Caribbean Birding Trail

Know the Caribbean, Bird by Bird

Donate
  • About the CBT
    • Interpretive Guide Training
  • Countries
    • Countries A-I
      • Anguilla
        • Cove Pond
        • Dog Island
        • East End Pond
        • Forest Bay Pond
        • Katouche Canyon
        • Long Pond
        • Meads Bay Pond
        • Merrywing Pond System
        • Prickly Pear Cays
        • Road Salt Pond
        • Scrub Island
        • Sombrero
        • West End By-the-Sea Ponds
        • West End Pond
      • Antigua and Barbuda
        • Bethesda Dam
        • Christian Valley
        • Codrington Lagoon
        • McKinnon’s Salt Pond
        • Two Foot Bay National Park
      • Aruba
        • Spaans Lagoon
      • Bahamas
        • Abaco
        • Andros
        • Cat Island
        • Crooked Island and Acklins
        • Eleuthera
        • Exumas
        • Grand Bahama
        • Great Inagua
        • Long Island
        • Mayaguana
        • New Providence
        • San Salvador
      • Barbados
      • Bonaire
        • Dos Pos IBA
        • Gotomeer
      • British Virgin Islands
        • Josiahs Bay Salt Pond
        • Sandy Cay
      • Cuba
        • Guanahacabibes
        • Humboldt National Park
        • Mensura-Piloto National Park
        • Viñales
        • Zapata Swamp
      • Curaçao
        • Christoffel National Park
        • Salt Pans of Jan Thiel
      • Dominica
      • Dominican Republic
        • Central Mountain Range
          • 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
        • Southeast
          • Bávaro
          • Cumayasa
          • Del Este National Park
            • 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
            • Los Haitises National Park: Caño Hondo
            • Los Haitises National Park: Los Limones
          • Monte Plata
        • Southwest
          • 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
          • Sierra de Bahoruco National Park
            • Los Arroyos, Sierra de Bahoruco National Park
        • North Coast
          • Cayos Siete Hermanos
          • El Choco National Park, Cabarete
          • 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
        • Around Santo Domingo
          • Las Salinas de Baní
          • Mirador del Norte Park
          • National Botanical Garden
          • Ozama Wetlands
      • Grenada
        • Antoine Lake
        • Beausejour/Grenville Vale
        • Diamond Rock
        • Grand Etang National Park
        • Levera National Park
        • Mt. Hartman National Park
        • Telescope Pond
        • Woburn Bay MPA
      • Guadeloupe
        • Mountain Road
        • Pointe des Chateaux
    • Countries J-Z
      • Jamaica
        • Ahhh…Ras Natango Gallery and Garden
        • Barbecue Bottom Road
        • Black River Great Morass
        • Cockpit Country
        • Ecclesdown Road
        • Flagstaff
        • Green Hills Field Station
        • Hardwar Gap
        • Hope Gardens
        • Portland Bight Protected Area
        • Stewart Town
      • Martinique
        • Rocher du Diamant
      • Montserrat
      • Puerto Rico
        • Camuy Coastal Area
        • Culebra National Wildlife Refuge
        • Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge
      • Sint Eustatius
        • Pilot Hill
        • Quill/Boven National Park
        • Zeelandia Beach
      • St. Lucia
      • Sint Maarten
        • Great Salt Pond
        • Little Bay Pond
      • St. Martin
        • Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House
        • Étang Cimetière de Grand Case
        • Étang de la Barrière
        • Pic Paradis
      • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
        • Grenadines
          • Bird Sanctuary
          • Mustique Lagoon
          • Mustique Ponds Walk
        • Saint Vincent
          • Richmond Beach
      • Trinidad and Tobago
        • Tobago
          • Kilgwyn Swamp
          • Little Tobago
        • Trinidad
          • Asa Wright Nature Centre
          • Brasso Seco Paria Village
      • Turks and Caicos
        • Grand Turk
        • Middle Caicos
        • North Caicos
        • Providenciales
        • Salt Cay
        • South Caicos
  • Tours
  • Guides
  • Get Involved
  • Contact Us

You are here: Home / Dominican Republic / Southwest / Cabral Lagoon

Cabral Lagoon

  • About Cabral Lagoon
  • The Birds
  • How to Get There

The Cabral Lagoon is a 5,615 hec protected wildlife refuge located in the southwestern region and is the largest freshwater wetland in the Dominican Republic. The Cabral Lagoon attracts large numbers of waders, terns, and gulls. More than 115 species of birds have been recorded here, including 46 species of migrants, 6 endemics, and 7 species considered threatened or endangered. But this site is particularly well-known for its huge numbers of migratory ducks in the northern fall and winter. Permanent resident species, like White-cheeked Pintail and Caribbean Coot are also well-represented even in the non-breeding season. Beyond waterfowl, the lagoon and surrounding area supports 12 Hispaniolan restricted-range species, including the threatened Hispaniolan Parakeet.

