Birding the Americas Trip
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ECUADOR
PART 1 - NORTHER ECUADOR
29 December 2001 to 12 January 2002
by Todd Pepper & Geoff Post
Our trip to Ecuador was to last 18 days. Our goal was to see 400
species by visiting 4 areas: west slope, east slope, high Andes and
Amazonia.
Our first day was taken up with travel from
Toronto to
Quito where we stayed at the centrally located La Casa Sol, a bed and
breakfast
type establishment which we used as our base in Quito.
The next day up bright and early - a trend that
continued
throughout the trip - we caught a cab to the bus terminal to get
the
8:00 a.m. bus to Mindo on the west slope. Our first birds of the trip,
seen
from our taxi, were a pair of Eared Doves foraging on the
sidewalk.
We arrived in Mindo around 10:30 a.m. and on the short stroll to
Bird-watcher's
House we picked up our first 4 species, all lifers. How excited we were
to
see our first ever Lemon-Rumped Tanager, or “lemonada” as we later
called
it, not knowing that we would see dozens over the next few days.
The next four days would be spent in the wonderful company of Jane
Lyons and Vinicio Perez of Birdwatcher's House but that afternoon,
after lunch, we birded on our own along the road leading to the river,
all at an elevation of around 1250 m, seeing our first Pacific
Horneros, Little Cuckoos
and Masked Water-Tyrants among 32 species.
Day 3 serious birding began and we were up with Vinicio
at 4:30 a.m. for a ride in a cattle truck up the mountains toward the
Cock-of-the-Rock lek. After a stiff hike with, it seems, the last 300 m
straight up hill, we
got to the lek around 5:45, just in time to hear the first calls of
these beautiful birds. At six o'clock the trees in front of us became
the mating ground of 5 male Andean Cocks-of-the-Rock as they moved from
tree to tree in the early dawn light. Fifteen minutes later all was
silence. After breakfast in the field we hiked down hill and then
followed the path of Rio Nambillo, sighting such birds as Sunbittern,
Bat Falcon and Booted Racquet-Tail as we
hiked all the way back to the lodge for lunch. That afternoon we took
the
local bus to an elevation of 1450 m half way up Obelisk Road,
which connects Mindo to the main highway, and then slowly birded our
way back down to town, sighting an additional 33 species including such
striking birds as
Pale-mandibled Aracari, Choco Toucan and Crimson-rumped Toucanet, and
bringing
our total for the day to 88 species.
Vinicio had us up well before dawn again on Day 4 since
we had hired a driver to take us down past the town of Pedro Vincente
Maldonaldo to the Rio Silanche Road, at km 125 between Quito and
Esmereldas. We spent all day in mist and occasional light rain along
this very “birdy” road, moving between 400 and 450m. The
hours were filled with large numbers
of Choco endemics and lower elevation birds on what turned out to be
our
biggest day of the trip with 120 species for the day, nearly 100 of
them
new. For Vinicio, the highlight of the day was our sighting of a Tiny
Hawk,
only his second in a long career of birding the area.
Again on Day 5 we were up early with Vinicio and a hired
driver to take us to Mira Flores Road through the Bellavista Reserve to
Tandayapa at an elevation of around 2000 m. It was pretty quiet
along this route
with Toucan Barbets being the best birds. But the quiet was relieved by
a
stop at Tony & Barbara Nunnery's beautiful home overlooking
Tandayapa
valley. A mixed flock was moving through as we arrived and, in
the
dozen or so species, we were able to spot Plushcap, Golden-Rumped
Euphonia
and Blue-Capped Tanager. A Common Potoo sat motionless at the
base
of their garden. Scaly Amazons and White-capped Parrots flew by. As we
sat
having coffee and cookies with Tony and Barbara, we watched 16 species
of
hummingbird coming in to their feeders. It was a magical spot.
Day 6, our last day in Mindo, we caught the early bus up
to the top of Obelisk Road, at1650 m, where we just hung around the bus
stop at the main road for a while. An incredible number of species
visited the trees in just one hour. A walk part of the way back added
another 20 or so species before we flagged down the bus into town.
After lunch, and many thanks to Jane and Vinicio, we were back on the
bus to Quito having already seen more than 250 species!
