western and central andean endemics and choco specialties
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Colombia, with its diverse landscapes, is home to more bird species than any other country in the world.
With almost 2,000 species, be prepared to be in awe of the spectacular avifauna as we explore Colombia’s
lush cloud forests, wetlands, valleys, and high mountain plains on this 15-day adventure. Join Colombia Bird-
watch to this dynamic birding destination as we enjoy the culture, gastronomy and fine people Colombia has
to offer.
Amid the cloud forests surrounding the infamous KM 18, search for a variety of species as well as visit
an Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek. The birding is amazing, with mixed-species flocks of Multicolored, Purplish-
mantled, Scrub and Golden-naped Tanagers foraging among the mist-laden trees along side Green-and-Black
and Scaled Fruiteaters, Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia and Golden-headed and Crested Quetzal.
Spend time at a prolific wetland area in search of an assortment of shorebirds and waterbirds in the
Cauca Valley. The Sonso Lagoon is one of Colombia’s largest wetland reserves and home to Bare-faced Ibis,
Chestnut-naped Antpitta Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
COLOMBIAWestern and Central Andean Endemics, Cauca Valley and Choco
Specialties
Colombia is Magical Realism
Jul 1 - Jul 15, 2014Jan 6 - Jan 20, 2015Jul 1 - Jul 15, 2015
Jan 12 - Jan 26, 2016Mar 15 - Mar 29, 2016
Jul 1 - Jul 15, 2016
Cocoi Heron, White-throated Crake, Blackish Rail
and Wattled Jacana. With luck you may encounter
rare species such as Pinnated Bittern, Bar-crested
Antshrike, and the endemics Apical Flycatcher and
Grayish Piculet. Keep your eyes open for Horned
Screamer – a large bird that can be described as a
cross between a turkey and a goose.
In the Choco Bioregion, one of the wettest
and most biodiverse hotspots in the world, look for
the endemic Gold-ringed Tanager and Munchique
Wood-wren, and the near endemic Black Solitaire
and Orange-breasted Fruiteater. Then head to the
Otun-Quimbaya Sanctuary in search of the endemic
Cauca Guan and for the best views in the world of
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow. At the world-renown Rio Blanco
Reserve, hope for a variety of antpittas plus other spe-
cies along this altitudinal gradient. Soak in hot springs
overlooking the scenic Central Andes, and look for
species adapted to high elevations in Los Nevados
National Park with the beautiful Nevado del Ruiz as
a backdrop. Join us in a beautiful country with an
unsurpassed diversity of fauna and flora.
COST: $4,400 or £ 2,685 per person, double oc-
cupancy, not including airfare, singles extra. Single
Supplement: $500 or £ 305
AIRFARE: Approximately $900 from the USA, or
£840 from London, depending on origin.
GROUP SIZE: 8 participants, not including leaders.
NUMBER of DAYS: 15 days total, including estimat-
ed travel time.
Crested Quetzal
LEADER: Christopher Calonje, with local guides at
all locations.
ACCOMODATIONS: Our lodging will range from rus-
tic cabins to nice hotels.
OUR LEADER: Christopher Calonje was born and raised in
Colombia where his grandfather and parents instilled
an appreciation for the beautiful birds of Colombia
from a young age. He graduated with a degree in
Natural Resources Planning at Humboldt State Uni-
versity, located in Northern California, and worked ten
years as an environmental consultant in the Pacific
Northwest. Chris specializes in wetland science, bot-
any, and environmental education. He began leading
groups in 2008 in his native Colombia, founded Co-
lombia Birdwatch to promote responsible ecotourism,
and devotes his time to various non-profit conserva-
tion groups and local communities. His family and
Blue-winged Mountain-tanager Multicolored Tanager
Green-and-black Fruiteater
friends in Colombia have welcomed numerous tour
groups to their properties in all regions of Colombia.
DETAILED ITINERARY: Day 1 ~ Flights to Cali Your tour leader will meet you at the airport for
your transfer to the hotel.
