Overview
With almost 1900 species, Colombia is the world's most bird-rich nation. It also boosts 76 endemics and 109 near-endemics of the 1,880 species recorded. So why is this not the Mecca of the birding world? Since the 1960s a narco-guerrilla war across Colombia has deterred all visitors and given Colombia a bad reputation. However, for the past decade Colombians voted in hard line politicians that have turned the country around and largely destroyed the guerrilla, pushing them back into the most remote areas (like what Peru did in the 1990s). Recent years has seen a large resurgence of birders safely visiting sites across Colombia, with over 20 national and international birding companies [1] leading the way.
Colombia has so much to offer, not just spectacular landscapes and more birds than any other country! What is most impressive about Colombia is the people - despite suffering decades of bloody war (the longest running civil conflict in the Americas no less) they are the most friendly people, embracing and welcoming foreigners and visitors. Now is the time to start birding in Colombia.
Despite few foreign birders visiting Colombia, Colombians have been busy birding and build up a long list of birding sites to find rare and endemic birds. Facilities at many sites remain quite rustic and it is not as comfortable as birding in Ecuador, Kenya and other typical tropical birding destinations.
As there is no guide to the birding sites in Colombia, this page will be dedicated to the top "must visit birding sites" with the most specialist species to help guide first visitors to Colombia. We have asked experienced members of the forum to recommend and detail their top five birding sites in Colombia one should/must visit with the highest number of endemics, but also considering birding facilities, e.g. trails, proximity to hotels/lodges, etc. Based on forum member recommendations, we shall detail the top sites and provide future visitors with extra information.
Top five birding sites in Colombia:
Based on recommendations from many birders and public contributions from Robert Giles, Avery Bartels and Trevor Ellery, the following five areas are the places to visit to see Colombia's many endemics:
1. El Dorado Bird Reserve and Lodge in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Mountains (21 endemics) 2. Las Tangaras and Colibri del Sol Reserves in Antioquia/Choco (16 endemics) 3. Cerulean Warbler and Pauxi Pauxi Reserve in Santander (12 Endemics) 4. Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve in Antioquia (9 Endemics) 5. Paujil Reserve in Boyaca (6 Endemics)
Secondary areas: 6. Parque La Florida, Bogota: 3 endemics (Bogotá Rail, Silvery-throated Spinetail, Apolinar's Wren) 7. Monterredondo, Cundinamarca: 2 endemics (Cundinamarca Antpitta and Brown-breasted Parakeet). 8. Bahia Solano: one key endemic (Baudo Oropendola). Plus many other great sites with endemics and good facilities, for example: La Suiza lodge, El Paujil reserve, Rio Blanco reserve, Colourful Puffleg reserve, La Victoria, El Cairo, Fuertes reserve, La Florida park, Los Flamencos sanctuary, Chingaza national park, etc., with species overlapping at sites above.
El Dorado Bird Reserve and Lodge
Without any doubt, this is the top birding site in Colombia if not the entire tropics. This wonderful reserve with great facilities is perched on the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Mountains - the highest coastal mountain on earth and Can easily be combined with visiting Minca and the north coast of Colombia (Guajira endemics)
On Colombia's Caribbean shores stands the highest coastal mountain on earth. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is a corrugated pyramid of rock that rises almost four miles high a a microcosm of the whole planet but with a flora and fauna much her own. Just twenty-five miles from the steaming and lush tropical lowland forests there are snowy arctic peaks with year-round sub-zero temperatures. Almost every point on the temperature and rainfall continua is represented. Parts of the Sierra are desert, others tropical rainforest, mountane cloud forest, dwarf and alpine forests. In theory, almost every animal and every plant from anywhere on the world could find a place that looks like home somewhere in the sierra.
Everything is trapped in the pocket environment to which it is adapted. Anyone that studies the sierra must see it as a totality; it's a planet in miniature.
Endemic and notable birds 22 endemics (all but one Sierra Nevada endemic [Santa Marta Wren]), 18 threatened species, 333 bird species, with a birding lodge, trails, hummingbird and antpitta feeders. Endemics that can be seen in the reserve and around the lodge: 1. Santa Marta Parakeet 2. Santa Marta Screech Owl 3. Blossomcrown 4. Black-Backed Thornbill 5. White-tailed Starfrontlet 6. Santa Marta Woodstar 7. Santa Marta Sabrewing 8. Rusty-headed Spinetail 9. Streak-capped Spinetail 10. Santa Marta Foliage Gleaner 11. Santa Marta Antpitta 12. Brown-rumped Tapaculo 13. Santa Marta Tapaculo 14. Santa Marta Bush Tyrant 15. Santa Marta Mountain Tanager 16. Colombian Brush Finch 17. Santa Marta Brush Finch 18. Colombian Brush Finch 19. Yellow-Crowned Whitestart 20. White-lored Warbler 21. Santa Marta Warbler 22. Santa Marta Toucanet. Another Colombian endemic, Chestnut-winged Chachalaca (23), can be found fairly easily near Santa Marta airport.
Access and Facilities Barranquilla Airport - 4 Hours (flights from Miami and Panama City) Santa Marta Airport - 3 Hours. It is possible to take a taxi from either airport or from the City of Santa Marta to the town of Minca. From Minca a 4x4 jeep is needed to the lodge.
El Dorado Bird Lodge has excellent facilities including: --6 spacious Rooms (4 more under construction) for groups of 16 or more. --Dining Room, Pub and Observation Balcony --Great Food --Small library --Plethora of Hummingbird feeders (4 endemic hummers visiting) --Fruit feeders with great photo opportunities --Antpitta feeding station (attracting SM Antpitta and Colombian Brush Finch) --Compost Heap - especially favoured by Black-fronted Wood Quail and both endemic Brush Finches. --Crab-eating Foxes visiting nightly. --Night Monkeys sometimes visit fruiting tree opposite lodge balcony.
Further information
A video of the reserve: [3]
The spectacular view form the lodge can be seen here [4]
Las Tangaras and Colibri del Sol Reserves and area
in Antioquia/Choco
Endemic and notable birds 16 endemics
Las Tangaras bird reserve has 6+ endemics, 14+ threatened, 200+ species (just started a list). Trails and hummingbird feeders. A bird lodge is being constructed here (ready early 2011); 4 hours from Medellin.
4 endemics are only accessible and easily seen in Colibri del Sol reserve (the new Fenwick's/Urrao Antpitta, Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer, Paramillo Tapaculo, and Dusky Starfrontfront), There are also 6 threatened and 121 bird species.
Access and Facilities Colibri del Sol reserve has a basic bird lodge and trails. Hard walking or horse ride from road; 5 hours from Medellin.
Further information
Cerulean Warbler and Pauxi Pauxi Reserve
Endemic and notable birds 12 endemics (13 threatened, 359 species, with a bird lodge, trails, hummingbird feeders (with Chestnut-bellied Hummer); 3-4 hours from Bucaramanga airport.
Access and Facilities
Further information
Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve
Endemic and notable birds 9 endemics, 14 threatened, 254 species, with a bird lodge, trails, hummingbird feeders; 4 hours from Medellin.
Access and Facilities
Further information
Paujil Reserve
Endemic and notable birds 6 endemics
Access and Facilities
Further information
Companies offering tours to these areas
Pending information