Day 7 was a catch-up day, a day to finalize arrangements
for both Yuturi Lodge and Cabanas San Isidro, but we got things settled
quickly in the morning so headed to the north end of Quito and Parque
Metropolitano for some relaxed urban birding. The park sits at an
elevation of about 2900 m with great views out over the city and the
weather was glorious.
As an unexpected bonus, we added 23 new species to the trip including,
surprisingly, Carunculated Caracara, Tufted Tit-Tyrant,
Black-throated Puffleg and Crimson-mantled Woodpecker.
Our 8th day was the first day of our jungle tour and
proved to be mainly a travel day. After a short flight from Quito to
the frontier town of Limoncocha, known as Coca, and after an hour and a
half wait at the dock where we watched White-winged Swallows sitting on
the pilings, we boarded our long, flat-bottomed river boat, powered by
two outboard motors, for the long trip down the Napo River to Yuturi
Lodge. Lunch on a sandbar on the river
produced a super close-up view of a Yellow-headed Caracara sitting on a
log
but birding the river was generally uneventful other than waders and a
few
raptors. The water being unusually low, we had to jump out
repeatedly to push our boat off sandbars. Finally, after more
than 6 hours on
the water, we arrived at our lodge on the Yuturi River at an elevation
of
250 m. Tired and disappointed at not getting any jungle birding
as
we expected, we were at least encouraged by the sight of many
Russet-backed
Oropendolas nesting near the lodge and a gathering of Hoatzins in the
evening.
Day 9 turned out to be the ‘march from hell’. We
were
up early and at dawn were on a narrow, sometimes apparently
non-existent,
jungle trail with our guide, Jaime Grefe. Birding was slow and
hard,
quick glimpses the norm. The most memorable sight was of a King Vulture
soaring
above us in one of the few open spots in the canopy we came upon.
It
was hot, some reported later is was over 42 degrees, and we walked for
10
hours. We began suffering heat exhaustion around 3:00 p.m., Todd with
the
classic symptoms of throwing up, pallor and weakness. It was a struggle
to
make it back before sundown. A very hard 26 new trip species were added
during
the day and a lesson was learned: drink water, water and more water in
the
jungle. But Jaime applied some native healing: he swatted Todd
around
the head with leaves of malaire (‘ill wind’) to relieve his
heat
exhaustion. And it worked. He felt pretty good the next day.
But we decided to make Day 10 a more relaxed day with a
nice leisurely drift down the Yuturi River. It produced wonderful
looks
at Agami Heron, 5 different species of kingfisher, Capped Heron, Cocoi
Heron,
and even a couple of river otters. Twenty new trip birds
today.
We had been up before dawn all trip but the 2:30 a.m. wake-up call on Day
11 for the trip out of Yuturi was truly ‘early’. The river was
now
so low that they could not take out a fully loaded boat. The 3
crew
took our packs and pushed the boat over the shifting sandbars that had
hampered
our trip down the river. We hiked out a jungle trail by
flashlight
to a spot on the Napo River above the worst sand bars, loaded up and
proceeded
carefully upriver. Around 11:00 a.m. we were met at Yarina River
by
Garcia with a dugout canoe and paddled up to the pleasantly sited
lodge.
The rest of the day we birded around the lodge and from the
balcony,
visiting the canopy tower for sunset. The tower, 40 metres high,
gave
us great looks over the valley, and 14 new trip birds including
Many-banded
Aracari, Black-faced Dacnis and a White-fronted Nunbird that Garcia
pointed
out to us on the trail.
Sunrise on Day 12 saw us back on the canopy tower at
Yarina. Mostly the same visitors from last night, but a Black-bellied
Cuckoo, or as
Geoff called it, a “Red-billed Cuckoo”, surprised us on the way down
with its striking colours. Later in the morning we poled our way
through
the Yarina lagoon, sighting a number of new trip birds like Wattled
Jacana,
Spot-breasted Woodpecker, White-eyed Tody-Flycatcher and Lettered
Aracari.
Heading up the Napo River for our flight back to Quito, we were
delighted
to see 8 Pied Lapwings and a pair of Yellow-billed Terns.
