Colombia - Northern Andes: Medellin and Magdalena Valley Endemics 2021

Highlights

• Stiles’s Tapaculo
• Red-bellied Grackle
• Antioquia & Moustached Brushfinches
• Beautiful Woodpecker
• Antioquia Bristle Tyrant
• White-mantled Barbet
• Sooty Ant Tanager
• Blue-billed Curassow
• Gorgeted Wood Quail
• Black Inca
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What's this trip about?

Colombia has more species of birds than any other country – a staggering 1930+ species are to be found within the confines of this incredible nation; of which, at least 89 are endemic. This huge diversity of species results from the equally diverse range of habitats: three Andean Cordilleras (Western, Central and Eastern Andes), two inter-Andean valleys (the Cauca and Magdalena Valleys), the lowland forests of the Amazon and Orinoco regions, the isolated snow-capped Santa Marta Mountains, the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, deserts and lakes, and the rich wet forests of the Chocó all help to make it one of the most exciting countries to bird on earth! Our series of northern Andes tours focus on the bulk of endemics that Colombia has to offer; working our way through the Central and Eastern Andean ranges and both the Magadalena and Cauca Valleys, as well as the dry Guajira desert and the impressive Santa Marta Mountains. The Medellin and Magdalena Valley tour sets off with a leisurely walk in La Romera park for Stiles’s Tapaculo, Red-bellied Grackle and Yellow-headed Manakin before making a quick stop to find the rediscovered Antioquia Brushfinch en route to Rio Claro. The lowland humid forests of the Rio Claro Canyon Park are one of the best birding site sin Colombia and host to an accessible Oilbird cave, Beautiful Woodpecker, White-mantled Barbet, Antioquia Bristle Tyrant and Sooty Ant Tanager. Staying within the lush, lowland forests, we move slightly north to El Paujil – home of the rare Blue-billed Curassow. While by no means guaranteed, we stand an excellent chance of seeing this once mythical species. Our final site of this tour is the endemic rich Reinita Azul near Bucaramanga. The gardens and trails are home to the striking Black Inca, Gorgeted Wood Quail, Chestnut-bellied and Indogo-capped Hummingbirds, Parker’s Antbird, Magadalena Tapaculo and Moutached Brushfinch. We will also spend time birding the eastern Andes near Bucaramanga for Turquoise Dacnis and Niceforo’s Wren, as well as the montane oak forests towards the Venezuelan border to find Colombian Mountain Grackle and Rusty-faced Parrot.

Accommodation