TOURS – UNITED STATES

Domestic (ABA) Tour General Information (Excludes Florida)

Join us this April for a birding tour exploring the Dry Tortugas and Everglades National Parks, the keys, and we’ll even be doing some urban birding in the Miami area as well as moving a little further north for a chance to see some of our resident birds, like the Florida Scrub-Jay and Bachman’s Sparrow. The Florida keys and the Dry Tortugas can be excellent migratory destinations for birds coming back from the Caribbean and Central America. When the conditions are ideal, there can even be a chance of seeing fallout in these areas. Here is a breakdown of our tour itinerary.

4/19- Arrive at the Fort Lauderdale airport no later than 1pm. We’ll begin our adventure by taking a short trip to Long Key Natural Area to observe Limpkin, Mottled Duck, and Purple Gallinule. Then we’ll visit the Vista View park for Burrowing Owl, Muscovy Duck, and Gray-headed Swamphen before driving south to Florida City.

4/20- Begin early and look for the Common Myna that makes its home in South Florida. We’ll bird down the keys beginning with a stop at the Dangy Johnson State Botanical Park and Carysfort Circle in order to find Black-whiskered Vireo, Mangrove Cuckoo (very difficult this time of year, but we can try for it), and Painted Bunting. Break for lunch at Ballyhoo’s (an award winning seafood restaurant with a secret vegan menu as well). Continue south through the keys and stop at the government building in Marathon to see if the Roseate and Least Terns that nest on the rooftop have returned yet. Then check for any Gull-billed Tern sightings or any vagrants that have been reported in the lower keys. Lastly, we’ll check Blue Hole National Wildlife Refuge for the iconic Key Deer, a subspecies of the White-tailed Deer that only grows to about 2 1/2 feet in height. Check into our hotel on the lower keys for the night.

4/21-  Dry Tortugas Day! We’ll have to get up early and board the Yankee Freedom for our day trip to the island where we’re going to see plenty of migratory species on their way to the mainland for the spring breeding season. We’ll see several species of warbler, hummingbirds, and falcons, not to mention Masked and Brown Booby, Magnificent Frigatebird, Brown Noddy, Sooty, Royal, and Sandwich Tern. There’s also possibility for Black Noddy, Bridled Tern, and Antillean Nighthawk. 

4/22- Begin the day at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park for the Great White Heron, Short-tailed Hawk, and even possibility for something rare such as the Fork-tailed Flycatcher. Then lunch at the Hogfish Grill before going back to our hotel. We’ll make our way up the keys and return to Florida City/Homestead for the night.

4/23- Begin birding very early in the morning before sunrise. We’ll take the road down to the Flamingo entrance of the Everglades. There are usually several Barn Owls perched in the trees on the sides of the road before sunrise. This section of the Everglades is home to manatees, American Crocodile, and Wood Storks. Shiny Cowbirds have recently begun nesting in the area and there is possibility for Marbled Godwit as well. On our drive back to Homestead/Florida City, we’ll stop at Lucky Hammock WMA. This area is infamous for rare bird sightings and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers have been seen here in the past. This is also a great stop for White-tailed or Swallow-tailed Kites. Dinner at Mario’s Cuban Cafe in Homestead and check into our new hotel in South Miami.

4/24- A trip to Cutler Wetlands first thing in the morning to try our luck in hearing or seeing a King Rail. We’ll do a loop around Miami metro area and Kendall to pick up some species we won’t be able to see anywhere else including Red-whiskered Bulbul, Scaly-breasted Munia, Muscovy Duck, Egyptian Goose, Spot-breasted Oriole, Cave Swallow, Loggerhead Shrike, and Mitred, Scarlet-fronted, Crimson-fronted, Yellow-chevroned, and Red-masked Parakeets. Lunch at the Titanic Brewery. Then drive north to West Palm Beach for lodging.