Lodging: Hostal Santa Rita
Day 2 ~ El 18 and Andean Cock-of-the-rock Lek Today we spend the morning around the fa-
mous El 18, located on an 1800-meter (5,900-foot)
pass 18 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of Cali along
the road that connects Cali with the port city of Bue-
naventura. We will spend the day birding near the
hotel along a road that passes through fragments
of cloud forest usually with good mixed flock activ-
ity. Birding can be very productive here, and we will
look for four endemics – Chestnut Wood-Quail, Gray-
ish Piculet, handsome Flame-rumped Tanager, and
the spectacular Multicolored Tanager. This area is
a tanager paradise, where we have a good chance
to observe some stunning birds like Choco endemic
Purplish-mantled, Summer, Golden, near endemic
Scrub, Metallic-green, Saffron-crowned, and Golden-
naped tanagers as well as Ashy-throated Bush-Tana-
ger and Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager. We hope to
be dazzled by an impressive show of hummingbirds
Blue-naped Chlotophonia
Apical FlycatcherSpectacled Parrotlet
Bar-crested Ant-shrike Jet Antbird
Crested Ant-tanager
at a private house along the same road, including the
beautifully ornate Long-tailed Sylph, Purple-throated
Woodstar, Blue-headed Sapphire, Green Violetear,
Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Speckled Hummingbird, and
White-necked Jacobin. We also hope to find some
hummingbirds that lek in small groups such as the
Brown Violetear and Tawny-bellied Hermit.
Our next stop is Bichacue Yath reserve, a
beautiful moss and fairy garden that also offers great
birding opportunities. Nearby we will stop at a few
bridge crossings over the Felidia River searching for
more endemics – Crested Ant-tanager, Grayish Picu-
let, and Apical Flycatcher.
At 5 pm we will visit an active Andean Cock-
of-the-rock lek for some close-up views of this mag-
nificent bird’s display. This short, 10-minute walk will
take us down a steep hill to their lek near the river.
Then we will drive back to Cali for dinner and rest.
Lodging: Hostal Santa Rita
Day 3 ~ San Antonio Forest and Travel to Buga We will spend the morning birding in the pris-
tine sub-Andean cloud forest of the San Antonio For-
est, near El 18. Here we will bird along small grav-
el roads where we might see striking birds such as
Green-and-black Fruiteater, Chestnut-breasted Chlo-
rophonia, and Blue-naped Chlorophonia, inconspicu-
ous Golden-headed Quetzal, Scarlet-fronted Para-
keet, Red-faced Spinetail, Spotted and Rusty-winged
Barbtails, Streaked Xenops, and noisy, inquisitive
Crimson-rumped Toucanet. We will also listen and
search for species with interesting calls and songs,
like the hawk-like whistle of the Scaled Fruiteater,
warbling song of Black-billed Peppershrike, and beau-
tiful flute-like song of Andean Solitaire. Other species
we may find are Chestnut-breasted Wren, Greenish
Puffleg, large Montane woodcreeper, Scale-crested
Pygmy-tyrant, Choco endemic Nariño Tapaculo, and
hyperactive Cinnamon Flycatcher.
Then we will make our way towards Buga, a
Crimson-rumped Tucanet
marvelous city and one of the most important religious
pilgrimage centers in Colombia. Our colonial hotel has
a large swimming pool and impressive architecture.
Lodging: Hotel Guadalajara de Buga
Day 4 ~ Sonso Lagoon We will start early to take a 10-minute drive to
the wetland gem, Sonso Lagoon. This lagoon is one
of the only remaining wetlands in the Cauca Valley
and is teeming with birds, making it one of Colombia’s
best wetland birding locations. Here we will search
the marshes and lagoons that line the east bank of
the Cauca River for Fulvous and Black-bellied whis-
tling-ducks, Anhinga, Neotropical Cormorant, Little
Blue, Cocoi, and Striated herons, Snowy Egret, Black-
necked Stilt, gregarious Bare-faced Ibis, and Snail
Kite. We are likely to find Wattle Jacana, which have
a polyandry mating system, where females mate with
many males within a breeding season. Polyandry is a
fascinating adaptation that occurs in less than 1% of
birds, and is most common in shorebirds. We also will
look for species that spend the non-breeding season
in Colombia, such as locally rare Glossy Ibis, Cinna-
mon Teal, Lesser and Greater yellowlegs, and Spot-
ted and Least sandpipers.
