Gordon Beebe, Past President of Madrone Audubon Society, will present “Three short weeks in the Ecuadorian Andes, from east to west”.
Chestnut-breasted Coronet
Experience the visual beauty and unique songs and calls of the birds of the varied mountain habitats of Ecuador, from Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary on the eastern slopes, to the páramo of Las Cajas National Park high in the Andes, and then over to the western slopes to Maquipucuna Reserve, in the famous Mindo birding area. Along the way, learn the meaning of derrumbe, a word we encountered frequently on the first days of our exploration.
Ecuador is said to have the highest biodiversity per acre of any country in the world. Over 1,660 species of birds have been recorded in the country, however, many have a very limited range. Rather than attempting to collect a huge species list in a short period of time, we focused instead on two ecolodges, plus a visit to Cuenca, a World Heritage site, third largest city in Ecuador, and gateway to Las Cajas National Park.
With the help of our knowledgable local guides, revel in the sight and sound of the Toucan Barbets’ nasal honking duet. Meet over 80 other species of birds, including hook-billed kite, hummingbirds of every shape and color, singing antpittas, tanagers and more in photos and video. Several more reclusive species that declined the offer to appear, such as the Musician Wren and the Spotted Nightingale-Thrush, provide the audio background for the presentation. Not to be outdone, the variety of caterpillars and butterflies encountered rival any bird species seen.
Puffbird, Barred
At Maquipucuna, a locally-owned and run ecological preserve, see some of the myriad uses for bamboo, learn how to open a cacao pod, and see coffee production, from flower to bean to drying. A note for prospective travelers: visiting in June, we were able to catch the end of the (very) rainy season on the Amazonian side, then experienced drier, though still showery, weather to the west.
Gordon Beebe is a project coordinator for the Sonoma County Breeding Bird Atlas, the Saturday bird walk leader and website editor for Madrone Audubon. He lives with his wife Judy in Santa Rosa, CA.
