This is the largest national park in El Salvador (about 5000 hectares or 12000 acres). Visiting can be arranged through SalvaNATURA. There are camping facilities but no lodges. No other location in El Salvador has recorded more bird species, 277 at this time. A checklist will soon be downloadable from SalvaNATURA's web page. Frequently observed raptors include King Vulture, Black Hawk-Eagle, and White Hawk. Numerous mid-elevation forest bird species are best observed here, such as Pale-billed Woodpecker, five species of Woodcreeper, Greenish Elaenia, Bright-rumped Attila, Long-tailed Manakin, Banded Wren, Lesser Greenlet, and Blue Bunting. Other species now restricted in El Salvador to El Imposible are Crested Guan, Great Curassow, Ruddy Quail-Dove, Stub-tailed Spadebill, and Northern Bentbill.

To get to El Imposible National Park's visitor center and main entrance, from Highway CA-2, turn north at km 106, on a gravel road at the west side of the Rio Ahuachapio bridge. Travel 13 km to the park entrance at the former San Benito hacienda. A permit from SalvaNATURA headquarters in San Salvador is required.

NEW IN 2003! El Imposible National Park and its Wildlife, by Juan Marco Alvarez and Oliver Komar, 230 pp. This book includes a complete checklist of 282 bird species, photographs of 60 bird species in 5 plates, and a chapter in English and Spanish on birding in the park. The link above provides ordering information.

Montecristo National Park (2000 hectares, 4800 acres) contains the best examples of cloud forest and pine-oak forest in El Salvador. The park bird list is over 230 species (not yet complete), and can be downloaded from the internet (http://nhm.ukans.edu/komar, probably soon through the SalvaNATURA web site as well). The park service restricts access to the cloud forest during breeding season (May-October), mainly to protect the Resplendent Quetzal, although visiting regulations could change. Visiting during the non-breeding season is recommended because this is also the dry season, when the higher elevations of the park are reachable by non-fourwheel drive vehicle. Twenty-six species of birds are known in El Salvador only from this park, and 21 occur in the cloud forest. Some of these species are Highland Guan, Fulvous Owl, Amethyst-throated Hummingbird, Garnet-throated Hummingbird, Collared Trogon, Resplendent Quetzal, Blue-throated Motmot, Scaly-throated and Ruddy Foliage-gleaners, Tawny-throated Leaftosser, Black-throated and Unicolored Jays, Slate-colored Solitaire, Spotted Nightingale-Thrush, and Golden-browed Warbler. Some specialties from the pine-oak forest include Black-capped Swallow, Bushy-crested Jay, Olive and Grace's Warblers, Slate-throated and Painted Redstarts, Yellow-backed and Black-vented Orioles, and Hooded Grosbeak.

An easily reached park of about 730 hectares, located at the intersection of the Sierra del Balsamo foothills and the coastal plain, less than one hour by car from San Salvador. Birds include Gray-headed Kite, Gray Hawk, Laughing Falcon, Orange-fronted Parakeet, Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, Blue-throated Goldentail, Violaceous and Elegant Trogons, Collared Aracari, Black Phoebe, Rose-throated Becard, and Red-throated Ant-Tanager. Contact the Salvadoran Tourism Institute (011-503-222-8000) for written permission to enter the park. Numourous lodging options at Puerto La Libertad and Playa San Diego.

A fine birding area among extensive pine forests (some of the last remaining) along the Honduras border, with excellent lodging at the Hotel Perkin Lenca (the owners speak English). Although not officially protected, the natural area rivals El Imposible for being the most extensive natural area in El Salvador, except for the Jiquilisco Bay mangroves. The bird species list is probably around 200. Species reported in El Salvador only from this location include Plain Chachalaca, Common Nighthawk (during the breeding season), Mountain Trogon, and Chestnut-headed Oropendola (breeding on the hotel grounds). Other highlights include King Vulture, Swallow-tailed Kite, White-breasted Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Red-throated Parakeet, White-fronted Parrot, Azure-crowned Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Common (Guatemalan) Flicker, Greater Pewee, Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager, Yellow-backed Oriole, and Black-headed Siskin.

The entrance to Hotel Perkin Lenca es on the left about 1 km south of (before arriving at) the town of Perquín. The hotel is on a rise overlooking the road, and you can not miss it. Access to the Quebrada de Perquin forest (excellent birding area) is by foot from the Hotel. For further areas a guide can be arranged through the hotel. If you have your own car, another good birding spot is at Llanos del Muerto, following the only road that leads eastward about 4 km from the main highway, about 2 km south of the hotel. This road requires 4WD during the rainy season (June-October). Park at the marked turnoff for Rio Negro, and walk the 3 km to the river (north), which is the border with Honduras. Or walk south to some waterfalls (the land owner charges a small fee for access).

About 200 species recorded, although the best birds are in the least diverse habitat: cloud forest. The tourist park at Cerro Verde (managed by CORSATUR, www.elsalvadorturismo.gob.sv) is the most easily accessed cloud forest in El Salvador, although it is just a small patch. It may be the easiest place to observe Eye-ringed Flatbill, and other specialties include Emerald-chinned Hummingbird, Magnificent Hummingbird, Emerald Toucanet, Spot-crowned Woodcreeper, Yellowish Flycatcher, Rufous-browed Wren, Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush, Rufous-collared Robin, Crescent-chested Warbler, Flame-colored Tanager, Yellow-throated Brush-Finch, and Rufous-collared Sparrow. These birds are also present on the adjacent Santa Ana volcano, where one may more easily observe Black Hawk-Eagle, Barred Forest-Falcon, Wine-throated Hummingbird, Scaled Antpitta, Brown-capped Vireo, Black Robin, Blue-and-white Mockingbird, Blue-crowned Chlorophonia, Elegant Euphonia, and Cinnamon-bellied Flower-piercer.

One of the best coffee plantations for birdwatching is Finca La Giralda, just 15 km and about a half hour drive west of San Salvador, near Comasagua in the Sierra del Balsamo. The finca is located in a privately-owned 150-acre valley that is two-thirds natural forest, and one-third organic coffee plantation with abundant shade trees. The plantation produces Cafe del Bosque brand organic coffee, and is being developed to cater to birdwatchers, with a small ecolodge and restaurant (email ecomillennium@hotmail.com for more information). A bird survey has logged 115 species of birds, and the list is still growing. Excellent observation opportunities for birds such as Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge, Rufous-necked Wood-Rail, Lesser and Greater Swallow-tailed Swifts, Rufous Sabrewing, Canivet's Emerald, Lineated Woodpecker, Paltry Tyrannulet, Long-billed Gnatwren, Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Red-legged Honeycreeper, White-winged Tanager, White-eared and Prevost's Ground Sparrows, and Bar-winged Oriole.

To get to Finca La Giralda from San Salvador, follow the Panamerican Highway west through the city of Santa Tecla. At the west end of the city, where the east and west lanes of the highway merge together, turn south (making a uturn to cross the eastbound lane just after a Shell gas station) onto a residential street. Immediately take the next right, and at the end of the houses this street becomes the narrow (paved) road to Comasagua. The road is also known as the Carretera de la Cumbre, because it follows the ridge top of the Sierra del Bálsamo. After roughly 11 km, the entrance to Finca La Giralda is on the right, 50 m before the turn off for the town of Comasagua. Arrangements should be made with the management (ecomillennium@hotmail.com) prior to arrival. Parking is allowed at the entrance of the property, where a visitors center/country store/small restaurant is planned. Free transportation to the lodge (in a pick up truck) will be provided.