PODOCARPUS NATIONAL PARK (PNP) AND SOUTHERN ECUADOR
Jocotoco Antpitta. Picture by Fernando Sornoza
INFORMATION
Average expected number of birds seen during the trip: 450 -500 species
Vegetation Types Visited: 7 out of 16 Ecuadorian Vegetation Types
Total habitats visited: 7 out of 20
Altitude Range: 900 to 4500 m (2,953 to 14,764 ft)
Call direct and talk to the Bird Experts
Toll free 1-800-538-2149
A Top-Ten Bird List by Habitat follows:
Habitat |
Localities |
Top Ten Highlight Birds |
South Ecuadorian |
Localities |
Top Ten Highlight Birds |
shrub vegetation |
Road |
Antshrike, |
Southern Cordilleras Paramo (Grass, shrub and cushion paramo) |
Cajanuma |
Plushcap finch, Gray-breasted mountain-toucan, Chestnut-napped antpitta, Bearded guan, Black-headed hemispingus, Buff-breasted mountain tanager, Red-hooded tanager, Chestnut-breasted chlorophonia |
Eastern Cloud forest and Eastern Low montane forest |
Loja – Zamora Old Road (PNP Northern Limit) |
Paramo seedeater, Mouse-colored thistletail, Rusty-winged barbtail, White-streaked antvireo, Yellow-breasted and Rufous-rumped antwrens, Ecuadorian tyrannulet, Marble-faced bristle-tyrant |
Eastern Low montane forest |
Bombuscaro Area (PNP) |
White-breasted parakeet*, Fasciated tiger-heron, Double-toothed kite, Sickle-winged guan, Rufous-breasted wood-quail, Sunbittern, Maroon-chested ground-dove, Grey potoo, Blackish nightjar, Wire-crested thorntail, Violet-fronted brilliant, Black-mandibled toucan, Amazonian umbrellabird, Black-billed treehunter, Blue-rumped manakin, Coppery-chested jacamar, Highland motmot, Foothill antwren |
Dry scrub vegetation of southernmost Ecuador (Chinchipe Valley) |
Vilcabamba (PNP Western Limit) |
White-tailed jay, Plumbeous backed thrush, Plumbeous rail |
Eastern Cloud Forest |
Tapichalaca Reserve (PNP Southwestern Limit) |
Jocotoco antpitta*, Ocellated tapaculo, White-capped tanager, Orange-banded flycatcher, Masked saltator, Chestnut-crested cotinga, Bearded guan, Chestnut-naped antpitta, Amethyst-throated sunangel, Flame-throated sunangel, Rufous-capped thornbill, Lacrimouse mountain tanager, Pearled treerunner, Streaked tufted check, Chusquea tapaculo |
South Ecuadorian shrub vegetation, Dry scrub vegetation of southernmost Ecuador (Chinchipe Valley) and Paramo (Grass, shrub and cushion paramo) |
Loja – Cuenca Road (With a short stop at Yunguilla Reserve) |
Pale-headed brush-finch*, Andean condor, Crescent-faced antpitta, Amazilia hummingbird, Stripped cuckoo |
Eastern Cloud Forest and Eastern Lowland Rain Forest |
Gualaceo – Limón Road |
Black-and-chestnut eagle, Rainbow-bearded thornbill, Viridian metaltail, Black-backed bush-tanager, Masked mountain tanager, Cinnamon screech-owl, Black-billed and Gray-breasted mountain toucan. Red-faced parrot, Golden-plumed parakeet, Flame-throated sunangel, Sulphur-bellied tyrannulet |
South Eastern Cordillera Paramo (Grass, shrub and cushion paramo) |
Cajas National Park |
Violet-throated metaltail*, Tit-like dacnis, Giant conebill, Andean condor, Sword-billed hummingbird, Andean snipe, Great-horned owl, Grey-breasted mountain-toucan, Blue-mantled thornbill, Rainbow-bearded thornbill, Buff-breasted mountain- tanager, Many-striped canastero, Scarlet-bellied mountain-tanager, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Andean gull |
Western Cordillera Cloud Forest |
Nono – Tandayapa Road |
Brown and Collared inca, Western emerald, Great saphirewing, Dark-backed wood-quail, Scarlet-bellied mountain tanager, Hooded mountain tanager, Golden tanager, Flame faced tanager, Black-winged saltator |
Itinerary
Day 1
Transfer to Hotel Sebastian[1] upon arrival to Quito “Mariscal Sucre” Airport (2800 m, 9,186 ft.)
