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16/02/2024The best places to do birdwatching in Ecuador
Bright colors, and a natural orchestra. Get out your binoculars! Let’s see how many birds you can count.
Birds are the protagonists of Ecuador; There are around 1,722 species of birds distributed on the continent and the Galapagos Islands. Although they are abundant in Chocó and the Amazon, the country is full of them, so if you are walking through the Ecuadorian Andes, surely some bird can be found in that place (even if you don’t see it).
According to the Global Big Day records by Ebird, Ecuador is the third country in the world with the most bird species observed. On May 13, participants found 1,259 species of birds.
Ornithologists, professional photographers, bird watching enthusiasts and more amateurs gather here to monitor, complete information and record the various species of birds that are distributed throughout the country, especially in the Carchi, Pichincha, Napo and Orellana provinces; However, there are many beautiful places where you can see the diversity of colors and plumage of thousands of birds:
Ecuador is one of the world’s leading destinations for bird watching, offering a wide variety of habitats and species. Some of the best places to go birdwatching in Ecuador include:
1. Mindo
A small and picturesque town of Pichincha that connects the mountain Andes with the Ecuadorian coast. It is one of the favorite places of bird enthusiasts, the humid and hot climate has allowed a surprising natural diversity to flourish that is home to a large number of birds, butterflies, orchids and endemic plant species.
So if you want to visit this destination to take the best photograph of species such as the sword-billed hummingbird, the earwig hummingbird, the purple hummingbird; You will also have to pass through crystalline rivers and lush vegetation.
After waking up early to capture the best bird photography, you can distract yourself with the wide range of outdoor activities that Mindo has, such as: jungle walks, river tubing, waterfalls and canopy rides.
2. Yasuní National Park
Between the provinces of Napo and Orellana in the north of Ecuador and the central-west of the Amazon region is the Yasuní National Park, one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. This huge reserve with approximately 1,682,000 hectares of surface area, is home to at least 2,113 species of flora, 150 types of amphibians, 589 species of birds, 121 reptiles and around 204 mammals among other important forms of life. .
The impressive life that unfolds in the Yasuní is due to the river systems that run through the entire tropical forest; from the Napo, Coca, Tiputini, and Aguarico rivers among many others that feed each other and connect all Amazonian species and communities.
Here, guides, hobbyists, photographers and park rangers usually gather each year to participate in the Christmas bird count. This activity consists of searching, recording and locating all the birds that you can see in exactly 24 hours through several routes established by the organizers of both independent groups and lodges. Among the birds that were most seen are the oriole, red-backed, zebra heron and several types of macaws.
3. Galapagos Islands
In reality, birds are found everywhere on the Island, and they are one of the greatest attractions of the archipelago; Among the strange birds that you can only find on these coasts and the other species that migrate in search of a safe place, there are around 174 species, 56 native species and others that are not native and can be found in other places in the world.
Blue-footed boobies, penguins, albatrosses, flightless cormorants and many more will accompany you during your trip and are usually beautiful professionals when it comes to posing for the cameras, on trails, coasts or ravines.
As for non-endemic birds, there are the whitetail, several groups of American flamingos taking a bath in a lagoon and the Short-Eared Owl, among other birds that will welcome you at the right time.
4. Cajas National Park
And, of course, we cannot forget Los Andes. At least 157 species of water and mountain birds live in this area. Although it may be a small number compared to other national parks of lower altitude; in the height of this mountain range it is quite high and in the diversity that lives here.
Species such as the violet-throated metalura hummingbird, one of Ecuador’s unique species, this bird lives in the mountainous forests and high-altitude grasslands between the tropical areas of the provinces of Azuay and Cañar.
Among the aquatic birds are the silvery grebe, the Andean teal, the red duck and several other species that live in lagoons and small water holes. Among the large birds are the black, red-headed vulture and the Andean condor, the largest flying bird in the Andes mountain range.
If you want to know more about the birds of Ecuador and do a birdwatching tour in Ecuador, contact us and our advisors will help you plan your trip.
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