What’s your favourite hen species?
A tricky query! As you begin birding, you additionally begin to kind a transparent listing of your favourite birds in your thoughts, such because the Black-backed Grosbeak. That hen to me is a logo of the place I come from as a birder.
However then there’s the Inexperienced-bearded Helmetcrest, essentially the most iconic species on the Sumapaz paramo birding hotspot. Each these species are only for Bogota, my native patch.
What’s your identify, and the place do you reside?
My identify is Luis García Cuartas and I dwell in Bogotá, extra exactly on the best way to the Sumapaz paramo birding hotspot, the countryside of the capital metropolis.
What are the principle areas or places you cowl as a hen information?
I’m a hen information based mostly in Bogota and specialize within the surrounding space together with the Western, Central, and Japanese Andes of Colombia. This stretches from the improbable and the most important paramo on the planet at my native patch in Usme, throughout cloudy, humid, and dry forests upon the Andes of Colombia, to the valleys of the Magdalena and the Cauca rivers.
How lengthy have you ever been a hen information?
5 improbable years.
How did you get into hen guiding?
I bought into this whereas beginning a birding tourism firm offering logistics and options for the Sumapaz paramo birding hotspot. I used to be impressed by the folks touring to Colombia to observe birds and have enjoyable – an entire new life expertise for me.
What are the elements of being a hen information that you simply like greatest? Which elements do you dislike most?
For me, there´s one thing fantastic in birding and guiding within the cultural interchange whereas on a tour: In fact, we discuss quite a bit about birds, however we additionally share elements of our cultures and traditions, in addition to the context we dwell in – this makes such a tour a good richer expertise. That and being outside respiratory contemporary air and discovering the wonders of nature is what I like greatest. The one factor that I don’t like is that point flies when you have enjoyable.
What are the highest 5-10 birds in your area which can be essentially the most fascinating for visiting birders?
That is my choice of 10 targets that you could have in Bogotá and the environment in lower than every week:
- Inexperienced-bearded Helmetcrest – a member of the exceptional Helmetcrest group of hummingbirds and one of many three species present in Colombia, this hen may be noticed within the Sumapaz páramo close to Bogotá
- Black Inca – we are able to discover this hummer in Arcabuco Boyacá the place folks name it “The prince of Arcabuco”
- Golden-bellied Starfrontlet, an astonishing hummingbird price having fun with, an actual jewel
- Sword-billed Hummingbird, properly there’s not a lot to say about this man, at all times spectacular within the highlands of Cundinamarca
- Bogotá Rail, an iconic, endangered however lovely endemic of Bogota.
- Black-billed Mountain-Toucan – the Mountain-Toucans are very engaging birds which can be straightforward to find by voice and their vibrant colours present a distinction to the forest in Guasca
- Brown-breasted Parakeet, a flyby of a flock of those noisy and colourful parakeets is at all times a pleasure, other than the Mountain Toucan, they’re the principle targets of the realm
- Muisca Antpitta, one of many splits from Grallaria rufula is now another endemic to Colombia, restricted to the jap vary, you may have this within the wild or at a feeding station
- Cundinamarca Antpitta, a beautiful discovery and one of many latest endemic species of Colombia with a pleasant story so that you can know
- Black-backed Grosbeak, El Rey del Bosque, a 12 months spherical energetic hen at Chiguaza Reserve in Bogota.
Are you able to define at the least one typical birdwatching journey in your space? Please briefly describe the places, the important thing birds, and the approximate period of such a visit
Bogotá Traditional Birding, every week within the Andean plateau discovering wonderful birds visiting unbelievable habitats and iconic locations with one of the best of the native tastes and traditions.
Day 1: BOGOTÁ, Sumapaz paramo birding hotspot (3800 m asl), roadside birding + Chiguaza Reserve (2750 m asl) reforested grazing and feeding stations.
Targets: Inexperienced-bearded Helmetcrest, Apolinar’s Wren, White-chinned Thistletail, Bronze-tailed Thornbill, Boyaca Antpitta, Noble Snipe, Buff-breasted Mountain Tanager, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Black-backed Grosbeak, Rufous-browed Conebill, Inexperienced-tailed Trainbearer, Silvery-throated Spinetail, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager.
Day 2: Guasca CUNDINAMARCA, Observatorio de Aves de Los Andes (3200 m asl), forest birding and feeding stations.
Sword-billed Hummingbird, Brown-breasted Parakeet, Muisca Antpitta, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Andean Potoo, Chestnut-bellied Chlorophonia, Mountain Velvetbreast, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Masked Trogon.
Day 3: Arcabuco BOYACA, Rogitama Biodiversidad (3000 m asl), reforested forest and feeding stations.
Black Inca, Lazuline Sabrewing, Gorgeted Woodstar, Brief-tailed Emerald, Southern-emerald Toucanet, Golden-fronted Redstart.
Day 4: Soacha CUNDINAMARCA, Chicaque Park (2000 m asl) cloud forest + Campo Tangara hummingbird observatory.
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet, Tourmaline Sunangel, Buff-tailed Coronet. Beryl-spangled Tanager, Blue-necked Tanager, Inexperienced-and-black Fruiteater, Plushcap, Black-eared Hemispingus, Collared Inca.
Day 5: Guayabetal CUNDINAMARCA, Sendero La Herrería (1200-2000 m asl) cloud forest and feeding stations.
Lengthy-tailed Sylph, Collared Inca, Bronze-tailed Inca, Cundinamarca Antpitta, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, Rufous-banded Owl, Lengthy-tailed Tapaculo, Noticed Barbtail
Rufous-banded Owl
Day 6: BOGOTÁ, La Florida Park (2600 m asl) wetland + Monserrate hill (3100 m asl) hummingbird observatory and Museo del Oro guided go to.
Bogota Rail, Spot-flanked Gallinule, Subtropical Doradito, Andean Duck, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Andean Guan, Blue-throated Starfrontlet, Shining Sunbeam, Glowing Puffleg
The Bogota Traditional Birding Tour may be personalized by combining it with the West and Central Andes, extending it to a ten to 12-day journey.
What different strategies are you able to give to birders all in favour of your space?
- The most effective time for doing the “Bogotá Traditional Birding” is July by September and December by March
- Custom-made for photographers.
- Binoculars 10*42 and past work effective.
- Scope offered by me.
If any reader of 10,000 Birds is all in favour of birding with you, how can they greatest contact you?
Please e-mail me to luisgarcia@mutar.com.co or WhatsApp me +573158815449