In association with Birdseekers
Ecuador's
Feathered Gems
Hummingbirds, Tanagers, Antpittas, Oilbirds and more!
November 16 - 28, 2009
This small South American country is simply overflowing with birds. It is particularly famous as the hummingbird capital of the world. This glittering family will feature high on our list, as we could see up to 60 species of dazzling hummingbirds most of which will be just a few inches away on feeders and flowers within the grounds of our comfortable lodges. We will also search out some of the 70 species of gaudy, exotic and bright tanagers. That is just a part of the 400+ species we expect to see on this easy paced tour, where most of our birding will be from roadsides or wide open tracks. Our guides will be seeking to show you many very sought after birds including rare and skulking species, such as Plate-billed Mountain Toucan, Toucan Barbet, Ocellated Tapaculo, Golden-headed Quetzal, Torrent Duck and the amazing Andean-Cock-of-the Rock. We have the opportunity to see up to 8 species of Antpitta, including Giant and several others now coming in to hand fed worms! As a bonus we will also be the only visitors to go to a newly discovered Oilbird colony! With the magnificent Andes Mountains and its 30 volcanoes as our backdrop, we will explore a variety of habitats including paramo grasslands, highland lakes, mountain slopes, and tropical forests in search of Ecuador's feathered gems.
Don't miss this extraordinary tour of Ecuador’s top birding
destinations in search of the glittering jewels of the bird world --
hummingbirds and tanagers, and much more!
2007 Trip Report & Photos>> 2006 tour>>
Trip Cost and Travel Planning | Registration Form
Day 1 - Arrival Quito
Plan to arrive in Quito in the evening. After clearing customs, you will be transferred to our private guest house, El Jardin del Colibri, for the evening.
Days 2 & 3 - Bellavista
We will begin our tropical birding immediately when we spot the incredible looking Black-tailed Trainbearer with its ridiculously long tail, plus vibrant Vermillion Flycatchers, Southern Yellow Grosbeak and other such delights as Sparkling Violet-Ear, Saffron Finch and the ubiquitous Rufous-collared Sparrow. Leaving the hustle and bustle of the city we will then drive up into the cool misty mountains where we will stay at the rustic and charismatic Bellavista Lodge set on the top of a mountain rainforest. On arrival you will be mesmerized by the assortment of beautiful hummingbirds visiting the feeders as you make your way to your rooms. The tiny Booted Racket-Tail, Collared Inca, Buff-tailed Coronet and Speckled Hummingbird will have you reaching for your camera. Hopefully the Chestnut-crowned Antpitta will make its presence known by walking up the path toward us.
Early morning on the trails around our lodge can be excellent for specialities such as Toucan Barbet, Beautiful Jay, Masked Trogon, Ocellated Tapaculo, Plate-billed Mountain Toucan and a multitude of dazzling hummingbirds with names like Gorgeted Sunangel, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Empress Brilliant, and Long-tailed Sylph. Our first feeding flocks of tanagers should include Blue-winged Mountain Tanager, Golden-naped, Fawn-breasted, Metallic Green, Flame-faced, Silver-throated, Orange-eared, Blue-capped and the wonderful Grass Green. We will also check a nearby site that’s very good for the localized Tanager Finch, whilst a supporting cast should find us Barred Hawk, both Powerful and Crimson-mantled Woodpeckers, Golden-headed Quetzal, Azara’s and Red-faced Spinetails, Uniform Treehunter, Spillman’s and Narino Tapaculos, Green-and-black Fruiteater, Tri-colored Brush-Finch, Southern Yellow Grosbeak, Turquoise Jay, Masked and White-sided Flowerpiercers, Andean Solitaire, Black-crested and Three-striped Warblers, Long-tailed Antbird, White-tailed and Rufous-winged Tyrannulets, Olivaceous Piha and Plushcap. Back to the hummingbirds and amongst the many wonderfully named and strikingly beautiful species here, we could also see White-tailed Hillstar, Brown Inca, Purple-throated and White-bellied Woodstars, Green-fronted Lancebill, Western and Andean Emeralds, Tawny-bellied Hermit, Green-tailed Trainbearer and Wedge-billed Hummingbird. Common Potoo can often be seen on its night time perch within the lodge grounds and an optional evening excursion could produce the impressively huge Rufous-bellied Nighthawk and with luck a Swallow-tailed or Lyre-tailed Nightjar!
