Birding the Central & Western Andes with Anthony Kaduck & Ken Edwards from Canada (March 20 – April 5, 2019).

Trip Overview

This was the third trip to Colombia for Anthony Kaduck and the first for Ken Edwards, covering the Central and Western Andes from Cali to Medellín — one of the finest birding itineraries in Colombia.

Over 17 days, the team registered 481 species (456 seen, 25 heard only), of which 190 were new for Anthony.

A detailed report by Anthony Kaduck follows below this summary.

On our first day of tour, outside the hotel in Cali. From right to left: Ken Edwards, Anthony Kaduck, Daniel Uribe.

La Minga Ecolodge

The trip began in Cali, with first birding at La Minga Ecolodge, followed by Finca Alejandría and San Antonio Forest at the iconic Kilometer 18. Recently opened to birders, La Minga offers rewarding birding in primary cloud forest, gardens, and feeders.

Endemics recorded here included Multicolored Tanager, Colombian Chachalaca, and Chestnut Wood-Quail, along with the near-endemic Nariño Tapaculo.

The forested road produced excellent sightings of Streak-capped Treehunter, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Spotted Barbtail, Lineated Foliage-Gleaner, Montane Foliage-Gleaner, Uniform Antshrike, and Plain Antvireo. Other forest highlights included Montane Woodcreeper, Streaked Xenops, Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant, Bright-rumped Attila, Andean Solitaire, Pale-eyed Thrush, Oleagineous Hemispingus, Ashy-throated Chlorospingus, and Orange-bellied Euphonia.

Special species at La Minga also included Yellow-vented Woodpecker, White-throated Quail-Dove, Scarlet-fronted Parakeet, Mottled Owl, Common Potoo, Bronzy Inca, Western Emerald, Golden-headed Quetzal, Red-headed Barbet, Southern Emerald-Toucanet, and Rusty Flowerpiercer, among others.

Finca Alejandría

Despite heavy rain, Finca Alejandría offered its usual exceptional birding, with close views of numerous hummingbirds:

Blue-headed Sapphire, Green Hermit, Speckled Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Booted Racket-tail, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Purple-throated Woodstar (near-endemic), Steely-vented Hummingbird, White-necked Jacobin, Crowned Woodnymph, and Andean Emerald.

Feeders loaded with bananas attracted a colorful mix of tanagers and allies, including Flame-rumped Tanager, Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Multicolored Tanager (endemic), Scrub Tanager (near-endemic), Golden-naped, Black-capped, Metallic-green, Saffron-crowned, and Golden Tanagers, as well as Black-winged Saltator and Chestnut-capped Brushfinch foraging on fallen fruit.

San Antonio Forest

A quick visit to San Antonio Forest yielded excellent views of Rufous-tailed Tyrant, Green-and-black Fruiteater, Barred Becard, Brown-capped Vireo, Glossy-black Thrush, and White-naped (Yellow-throated) Brushfinch, among others.

Cauca Valley Wetlands

En route to Cerro Montezuma, we birded Sonso Marsh, the Media Canoa fishing ponds, and the Cartago marshes.

Highlights included Black-bellied and Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Cinnamon Teal (a threatened resident subspecies), Least and Pied-billed Grebe, Anhinga, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Striated, Cocoi, and Little Blue Heron, Glossy, Bare-faced, and Buff-necked Ibis, Snail Kite, Wattled Jacana, White-tipped Dove, Spectacled Parrotlet, Greater Ani, Common Potoo, Ringed Kingfisher, and Green Kingfisher.

The most remarkable sighting was a Sungrebe, an uncommon bird in this part of Colombia, spotted by Anthony.

Low shrubby vegetation near water also yielded Jet Antbird, Bar-crested Antshrike (near-endemic), Cocoa Woodcreeper, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Yellow-crowned Flycatcher, Yellow-olive Flycatcher, Vermilion Flycatcher, Cattle Tyrant, Cinereous Becard, Guira Tanager, Yellow Oriole, and Oriole Blackbird.

