Country: Ecuador
Categories
Maycu Reserve
Maycu Reserve protects foothill forest in the Cordillera del Condor, south-eastern Ecuador. Birding the reserve's trails targets Speckled Tanager, Collared Puffbird, Hairy-crested Antbird, Peruvian Warbling Antbird, Black Antbird, Purplish Jacamar, Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo, Speckled Spinetail, White-browed Antbird, Blue-crowned and Collared Trogons, Duida Woodcreeper and Many-banded Aracari.
Read MoreCerro Acanana and Cerro de los Arcos
Cerro Acanana and Cerro de los Arcos rise in the southern Ecuadorian Andes above the Loja basin. Cerro Acanana targets Crescent-faced Antpitta and Red-faced Parrot, with Black-headed Hemispingus, Black-capped Tyrannulet, Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Black-chested Mountain Tanager, Chusquea Tapaculo, Northern Mountain Cacique, Masked Trogon and the rare Chestnut-bellied Cotinga. Cerro de los Arcos holds the endemic Blue-throated Hillstar, described to science in 2017, plus Carunculated Caracara, Variable Hawk, Andean Lapwing, Tawny Antpitta, Andean Tit-Spinetail, Streak-backed Canastero, Black-tailed and Green-tailed Trainbearers, Shining Sunbeam, Paramo Seedeater and Jameson's Snipe.
Read MoreCordillera del Condor and Cabañas Yankuam
Cabañas Yankuam sits in the Cordillera del Condor and is the most accessible place to see the monotypic Orange-throated Tanager. Further birds include Black-and-white Tody-Flycatcher, Gilded and Lemon-throated Barbets, Blue-headed Parrot, Green-and-gold, Yellow-backed and Paradise Tanagers, Eastern Woodhaunter, Pygmy Antwren and Chestnut-eared Aracari. Neighbouring territories add Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher, Golden-collared Toucanet, Buff-throated Woodcreeper, Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak, Red-billed Tyrannulet, Fiery-throated Fruiteater and Yellow-cheeked Becard, and nights target Band-bellied Owl and Blackish Nightjar.
Read MoreZamora Road
The Zamora Road descends from the eastern Andean slopes into upper tropical forest above Zamora. Birding the road targets Torrent Duck, Oilbird, White-capped Tanager, Red-headed Barbet and the most wanted Vermilion Tanager. Tanager flocks include Saffron-crowned, Golden, Orange-eared, Spotted and Golden-eared Tanagers, and the range-restricted Equatorial Greytail, Black-billed Seed Finch and Black-capped Donacobius are possible.
Read MoreCopalinga Lodge and Podocarpus National Park
Copalinga Lodge is known for its feeders, which give perhaps the easiest views anywhere of the secretive Gray Tinamou. Further birds around the lodge and in Podocarpus National Park include Little Tinamou, White-throated Quail Dove, Wire-crested Thorntail, Spangled Coquette, Little Woodstar, Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Coppery-chested Jacamar, Lanceolated Monklet, White-fronted Tyrannulet, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Western Striped Manakin and Chestnut-tipped Toucanet, with the elusive Amazonian Umbrellabird possible.
Read MoreTapichalaca Reserve and Valladolid Road
Tapichalaca Reserve is the major site for the recently described, regionally endemic Jocotoco Antpitta, watched at close range at the reserve's worm feeding stations. Supporting species include Golden-plumed Parakeet, Bearded Guan, Lacrimose and Hooded Mountain Tanagers, Barred Fruiteater, Turquoise Jay, Black-throated Tody-Tyrant, White-browed Spinetail and Chusquea Tapaculo. The reserve's hummingbird feeders attract Collared Inca, Flame-throated Sunangel, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Long-tailed Sylph and Amethyst-throated Sunangel, and the day also covers the Valladolid Road.
Read MoreKoepcke’s Screech Owl, Loja
An evening in Loja looks for the recently discovered Ecuadorian population of Koepcke's Screech Owl, a species long considered a Peruvian endemic. The owl is sought in the city's surroundings after dark.
Read MorePodocarpus National Park and Tapichalaca Reserve
Podocarpus National Park and the adjoining Tapichalaca Reserve protect cloud forest on the eastern slopes of the southern Ecuadorian Andes. Birding the two areas together targets Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Peruvian Antpitta, Plushcap, Chusquea Tapaculo, Rufous and Plain-tailed Wrens and, with luck, Chestnut-crowned and Undulated Antpittas. Other birds include Masked Mountain Tanager, Neblina Metaltail, Mouse-colored Thistletail, White-throated Tyrannulet, Blue-backed Conebill and Andean Pygmy Owl.
Read MoreSozoranga Road and Utuana Reserve
The Sozoranga Road and Utuana Reserve lie on higher ground between the Tumbesian lowlands and Loja. Birding this higher ground targets Grey-headed Antbird, Piura Hemispingus, Black-cowled Saltator, Black-crested Tit-Tyrant, Rainbow Starfrontlet, Purple-throated Sunangel, Jelski's Chat-Tyrant, Chapman's Antshrike, the localized Loja Tyrannulet, Chestnut-collared Swallow, Bay-crowned and White-winged Brushfinches, Amazilia Hummingbird and Collared Warbling Finch.
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