Ecuador | Birding the Southern Highlights

Welcome to Ecuador! Arrive in Guayaquil and transfer to your hotel for overnight. Check-in is at 3 pm. Elevation: Sea Level

This morning have breakfast and then board the bus, transfer approximately 30 minutes to Cerro Blanco. During the drive, program orientation. Arrival at Cerro Blanco, a private, 15,000 acre reserve just west of the city. Located within the Chongón Colonche Range, the reserve is the largest and best preserved remnant of tropical dry forest in Guayaquil, and more than 240 bird species have been recorded here. According to BirdLife International, Cerro Blanco has been identified as one of 30 priority sites for bird conservation in the Tumbesian Region. It is also an Important Bird Area and one of four protected areas nationwide that is home to seven or more globally threatened bird species (Cerro Blanco has nine). Continue to Parque Lago, a natural reserve located approximately 15 minutes from Cerro Blanco where 160 species have been recorded. The reserve is over 6,000 acres and the ideal habitat for wetland and migratory birds. Be on the lookout for Fasciated Wren, Scarlet backed Woodpecker. White tailed Jay, Amazilia Hummingbird, Pacific Parrotlet, Baird's Flycatcher, Striped Cuckoo, Pacific Horneros, Long tailed Mockingbird, White edged Oriole, Magnificent Frigate bird, Saffron Finch, Gray and gold Warbler, Harris's Hawk, Snowy throated Kingbird, Neotropical Cormorant, Pied bill Grebe, Least Grebe. Later, return to Guayaquil and have dinner.

Depart from Guayaquil and drive an hour to visit the Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve. Within the reserve's 121,000 plus acres of deciduous, moist lowland forest and mangrove estuaries, we can expect Horned Screamer, Roseate Spoonbill, Black crowned Night Heron, Great Blue Heron, Cocoi Heron, Snail Kite, Pinnated Bittern, Savanna Hawk, White throated Crake, Limpkin, and Masked Water Tyrant. Then continue driving for another four hours to the Buenaventura Reserve in the subtropical area of El Oro province, located near the towns of Piñas and Zaruma. The area is renowned for being one of the most ornithologically rich and easily accessible sites in Ecuador. It protects a narrow zone of cloud forest habitat on the otherwise seasonally dry west slope of the Andes in Southern Ecuador. This reserve is home to El Oro Parakeet and El Oro Tapaculo, both of which are rare, critically endangered species endemic to Ecuador. Other important birds are Long wattled Umbrellabird, Club winged Manakin, Song Wren, Rufous headed Chachalaca, and others. Anticipate moderate trail conditions throughout this trip. There may be an option to enjoy an optional canoe ride, with a paddler, if water levels allow. Evening bird checklist. Elevation: 1,640 feet

Rise early this morning for the three to four hour drive in 4x4 pickups to Cerro de Arcos in the high páramo, where there are good chances to spot the Blue throated Hillstar, discovered in 2017. Learn about the Jocotoco Foundation and its efforts to protect this high elevation, critically endangered hummingbird. Lunch in the field. In the afternoon, continue birding at Buenaventura. The private, 4,150 acre reserve spans an elevation of 1,800 to 3,600 feet above sea level. It contains two important ecosystems, lowland tropical rainforest and foothill forest. This reserve is considered the southernmost region of the Chocó center of endemism, and has an influence of the dry Tumbesian center as well. Birds commonly seen in this area are Black cheeked Woodpecker, Bran colored Flycatcher, Ochraceous Attila, Cinnamon Becard, Rufous browed Peppershrike, Ecuadorian Thrush, Fasciated Wren, Buff throated Saltator, Scrub Blackbird, White whiskered Puffbird, Speckle breasted Wren, Pacific Royal Flycatcher, Yellow tufted Dacnis, Guira Tanager, Orange crowned Euphonia, Gray Hawk, Ochraceous Attila, Black striped Sparrow, and Brownish Twistwing. Evening bird checklist.

