Photographer: Dušan Brinkhuizen   Destination: Ecuador

Mega-diverse Ecuador, with over 1600 species of birds, remains one of Earth’s great treasure troves for birders. The biggest bird families are well represented, including roughly half of the world’s tyrant flycatchers, and about 40% of the world’s hummingbirds. The latter family is the group most strongly associated with Ecuador and with a robust list of snazzy names including Tourmaline Sunangel, Festive Coquette, Viridian Metaltail, Bronzy Inca, Rainbow Starfrontlet, Lazuline Sabrewing, and Sapphire-spangled Emerald, it is easy to see why!

Another family with good representation is the tapaculo family, Rhinocryptidae. The word “tapaculo” itself is a subject of curiosity among even non-birders, as it translates roughly to “covers rear-end”. Apparently, the word is somewhat onomatopoeic for the White-throated Tapaculo, known locally in Chile as “tapaculo”.  But that species, like all tapaculos, moves about with its tail cocked up, and this behaviour may have influenced the evolution of the word as well.

Most tapaculos are small, nondescript mouse-like birds that scurry and jump more so than they seem to fly. At least 12 species of tapaculo are known from Ecuador, but preferring humid dense understory, they often register for birders as barely more than flickers of movement amid the dark, dank corners of montane forests, heard far more often than seen. An exception to this is the much sought-after Ocellated Tapaculo.

Like the others this “king of tapaculos” is a notorious understory skulker, but with its large size and striking plumage, the Ocellated Tapaculo is an entirely different, unique beast. Its loud, far carrying song means that it is easily heard but seeing it of course is another story. It inhabits subtropical and temperate cloud-forest on both the east and west slope of the Andes in Ecuador, and since it favours dense thickets of Chusquea bamboo which grow in forest clearings, it is more tolerant of disturbance due to logging than some other species. Despite being relatively widespread, it can be a devil of a task to see this most handsome tapaculo. Having said that every so often we succeed, and locking onto one of these prize birds is a moment not to be forgotten. This one was photographed by one of the best pro guides in the business, Rockjumper’s Dušan Brinkhuizen. Also, see the Rockjumper blog for Dušan’s (pronounced “Doo-sen”) latest blogpost about his world record big day in which he and several friends tallied a staggering 431 bird species in one day!

Below are some of our upcoming tours to marvellous Ecuador. Our Eastern Andes: Paramo & Cloud Forest tour in 2017 and all 2018 tours listed below offer good chances for the striking Ocellated Tapaculo. These tours can also be linked with some of our other fabulous offerings such as Ultimate Amazon: Sumaco Foothills & Rio Napo and the extraordinary Galapagos for a variety of other spectacular birds and wildlife.

 

2017 TOURS

Ecuador – Northern: Eastern Andes: Paramo & Cloud Forest
13 – 19 Apr 2017 (7 days) 
Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Tour Price (Per Person): USD1,950

Ecuador – Northern: Ultimate Amazon: Sumaco Foothills & Rio Napo
19 – 27 Apr 2017 (9 days) 
Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Tour Price (Per Person): USD2,975

Ecuador – Galapagos Archipelago
27 Apr – 6 May 2017 (10 days) 
Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Tour Price (Per Person): USD5,150

2018 TOURS

Ecuador – Southern Endemics
9 – 27 Mar 2018 (19 days) 
Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Tour Price (Per Person): USD5,500
** Early Bird Discount Available**

Ecuador – Northern: Choco Cloud Forest 
6 – 12 Apr 2018 (7 days)
Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Tour Price (Per Person): USD1,975
** Early Bird Discount Available **

Ecuador – Northern: Eastern Andes: Paramo & Cloud Forest
12 – 18 Apr 2018 (7 days)
Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Tour Price (Per Person): USD1,975
** Early Bird Discount Available **

To find out more about our Early Bird discount, please click here.