Ecuador, A Paradise for Birdwatching & Nature
by Enchanted Expeditions President Sergio Bernardi
For sure, most of us must have heard or read about the natural wonders that Ecuador has to offer. This is a real fact and should never be taken as an exaggerated statement.
In a relatively small country, compared to its next door neighbours, travellers will find many different microclimates at altitudes that go from sea level to the Andes highlands and Paramos which give place to an immense variety of ecosystems each one with its own particular adaptations of vegetation and fauna.
Among all the amazing opportunities to enjoy Nature, bird-watching in this diverse and rich country can be the experience of a lifetime.
From Quito and its surrounding valleys as a starting point, we can easily travel to the nearby mountains looking for higher altitude birds, getting from 2800 m to over 3000 m in less than 2 hours. Some of the nearby snow-capped volcanoes such as Antisana or Cotopaxi can pose excellent challenges as we hike at an altitude of 3600m looking for ground and water birds among which, Andean gulls, coots and teals are common sightings while we keep an eye out for some of the common, or not so common, birds of prey; or even the magnificent Andean Condor soaring above.
The variety of bird species increase dramatically as we go lower through the humid cloud forests with its richness of iridescent hummingbirds, multicoloured tanagers and trogons or the brightly coloured Cock of the Rock to name just a few, until we reach the lush tropical vegetation of the Amazon basin toward the East or the dry marine forests native to the Pacific coast on the West with its own population of resident mainland and sea birds.
To mention all bird species that can be seen in a short period of time would be a very difficult task as there are so many varieties perfectly adapted to their particular ecosystem; but as a reference, we can say that Ecuador alone has over 1600 species of birds; including more than 125 species of humming birds recorded by expert ornithologists.
Even for the amateur naturalist, a visit to the neo-tropical rainforest can be the most thrilling adventure. An explosion of colours and shapes, only matched by very few other areas in the world….
Exploring the jungle will be another amazing adventure in itself. It usually requires some short time of adaptation to adjust your senses and mostly your vision to look for movements and sounds, right there, in the surrounding vegetation. And the reward will not take long, as you will soon see and hear the exuberance of life around you. From very loud and colourful macaws to the more inconspicuous ant-birds; or the astonishing Potoos, standing still, perfectly adapted to mimic a dead branch: The list is endless…..
As we set out to discover the treasures of local lagoons in a paddling canoe, we are greeted by a flock of unconcerned Hoatzins perched on the water vegetation by the nearby shore. These singularly unique creatures can be considered by many a primitive bird closely linked to their long gone reptilian predecessors.
A Cuvier’s toucan, gliding overhead makes us wonder about the mystery of how a small bird with such an enormous beak can remain air borne while at a distance, a flock of acrobatic Oropendolas with their bright yellow tales continue to wave their hanging nests in mid-air undisturbed by our presence.
Galapagos with its unique endemic species and other resident or migrant bird life will surely complete the whole scene. To spot some of the different Darwin’s finches particularly adapted to their own environment and habitat will be a unique challenge.
Penguins on the Equator and flightless cormorants or Waved albatrosses performing their mating rituals for an awe-stricken audience will not be easily forgotten. All these and many other shore and sea birds, each with its own natural history, will remain as an important part of your personal fascinating adventure.
Have no doubt; a quest for Ecuador birds will be a unique experience… a journey through time to pristine exotic environments that will be treasured and remembered by all nature lovers who, like us, can enjoy the natural wonders that this world has yet to offer.
Check out one of Enchanted Expeditions birdwatching trips here