Other rare species we might spot include Pin-
nated Bittern, endemic Apical Flycatcher, Roseate
Spoonbill, Ruby-topaz Hummingbird, and Horned
Screamer. Horned Screamers are closely related to
geese and have some bizarre morphological features
such as spurs on their wings used for fighting and air
sacs in their legs used to make sounds. Along ripar-
ian areas we may find Southern Lapwing, Greater Ani,
Ringed Kingfisher, Crested and Yellow-headed Cara-
cara, Spot-breasted Woodpecker, Southern Beard-
Sonso Lagoon
less-Tyrannulet, Mouse-coloured Tyrannulet, Yellow
Warbler, hard to visually identify Yellow-olive Flycatch-
er, Grey and Ruddy-breasted Seedeaters, Blue-black
Grassquit, and Cinereous Becard. Greater Anis are
fascinating because two to four unrelated pairs form a
nesting group that build a single nest in which all the
females lay their eggs and raise the young commu-
nally.
In nearby oxbows (called madres viejas in Co-
lombia) we hope to observe handsome birds such as
Jet Antbird, Orange-crowned Euphonia, and Fiery To-
paz plus Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher. We will have
lunch at the hotel and prepare for our 5 hour drive to
the Montezuma Lodge, which will require a transfer to
4x4 vehicles. Lodging: Montezuma Lodge
Day 5 ~ Montezuma Lodge
The Montezuma Lodge offers unsurpassed
hospitality and magnificent feeders and birding right
from the lodge, but we will save the feeders for later.
An early start will have us in search of Colombian en-
demics such as Gold-ringed Tanager and Chestnut
Wood-quail. If the weather is on our side, we will have
fantastic views of Cerro Tatama, with hopes of run-
ning into species such as the endemic Beautiful Jay,
Orange-breasted Fruiteater, White-faced Nunbird,
Glistening-green Tanager, Streak-capped Treehunter,
Linnetaed Foliage-gleaner, Olivaceous Piha, and Indi-
go Flowerpiercer. River crossing will give us a chance
for White-capped Dippper, and we won’t have to ven-
ture to far from the lodge to have chances for Toucan
Barbet, Black Solitaire, Choco Vireo and the beautiful
Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia.
White-tailed HillstarGolden-breasted Fruiteater
Violet-crowned WoodnymphGold-ringed Tanager
Lunch at the lodge will give us a chance to en-
joy the hummingbird feeders with visitors such as Vi-
olet-tailed Sylph, Empress Brilliant, White-tailed Hill-
star, and the near endemic Purple-throated Woodstar.
We will spend the afternoon birding the vicinity of the
lodge in preparation for a long ascent the following day.
Lodging: Montezuma Lodge
Day 6 ~ Higher elevations of Tatama National Park A
very early start will have us at the top of the hill by
sunrise, in hopes of making the best out of a long
day of birding. Our targets at he higher elevation are
the endemics Munchique Wood-wren and Chestnut-
bellied Flowerpiercer, which should be easy to see
in the open areas of the top of the hill. The long de-
scent will provide opportunities for some nice spe-
cies, including Flame-faced Tanager, Glossy-black
Thrush, Tanager Finch, and Black-and-gold, Rufous-
throated, and Golden-chested Tanagers. We will have
a picnic lunch along the way to maximize our bird-
ing, allowing time to get after forest skullkers such
as Spillman’s Tapaculo and Hooded Antpitta. A long
day if birding will come with the reward of an exqui-
site home-cooked meal and a good night’s sleep.
Lodging: Montezuma Lodge
Day 7 ~ Montezuma Lodge and travel to Otun-Quimbaya
Munchique Wood-wren
Broad-billed Motmot
After breakfast we will have time to enjoy the
banana feeders where Silver-throated Tanager, Buff-
throated Saltator, and Golden-naped Tanagers take
turns at the bananas in a semi-polite manner. Also,
the kitchen staff sets out maize for a population of
Blackis Rail that live in a nearby wetland, affording
great views of this usually hard-to-see bird. After lunch
we will head towards the Otun-Quimbaya Reserve,
which will be a 5 hour drive. We will drive through the
city of Pereira, and wind along the Otun River, finally
arriving at the locally run and rustic, La Suiza Lodge,
where we will spend the night.
