For more information, contact us
at 1-888-203-7464 or by email at
info@PIBird.com.
Photo by Lelis Navarrete.
Schedule for Birding Colombia
in 2010 and 2011

  • First 13 days main trip
  • Last 6 days extension

Lelis Navarrete:  
November 4 to 20, 2010
nearly sold out
special trip with different itinerary

Alejandro Solano:  
December 1 to 19, 2010

Alejandro Solano:  
February 13 to March 3, 2011

Lelis Navarrete:
February 28 to March 18, 2011

Lelis Navarrete:  
April 1 to 19, 2011
with Norm Erthal as Host

Alejandro Solano:  
May 2 to May 20, 2011

Lelis Navarrete:
October 16 to November 3, 2011
with Bill Maynard as Host

Custom tour dates are possible,
please contact us.
Colombia 2010 and 2011
Brief Itinerary:  The Cauca Valley Special and the
Santa Marta Endemics Extension

Main Trip from Cali to Bogata:  Cauca Valley

Day 1: Arrival in Cali, and birding at nearby Cloud Forest (Km
18)
patch at and at lodge, Finca Mi Universo.

Day 2:  More birding back at KM 18 Cloud Forest (few more
key endemics and more great birding) and
gardens of Luis
Mazariegos
.

Day 3:   Early morning birding the Yotoco Forest, afternoon  
birding at
Laguna de Sonso.

Day 4:  Early Morning birding the Cañon del Rio Barbas and
late afternoon in El Cairo.

Day 5: Full day birding in  El Cairo (humid,  moss covered
forest) for many west slope Chocó specialties (including many
new birds at lower elevations).

Day 6:  Early morning birding El Cairo (up on San José del
Palmar road
) and drive to Otún Quimbaya and bird La Suiza
Lodge
area.

Day 7:  Morning birding Otún Quimbaya, afternoon birding in
Rio Blanco and drive to Manisales.

Day 8:  Full day birding at Rio Blanco Reserve.

Day 9:  Early morning birding the highlands of Nevado del
Ruiz National Park
, afternoon birding the Bellavista Reserve.

Day 10:  Full day birding Bellavista Reserve.

Day 11:  Early morning birding at Bellavista Reserve and the
Victoria surroundings and birding at key spots on drive to La
Vega in the afternoon.

Day 12:  Early morning birding in La Vega, and late afternoon
birding in
marshes near Bogotá.

Day 13:  Early morning birding in La Florida marshes near
Bogotá and transfer to the airport for the international flights
back home (main trip) and/or on to Santa Marta (extension trip).

The Santa Marta Endemics Extension:

Day 13:  Early morning birding in La Florida marshes near
Bogota and catch our mid-day flight to Santa Marta. Late
afternoon birding along the
Santa Marta foothills and to
Minca.

Day 14:  Morning birding Minca area and then birding while we
transfer to
El Dorado Reserve (for birding up to lodge and
around lodge that day).

Day 15:  Full day birding El Dorado Reserve, including San
Lorenzo Ridge road
and more.

Day 16:  Full day El Dorado Reserve and evening birding at
Dorado Lodge with some later evening opportunities for owls
and nightjars.

Day 17:  Early morning birding near El Dorado and birding on
our way back to Santa Marta.  

Day 18:  Full Day Santa Marta Area:
Parque Isla Salamanca
(cacti dominated dry scrub), and other sites (including  Las
Tinajas Road and Mamancana Reserve).  Late flights and
evening in Bogata.

Day 19:  Morning flights from Bogata to all points home.

A
more detailed itinerary can be reviewed starting to the left.  
Please feel free to contact us to discuss any trip detail or to
answer any questions you may have.
All photos on this page are
courtesy of Murray Cooper (with
the exception of those credited to
Lelis Navarrete).
Trip Description:  The Cauca Valley Special and the Santa Marta
Endemics Extension

The Cauca Valley is one of the important eco-regions in Colombia. Cauca Valley is home to a
handful of endemic species not seen anywhere else in the country. The Western and Central
Cordilleras on both flanks of the valley harbor many species with ranges restricted to the cloud
forests and grassland Páramos of the mountains. Some of these species are shared with
bordering Ecuador but most of them are more easily seen in Colombia where their population of
such species are either better represented or found in areas of easier access. This trip will allow
us to look for 21 Colombian endemic species.

