Ecuador: The Southern Andes: Jul 16—27, 2008

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Tour Leaders

Paul Greenfield

Paul Greenfield grew up near New York City and became interested in birds as a child. He received his B.F.A. from Temple Univer...

David Wolf

David Wolf is a senior member of the VENT staff and one of our most experienced tour leaders. After birding the U.S. and Mexico...

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Some of the best birding in the entire Andean chain with tanagers and hummingbirds in abundance, very localized endemics, and a remarkable number of tough-to-find mountain birds, all in a scenic and traditional region of the country.

It is reasonable to ask "Why just Southern Ecuador for a birding trip, when there are so many other areas in Ecuador?" The simple answer is that there are almost unlimited opportunities for seeking the birds of the Andes Mountains in this region, in spectacular surroundings. The full answer to that question is quite complex, just as the region itself is, but some of the reasons include:

(1) Endemism, meaning that there are birds here that are not found anywhere else in the world. The extreme example, of course, is the Jocotoco Antpitta, not discovered to science until 1997 and still known from only one small area! Other examples include the Bearded Guan, White-necked Parakeet, and Violet-throated and Neblina metaltails;

(2) There are a surprising number of "range-restricted" species that are best found in this region and whose fate may ultimately be decided by the preservation of the forests here, including Coppery-chested Jacamar, Ecuadorian Piedtail, Equatorial Graytail, and Orange-banded Flycatcher;

(3) Many rarely-seen birds seem to be more "findable" here than elsewhere, including Black-and-Chestnut Eagle, Lanceolated Monklet, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Barred Fruiteater, Red-hooded Tanager, Giant Conebill, Tit-like Dacnis, and Plush-capped Finch, to pick a few examples;

(4) Trail access at several key sites makes this a great area to actually see some of the supreme skulkers of the mountain forests, particularly antpittas and tapaculos. Past trips have sometimes seen five or more species in these groups;

(5) The region is relatively little-known and there are significant discoveries still to be made. Witness the new species of flycatcher found here in the 1990s, now officially described and named the Foothill Elaenia;

(6) The complex geography supports many different habitats in a small area. Here the Andes are twisted and folded into a jumbled mass of ridge and valley systems, some drier and some wetter, and by covering a wide range of elevations we will have the opportunity to see a fantastic assortment of the birds of the Andes;

(7) Major protected areas that we will bird include the Tapichalaca Reserve, Podocarpus National Park, and Cajas National Recreation Area. Unfortunately, the mountain forests are fast disappearing in many places where they are not protected;

(8) Tanagers and hummingbirds, two of the most beautiful and appealing families of tropical birds, are especially prominent and diverse here. That in itself makes this region alluring to many of us!

and

(9) The scenery is outstanding and the climate refreshing.

We hope you can join us on our trip to Southern Ecuador.

Modest accommodations in cabins in the country, nice hotels in the cities; most birding on foot on little-traveled mountain roads and trails; full days afield, moderately strenuous; elevations mostly 3,000-9,000 feet with one day to 13,000 feet; climate pleasant, cool at some locales.

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