and end of the day.
Contributors
Number of Species

  • Number of bird species: 750

    (As at January 2025)
Endemics

  • Number of endemics: 1

    Arrowhead Piculet Picumnus minutissimus
Checklist

  • Avibase

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist includes all bird species found in Suriname , 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.

  • Birdlist

    List
    Birds of Suriname coded for abundance, breeding, migration, wintering, endemic, rare, etc.

  • Suriname Birds

    Annotated List
    The species of birds that were included in the checklists on this site have been accounted for in a book "Annotated checklist of the Birds in Suriname", a publication of WWF Guianas, written by Otte H. Ottema, Jan Hein Ribot and Arie L. Spaans. It recognises 727 species, with 11 of these species with more than one subspecies (and in 2009 25 species without physical evidence from Suriname). Since the publication in November 2009, new species have been identified for Suriname and added to the list on this site. They are mentioned in the first list below. The second list gives an updated survey of the species without physical evidence (16 at this moment).

  • Wikipedia

    Annotated List
    This is a list of the bird species recorded in Suriname. The avifauna of Suriname has 744 confirmed species, of which one is endemic, one has been introduced by humans, and 35 are rare or vagrants. An additional 16 species are hypothetical (see below).

  • eBird

    PDF Checklist
    This 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.
Useful Reading

  • Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Suriname

    | By OH Ottema, JHJM Ribot & AL Spaans | Vrienden van Stinasu | 2009 | Paperback | 144 pages, 2 colour maps | Out of Print | ISBN: 9789991470221 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Birds of Northern South America

    | (2-Volume Set) | By Robin Restall, Clemencia Rodner & Miguel Lentino | Christopher Helm | 2006 | Paperback | NB Volume 1 text, Volume 2 has all the plates | Out of Print | ISBN: 9780713660265 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Field Guide to the Birds of Suriname

    | By Arie L Spaans, Otte H Ottema, Jan Hein JM Ribot, & Ber van Perlo | E J Brill | 2018 | 2nd Edition Paperback | 642 pages, 109 plates with colour illustrations; 41 colour photos, b/w illustrations, and colour maps; 10 tables | ISBN: 9789004352315 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Birding Aps

  • All Birds Guianas

    Apple iOS |
    This app contains all species ever recorded in the Guianas, covering the countries Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana.

Organisations

  • Oceanic Society

    Website
    The interior of Suriname is largely uninhabited and covered with undisturbed Neotropical Amazonian forest. Four broad ecological zones contribute to Suriname`s forest diversity providing habitat for 674 species of birds and 200 species of mammals.

  • Suriname Conservation Foundation

    Website
    De Suriname Conservation Foundation (SCF), een stichting naar Surinaams recht, is op 14 maart 2000 opgericht voor natuurconservering in Suriname.

  • Suriname birds

    Facebook Page
    Welcome to the Suriname Birders - group. This is a group for Suriname birdwatchers, - bird guides, - ornithologists and those interested in the birds of Suriname.
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

  • *List of protected areas of Suriname

    InformationSatellite View
    There are several protected areas of Suriname. The largest of these is the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The protected areas are managed by the Suriname Forest Service. The Forest Service has appointed STINASU (Stichting Natuurbehoud Suriname), a non-profit foundation, to develop and conduct the educational and tourist aspects in the protected areas.As of 2020, 14.5% of the land territory is protected, and contains one nature park, and 13 nature reserves

  • NR Bigi Pan Nature Preserve

    ArticleSatellite View
    Located in the western part of the Suriname estuarine zone, the area extends to the Atlantic Ocean to a depth of 6m at low tide. The landscape is flat (0-5m above sea level) and is dominated by extensive mud flats and areas of standing water, including a mud flat up to 3km wide that extends along much of the area. This is also an important area for breeding, migration and wintering of waterfowl of a wide variety of species. The area is considered to be internationally important for at least 16 species.

  • NR Brownsberg Nature Park

    InformationSatellite View
    The site measures 12,000 ha and is located in the district of Brokopondo around 130 km south from the capital city Paramaribo. The 500 meter high Brownsberg is the central point of the park. The site is located near the Brokopondo Reservoir. The park is managed by STINASU. It has around 50 species of birds.

  • NR Central Suriname (Coppename)

    InformationSatellite View
    Saramacca; 12,000 ha; Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve; Nature Reserve. A wetland complex on a young coastal plain of sand and shell ridges alternating with swamps, dominated by mudflats with mangrove forests on high ground. Inland, saline and brackish lagoons have developed supporting halophytic (salt tolerant) vegetation. An internationally important area for breeding birds, up to 3,000 pairs of herons, egrets and passage and wintering waterbirds. Impressive numbers of Eudocimus ruber and Calidris pusilla gather at the site. There is limited ecotourism in the reserve and low-level subsistence use by fishermen. Ramsar site no. 304.