Note:  This main trip starts after flights arrive in Cali (before noon) and the trip ends in Bogata.  The
extension can end with a flights from Bogata or Barranquilla.  Please contact us before arranging
your flights for this trip, otherwise you may incur additional transfer and  lodging costs.

Day 1: Arrival in Cali, and birding at nearby Clould Forest patch and at lodge, Finca Mi Universo.  
Upon arrival at Cali international airport by noon, we will greet you there and then at noon (or earlier
based upon arrival times) head towards the cloud forest at Km18 to check in our lodge. Our lodge is
located within access to wonderful forest and hummingbird feeders. We will spend the rest of day
birding in the vicinity of our lodge.  Several hummingbirds are possible here including, White-necked
Jacobin, Andean Emerald, Speckled Hummingbird, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Blue-headed Sapphire,
Buff-tailed Coronet, Bronzy Inca, Long-billed Starthroat, Booted Raquet-tail, Long-tailed Sylph and
Purple-throated Woodstar to name a few. We will also be looking for other species along a road that
borders the forest and is free of traffic. Lodging that night at Finca Mi Universo.

Day 2:  More birding back at KM 18 Cloud Forest (few more key endemics and more great birding)
and gardens of Luis Mazariegos.
We will spend the entire morning at Km 18 looking for the first stars of our trip, the striking and
beautiful endemic Multicolored Tanager and the endemic Colombian Chachalaca. Other species
possible here include Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Azara´s and Red-faced Spinetails, Streak-capped
Treehunter, Lineated Foliage-gleaner, Bar-crested Antshrike, Green-and-black Fruiteater, Golden
winged Manakins, Barred Becard, Oleaginous Hemispingus (fairly common here), the endemic
Flame-rumped Tanager (separated species from the Lemon-rumped Tanager) and Yellow-throated
Brush-Finch. With a bit of luck we could also find the Rufous-crested Tanager, the uncommon (for
this locality) Purplish-mantled Tanager and the rare Yellow-headed Manakin. After lunch we will head
towards the small town of Buga where we will spend the night. On the way we will stop at the house
of our friend Luis Mazariegos, an authority on Colombian hummingbirds, and a well known
photographer whose works have appeared in several publications including the Handbook of the
Birds of the World. Luis is also a great host and a humble person.  His gardens are full of
hummingbird feeders and he has at least 4 or 5 species that come to his feeders most of the time.   
The gaudy Rubby Topaz is one of them and the close-up views of the male Topaz will certainly make
for a great day’s finale.  Loding that night in Buga.

Day 3:   Early morning birding the Yotoco Forest, afternoon  birding at Laguna de Sonso.  A mere
half an hour drive will take us from Buga to the Yotoco pretected forest. The Yotoco headquarters are
surrounded by forest allowing plenty of views of Bat Falcon, Colombian Chachalaca (endemic),
Scarlet-fronted Parakeets and Bronze-winged Parrot. The forest trail and some of the fruiting trees
close to the main house will give us a chance for Collared Trogon, the  endemic Grayish Piculet
(fairly common here), Bar-crested Antshrike, White-throated Spadebill, Whiskered Wren, White-
breasted Wood-Wren, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Golden-crowned Warbler, Guira Tanager, Golden-
naped Tanager and Blue-naped Chlorophonia. We will also look for the secretive Yellow-headed
Manakin and likely have another opportunity to enjoy the endemic Multicolored Tanager. After lunch
we will go to the Laguna de Sonso in our way to Filandia. The water level in Laguna de Sonso is
variable, and the birds we’ll see will depend on the amount of flooding when we’re there. We will
have a chance for many waterbirds including various common and widespread herons, ibises,
Limpkins, ducks, waders and kingfishers. To mention a few specialties, we have a good chance for
Snail Kite, Cinnamon Teal and the uncommon Masked Duck.  The deciduous habitat surrounding
the lake are home to Spectacled Parrotlet, Dwarf Cuckoo, Greyish Piculet (uncommon but possible
here) Spot-breasted and Red-crowned Woodpeckers, Jet Antbird, Slate-headed Tody-Tyrant, Pied
Water-Tyrant, the endemic Apical Flycatcher, Cinereous Becard,  Guira Tanagers, Yellow-hooded
Blackbird. After a wonderful day of birding we  drive to Filandia arriving there  in the late afternoon or
early evening where we will check in  our charming and pleasant hotel. Lodging at Hotel Filandia.

