First birding trip to South America for either of us. We’d both been to Central America, so we knew our manakins from our euphonias, but this would be our first time with the tapaculos, and the whole business of the woodhaunters, treehunters and foliage-gleaners looked like a real challenge. Given our limited time, hiring a guide made a whole lot of sense for all kinds of reasons.
4th April – Yanacocha and the Nono-Mindo Road to Tandayapa Bird Lodge.
Pick-up Quito 5.30am, by our guide Andres Vasquez and his driver Ruben. First stop was for the Paramo Pipit. The fact that Andres took the trouble to give us a distant look at a small buffy thing in a field implied that he took his work seriously, and that we were in for an excellent week of birding. No-one visits Ecuador to see a pipit, after all. Shining Sunbeam and Red-crested Cotinga on the road to Yanacocha. Up in the Temperate Zone (>3000m), Yanacocha had a suite of birds we would see nowhere else. Mostly memorable for the hummingbirds (Great Sapphirewing, Purple-backed Thornbill, Golden-breasted and Sapphire-vented Pufflegs, Tyrian Metaltail and Sword-billed Hummingbird), but also the views back down into the valley, and the clouds parted, the glimpse up into the Andes. The Andes! Lunch back at the reserve entrance found us under observation by a Tawny Antpitta, the boldest of his clan. As the book says - “For an antpitta, easy to see”. Rain for much of the afternoon, some birding along the road as we crossed the equator. A stop in Tandayapa village found the White-capped Dipper on his rock, and our first Pacific Horneros, common but always a pleasure. Up to the lodge and the famous hummingbird display, where we added 10 species, including Violet-tailed Sylph, Purple-bibbed White-tip and White-necked Jacobin, to give us 26 for the day.
5th April – Mashpi Forest reserve and the Oilbird farm.
We had an early start to look for Lyre-tailed Nightjar at dawn, but no luck with that. Birding in the Upper Foothills (~1000m) at Mashpi, a new site on the north-west Ecuador circuit, produced our first Blue-winged Mountain-Tanagers, Toucan Barbets, and the rare Indigo Flowerpiercer on the entrance road. Good looks at a couple of our key endemic targets, the Moss-backed Tanager and Orange-breasted Fruiteater. A glimpse of Glistening-green Tanager, but as the day warmed up, the birds settled down. Twenty or so Swallow-tailed Kites floated by during lunch.
Andres had recently become aware of an Oilbird roost in the area, and convinced us that we needed to see it. He was right. An hour of bumping along some back roads took us to the farm where the Oilbirds roosted in a small gorge, where owners Hugo and Marta were waiting to guide us down the ladders. We counted 18 birds in all; a few were spooked by our visit and fluttered about calling raucously before settling down further into the gorge, but most sat tight, next to their little gardens of sprouting palm and fruit tree seedlings. Back above ground on the farm, we tracked down a calling Striped Cuckoo, and Andres found his 1100 and something bird for Ecuador, the Lesser Elaenia. Storm clouds gathered and a huge assembly of swifts took to the skies.
A late afternoon trip up the Tandayapa Valley gave us our first glimpse of the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Sickle-winged Guan and while waiting unsuccessfully for owls in the gloom, a Rufous-bellied Nighthawk.
6th April – Upper Tandayapa Valley (Subtropics ~2000m)
A great day of birding, we found almost everything. Beautiful Jay, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker and a roosting Common Potoo, spotted from the car on the drive up. Our next stop, for a perched Red-billed Parrot, offered up Turquoise Jay, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucans and Streaked Tuftedcheek. Higher up the valley, we had a 7am appointment with the rare, endemic and beautiful Tanager Finch, and higher still, we found the Green & Black Fruiteater, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Striped Treehunter and Gorgeted Sunangel. Taking the side road above the Bellavista lodge produced many more good birds, the excellent Plushcap, Masked Trogon, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Barred Becard, the feisty Long-tailed Antbird, Golden-naped and Grass-green Tanagers, Rufous-headed Pygmy Tyrant and Pearled Treerunner.
An afternoon trip back up the valley after a rain shower added Blue-capped Tanager, Glossy-black Thrush, Red-headed Barbet and Crimson-rumped Toucanet. We looked and listened for the Ocellated Tapaculo without success - probably the most wanted bird that we didn’t get. A roosting Lyre-tailed Nightjar down in the valley made up for it.
7th April – Rio Silanche (Lower foothills, 500m) and Milpe (1000m).