Days 4, 5 & 6 - Septimo Paraiso
Moving on from Bellavista we head toward our next destination the wonderful lodge of Septimo Paraiso “seventh heaven”. From our base for the next three nights we can visit a range of habitats and sites that will provide more birds than you dreamed possible. One day will need an early start if you want to see the spectacular Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, which performs its lekking display first thing in the morning. The males of this species are an incredible bright scarlet-red and to see a group of these birds displaying in front of us must rank as one of the worlds greatest avian sights!
A new and very exciting addition to this is that the locals here now put out worms which attract several seldom seen forest dwellers, namely Giant, Yellow-breasted, Moustached and Ochre-breasted Antpittas as well as Dark-backed Wood-Quail. Few people have ever seen such difficult birds up close and just a few feet away! Bring your camera! Other areas we will be visiting include the Mindo Valley and its lush cloud forests where there are lots of exciting birds to look for including Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Scaled Fruiteater, Club-winged Manakin, Wattled Guan and Red-billed Parrot. Down beside the fast running rivers White-capped Dipper and Black Phoebe will be sought, while new hummingbirds will include species such as Velvet Purple Coronet, Violet-tailed Sylph, White-whiskered Hermit, Green and Sparkling Violet-Ears, Stripe-throated Hermit, Green Thorntail and Blue-chested Hummingbird. Amongst the hoards of colorful tanagers we can see are Glistening Green, Rufous-throated, Golden, Beryl-spangled, Grey-and-gold, Scarlet-browed and Black-capped, while amongst the bromeliads and moss encrusted branches we may find other species such as Streaked Tuftedcheek, Pearled Treerunner and Montane Woodcreeper.
Another day will be spent visiting Los Bancos and the Pedro Vicente Maldonado road where many sought-after and highly localized endemics occur. Our local guide knows where to find them and a whole host of other species including Moss-backed Tanager, Choco and Chestnut-mandibled Toucans, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Pacific Hornero, Yellow-collared Chlorophonia and Choco Trogon. The many colorful tanagers present will include Flame-rumped, White-capped, Tawny-crested, Scarlet-browed, White-shouldered and Swallow Tanagers, as well as Slate-colored Grosbeak, Red-headed Barbet, Ornate and Rusty-margined Flycatchers, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Pacific Antwren, Cinnamon and One-colored Becards and a host of other goodies. In 2007 we were the first foreign visitors to witness a newly discovered Oilbird colony set in a small gorge in the middle of open farmland. We will make a visit to this site to see these weird and wonderful birds. Three nights at Septimo Paraiso Lodge.
Day 7 - Papallacta Pass/Termas Papallacta
Leaving one superb area behind us we travel to another and bird the high Papallacta Pass which rises to 4000m and provides the capital’s only direct access to the vast eastern lowlands. This area is home to the magnificent Andean Condor so we will need to keep vigilant. The lush vegetation, stunted Polylepis woodland, green hillsides and damp paramo play host to an exciting range of high elevation species where we will look for Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe and the Giant Conebill, as well as Black-backed Bush-Tanager, Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant, White-chinned Thistletail, Red-crested Cotinga, Many-striped Canastero, Stout-billed Cinclodes, Tawny Antpitta, Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant, Andean Tit-Spinetail, Paramo Tapaculo, Silvery Grebe, Variable Hawk and Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle. We can’t forget the hummingbirds, and today we could add Ecuadorian Hillstar, Shinning Sunbeam, Purple-backed and Blue-mantled Thornbills, Viridian Metaltail and possibly the largest of all, the Giant Hummingbird. We spend tonight in delightful accommodation at the best thermal hot springs in Ecuador, where we can relax after another exciting day!
