DAY 3:  PAZ DE LAS AVES REFUGE & MINDO CLOUD FOREST

Giant Antpitta     © Alberto Benito

Very early departure to make our way from Mindo to Paz de las Aves Refuge where you’re in for a real treat. This morning we’ll visit an Andean Cock of the Rock lek. 

Males gather here to engage in flamboyant displays, showcasing their distinctive red plumage, performing calls, and dancing, essentially doing their very best to outshine the competition for discerning females.  Leks are arenas for sexual selection, allowing females to assess the genetic fitness and vitality of potential mates, ensuring reproductive success of the species.

Target birds: Andean Cock of the Rock, Giant Antpitta, Yellow-breasted Antpitta, Ochre-breasted Antpitta, Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Toucan Barbet and tanagers like Blue-winged Mountain Tanager, Golden-naped, Flame-faced, Black-capped Tanager, potencially Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl, Orange-breasted Fruiteater and Moustached Antpitta.

In the afternoon, we’ll head towards Mindo. In addition to being a delightfully picturesque destination, the little town of Mindo is a prime example of sustainable and friendly tourism in Ecuador. Many lodges and accommodations in the area prioritize sustainable practices and offer guests an immersive and responsible experience in nature.

Target birds: Sunbittern, Chocó Toucan, Coopman’s Elaenia, Ecuadorian Seedeater, Pacific Hornero, Pacific Antwren, Yelow-tailed Oriole, Olivaceous Piculet, Yellow-throated Toucan, Crested Guan, Bay Wren, Spotted Woodcreeper, Buff-fronted Foliage-Gleaner, Blue-necked Tanager, Rufous-throated Tanager, Guira Tanager, Lanceolated Monklet, White-throated Spadebill and many others.

Overnight Mindo

DAY 4: MASHPI-AMAGUSA RESERVE & GUAYABILLA-LA DELICIA ROAD

Rose-faced Parrot     © Alberto Benito

This early morning’s birding adventures will begin at Amagusa Reserve, a local private reserve with a great diversity of chocoan cloud forest upper foothills birds. We’ll focus on Back Solitaire, Uniform Treehunter, Rose-faced Parrot, Dark-backed Wood-Quail, Moss-backed Tanager, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Scaled Fruiteater, Zeledon’s Antbird, sometimes Rufous-brown Solitaire and Chocó Vireo in mixed flocks.

We’ll encounter more particularly gorgeous hummingbird species, among them, the Velvet-purple Coronet dazzles with its deep purple crown and throat. The Empress Brilliant boasts majestic iridescent green plumage, while the petite Green Thorntail charms with its sweet little criss-crossing tail feathers.

Target birds: White-tipped Sicklebill, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Moss-backed Tanager, Black Solitaire, Esmeraldas Antbird, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Rufous-rumped Antbird, Scaled Fruiteater, Rufous-brown Solitaire, Chocó Vireo, Glistening-green Tanager, Rose-faced Parrot, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Rufous-throated Tanager, Velvet-purple Coronet, Empress Brilliant, Green Thorntail, Brown Inca, Green-fronted Lancebill.

At mid-morning we’ll birding on the road along the main entrance of Amagusa reserve to search for the fascinating Green-fronted Lancebill whose distinctive bill, nearly as long as its tiny body, is perfectly adapted for extracting nectar from deep within its favorite flowers.

Another great hummingbird to look in the same area is the unique White-tipped Sicklebill, that posee an incredible curved hooked bill well adaptated to suck nectar on specific Helicolinia sp. flowers.

As the morning progresses, we’ll head back to the road towards Guayabillas – La Delicia, two small villages in the Chocoan lower Foothills. Along the way, we will observe firsthand how the composition of bird species changes with the elevation, from the hardy paramo specialists that thrive in the highlands to a vibrant array of foothill and lowland avifauna.

One particularly fascinating bird in this area is the Black-tipped Cotinga (Carpodectes hopkei). This species stands out with its striking all-white plumage, an exceptional adaptation for blending into the bright clouds and mist of the forest canopy. Its unique appearance will certainly delight, should we be lucky enough to spot one. 

Target birds: Black-tipped Cotinga, Scarlet and white Tanager, Yellow-green Tanager, Blue-fronted Parrotlet, Gray-and-Gold Tanager, Golden-hooded Tanager, Emerald Tanager, Slate-colored Grosbeak, Russet Antshrike, Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo, Crested Guan, Pacific Flatbill, White-throated Thrush, and more.

Overnight Mindo

DAY 5: UMBRELLABIRD RESERVE & MILPE BIRD SANCTUARY

Long-wattled Umbrellabird     © Juan Carlos Crespo

We want to arrive at the Long-wattled Umbrellabird Lek by 6:00 am and it’s a bit of a drive, so we’ll be departing a little earlier than usual this morning. 

One of the most remarkable features of the male Long-wattled Umbrellabird is its striking long wattle, which dangles from its throat like an elaborate black umbrella, but their ability to fly between tall canopy trees with agility and grace is equally impressive.

