Nalga de Maco National Park and the surrounding lands near the community of Rio Limpio are considered the best locations in the world to see the endangere d Bay-breasted Cuckoo (shown above). This cuckoo, known locally as the Cua, is endemic the Caribbean island of Hispaniola but now remains only in a few scattered locations in the Dominican Republic.


Nalga de Maco and surrounding area. Photo by Andrew Rothman, 2013

The national park protects the headwaters of the Artibonite River, which is the main water supply for nearly 2.5 million people in Haiti. It is most easily accessed via the town of Rio Limpio. This community—home to Dominican Republic’s first technical high school dedicated to organic agriculture and sustainable rural development—provides birders a great base from which to explore the area’s forested hills and agricultural landscapes.

White-necked Crow. Photo by Jorge Luis Brocca, 2013

The White-necked Crow, another threatened endemic, is easily found here, as are the Hispaniolan Trogon and the Hispaniolan Parrot. Other birds of the area include the White-winged Warbler, Eastern Chat-Tanager, Golden Swallow, and Hispaniolan Parrot.

Migrants abound as well. Expect to see Cape May Warbler, Prairie Warbler, American Redstart, and Black-throated Blue Warbler. If you’re lucky you might find the elusive Bicknell’s Thrush as well.

The community offers a number of activities to complement birding. These include visiting a shade coffee or organic agriculture farm, hiking to a waterfall, swimming in a river, horseback riding in the countryside, or taking a multi-day trip to the top of Nalga de Maco.

Cabins at Centro Verde. Photo by Andrew Rothman, 2013

Lodging is available at the Centro Verde, where attractive cabins, local cooking, and good birding on the grounds are available. Larger groups are encouraged to stay at the Centro Ecoturistico Nalga de Maco, which offers group accommodations, great views of the national park, and activities with local artists.