Day 4:  Early Morning birding the Cañon del Rio Barbas and late afternoon in El Cairo.Early Morning
birding the Cañon del Rio Barbas and El Cairo.  
After an early breakfast we will head to the “Cañon
del Rio Barbas” (Barbas River Canyon). We will bird down a road where we will get eye-level views of
the tree tops, home to the endemic and localized Turquoise Dacnis-Tanager. Other species from the
Rio Barbas Canyon will include Blue-headed Parrot, Green Hermit, Northern White-crowned
Tapaculo, Red-headed Barbet, Rufous-naped Greenlet , Highland Hepatic Tanager, Flame-rumped
Tanager, Scrub Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Black-capped Tanager, Green Honeycreeper,
Gray Seedeater, Yellow-throated Brush-Finch and Black-winged Saltator. After lunch we will drive to
the small town of El Cairo and do some late afternoon birding in the vicinity.  Lodging that night in El
Cairo.

Full trip description continued below, starting with Day 5.
Trip Description:  Main Trip Continued

Day 5: Full day birding in  El Cairo (humid,  moss covered forest) for many
west slope Chocó specialties (including many new birds at lower
elevations).  
After an early breakfast we will drive to a humid, moss covered
forest near El Cairo where many west slope Chocó specialties occur.  We will
be looking for  special, rare and little-known endemic Gold-ringed Tanager
(better seen here than anywhere else), and the not-so-gaudy but still rare and
local endemic Munchique Wood-Wren.Other wonders of the area include
Green and Tawny-bellied Hermits, Western Emerald, Violet-tailed Sylph, Velvet-
purple Coronet, White-tailed Hillstar, Empress Brilliant, Brown Inca, Highland
Motmot, Yellow-vented Woodpecker, Rufous Spinetail, Spotted Barbtail,  Pacific
Tuftedcheek, the difficult-to-find  Fulvous-dotted Treerunner,
UniformTreehunter, the rare Bicolored Antvireo, Yellow-breasted Antpitta,
Nariño Tapaculo, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Black Solitaire, the difficult-to-find
Indigo Flowerpiercer, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Glistening-green
Tanager, Black-chinned Mountain Tanager, Purplish-mantled Tanager (better
seen here than anywhere else), Chocó Brushfinch and Chestnut-breasted
Euphonia.  At lower elevations we’ll look for the localized endemic Crested Ant-
Tanager.  Night in El Cairo.

Day 6:  Early morning birding El Cairo (up on San José del Palmar road) and
drive to Otún Quimbaya and bird La Suiza Lodge area.  
This morning we will
be up early to visit the wonderful San José del Palmar road just above El Cairo
to look for any species that might have eluded us in our previous day before
heading to Otún Quimbaya for the afternoon. The La Suiza lodge is a fabulous
place.  The lodge is surrounded by beautiful forest and  all you have do to see
forest birds is to step out of you cabin and stroll along the road entering the
park. The reserve is the best place to look for the local and endemic Cauca
Guan (long thought to be extinct until a healthy population was rediscovered in
1989 near Pereira at the actual location of the Otun-Quimbaya Reserve).We will
also be looking for the endemics Chestnut Wood-Quail and Stiles´s Tapaculo,
Sickle-winged Guan, Greenish Puffleg, Highland Motmot, Strong-billed
Woodcreeper, Streak-capped Treehunter, Moustached Antpitta, Plumbeous-
crowned Tyrannulet, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Variegated and Marble-faced
Bristle-Tyrants, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Pale-eyed and Glossy-black
Thrushes and White-capped Tanagers, among many others.  Here we will see
the enigmatic Red-ruffed Fruitcrow which is better seen in this location than
anywhere else in its South American range. Night at La Suiza Lodge in Otum
Quimbaya.

Day 7:  Morning birding Otún Quimbaya, afternoon birding in Rio Blanco and
drive to Manisales.  
In the morning we will bird the trail at the end of the road
heading into the park.  At a slightly higher elevation, this is a good place to look
for the much sought after Torrent Duck and White-capped Dipper. We will also
look for other specialties of the area like Golden-plumed Parakeet, Multicolored
Tanger (endemic), Dusky Piha, Slaty Brush-finch. We will try to find any other
important bird that we may have missed the previous day. After an early lunch
we will head to the Rio Blanco reserve beyond the city of Manisales for a late
afternoon of birding before returning to our hotel in Manisales.  Night in
Manisales.