On Day 13 our new guide, Juan Carlos Calvachi, picked us
up early at La Casa Sol for spectacular high elevation paramo birding
through the Papallacta Pass. The pair of Rufous-bellied
Seed-snipe at 4200
m near the antennae were the birds of the day but we saw other paramo
specialties like Bar-winged and Stout-billed Cinclodes and both
Cinereous and Giant Conebill. And our sighting of a Paramo Tapaculo was
only the second for Juan Carlos! We added 45 new trip birds
through the pass on our way to Cabanas San Isidro at 2200 m on the east
slope. We got there in time to see both Bronzy
and Collared Incas playing at our feeder and to listen to the whirring
call
of the Wattled Guan off in the valley.
We started Day 14 with a flat tire in the dark but it
was
down hill from there as Juan Carlos got us safely to the Coca-Loreto
Road
where we birded at elevations of between 1100 and 1200 m. It was a big
day,
102 species all together, with 47 new trip birds, so many that it’s
hard
to pick highlights - but the Wire-crested Thorntail, the Red-headed
Barbet,
the Piculets – Rufous-breasted and Lafresnaye’s and the Coppery-chested
Jacamar
were undoubtedly cool birds! A brief stop at Guacamayo Ridge on
the
way back to the lodge got us the Turquoise Jay, but, unfortunately, did
not
yield the Plate-billed Mountain Toucan.
We birded around San Isidro on our own the next morning, turning up
both Crested and Golden-headed Quetzals. You couldn't ask for anything
better than
that. We checked out the slippery Log Trail but found the road south of
the
lodge more rewarding. After lunch we were shuttled up to Guango
Lodge, also owned by the Bustamante family. It is a newer lodge in an
alpine tradition but unfortunately a recent land slide and new pipe
line construction have affected much of the forest adjacent to the
lodge. We did, however, have a
quick 7 new hummingbirds before dinner. Juan Carlos showed up
with
his new clients, another pair of Canadians, and together we birded the
property the next morning, coming up with 3 of the 4 possible
Hemispingus species, much to the delight of Geoff. Are there
better bird names than Superciliaried Hemispingus? Oleaginous
Hemispingus? Then it was up to the road
to hitch a bus ride back to Quito so Todd could do a little shopping
before
heading home.
But we had arranged one last day of birding, Day17.
A driver picked us up to take us to Cotopaxi. It was a clear day with
beautiful
views of the volcano. We picked up most of the specialty birds
associated
with this high elevation that we hadn’t seen at Papallacta:
Black-chested
Hawk-eagle, Andean Coot, Andean Lapwing, and Paramo Pipit. No Andean
Condor.
And a better look at the whizzing Ecuadorian Hillstar would also have
been
good. In the afternoon we went to Pasachoa National Forest to
look
for the Ocellated Tapaculo in the bamboo but at around 3:00 p.m. it
started
to pour rain, a not-unusual occurrence in the Quito area. We
headed
back for dinner at a good restaurant and did our final tally: far
exceeding
our goal, we had seen 472 species. We shared a bottle of good
Chilean
wine to celebrate.
But early, always early, next morning, Day 18, Todd was
catching
a taxi to the airport for his flight back to Canada. Geoff was
awaiting
the arrival of his wife, Sylvia, to travel for another 3 weeks in
southern
Ecuador - and maybe get to see a few more birds. (See
Southern
Ecuador addendum.)
Travel
We made all our arrangements over the internet. Travel in Ecuador
is
straightforward. Get a good book like Lonely Planets, get info
from
other birding reports on the internet. There are lots of good
hotels
in Quito: choose one and use it as your base. You should not have
to
pay more than $35 US. Pick a central one, near the
restaurants. Pilsener is a good beer and is only $1 to $1.50 for
a grande. Travel around by bus. For longer distances , the
national airlines are also inexpensive. Birdwatcher’s House was
excellent, as were Cabanas San Isidro and Guango Lodge.
Vinicio Perez and Juan Carlos Calvachi [calvachi@uio.satnet.net] were
outstanding birding guides. Yuturi was the only jungle lodge we could
find that would include a birding guide (and Jaime Grefe was good:
although he didn’t speak English, he knew the English names for the
birds.). But it was a very long trip to get there. Sacha
and La Selva are excellent according to
all reports, but they are much more expensive. And if you want a
birding
guide you may have to pay a lot more. From Quito, you can hire a
driver
(it’s cheaper than renting a car for the day) to take you up to
Cotopaxi
or the antennae at Papallacta. Paramo birding is great. In
southern
Ecuador, birding is less well developed. Day trips advertising
birding
are usually combined with hiking and sightseeing; the leader is usually
not
a birder. You are often better to just catch a bus to the area
and
bird it on your own. Pablo Andrade of Aratinga Tours in Loja
jatavent@cue.satnet.net is starting to get a bird-guiding
operation going focusing on Podocarpus but
he is not yet at the level of Vinicio Perez or Juan Carlos Calvachi.
