Birding the Central & Western Andes of Colombia with Anthony Collerton (July 14 – 23, 2017).

After landing in Bogota on a direct flight from USA, Anthony took a domestic flight to Pereira with Avianca (July 14, 2017). Soon after landing in Pereira, we met and drove to Otún-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary, lodging there for two nights. We then drove to Manizales, birding en route Cameguadua marsh. The following days we visited Los Nevados National Park and Rio Blanco. Afterwards, we traveled to Tinamu Birding Lodge and Cerro Montezuma, finishing back at Pereira´s airport for a domestic flight back to Bogota and connections back home.

Special birds seen in Otún-Quimbaya included 14 Cauca Guans, 4 Chestnut Wood-Quails, 4 Sickle-winged Guans, 6 Bronze-winged Parrots, 1 Colombian Screech-Owl, 1 Mottled Owl (heard), 2 Rufous-bellied Nighthawks, 1 Speckled Hummingbird, 1 Bronzy Inca, 1 Booted Racket-Tail, 1 Western Emerald (male), 2 Collared Trogons, 4 Highland Motmots, 1 Red-headed Barbet, 4 Southern Emerald Toucanets, 1 Grayish Piculet, 9 Acorn Woodpeckers, 1 Golden-olive Woodpecker (heard), 4 Bar-crested Antshrikes, 4 Moustached Antpittas (heard), 2 Chestnut-crowned Antpittas (heard), 1 Hooded Antpitta, 1 Stiles´s Tapaculo, 2 Strong-billed Woodcreepers, 3 Montane Woodcreepers, 2 Streaked Xenops, 2 Rusty-winged Barbtails, 2 Spotted Barbtails, 1 Lineated Foliage-Gleaner, 2 Streak-capped Treehunters, 2 Red-faced Spinetails, 1 Plumbeous-crowned Tyrannulet, 4 Torrent Tyrannulets, 2 Variegated Bristle-Tyrants, 4 Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrants, 1 Streak-necked Flycatcher, 3 Rufous-breasted Flycatchers, 2 Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrants, 4 Golden-crowned Flycatchers, 3 Dusky-capped Flycatchers, 1 Pale-edged Flycatcher, 9 Red-ruffed Fruitcrows, 1 Barred Becard (male), 1 Black-billed Peppershrike, 1 Rufous-naped Greenlet, 10 Green Jays, 3 Whiskered Wrens, 2 Chestnut-breasted Wrens, 1 White-capped Dipper, 1 Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, 3 White-capped Tanagers, 2 Oleaginous Hemispinguses, 8 Flame-rumped Tanagers, 3 Fawn-breasted Tanagers, 4 Black-capped Tanagers, 3 Scrub Tanagers, 4 Blue-necked Tanagers, 3 Metallic-green Tanagers, 4 Rusty Flowerpiercers, 7 Black-winged Saltators, 2 Chestnut-capped Brush-Finches, 6 White-naped (Yellow-throated) Brush-Finches, 1 Ashy-throated Bush-Finch, 2 Russet-crowned Warblers, 2 Three-striped Warblers, 4 Yellow-bellied Siskins, 7 Lesser Goldfinches and 7 Orange-bellied Euphonias.

The birding at Cameguadua marsh was brief (2 hours) but good as usual, with 8 Striated Herons, 2 Blackish Rails, 6 Purple Gallinules, 6 Spectacled Parrotlets, 12 Blue-headed Parrots, 3 Steely-vented Hummingbirds, 3 Ringed Kingfishers, 1 Green Kingfisher, 1 Great Antshrike (male), 2 Bar-crested Antshrikes, 2 Slaty Spinetails, 6 Vermilion Flycatchers, 2 Pied Water-Tyrants, 4 Rusty-margined Flycatchers, 2 Gray Seedeaters, 1 Rudy-breasted Seedeater (male), 2 Grayish Saltators, 1 Streaked Saltator and 1 Olive-crowned Yellowthroat, among others.

Los Nevados National Park holds special high-altitude birds, and in our day visit we saw 3 Andean Teals, 1 Andean Duck (male), 2 Black-chested Buzzard-Eagles, 1 Andean Pygmy-Owl (heard), 1 Tourmaline Sunangel, 2 Rainbow-bearded Thornbills (male & female), 1 Buffy Helmetcrest (male), 3 Tyrian Metaltails, 5 Viridian Metaltails, 3 Black-thighed Pufflegs, 5 Golden-breasted Pufflegs, 8 Shinning Sunbeams, 1 Collared Inca, 3 Buff-winged Starfrontlets, 2 Mountain Velvetbreasts, 1 Sword-billed Hummingbird, 5 Great Saphirewings, 2 Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucans, 1 Yellow-vented Woodpecker, 1 Rufous Antpitta, 1 Tawny Antpitta, 1 Ash-colored Tapaculo, 1 Paramo Tapaculo, 2 Stout-billed Cinclodes, 1 Andean Tit-Spinetail, 3 White-browed Spinetails, 1 Many-striped Canastero, 2 White-banded Tyrannulets, 4 White-throated Tyrannulets, 2 Brown-backed Chat-Tyrants, 8 Brown-bellied Swallows, 6 Sedge Wrens, 1 Hooded Mountain-Tanager, 2 Lacrimose Mountain-Tanagers, 4 Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanagers, 2 Blue-backed Conebills, 2 Glossy Flowerpiercers, 5 Plumbeous Sierra-Finches, 8 Plain-colored Seedeaters, 4 Paramo Seedeaters, 1 Gray-browed Brush-Finch, 4 Pale-naped Brush-Finches, 2 Slaty Brush-Finches, 2 Black-crested Warblers, 4 Golden-fronted Whitestarts and 6 Andean Siskins, among others.