  • NR Wia-Wia Nature Preserve

    InformationSatellite View
    The estuary of the River Marowijne and approximately 50 km of coast between the Suriname river and the Marowijne River. The area is characterized by broad intertidal mudflats and fringing mangrove swamps and sandbeaches; bordered inland by a belt of shallow fresh to hypersaline lagoons and swamps, areas of seasonally flooded savannas and swamp forest. The mudflats and the swamps are important for numerous migratory shorebirds breeding or stopping over in North America; more than 100,000 shorebirds have been counted during an aerial survey (fall 2004). It is also an Endemic Bird Area due to the common occurrence of three range-restricted species: Guyanan Piculet, Blood-colored Woodpecker, and Rufous Crabhawk.

  • Protected Areas of Suriname

    InformationSatellite View
    There are several Protected Areas of Suriname. The largest of these is the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The protected areas are managed by the Suriname Forest Service. The Forest Service has appointed STINASU (Stichting Natuurbehoud Suriname), a non-profit foundation, to develop and conduct the educational and tourist aspects in the protected areas.

  • Ramsar Sites

    WebpageSatellite View
    Suriname currently has 1 site designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area of 12,000 hectares.
Sightings, News & Forums
Guides & Tour Operators

  • Bio With Wirjo

    Local Guiding
    More than 750 species of birds occur in Suriname. On our day trips we show you a nice selection of species common in Suriname. We offer the following day trips: The Peperpot, the Chocopot, the Road to Sea and the Savannah bird tour.

  • BirdQuest

    Tour Operator
    GUYANA & SURINAME – Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock, Grey-winged Trumpeter, Sun Parakeet, Red Siskin and much more...

  • Cardy Tours

    Local Tour Operator
    e.g. Brownberg Nature Reserve is situated west of Brokopondo Dam. From the plateau that measures 450 meters in the height a spactacular view of the lake and surrounding mountain landscape unfolds before you. The abundant vegetation and the presence of various species of animals make the walk through the forest an experience you will not easily forget…

  • FieldGuides

    Tour Operator
    A new itinerary highlighting rainforest wilderness areas that are home to specialty and hard-to-see birds such as beautiful and bizarre cotingas, large and small, and trumpeters. OverviewKey InfoTriplistsGallery

  • Kolibri Expeditions

    Tour Operator
    Guyana with Roraima hike and Suriname extension

  • Mets Travel & Tours

    Local Tour Operator
    Suriname is located within the Guiana Shield (Part of the Amazon region), which encompasses one of the areas with the highest biodiversity in the world and contains large extensions of uninterrupted and intact primary tropical forest.

  • NatureTrek

    Tour Operator
    A pioneering 12-day holiday to one of South America's lesser-known regions, searching for a wealth of birds, mammals and herpetofauna among some of the world's last remaining untouched rainforests.

  • Planktonik

    Local Tour Operator
    Ever thought of coming to Suriname? It's one of the last countries on earth which is almost completely covered with pristine rainforest. My name is Otte Ottema, and I know where the birds are which you want to see.

  • Rockjumper

    Tour Operator
    Suriname - Comprehensive
Trip Reports

  • 2018 [12 December] - Henk Hendriks

    PDF Report
    On our last morning we finally located a Pale-bellied Mourner at Powakka. The mammal highlight was no doubt the unexpected observation of a Jaguar at Zintete.

  • 2019 [03 March] - Bram Vogels

    PDF Report
    We started birding with Fred again around 2 PM and first focused on the forest just behind the lodge. We quickly could start adding species like tiny tyrant-manakin, yellow-billed jacamar, yellowthroated woodpecker, chestnut-rumped woodcreeper, cinereous antshrike, long-billed gnatwren, cream-colored woodpecker, black-capped becard, black-eared fairy, capuchinbird, tiny hawk, spotbacked antbird, grey antwren, plumbeous pigeon, dusky-throated antshrike, rufous-bellied antwren.

  • 2019 [11 Novembere] - Rob Gordijn

    PDF Report
    ...We started South of Powakka at the trail at gps: 5.3415, - 55.09488 which according to the tripreports should be the best place for Pale-bellied Mourner. We found the Mourner within 30 minutes (at gps: 5.3421,-55.0944) were also a Guianan Schiffornis and a Saffron-crested Tyrant Manakin gave good views. A little further Black Manakin, Bronzy Jacamar and Rufous-crowned Elaenia were easily found making this a very successful morning (at a place that heats up very quickly). We then drove north a bit, passing the small village of Powakka to an area with lower bushes. Our main target here was Red-shouldered Tanager and even though it was very hot by now we located a pair within 10 minutes of leaving the car...

