Black-breasted Puffleg © Juan Carlos Crespo

Hooded Mountain Tanager © Juan Carlos Crespo

This full-day tour offers and promises spectacular highland birding experiences across different elevations, from highland cloud forests to subtropical cloud forests, with a mix of rare endemics, vibrant species, stunning scenery, and a taste of local flavors!

Location & Overview:

• Highlights: Yanacocha is managed by Jocotoco Foundation, protecting vital cloud forest habitat for endangered and endemic birds. Tandayapa Hummingbird Ecoroute a prime birdwatching destination, known for toucans, hummingbirds, and colorful tanagers.
• Habitats: Highland Forest and low elevation Cloud Forest
• Location: Northwest Andes (~1.5 hours from Quito). Elevation ranges from 9200 to 11200 feet above sea level.
• Biodiversity: ~ 250 bird species       

KEY BIRDING SPOTS:

1. Dirt road to Yanacocha Reserve

• Target birds: Tawny Antpitta, Yellow-breasted Brushfinch, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Sparkling Violetear, Paramo Pipit, Plain-colored and Band-tailed Seedeaters, Variable Hawk, Black-chested Buzzar-Eagle, Short-eared Owl and others.

2. Yanacocha Reserve

• Target birds: Black-breasted Puffleg, Sword-billled Hummingbird, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Hooded Mountain Tanager, Barred Fruiteater, White-browed Spinetail, Superciliated Hemispingus, Blue-backed Conebill, Pearled Treerunner, Spectacled Redstar, Great Sapphirewing, Shining Sunbeam, Black-chested Tanager, Andean Guan, Masked and Glossy Flowerpiercer, and many more.

3. Hummingbird Ecoroute

• Target birds: Red-crested Cotinga, Andean Lapwing, Brown-backed Chad-Tyrant, White-capped Deeper, Torrent Duck, Masked Trogon, Plate-billed Mountain Toucan, Golden-headed Quetzal, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker and tanagers in mixed flocks.

4. Alambi Hummingbird Reserve

• Target birds: White-capped Dipper, Pacific Hornero, Brown Inca, White-booted Raquet-tail, Velvet-purple Coronet, White-necked Jacobin, Green-crowned Brilliant, Black-capped, Silver-throated, Blue-necked and Flame-rumped Tanager, Red-headed Barbet, and others.

White-caped Dipper © Aberto Benito

Crowned Woodnymph © Alberto Benito