Ken & Daniel, very happy after seeing the Sungrebe at Sonso marsh. Photo taken by Anthony Kaduck.Cerro Montezuma

We lodged at Cerro Montezuma for three nights, birding the upper, mid, and lower altitudes on different days to take advantage of weather and activity patterns. This site, part of the Mountain Chocó region, remains one of the richest birding areas in the Neotropics.

Endemics

Black-and-gold Tanager, Gold-ringed Tanager, Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer, Crested Ant-Tanager, Tatamá Tapaculo, Munchique Wood-Wren, Grayish Piculet, Parker’s Antbird, and Dusky Starfrontlet (Glittering Starfrontlet).

Near-endemics

Toucan Barbet, Yellow-breasted Antpitta, Uniform Treehunter, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Club-winged Manakin, Sooty-headed Wren, Black Solitaire, Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager, Purplish-mantled Tanager, Glistening-green Tanager, Rufous-throated Tanager, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Black-headed Brushfinch, Tanager Finch, Dusky Chlorospingus, Golden-fronted Redstart, and Yellow-collared Chlorophonia.

Hummingbirds

Violet-tailed Sylph, Brown Inca, Velvet-purple Coronet, Empress Brilliant, Purple-throated Woodstar, Tawny-bellied Hermit, Green-fronted Lancebill, Tourmaline Sunangel, Tyrian Metaltail, Greenish Puffleg, Booted Racket-tail, Rufous-gaped Hillstar, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Green-crowned Brilliant, Western Emerald, Crowned Woodnymph, Andean Emerald, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, and Steely-vented Hummingbird.

Other Notable Species

Buffy Tuftedcheek, Handsome Flycatcher, Buff-fronted Foliage-Gleaner, Rusty-winged Barbtail, Fulvous-dotted Treerunner, Scaled Fruiteater, Bronze-olive Pygmy-Tyrant, Black-throated Pygmy-Tyrant, Ornate Flycatcher, Golden-winged Manakin, Striolated Manakin, Plushcap, Olive Finch, Tricolored (Chocó) Brushfinch, Golden-bellied (Chocó) Warbler, and Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia.

Additional species included Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Streak-headed and Zeledon’s Antbird, Ocellated Tapaculo, Chapman’s Swift, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, Plain Xenops, Rufous Spinetail, Black-capped Tyrannulet, Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant, White-throated Spadebill, Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant, Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo, Grass-green Tanager, Bluish Flowerpiercer, Variable Seedeater, Dusky-faced Tanager, and Russet-backed Oropendola.

Central Andes

Otún-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary

This reserve provided close views of the endemic Cauca Guan, Stiles’s Tapaculo, and Multicolored Tanager, along with the near-endemics Moustached and Hooded Antpittas, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Scrub Tanager, and Bar-crested Antshrike.

Other highlights included Wattled Guan, Golden-plumed Parakeet, Bronze-winged Parrot, Rufous-bellied Nighthawk, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Torrent Duck, White-capped Dipper, Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Rufescent (Colombian) Screech-Owl, Collared Trogon, Andean Motmot, Slaty Spinetail, Slaty-capped Flycatcher, Whiskered Wren, Southern Emerald-Toucanet, Variegated Bristle-Tyrant, Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant, Rufous-naped Greenlet, and Common Chlorospingus.

Tanagers included White-capped, Blue-necked, Beryl-spangled, Metallic-green, and Saffron-crowned Tanager.

Cameguadua Marsh & Río Claro

After birding Cameguadua Marsh, we visited Río Claro near Chinchiná, where we obtained outstanding views of the endemic Turquoise Dacnis.

Los Nevados National Park

A day in Los Nevados National Park produced two remarkable endemics: Rufous-fronted Parakeet (vulnerable) and the beautiful Buffy Helmetcrest at 12,000 feet.

Hummingbird activity was excellent, with Black-thighed Puffleg, Golden-breasted Puffleg, Purple-backed Thornbill, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Tyrian and Viridian Metaltail, Shining Sunbeam, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast, Sword-billed Hummingbird, and Great Sapphirewing.

Other notable records included Andean Teal, Andean Duck, Paramo Tapaculo, Stout-billed Cinclodes, Andean Tit-Spinetail, White-throated Tyrannulet, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Red-crested Cotinga, Sedge Wren, Glossy, Black and Masked Flowerpiercer, Plumbeous Sierra-Finch, Plain-colored and Paramo Seedeater, Gray-browed Brushfinch, Black-crested Warbler, and Hooded Siskin.