There are two ways to access the Cabral Lagoon. The first is a series of walking trails that leave from the town of Peñon. A local guide from the Ecological Society of El Peñon is required. The longest trail is the 6 km (3.7 mile) Guanaconel Trail which follows along the north shore of the lagoon and then rises to the top of the hill known as the Cerro de Cristobal. Another trail, the Barrancolí, is 3.6 km (2.2 miles) long and follows through thorn scrub vegetation to the northeast to arrive at the Cerro del Peñon Viejo overlook.

The shortest trail is the 1.4 km (0.9 mile), Iguana Viewpoint which contains both thorn scrub and lakeshore views, and also rises to the top of the Cerro del Peñon Viejo. The birds found here are typical species of the dry thorn scrub, including Broad-billed Tody, Northern Mockingbird, Stolid Flycatcher, and Greater Antillean Bullfinch, as well as some of the migratory warblers. Your second option for birdwatching is to hire a boat and guide from the town of Cabral. These tours are offered every day between 7:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Boats cost $RD 1500 for a 2-3 hr trip around lagoon.

Cabral Lagoon (Map by Dana Gardner)
Cabral Lagoon (Map by Dana Gardner)

Target species include West Indian Whistling-Duck, American Wigeon, Blue- winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, White- cheeked Pintail, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck, Great Egret, Glossy Ibis, Caribbean Coot, Ring- billed Gull, Least Tern, Gull- billed Tern, Plain Pigeon, Hispaniolan Parakeet, Belted Kingfisher, Common Yellowthroat

From Santo Domingo, take the main highway towards Barahona, passing Baní and Azua. After about 2.5 hrs, and prior to reaching Barahona, you will arrive at the main, well-marked crossroads with a junction for Cabral, Duvergé and Jimaní. Turn right and in approximately 20 min you will reach the village of Cabral. Just two blocks past the town’s central park, a sign towards the left directs you to Polo, but turn right here and continue 0.5 km (0.3 miles) to the main park guardhouse which is on your left.

  • Reserve hours: Tours 7 AM – 2 PM

Cabral Lagoon

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!

Get Involved

The Latest from BirdsCaribbean.org

Twitter
Birds Caribbean
Birds Caribbean
@BirdsCaribbean

It was an extraordinary #GlobalBigDay2023 for the Caribbean! 🎉 We recorded an increase 📈 in the no. of #birders participating in #GBD & #birds recorded 👏🏽Head on over to our blog for a more info! bit.ly/GlobalBigDayR… #GlobalBigDayBirdsCarib @Birdlifejamaica @grupojaragua pic.twitter.com/nl1U…

reply retweet favorite
4:15 pm · June 2, 2023
Twitter
Emma Lewis
Emma Lewis
@Petchary

In the Caribbean, World Parrot Day strives to raise awareness about the many threatened endemic species · Global Voices Thank you ⁦@JanineMFranco⁩ 🦜🦜🦜 #WorldParrotDay globalvoices.org/202…

reply retweet favorite
2:26 am · June 2, 2023 ·
Retweeted by Birds Caribbean
Twitter
Audubon Society
Audubon Society
@audubonsociety

Wondering what's going on with our on-cam Osprey pair, Skiff and Dory, as they continue to incubate their three eggs? Get the latest by tuning in anytime via @exploreorg: bit.ly/3FRLQup pic.twitter.com/GNps…

reply retweet favorite
2:26 am · June 2, 2023 ·
Retweeted by Birds Caribbean
Twitter
Carol Gordon
Carol Gordon
@carolpopegordon

Now that it's really hot here I went out early with my camera instead of lolling around with my coffee and posting on Twitter. Despite the lack of caffeine I found this Northern Cardinal enjoying the mulberry tree just down the bike path behind my house. #birdingwithouthcaffeine pic.twitter.com/GjtG…

reply retweet favorite
2:25 am · June 2, 2023 ·
Retweeted by Birds Caribbean
Twitter
Sharon Ní Bhaoill
Sharon Ní Bhaoill
@goddessmode

Black-crowned Night-Heron foraging along Gerritsen Creek in Marine Park today. pic.twitter.com/AcPu…

reply retweet favorite
2:25 am · June 2, 2023 ·
Retweeted by Birds Caribbean

Our Site

  • Home
  • About the CBT
  • Countries
  • Tours
  • Guides
  • Get Involved
  • Contact

Search

Follow

Sign up for our Mailing List

Copyright © 2011–2023 Caribbean Birding Trail. A project of BirdsCaribbean.