birding out of africa

COLOMBIA Nothing succeeds like excess

South Africa and Colombia share several similarities. For instance, Colombia’s population and territory sizes are almost the same (South Africa is the world’s 25th largest country and Colombia the 26th) and both are included in Conservation International’s list of the planet’s 17 mega-diverse countries. However, this South American nation, named after Christopher Columbus, leaves its African counter part in the dust when it comes to its wealth of birds. South Africa’s official list of 842 species pales by comparison with Colombia’s world record of 1 889. In fact, per square kilometre, Colombia is considered the most mega-diverse country on earth. So what makes this nation the king of the bird world?

TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHS BY ADAM RILEY LAND OF PLENTY Colombia’s world rankings in biodiversity Overall biodiversity: 2nd in the world (supports about 10 per cent of all the world’s species) Biodiversity per square kilometre: 1st Amphibians: 1st (623 species) Birds: 1st (1 889 species) Butterflies: 2nd (about 14 000 species) Flowering plants: 2nd (about 51 200 species) Freshwater fish: 2nd (about 3 200 species) Mammals: 4th (467 species) Reptiles: 3rd (518 species)

is understandable given the years of unrest have ever encountered). Within the city, caused by paramilitary rebel groups such it’s worth visiting La Florida, a marshland as FARC and drug networks including the that supports the secretive Bogota Rail and notorious Medellin cartel. The good news, obscure Apolinar’s Wren, both localised however, is that this era of terror now seems endemics. A dramatic cable-car ride is ne- a thing of the past, following a massive cessary to reach the monastery complex of government offensive, which was backed Monserrate, perched atop the Andes and by the US. Almost all of Colombia is now offering incredible views of the surround- safe to visit, and while I was there I encoun- ing city. Here you can get your first exper- olombia is situated on the bird tered only welcoming and friendly people. ience of hummingbirds; the flowers are CARIBBEAN SEA continent, South America (Africa Once you’ve decided to go, the crucial aflutter with the evocatively named Shin- is 70 per cent larger than South decision is choosing your destinations. ing Sunbeam, Black-tailed Trainbearer, SANTA MARTA America, yet hosts nearly 40 per Colombia has 116 Important Bird Areas Glowing Puffleg and Tyrian Metaltail. MOUNTAINS Ccent fewer bird species). It also has several and hundreds of recognised birding sites For us, though, it was the incomparable unique geographical features, one of which – even unscheduled roadside stops can Sword-billed Hummingbird that stole the PANAMA Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve VENEZUELA is that it’s the only South American nation produce world-class birding. Most birders show here. to have coastlines stretching along both visiting the country end up selecting an A day’s outing is necessary to explore Río Claro the Pacific and Caribbean. In addition, it itinerary based on the Andean cordilleras Chingaza National Park above Bogotá Cerro Montezuma encompasses a vast swathe of the Am azon and inter-Andean valleys, combined with and as you ascend through farmlands

ANDES Chingaza NP rainforest and the llanos (an immense, the Santa Marta region. The motivation into subtropical cloudforests, then elfin PACIFIC often flooded tropical grassland biome for this is that these zones harbour most forests and finally open páramo, the bird- OCEAN Bogotá shared with Venezuela). However, the of the endemic species, are accessible and life changes dramatically. Key targets are COLOMBIA HAS Jardín main reason for Colombia’s incredible di- offer good tourism infrastructure. Colom- the elusive Brown-breasted Parakeet and 116 IMPORTANT versity of birds and other wildlife may be bia’s Amazon region, for instance, is not several localised hummingbirds, including Opposite Cerro Montezuma’s rainforests COLOMBIA attributed to its mountains. In the north well developed and so is a mission to ex- Blue-fronted Starfrontlet, Coppery-bellied on Colombia’s West Andean cordillera are BIRD AREAS AND lies an isolated yet extremely diverse mas- plore, whereas the same birds it hosts can Puffleg and Bronze-tailed Thornbill. Bird one of the wettest locations on earth. HUNDREDS OF sif called the Santa Marta Mountains. be found more easily in the Brazilian or flocks are a feature of most Colombian ECUADOR Further to the south are the mighty Andes, Ecuadorian Amazon regions. forests and the species can come at you Top A male Andean Cock-of-the-rock at RECOGNISED which in Colombia split into three great almost unbelievably thick and fast. Flocks the Jardín lek. BIRDING SITES – chains (or cordilleras) with two fertile he bustling capital city of Bo- we encountered included such delights as EVEN UNSCHEDULED valleys nestled between them, each of gotá is the gateway to Colombia. the endemic Rufous-browed Conebill and Above The Plushcap, a member of the PERU which hosts its own specialised avifauna. Crowded onto a 2 500-metre- Silvery-throated Spinetail, and the near- tanager family, occurs in mixed flocks in ROADSIDE STOPS So how does one get to grips with this high plateau on the western endemic Golden-fronted Whitestart and the understorey of bamboo stands. CAN PRODUCE ANDES almost overwhelming diversity during a slopeT of the Eastern Andes and overlook- Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager (which BRAZIL WORLD-CLASS trip to Colombia? At the top of the prior- ing the Magdalena Valley, this picturesque is as beautiful as its name suggests). The Previous spread Green-crowned ity list for many people wishing to visit city boasts some fantastic colonial archi- high páramo, dotted with giant lobelia Woodnymph is one of Colombia’s BIRDING the country will be safety, a concern that tecture (as well as the worst traffic jams I plants, hosts its own unique avifauna, 162 hummingbird species.