Start the day with early morning birding in Buenaventura, then check out and drive south for approximately five hours toward the Jorupe Reserve near Macará on the Peruvian border. Birding stops along the way may yield specialties such as Watkins's Antpitta, Black cowled Saltator, White tailed Jay, White edged Oriole, and others. Arrive at Jorupe Reserve late in the afternoon. Evening bird checklist.

A 2,600-acre private reserve, Jorupe is one of the last surviving dry forests in southwest Ecuador, all within the Tumbesian center of endemism. Among the specialties here are Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner, Rufous-necked Foliage-gleaner, and the Peruvian Screech-Owl. Other specialties seen in the area are Red-masked Parakeet, Pacific Parrotlet, Tumbes Swift, Gray-chinned Hermit, Long-billed Starthroat, Ecuadorian Trogon, Ecuadorian Piculet, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Blackish-headed Spinetail, Red-billed Scythebill, Collared Antshrike, Tumbesian Tyrannulet, Pacific Elaenia, Tumbes Pewee, Gray-breasted Flycatcher, Sooty-crowned Flycatcher, Slaty Becard, White-tailed Jay, Gray-and-gold Warbler, Black-capped Sparrow, White-edged Oriole, Yellow-tailed Oriole, and Saffron Siskin. Evening bird checklist.

Depart from Jorupe for the six-hour drive to Tapichalaca Reserve. Located between 5,900 and 10,170 feet above sea level, Tapichalaca encompasses humid temperate forest, also with a high level of endemism in its flora and fauna. It was here that the recently discovered Jocotoco Antpitta was found. We may also find Andean Pygmy-Owl, Bearded Guan, Golden-plumed Parakeet, White-capped Tanager, and White-faced Nunbird.
Elevation: 5,900 to 10,170 feet

Today enjoy birding at Tapichalaca Reserve. In the afternoon, drive toward Valladolid, approximatley 40-minutes, where we enter the northern part of the Marañón center of endemism, with specialties such as the Blackish Rail, Marañón Thrush, and Silver-backed Tanager. Return to Tapichalaca. Evening bird checklist.

Early departure from Tapichalaca, then continue to the Loja-Zamora Road (3.5-hours approximately, including stops for birding). The Loja-Zamora Road is 37 miles long, and embraces elevations between 3,280 to 9,200 feet above sea level, encompassing the eastern foothill and subtropical forests of the Andes. Common birds seen in this area are Tyrian Metaltail, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Mouse-colored Thistletail, Rufous Antpitta, Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Blackish Tapaculo, Glossy Flowerpiercer, and Pale-naped Brushfinch. Arrive at Copalinga Lodge and Reserve, near Río Bombuscaro. Evening bird checklist.
Elevations: 3280-9200 feet

Birding in the morning. Drive approximately one and a half hours to Río Bombuscaro is in the lower elevations of Podocarpus National Park, and supports lower montane cloud forest rich in mixed species flocks. The area bird list stands at almost 300 species, including several threatened species such as the White-breasted Parakeet and Coppery-chested Jacamar. Other more common species include the Gray Tinamou, Little Tinamou, White-throated Quail-Dove, Wire-crested Thorntail, Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Lanceolated Monklet, White-fronted Tyrannulet, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Western Striped Manakin, and Chestnut-tipped Toucanet. This afternoon, travel about five hours along the picturesque route to Cuenca, with birding en route. Look for some special birds, including the endangered Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant. Check in at the Hotel Santa Lucia and have dinner. Evening bird checklist.
Elevations: 3182-8400 feet

Today is our last birding day, and we will spend this morning birding at the Cajas National Park focusing on high-altitude species. This is a one hour drive. Targets include the endemic Violet-throated Metaltail, as well as the Ecuadorian Hillstar, Tit-like Dacnis, Giant Conebill, Plumbeous Sierra Finch, Blue-mantled Thornbill, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Carunculated Caracara, and the legendary Andean Condor. After lunch in the area, continue for a four-hour drive to Guayaquil. Some flights may leave this evening; those participants will depart for the airport after a farewell dinner. Final bird checklist review.
Elevation: up to 12,982 feet

Head to the airport for flights home.