Day 8:  Full day birding at Rio Blanco Reserve.  The Rio Blanco reserve not
only provides quality water to the city of Manisales but habitat to many wonderful
bird species that can be seen just by walking on the gentle slope tracks that cut
through the forest. There are hummingbird feeders by the main house which
are attended by  a constant flow of hummingbirds including Speckled
Hummingbird, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Buff-tailed Coronet, Bronzy Inca,
Collared Inca, Tourmaline Sunangel, Long-tailed Sylph and White-bellied
Woodstar. They have also started an Antpitta feeding station where the very
local and endemic Brown-banded Antpitta sneaks into the territory of a
dominant pair of Chestnut-crowned Antpittas.A few other species also show up
at the banquette of worms, like the Bicolored Antpitta and the Stripe-headed
Brush-Finch. We will have a good chance to see the endemic Chestnut Wood-
Quail.  Other birds we may encounter: Rusty-faced Parrot, Golden-plumed
Parakeet, Andean Toucanet, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Crimson-mantled
Woodpecker, Rufous Spinetail, Montane Foliage-gleaner, Streaked Xenops,
Pearled Treerunner, Spotted Barbtail, Striped Treehunter, Tyranine
Woodcreeper, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Long-tailed Antbird, the rare and  
elusive Hooded Antpitta,  Backish Tapaculo, Ash-colored Tapaculo, and
Spillman's Tapaculo,  Night in Manisales.

Full trip description continued at top of page to the right
and below the short itinerary (starts with Day 9).
Trip Description:  Main Trip Continued from Below

Day 9:  Early morning birding the highlands of Nevado del Ruiz
National Park, afternoon birding the Bellavista Reserve.  
Another
early start will find us at first light in the upper cloud and elfin forest
along the way to Nevado del Ruiz National Park, where our main goal
will be to look for the rare and endemic Rufous-fronted Parakeet. There
we also have a chance for Shining Sunbeam, Black-thighed and
Golden-breasted Pufflegs, Great Sapphirewing, Viridian Metaltail and
Páramo Tapaculo.  Other possibilities are the rare and seldom seen
Ocellated Tapaculo and the uncommon Black-backed Bush Tanager.
At a higher elevation close to the National Park entrance we will be
looking for the Bearded Helmetcrest, which is hard to find anywhere
else, as well as White-chinned Thistletail, Andean Tit-Spinetail, Stout-
billed Cinclodes, Tawny Antpitta, Plain-colored Seedeater and
Plumbeous Sierra-Finch. The marshy areas and water ponds will also
give us a chance for Andean Teal and Noble Snipe. Later on in the day
we will drive over the Central Andes pass heading towards the
Magdalena River to the small town of Victoria and on to our next birding
destination, the surprising IBA Bellavista Reserve. Lodging that night in
Victoria.

Day 10:  Full day birding Bellavista Reserve.  A very short drive from
Victoria will take us to the Bellavista reserve where many special birds
will surely get our attention including Blue-ground Dove, the endemic
Tolima Dove, Black-throated Mango, Shining-green Hummingbird,
Violet-bellied Hummingbird, White-vented Plumeleteer, Northern
Violaceous Trogon, Tody Motmot, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Barred
Puffbird, the endemic White-mantled Barbet, Collared Aracari, Citron-
throated Toucan, Olivaceous Piculet, Bar-crested Antshrike, Western
Slaty Antshrike, Northern White-fringed Antwren, Slate-headed Tody-
Tyrant, Golden-headed and White-bearded Manakins, Black-bellied
Wren, Yellow-backed Tanager, the endemic Sooty Ant-Tanager,
Crimson-rumped Tanager, Plain-colored Tanager, Scrub Tanager,
Golden-hooded Tanager, Yellow-tufted Dacnis, Black-striped Sparrow,
Rufous-capped Warbler, the endemic Velvet-fronted Euphonia, Thick-
billed and Orange-billed Euphonias. Lodging that night in Victoria.

Day 11:  Early morning birding at Bellavista Reserve and the Victoria
surroundings and birding at key spots on drive to La Vega in the
afternoon.  
This morning we will bird the Bellavista Reserve in the
early morning looking for any species that we may have missed.  After
lunch we will head towards the town of San Juan de La Vega stopping
on the way for Pearl Kite, White-tailed Kite,  Scarlet-fronted Parakeet,
Spectacled Parrotlet, Dwarf Cuckoo, Spot-breated Woodpecker, Barred
Antshrike, Mouse-colored Tyrannulet, Pale-breasted Thrush and Black-
faced Tanager. Lodging that night in La Vega.