During their displays, males may fly between trees to exhibit their agility and strength to attract the attention of females. This behavior adds an extra dimension to their courtship displays, making it not only a visual but also an aerial spectacle.

Target birds: Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Velvet-purple Coronet, Brown Inca, Violet-tailed Sylph, Chocó Toucan, Club-winged Manakin, Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl and many others.

Later today, we’ll enjoy more birding along the way to Milpe Bird Sanctuary.  At Milpe, we’ll spot more species along well-maintained trails that meander past breathtaking views of lush greenery and serene streams.

Target birds: Blue-tailed Trogon, Pale-vented Thrush, Club-winged Manakin, Ashy-throated Chlorospingus, Chocó Warbler, Speckled Nightingale Thrush, Yellow-collared Chlorophonia, Tawny-breasted Flycatcher, Golden-winged Manakin, and more.

Depending on the weather, we’ll embark on an owling adventure in search of two exquisite species – the Mottled Owl and the Crested Owl, known for its especially pronounced ear tufts.

Overnight Mindo

DAY 6: RIO SILANCHE BIRD SANCTUARY & VICINITIES

Orange-fronted Barbet     © Juan Carlos Crespo

We’ll begin our day in the Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary, a small patch of Chocoan lowlands forest owned by Mindo Cloud Forest Foundation.  One of its notable features is the canopy tower, that will bring us right up into the treetops for a close-up view of many tanagers, trogons, woodpeckers, flycatchers, barbets, parrots, and many other canopy-dwelling in their natural habitat.

Target birds: Orange-fronted Barbet, Rufous-winged Tanager, Blue-whiskered Tanager, Scarlet-browed Tanager, Gray-and-gold Tanager, Scarlet-breasted Dacnis, Cinnamon Woodpecker, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Black-faced Dacnis, Green Honeycreeper, White-tailed Trogon, Barred Puffbird, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Chocó Tyrannulet and many others.

We will also have an opportunity to look for manakins, other tanagers, woodcreepers, and antbirds on a short hike through Rio Silanche’s wooded trails, later this morning.

Target birds: Berlepsch’s Tinamou, Checker-throated Stipplethroat, Velvety Manakin, Northern-barred Woodcreeper, Black-striped Woodcreeper, Tawny-faced Gnatwren, Tawny-crested Tanager, and many others.

We’ll continue birding outside the Sanctuary along the dirthy road on secondary woodlands and agricultural areas by Silanche general area.

Target birds: Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Ecuadorian Ground-Dove, Thick-billed Seed-Finch, Black-crowned Antbird, Pale-vented Pigeon, Pacific Hornero, Gray-capped Flycatcher, White-thighed Swallow, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, Gray-breasted Martin and others.

Later in the morning we’ll have a short visit to Sendero Frutti Tour, a local private farm located near Silanche. This farm was initially built to make tours with local visitors to show them tropical fruits like cacao and passion fruits crops. Later, the owner chance his mind and decided to open his farm to watch birds setting up many feeders for hummingbirds and tanagers mainly.

Target birds: Black-breasted Mango, Long-billed Starthroat, Bronzy Hermit, Purple-crowned Fairy, Little Cuckoo, Pacific Antwren, Great Antshrike, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Sooty-headed Tyrannulet, Lineated Woodpecker and many others.

By early afternoon begin our drive to Canandé Reserve in Esmeraldas Province. We’ll have a short stop to enjoy a nice lunch at Puerto Quito city and then we’ll keep rolling to Canandé. Once we arrive at the reserve and do our accomodation, we’ll have a short time birding at the canopy tower by the main area of the reserve before sunset. Here will focus on tanagers mixed flocks, parrots, macaws, some toucans, flycatchers, Tityras, etc.

Target birds: Golden-hooded Tanger, Blue Dacnis, Mealy Amazon, Great-green Macaw, Blue-headed Parrot, Long-tailed Tyrant, Red-rumped Woodpecker, etc.

DAY 7: RESERVA RIO CANANDE UPPER PART

DAY 8: RESERVA RIO CANANDE LOWER PART & RETURN TO QUITO

Blue-whiskered Tanager     © Juan Carlos Crespo

We’ll explore and birding most of the morning at different trails of the lower part of the reserve searching for species that are most of the time in the lower understory like quails, antbirds, wrens, hummingbirds and understory like manakins, some tanagers, trogons, mourners, and well go again to the canopy tower to spot canopy dewellers bird species.

Target birds: Blue-whiskered Tanager, Rufous-winged Tanager, Scarlet-breasted Dacnis, Tawny-faced Quail, Bicolored Antbird, White-flanked Antwren, Tawny-faced Gnatwren, Song Wren, Black-throated Trogon, Blue-tailed Trogon, Red-capped Manakin, Speckled Mourner, and many others.

After exploring and discovering beautiful birds at this great place, we’ll have our farewell lunch and then will be ready to departure from the reserve and then will drive back to Quito. We’ll arrive in the late afternoon in Quito and drop you off at your hotel or airport.