Based upon some internet trip reports, we’d been led to expect great things and huge numbers from our day of birding in the lower foothills - mixed flocks of overwhelming diversity, moving through the canopy at terrific speed, and we dutifully studied the tanagers in preparation for the challenge ahead. We picked up a few relatively common birds along the reserve entrance road – Black-cheeked Woodpecker, White-thighed Swallow, Scrub Blackbird, Golden-Olive Woodpecker, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Blue-necked Tanager, a flock of Blue-headed Parrots and Pacific Antwren, and also the big prize of a Brown Wood-rail, which showed well at a pond near the entrance, after Andres summoned it with his iPod. At the reserve observation tower, we had Lineated Woodpecker, Orange-fronted Barbet, Masked Tityra, Green Honeycreeper and Maroon-tailed Parakeet. A pair of Plumbeous Kites moved in, perching close to the tower. But then the sun came out, the trees were apparently devoid of fruit after a long drought, and the mixed flocks were somewhere else. A remarkable half hour passed in which not a single bird was seen or heard. A wander through the area of secondary growth was shockingly quiet, with just a couple of hummingbirds in the canopy to distract us. We even started watching the butterflies. The old growth section had some activity – Tawny-crested Tanager, Red-rumped Woodpecker, Black-striped Woodcreeper and Tawny-faced Gnatwren, but we were far from overwhelmed. Back at the entrance area, we tracked down the resident White-bearded Manakin, while the Little Tinamou sang his plaintive song from the forest floor. Finally, we had a good mixed flock come through – Streaked Xenops, Guira, Bay-headed and White-shouldered Tanagers, Orange-crowned Euphonia and Cinnamon Becard, but for the only time in the trip, we left with the sense that we could have done better.
Lunch in the town of Los Bancos, at the Mirador Rio Blanco, entertained by an excellent feeding operation. New hummingbirds for the week here – Green Thorntail, Green-crowned Brilliant and Green-crowned Woodnymph. After lunch we stopped at the Milpe reserve for their specialty bird, the Club-winged Manakin, where we found a dancing male. We also hit some good mixed flocks here, adding Rufous-throated, Ochre-breasted and Fawn-breasted Tanagers, as well as Purple Honeycreeper and Yellow-tufted Dacnis. Andres had Yellow-collared Chlorophonia, but that one got away from us. Also Collared Trogon, another of those tricky furnarids the Western Woodhaunter, and a Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant here. Excellent gift shop.
8th April – Paz del las Aves Refuge.
The last morning with our guide and driver, and perhaps the highlight of the whole week, as we joined the now legendary Angel Paz, Guardian of the Antpittas, for the grand tour of his farm. Just before dawn, we crept down to the Cock of the Rock lek, where eight or so males were displaying with some enthusiasm. Rumours of a female in the vicinity had energized the boys, and they put on a terrific show. Other new birds picked up in that area included Golden-headed Quetzal and Black-capped Tanager. The hummingbird feeders next to the berry fields were loaded, and in addition to the species common at TBL, we saw our first Empress Brilliant, and several Velvet-purple Coronets. Down into the forest for the main event, the summoning of the Antpittas. No luck with Maria the Giant Antpitta on the way in, but some patrolling of the paths produced glimpses of a Mountain Wren, and the suggestion of a Narino Tapaculo. Down by the river, Willy the Yellow-breasted Antpitta came in on cue, following his regular route down to the feeding stone, and posing nicely for photographs. On the journey back up the hill, Maria’s son, Garino the Giant hopped out onto the path, scooping up beakfuls of chopped worm. No luck with Shakira, the Ochre-breasted Antpitta, who hadn’t been seen for some time, or the Moustached Antpitta (Jose). Happy with two out of four. In the area around Angel’s feeding platform, where he feeds the more common forest birds (Toucan Barbet, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Sickle-winged Guan), we added White-throated Quail Dove, Black-chinned Mountain Tanager and Olivaceous Piha, and as that show came to a close, out strolled Angel’s latest recruit to his team, Pepito the Rufous-breasted Ant-thrush. The morning was rounded off with a delicious breakfast of coffee, empanadas, and a tasty little chicken / corn ball dish (bolones), served by the great man himself.
Heavy rain after lunch, but after saying our farewells to Andres and Ruben, we were dropped off up the valley at the Bellavista lodge, where we added a missing flycatcher, the Flavescent, before hiking back down under thick mist.
