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Due to it's standing as tops in avian diversity, South
America has often been called the 'bird continent'. While Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and Ecuador top the list of most species per
country, of these, Ecuador, by far the smallest, may be number
one in species per square mile. With over 1600 species of
birds in an area the size of my home state of Arizona, Ecuador has become known
as one of the top spots in the world for seeing, enjoying, and learning about an
impressive variety of beautiful and fascinating birds. Such diversity is paralleled by general floral and faunal richness and a
highly varied biogeography, making Ecuador a nature lover's paradise. In
recent years, I've had the good
fortune to have made many trips throughout much of the country.
What follows is a summary of our experiences during southern Ecuador trips that Our trip begins on the west coast in Guayaquil from where we head south through vast agricultural areas punctuated by remnants of native habitat that includes freshwater wetland, moist and dry forests, and mangroves. During our several stops, we've found the only population of horned screamers outside of Amazonia, the rare masked duck, comb duck, white-cheeked pintail, pied lapwing, masked water-tyrant (a bird found only west of the Andes and then on the other side of the continent in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil), short-tailed woodstar, long-tailed mockingbird, jet antbird, superciliated wren, pearl kite, savanna hawk, snail kite, Pacific parrotlet, parrot-billed seedeater, Peruvian pelican, gray-hooded gull, Chilean flamingo, Peruvian pygmy-owl, Peruvian meadowlark, fasciated wren, Baird's flycatcher, several waders and shorebirds, the rare rufous-necked wood-rail, and many others. It's a busy first day. Towards the end of our drive, we leave behind the disturbed habitat and enter one of the birdiest places I've seen in one of the birdiest countries in the world, the JF's Buenaventura Reserve (BV). With about 5000 acres of lush, moist forest, BV lies at a unique overlap zone of species from the wet Choco region to the north and the drier Tumbesian region to the south. As is true at most lodges in the country, the hummer feeders are pretty intense, and Buenaventura, with feeders at both the lower and upper parts of the reserve, hosts almost 20 species including long-billed hermit, violet-bellied and rufous-tailed hummingbirds, Andean emerald, green thorntail, crowned (emerald-bellied) woodnymph, brown violetear, green-crowned brilliant, booted racket-tail, brown inca, and white-necked jacobin. While these regular visitors are fun, it's the sheer numbers, with literal clouds of zipping birds, that are so impressive. Throughout our stay, these feeders, which also attract green honeycreeper and bananaquit, keep us well entertained......as do the bananas which host pale-mandibled aracari, rufous-headed chachalaca, and mountain coati. BV has an excellent main
road that traverses the property from it's highest to lowest points, offering
birders the perfect opportunity to explore an interesting and beautiful
elevation transect. The highest point, where the habitat is a little
fragmented, is
where we've had luck in finding the endemic El Oro Parakeet as well as the
stunning and rare rose-faced parrot, a Choco endemic. The more intact forest
below is home
to Andean solitaire, violet-tailed sylph, uniform antshrike, the fairly common buff-fronted
foliage-gleaner and it's rarer cousin the slaty-winged foliage-glea Below the lodge, in another area of fragmented habitat, are more open country species such as bran-colored flycatcher, crimson-breasted finch, barred puffbird, Tumbes pewee, sooty-headed tyrannulet, fasciated wren, Ecuadorian thrush, yellow-bellied siskin, and red-masked parakeet, a Tumbesian endemic. Though they aren't common, we've also had good luck in finding fasciated tiger-heron, tiny hawk, and Peruvian pygmy-owl in this area. BV is one of the better spots for raptors, and over the years we've seen quite a few including both black and ornate hawk-eagles, a suite of hawks (gray-lined, short-tailed, great black, tiny, and barred), gray-headed and hook-billed kites, and laughing falcon. But perhaps the biggest raptor prize is the