Wednesday, 16 April 2025

A Quest Nature Tour to Colombia: Tour Extension To Los Llanos

The topography of Colombia is dominated by the Andes. While manifested as a single mountain range from Ecuador southwards, the mountains split into three ranges (or cordilleras) near the Colombia/Ecuador border, and these three ranges span the length of Colombia from this southern border towards Venezuela in the northeast. Despite the vast amount of territory contained by these cordilleras (and their associated river valleys), around half of Colombia consists of flat lowlands, especially east of the mountains. 

Burrowing Owls

In general, this eastern half of Colombia consists of the humid Amazon rainforest to the south and drier plains to the north. These plains (los llanos in Spanish) are productive areas for raising cattle and other livestock, similar to the plains found in parts of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil in the south of the continent. Forests are more limited and the land is a mosaic of seasonal wetlands, open savannahs, palm swamps and gallery forest along the productive rivers. 



After the conclusion of the main tour, four travellers joined local guide Cris and I for a visit to these eastern plains. We would be staying at Juan Solito Ecolodge, located within a massive ranch called Hato La Aurora.  Cattle roam across the landscape, coexisting with the abundant wildlife that thrives in this region. The ecological health of this ranch is relatively high since the cattle are at a low density and all of the original forest cover has been preserved. Jaguars in particular can be found in good numbers while Green Anacondas are frequently observed in the numerous wetlands dotting the property. 

Orinoco Geese

Sharp-tailed Ibis

Our visit would be coinciding with the dry season. While at certain times of the year the wetlands stretch across the landscape, at this time of year they are much reduced in size. This concentrates the many mammals, reptiles and birds that rely on these life-giving wetlands. 

Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

Scarlet Ibises

The temperatures are very high here in the lowlands and so we prioritized being out early and late in the day when species are the most active. Dawn in this region is spectacular with nearly every bird being vocal and we typically crossed the 100 species threshold each day by 8 or 9 AM. 

Burnished-buff Tanager

Black-crested Antshrike

Masked Cardinal

Double-striped Thick-knee

Nacunda Nighthawk

Several birds found here are endemic to the plains of northeastern Colombia and western Venezuela, including Pale-headed Jacamar, Venezuelan Troupial, Sharp-tailed Ibis, Crestless Curassow and White-bearded Flycatcher. We succeeded with all of them, with the jacamar, flycatcher and ibis easily found around the lodge!

Pale-headed Jacamar

White-bearded Flycatcher

Venezuelan Troupial

Much of our exploration was done from a safari-style pick-up truck that had two rows of padded seats in the bed and a roof sheltering us from the sun. 

Our truck

We followed dirt tracks throughout the vast expanses of the ranch, visiting various wetlands and forest habitats. The wetland birds were especially numerous - seven species of ibis, hundreds of White-faced and Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, herds of Capybaras, innumerable herons, egrets and jacanas, and much more. In our four-night stay we found around 180 bird species. 

Scarlet Macaw

Large-billed Tern

Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)

Roseate Spoonbill

We kept an eye out for reptiles and encountered quite a few species, including a couple of big targets, figuratively and literally! We found an adult Orinoco Crocodile (along with dozens of Spectacled Caimans). The Orinoco Crocodile is a critically endangered species endemic to this ecoregion, and only a few hundred remain in the wild. 

Orinoco Crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius)

Orinoco Crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius)

The other "big" target was Green Anaconda, and we succeeded with finding three individuals! Most impressive was a huge female, likely over 5 meters in length, that was mating with a much smaller male in a shallow wetland. This was, by far, the biggest snake I had ever seen. 

Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)


Green Anaconda

Other reptile highlights included Cryptic Golden Tegu and Savannah Side-necked Turtle. 

