Dates: March 17-26, 2026

Leaders: Paul Greenfield and Remigio Grefa

E-bird

Total Species: 310 birds

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Overall Summary

And again, our Northern Ecuador Hummingbird & Tanager Extravaganza delivered its magic! This weeklong “Relaxed & Easy” itinerary explored the western and eastern slopes of Ecuador’s colossal Andes cordillera, visiting several of South America’s prime hotspots at a comfortable pace. We initiated our travels from the capital city of Quito toward the northwest, climbing to a lofty 3,600 m.a.s.l. at Yanacocha Reserve, enjoying a nice start with our first wonderful hummingbirds: Shining Sunbeam, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Sword-billed Hummingbird, and Great Sapphirewing, with Black-chested and Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanagers, among others. We then continued downslope over the seriously weathered Paseo del Quinde EcoRoute to eventually stop at Mindo Cloudforest Foundation’s Pacha Quindi Reserve for Violet-tailed Sylph, White-booted Racket-tail, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Purple-throated Woodstar, and Toucan Barbets, among the highlights. As we advanced toward our destination, a pair of iconic Plate-billed Mountain-Toucans topped off our first (awesome) day.

Séptimo Paraíso Lodge became our comfortable “hub,” from which we visited several nearby west-slope sites at varying elevations. The lodge grounds, Milpe and Río Silanche Bird Sanctuaries, San Tadeo Birding, Frutti Tour, and Mashpi-Amagusa were our targets, and each produced exciting encounters. Among them: Green-fronted Lancebill, Purple-crowned Fairy, Velvet-purple Coronets, Empress Brilliants, Crowned Woodnymphs, Purple-chested Hummingbird, Blue-tailed (Chocó) Trogon, Orange-fronted Barbets, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Pale-mandibled Araçaris, Chocó Toucans, Rose-faced and Bronze-winged Parrots, Rufous-rumped Antwren, Zeledon’s Antbird, Golden-winged and Club-winged Manakins, Orange-breasted Fruiteaters, Speckled Nightingale-Thrush, Yellow-collared Chlorophonias, Moss-backed, Glistening-green, Rufous-throated, Beryl-spangled, Metallic-green, Flame-faced, and Scarlet-browed Tanagers, Black-chinned Mountain-Tanagers, Yellow-tufted and Scarlet-thighed Dacnises, Purple and Golden-collared Honeycreepers, and Black-winged Saltators. Our final “climb” back up the west slope added Mountain Velvetbreast, White-bellied Woodstars, Golden Grosbeaks, and Blue-capped Tanagers. So, Phase I of our Extravaganza had just concluded with 35 hummingbirds, by the way!

We initiated Phase II of our adventure with Western Emerald, Blue-and-yellow and Scrub Tanagers, and Rusty Flowerpiercer, before even loading our bus—and we ascended to Tambo Cóndor, with its active nectar feeders and impressive tundra-like paramo-zone vistas and steep cliffs. Here, we marveled at 13 Andean Condors in all their glory, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Carunculated Caracaras, and an impressive showing of amazing Giant Hummingbirds! What a way to jump-start the day! We then descended back to the inter-Andean valley and took a brief detour along the Sigsipamba road, finding Black-tailed Trainbearer, Tufted Tit-Tyrants, Hooded Siskins, and Band-tailed Seedeater. After climbing over the 3,962 m.a.s.l. pass and checking out Laguna Papallacta (Yellow-billed Pintail, Andean Teal, Andean Gull), we continued descending to Baeza for a lunch break, then advanced to La Brisa (a local birding garden) with Green Hermit, Long-tailed Sylph, Peruvian Racket-tails, Green-backed Hillstar, Violet-fronted Brilliants, and Gorgeted Woodstars. It was then time to beeline to Wildsumaco in the Amazonian foothills, where we came upon Speckled Chachalaca and Yellow-headed Caracaras sandbathing along the lodge’s entrance road. Once settled in, we had time for a taste of Wildsumaco’s hummingbird extravaganza.

Here, we enjoyed the lodge deck, explored nearby roadside habitat, the Coopmans Trail, and the lodge’s moth lights at dawn—each experience produced new delights. Among them: Blue-fronted Lancebill, Wire-crested Thorntail, Ecuadorian Piedtail, Black-throated Brilliant, Gould’s Jewelfront, Napo Sabrewing, Many-spotted Hummingbird, Golden-tailed Sapphires, our first Band-bellied Owl, Black-streaked Puffbird, Coppery-chested Jacamar, Gilded Barbets, Golden-collared Toucanets, Yellow-throated (Black-mandibled) and White-throated Toucans, Chestnut-fronted and Military Macaws, Lined Antshrikes, Western Fire-eyes, Black-faced and Common Scale-backed Antbirds, Plain-backed and Ochre-breasted Antpittas, Long-tailed Tapaculo, Short-tailed Antthrush, Black-billed Treehunters, White-crowned Manakin, Lemon-browed Flycatchers, Violaceous Jay, Paradise and (20!) Swallow Tanagers, and Bluish-gray Saltator.