NORTHERN ECUADOR TRIP LIST
Number of Species (Ridgely): 472
Birds Heard Only are noted at the end of the list
Legend
a = Amazon: Rio Napo, Yuturi, Yarina (250-300 m)
e = East Slope: Cabanas San Isidro, Coca-Loreto Rd, Guango (1100-2600 m)
q = Quito area: Quito, Papallacta, Cotopaxi (2800-4200 m)
w = West Slope: Mindo, Rio Silanche, Bella Vista (400-2000 m)
lower case a,e,q,w = fewer than 5
UPPER CASE A,E,Q,W = 5 or more
A+,E+,Q+,W+ = 10 or more
Neotropic Cormorant A
Anhinga a
Muscovy Duck a
Torrent Duck e
Andean Teal q
Yellow-billed Pintail Q+
Blue-winged Teal q
Snowy Egret w A+
Capped Heron a
Great Blue Heron a
Cocoi Heron A
Great Egret A+
Cattle Egret W+ a
Striated Heron w A
Agami Heron a
Roseate Spoonbill a
Black Vulture W q A e
Turkey Vulture E+ Q e
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture A+
King Vulture a
Osprey a
Swallow-tailed Kite w a e
Plumbeous Kite w
Tiny Hawk w
Plain-breasted Hawk q
Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle q
Roadside Hawk W a e
Broad-winged Hawk e
White-rumped Hawk e
Variable Hawk w
Black Caracara a
Carunculated Caracara q e
Yellow-headed Caracara a
American Kestrel w q
Bat Falcon w
Spix's Guan a
Andean Coot Q
Sungrebe a
Sunbittern w a
Wattled Jacana a
Greater Yellowlegs a q
Spotted Sandpiper w A
White-rumped Sandpiper a
Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe q
Collared Plover a
Pied Plover A
Andean Lapwing Q+
Andean Gull Q+
Yellow-billed Tern A
Rock Dove W+ E+ Q+
Scaled Pigeon e
Band-tailed Pigeon W+ E+ Q+
Pale-vented Pigeon a
Plumbeous Pigeon a
Ruddy Pigeon w
Eared Dove Q+
White-tipped Dove q
Gray-fronted Dove a
Chestnut-fronted Macaw a
Red-bellied Macaw a
Maroon-tailed Parakeet W+ a
Barred Parakeet W+
Dusky-billed Parrotlet a
Pacific Parrotlet W
Cobalt-winged Parakeet A+
Black-headed Parrot A+
Blue-headed Parrot W+
Red-billed Parrot W+
White-capped Parrot W
Bronze-winged Parrot w
Orange-winged Amazon A+
Scaly-naped Amazon w e
Mealy Amazon A
Black-billed Cuckoo w
Squirrel Cuckoo w
Black-bellied Cuckoo a
Little Cuckoo w
Hoatzin A+
Greater Ani W A+
Smooth-billed Ani W E
Striped Cuckoo w
Long-tailed Potoo a
Common Potoo w a
Sand-colored Nighthawk A+
Chestnut-collared Swift w e
White-collared Swift W+ e
Gray-rumped Swift w
Pale-rumped Swift A
Short-tailed Swift A
Neotropical Palm-Swift A+
White-whiskered Hermit w
Gray-chinned Hermit e
White-necked Jacobin w
Green Violet-ear w
Sparkling Violet-ear Q+ E
Wire-crested Thorntail e
Black-bellied Thorntail e
Green Thorntail w
Andean Emerald q
Western Emerald w
Green-crowned Woodnymph w
Fork-tailed Woodnymph e
Purple-chested Hummingbird w
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird W+
Speckled Hummingbird W+ E+
Fawn-breasted Brilliant w
Empress Brilliant w
Ecuadorian Hillstar Q
White-tailed Hillstar e
Giant Hummingbird q
Shining Sunbeam e
Mountain Velvetbreast e
Great Sapphirewing q e
Bronzy Inca E
Brown Inca w
Collared Inca w e
Buff-winged Starfrontlet E
Buff-tailed Coronet w
Velvet-purple Coronet w
Tourmaline Sunangel e
Black-breasted Puffleg q
Glowing Puffleg e
Sapphire-vented Puffleg e
Purple-bibbed Whitetip W
Booted Racket-tail W
Black-tailed Trainbearer Q+ e
Green-tailed Trainbearer q e
Purple-backed Thornbill e
Viridian Metaltail e
Tyrian Metaltail q e