The paramo vegetation at the Visitor´s Center of Los Nevados National Park is one of the best sites to see the

endemic Buffy Helmetcrest.

We birded Rio Blanco for one full day plus one morning. Rio Blanco holds a wonderful mid-elevation forest and our birding covered an altitudinal gradient from 2100 meters to 2900 meters. We saw many birds, and will mention here just the most interesting of all. We enjoyed seeing 7 Sickle-winged Guans, 3 Chestnut Wood-Quails, 10 Golden-plumed Parakeets, 30 Scarlet-fronted Parakeets, 2 White-throated Screech-Owls, 1 Rufous-banded Owl (heard), 1 Lyre-tailed Nightjar (male), 1 White-throated Wedgebill, 3 Tourmaline Sunangels, 2 Speckled Hummingbirds, 5 Long-tailed Sylphs, 3 Bronzy Incas, 5 Collared Incas, 4 Fawn-breasted Brilliants, 6 White-bellied Woodstars, 4 Golden-headed Quetzals, 1 Masked Trogon, 1 Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, 2 Bar-bellied Woodpeckers, 2 Crimson-mantled Woodpeckers, 2 Powerful Woodpeckers, 2 Streak-headed Antbirds, 5 Chestnut-crowned Antpittas, 1 Bicolored Antpitta, 1 Chestnut-naped Antpitta (heard), 2 Brown-banded Antpittas, 1 Slate-crowned Antpitta, 1 Ocellated Tapaculo, 5 Ash-colored Tapaculos (heard), 3 Blackish Tapaculos (one seen, two heard), 4 Spillmann´s Tapaculos (one seen, three heard), 1 Tyrannine Woodcreeper, 2 Montane Woodcreepers, 5 Streaked Xenops, 9 Pearled Trerunners, 3 Black-capped Tyrannulets, 2 Mountain Elaenias, 2 White-tailed Tyrannulets, 3 Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatchers, 4 Cinnamon Flycatchers, 1 Smoky Bush-Tyrant, 2 Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrants, 1 Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant, 4 Rufous-breasted Flycatchers, 2 Pale-edged Flycatchers, 1 Green-and-black Fruiteater, 4 Barred Becards, 4 Black-billed Peppershrikes, 4 Brown-capped Vireos, 3 Pale-footed Swallows, 4 Mountain Wrens, 6 Rufous Wrens, 8 Sharpe´s Wrens, 1 White-capped Dipper, 1 Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush,  6 White-capped Tanagers, 4 Black-capped Hemispinguses, 14 Gray-hooded Bush-Tanagers, 2 Grass-green Tanagers, 4 Lacrimose Mountain-Tanagers, 12 Blue-winged Mountain-Tanagers, 5 Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanagers, 1 Fawn-breasted Tanager, 2 Blue-capped Tanagers, 4 Blue-and-black Tanagers, 3 Beryl-spangled Tanagers, 8 Capped Conebills, 4 Plushcaps, 1 Masked Saltator, 1 Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch, 3 Gray-browed Brush-Finches, 4 White-naped (Yellow-throated) Brush-Finches, 4 Slaty Brush-Finches, 2 Black-crested Warblers, 4 Russet-crowned Warblers, 1 Slate-throated Whitestart, 4 Golden-fronted Whitestarts, 3 Mountain Caciques (heard), 4 Yellow-billed Caciques (heard) and 2 Yellow-bellied Siskins.