62 BIRDING C OLOMBIA AFRICA – BIRDS & BIRDING A P RIL/MA Y 2012 BIRDING C OLOMBIA 63 own family, this relative of the nightjars organisation ProAves, which is respon s- Further south along the Central Andes, Above, left A pair of Toucan Barbets, a ON [JARDÍN’S] OUTSKIRTS CAN BE FOUND ONE is renowned for its echolocation abilities, ible for a good deal of pioneering conser- where little has changed for more than a restricted-range species, photographed at OF THE WORLD’S AVIAN EXTRAVAGANZAS, A essential for navigating in the pitch-black vation work in Colombia. It purchased century, the pueblo (village) of Jardín is a Cerro Montezuma. caves, and even from quite a distance the the land to protect the endangered and delight to explore. On its outskirts can be DISPLAY LEK OF THE SPECTACULAR ANDEAN birds’ weird clicks, groans and shrieks can recently described Chestnut-capped Piha, found one of the world’s avian extravag- Top Tapaculos are the South American be heard. Other key targets that we suc- but many other bird species abound. I anzas, a display lek of the spec tacular An- equivalents of flufftails and are often very COCK-OF-THE-ROCK ceeded in finding included the recently rate the time I spent there as one of my dean Cock-of-the-rock. Males of this bizarre difficult to observe. This is Paramo Tapaculo. described Antioquia Bristle-Tyrant, the most enjoyable days’ birding in more than giant cotinga gather in a forested ravine to including the long-legged Tawny Antpitta, endemic White-mantled Barbet, the elec- 20 years of world travel. Highlights in- perform and show their full splendour to Above The secretive Chestnut-crowned Many-striped Canastero and the highly tric Blue Cotinga, Saffron-headed Parrot cluded such mouth-watering species as the admiring females. While thus occupied, Antpitta is most easily seen at antpitta sought-after Bearded Helmetcrest, a near- and the minuscule Black-capped Pygmy- rare Brown-billed Scythebill, Chestnut- they completely ig nore spellbound birders worm-feeding stations. endemic hummingbird that occurs in a Tyrant. A wetland to the north of Río crowned Gnat eater, Indigo Flowerpiercer, and photographers. few areas of high páramo. Claro supports a localised population of the migratory Cerulean Warbler and the Above Jardín is the Loro Orejiamarillo Northern Screamers and is excellent for stunning Golden-breasted Fruiteater, as Nature Reserve, also owned by ProAves and n the Magdalena Valley, which lies other waterbirds. well as the endemic Parker’s Antbird, proclaimed to protect a population of ap- between the Central and Eastern An- Continuing our circuit of Colombia’s Red-bellied Grackle and Stiles’s Tapaculo. proximately 600 endangered Yellow-eared des, is the superb lowland tropical most recommended birding sites, we as- Colourful tanagers are a feature of this re- Parrots that was discovered here in 2000. rainforest birding area of Río Claro. cend the Central Andes to visit Arrierito serve and the rare Grey-and-gold, Purplish- During our visit, part of the access road had OneI of the undoubted highlights here is Antioqueño Bird Reserve, known collo- mantled and Speckled, as well as the been obliterated by landslides but we were visiting a cave that hosts about 250 pairs quially as the Chestnut-capped Piha Re- endemic Multi-coloured, are a few of the able to hike over the debris and find these of the remarkable Oilbird. Designated its serve. This private forest is owned by the many we observed. beautiful parrots, as well as other superb

64 BIRDING COL OMBIA AFRICA – BIRDS & BIRDING A P RIL/MAY 2012 BIRDING COL OMBIA 65 IN THREE WEEKS, WE RECORDED IN EXCESS OF 700 OF COLOMBIA’S BIRDS, INCLUDING MORE THAN 70 HUMMINGBIRDS, OVER 60 TANAGERS, A DOZEN ANTPITTAS, 11 TAPACULOS AND MUCH MORE BESIDES