Day 12:  Early morning birding in La Vega, and late afternoon birding
in marshes near Bogotá.  
In the morning we will explore various areas
in the La Vega valley looking for Short-tailed Emerald, Red-billed
Scythebill, Bar-crested Antshrike, the very local and rare race of the
Rusty-breasted Antpitta, the endemic Apical Flycatcher, Slate-headed
Tody-Flycatcher,  Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Gray-throated Warbler, Plain-
colored Tanager and Black-headed Brush-Finch. Early in the afternoon
we will head to Bogotá stopping in one of the marshy habitats of either
La Florida or La Conejera to look for Noble Snipe, the endemics
Bogotá Rail and Silvery-throated Spinetail, the weird looking
Subtropical Doradito and the nearly endemic Rufous-browed Conebill.
We will spend the night at our comfortable hotel in Bogata.

Day 13:  Early morning birding in La Florida marshes near Bogotá
and transfer to the airport for the international flights back home
(main trip) and/or on to Santa Marta (extension trip).  
  • Time permitting, if we are still missing some target birds, we
    will return to the marshes of La Florida before heading to airport
    for our international flights back home.  All transfers to the
    airport will be provided by trip staff.
  • For those continuing onto the extension, the day will begin with
    birding at the marshes of La Florida before heading to the
    airport to catch the flight to Santa Marta.  This itinerary is
    continued below.

Trip Description continued below covering details
on the Santa Marta Extension.
The Santa Marta Endemics Extension Trip:  

The Santa Marta Endemics:  The “Sierra Nevada of the Santa Marta Mountains” is a clear example of bird
speciation resulting from a long period of isolation; the green, humid and lush mountain range is isolated from the
rest of the Andes by a “sea” of dry forest providing the “Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta” with the highest bird
endemism area in Colombia.  Her more than 25% (20 species) of the Colombian endemics occur and there are at
least 39 endemic subspecies (some of which might even deserve the rank of a full species!). The drier areas
surrounding the mountains are also home to a handful number of bird species that are only shares with remote
areas of Venezuela including, 3 more Colombian endemics; such birding bonanza is only parallel by the beauty of
the sunset of the Caribbean ocean watched from the comfortable balcony of “El Dorado” lodge.

Day 13 (Day 1 of Extension):  Early morning birding in La Florida marshes near Bogota and catch our mid-day flight
to Santa Marta. Late afternoon birding in foothills on Santa Marta Mountains.  
Before our flight to Santa Marta city we
will have a short drive to La Florida marshes in route to the airport where we will look for Noble Snipe, the endemics
Bogota Rail and Silvery-throated Spinetail, the weird looking flycatcher Subtropical Doradito and the nearly endemic
Rufous-browed Conebill. We will need to be back at the airport at about noon.  After our arrival into Santa Marta in the
afternoon, we will drive to the small town of La Minca.  We will stop several times for some Santa Marta foothills
species and during the last hours of light we will look for birds in the semi-deciduous dry forest near La Minca.  We
will hope to find White-vented Plumeleteer, Scaled Piculet, Santa Marta Foliage Gleaner (endemic species),  Pale-
eyed Pygmy-Tyrant, Cinereous Becard, Rufous-breasted Wren, Rufous-and-white Wren, Swallow Tanager (endemic  
subspecies), Dull-collored Grassquit, Rusty Flowerpiercer, Crimson-backed Tanager and Golden-winged Sparrow.

Day 14 (Day 2 of Extension):  Early morning birding around Minca, then short trip to El Dorado Reserve for full
excellent day of birding.

After an early breakfast, we will bird around Minca in the looking for key species which we may have missed the day
before.  Then we will take drive to higher elevation toward the world famous “El Dorado” Reserve with many exciting
stops along the way looking for Scaled Pigeon, Coppery Emerald, Steely-vented Hummingbird, White-vented
Plumeleteer, the rare and endemic Blossomcrown, the endemic Santa Marta Woodstar, Collared Aracari, the endemic
Santa Marta Toucanet, Yellow-billed Toucanet, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Pale-breasted Spinetail , Streaked Xenops,
Montane Foliage-gleaner, Cocoa Woodcreeper, Slaty Antwren, the endemic Santa Marta Tapaculo, Golden-breasted
Fruiteater, Olive-striped Flycatcher, Venezuelan Tyrannulet, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush,
the endemic White-lored Warbler and the endemic Santa Marta Brush-Finch.

