Southern Ecuador Field Report

We completed our extensive loop through the mountains, deserts, rainforests, cloudforests, and paramo of southern Ecuador, tallying nearly 500 species, including most of the small country’s mainland endemics and some of the most spectacular birds. This required that we get into some pretty remote places, which were, quite conveniently, not too far from beautifully situated and comfortable lodges that were just right for us. The Nangaritza Valley, located in the far southeastern corner of Ecuador, was one such spot. Here, Arutam, the Shuar god of thunder, riding his toucan, presided over us as we watched Orange-throated Tanagers and Purplish Jacamars.

Jon Feenstra

Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan was one of our tour favorites. We saw two hopping around in the trees in the upper elevations of Podocarpus National Park.

Jon Feenstra

The sunrise on the remote mountain top at Cerro de Arcos, home of Blue-throated Hillstar, was one of the most memorable and coldest parts of the tour.

Jon Feenstra

An Amazonian Umbrellabird nest had this big, ugly chick in it that looked more like some kind of fuzzy fungus than a bird.

Jon Feenstra

The Jocotoco Antpittas let us get very close. Or, rather, we sat still and the Jocotoco Antpittas got close to us!

Jon Feenstra

A Powerful Woodpecker posed nicely for us on the side of the road.

Jon Feenstra

So, did this Tawny Anpitta.

Jon Feenstra

While not birding we also looked at the many other small things that were all around us, like fancy grasshoppers.

Jon Feenstra

Our last day we were stuck in a traffic jam as a bridge was being worked on. No problem, though. Watching Horned Screamers and hundreds of whistling-ducks and Comb Ducks through an empty, parked car carrier into the wetland beyond was well improvised and put a nice final bookend on the tour.

Jon Feenstra