Blue-mantled Thornbill e
Long-tailed Sylph E
Violet-tailed Sylph W
Wedge-billed Hummingbird w
Purple-crowned Fairy w
Purple-throated Woodstar w
Crested Quetzal e
Golden-headed Quetzal w e
Masked Trogon e
Black-throated Trogon w
Amazonian Violaceous Trogon a
Ringed Kingfisher A+
Amazon Kingfisher A
Green Kingfisher a
Green-and-rufous Kingfisher a
American Pygmy Kingfisher a
Rufous Motmot w
Yellow-billed Jacamar a
Rufous-tailed Jacamar w
Coppery-chested Jacamar e
Great Jacamar a
White-necked Puffbird a
Black-fronted Nunbird a
White-fronted Nunbird a
Scarlet-crowned Barbet a
Gilded Barbet a
Lemon-throated Barbet a
Red-headed Barbet w e
Toucan Barbet w
Crimson-rumped Toucanet W
Lettered Aracari a
Ivory-billed Aracari a
Stripe-billed Aracari W+
Pale-mandibled Aracari W
Many-banded Aracari A
Golden-collared Toucanet a
Choco Toucan W
Channel-billed Toucan a
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan w
Lafresnaye's Piculet e
Rufous-breasted Piculet e
Olivaceous Piculet w e
Black-cheeked Woodpecker w
Yellow-tufted Woodpecker A e
Scarlet-backed Woodpecker w
Bar-bellied Woodpecker e
Smoky-brown Woodpecker w e
Choco Woodpecker w
Golden-green Woodpecker a
Golden-olive Woodpecker w e
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker q e
Spot-breasted Woodpecker a e
Chestnut Woodpecker a
Cream-colored Woodpecker a
Lineated Woodpecker w
Crimson-crested Woodpecker a
Guayaquil Woodpecker w
Plain-brown Woodcreeper a
Olivaceous Woodcreeper e
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper w a
Long-billed Woodcreeper a e
Strong-billed Woodcreeper w e
Black-banded Woodcreeper w
Buff-throated Woodcreeper a
Black-striped Woodcreeper w
Spotted Woodcreeper w
Streak-headed Woodcreeper w
Montane Woodcreeper w e
Bar-winged Cinclodes q
Stout-billed Cinclodes q
Pacific Hornero W+
Andean Tit-Spinetail q
White-chinned Thistletail q
Azara's Spinetail w q
Slaty Spinetail w
Dusky Spinetail e
Red-faced Spinetail W
Many-striped Canastero q
Orange-fronted Plushcrown e
Double-banded Graytail w
Pearled Treerunner q e
Streaked Tuftedcheek e
Montane Foliage-gleaner e
Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner w
Rufous-tailed Xenops e
Plain Xenops w
Streaked Xenops w
Undulated Antshrike a
Lined Antshrike e
Uniform Antshrike w
Mouse-colored Antshrike a
Western Slaty-Antshrike w
Russet Antshrike e
Dusky-throated Antshrike a
Cinereous Antshrike a
Pacific Antwren w
Plain-throated Antwren a
Long-tailed Antbird w
Dusky Antbird w
Black-faced Antbird a
Chestnut-backed Antbird w
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta w
Tawny Antpitta q
Narino Tapaculo w
Paramo Tapaculo q
Cinereous Mourner a
Red-crested Cotinga q
Green-and-black Fruiteater w e
Scaled Fruiteater w
Purple-throated Fruitcrow w
Andean Cock-of-the-rock W
White-crowned Manakin a e
Blue-crowned Manakin a
White-bearded Manakin w
Olive-striped Flycatcher e
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher w e
Rufous-breasted Flycatcher e
Slaty-capped Flycatcher w e
White-eyed Tody-Tyrant a
Common Tody-Flycatcher w e
Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher w
Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher a
Sooty-headed Tyrannulet w
Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet w e