Four species of mountain-tanagers were observed: Hooded, Lacrimose, Scarlet-bellied, and Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager, along with Blue-capped and Blue-and-black Tanager.

Río Blanco Reserve

The cloud forest of Río Blanco was full of activity. Early morning feeding sessions offered intimate views of Brown-banded Antpitta (endemic), Bicolored Antpitta (near-endemic), and Chestnut-crowned Antpitta.

We also saw Ash-colored Tapaculo, Blackish Tapaculo, Golden-headed Quetzal, Masked Trogon, Sickle-winged Guan, Barred Parakeet, Andean Motmot, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Tyrannine and Montane Woodcreeper, Striped and Flammulated Treehunter, Pearled Treerunner, White-tailed Tyrannulet, Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant, Flavescent Flycatcher, Pale-edged Flycatcher, Smoky Bush-Tyrant, Slaty-backed and Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Black-billed Peppershrike, Sharpe’s and Mountain Wren, Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush, Glossy-black Thrush, Black-capped, Superciliaried and Black-eared Hemispingus, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Capped Conebill, Chestnut-capped, Slaty and Gray-browed Brushfinch, Citrine and Russet-crowned Warbler, as well as Pale-footed Swallow and Masked Saltator.

Ken, Daniel & Anthony, at Rio Blanco cloud forest.

Hummingbirds included White-throated Wedgebill, Lesser Violetear, Tourmaline Sunangel, Speckled Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Bronzy Inca, Collared Inca, Buff-tailed Coronet, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, White-bellied Woodstar, and Andean Emerald.

Nocturnal species seen were White-throated Screech-Owl, Rufous-banded Owl, and Lyre-tailed Nightjar (male and female).

Tinamú Lodge

Descending from the mountains, we reached Tinamú Lodge, a private nature reserve with gentle trails through secondary forest. Highlights included Gray-headed Dove, Blue-lored Antbird, Golden-collared Manakin, Speckle-breasted Wren, Crimson-backed Tanager, Guira Tanager, and Large-billed Seed-Finch, along with three species of hermits: Rufous-breasted, Stripe-throated, and Green Hermit.

Northern Central Andes: Jardín & Las Tangaras

The drive from Manizales to Jardín followed the old gravel road through Riosucio and Ventanas Pass, avoiding highway construction. This route yielded the endemic Yellow-headed Brushfinch, previously known only from the Magdalena Valley.

In Jardín, birding along the Riosucio road and at Doña Lucía’s Antpitta feeding stations provided sightings of Yellow-eared Parrot (endemic), Chestnut-naped and Slate-crowned Antpitta, Chestnut-collared Swift, Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, and around 14 displaying Andean Cock-of-the-rock males near town. Other notable species included Green Jay, Citrine Warbler, and Scarlet-rumped Cacique.

The final birding days took place at ProAves’ Las Tangaras Reserve on the Pacific slope. Here we obtained second and often improved views of many Mountain Chocó specialties previously seen at Cerro Montezuma.

Additional highlights included Red-bellied Grackle (endemic), Rufous-crested Tanager, Rufous-rumped Antwren, Yellow-breasted Antwren, Scaly-throated Foliage-Gleaner, Olivaceous Piha, Chocó Vireo (near-endemic), Beautiful Jay (near-endemic), White-headed Wren, White-thighed Swallow, and Black Solitaire (near-endemic).

Final Day

On the drive to Rionegro (Medellín’s airport), a stop at Quebrada Sinifaná near Bolombolo offered views of Black-crowned Antshrike, White-fringed Antwren, Piratic Flycatcher, and Streaked Flycatcher.

We also heard, though did not see, the endemic Antioquia Wren.

Summary

After more than two weeks birding across Colombia’s most diverse Andean ranges, Anthony and Ken wrapped up an unforgettable trip with 481 recorded species, including numerous endemics, near-endemics, and photographic highlights.

From cloud forests and paramo to humid Chocó slopes, this itinerary once again proved why the Central and Western Andes rank among the most spectacular birding regions on Earth.