Many Countries in One: David Ascanio on the Magic of Colombia
Colombia is a country that rewards curiosity. For birders, it offers an extraordinary combination of abundance, beauty, complexity, and surprise. For travelers, it offers something equally memorable: a landscape shaped by mountains, rivers, forests, plains, and people whose warmth is felt from the first day of the journey.
For VENT tour leader David Ascanio, Colombia is not easily summarized. When asked how he would describe the country to someone who has never been there, his answer is simple and telling: “Many countries in one.”
That sense of variety is central to what makes Colombia such a remarkable destination. Its birdlife is among the richest in the world, but its appeal goes well beyond numbers. Colombia is a place where each change in elevation, habitat, and region reveals something new: a different landscape, a different community, a different rhythm of life, and often, a new bird.
A Country of Extraordinary Birdlife
David was first drawn to Colombia by its richness of birds and habitats. That richness is not accidental. Colombia’s geography is remarkably complex, with an impressive river network, three Andean mountain ranges, portions of the Llanos of the Orinoco, areas influenced by the Guianan region, and a connection to the Amazon. Together, these landscapes create one of the most varied birding destinations in the Neotropics.
For travelers, this means that a single VENT tour can move from wetland to cloud forest, from vast plains to Amazonian rainforest. That constant movement through habitat is, in David’s view, one of the great strengths of VENT’s Colombia itineraries.
It also means that the possibility of discovery is unusually high. For newer birders, this creates a remarkable learning environment: a place to observe many bird families and begin to understand how they relate to the habitats around them. For experienced birders, Colombia offers something equally compelling: a large number of endemic and restricted-distribution species.
Among the birds travelers are often most excited to see are the Multicolored Tanager, Buffy Helmetcrest, Crescent-faced Antpitta, Yellow-eared Parrot, and Crested Ant-Tanager. Yet David’s own favorite is a more personal choice: the female Red-headed Barbet, which he affectionately calls “the love of my life.”
Beyond the Birds: People, Culture, and Conservation
While Colombia’s birds are a powerful draw, David is equally moved by the people and communities that protect the places VENT visits.
“When I visit birding sites,” he says, “there is always a local person that cares for the birds and their habitats.” To David, the commitment of these local experts and communities has “no parallel in South America.”
This is an essential part of the Colombia experience. Many of the areas visited by VENT are preserved or supported by local people, organizations, and communities. VENT’s presence helps support these efforts, while also connecting travelers with the people who know and care for these places most deeply.
David describes Colombians as people with “a genuine smile.” As travelers move through the country’s many habitats, they also encounter its cultural richness. The experience of Colombia is not just about seeing birds in different landscapes, but about understanding how nature, place, and people are intertwined.
David’s Favorite Colombia Experiences
Asked to choose a favorite VENT Colombia tour, David admits it is a difficult task. “It is like visiting a restaurant offering international cuisine and liking all the options,” he says.
Still, each region offers something distinct.
In Inírida, David loves the challenge and the sense of “breaking a new birding frontier.” In the Llanos, he is drawn to the wildlife and cowboy culture of the vast Orinoco plains. In the Andes, he loves the abundance of tanagers and hummingbirds.
For first-time visitors to Colombia, David recommends the Llanos tour or Diverse West Bogotá as excellent introductions. Both offer distinctive birdlife, and the birds are relatively easy to learn and understand. For travelers ready to explore more deeply, he often points toward VENT’s January “trilogy” of Colombia tours, which can be taken individually or combined. From there, travelers might continue with one of VENT’s relaxed and easy itineraries, the Central Andes Antpitta Extravaganza, or eventually pursue endemics and restricted-range species in Inírida and the Santa Marta Mountains.
The tour David recommends most often is Hummingbirds & Tanagers of the Western Andes, a fitting choice for a country where color, elevation, and biodiversity come together so dramatically.
The Perfect Colombia Birding Day
For David, a perfect day in Colombia begins simply: an early breakfast with Colombian coffee, followed by a walk in the cloud forest to watch feeding flocks. It is an image that captures the essence of birding in Colombia: anticipation, beauty, movement, and discovery.
He also offers one practical piece of advice for travelers. Colombia has a complex avifauna, and travelers with specific hopes or target species should share those expectations with their VENT leader. Doing so helps the leader recommend the best departure and shape the experience around each traveler’s interests.
Above all, David believes Colombia is unforgettable because it captures people quickly.
“You will love it from the very first day of the tour,” he says.
For travelers seeking a destination rich in birds, landscapes, culture, and conservation, Colombia offers an experience that is both expansive and deeply personal — a country of many worlds, and one of the great birding destinations of the Americas.