Golden-faced Tyrannulet w e
Brown-capped Tyrannulet w
Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet W
Yellow Tyrannulet w
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet w
Yellow-bellied Elaenia W
Large Elaenia e
White-crested Elaenia q
Lesser Elaenia w
Sierran Elaenia w
Rufous-winged Tyrannulet w
White-banded Tyrannulet e
Torrent Tyrannulet e
River Tyrannulet a
Agile Tit-Tyrant q
Tufted Tit-Tyrant q
Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant w e
Variegated Bristle-Tyrant e
Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant w
Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant e
Pacific Flatbill e
White-throated Spadebill a
Bran-colored Flycatcher W+
Olive-chested Flycatcher e
Cliff Flycatcher e
Olive-sided Flycatcher w
Smoke-colored Pewee W q e
Western Wood-Pewee e
Blackish Pewee e
Acadian Flycatcher w q e
Black Phoebe w e
Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant e
Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant q e
Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant q e
Drab Water-Tyrant a
Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant q
Smoky Bush-Tyrant e
Plain-capped Ground-Tyrant Q
Masked Water-Tyrant w
Dusky-capped Flycatcher w e
Snowy-throated Kingbird w
Tropical Kingbird W+ E+
Boat-billed Flycatcher w
White-ringed Flycatcher w
Golden-crowned Flycatcher w
Streaked Flycatcher w
Rusty-margined Flycatcher W
Social Flycatcher W+ a e
Gray-capped Flycatcher w
Dusky-chested Flycatcher a
Piratic Flycatcher W a
Lesser Kiskadee A+
Cinnamon Becard W
White-winged Becard w
Black-and-white Becard w
One-colored Becard w
Pink-throated Becard a
Black-tailed Tityra A
Masked Tityra w
Black-crowned Tityra w
Turquoise Jay e
Violaceous Jay a
Inca Jay E
Red-eyed Vireo W a
Brown-capped Vireo w
Dusky-capped Greenlet a
Olivaceous Greenlet e
Lesser Greenlet e
White-capped Dipper w e
Swainson's Thrush W a e
Great Thrush Q+ e
Glossy-black Thrush w e
Black-billed Thrush A e
Ecuadorian Thrush W
Grass Wren e q
Whiskered Wren w
Bay Wren w
Southern House Wren W e
Mountain Wren q
Tropical Gnatcatcher w
White-winged Swallow a
Brown-chested Martin W
Gray-breasted Martin w
Brown-bellied Swallow q
Blue-and-white Swallow W E Q
White-banded Swallow A
Southern R-wing SwallowW+Q+A+E+
Barn Swallow W
House Sparrow w
Paramo Pipit q
Hooded Siskin Q
Olivaceous Siskin e
Yellow-bellied Siskin w
Tropical Parula W+ e
Blackburnian Warbler W e
Blackpoll Warbler a
Cerulean Warbler e
Olive-crowned Yellowthroat w
Canada Warbler E
Slate-throated Whitestart W+ E+
Spectacled Whitestart E
Black-crested Warbler e
Russet-crowned Warbler w
Three-striped Warbler w
Buff-rumped Warbler w
Rufous-collared Sparrow w Q+ E+
Yellow-browed Sparrow e
Orange-billed Sparrow w
Pale-naped Brush-Finch q
Rufous-naped Brush-Finch e
Tricolored Brush-Finch w
Slaty Brush-Finch e
White-winged Brush-Finch w
Bananaquit W e
Cinereous Conebill Q
Blue-backed Conebill e
Capped Conebill e
Giant Conebill q
Magpie Tanager a e
Dusky Bush-Tanager w
Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager e
Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager
Black-capped Hemispingus e
Superciliaried Hemispingus e
Oleaginous Hemispingus e
Guira Tanager w
Yellow-backed Tanager e
Dusky-faced Tanager W