4/25- Begin the day birding at the Jonathan Dickinson State Park for some exciting resident southeastern bird species. We’ll see the Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Bachman’s Sparrow, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Florida Scrub-Jay, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Common Nighthawk, Northern Flicker, and Eastern Meadowlark. Then we’ll break for lunch and make a trip out to the Sem-chi Rice Mill for Crested Caracara, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Stilt Sandpiper, and Fulvous-Whistling Duck. Back to our lodging in West Palm Beach.

4/26- Morning birding trip out to Loxahatchee NWR for Nanday Parakeets, Solitary Sandpiper, Least Bittern, and Florida subspecies of the Sandhill Crane. Flights home in the afternoon no earlier than 1pm.

The tour fee will be $2462 per person with a $600 singles supplement fee (and you’d get 5% off this price). Hotels, ferry tickets, and car rentals tend to book up quickly for April, so the sooner we can confirm everything the better.

Join Archaeopteryx Birding & Nature Tours as we explore Glacier, Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone National Parks. This will be a 12-day tour, as we plan to cover a large area to see as many bird species as possible. We’ll begin our tour by flying into Billings, Montana. Our accommodations will be mid-range, comfortable hotels close to the areas inside the national parks we plan on birding. This tour has the potential to see several butterflies and various mammal species such as moose, elk, bison, coyote, wolves, foxes, pronghorn, etc. Here is the tentative itinerary for the tour:

June 9th- Arrive at the Billings airport no later than 2pm. We’ll stop at Pompeys Pillar National Monument for some light birding and photography before heading to our hotel for the night. Expected species include American White Pelican, White-throated Swift, Warbling Vireo, Cliff Swallow, Lark Sparrow, Spotted Sandpiper, Common Raven, and Western Wood-Pewee. Spend the night in Billings.

June 10th – Birding in the town of Molt for grassland species such as Western Meadowlark, Vesper and Savannah Sparrows, Horned Lark, Grasshopper Sparrow, Lark Bunting, Chestnut-collared Longspur, and Long-billed Curlew. Break for lunch. Then a visit to Pictograph Cave SP for Black-billed Magpie, Violet-green Swallow, Mountain Bluebird, American Kestrel, Say’s Phoebe, Black-capped Chickadee, and Rock Wren. Spend the night in Roundup, Montana, or close to this location.

June 11th – Begin the day birding at Lake Mason NWR for Eared Grebe, Lesser Scaup, Sandhill Crane, Red-necked Phalarope, Ruddy Duck, Redhead, Common Merganser, Marbled Godwit, Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Western Grebe, and Brewer’s Blackbird
Break for lunch, then drive to our hotel in Great Falls. We’ll do a little evening birding at Benton Lake NWR if time permits for Wilson’s Phalarope, Franklin’s Gull, American Avocet, Gadwall, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, Common Tern, White-faced Ibis, Northern Shoveler, Yellow-headed Blackbird, California Gull, Cinnamon Teal, Western Kingbird, Baird’s Sandpiper, and Green-winged Teal. We might even get lucky enough to see a Sprague’s Pipit, Sharp-tailed Grouse, or Gray Partridge!

June 12th – We’ll visit Benton Lake NWR again in the morning for a few hours, then drive to Glacier NP and check into our next hotel

June 13th – Glacier NP- Saint Mary Visitor Center- Pine Siskin, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Willow Flycatcher, Rufous Hummingbird, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Hairy Woodpecker, Townsend’s Warbler, Swainson’s Thrush, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Pacific Wren, Western Tanager, American Dipper, MacGillivray’s Warbler, and Black-headed Grosbeak

June 14th– Glacier NP- Logan Pass- White-winged Crossbill, Vaux’s Swift, White-tailed Ptarmigan, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Black Swift, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Townsend’s Solitaire, Red Crossbill, Fox Sparrow, MacGillivray’s Warbler, and Townsend’s Warbler

