Birds

The Dominican Republic [1] isn’t traditionally thought of as a bird-watching destination. But that is changing because, in fact, its environment is a bird’s paradise and a bird-watcher’s dream. There are 300 recorded bird species, including 27 endemics and a number of Caribbean specifics as well as “vacationing” birds from North America. Species to look for are the Hispaniolan parrot, the Hispaniolan woodpecker, the Hispaniolan trogon, and the Hispaniolan parakeet. Also on the island are owls, egrets, herons, pelicans, parrots, parakeets, and flamingos, just to name a few. The national bird is the palmchat, which nests in the royal palms within the coastal plains.

The Sierra de Bahoruco [2] has one of the highest bird densities of the Caribbean and is the only place in the Dominican Republic where you have even a slim chance of seeing 26 out of the 27 endemics. You’ll have to go to the mountains to see the white-necked crow or a warbler.