We birded one afternoon and one morning at Tinamu Birding Lodge, and we managed to add more nice birds to a growing list, including 2 Little Tinamous (heard), 2 Buff-necked Ibises (fly overs), 2 Pale-vented Pigeons, 4 Gray-headed Doves, 2 Spectacled Parrotlets, 15 Blue-headed Parrots, 2 Squirrel Cuckoos, 2 Striped Cuckoos, 1 Tropical Screech-Owl (heard), 2 Common Potoos, 10 White-necked Jacobins, 1 Stripe-throated Hermit, 6 Green Hermits, 8 Lesser Violetears, 1 Sparkling Violetear, 11 Black-throated Mangos, 1 Long-billed Starthroat, 6 White-vented Plumeleteers, 12 Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds, 10 Steely-vented Hummingbirds, 1 Highland Motmot, 2 Moustached Puffbirds, 2 Acorn Woodpeckers, 3 Red-crowned Woodpeckers, 1 Smoky-brown Woodpecker, 1 Spot-breasted Woodpecker, 1 Lineated Woodpecker, 1 Great Antshrike, 1 Bar-crested Antshrike, 2 Parker´s Antbirds, 2 Jet Antbirds, 2 Blue-lored Antbirds, 2 Scaled Antpittas (heard), 1 Plain-brown Woodcreeper, 2 Cocoa Woodcreepers, 4 Streak-headed Woodcreepers, 2 Pale-breasted Spinetails, 2 Slaty Spinetails, 4 Sooty-headed Tyrannulets, 1 Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet, 2 Golden-faced Tyrannulets, 2 Ochre-bellied Flycatchers, 1 Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant, 2 Yellow-olive Flycatchers, 1 Tawny-breasted Flycatcher, 2 Vermilion Flycatchers, 2 Streaked Flycatchers, 3 Golden-collared Manakins, 2 Cinereous Becards, 1 Red-eyed Vireo, 2 Rufous-naped Greenlets, 2 Scaly-breasted Wrens, 2 White-breasted Wood-Wrens, 2 Clay-colored Thrushes, 3 Gray-headed Tanagers, 2 White-shouldered Tanagers, 2 Crimson-backed Tanagers, 2 Bay-headed Tanagers, 3 Green Honeycreepers, 2 Thick-billed Seed-Finches, 2 Streaked Saltators, 2 Buff-rumped Warblers and 2 Golden-crowned Warblers, among many others.

Food is good and abundantly served in Colombia. As an example, this dish is the representative plate for the Andean region of Colombia in the Central Andes, called the “Bandeja Paisa”.

Our final birding locality was Cerro Montezuma, on the Pacific slope of the Western Andes. This is an outstanding site for mountain-Choco specialties. The number of species we registered in two days is very high, and we will mention here just the specialties. We saw 1 Tawny-breasted Tinamou, 1 Wattled Guan, 2 Plumbeous Pigeons, 1 White-throated Quail-Dove, 30 Scaly-naped Parrots, 1 Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl, 2 Tawny-bellied Hummingbirds, 3 Green-fronted Lancebills, 8 Violet-tailed Sylphs, 1 Greenish Puffleg, 1 Brown Inca, 7 Velvet-purple Coronets, 2 Booted Racket-Tails, 8 Rufous-gaped Hillstars, 2 Purple-bibbed Whitetips, 2 Green-crowned Brilliants, 4 Empress Brilliants, 20 Purple-throated Woodstars, 6 Andean Emeralds, 2 Golden-headed Quetzals (heard), 1 Collared Trogon, 2 Toucan Barbets, 2 Golden-olive Woodpeckers, 2 Uniform Antshrikes, 3 Bicolored Antvireos, 1 Parker´s Antbird, 1 Plain-backed Antpitta (heard), 1 Yellow-breasted Antpitta, 1 Ochre-breasted Antpitta, 2 Tatama Tapaculos, 2 Choco Tapaculos, 3 Nariño Tapaculos, 2 Wedge-billed Woodcreepers, 1 Spotted Woodcreeper, 1 Brown-billed Scythebill, 1 Buffy Tuftedcheek, 1 Streaked Tuftedcheek, 2 Buff-fronted Foliage-Gleaners, 2 Uniform Treehunters, 6 Fulvous-dotted Treerunners, 2 Red-faced Spinetails, 2 Rufous Spinetails, 2 Black-capped Tyrannulets, 1 Bronze-olive Pygmy-Tyrant, 1 Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant, 1 Streak-necked Flycatcher, 2 Black-throated Tody-Tyrants, 4 Handsome Flycatchers, 1 Scaled Fruiteater, 1 Golden-winged Manakin, 1 Club-winged Manakin, 1 Barred Becard, 2 Beautiful Jays, 2 Black-chested Jays, 2 Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireos, 2 Munchique Wood-Wrens, 1 Chestnut-breasted Wren, 6 Black Solitaires, 2 Glossy-black Thrushes, 2 Black-and-gold Tanagers, 5 Gold-ringed Tanagers, 2 Black-chested Mountain-Tanagers, 2 Black-chinned Mountain-Tanagers, 1 Purplish-mantled Tanager, 2 Glistening-green Tanagers, 1 Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer, 4 Dusky-faced Tanagers, 1 Buff-throated Saltator, 2 Black-headed Brush-Finches, 4 Olive Finches, 5 Tricolored Brush-Finches, 3 Dusky Bush-Finches, 4 Crested Ant-Tanagers, 2 Ochre-breasted Tanagers, 2 Golden-fronted Redstarts, 3 Orange-bellied Euphonias, 12 Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonias and 2 Yellow-collared Chlorophonias.

Overall, this was a very nice trip, with 377 species registered in 8 days of birding, of which 75 were lifers for Anthony.

Michelle (Leopoldina) & Anthony, having breakfast in the field, on top of Cerro Montezuma.