  • 2023 [01 January] - Micah Riegner

    Report
    ...We spent the first day in Peperpot Nature Reserve, just on the other side of the river from Paramaribo. Peperpot used to be a sugar cane plantation during the Dutch colonial period and, after its abandonment, the forest took over. The canals still exist, and a nice set of trails allows you to see the avian specialties of the northern coastal forest. Our primary targets for the morning were the endemic Arrowhead Piculet, which we saw within the first 5 minutes there, and Blood-colored Woodpecker, which was in a feeding flock accompanied by Northern Slaty Antshrikes, White-winged Becards and a Yellow-crowned Elaenia. Farther along the trail we saw Crimson-hooded Manakin glowing in the heliconia-dominated understory...

  • 2023 [03 March] - Hans Groot

    PDF Report
    ...It was a nice start with many common species such as Great Kiskadee, Black and Turkey Vulture, Tropical Mockingbird, Red-breasted Meadowlark, Fork-tailed Palmswift, Blue-gray Tanager, Silver-beaked Tanager, Palm Tanager, Rusty-margined Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Bananaquit. Also present were White-winged Swallow, Ruddy Ground Dove, Yellow-rumped and Red-rumped Cacique, Green and Crested Oronpendola, Shiny and Giant Cowbird, Swallow-winged Puffbird, Black-faced and Blue Dacnis, Purple and Red -legged Honeycreeper, Black-faced Tanager, White-headed Marsh Tyrant. Best species were a pair of Rose-breasted Chats, which showed themselves with great patience, two Cayenne Jays flying over, a male Guianan Streaked Antwren, a Yellowbellied Elaenia, and a White-vented Euphonia. We also heard our first Crested Bobwhite and Red-legged and Great Tinamou. When we drove to Colakreek we saw a Burrowing Owl sitting on a little hill and a Lesser Nighthawk flying over the road...

  • 2023 [09 September] - Mark Easterbrook

    PDF Report
    ...Under the fence in the shade was a lone Grassland Sparrow, with only 1 other being seen after it. 5 or 6 Collared Plovers ran around the sandy tracks as 3 M Easterbrook Sep 23 we moved towards the forest. Swallow-winged Puffbirds were common, and our first target was encountered with a Black Manakin showing well and soon another perched in front of us; a Saffroncrested Tyrant Manakin...

  • 2023 [11 November] - Micah Riegner

    Report
    ...Our first day of the trip was spent birding the Paramaribo area. We started out at Peperpot Nature Park, where we had Arrowhead Piculet, Blood-colored Woodpecker and Slender-billed Kite in the scope within the first 10 minutes of birding...

  • 2024 [10 October] - George Vincent

    PDF Report
    ...We managed to find our first major target – Arrowhead Piculet – at the very beginning of the trail. This tiny woodpecker is Suriname’s only endemic. Later on, we enjoyed scope views of a pair of Cream-coloured Woodpecker, alongside four very obliging Green-backed Trogons, a pair of Green-tailed Jacamars and a compliant Little Hermit...

  • 2024 [March] - Eustace Barnes

    Report
    ...Starting at Wichabai, we eventually found a flock of about thirty Red Siskins, most of which were adult males. That was a highly notable first! We then easily found both Rio Branco Antbird and Hoary-throated Spinetail and, after considerable effort, great views of Sun Parakeet, before picking up both Bearded Tachuri and Crested Doradito on the savannas en route to Karanambu. Working the riverbanks and lake edges at Karanambu we found five Crestless Curassows and several pairs of Spotted Puffbirds...
Places to Stay

  • Kabalebo Nature Resort

    Accommodation
    Kabalebo Nature Resort offers bird watching programs into the Amazon Rainforest of West Suriname, using comfortable accommodations in stunning river and rainforest settings in Nature Reserves. The airstrip offers good early morning bird watching for guests who wish to wander around by themselves.
Other Links

  • Birding Suriname - Otte Ottema

    Webpage
    Few birders currently visit Suriname but, as the country’s top ornithologist explains, they are missing a treat. In addition to offering several species that are difficult to see elsewhere, there remains much potential for visitors to make interesting discoveries.

  • Birds in Suriname

    Website
    The interior of Suriname is covered with forests and there are some savanna areas. The northern part of the country is where most people live. There are many places to visit that are easily accessible and have a rich avifauna. The total number of bird species known from Suriname is about 710 (in 2006) and this site describes about half of them (with photos and sounds). Also includes checklists for some of the birding hotspots

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