Welcome to Birdquest
SOUTHERN ECUADOR
Monday 23rd February - Sunday 15th March 2009
Matt Denton
Our 2009 Southern Ecuador was once again successful in seeing the numerous charismatic avian specialties of this fascinating region. Our comprehensive circuit has a fascinating array of habitats: coastal areas, deciduous Tumbesian forest and woodlands, southern Chocó wet forest, Andean elfin and cloud forest, and Amazonian foothill forest. The species total for the trip numbered 564 species, including 88 endemic and restricted-range species and 49 globally threatened species. Our visit is timed to coincide with the Tumbesian rains and the start of the breeding season however this year we experienced an unseasonable amount of rain, as did the entire country! President Correa’s roadway improvement program also caused us some travel delays but the fantastic new roads will no doubt be of great benefit to future tours. Staying at the Jocotoco Foundation’s birding lodges was very pleasurable and next tour we can look forward to staying at a third Jocotoco lodge in Jorupe! The Jocotoco Antpitta has gone from being a seldom seen bird to now providing the number one spectacle of the tour. Our visit to the foothills of the Cordillera del Condor was also a very special part of the tour and we had great success in seeing the monotypic Orange-throated Tanager at what is definitely now the premier site for this species (and no camping!). Another staple of this tour is being able to take a short walk from a comfortable lodge and be standing at the lek of one of the continent’s most fascinating cotingas, the endangered Long-wattled Umbrellabird, the male’s extreme wattle being about as long as the entire body of the bird! We watched a remarkable total of 62 species of hummingbirds and more than 50 kinds of tanagers and allies, while we encountered such legendary birds as Black-and-chestnut Eagle, El Oro and Golden-plumed Parakeets, Esmeraldas Woodstar, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Ocellated Tapaculo and Pale-headed Brush-Finch. The great food, the many fantastic mountain panoramas, all of those traditional little villages and many other elements all added up to make this an unforgettable tour.
