| With tour leaders TBA and Laura Fellows |
Limited to 8 participants
Minimum 4 participants |
| |
| Begins in Quito Sunday evening |
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$TBA |
Nov 15-28, 2009 (14 days, 13 nights)
Single Supplement = $TBA
Mindo, Tandayapa, Papallacta, San Isidro |
Our tour of the Ecuadorian Andes takes full advantage of the country's extraordinary bird diversity. Much of this diversity occurs because of the altitudinal vegetation zones on both slopes of the Andes, with the high mountains in the center acting as a geographical barrier that resulted in many species being found only on one slope or the other. We'll be visiting numerous altitudinal zones on both slopes, giving us an opportunity to see well over 400 species in less than two weeks. For those coming in a day early, we offer a day trip to During the tour we'll bird a low-elevation site at Tinalandia, two notable bird sanctuaries downslope from Mindo, famed Mindo and Tandayapa Valleys, high elevation sites around Papallacta Pass, and famed Cabanas San Isidro on the east slope. We'll have an opportunity to see several species of antpittas conditioned to come out on the trail by Angel Paz at his finca and by one of the guides at San Isidro. We'll visit a known Andean Cock-of-the-Rock lek near Mindo, likely see as many as 50 species of hummingbirds, 30+ species of antbirds and antpittas, over 60 species of flycatchers, and possibly 70 species of tanagers.
Some of the commoner birds we'll be looking for at Tinalandia include Orange-fronted Barbet, Club-winged Manakin, Black-lored Yellowthroat, Bay-headed Tanager, Black-winged Saltator, and Slate-colored Grosbeak. We'll also be looking for Long-wattled Umbrellabird, a possibility there. Mindo Valley and Bellavista Cloud Forest feature numerous hummingbirds including White-whiskered Hermit, Green Thorntail, Andean Emerald, Empress Brilliant, Buff-tailed Coronet, Velvet-purple Coronet, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Booted Racket-tail, Violet-tailed Sylph, and Purple-throated Woodstar. Among the many tanagers we'll likely find are Guira Tanager, Tawny-crested Tanager, Blue-capped Tanager, Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Yellow-collared Chlorophonia, Blue-whiskered Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager, Rufous-throated Tanager, Rufous-winged Tanager, Golden-naped Tanager, Metallic-green Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, and Black-capped Tanager. Other specialty birds of the western Andes we usually see are Masked Trogon, Golden-headed Quetzal, Toucan Barbet, Choco Toucan, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, Golden-green Woodpecker, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Red-faced Spinetail, Spotted Barbtail, Russet Antshrike, White-flanked Antwren, Esmeraldas Antbird, Immaculate Antbird, Giant Antpitta, Yellow-breasted Antpitta, and Andean Cock-of-the-Rock.
Along the road on the way up to Papallacta Pass and in Cayambe Reserve above the pass we can expect to find a good variety of high elevation specialties such as Andean Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Andean Ruddy-Duck, Cinereous Harrier, Andean Coot, Andean Gull, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Bar-winged and Stout-billed Cinclodes, Andean Tit-Spinetail, White-chinned Thistletail, Streak-backed Canastero, Tawny Antpitta, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Red-crested Cotinga, Scarlet-bellied and Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanagers, and Plumbeous and Ash-breasted Sierra-Finches. We hope to find several high elevation hummingbirds, especially Shining Sunbeam, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Giant Hummingbird, and Blue-mantled Thornbill. We'll be keeping a sharp eye out for Andean Condor, which is sometimes seen above the pass. Guango Lodge and Reserve near the village of Papallacta is a great place for hummingbirds. Among the species we typically see there are White-bearded Hermit, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Glittering-throated Emerald, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Buff-tailed Coronet, Mountain Velvetbreast, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Tourmaline Sunangel, Glowing Puffleg, Booted Racket-tail, Mountain Avocetbill, Long-tailed Sylph, White-bellied Woodstar, and Gorgeted Woodstar. Other birds there include Torrent Duck, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Black-crested Warbler, Black-capped Hemispingus, Black-eared Hemispingus, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Plushcap, Slaty and Pale-naped Brush-Finches.
San Isidro is a spectacular birding locale, as are the roads downslope. We'll have two full days to bird this area. We're likely to see the now famous "San Isidro" Owl, possibly a species new to science. The number of birds we'll likely see are too many to list, but among the likely possibilities are Rufous-bellied Nighthawk, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Crested and Golden-headed Quetzals, Chestnut-crowned and White-bellied Antpittas, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Long-tailed Antbird, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, White-tailed and Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulets, Rufous-crowned Tody-Tyrant, Ornate Flycatcher, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Pale-edged Flycatcher, Sepia-brown Wren, Black-billed Peppershrike, Oleaginous and Black-eared Hemispingus, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager, and Beryl-spangled Tanager. Downslope from San Isidro we'll bird the Loreto Road in more subtropical altitudinal zones. There we'll be looking for birds such as White-eyed Parakeet, Coppery-chested Jacamar, Lafresnaye's Piculet, Dark-breasted and Line-cheeked Spinetails, Lined Antshrike, Yellow Tyrannulet, Mottle-backed Elaenia, Black-capped Donacobius, Olivaceous Greenlet, Olivaceous Siskin, Magpie Tanager, Yellow-whiskered Bush-Tanager, Bronze-green Euphonia, Orange-eared, Turquoise, Paradise , Golden , Spotted , and Blue-necked Tanagers, Yellow-bellied and Blue Dacnis, Caqueta, Black-and-white, and Chestnut-bellied Seedeaters, Golden-eyed Flowerpiercer, and Yellow-browed Sparrow.
For additional description of this tour, please click on the DESCRIPTION tab above. For information on the places we stay, click on the ACCOMMODATIONS tab above.
Feel free to call us any time at 877-247-3371 (inside US) or 303-325-5188 (outside US) about this tour.
