Place · National Park
Parque Nacional Volcán Barú
best Feb–Apr
In season nowOther protected area2 subjects
These details come from research and have not been checked yet. We have no position for this park yet, so it has no pin, light or weather here. Tell us if something is wrong
What's here, and when
2 subjects
| Subject | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiery-Throated Hummingbird | Outside the window | Peak | Peak | Peak | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window |
| Violet Sabrewing Hummingbird | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | In season | In season | In season | Outside the window |
Hides, lodges and tours (0)
No hides, lodges or tours match these filters yet.
Fiery-Throated Hummingbird — Volcán Barú summit road & Los Quetzales trail — Feb–Apr
Shoot window
AcceptableOdds: Coin flip, 3 of 5. Verdict: Acceptable.
Fiery-Throated Hummingbird: about an even chance of seeing it (Feb–Apr)
| Month | Presence |
|---|---|
| Jan | Outside the window |
| Feb | Peak |
| Mar | Peak |
| Apr | Peak |
| May | Outside the window |
| Jun | Outside the window |
| Jul | Outside the window |
| Aug | Outside the window |
| Sep | Outside the window |
| Oct | Outside the window |
| Nov | Outside the window |
| Dec | Outside the window |
- Peak
- February to mid-March — driest window in the Chiriquí highlands before the April transition.
- Days needed
- 7 days
- Behaviour
- Territorial fighting
- Coat
- Not applicable
- Habitat
- Green season / lush
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Also here
- Volcano Hummingbird, Talamanca Hummingbird, White-throated Mountain-gem, Volcano Junco, Timberline Wren, Sooty Thrush, Sooty-capped Chlorospingus, Wrenthrush, Black Guan, Resplendent Quetzal (Bajo Mono / Pipeline).
- Light
- Lat 8.8°N, summit 3,475 m. Max solar altitude ~58° late Dec rising to overhead (90°) by mid-April; Feb–Mar it is still under ~75°. The summit road is exposed and often above the cloud deck by mid-morning, so light goes hard and contrasty fast — the reliable soft window is the pre-dawn 4x4 ascent and the first ~30 minutes. Cloud typically builds on the slopes late morning. High wind on the summit ridge most days.
- Weather risk
- Fog / mist (asset) and High wind
- Atmosphere
- Cloud deck sitting below the summit at dawn; wind-driven mist on the upper cone; wind-sculpted stunted vegetation that genuinely suits a wide environmental frame.
- Permits
- Volcán Barú NP entry fee, 4x4 jeep transport arranged in Boquete. The ascent is normally pre-dawn, which for once puts you in position for the light rather than excluding you from it. Confirm current park hours and whether independent vehicles are permitted — not verified.
- Getting there
- Fly to David (DAV) via Panama City, ~1 h to Boquete; or overland from Costa Rica via Paso Canoas. Summit 3,475 m, the highest point in Panama — cold and windy. Minimum practical trip 6–8 days, sensible to combine with the Talamanca leg.
Who runs trips here: Los Quetzales Lodge (Guadalupe, Cerro Punta) has a nearby private reserve with hides and feeder banks — feeders are the Avoid route, but the lodge is a legitimate base. Whitehawk Birding and local Boquete 4x4 operators run the summit ascent.
Confidence: low · Last verified 30 Aug 2026
Violet Sabrewing — Chiriquí highlands, Panama — Sep–Nov
Shoot window
AcceptableOdds: Coin flip, 3 of 5. Verdict: Acceptable.
Violet Sabrewing Hummingbird: about an even chance of seeing it (Sep–Nov)
| Month | Presence |
|---|---|
| Jan | Outside the window |
| Feb | Outside the window |
| Mar | Outside the window |
| Apr | Outside the window |
| May | Outside the window |
| Jun | Outside the window |
| Jul | Outside the window |
| Aug | Outside the window |
| Sep | In season |
| Oct | In season |
| Nov | In season |
| Dec | Outside the window |
- Peak
- Not established.
- Days needed
- 7 days
- Behaviour
- Nesting
- Coat
- Not applicable
- Habitat
- Green season / lush
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Also here
- Resplendent Quetzal (Chiriquí highlands), Volcano Hummingbird, White-throated Mountain-gem, Three-wattled Bellbird.
- Light
- Lat ~8.8°N. Marginally higher sun than Costa Rica; same ~20 min golden hour. Sep–Nov is the wettest part of the Chiriquí year, so cloud cover is near-continuous and soft light should run most of the day. Not verified against station data.
- Weather risk
- Rainy season, Fog / mist (asset) and High wind
- Atmosphere
- Persistent cloud-forest mist; bajareque drizzle around Boquete.
- Permits
- Not researched. Volcán Barú NP has an entry fee. Private reserves set their own rules.
- Getting there
- Fly PTY, then domestic flight or ~7 h drive to David/Volcán. Longer travel day than any Costa Rica option for a similar bird.
Who runs trips here: Mount Totumas Cloud Forest Lodge — not verified as photography-specific, and not verified as feeder-free.
Confidence: low · Last verified 30 Aug 2026