Day 2
Pick up time, 4:30 am for transfer to Loja Flight. Departure time from Quito “Mariscal Sucre” Airport is 5:45. Your guide will be on this flight with you. Our driver will be waiting for you at La Toma “Camilo Ponce Enríquez” Airport (1532 m / 5,026 ft), to pick you up.
Birding the airport area and the drive towards Loja (2150 m / 7,054 ft). Overnight in Loja.
Day 3
Birding the Cajanuma Area (2550 to 3700 m / 8,366 to 12,139 ft) on the Northwestern limit of Podocarpus National Park[2]. Overnight in Loja.
Day 4
Birding the Loja – Zamora Old Road (2800 to 900 m / 9,186 to 2,953 ft). Overnight in Zamora (Copalinga Lodge).
Day 5
Birding the Bombuscaro Area (900 to 1200 m / 2,953 to 3,937 ft) on the Northern limit of Podocarpus National Park Overnight in Zamora (Cabañas Ecológicas Copalinga[3]).
Day 6
Birding the Bombuscaro Area until late afternoon. Drive to Loja and overnight in Loja Hotel.
Day 7
During the drive from Loja to Vilcabamba (1500 m / 4,921 ft), bird the road sides. Overnight in Vilcabamba (Hostal Jardin Escondido)[4]
Day 8
Drive from Vilcabamba to Jocotoco Foundation’s Tapichalaca Reserve[5] (2800 to 3100 m / 2,953 to 10,171 ft), birding the road sides. Overnight in Tapichalaca Reserve (Simpson House).
Day 9
Birding day at Tapichalaca Reserve looking for the endemic and endangered Jocotoco Antpitta and other birds. Overnight in the Tapichalaca Reserve (Simpson House).
Day 10
Birding during the drive back to Loja. Overnight in Loja.
Day 11
Scattered birding along the drive from Loja to Cuenca (2530 m / 8,301 ft). Overnight in Cuenca (Hotel El Dorado).
Day 12
Birding the Gualaceo – Limón Road (3250 to 1700 m / 10,663 to 5,577 ft). Overnight in Cuenca (Hotel El Dorado).
Day 13
Full day birding El Cajas National Park (3000 to 4500 m / 9,842.52 to 14,764 ft). Overnight in Cuenca (Hotel El Dorado).
Day 14
Early morning flight to Quito “Mariscal Sucre” Airport. At the airport, we will start a birding day which we will spend mostly on our Western Andean Ridge slopes:
the Nono – Tandayapa Road (3086 to 1719 m / 10,127 to 5,643 ft). Overnight in Quito (Hotel Sebastian).
Day 15
Transfer to flight back home.
Include/Not Include
Price Includes:
All transfers to and from airports and hotels
All accommodations throughout
All box lunches
Private transportation and driver
Specialized birding guide
Meals while at lodges
Flight to and from Coca
Price Includes:
Meals while in Quito except for breakfast Drinks throughout, tipping and international airport tax
Four star Hotel located in Modern Quito http://www.hotelsebastian.com/
Podocarpus http://parksinperil.org/wherewework/southamerica/ecuador/protectedarea/podocarpus.html
Copalinga at Bombuscaro http://www.copalinga.com/
Accomodation in Vilcabamba http://www.vilcabamba.org/jardinescondido.html
One of the eight Jocotoco Foundation Reserves in Ecuador http://www.fjocotoco.org
FOR PRICES PLEASE CONTACT US:
mrivaden@pi.pro.ec
nforest@q.ecua.net.ec
Endemic bird species to Ecuador
Beryl-spangled Tanager
Hooded Mountain Tanager
Red-crested Cotingas
