Asa Wright Nature Centre Lodge

Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge, Trinidad

The veranda of the Asa Wright main lodge is probably the most famous birdwatching spot in the Western Hemisphere, which is a big claim and approximately true. From a chair with a cup of local tea, you routinely observe Tufted Coquettes, White-bearded Manakins, Blue-crowned Motmots, and multiple hummingbird species within a few metres of the railing. The feeders attract a rotating cast throughout the day. This is not hyperbole; it is a fact about the density of what lives on a 1,500-acre estate in Trinidad’s Northern Range and decides to visit a feeder.

Trinidad sits 11 kilometres off the Venezuelan coast, which is why it shares its birds with South America rather than the Caribbean. The island has over 470 recorded species. Asa Wright, established in 1967 as one of the first eco-tourism destinations in the Caribbean, sits at 1,200 feet in the Arima Valley and has been drawing ornithologists and wildlife photographers for more than 50 years.

The Oilbird

The single most unusual bird at Asa Wright is the Oilbird, locally called the Diablotin. A substantial colony roosts and nests in a cave on the property. Oilbirds are nocturnal, frugivorous, and use echolocation to navigate in complete darkness, making them genuinely anomalous among birds. The chicks accumulate so much fat from a fruit diet that they were historically harvested by indigenous communities for lamp oil. Guided visits to the cave are available with advance arrangement; access is managed carefully to protect the colony.

What to Look For

The trails extend from the lodge into the forest. The Discovery Trail and lower grounds are productive for antbirds, woodcreepers, and ground-feeding species. The Cuffie River Trail follows a stream corridor where Cocoa Woodcreepers and Golden-olive Woodpeckers forage along the banks. Early mornings in the first hour after dawn are the most productive time.

Other regularly recorded species: Bearded Bellbird, Channel-billed Toucan, Green and Purple Honeycreepers, Trinidad Euphonia, White-tailed Sabrewing, and the Little Hermit. During northern hemisphere autumn migration, warblers and shorebirds pass through in significant numbers. The best birding periods are December through March (resident species vocal before breeding season) and May through June (nesting activity peak).

Staying and Eating

The lodge has rooms in the main house and cottages on the grounds. Rooms are modestly furnished with ceiling fans and screened windows that let forest sounds in at night. Rates typically include breakfast and dinner, which matters given that there is nothing else within walking distance. The kitchen uses local ingredients and serves Trinidadian dishes alongside international options.

Book well in advance. Organised birding tours fill the lodge from January through April and it can be fully booked months ahead.

Beyond the Lodge

Caroni Swamp, 45 minutes southwest, is the site of the Scarlet Ibis evening flight. Boat tours follow mangrove channels to open water where thousands of ibis return to roost at sunset. One of the more dramatic wildlife spectacles in the Caribbean.

Nariva Swamp on the east coast is Trinidad’s largest freshwater wetland: Red-bellied Macaws, anacondas, manatees, herons, wading birds. Guided boat tours operate from Bush Bush village. Less visited than Caroni and, for that reason, sometimes more rewarding.

Blanchisseuse on the Caribbean coast is at the end of the road from Asa Wright, about 45 minutes north. The drive through forest is good for roadside birding. The beach is undeveloped and the village has small guesthouses and fresh fish restaurants.

Getting There

Asa Wright is an hour’s drive from Port of Spain: east on the Eastern Main Road to Arima, then north up the Blanchisseuse Road. Taxis from Port of Spain or Piarco International Airport can be arranged. Renting a car gives more flexibility for exploring the island.

Practical Notes

Bring quality binoculars: 8x42 handles the low-light forest conditions better than anything smaller. The standard field guide for the island is Richard ffrench’s Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago. Wear muted colours on the trails; bright clothing flushes birds before you see them. Rubber boots or waterproof trail shoes are worth having outside the dry season.

Insect repellent is necessary from dusk onward and on the lower trails near water. A portion of visitor fees goes directly to conservation and education programmes on the island.