OUR FAVORITE BIRDS IN ECUADOR

To be well informed about the many different birds that you can find in Ecuador we established this separate page about our favorite birds that you may discover during your birdwatching tour in Ecuador.

Antbirds

Grauscheitel-AmeisenpittaMoustached Antpitta
Grallaria alleni
This midsize to large antpitta is quite rare. It lives in subtropical forest undergrowth.

Boobies/ Sulas

Nazca boobies can be found on the Galapagos IslandsNazca booby
Sula granti,

Galapagos and Isla de la Plata, coastal areas, lives at open Sea when not breeding.

blue-footed-boobyBlue-footed booby
Sula nebouxii,

Galapagos and Isla de la Plata, coastal areas.

Cardinals

Schwarzkehlkardinal

Red-capped cardinal
Paroaria gularis,

Can be found in open waterside areas (East of Ecuador).

Cotinga

AndenfelsenhahnAndean-cock-of-the-rock
Rupicola Peruviana,

Lives in subtropical forests, near rivers.

 Flycatchers

Graurücken-WassertyrannGrey masked water tyrant
Fluvicola nengeta,

This Ecuadorian bird can be found in lower subtropics, near water.

Rotscheitel-MaskentyrannSocial Flycatcher
Myiozetetes similis,

Open wooded areas, near to water.

 Herons

SchmuckreiherSnowy egret
Egretta thula,

An Ecuadorian Bird that is mostly seen in Galapagos, near fresh and saltwater.

striated-heronStriated heron (juv.)
Butorides striata, 

Common in lowlands, near water.

lava-heronLava heron
Butorides sundevalli,

Galapagos only.

 Hummingbirds

LangschwanzsylpheLong-tailed sylph
Aglaiocercus coelestis,

Common in the eastern forest.

Grosser VeilchenohrkolibriSparkling violetear
Colibri coruscans

Lives in subtropical forests.

Grünscheitel-FlaggensylpheBooted racked-tail
Ocreatus underwoodii,

* This beautiful bird is Astrid’s favorite!

Blauflügelkolibri Great sapphirewing
Pterophanes cyanopterus,

This bird is fairly seen in humid temperate forests.

 Motmots

Plattschnabelmotmot Broad-billed motmot
Electron platyrhynchum,

Can be observed in humid forests. In east Ecuador mostly in flooded areas.

Opisthocomidae

HoatzinHoatzin
Opisthocomus hoazin,

Very common in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

 Tanagers

Azurkopftangare

Blue-necked Tanager
Tangara cyanicollis,

Outside the forest, rather seen in subtropical forest edge.

Rotstirntangare
Flame-faced Tanager
Tangara parzudakii,

Andean mixed area, near canopy

SchwalbentangareSwallow Tanager
Tersina veridis

Lives on the humid forest edge, widespread in South America.

Trogons

MaskentrogonMasked trogon
Trogon personatus

There are eight subspecies of the masked trogon that live in humid montane forests.

Woodpeckers

RotmantelspechtCrimson-mantled woodpecker
Colaptes rivolii

Remarkable about this woodpecker are its bright red and yellow colors.

Of course this is just a small selection. For a complete reference of all the birds in Ecuador we recommend this great field guide:

birds-of-ecuador

Ridgely, Robert S. and Paul J. Greenfield (2001). The Birds of Ecuador: Field Guide. Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0801487217.