Andean Cock-of-the-Rock by Peter Price
Everything about the Andes is spectacular! From the Caribbean coasts of Venezuela and Colombia to South America’s southernmost tip in Patagonia, the longest and geologically youngest mountain chain on earth is a domineering physical presence. Crowned by a string of majestic snow-clad peaks along much of the range, this is one of the most seismically active places on the planet. In between the world’s highest active volcanoes, a myriad of distinct micro-climates and ecosystems characterize the peaks and ridges, valleys and wet-forested slopes. The Andes is a place of extremes with climatic, altitudinal and geographical extremes as wide as any. Within these stunning landscapes a mouth-watering bonanza of birding opportunities are on offer to suit all tastes and constitutions.
Birdwatching in the Andes is so far removed from the typical experiences of a birding excursion in Britain that it is difficult to describe the sheer excitement – and bewilderment! – when first faced with a cloud forest feeding flock deep inside the forested slopes of the Andes. Here the cloud forest is low and often impenetrably dense, with gnarled trees and abundant epiphytes – moss, ferns, orchids and large fountains of bromeliad leaves. The duller-coloured birds of the forest under storey and bamboo thickets most often reveal themselves by their voices. Being surrounding by chirps, twitter and birdsong, yet with no individual bird in sight, can create unbelievable tension. Anticipation builds, then suddenly the flock is upon you; you catch sight of a pair of gaudy Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanagers and maybe a whitestart or two. Instantly you are surrounded by birds foraging for insects and berries. Flycatchers, tanagers, warblers and cryptically-plumaged furnariids (ovenbirds) flick through the foliage. You catch the dazzling blue on that tanager, but there are half a dozen blue tanagers here – which was it? That was a glimpse of yellow….but where did it go? The diversity is mind-boggling. More than 1,000 bird species can be found along a single 200 kilometre transect from the western edge of the Amazon floodplain to the eastern Andean ridge top. Ah! I remember that bird from my homework with the field guide. Red-bellied…….or was it Chestnut-bellied? Or Orange-chested? Welcome to birding, Andean-style! The next encounter with a mixed flock yields good views and positive identification of five species and you are starting to get to grips with this dazzling new spectacle. Frustrating? Yes, initially. Exhilarating? Certainly!
Whilst being surrounded by a large mixed-species feeding flock is arguably the adrenaline-fuelled highlight of birding in the Andes, attractive side-shows are almost too numerous to mention. Many of the privately-owned lodges on the Andean slopes of Peru and Ecuador provide spectacular hummingbird viewing, with birds attracted by numerous sugar-water dispensing hummingbird feeders. Strictly an American family, ranging from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, these captivating, iridescent, glittering creatures reach their greatest diversity in the cloud forests of the Andes. Locations abound where it is possible to see over 20 species of “hummers” without switching hammocks! The names are evocative; Booted Racket-tail, Gorgeted Sunangel, Shining Sunbeam; the plumages stunning, and the photographic opportunities endless.
If the hummingbirds are the living jewels in the cloud forest drizzle, even they are surely eclipsed by the remarkable Cock of the Rock. A bright red, Jackdaw-sized bird, males romp strenuously and noisily on steep forested hillsides at displaying areas known as leks. Any cloud forest birding lodge worth its salt will be within striking distance of an active lek, for this is a spectacle not to be missed. Each bird competes to be the loudest and brightest performer to impress the females, which in comparison are rather drab. One of the largest and best-known Cock of the Rock leks is located in the pristine Manu cloud forest on the verdant eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andes. Cock of the Rock Lodge offers comfortable accommodation to visiting birders, and the area provides home for an impressive supporting cast including Spectacled Bears, Woolly and Brown Capuchin Monkeys and those mind-boggling mixed species feeding flocks.
Saffron-crowned Tanager by Peter Price
Sandwiched between the high snowy peaks are the inhospitable plains. In Bolivia, southern Peru, Chile and Argentina the altiplano tends to be dry (most precipitations fall as snow, sleet and hail in January and February) with intense radiation from the sun. Further north, in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela, this highland zone is known as the páramo. It consists mainly of moorland, with small streams trickling through a boggy landscape. No birding visit to the Andes would be complete without a visit to these cold, high elevation bogs in search of some of the special birds which have evolved to live here. The bogs of Marcopomacocha in central Peru are home to a strange and exquisite wader, the almost mythical Diademed Sandpiper-Plover. Papallacta Pass in Ecuador and Lauca National Park in Chile are good examples of other localities where it is possible to see an exciting range of high altitude species including seedsnipe, miners, canasteros, and members of an interesting genus of hummingbirds called hillstars, which enter a torpor-like state to save energy during the frigid nights.
Countries like Peru and Ecuador have seen many privately-owned lodges spring up in the last 10 years or so. Typically surrounded by bird-rich habitat, numerous hummingbird feeders, well-constructed trails and, importantly, birder-friendly staff used to providing pre-dawn breakfasts and packed lunches, birding in the Andean countries is not as complicated as it once was. Cities such as Caracas, Quito, Lima and Santiago de Chile are serviced on daily flights from London (albeit with a connection en-route). Fares in a competitive market have never been more attractive (notwithstanding the current fuel surcharges) and never have birders been better catered for in terms of pre-trip information. Plentiful birding reports with invaluable logistical information are freely available on the internet, and aficionados of neotropical birding have been spoilt in recent years with such superb field guides as Ridgely’s Birds of Ecuador and Hilty’s Birds of Colombia (ironically little-used in the country for which it was intended!) and Birds of Venezuela. Together with ground-breaking new site guides such as Thomas Valqui’s Where to Watch Birds in Peru, there is an unprecedented amount of information available on planning a birding holiday in the region.
If a group holiday with like-minded enthusiasts is for you, then Naturetrek offer an unparalleled selection of tours to the region. We will also put together tailor-made tours to suit your own particular requirements. With so much logistical information now available, some birders will be tempted to organise a DIY holiday. Whilst car rental is available in the major cities, and local bus services extensive and cheap, beware that English is very little understood even in the major cities, and even Spanish is of limited use in the more remote areas of southern Peru and Bolivia. It is essential to keep abreast of Foreign Office Travel Advice as your travel insurance policy can be invalidated if you ignore their advice.
What of add-ons to Andean itineraries? How about the Galapagos Islands, or macaw clay licks, oxbow lakes and canopy walkways deep within the Amazon Rainforest. Or a cultural element, with a visit to the ancient hub of the South American travel network, Cusco, and the World Heritage Site of Machu Picchu. Possibilities are endless in this, the most biologically diverse of continents.
(This article, originally published in BirdWatching magazine, was written by Andy Tucker who manages most of Naturetrek's tours to South America. If you are interested in travelling to South America with Naturetrek why not contact Andy by phone on 01962 733051 or email to discuss your holiday)