Days 8, 9 & 10 Guango Lodge/San Isidro
After birding the surrounding area we move to Guango Lodge for lunch where more hummingbirds will include the very impressive Sword-billed Hummingbird which has to be seen to be believed. Afterwards we move on to San Isidro where we spend the next three nights. Rivers cascading down from the high Andes are perfect for the much sought-after and highly specialized Torrent Duck, while gorgeous valleys, forested ridges and misty mountain tops will introduce us to a selection of wonderful new birds. This area offers superb birding and we will look for species such as Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Roadside Hawk, Black-billed Mountain Toucan, Emerald Toucanet, Crested Quetzal, White-capped Parrot, Scaly-naped Amazon, Dusky Piha, Inca Jay and both Subtropical and Mountain Caciques. Our days spent here and the nearby Guacamayos Ridge will also prove rewarding for our hummingbird list with Tourmaline Sunangel, Tyrian Metaltail, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Mountain Velvetbreast and possibly Great Sapphirewing amongst others. Around our lodge we will search for White-bellied Antpitta, White-rimmed Brush-Finch, Blackish, Ash-colored and Equatorial Rufous-vented Tapaculos, White-capped Tanager, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Rufous-crowned Tody-Tyrant, Capped Conebill, Smoky Bush-Tyrant, Plain-tailed Wren, Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Chestnut-bellied Thrush and Rufous-breasted Flycatcher. A search of the Loreta Road at an altitude of 1300 meters will give us access to several Amazon species on the very edge of their range. Amongst the many colorful tanager species we will look for the almost famous Paradise Tanager, as well as Orange-eared Tanager and one of our guide’s favorite hummingbirds, the attractive Wire-crested Thorntail.
Day 11 - Papallacta Pass to Quito
After our final morning at San Isidro we will make our way back through the Papallacta Pass where we have more chances to catch up with any species we may have previously missed. Maybe the Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Noble Snipe, Masked Mountain-Tanager or Tawny Antpitta. By exploring several different habitats we will undoubtedly score many new birds which will include tanagers and hummingbirds such as Rainbow-bearded and Purple-backed Thornbills, the stunning Giant Hummingbird, Shining Sunbeam, and the outrageous Sword-billed Hummingbird After leaving this fabulous area we make our way back to Quito keeping ever vigilant for the king of raptors, the Andean Condor. Overnight in our guide’s private guest house.
Day 12
Those not wishing to extend the tour by one day will depart for their flight home.
Day 13 - ANTISANA EXTENSION
Anyone wishing to visit the high altitude reserve of Antisana where we will look for Andean Condor, Carrunculated Caracara, Andean Lapwing, Aplomado Falcon, Andean Gull, Ecuadorian Hillstar and Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant will spend another night at our guides guest house and depart for home the following morning.
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Antisana extension: $395.00 per person Included in cost: Airport transfers at Quito; guided ground transportation; meals as specified in the itinerary; accommodations; all admission fees; taxes (except airport departure tax); service charges; gratuities (except for the guides, which is left at your discretion); plus expert birding guides. Tour price is based on double occupancy. Cost of the tour is based on a minimum of 8 people, with fewer a small group surcharge may apply. Not included: Round trip airfare to Quito. Personal items such as laundry, telephone calls, bottled water, alcoholic beverages, dishes and beverages not included with meals, passport fees, individual transfers, trip insurance, airport departure tax.
Cancellations and Refunds: Cancellations must be made in writing. Prior to July 16, 2009 a refund less $250.00 will be made for written cancellation requests. No refunds will be made after July 16, 2009. There are no refunds for unused meals, accommodations, or other trip features. Insurance: The purchase of trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended. Sunrise Birding, LLC can not accept liability for airline cancellations or delays or penalties incurred by the purchase of non-refundable airline tickets or other expenses incurred by tour participants in preparing for this tour. Questions? Contact Gina Nichol at gina@sunrisebirding.com Phone: 203.453.6724 Photo credits (top to bottom): |
Ecuador's Feathered Gems