June 15th – Drive to Yellowstone, stay in Gardiner or West Yellowstone, stop at the National Bison Range for a break, time provided. There we should see Clark’s Nutcracker, Lazuli Bunting, Mountain Chickadee, Yellow-breasted Chat, Ruffed Grouse, Swainson’s Hawk, Lewis’ Woodpecker, and Steller’s Jay

June 16th and 17th – Yellowstone National Park- We’ll look for mammals as well as Cassin’s Finch, Brewer’s Sparrow, Dusky and Hammond’s Flycatcher, and Black Rosy-Finch

June 18th and 19th– Yellowstone to Grand Teton stay in Jackson (birding mostly in Grand Tetons) for Calliope Hummingbird, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Bullock’s Oriole, Dusky Grouse, and Williamson’s Sapsucker

June 20th – Grand Teton to Billings via Beartooth Highway stay in Billings

June 21st – fly home

The cost for this tour will be $6150.00 per person shared occupancy with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 participants.
5% DISCOUNT FOR TOURS PAID IN FULL 120 DAYS PRIOR TO TOUR
10% deposit is required to reserve your space.
Trip DOES NOT include airfare, meals, drinks, or tips. The cost DOES include all park entry fees, professional birding guide, shared checklists, all transportation costs, and water & snacks. Please message us directly through Facebook, or call/Whatsapp +1-609-553-0757 to book this tour with us, or to request additional information.

The climate and elevation of the Colorado Rockies create some of the most beautiful and diverse wildflower displays in North America. Along with these impressive summertime blooms, you’ll be sure to find butterflies, birds, and several species of megafauna taking advantage of the short growing season. Join Archaeopteryx tours in the summer of 2022 to explore the spruce forests and alpine meadows of the region. We’ll stay in Avon, Colorado, just outside of Vail. Besides the natural areas, there’s plenty of opportunity to visit a local brewery or distillery. Here’s a sample itinerary of the places we’ll visit in the region:

Sunday, July 10th: Arrive at the Denver airport no later than 2pm. Travel to the mountains, unpack, and do some light evening birding around the property

Monday, July 11th: A trip to go birding and visit a whiskey distillery! Visit to the Walking Mountains Science Center for Western Wood-Pewee, Broad-tailed, Rufous, and Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Black-billed Magpie, Northern Rough-winged and Violet-green Swallows, Green-tailed Towhee, Western Tanager, Cordilleran Flycatcher, MacGillivray’s Warbler, and Western Wood-pewee. Plus various mammals such as Mountain Lion, Mountain Goat, and Beaver. There’s a whiskey distillery on the property Tuesday July 12th: Yeoman Park- Pine Siskin, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Warbling Vireo, Mountain Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Swainson’s Thrush, Wilson’s Warbler, Stellar’ Jay, Clark’s Nutcracker, Common Raven, Pine Grosbeak, and Lincoln’s Sparrow Wednesday July 13th: Walk along the Salt Creek Bike Path- Black-billed Magpie, Bushtit, Brewer’s Sparrow, White-throated Swift, Mountain Bluebird, Western Meadowlark, Common Raven, Bullock’s Oriole, Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay, and Virginia’s Warbler

Thursday July 14th: Beaver Creek Ski Area- Canada Jay, Black-headed Grosbeak, Pygmy Nuthatch, and Olive-sided Flycatcher

Friday July 15th: Check out of the resort and Drive back to Denver for flights home. Visit the Vail Nature Center on the way out of town to take a look at their feeders. We should find American Dipper and Cassin’s Finch, plus great views of hummingbirds, butterflies, and other backyard feeder birds.