We also drove to the community-run Amarun Pakcha Reserve; Remi located a Band-bellied Owl threesome in Guadua bamboo. We encountered a female Gray-breasted Sabrewing before walking to the main event, hearing strange grating screeches as we reached a nicely built lookout, where, lo and behold… up to 16 crash-paint-orange male Andean Cocks-of-the-Rock clambered about nearly everywhere! Surely, a sight to behold as a pair of Chestnut-eared Araçaris looked on. On our final afternoon there, we retraced our initial descent, with a few quick stops in mind—first, above the Río Hollín, we came upon a scattering of Cliff Flycatchers, then continuing onward to the village of Cosanga, where we spotted a distant male Torrent Duck.

Cabañas San Isidro is nestled in a rather idyllic setting, with clusters of cabins scattered about—it’s hard to believe that much of what is now forest was once cleared cattle pasture! With only one night here, we had to make the best of it, and I think we did! Aside from Collared Inca, Chestnut-breasted Coronets, a close Flavescent Flycatcher, Scarlet-rumped (Subtropical) Caciques, and Black-eared Hemispingus—as the day came to a close—our checklist session/dinner was interrupted by the San Isidro Mystery-Owl, probably most closely related to Black-banded Owl of the Amazonian lowlands. Nice finishing touch!

The following morning found us at the lodge deck to witness the dawn rush. Quite the spectacle, as multiple species paraded (literally) in our faces as if we didn’t exist! Masked Trogons, Andean Motmot, Barred Becards, Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrants, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Pale-edged Flycatcher, Black-billed Peppershrike, Green (Inca) Jays, Mountain Wren, Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, Chestnut-capped Brushfinches, and Saffron-crowned Tanager were all enjoyed at point-blank range! We later were treated to views of a White-bellied Antpitta before breakfast.

We then birded the remainder of the morning along the Las Caucheras Road, first spotting a Pale-eyed Thrush. We did rather well with the time remaining and came up with 25 Southern Lapwings, a male Golden-headed and three Crested Quetzals, a pair of Powerful Woodpeckers, Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatchers, and Andean Solitaire. We departed from San Isidro for our final return to the highlands, first revisiting Cosanga—this time the Torrent Duck pair was seen front-and-center for all to enjoy! On our way “home,” we stopped briefly at Guango Lodge, adding White-capped Dipper, Tourmaline Sunangel, Turquoise Jays, and Mountain Caciques.

And so, our journey came to be—with so many wonderful Neotropical specialties—58 hummingbirds and 59 tanagers included!

Day-by-Day Summary

March 17 - Group arrival at Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport; transfer to Hotel Quito

March 18 - Drive to and birding at Yanacocha Reserve; continue downslope along the Paseo del Quinde EcoRoute to Pacha Quindi Reserve; continue to Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve; EcoRoute to Séptimo Paraíso (Overnight: Séptimo Paraíso, Mindo Valley)

March 19 - Séptimo Paraíso: Pre-breakfast birding around the grounds; post-breakfast visit to Milpe Bird Sanctuary; midday R&R/optional birding at Séptimo Paraíso; afternoon to San Tadeo Birding (Overnight: Séptimo Paraíso, Mindo Valley)

March 20 - Morning at Río Silanche Bird Sanctuary, along entrance and exit roads; brief birding at Frutti Tour; lunch/midday at Séptimo Paraíso; afternoon along the Río Pachijal road and Séptimo entrance driveway (Overnight: Séptimo Paraíso, Mindo Valley)

March 21 - Morning at Mashpi-Amagusa Reserve; lunch at and departure from Séptimo Paraíso with stops at Los Armadillos Restaurant and Marak Sacha Reserve; drive to Puembo (Overnight: San José de Puembo, Puembo)

March 22 - Morning at Tambo Cóndor; birding stops along the Sigsipamba entrance road and briefly at Laguna de Papallacta; lunch at El Kopal Restaurant, Baeza; then stops at La Brisa and Narupa Gas Station; Wildsumaco entrance road and late afternoon at the lodge deck (Overnight: Wildsumaco Lodge, Pacto Sumaco)

March 23 - Dawn moth lights; roadside and lodge deck birding; afternoon birding at Amarun Pakcha
(Overnight: Wildsumaco Lodge, Pacto Sumaco)

March 24 - Dawn moth lights and forest feeding station; deck and roadside birding; lunch and departure from Wildsumaco with stops at Cliff Flycatcher site, Narupa Gas Station, and Cosanga Village, en route to Cabañas San Isidro (Overnight: Cabañas San Isidro, Cosanga)

March 25 - San Isidro: Lodge deck and antpitta feeding area; birding along Las Caucheras Road; lunch and departure from San Isidro; stop at Cosanga Village and briefly at Guango Lodge (and bridge); return to Puembo; final checklist session and farewell dinner (Overnight: San José de Puembo, Puembo; Extravaganza ends)

March 26 - Departures

Wildlife Seen: 

Black-mantled (Napo) Tamarin

Red-tailed Squirrel

Black Agouti

Central American Agouti

Tayra

White-tailed Deer

Red-eyed Dwarf-Iguana

Gallery