9th April – Tandayapa Lodge and lower valley, Calacali (arid scrub above Quito)
We needed another antpitta, and so visited the hide on one of the lodge trails, where compost was dropped off each morning around dawn. This pulled in a pair of Scaled Antpittas and their youngster, as well as three skittish White-throated Quail Doves. Great looks also at the Immaculate Antbird pair, and the Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch. After another fine breakfast, we tried the longer trails at the back of the lodge, but found it challenging to pick out much at all, although we did have a Golden-winged Manakin. The birds were easier to see down in the village, and we added Torrent Tyrannulet to our list. A final walk up the road found a good flock of tanagers (Golden, Black-capped, Beryl-spangled, Golden-naped) and one last prize, a Black-and-chestnut Eagle.
A stop outside Quito on the way back gave us a little time in entirely different habitat, high-altitude desert scrub. We had a few potential targets here, but could only turn up the Tufted Tit-tyrant, Black-tailed Trainbearer and the seemingly misplaced Golden-rumped Euphonia – why ever had its kind left the lush rainforest for this desolate spot? Last new bird of the trip, back in Quito, the abundant Eared Dove.
Top ten: Andean Cock of the Rock, Giant Antpitta, Oilbird, Brown Wood-Rail, Plate-billed Mountain Toucan, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Velvet-purple Coronot, Plushcap, Tanager Finch
Good ones that got away: Dark-backed Wood Quail, Ocellated Tapaculo, Barred Fruiteater, Scaled Fruiteater, Choco Toucan, Choco Trogon, Yellow-collared Chlorophonia.
266 species, including 4 heard only (H). Several more species were seen and/or heard by our guide.
Little Tinamou Crypturellus soui H
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus
Plumbeous Kite Ictinia plumbea
Plain-breasted Hawk
Barred Hawk Leucopternis princips
Roadside Hawk Buteo magnirostris
Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus
American Kestrel Falco sparverius
Sickle-winged Guan
White-throated Crake Laterallus albigularis H
Brown Wood-Rail Aramides wolfi
Band-tailed Pigeon Columba fasciata
Ruddy Pigeon Columba subvinacea
Plumbeous Pigeon Columba plumbea
Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata
Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina
White-tipped Dove
White-throated Quail-Dove Geotrygon frenata
Maroon-tailed Parakeet Pyrrhura melanura
Blue-fronted Parrotlet
Blue-headed Parrot Pionus menstruus
Red-billed Parrot Pionus sordidus
Bronze-winged Parrot Pionus chalcopterus
Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana
Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani
Striped Cuckoo
Oilbird
Common Potoo
Rufous-bellied Nighthawk Lurocalis rufiventris
Lyre-tailed Nightjar Uropsalis lyra
White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris
Chestnut-collared Swift Streptoprocne rutilus
Gray-rumped Swift Chaetura cinereiventris
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift Panyptila cayennensis
White-whiskered Hermit Phaethornis yaruqui
Tawny-bellied Hermit Phaethornis syrmatophorus
Stripe-throated Hermit
White-necked Jacobin
Brown Violet-ear Colibri delphinae
Green Violet-ear Colibri thalassinus
Sparkling Violet-ear Colibri coruscans
Black-throated Mango
Green Thorntail Popelairia conversii
Western Emerald Chlorostilbon melanorhynchus
Green-crowned Woodnymph Thalurania fannyi
Violet-bellied Hummingbird Damophila Julie
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia tzacatl
Andean Emerald Amazilia franciae
Purple-chested Hummingbird
Speckled Hummingbird Adelomyia melanogenys
Purple-bibbed Whitetip Adelomyia melanogenys
Empress Brilliant Heliodoxa imperatrix
Green-crowned Brilliant Heliodoxa jacula
Fawn-breasted Brilliant Heliodoxa rubinoides
Shining Sunbeam
Mountain Velvetbreast Lafresnaya lafresnayi
Great Sapphirewing Pterophanes cyanopterus
Brown Inca Coeligena Wilsoni
Collared Inca Coeligena torquata
Buff-winged Starfrontlet Coeligena lutetiae
Sword-billed Hummingbird Ensifera ensifera
Buff-tailed Coronet Boissonneaua flavescens
Velvet-purple Coronet Boissonneaua jardini
