We spent the first half of Day 5 of our Ecuadorian Birding Trip at Refugio Paz de las Aves (Peace of the Birds Refuge). It was here that we saw several of the most iconic birds of the Mindo Valley. We packed up and were out of Sachatamia Lodge very early (5 AM) in the pouring rain and drove less than an hour, then turned off the main road onto a dirt road where we were met by one of the Refugio Paz de las Aves’ guides who directed our bus to pull over on the shoulder next to several other vehicles. We were then led down a steep, wet path to a covered bird blind.
At 6:00 AM (much darker than the pictures show) we peered out from the blind up through the mist at a Cock-of-the-Rock lek.
A lek is a place where male and female birds gather together to select mates. I had been to a Prairie Chicken lek in Platte, Nebraska where the those birds were on the ground and easy to see. I also saw a video of a Cock-of-the-Rock lek on the ground, again with good viewing. I our case, this Andean Cock-of-the-Rock’s lek was a stand of trees about 40 yards away with six birds up high (all males). Between the mist, dim and backlit light, distance, and all the tree foliage it was less than ideal viewing/picture taking conditions. But that didn’t stop me. Here are some of the “best” shots I got:
As you can see, the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock is an unusual-looking bird with brilliant colors. All we saw were males (the females resemble large Cardinals). It was #1 on my Ecuadorian must-see list but, to be truthful, I was disappointed in the looks we had.
While in the blind we did spot two strange birds way out of their range: Jeff Smith (r) and Jeff Chapman (center), who live in Chicagoland and we run in to while birding there (we had no idea they were even in Ecuador).
I already shared with you that we didn’t take many trails: they were too steep and often wet and muddy. Below is a shot of the trail leading up from the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock blind back to the road.
We hopped back onto the bus and headed into the heart of Refugio Paz de las Aves. For the next couple of hours our focus was on Antpittas. There are 69 species of Antpitta and we saw three that day. Antpittas feed primarily on the ground (ants); their long, strong legs help them through the messy forest floor. They are typically shy, but over the years people have found that they can be lured out into the open using fresh worms.
After a short drive we arrived at an area where the Giant Antpitta frequents. We took a steep path down (they actually sent a local guide down first to see if it was going to be worth the effort) to a small terraced clearing. Below us the local guide spread some of the worms out on the ground and log.
We waited patiently for about 10 minutes as the local guide called out, “Pitta! Pitta! Pitta” to let the Antpitta know its meal (and visitors) had arrived.
We were eventually rewarded for our patience when the Giant Antpitta appeared! Such a warm rusty-brown color!
We struggled back up the trail (remember, we were at high elevation) and the bus took us to our next Antpitta meetup. This time the viewing area was a couple of yards right off the road and very as steep. This was the Yellow-breasted Antpitta stop! This time the bird responded quickly to the guide and came in for as many worms as it could carry.
Our final Antpitta stop was down a well-maintained path. Here resided my favorite of the day – the Chestnut-crowned Antpitta. Worms were placed within the mossy hollow of a tree stump and two of these striking birds came to feed (note how there are fewer and fewer worms in each shot)!
One final shot of one of the most interesting birds we saw in Ecuador (next to the Cock-of-the-Rock).
I know this post is getting long, but I couldn’t close it out without including a pic of one of the most colorful birds there – an Orange-breasted Fruiteater. Seen during lunch, I almost didn’t take time to eat!
Next Up: Traveling back through Quito to get to the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains.
Links to previous posts of our Ecuador Birding Trip:
How to prepare for and get the most from your bird tour
Our Ecuador Birding Trip – Preliminary Data
Our Bird Tour In Ecuador – Overview
Birding a City Park in Downtown Quito, Ecuador
Out of Quito to Reserva Yanacocha
Into Mindo Valley – Sachatamia Lodge
Mindo Valley – Reserva Amagusa
Reserva Amagusa – Hummingbirds and Toucanete
Ecuador Day 4 – Sendero Fruitti Tour
If you enjoy seeing beautiful pictures of birds from around the world and reading about them Click Here to sign up for our mailing list. Members can post their own GreatBirdPics and learn more about bird photography techniques.
What a tremendous experience! Beautiful photos!