Ecuador Birding Trip - Amazon Foothills and Andes Highlands - June, 2022

We originally planned an Indiana Audubon trip to Ecuador in 2020, but the the Covid pandemic hit and we were forced to wait until June of 2022 to finally take the trip. Airline trouble and social unrest in Ecuador were major obstacles, but thanks to our terrific leaders (Juan Diego Vargas of Lifer Nature Tours, Nelson Apolo Jaramillo, and Brad Bumgardner) we had a wonderful trip. Starting in Quito, we covered a wide variety of habitats and altitudes, and stayed at some beautiful lodges. We saw or heard over 400 species of birds (including 55 hummingbird species) as well as a wide variety mammals, reptiles, and insects.


Torrent Duck

Gray-headed Kite

Variable Hawk

Gray-lined Hawk

Carunculated Caracara

Dark-backed Wood-quail

Eared Dove

Striped Cuckoo

White-whiskered Hermit

Green Hermit

Gray-chinned Hermit

Green-fronted Lancebill

Sparkling Violetear

Lesser Violetear

Brown Violetear

Black-throated Mango

Tourmaline Sunangel

Wire-crested Thorntail

Green Thorntail

Speckled Hummingbird

Long-tailed Sylph

Violet-tailed Sylph

Black-tailed Trainbearer

Tyrian Metaltail

Shining Sunbeam

Collared Inca

Buff-winged Starfrontlet

Sword-billed Hummingbird

Buff-tailed Coronet

Chestnut-breasted Coronet

Velvet-purple Coronet

Booted Racket-tail

Purple-bibbed Whitetip

Rufous-vented Whitetip

Black-throated Brilliant

Gould's Jewelfront

Fawn-breasted Brilliant

Empress Brilliant

Napo Sabrewing

Giant Hummingbird

White-bellied Woodstar

Purple-throated Woodstar

Western Emerald

Fork-tailed Woodnymph

Many-spotted Hummingbird

Golden-tailed Sapphire

Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe

Golden-headed Quetzal

Blue-tailed Trogon

Green-backed Trogon

Masked Trogon

Rufous Motmot

Broad-billed Motmot

Barred Puffbird

Orange-fronted Barbet

Red-headed Barbet

Toucan Barbet

Crimson-rumped Toucanet

Plate-billed Mountain-toucan

Crimson-mantled Woodpecker

Crimson-rumped Toucanet

Rose-faced Parrot

Giant Antpitta

Moustached Antpitta

Plain-backed Antpitta

Yellow-breasted Antpitta

Ochre-breasted Antpitta

Strong-billed Woodcreeper

Montane Woodcreeper

Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner

Buffy Tuftedcheek

Red-crested Cotinga

Andean Cock-of-the-rock (eastern form)

Andean Cock-of-the-rock (western form)

Long-wattled Umbrellabird

Olive-striped Flycatcher

Marble-faced Bristle-tyrant

Rufous-crowned Tody-flycatcher

Cinnamon Flycatcher

Cliff Flycatcher

Ornate Flycatcher

Smoke-colored Pewee

Vermilion Flycatcher

Pale-edged Flycatcher

Golden-crowned Flycatcher

Black-billed Peppershrike

Turquoise Jay

Green Jay (Inca form)

Black-capped Donacobius

Great Thrush

Golden-rumped Euphonia

Thick-billed Euphonia

Orange-bellied Euphonia

Chestnut-capped Brushfinch

Three-striped Warbler

Russet-crowned Warbler

Spectacled Redstart

Magpie Tanager

Flame-rumped Tanager

Silver-beaked Tanager

Moss-backed Tanager

Blue-winged Mountain-tanager

Black-chinned Mountain-tanager

Blue-and-yellow Tanager

Glistening-green Tanager

Rufous-throated Tanager

Golden-naped Tanager

Blue-necked Tanager

Beryl-spangled Tanager

Rufous-winged Tanager

Flame-faced Tanager

Golden Tanager

Black-faced Dacnis

Scarlet-breasted Dacnis

Golden-collared Honeycreeper

Black Flowerpiercer

Deep-blue Flowerpiercer

Saffron Finch

Black-winged Saltator

Slate-colored Grosbeak

Scenes from our trip


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