Gorgeted Sunangel Heliangelus strophianus
Sapphire-vented Puffleg Eriocnemis luciani
Golden-breasted Puffleg Eriocnemis mosquera
Booted Racket-tail Ocreatus underwoodii
Black-tailed Trainbearer
Purple-backed Thornbill
Tyrian Metaltail Metallura tyrianthina
Violet-tailed Sylph Aglaiocercus coelestis
Purple-crowned Fairy
Purple-throated Woodstar Calliphlox mitchellii
Little Woodstar Chaetocercus bombus
Golden-headed Quetzal Pharomachrus auriceps
Western White-tailed Trogon
Collared Trogon
Masked Trogon Trogon personatus
Orange-fronted Barbet
Red-headed Barbet Eubucco bourcierii
Toucan Barbet Semnornis ramphastinus
Crimson-rumped Toucanet Aulacorhynchus haematopygus
Pale-mandibled Araçari Pteroglossus erythropygius
Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan Andigena laminirostris
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker Piculus rivolii
Golden-olive Woodpecker Piculus rubiginosus
Cinnamon Woodpecker Celeus loricatus
Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus
Black-cheeked Woodpecker Melanerpes pucherani
Smoky-brown Woodpecker Veniliornis fumigatus
Red-rumped Woodpecker
Scarlet-backed Woodpecker
Powerful Woodpecker
Pacific Hornero Furnarius cinnamomeus
Azara's Spinetail Synallaxis azarae
Slaty Spinetail Synallaxis brachyuran
Rufous Spinetail Synallaxis unirufa
White-browed Spinetail Hellmayrea gularis
Red-faced Spinetail Cranioleuca erythrops
Streaked Tuftedcheek Pseudocolaptes boissonneautii
Pearled Treerunner Margarornis squamiger
Lineated Foliage-gleaner Syndactyla subalaris
Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner Anabacerthia variegaticeps
Western Woodhaunter
Striped Treehunter Thripadectes holostictus
Streak-capped Treehunter
Streaked Xenops Xenops rutilans
Tyrannine Woodcreeper
Strong-billed Woodcreeper
Black-striped Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus lachrymosus
Spotted Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus erythropygius
Streak-headed Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes souleyetii
Montane Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger
Uniform Antshrike Thamnophilus unicolor
Western Slaty-Antshrike Thamnophilus atrinucha
Pacific Antwren Myrmotherula pacifica
Slaty Antwren Mymotherula schisticolor
Long-tailed Antbird Drymophila caudate
Immaculate Antbird Myrmeciza immaculata
Rufous-breasted Antthrush Formicarius rufipectus
Giant Antpitta Grallaria gigantea
Scaled Antpitta Grallaria guatemalensis
Yellow-breasted Antpitta Grallaria flavotincta
Tawny Antpitta Grallaria quitensis
Unicolored Tapaculo Scytalopus unicolor latrans
Nariño Tapaculo Scytalopus vicinior
Spillman's Tapaculo Scytalopus spillmanni
Sooty-headed Tyrannulet Phyllomyias griseiceps
Lesser Elaenia
White-crested Elaenia
White-banded Tyrannulet Mecocerculus stictopterus
White-tailed Tyrannulet Mecocerculus poecilocercus
Torrent Tyrannulet
Tufted Tit-Tyrant Anairetes parulus
Streak-necked Flycatcher Mionectes striaticollis
Slaty-capped Flycatcher Leptopogon superciliaris
Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant
Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant Pseudotriccus pelzelni
Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant Lophotriccus pileatus
Common Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum cinereum
Ornate Flycatcher Nyiotriccus ornatus
Tawny-breasted Flycatcher
Flavescent Flycatcher Myiophobus flavicans
Smoke-colored Pewee Contopus fumigatus
Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens
Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans
Crowned Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca frontalis
Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant
Dusky-capped Flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer
Social Flycatcher Myiozetes similis
Rusty-margined Flycatcher Myiozetetes cayanensis
Golden-crowned Flycatcher Myiodynastes chrysocephalus
Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus
Barred Becard Pachyramphus versicolor
Cinnamon Becard
Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata
Red-crested Cotinga
Green-and-black Fruiteater Pipreola riefferii
Barred Fruiteater H
Orange-breasted Fruiteater Pipreola jucunda
Olivaceous Piha Lathria cryptolophus