Lodging: La Suiza Lodge Cabins
Day 8 ~ Otun-Quimbaya Reserve We will rise predawn to look for Choco endem-
ic Colombian Screech-Owl, and then continue birding
at the Otun-Quimbaya Reserve right at the doorsteps
of our hotel. The Otun-Quimbaya Reserve is a flora
and fauna sanctuary located on the west slope of the
Central Cordillera, and is home to the Wax Palm, pal-
ma de cera, the tallest palm in the world that grows
up to 70 meters (230 feet) and is the national tree of
Colombia. These palms, unlike most other species of
palm, thrive at high altitudes and cool climates found
here. We will also be received by the sounds of Howl-
er Monkeys and the endangered, endemic Cauca
Guan, once believed to be extinct until rediscovery of
a population in 1990.
Otun-Quimbaya is also one of the best places
in the world to observe Red-ruffed Fruitcrow. We will
search for endemics – Chestnut Wood-Quail, recently
described Stiles’s Tapaculo – and near endemics, like
Moustached Antpitta, the handsome Rufous-breast-
ed Flycatcher, and bright-colored Golden-fronted
Whitestart. Other impressive birds we hope to find
include Three-striped, Russet-crowned, and Canada
Warblers, Masked Trogon, Green Jay, Highland Mot-
mot, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, and Orange-bellied
Cauca Guan Red-ruffed Fruitcrow
Collared Trogon
Torrent Duck
Euphonia. We will also look for Black-billed Moun-
tain-Toucan, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Plumbeous-
crowned Tyrannulet, Marble-faced and Variegated
bristle-tyrants, and Glossy and Masked flowerpierc-
ers. Lodging: La Suiza Lodge Cabins
Day 9 ~ Otun-Quimbaya Reserve This morning we will devote time to finding the
infamous Torrent Duck. En route to Manizales, a 3.5-
hour drive, we will stop at a roadside lake where we
will be able to encounter more aquatic species includ-
ing Pied-billed Grebe, Masked Duck, and Blackish
Rail. We will spend the next two nights at the Rio
Blanco Reserve 30 minutes from Manizales, touted
as one of the three best birding sites in the world. Our
accommodations for the next two nights are rustic, but
comfortable and clean, and with unsurpassed hospi-
tality. Lodging: Rio Blanco Lodge
Day 10 ~ Rio Blanco Reserve Manizales is in the middle of the famed Coffee
Triangle, and is a great central location from which we
can visit several reserves that are inhabited by some
of Colombia’s most rare and threatened species. The
Rio Blanco Reserve is owned by Aguas de Maniza-
les, the local water company, and is situated along
an altitudinal gradient, therefore including a wide va-
riety of ecosystems. We could possibly observe five
antpitta species at feeders located within a short hike
from the lodge, including endemic and endangered
Brown-banded, Bicolored, Chestnut-crowned, Chest-
nut-naped, and Slate crowned antpittas. Other feeder
visitors seldom seen include Slaty-backed Nightingale
Thrush and Stripe-headed Brush-Finch. Additional
species observed in surrounding areas of the lodge
are endemic and endangered Rufous-fronted Para-
keet and the very rare Masked Saltator.
Many sought after species that we may en-
counter here include Tyrannine Woodcreeper, Gold-
en-fronted Whitestart, Dusky Piha, Lachrymose and
Buff-breasted mountain-tanagers, showy Grass-
green and White-capped tanagers, Powerful Wood-
pecker, and the hard to see Ocellated, Blackish, and
Spillman’s tapaculos. Other less common species
that are possible are Black-billed Peppershrike, the
handsome Plushcap, Mountain Cacique, and endan-
gered Golden-plumed Parakeet. Lodging: Rio Blanco
Lodge
Day 11 ~ Rio Blanco Reserve
Chestnur-crowned Antpitta Golden-plumed Parakeet
Today we will visit the reserve’s several well-
maintained hummingbird feeders that attract a great
variety of hummingbirds. We hope to see Tourmaline
Sunangel, Buff-tailed Coronet, Speckled Humming-
bird, Bronzy and Collared incas, Mountain Velvet-
breast, the tiny, slow-flying White-bellied Woodstar,
and the showy Long-tailed Sylph. This evening we
will drive back to Manizales to spend two nights at
Hotel Termales del Otono, where we can relax in its
mineral-rich, medicinal hot springs and enjoy scenic
views of the central Andes. Lodging: Hotel Termales
del Otono
Day 12 ~ Los Nevados National Park We will explore Los Nevados National Park,
located on the highest part of the Colombian central
Andes. We will wind through patches of forest that
open up to Paramo, an ecosystem of tropical grass-
lands above the treeline, toward the picturesque
5,300-meter (17,400-foot) volcano Nevado del Ruiz.