Savannah Side-necked Turtle (Podocnemis vogli)

Though our main target was undoubtedly the Jaguar, I still placed the odds of finding this secretive species fairly low. We had struck out on the previous trip in 2022 and I did not want to get my hopes up. And during our first few days, we had no luck despite spending some time in some of the better areas where they are occasionally seen. Then, one afternoon as we were bumping along a dirt track, our local guide Jovani suddenly shout-whispered "Jaguar! Jaguar!". There, only 50 meters from us, was this absolutely magnificent Jaguar slinking through the grasses. The encounter lasted only around 15 seconds or so but it was unforgettable. 

Jaguar (Panthera onca)

Jaguar (Panthera onca)

The Jaguar was an exciting way to close out an amazing tour extension to the Juan Solito Ecolodge. I hope to return one day!

Friday, 11 April 2025

A Quest Nature Tour to Colombia's Central Andes

I have recently returned from an excellent tour to Colombia that I led for Quest Nature Tours. This was my third time guiding in Colombia, following excellent trips in 2020 and 2022. Those previous tours covered a lot of ground, in the eastern Andes near Bogotá, the Central Andes between Pereira and Medellín, and the Santa Marta Mountains and Guajira Desert located in the far north. This 2025 tour was different as we only focused on the Central Andes portion over ten days. This eliminated all of the internal flights, it cut down on driving time, and it allowed us to have more time to thoroughly explore each site. Following the main tour, I traveled to the Juan Solito Ecolodge in the northeast of the country with four of the travellers and our local guide Cris, where we had four nights in the llanos to search for a huge array of birds as well as other specialties of the region including Jaguar and Green Anaconda. 

Crescent-faced Antpitta

Andean Cock-of-the-Rock

Bar-crested Antshrike

Twelve enthusiastic travellers joined Cris and I in the town of La Florida, situated a short drive from the beautiful montane forests of Otún Quimbaya. As dawn broke, a Rufous-bellied Nighthawk flew over the clearing at El Cedral, and we experienced a delicious Colombian breakfast while listening to the dawn chorus. For the rest of the morning we marvelled at mixed bird flocks and enjoyed the high diversity of this region. The Cauca Guan is an endangered species found in a small region of the central Andes of Colombia, and we succeeded with amazing views of them. We also studied White-capped Tanagers, Red-ruffed Fruitcrows, Andean Motmots and Pale-eyed Thrushes, while mixed flocks contained the endemic Multicoloured Tanager and scarce flycatchers like the Variegated Bristle-Tyrant and Bronze-olive Pygmy-Tyrant. Meanwhile, Torrent Ducks were easily found along the Río Otún which was flowing quickly after the recent rains. A feast for the senses!

Cauca Guans

Vettius sp.

Black Phoebe

Andean Motmot

Red-ruffed Fruitcrow

Torrent Duck

We moved on to a site just west of Manizales called Hotel Tinamú Birding Nature Reserve. This is a relatively new property that I had never visited before. It consists of regenerating dry forest in an area that formerly contained coffee plantations, and the species composition is much different than the humid montane forest we had just left at Otún Quimbaya. Our comfortable rooms were located in a clearing in the forest, and active tanager and hummingbird feeders could be enjoyed from our front porches. 

Blue-gray Tanager

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

Some of the bird specialties at Hotel Tinamú include a couple of localized species that have been trained to come into feeding stations - the Gray-headed Dove and Blue-lored Antbird (we succeeded with both). We found leks of Golden-collared Manakin and Green Hermit, while birding the road in scrubbier areas produced Colombian Speckle-breasted Wren, Bar-crested Antshrike, Ultramarine Grosbeak and, best of all, a quartet of Greyish Piculets (an endemic species to this valley) which provided incredible, "walk-away" views. 

Blue-lored Antbird

Streaked Flycatcher

Grayish Piculets

One evening, I set up my moth trap in the garden which produced a nice variety of moths, rove beetles, stone flies, leafhoppers, scarabs and much more!

