Tsai's Nature Blog: Ecuador2016 2/6

Aug 29, 2016
Paz de Las Aves

Andean Cock-of-the-Rock

These classic south America symbols are more vibrant than our other target cotinga species, Long-wattled Umbrellabird, on the trip. We arrived at a lek in the dark. And soon all of the male birds started to compete for a branch to call and display on before we could even see them. No females stopped by, but the show still continued for about half an hour, after that the lek quieted down pretty much instantly and the red birds were gone in no time.

Dark-backed Woodquail

feeding beside the Cock-of-the-Rock blind, actually, it was just a very well built roof.

Lyre-tailed Nightjar

After checking the nightjar and Yellow-bellied Antpitta, which was also found at Las Grlarias the day before, we couldn't wait to get breakfast. But the breakfast was not ready, so we watched the birds eat at Paz's feeders.

Andean Emerald edit i think it is booted racket tail

Brown Inca

Booted Racket-tail

the ones west of Andes have white puffs

Purple-throated Woodstar

Buff-tailed Coronet

Fawn-breasted Brilliant

Rufous-tailed Humingbird

Violet-tailed Sylph

Toucan Barbet

Black Vulture

Not a bird, but it can fly.

Bellavista

Plate-billed Toucan

This beautiful toucan moves in groups and can be found in the Mindo area.

Buff-tailed Coronet

The front on view shows a much lighter golden-green on the forehead and throat.

Russet-crowned Warbler

This snake found its way to Las Gralarias where we stayed for a few nights. But I'm the only one in the group that is interested in things without feathers, so I assumed responsibility to photograph this tame creature on the floor.

Aug 30, 2016

Paz

My dad went back to Paz in the early morning for another try at the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock and was rewarded with a few shots.

Andean Cock-of-the-Rock

Milpe

I was happy with the results of Paz in the previous morning so I stuck with the main group and went to Milpe resort. New birds Green-crowned Woodnymph and Green Thorntail instantly came into sight as the feeders are being refilled.

Green-crowned Woodnymph

Green Thorntail

Green-crowned Brilliant

Pale-mandibled Aracari

Rufous Motmot

White-whiskered Hermit

Bananaquit

Streaked Flycatcher

Long-wattled Umbrellabird

This female showed up near the feeders and was a little bit of a surprise for us. We planned on seeing this bird the day after, but all birds are welcome.

Leafcutter ant are quite interesting to watch, partly because of their farming behavior and partly because of their fame.

Edit: How did I forget to post some pics of the star bird at Milpe? Club-winged Manakin

Club-winged Manakin

The males choose branches between 2 and 10 m above the ground with little obstructions around to display. The lekking groups are spread out and each bird has its own trees. The separation between the territories is about 10m or more at this location.

The secondaries and tertials are used as instruments during display.

when the wings of the species are vibrated, probably hooking the tips of feathers together, a unique sound can be heard. A link to Nat Geo's video of the display.

Pacific Hornero

Glad we went back to Las Gralarias for lunch, which yielded this. And it was our only hornero of the trip.

Alambi

Came here in the same afternoon. The feeders and trees are closer to the background than most other places, so the outlines of leaves and branches are a little distracting, but a few angles are still pretty good.

Brown Violetear