Price for this tour will be $1550 per person double occupancy. This price includes your airport pickup/dropoff, transportation, any park entry fees, water/snacks, and a checklist of the birds seen on your tour. It does not include your airfare or meals.
*Location may change slightly based on availability at the time of booking. If Avon/Vail is not available, Winter Park may be selected, or even a different city within the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Bird species list and town amenities will be the similar.
**Date may also change slightly due to availability at time of booking

Join Archaeopteryx Tours for a one-week adventure to see the endemic bird species of Hawaii. This island chain once supported a thriving avian population, which now sadly is ravaged by released pigs, mongooses, disease, and development. But still their birds are hanging on in places like the Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge. We’ll see the iconic bird species such as the Iiwi with its curved bill designed for foraging in flowers and the Nene, the state bird.

September 2nd – Arrive Kona Airport no later than 2pm. Check into Royal Kona Resort, dinner as a group, and introductions.
Bird hotel grounds for Common Waxbill, Yellow-billed Cardinal, and African Silverbill

September 3rd – Palila Discovery Trail and Old Saddle Road, dinner on your own
Discovery Trail – Palila, Erckel’s Francolin, Hawaiian Elepaio (Kona Subspecies), Hawaii Amakihi, Japanese Bush Warbler, Eurasian Skylark. We’ll have to be up very early for this location.
Old Saddle Road – Short-eared Owl (Hawaiian), Black Francolin, Ring-necked Pheasant, and Wild Turkey

September 4th – Hakalau Forest NWR and Old Saddle Road, dinner on your own (4WD, Permit Required). We’ll be meeting with Jack Jeffries, an experienced guide who’s very familiar with the Hawaiian bird species. He’ll help us find the Hawaii Elepaio (Hilo Subspecies), Omao, Apapane, Iiwi, Akiapolaau, Hawaii Creeper, Hawaii Akepa, and Hawaiian Hawk

September 5th – Sandgrouse Fields for Bristle-thighed Curlew, water treatment plant, Old Kona Airport SRA, dinner on your own
water treatment plant – Hawaiian Coot, Black-necked Stilt (Hawaiian Subspecies), Wandering Tattler, Pacific Golden Plover. This will require a long walk from the gated parking area.
Old Kona Airport – Spotted Dove, Yellow-fronted Canary, Saffron Finch, other introduced species
Sandgrouse Fields – Sandgrouse
Golf Course for Bristle-thighed Curlew

September 6th – Pelagic, dinner on your own. Hawaiian Petrel, Black Noddy, White-tailed Tropicbird, Wedge-tailed Shearwater

September 7th – Volcano National Park, Sheraton, End of the World (full day), dinner as a group
Volcano National Park – White-tailed Tropicbird, common endemics and exotics. It’s a long drive from Kona, but worth it. We’ll even be eating dinner at a restaurant over-looking the volcano.
End of the World – Burrowing Parakeet. We’ll have to be there before sunset to see them as they come into roost.

September 8th — Morning birding to target any missed species, afternoon relax, dinner as a group wrap up.
Sheraton Hotel area for Lavender Waxbill if no time previous days.

September 9th – Flights home or to Oahu for extension

Price for this tour will be $3700 per person double occupancy. This price includes your airport pickup/dropoff, transportation, any park entry fees, water/snacks, and a checklist of the birds seen on your tour. It does not include your airfare to the island or meals. We’re looking for a minimum of 2 participants with a max of 3 to be able to run this tour this year.

Reservation Deposits

10% deposit is required to reserve your space.

50% is due 120 days prior to start of tour.

100% is due 90 days prior to start of tour.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT IS $500.00 UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE

Refunds and Cancellations

100% Refund 120 or more prior to start of tour.

50% Refund of total tour cost 90-119 days prior to start of tour*

25% Refund of total tour cost 60-89 days prior to start of tour*

*If total cost for tour has not been paid in full refund may not be applicable

NO REFUNDS LESS THAN  60 DAYS PRIOR TO START OF TOUR UNLESS SPOT CAN BE FILLED IN WHICH A 25% REFUND WILL BE ISSUED.

CDC and Local Guidelines for Covid-19 will be followed.

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