Unidentified leafhopper (family Cicadellidae)

Eois camptographata

Unidentified stonefly (family Perlidae)

Unidentified leafhopper (family Cicadellidae)

Pelidnota prasina

Oxyptera laeta

We moved eastwards towards the imposing Los Nevados National Park, where several volcanoes reach high above 4000 m in elevation. Before reaching these heights, we spent two days in montane forest at different elevations: Owl's Watch at around 2600 m, and Hacienda El Bosque at 3100 m. This gave our bodies time to acclimate to the elevation differences, while it also afforded us the chance to find a high diversity of birds that we wouldn't see elsewhere on the tour. 

Hooded Mountain-Tanager

Blue-capped Tanager

At Owl's Watch we had amazing encounters with Black-billed Mountain-Toucans and an endemic Brown-banded Antpitta, both of which came into feeding stations. Though we dealt with persistent rain and fog this day, the birding was still very active with many species including White-throated Daggerbill, Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, a dozen hummingbird species and a recently-fledged White-capped Dipper.

Black-billed Mountain-Toucan

Long-tailed Sylph

Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher

Hacienda El Bosque is a must-visit site for any birder in the Manizales area. This property was amazing during my first visit in 2020 and it has only been improved. The star of the show, a Crescent-faced Antpitta, is still attending a feeding station, as are Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucans, Equatorial Antpittas, Andean and Sickle-winged Guans, White-browed Spinetails, Barred Fruiteaters, Hooded Mountain-Tanagers and Grass Wrens, among other species! And to top it off, a new restaurant has been built at the upper elevations where we enjoyed one of the best lunches of the trip. 

Crescent-faced Antpitta

Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan

Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan

Sickle-winged Guan

Grass Wren

Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant

Barred Fruiteater

Hummingbird diversity was high and we observed the species with the longest bill (Sword-billed Hummingbird) and the shortest bill (Purple-backed Thornbill). A distant Andean Pygmy-Owl called from up the hillside and we found a nice mixed flock as well. We all came away with many highlights and photos from Hacienda El Bosque!

Sword-billed Hummingbird

Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant

Our base for the next two nights was the picturesque Termales del Ruiz hotel, situated in the upper reaches of the cloud forest at 3500 m. Not only is this hotel conveniently located to explore Los Nevados National Park, but the hummingbird feeders are very active while the birding along the roadside can be excellent. And of course, going for a dip in the lovely waters of the hot springs feels fantastic after a day of birding.

Tawny Antpitta

  We lucked out with clear weather during our morning near the gates for the national park. 

Overlooking Los Nevados National Park

This was the highest elevation that we would see on this trip at 4138 m, and it is at this site where a unique hummingbird can be found. The Buffy Helmetcrest is a specialist of the páramo habitat and Los Nevados National Park is the only place in the world where it can be sought out. The temperatures are only a few degrees above freezing every single night of the year, and this solidly-built hummingbird can withstand these tough environmental conditions and even thrive in them. We experienced amazing views of a male Buffy Helmetcrest, along other high-elevation specialists like Andean Tit-Spinetail, Tawny Antpitta and Viridian Metaltail. 

Buffy Helmetcrest

We explored some other habitats slightly lower down on this mountain. An alpine lake held several Andean Teals and Andean Ducks, while we successfully called in a Páramo Tapaculo to the roadside, allowing great views for everyone. Mixed flocks in the higher montane forest held species like Blue-backed Conebill, Great Sapphirewing, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager and Crowned Chat-Tyrant, while we also heard Ocellated Tapaculos and Equatorial Antpittas. Unfortunately, the scarce Rufous-fronted Parakeets mostly eluded us, as we had a quick flyover in the fog and nothing more. The plant life in the páramo is surprisingly diverse and we encountered many interesting and showy species.

Páramo Tapaculo

Senecio formosus

Barberry (Berberis sp.)