Andean Cock-of-the-rock Rupicola peruviana
Golden-winged Manakin Masius chrysopterus
White-bearded Manakin Manacus manacus
Club-winged Manakin Machaeropterus deliciosus
Turquoise Jay Cyanolyca turcosa
Beautiful Jay
Brown-capped Vireo Vireo leucophrys
Lesser Greenlet Hylophilus decurtatus
Great Thrush Turdus fuscater
Glossy-black Thrush Turdus serranus
Ecuadorian Thrush Turdus maculirostris
White-capped Dipper
Brown-bellied Swallow Notiochelidon murina
Blue-and-white Swallow Notiochelidon cyanoleuca
White-thighed Swallow Neochelidon tibialis
Southern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis
Rufous Wren Cinnycerthia unirufa
Bay Wren Thryothorus nigricapillus
H
Plain-tailed Wren Thyrothorus euophrys
House Wren Troglodytes aedon
Mountain Wren Troglodytes solstitialis
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys
Tawny-faced Gnatwren
Tropical Gnatcatcher Polioptila plumbea
Paramo Pipit
Tropical Parula Parula pitiayumi
Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca
Olive-crowned Yellowthroat Geothlypis semiflava
Slate-throated Whitetstart Myioborus miniatus
Spectacled Whitestart Myioborus melanocephalus
Black-crested Warbler Basileuterus nigrocristatus
Chocó Warbler Basileuterus chlorophrys
Three-striped Warbler Basileuterus tristriatus
Russet-crowned Warbler Basileuterus coronatus
Bananaquit Coereba flaveola
Purple Honeycreeper Cyanerpes caeruleus
Green Honeycreeper Chlorophanes spiza
Yellow-tufted Dacnis Dacnis egregia
Cinereous Conebill Conirostrum cinereum
Blue-backed Conebill Conirostrum sitticolor
Capped Conebill Conirostrum albifrons
Masked Flowerpiercer Diglossopis cyanea
Indigo Flowerpiercer
Glossy Flowerpiercer Diglossa lafresnayii
Black Flowerpiercer Diglossa humeralis
White-sided Flowerpiercer Diglossa albilatera
Guira Tanager Hemithraupis guira
Fawn-breasted Tanager Pipraeidea melanonota
Thick-billed Euphonia Euphonia laniirostris
Golden-rumped Euphonia Euphonia cyanocephala
Orange-bellied Euphonia Euphonia xanthogaster
Orange-crowned Euphonia
Glistening-green Tanager
Rufous-throated Tanager Tangara rufigula
Golden Tanager Tangara arthus
Silver-throated Tanager Tangara icterocephala
Flame-faced Tanager Tangara parzudakii
Golden-naped Tanager Tangara ruficervix
Metallic-green Tanager Tangara labradorides
Beryl-spangled Tanager Tangara nigroviridis
Blue-and-black Tanager Tangara vassorii
Black-capped Tanager Tangara heinei
Blue-necked Tanager Tangara cyanicollis
Bay-headed Tanager Tangara gyrola
Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus igniventris
Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus somptuosus
Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager
Hooded Mountain-Tanager Buthraupis montana
Moss-backed Tanager
Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager
Grass-green Tanager Chlorornis riefferii
Blue-gray Tanager Thraupis episcopus
Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum
Blue-capped Tanager Thraupis cyanocephala
Lemon-rumped Tanager Ramphocelus icteronotus
White-winged Tanager Piranga leucoptera
Ochre-breasted Tanager Chlorothraupis stolzmanni
White-lined Tanager Tachyphonus rufus
White-shouldered Tanager Tachyphonus luctuosus
Tawny-crested Tanager Tachyphonus delatrii
Dusky Bush-Tanager Chlorospingus semifuscus
Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager Chlorospingus flavigularis
Superciliaried Hemispingus Hemispingus superciliaris
Western Hemisipingus Hermispingus subochraceus
Plushcap Catamblyrhynchus diadema
Buff-throated Saltator Saltator maximus
Black-winged Saltator Saltator atripennis
Blue-black Grassquit
Lesser Seed-Finch
Variable Seedeater Sporophila corvina
Yellow-bellied Seedeater Sporophila nigricollis
Plain-colored Seedeater Catamenia inornata
Rufous-naped Brush-Finch Atlapetes latinuchus
Tricolored Brush-Finch Atlapetes tricolor
White-winged Brush-Finch Atlapetes leucopterus
Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch Buarremon brunneinucha
Stripe-headed Brush-Finch Buarremon torquatus
Tanager Finch (VU) Oreothrapis arremonops
Black-striped Sparrow Arremonops conirostris
Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis
Scrub Blackbird Dives warszewiczi