skulkers into view. This has proved hugely successful and time spent at these feeders produced fantastic views of not only such shy gems as Chestnut-crowned, Chestnut- naped, Slate-crowned and the endemic and little-known Brown-banded antpittas, but also Black-and-green Fruiteater, High- land Motmot and Chestnut-capped Brush- finch. Nectar feeders positioned around the lodge are constantly abuzz with hum- mingbirds and although Buff-tailed Cor- onets dominated, we also saw Long-tailed Sylph, Speckled Hummingbird, the boldly patterned Collared Inca and the charm- ing Tourmaline Sunangel. Space precludes elaborating on our many highlights, but and White-tailed Hillstar can be found. Quail and a nearby feeder lured in a re- KNOW BEFORE some of the most noteworthy birds here New species are regularly being discovered clusive Santa Marta Antpitta. Beyond the were the massive Powerful and brilliant here, including an as-yet-undescribed ta- lodge at higher elevations other endemics YOU GO Crimson-backed woodpeckers, aberrant paculo (provisionally named Alto Pisones abound, including Rusty-headed Spinetail olombia is best visited between Grass-green and White-capped tanagers, Tapaculo) that we were fortunate enough and the furtive Brown-rumped Tapaculo, CNovember and March or in July Golden-headed Quetzal, Rusty-faced Par- to locate. Despite the dampness, this is Yellow-crowned Whitestart, Santa Marta and August as these are the drier rot, the exceedingly rare Masked Salta- birding at its very best. Mountain Tanager and the rare Santa Mar- months. The advantage of November tor, Ornate Flycatcher, Plushcap and busy ta Warbler. We were very fortunate to en- to March is that the North American White-capped Dipper. rom Colombia’s tropical Carib- joy close encounters with the endangered overwintering migrants are also present, Remote Cerro Montezuma is situated in bean coastline rises a remarkable Santa Marta Parakeet and scarce Santa but if possible avoid the busy Christmas the Western Andes and is one of the wet- geo logical feature: the isolated Marta Bush Tyrant. Other beauties we saw holiday period of late December to test places on our green planet. To access Santa Marta range whose snow- in the area’s busy forests included the daz- mid-January. the region’s vast and little-known humid cappedF peaks are Colombia’s highest (and zling White-tipped Quetzal, Santa Marta Unless you have a lot of time and cloudforests and the rare birds that in- in fact the highest coastal mountains in Toucanet, Lined Quail-Dove, Coppery Em- speak Spanish, independent birding habit them, you need to take a 4x4 drive the world). The habitat on Santa Marta erald, the arboreal Streak-capped Spine tail, travel is not recommended. Most of the from Pueblo Rico to reach Leopoldina’s supports 19 endemic birds, plus numerous secretive Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner and major world bird-tour companies offer farm, where the charming lady of the endemic subspecies (several of which are the endemic White-lored Warbler. A special tours to Colombia. Rockjumper Birding Top The endangered Santa Marta Parakeet birds, including the endemic and Critically same name and her daughters welcome likely to be elevated to full species status). nocturnal excursion was successful in that Tours www.rockjumperbirding.com is is restricted to the Santa Marta range. Endangered Munchique Wood-Wren and birders into their home. Then a two-hour ProAves owns another reserve here called it produced the as-yet-undescribed Santa the only South Africa-based company the highly sought-after Chestnut-crested pre-dawn horseback ride along a steep El Dorado and, after bumping and grind- Marta Screech Owl no more than an arm’s that goes to this birding Mecca. Above Montane Woodcreepers are not Cotinga, Tanager Finch and Black-billed mountain trail brings you into ‘the zone’, ing our way up a rough track the likes length away. uncommon in mixed bird flocks working Mountain Toucan. where such mouth-watering species as of which I have only seen in Angola, we In three weeks, we recorded in excess of Recommended books through mid-storey forests. Within Colombia’s Coffee Triangle lies the endemic Gold-ringed and Black-and- arrived at the pleasant lodge. 700 of Colombia’s birds, including more McMullan, M., Donegan, T. and Río Blanco Nature Reserve, where a simple gold tanagers, Fulvous-dotted Treerunner, Hummingbird feeders attract the beau- than 70 hummingbirds, over 60 tanagers, Quevedo, A. Field Guide to the Birds of Opposite The elegant Long-tailed Sylph but welcoming eco-lodge provides the Black Solitaire, Choco Vireo, Olivaceous tiful White-tailed Starfrontlet, tiny Santa a dozen antpittas, 11 tapaculos and much Colombia. ProAves, 2010. photographed in the process of nectar gateway to an amazingly rich cloudforest. Piha, Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia, Marta Woodstar, rare Lazuline Sabrewing more besides. This is birding at its very best Restall, R., Rodner, C., and Lentino, M. feeding. Near the lodge, several antpitta feeding Toucan Barbet, Olive Finch, Club-winged and, if you are very lucky, a Blossomcrown. and every ardent birder should seriously Birds of Northern South America (two stations have been established to encour- Manakin and hummingbirds such as the The lodge’s compost heap is the stake-out consider visiting Colombia for the experi- volumes). Helm Field Guides, 2006. age these normally reserved understorey massive Empress Brilliant, Brown Inca for the sought-after Black-fronted Wood ence of a lifetime.

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