gray-backed hawk, a member of one of my favorite raptor genera, Pseudastur. This Tumbesian endemic can put on quite a show, with birds perched, soaring above, and flying below eye-level. A nocturnal bonus is a pair of black-and-white owls that in recent years has been hunting almost every night near a large light adjacent to the lodge. In the early morning, that same light, having attracted insects during the night, hosts a feeding parade of about 20 species that can be seen in great light at eye level. These include slaty-capped flycatcher, one-colored becard, gray-and-gold warbler, streak-headed, spotted, plain-brown, and olivaceous woodcreepers, Chivi (red-eyed) vireo, scale-crested pygmy-tyrant, dusky-capped flycatcher, and Pacific and greenish elaenias. One
can't talk about BV without mentioning one of the all-time coolest birds
anywhere, the long-wattled umbrellabird.....of which there is a lek on the
property. Early in the morning and again in the evening, one of nature's most amazing spectacles takes place at
the bottom of a small canyon, amidst thick, evergreen forest. As you approach
the lek, you're usually greeted by what you swear (at least if you grew up in
San Francisco, like I did) is a foghorn.......which seems not at all out of
place as BV can be quite foggy. This low-frequency, far-traveling sound is
the male umbrellabird's first card played in the mating game. With a
little patien As we leave BV and head south towards the border with Peru, the climate changes almost instantly as we trade the fog and wet ground for sunny blue skies and a little dust. Arid-adapted plants gradually replace the evergreen species, and soon I feel like I'm in the tropical deciduous forest of west Mexico with Ceiba, Cochlospermum, Guazuma, Erythrina, and Pithecellobium trees. The species of Ceiba found here, Ceiba trichistandra, with its green bark and branches going every which way, is one of the most striking I've seen. On our way to the JF's Jorupe Reserve, we make a key stops in cactus and acacia scrub to look for a few localized species - Tumbes hummingbird, superciliated wren, white-headed brushfinch, and elegant crescentchest - all of which we've had occasional success with despite the skulky, close-to-the-ground habits of the brushfinch and crescentchest. Other birds that aren't so skulky are ash-breasted sierra-finch and long tailed mockingbird. After our previous travels, which have had us spending most of our time in evergreen forest, arriving at Jorupe is like arriving in a different country..........but one in which the birding is just as awesome. The semideciduous nature of the forest in September and October, as well as the very different plant and bird species, is exciting to say the least. Almost every bird is 'new for the trip'. The fact
that the lodge is set amidst the best Tumbesian dry forest that the area has to offer becomes
clear upon arrival. Some simple fruit and corn feeders
(though you don't need them to see these birds) are grea The Jorupe area is known for its many Tumbesian endemics, which, along with many other birds, make for a great birding experience. Three furnarids - blackish-headed spinetail, rufous-necked foliage-gleaner, and henna-hooded foliage-gleaner - are highly sought after, and we've had reasonably good success, though not every time, with all. Sooty-crowned and gray-breasted flycatchers, gray-cheeked parakeet, Ecuadorian piculet, Peruvian screech-owl, Peruvian pygmy-owl, spectacled owl, Tumbes swift, Ecuadorian trogon, Pacific elaenia, collared and Chapman's antshrikes, slaty becard, fasciated wren, long-tailed mockingbird, speckle-breasted wren, and saffron siskin are some of the local specialties. Other interesting birds, at least in terms of distribution, include Harris's, zone-tailed, and savanna hawks, all of which are widespread in the Americas but in Ecuador only found in the southwest corner. No less than three ground-dove species - blue, croaking, and Ecuadorian - are found on the grounds, while hummingbirds, generally uncommon here, include Amazilia hummingbird, long-billed starthroat, and gray-chinned hermit. In addition to the teeny piculet, other woodpeckers include the gorgeous scarlet-backed and the impressive Guayaquil. After
several unforgettable days at Jorupe, we head south to Jocotoco's Tapichalaca Reserve.
