COLOMBIA: 14 days Birding Photography Central Andes

Arrival at Aeropuerto Internacional Alfonso Bonilla Aragón from where we will transfer you to your hotel in Cali City. (Depending on your arrival time today and energy level we can arrange an additional birding day trip around Cali on request)

A short drive from Cali we will make our first stop to photograph the endemic Chestnut Wood-quail, the Andean Motmot as well as the Multi-coloured Tanager and the endemic Colombian Chachalaca.

In the afternoon we may visit La Conchita where 20 species of hummingbirds visit the feeders.

Target species: Blue-headed Sapphire, Brown Violetear, Booted Racket-Tail, Andean Emerald, Purple-Throated Woodstart, Steely-vented Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Long-billed Starthroat, Western Emerald, Red-headed Barbet, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Flame-rumped Tanager, Golden Tanager, Golden-naped Tanager and Colombian Chachalaca 

At 1900 meters above sea level Araucana is situated in the cloud forest and attracts currently up to 17 species of hummingbirds and up to 30 species of colorful tanagers, flower piercers, barbets, toucanets and honeycreepers can be observed and easily photographed at feeders. We will spend a full day here on a multi-flash workshop.

A short trail from the lodge may reward us with views of Trogons, Quetzals and Toucanets.

Target species: Crowned Woodnymph, Booted Racket-tail, Bronzy Inca, Long-tailed Sylph, Green Thorntail, Western Emerald, Purple-throated Woodstar, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Emerald Toucanet, Multi-coloured Tanager, Red-headed Barbet, Black-capped Tanager, Green Honeycreeper

In the morning we will be time at Bosque de Niebla before moving on to Unión del Valle to visit the Parque Nacional La Uva to photograph the Ruby-topaz.

Target species: Ruby-topaz and some of the species from day two

In the morning we will take a boat ride on Laguna del Sonso where common waterbirds can be seen. In the afternoon we will transfer to Anaime.

Target species: Spectacled Parrolet, Black and Fulvous-vented Whisteling Ducks, Blue-headed Parrot, Lineated Woodpecker and if possible we will take a walk to look for Common Potoo, Crimson-crested Woodpecker and Dwarf Cuckoo occur in the surrounding forest.

This morning we will visit a special area where Yellow-eared Parrots nest. In the afternoon we will transfer to Tinamu Lodge, our overnight accommodation. The afternoon and full next day here we will have a hummingbird photography workshop. The beautiful surrounding dry forest is the perfect setting and the bird feeder a photographer paradise. We will visit Golden-collared Manakin and Green Hermits leks as well as a Common Potoo roost.

Target species: Steely-vented Hummingbird, Western Emerald, White- necked Jacobin, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, White-vented Plummeleteer, Green hermit, Black-throated Mango, Clay- coloured Thrush, Andean Motmot, Thick-billed Euphonia, Crimson-rumped Tanager, Acorn Woodpecker, Bay-headed Tanager, Blue-necked Tanager, Crimson-backed Tanager, Scrub Tanager, Blue-grey Tanager, Guira Tanager, Red-crowned Woodpecker

An early morning and day visit to Rio Blanco Reserve located three kilometers from Manizales city. A multitude of Andean hummingbirds and tanagers as well as 4 kinds of Antpittas occur here.

Target species: Brown-banded Antpitta (endemic), Slate-crowned Antpitta, Bicolored Antpitta (near endemic), Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Chestnut-naped Antpitta, Long-tailed Sylph, Speckled Hummingbird, Lesser and Sparkling Violetears, Collared and Bronzi Incas, Buff-tailed Coronet, Wedge-billed Hummingbird, Buff-breasted and Blue-winged Mountain Tanagers, Masked and White-sided Flowerpierces, Blue-capped and White-capped Tanagers, Slaty-, White-naped and Grey-browed Brush-finches, Green-and-black Fruit-eater.

Today we visit a small feeding station in a huge cattle ranch where our focus will be on a few highly sought after species with excellent photographic opportunities.

Target species: Crescent-faced Antpitta, Rufous Antpitta, Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Barred Fruiteater, Golden-fronted Redstart, Rufous-breasted Chat-tyrant, Hooded Mountain-tanager, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Tourmaline Sunangel

At 3400 meters above sea-level lies the Termales del Ruiz Hotel. We will arrive mid-morning and spend our day on photography and will even have time to take a healthy thermal bath.  The many bird feeders maintained by the hotel staff provide excellent photo material.

We will spend the morning of our second day here photographing the amazing endemic Buffy Helmetcrest which is possible to see just 10 km from our hotel.

Target species: Black-thighed and Golden-breasted Pufflegs, Shining Sunbeam, Viridian and Tyrian Metaltails, Great Sapphirewing, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Collared Inca, Mountain Velvetbreast and the amazing Rainbow-bearded Thornbill and many, many more.

We will spend most of the morning birding around our hotel. From here it is a 5 hour transfer to our next stop, Jardin. In the afternoon we will visit one of the very best Cock-of-the-rock leks.

Target species: Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Hooded Mountain-Tanager, White-throated Tyrannulets, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanagers

After a quick cup of coffee we'll get in 4-wheeler jeeps really early in the morning and drive to the top of the mountain where our main target awaits, the highly endangered Yellow eared parrot. The Yellow Eared Parrot Bird Reserve was established on May 6th, 2006, in order to ensure survival and to promote conservation actions targeting populations of Yellow-eared Parrot (Ognorhynchus icterotis) and Wax Palma (Ceroxylon quindiuense), national tree of Colombia and in danger of extinction, areas of Jardín, and Riosucio and Antioquia, Caldas, Colombia.W

The rest of the morning we will visit the feeders at Lucia and then make stops along the road and taking short walks to get more interesting species of the region.

In the afternoon transfer to Medellin where our tour ends.

Taget species: Chestnut-naped Antpitta, Rufous Antpittas, Sword-billed Hummingbirds, Long-tailed Sylph, Mountain Velvetbreast, Tourmaline Sunangel and Buff-tailed coronet

End of trip and transfer to José María Córdova International Airport