Ochre-breasted Tanager w
Gray-headed Tanager w
Rufous-crested Tanager e
Scarlet-browed Tanager w
White-shouldered Tanager w
Tawny-crested Tanager W
White-lined Tanager w e
Hepatic Tanager e
Summer Tanager w
Scarlet Tanager e
Masked Crimson Tanager a
Silver-beaked Tanager a e
Lemon-rumped Tanager W+
Blue-gray Tanager W+ A+ e
Palm Tanager W A e
Blue-capped Tanager w
Blue-and-yellow Tanager Q
Hooded Mountain-Tanager e
Black-chested Mountain-Tanager q
Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager q
Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager we
Fawn-breasted Tanager W e
Orange-crowned Euphonia w
Thick-billed Euphonia w a
Golden-rumped Euphonia w
White-vented Euphonia w
Orange-bellied Euphonia w e
Blue-naped Chlorophonia e
Paradise Tanager e
Green-and-gold Tanager e
Golden Tanager W e
Silver-throated Tanager w
Saffron-crowned Tanager E
Golden-eared Tanager e
Flame-faced Tanager w e
Spotted Tanager e
Bay-headed Tanager w e
Golden-naped Tanager w e
Metallic-green Tanager w
Blue-necked Tanager W e
Golden-hooded Tanager w
Beryl-spangled Tanager w
Blue-and-black Tanager w e
Black-capped Tanager w
Silver-backed Tanager e
Opal-crowned Tanager a
Black-faced Dacnis a
Yellow-tufted Dacnis W+
Blue Dacnis w
Green Honeycreeper w
Swallow Tanager W+ a e
Plushcap w
Plumbeous Sierra-Finch Q+
Blue-black Grassquit e
Slate-colored Seedeater q
Variable Seedeater e
Lesson's Seedeater e
Black-and-white Seedeater e
Yellow-bellied Seedeater W+
Chestnut-bellied Seedeater E
Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch E
Band-tailed Seedeater e q
Plain-colored Seedeater e
Dull-colored Grassquit w
Yellow-faced Grassquit w
Rusty Flower-piercer e
White-sided Flower-piercer w e
Glossy Flower-piercer e
Black Flower-piercer Q+
Golden-eyed Flower-piercer e
Masked Flower-piercer w e
Southern Yellow Grosbeak w q
Rose-breasted Grosbeak w
Buff-throated Saltator w
Black-winged Saltator w
Grayish Saltator e
Crested Oropendola A
Russet-backed Oropendola A+ E+
Yellow-rumped Cacique A+
Scarlet-rumped Cacique w
Mountain Cacique e
Solitary Cacique a
Yellow-billed Cacique e
Moriche Oriole a
Red-breasted Blackbird a
Velvet-fronted Grackle a
Scrub Blackbird w
Shiny Cowbird W+
Giant Cowbird W+ a
Birds Heard Only
Wattled Guan E
White-throated Crake W
Rufescent Screech-Owl E
Mottled Owl W
Spectacled Owl A
Common Parauque A
Blue-crowned Motmot W
Rusty-belted Tapaculo A
Black-necked Red-Cotinga A
Twist-tailed Mannikin A
Screaming Piha A
Cinnamon Attila A
Thrush-like Wren W
Southern Nightingale-WrenW
PART 2
SOUTHERN ECUADOR:
23 January - 11 February
by Geoff Post
After birding with Todd in the north, I spent 3 weeks of relaxed
travelling around Quito and through Southern Ecuador with my wife,
Sylvia. Although it was not the purpose, I did take the
opportunity to check out the birds as we walked and hiked about Cuenca
c, El Cajas E+, Chordeleg-Gualeceo g, Vilcabamba v, Cajanuma j and
Loja-Zamora-Bombuscara b. This was easy-going,
come-what-may birding, no early mornings, no long days and yet it
yielded a surprising number of new species. I spent a couple
of days with
Loja birding guide, Pablo Andrade on the edges of Podocarpus. My last
new
bird was a Solitary Eagle at Bombuscara! Only the second sighting for
Pablo.