Before arriving, however, we make a stop at the JF's Utuana Reserve. Here
in Tumbesian cloud forest, we always see one of the most spectacular
hummingbirds in the Americas, the rainbow starfrontlet. In the past we've
also seen purple-throated sunangel, red-crested cotinga, blackish tapaculo,
line-cheeked and Azara's spinetails, Chapman's antshrike, white-crested elaenia,
rufous-chested tanager, and even the rare black-cowled saltator. We also make several stops to look for
black-crested tit-tyrant, Tumbes
sparrow, Plumbeous rail, chestnut-collared swallow, and, at a pass just above
the lodge, mouse-colored thistletail, a shrubby treeline skulker. Though
every year is different, we've had good success in seeing all of these species
in the past. The 7000-acre
reserve is where the large and beautiful Jocotoco antpitta was discovered
in 1997, subsequently inspiring the formation of the highly effective
conservation group that bears its name. Set in beautiful temperate cloud
forest, Tapichalaca offers rich biodiversity accessed by numerous trails as well
as the main road. Upon arrival, the lodge's hummingbird feeders are an
instant distraction. Hovering eye-candy includes flame-throated and
amethyst-throated sunangels, collared inca, chestnut-breasted coronet, white-bellied
woodstar, and long-tailed sylph. Sometimes green-front On the trails and the
main road, we find a spectacular assortment of birds, many of which are found in
Ecuador's always exciting mixed flocks. Flocks in the dense understory
can include glossy and white-sided flowerpiercers (often dueling with each other
or with hummingbirds), golden-crowned tanager, rufous spinetail, pale-naped
and yellow-breasted brush-finches, rufous-breasted tanager, black-capped and
black-eared hemispingus, and up to four species of Basileuterus warblers - black-crested,
citrine, russet-crowned, and three-striped. Canopy flocks generally come
in two forms. First are those with large species such as gray-breasted
mountain-toucan, turquoise jay, mountain cacique, hooded mountain-tanager, and perhaps dusky piha. Flocks with smaller species may have white-banded
and black-capped tyrannulets, gray-hooded bush-tanager, citrine and black-crested warblers,
blue-backed conebill, pearled treerunner, and many others. Sit-and-wait
ambush species, usually found on their own, include diminutive black-throated tody-tyrants,
larger smoky bush-tyrants, and small groups of orange-banded flycatchers.
Bamboo specialists,
always on the skulky side, include the Chusquea tapaculo
and plain-tailed wren, and we've had good luck with both on most trips. Though they're uncommon, we've had some unforgettable sightings of one of the
world's most spectacular tanagers, the white-capped, as well as one of the m One of the highlights of a visit to Tapichalaca is the possibility of seeing rare golden-plumed parakeets. Being the only large parakeet in the area at that elevation (other than the much smaller barred parakeet, which we've seen several times, but only as fly-bys which is the usual case for this species) makes identification fairly easy. A small grove of wax palms (Ceroxylon sp.), some with nest boxes, is the most reliable spot for the golden-plumed, and we've had pretty good views on most trips. Though it's been rare, a few times we've had them feeding at eye level and fairly close. On our afternoon in the Tapichalaca area, we descend to about 5000 feet where the climate, habitat, and avifauna is completely different than at the lodge. Here at the upper reaches of Amazonian influence, and in the Rio Maranon drainage, we see an interesting mix of species. For several of these - Maranon thrush, rufous-fronted thornbird, black-faced tanager, and silvery tanager - this is the only location in all of Ecuador where they are found. Other more widespread and/or Amazonian species include paradise tanager, yellow-tufted woodpecker, dull-colored grassquit, lined antshrike, and green-backed becard. From Tapichalaca, we head to the eastern foothills and Copalinga Lodge. Copalinga's beautiful forest, with great birds right on the grounds, is a fitting gateway to the lower elevations of Podocarpus National Park. Though hummer feeders at some lower elevations in Ecuador tend to be less active than those in cloud forest, Copalinga turns out to be one the hottest spots for these smallest of birds, and over the years, we've seen almost two dozen species. While the feeders are good for fork-tailed woodnymph, sparkling violetear, many-spotted hummingbird, gray-chinned and green hermits, and violet-fronted and black-throated brilliants, the Verbena flowers attract spangled coquette, wire-crested thorntail, violet-headed hummingbird, and golden-tailed sapphire. Copalinga's feeders are particularly remarkable, at least to me, for being one of only two places I've ever seen a fairy, in this case the black-eared, come to a feeder. Though rare, another hummer gem we've seen at Copalinga is the Napo sabrewing. In addition to the hummer feeders, there is a "corn feeder" in the forest where every evening gray tinamou (an otherwise shy and difficult to see Amazonian bird) comes to feed.....as do gray-fronted doves, white-throated quail-dove, orange-billed sparrow, and occasionally little tinamou ! In the denser forest of Podocarpus NP, near the Rio Bombuscaro and just five minutes away, the birds are a bit different. Here rarities that we've seen include coppery-chested jacamar, black-streaked puffbird, and Amazonian umbrellabird. Large and exciting mixed flocks can have many tanagers (paradise, yellow-bellied, spotted, flame-crested, orange-eared, golden-eared, bay-headed, and golden), Lafresnaye's piculet, yellow-throated and ashy-throated chlorospingus, montane foliage-gleaner, subtropical cacique, olivaceous flatbill, fulvous shrike-tanager, and orange-crested flycatcher. Fifteen minutes