The scenery in Paramo is magical and surreal, with
velvety Frailejon plants adding to this effect. Frailejon
plants belong to the Espeletia genus and are endemic
to Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador.
We will reach elevations up to 3,950 meters
(13,000 feet), so it will be cold. Here we hope to find
species adapted to high elevations like near endemic
Bearded Helmetcrest and Rainbow-bearded Thornbill,
both of which sometimes forage on the ground, Virid-
ian Metaltail, Stout-billed Cinclodes, Brown-backed
Chat-Tyrant that often conspicuously perches at the
top of shrubs, the beautiful Golden-crowned Tana-
ger, near endemic Black-backed Bush-Tanager, and
Glossy Flowerpiercer. We may also find a variety of
seedeaters in the Paramo, including Plumbeous Sier-
ra-Finch plus Paramo and Plain-colored seedeaters.
We will search for the very rare and endan-
gered endemic Rufous-fronted Parakeet along a two-
kilometer stretch of road that passes through elfin for-
est, an ecosystem of dwarfed plants. We also hope
to spot the very tame Tawny Antpitta, a common com-
panion to this area. We will stop at a nearby glacial
lake, Laguna Negra, where we may find Many-striped
Bicolored Antpitta
Scarlet-bellied Mountain-tanager
Canastero, White-tailed Hawk, the rare Black-chested
Buzzard-Eagle, Andean Tit-Spinetail, White-chinned
Thistletail, Andean or Ruddy Duck, Andean Teal,
Grass or Sedge Wren, and Pale-naped Brush-Finch.
In the early evening we will explore Manizales then re-
turn to our hotel, where we can soak in the hot springs.
Lodging: Hotel Termales del Otono
Day 13 ~ Manizales to Cali for Cali city tour We’ll leave for Cali in time to see the best of this
city. We will tour San Antonio, one of the oldest and
most beloved neighborhoods in Cali, exploring the co-
lonial architecture and enjoying panoramic views of
the city. We will dine in San Antonio and return to the
hotel to relax and rest before tomorrow’s departure.
Lodging: Hotel Obelisco
Day 14 ~ Dolmetsch Arboretum We will have the morning to explore Cali and
then have lunch at the Dolmetsch Arboretum with the
director, Alvaro Calonje. The Dolmetsch Arboretum
houses more than 2,200 plants from around the world,
and is world-renown for its cycad collection, containing
more than 60 species. Cycads are an ancient group
of seed plants that are much less abundant than they
were during the Jurassic period, and their geographic
ranges have contracted, resulting in cycads being one
of the most threatened plant groups in the world. Be-
cause of the variety of plants at the arboretum, we can
see a good variety of birds, such as Green Jay, Ru-
fous-tailed Hummingbird, Crimson-rumped Toucanet,
Acorn Woodpecker, and Blackburnian Warbler.
Our farewell dinner will give us a chance to
reminisce on the good times and good birding that
Colombia, its people and its birds allowed us to have. Lodging: Hotel Obelisco
Day 15 ~ Flights homeward After breakfast, our agent will transfer you to
the Cali Airport, or you may choose to extend your
stay to see more amazing sites in South America.
Trip Includes:
Bottled Water Throughout the Trip
Snacks Throughout the Trip
All Meals From Breakfast on Day 2 to Breakfast on Day 15
All Lodging (Double Occupancy)
Entrances to Parks and Reserves
Local Guides
Terrestial Transport From Airport Pickup to Airport Drop-off
Bearded Helmetcrest
Manizales
Does not include:
Tips
Alcoholic Beverages
Insurance
Airfaire to Colombia
Laundry