In Cuenca there were Croaking Doves and Chiguanco Thrushes; up at El
Cajas I saw Silvery Grebe, Andean Ruddy Duck and Tit-like
Dacnis. Walking from Chordeleg to Gualeceo, I saw a Mountain
Avocetbill. Around Vilcabamaba, Saffron Finches were common,
there was a pair of Long-Tailed Mockingbirds along the road, and
Fasciated Wrens and Yellow-tailed Orioles woke us up in
the morning. From our balcony at Madre Tierra we saw Amazilia
Hummingbirds and Long-billed Starthroats. A Plumbeous Rail ran across
the road as we walked back from town after lunch. Up on
Cerro Toledo there were Lacrimose Mountain-Tanagers and Rufous
Wrens. I saw 141 species in the south, including 39 new trip
species (preceded by *), for a personal trip total of
507.
*Silvery Grebe E+
*Andean Ruddy Duck E+
Andean Teal
Yellow-billed Pintail
Turkey Vulture
Plain-breasted Hawk
*Solitary Eagle b
Roadside Hawk
Variable Hawk (Puna)
Carunculated Caracara
American Kestrel
*Sickle-winged Guan b
*Plumbeous Rail v
*Solitary Sandpiper v
Andean Gull
Rock Dove
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eared Dove
*Croaking Ground-Dove c
*White-necked Parakeet j
Blue-headed Parrot
Smooth-billed Ani
Chestnut-collared Swift
White-collared Swift
Sparkling Violet-ear
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
*Glittering-throated Emerald j
*Amazilia Hummingbird v
Giant Hummingbird
Mountain Velvetbreast
*Flame-throated Sunangel j
Collared Inca
Glowing Puffleg
Sapphire-vented Puffleg
Green-tailed Trainbearer
Tyrian Metaltail
Blue-mantled Thornbill
*Mountain Avocetbill g
*Long-billed Starthroat v
MaskedTrogon
*Blue-crowned Motmot b
*Orange-fronted Barbet j
Golden-olive Woodpecker
*Crimson-bellied Woodpecker b
Plain-brown Woodcreeper
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Montane Woodcreeper
Bar-winged Cinclodes
Stout-billed Cinclodes
Pacific Hornero
Andean Tit-Spinetail
Dusky Spinetail
Montane Foliage-gleaner
Andean Cock-of-the-rock
*Tumbesian Tyrannulet v
*Black-capped Tyrannulet j
*Forest Elaenia j
White-crested Elaenia
White-banded Tyrannulet
*Spectacled Bristle-Tyrant b
*Ecuadorian Tyrannulet b
Ornate Flycatcher j
Olive-chested Flycatcher
*Cinnamon Flycatcher b
Smoke-colored Pewee
*Tropical Pewee b
*Black Phoebe
*Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant
*Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant
*Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant
*Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant
*Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant E+
*Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant E+
*Long-tailed Tyrant b
Tropical Kingbird
*Cinereous Becard b
Turquoise Jay
Inca Jay
*Chiguanco Thrush c
Great Thrush
*Long-tailed Mockingbird v
*Fasciated Wren v
*Rufous Wren v
Southern House Wren
Mountain Wren
Brown-bellied Swallow
Blue-and-white Swallow
White-banded Swallow
*White-thighed Swallow v
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
House Sparrow
Blackburnian Warbler
Canada Warbler
Slate-throated Whitestart
Spectacled Whitestart
Black-crested Warbler
Russet-crowned Warbler
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Yellow-browed Sparrow
Rufous-naped Brush-Finch
Bananaquit
*Chestnut-vented Conebill j
Blue-backed Conebill
Magpie Tanager
Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager
Ashy-throated Bush-Tanager
Guira Tanager
White-lined Tanager
Summer Tanager
*Red-hooded Tanager j
Silver-beaked Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
Blue-capped Tanager
Hooded Mountain-Tanager
*Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager v
Fawn-breasted Tanager
Paradise Tanager
Golden Tanager
Golden-eared Tanager
Spotted Tanager
BayheadedTanager
Blue-necked Tanager
Blue-and-black Tanager
Green Honeycreeper
*Tit-like Dacnis E+
Swallow Tanager
Plushcap
Plumbeous Sierra-Finch
*Saffron Finch v
Blue-black Grassquit
Chestnut-bellied Seedeater
White-sided Flower-piercer
Glossy Flower-piercer
Masked Flower-piercer
Southern Yellow Grosbeak
Buff-throated Saltator
Crested Oropendola
Russet-backed Oropendola
*Yellow-tailed Oriole v
Scrub Blackbird
Birds Heard Only
Bearded Guan j
Plain-tailed Wren j