Upper Rio Napo

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Overview

Possibly the most accessible (at least from Quito) region offering access to eastern (Amazonian) tropical lowlands. Largest populated point of reference is Tena, at about 500 meters in elevation. Some visitor accommodations are found along the Rio Napo at Misahualli, and a few "jungle lodges" can be found a short distance downriver.

The best known Upper Rio Napo birding site is probably Jatun Sacha Biological Station (approximately 400 meters in elevation), owned and operated by Fundacion Jatun Sacha. According to Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) it 'encompasses several thousand hectares of primary terra firme forest, with smaller areas of secondary woodland and floodplain habitat". The reserve is positioned between the Rio Napo and the smaller Rio Arajuno, with trails reaching into forested habitats. The adjacent privately-owned Arajuno Jungle Lodge also offers a trail system that connects to that of Jatun Sacha.

In Tena itself a respectable list reportedly can be compiled at and around Hotel Auca, including trails along Rio Misahualli.

Nearby foothills & subtropical birding sites include Loreto Road, Pacto Sumaco, and Wildsumaco Lodge & Reserve.

Birds

Notable Species

A Jatun Sacha checklist (most recently updated 2008) compiled by Bonnie Bochan lists 563 species seen at or near the reserve, though the only status indicator included is for very rare species and for those species with no recent records. Of the 563 species listed, 459 are not coded as rare or recently undocumented. Notably among those are eight tinamou species, Masked Duck, Cocoi Heron, Striated Heron, Gray-headed Kite, Slender-billed Kite, Tiny Hawk, Slate-colored Hawk, Black-faced Hawk, four Forest-Falcons, Nocturnal Curassow, Salvin's Curassow, Marbled Wood-Quail, Sunbittern, Sungrebe, Yellow-billed Tern, Scaled Pigeon, Sapphire Quail-Dove, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, Red-bellied Macaw, Orange-cheeked Parrot, Hoatzin, Dark-billed Cuckoo, Black-bellied Cuckoo, Little Cuckoo, Pheasant Cuckoo, Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo, Black-banded Owl, Oilbird, Long-tailed Potoo, Ocellated Poorwill, Blackish Nightjar, Pale-tailed Barbthroat, Black-throated Hermit, Buff-tailed Sicklebill, Black-bellied Thorntail, Spangled Coquette, Black-chinned Sapphire, Fiery Topaz, Pavonine Quetzal, Blue-crowned Trogon, Black-throated Trogon, Broad-billed Motmot, four jacamars, Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Collared Puffbird, White-chested Puffbird, Lanceolated Monklet, Brown Nunlet, Yellow-billed Nunbird, Lemon-throated Barbet, Rufous-breasted Piculet, Red-necked Woodpecker, White-bellied Spinetail, Parker's Spinetail, Speckled Spinetail, Point-tailed Palmcreeper, Eastern Woodhaunter (or Striped Woodhaunter), Buff-throated Foliagegleaner, Brown-rumped Foliagegleaner, Chestnut-crowned Foliagegleaner, Long-tailed Woodcreeper, Ocellated Woodcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, ten antshrikes, ten antwrens, Blackish Antbird. Black Antbird, White-browed Antbird, Black Bushbird, Reddish-winged Bare-eye, Striated Antthrush, Scaled Antpitta, White-lored Antpitta. Thrushlike Antpitta, Ash-throated Gnateater, Ringed Antpipit, Sepia-capped Flycatcher, White-eyed Tody-Tyrant, Black-and-white Tody-Flycatcher, Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher, Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher, Brownish Twistwing, Fuscuous Flycatcher, Sulphury Flycatcher, Green Manakin, Dusky-capped Greenlet, Tawny-crowned Greenlet, Wing-banded Wren, Fulvous Shrike-Tanager, Slate-colored Grosbeak, Black-and-white Seedeater, Large-billed Seed-Finch, Black-billed Seed-Finch, four oropendolas, Ecuadorian Cacique

Rarities

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Check-list

Birders using Hotel Auca (or other Tena lodging) as a starting point or base of operations may see on the Hotel Auca grounds and along nearby riparian trails Little Tinamou, Roadside Hawk, Smooth-billed Ani, Tropical Screech-Owl, Common Pauraque, White-collared Swift, White-necked Jacobin, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Great-billed Hermit, Black-eared Fairy, Black-throated Mango, Spangled Coquette, Long-billed Starthroat, Glittering-throated Emerald, Napo Sabrewing, Ringed Kingfisher, Amazon Kingfisher, Gilded Barbet, Lemon-throated Barbet, Little Woodpecker, Spot-breasted Woodpecker, Blue-winged Parrotlet, Cobalt-winged Parakeet, Lined Antshrike, Stripe-chested Antwren, Peruvian Warbling-Antbird, Black Antbird, Orange-fronted Plushcrown, Dark-breasted Spinetail, Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet, Forest Elaenia, Large Elaenia, Mouse-colored Tyrannulet, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher, Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Olivaceous Flatbill, Little Ground-Tyrant, Long-tailed Tyrant, Piratic Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, White-bearded Manakin, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue-and-white Swallow, White-banded Swallow, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, Scaly-breasted Wren, House Wren, Black-capped Donacobius, Black-billed Thrush, Magpie Tanager, Orange-headed Tanager, White-shouldered Tanager, Masked Crimson Tanager, Silver-beaked Tanager, Blue-gray Tanager, Palm Tanager, Blue-necked Tanager, Yellow-bellied Tanager, Turquoise Tanager, Paradise Tanager, Swallow Tanager, Yellow-bellied Dacnis, Blue-black Grassquit, Caquetá Seedeater, Black-and-white Seedeater, Chestnut-bellied Seedeater. Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch, Bananaquit, Grayish Saltador, Yellow-browed Sparrow, Russet-backed Oropendola, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Thick-billed Euphonia, Golden-bellied Euphonia

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Other Wildlife

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Site Information

History and Use

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Areas of Interest

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Access and Facilities

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Contact Details

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External Links

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