Eccremocarpus viridis

We left the cool temperatures of the high Andes behind and ventured northward along the Cauca Valley to the town of Jardín, our base for the next three nights. Situated on the eastern flank of the western Andes, the verdant, epiphyte-laden forest is one of the few strongholds of the endangered Yellow-eared Parrot. This species is an example of a conservation success story in Colombia. Mainly because of habitat restoration (including the regeneration of wax palms, its nesting tree) and an extensive education campaign, the numbers of this beautiful parrot have rebounded from just 81 known individuals in 1999 to around 2,600 individuals today. We were treated to great flyover views of at least 25 individuals; a welcome sight especially considering the previous low numbers of this species. We also succeeded with the endemic Chamí Antpitta as well as a Chestnut-naped Antpitta, while the meals that we were served by a local family at El Roble were some of the best of the trip! 

Chestnut-naped Antpitta

Chamí Antpitta

Yellow-eared Parrots

Buff-tailed Coronet

The town of Jardín is also home to two avian spectacles that have to be seen to be believed. For several decades, a lekking ground for the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock has persisted on the outskirts of town. Males strut their stuff, showcasing their slick dance moves and outrageous plumage for the more subdued females. She watches quietly from her perch, her discerning eye picking the male that is most fit to be the father of her future offspring.  Watching this exhibition at arms-length was cited as a trip highlight for everyone. 

Andean Cock-of-the-Rock

Moustached Puffbird

The other spectacle that we were lucky to witness was a nesting area for the Oilbird. The Oilbird is one of the strangest bird species found in the Neotropics. Though superficially resembling a nightjar, they are in fact the only living member of the family Steatornithidae as well as the order Steaornithiformes. Oilbirds are unique in that they are a nocturnal frugivore, while they also use a primitive form of echolocation! Oilbirds roost somewhere secluded during the day, often deep in a cave or within an inaccessible gorge next to a flowing river, and at night they get to work. Oilbirds fly around in search of lipid-rich oil palms or tropical laurel fruits. They are well-adapted to this as they possess extremely large, sensitive eyes, while they also produce audible clicking sounds which act as a sort of echolocation. Their behaviour is more like a fruit bat than any bird.

Oilbirds

Oilbirds

Crossing the river near Jardín, Antioquia, Colombia

To see these Oilbirds, we embarked on a long walk deep into the gorge of a montane river, then crossed the river via a swinging bridge (while using a safety harness) to get to the site opposite the Oilbird nests. In case you were wondering, the nests are made entirely out of bird droppings. It was a privilege to spend some time near these unique birds! At this site we also enjoyed a very productive feeder setup that hosted several other endemic Colombian birds - the Red-bellied Grackle and Colombian Chachalaca. 

Red-bellied Grackle

Green Jay

Colombian Chachalaca

On our final day of the tour we began with a morning of exploration in the dry forests next to the Cauca River near the town of Bolombolo. The species composition here was different, yet again. We had two main bird targets here, both being endemic species to this valley, including the Apical Flycatcher and Antioquia Wren. We succeeded with both while we also found Scarlet-fronted Parakeet, Moustached Puffbird, Black-striped Sparrow and Greyish Piculet, along with dozens of butterflies. 

Apical Flycatcher

Cydno Longwing (Heliconius cydno)

Before arriving at our hotel in Medellín for our farewell dinner, we had one final stop in store. La Romera National Reserve is one of the best places in the world to see the Colombian near-endemic Yellow-headed Manakin. It took a while but eventually we were all awarded with excellent views of this difficult species.

Yellow-headed Manakin

And in the final few minutes, as we were getting ready to leave, I finally found a snake for the group, an Equatorial Mussarana which was even a new species for yours truly. An excellent way to wrap up a hugely successful tour! 

Equatorial Mussurana (Clelia equatoriana)

Equatorial Mussurana (Clelia equatoriana)

My next post will document our tour extension to the Juan Solito Ecolodge in the northeast of the country.