from the lodge is the old Loja-Zamora Road, a well-known bi On an afternoon trip "downhill", just a little closer to Amazonia, we find an interesting mix of lower elevation species such as long-tailed tyrant, black-billed thrush, blue-headed parrot, gilded and lemon-throated barbets, yellow-browed sparrow, Peruvian warbling antbird, white-eyed parakeet, amethyst woodstar, blue-tailed emerald, and white-browed antbird. As with all of my trips, in addition to birds (and their evolutionary history and ecologies), there is plenty of natural history as well, and we always find interesting insects, plants, mammals, and maybe a few reptiles and amphibians along the way. Among the mammals we've seen are brown-throated three-toed and Hoffman's two-toed sloths, red brocket deer, mantled and red howler monkeys, white-throated and white-fronted capuchin monkeys, black and Central American agoutis, Brazilian rabbit, Artibeus and Uroderma bats, olingo, Guayaquil and red-tailed squirrels, and mountain and South American coatis. We also learn about the work (land purchases, habitat restoration, research and monitoring of rare species) of the Jocotoco Foundation at each reserve. Southern Ecuador has the beauty, diversity, and comfortable lodging that make for a rewarding and memorable trip, one that I hope to make many more times in the future. Photos:
Chusquea tapaculo, coppery-chested jacamar, lanceolated monklet, gray-backed
hawk, and pale-browed tinamou by Misty Vaughn |
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ner, western woodhaunter, uniform treehunter, three manakin species
(club-winged with
it's unique wing trill, white-bearded, and golden-winged), Guayaquil
woodpecker, Choco and yellow-throated toucans, black-winged saltator, yellow tyrannulet, slaty-capped
flycatcher, gray-and-gold and three-banded warblers, brownish twistwing,
one-colored becard, gray-browed brush-finch, tawny-faced gnatwren, broad-billed
and rufous motmots, and much more. Tanagers, some quite colorful,
others
more subdued, include ochre-breasted, rufous-throated, golden, silver-throated,
white-shouldered, Guira, swallow, blue-necked, and others. Though not common, the scaled fruiteater is always a
favorite, and we've seen it several times at BV.
t for getting beautiful views of whooping motmot,
white-tailed jay, white-edged and yellow-tailed orioles, plumbeous-backed and
Ecuadorian thrushes, and black-capped
sparrow. Occasionally a pale-browed tinamou, very common by voice on the
property, comes near the feeders, and Watkin's antpitta, also fairly common by
voice, is sometimes seen on the grounds around the cabins. Though there
are no guarantees for this bird, so far we haven't missed it.
ed lancebill and rufous-capped
thornbill are nectaring on nearby flowers. While many birds are
possible right at the lodge, masked flowerpiercer, equatorial (rufous)
antpitta, Chusquea
tapaculo, white-banded tyrannulet, pale-naped and yellow-breasted brush-finches,
blue-backed conebill, lacrimose mountain-tanager, and
rufous wren are the most regular. Certainly one of the main events at
Tapichalaca is the Jocotoco antpitta itself. With assistance from Angel
Paz (of antpitta taming fame), the staff at Tapichalaca has habituated a family
of these remarkable birds. With several individuals
hopping around at our feet, the time we spend with these amazing birds has been
unforgettable. The Jocotoco isn't the only antpitta on the property.
Starting in 2011 they had undulated and chestnut-naped antpittas also coming to
a worm feeder, and equatorial (rufous) is an occasional visitor. 
ost
striking raptors, black-and-chestnut eagle in the Tapichalaca area. A few other uncommon raptors
we've seen near the lodge are white-rumped hawk, a resident, and white-throated
hawk, an Austral migrant.
rding spot where good forest
and relatively easy viewing can yield gray-mantled wren, bronze-green euphonia,
cerulean warbler, equatorial graytail, lanceolated monklet, slaty-capped
shrike-vireo, Ecuadorian tyrannulet, Andean motmot, black-faced dacnis, chestnut-tipped
and southern emerald toucanets, lined antshrike, fiery-throated fruiteater, and eye-level or from-above views of white-collared,
chestnut-collared, and gray-rumped swifts. Though very rare and dificult
to see, we once had a maroon-chested ground-dove walking along the edge of this
road for about ten minutes ! While the forest and birds are superb
in the Copalinga area, the hospitality, comfort, and delicious food provided by our
JF hosts are always major highlights. 