Caribbean Birding Trail

Know the Caribbean, Bird by Bird

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      • Anguilla
        • Cove Pond
        • Dog Island
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You are here: Home / Dominican Republic / Around Santo Domingo / National Botanical Garden

National Botanical Garden

  • About
  • The Birds
  • How to Get There

The Jardín Botánico Nacional Dr. Rafael Moscoso, or National Botanical Garden, is located in the northern part of Santo Domingo. The 200 hectare botanical garden is a quiet oasis in this busy city, and is a great place to encounter the common birds of the country, including a number of endemic species. An early morning walk of 2-3 hours through wooded areas, stream-side habitats, and open palm savannas will offer opportunities for seeing many interesting birds. Beyond the broadly distributed species such as the Vervain Hummingbird, Broad-billed Tody, Hispaniolan Woodpecker, Bananaquit, Black-crowned Palm-Tanager, and Yellow-faced Grassquit, this is also an excellent site for seeing the reclusive Limpkin, and the threatened West-Indian Whistling Duck and Hispaniolan Parakeet. The Hispaniolan Ornithological Society (SOH) has published a checklist for the birds of the Botanical Garden, found in the Education Department.

Birding Areas

From the main entrance, you will immediately cross the Central Plaza. Stay to the right and follow signs for the trail to the 1.6 km (1.0 miles) Gran Cañada. Look in particular for the Limpkin, Least Grebe and West Indian Whistling-Duck. This area is also preferred in-season by over-wintering migratory birds, especially American Redstart, Black-and-white Warbler, and Cape May Warbler. The national bird, the Palmchat, will be readily seen, as well as the Hispaniolan Oriole. The endemic Hispaniolan Parakeet is also likely to be found here.

Botanical Garden (Map by Dana Gardner)
Botanical Garden (Map by Dana Gardner)

Target Species

West- Indian Whistling Duck, Least Grebe, Purple Gallinule, Common Moorhen, Limpkin, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, White- winged Dove, Hispaniolan Parakeet, Hispaniolan Parrot, Mangrove Cuckoo, Hispaniolan Lizard- Cuckoo, Antillean Palm- Swift, Gray Kingbird, Yellow- throated Vireo, Northern Mockingbird, Palmchat, Black- crowned Palm-Tanager

The garden is best approached by going north on Ave. Lincoln from central Santo Domingo. After crossing under the Ave. John F. Kennedy overpass, continue north until you reach a rotunda. Keep right on the rotunda and take the first right-hand exit. The garden entrance is a few hundred yards on your right.

Santo Domingo (Map by Dana Gardner)
Santo Domingo (Map by Dana Gardner)

 

  • Entrance fee: Non-Dominican citizens RD$ 30
  • Reserve hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, birdwatchers may enter any time after 6:30 AM with identifying binoculars in hand
  • Address: Ave. Los Próceres esq. Rep. De Colombia, Los Jardines del Norte – Apdo. 21-09 Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
  • Telephone: (809) 385-2611 ext. 13
  • Website: www.jbn-sdq.org (in Spanish)

National Botanical Garden

Dominican Republic Sites

Constanza and Valle Nuevo

Ebano Verde Reserve

Hatillo

Jarabacoa with Armando Bermúdez and José del Carmen Ramírez National Parks

La Joya de San Francisco

Loma Quita Espuela

Pico Diego de Ocampo, Santiago

Bávaro

Cumayasa

Del Este National Park: Boca de Yuma

Del Este National Park: Guaraguao

Del Este National Park: Padre Nuestro Trail

Del Este National Park: Saona Island

Ecological Foundation Trail, Punta Cana

Limón Lagoon

Los Haitises National Park: Caño Hondo

Los Haitises National Park: Los Limones

Monte Plata

Aguacate and Zapotén

Cabo Rojo and Pedernales

Cabral Lagoon

Cachote, Eastern Bahoruco

Jimaní

Lake Enriquillo

Loma Charco Azul

Oviedo Lagoon, Jaragua National Park

Puerto Alejandro and Tortuguero

Rabo de Gato and Puerto Escondido

Los Arroyos, Sierra de Bahoruco National Park

Cayos Siete Hermanos

El Limón, Samaná

Estero Hondo

Loma Guaconejo

Loma Isabel de Torres, Puerto Plata

Monte Cristi and Saladilla

Nalga de Maco National Park, Río Limpio

Samaná

Las Salinas de Baní

Mirador del Norte Park

National Botanical Garden

Ozama Wetlands

Partners in the Dominican Republic

  • Grupo Acción Ecológica
  • La Sociedad Ornitológica de la Hispaniola (SOH)
  • National Aviary

With special thanks to our partners at the Ruta Barrancoli

Ruta Barrancoli logo


Dominican Republic Tour Operators

  • Cúa Birding
  • Explora Ecotour
  • Miguel A. Landestoy T., Independent Guide
  • Tody Tours
  • Wildside Nature Tours

Bird Checklists

Click here to download a pamphlet-sized year-round checklist for Dominican Republic.

Recommended Field Guides

Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti by Steven Latta, Christopher Rimmer, Allan Keith, James Wiley, Herbert A. Raffaele, Kent McFarland, and Eladio Fernandez

Aves de la República Dominicana y Haití by Steven Latta, Christopher Rimmer, Allan Keith, James Wiley, Herbert A. Raffaele, Kent McFarland, and Eladio Fernandez

Ruta Barrancolí: A Bird-finding Guide to the Dominican Republic by Steven C. Latta and Kate J. Wallace

Birds of the West Indies by Herbert Raffaele, James Wiley, Orlando Garrido, Allan Keith, and Janis Raffaele

Want to know how you can be involved?

Do you know of a place that should be part of the Caribbean Birding Trail? Are you the owner of a lodge or hotel and want to attract eco-tourists? Are you a guide interested in the birdwatching market? Then, get involved with our project!

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