Day 15 (Day 3 of Extension):  Full day birding El Dorado Reserve, including San Lorenzo Ridge road and more.
The next two days will be devoted to further exploration of the San Lorenzo Ridge road above the “Jenian Lodge”
where many of the special birds from the mountains occur. Most of efforts will be dedicated to looking for Band-tailed
Guan, Sickle-winged Guan, Lined Quail-Dove, the endemic Santa Marta Parakeet, Mountain Velvetbreast , the
endemic White-tailed Starfrontlet, the endemic Black-backed Thornbill, Masked Trogon, White-tipped Quetzal, Streak-
capped Spinetail, the endemic Rusty-headed Spinetail, Flamulated Treehunter, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, the
endemic Santa Marta Antpitta, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, the endemic Brown-rumped Tapaculo, Golden-breasted
Fruiteater, Black-capped Tyrannulet, Great Thrush (endemic  subspecies), the endemic Yellow-crowned Whitestart,
the endemics Santa and White-lored Warblers,  Blue-capped Tanager, the endemic Santa Marta Mountain-Tanager,
Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush, Yellow-legged Thrush, the endemic Santa Marta Brush-
Finch and Stripe-headed Brush-Finch.

Day 16 (Day 4 of Extension):  Full day El Dorado Reserve and evening birding at Dorado Lodge.  Species of note here
include Black-fronted Wood-Quail, Gray-throated Leaftosser, Montane Woodcreeper, White-throated Tyrannulet, Black-
throated Tody-Tyrant, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant, Black-hooded Thrush, Páramo Seedeater and
Slate-throated Whitestart, all of which are represented as endemic subspecies restricted to the Santa Marta Mountain
range. A small bit of stamina during the nights, and we will also look for the recently described Santa Marta Screech-
Owl, which has been recorded very close to the lodge.

Day 17 (Day 5 of Extension):  Morning El Dorado Reserve then additional Santa Marta Foothills Birding on way to
Santa Marta (city)

We start the day birding in the morning at El Dorado, focusing on a few key species there we may have missed.  
Another well planned morning there will assure additional trip species.

Then we take our time birding back to Santa Marta (city) focusing on a number of key foot hills species we may have
missed.

By the end of the day, the day list will be tremendous as we have passed through so many habitats.

Day 18 (Day 6 of Extension): Full Day Santa Marta Area: Parque Isla Salamanca, and other sites (including  Las
Tinajas Road and Mamancana Reserve).  

This final full day of birding will be productive as we hit several key birding sites in the Santa Marta (city) area.  All are
close by, so driving will be reasonable.

An early start will be worthwhile to be at first light in the cacti dominated dry scrub of “ Via Parque Isla Salamanca” to
look for the endemic Chestnut-winged Chachalaca. This Chachalaca often sits on top of the Candelabra Cactus to
sun bath in the early morning, and we will be waiting for them with our scope. Soon after we will head for the Cocos
visitor center inside “PVIS” (Salamanca Park) to walk through mangrove forest in search of one of the rarest birds in
Colombia the enigmatic and endemic Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird. Other birds here include Bare-eyed Pigeon,
Red-rumped Woodpecker, Brown-throated Parakeet, Northern Scrub-Flycatcher, Black-crested Antshrike, the common
Bicolored Conebill, Bronzed Cowbird (for some this is the Bronze-brown Cowbird, an endemic species to Colombia)
and the rare Chestnut Piculet.  As soon as the heat of the day arrives, we will explore the wetlands protected in the
park (birds communities will vary accordingly with the month of the year and water level and depending on whether our
customers hail from the New World or the Old World, (just ask us for the possibilities!). Here we will be looking for
Fulvous Whistling-duck, Black-bellied Whistling-duck, Cinnamon Teal, White-cheeked Pintail, Black-necked Stilt,
several Sandpipers, Gulls and Plover species, Black-collared Hawk, Glossy Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Pied Water-tyrant
and White-headed Marsh-Tyrant.

After lunch we will start our return to Santa Marta stopping along the way to bird along the “Las Tinajas” side road and
try for the range restricted Lilac-tailed Parakeet along with a set of more common species including Red-crowned
Woodpecker, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Blue-crowned Motmot, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Coppery Emerald, White-
bearded Manakin, Pale-breasted Thrush and Bicolored Wren.

We will likely have time for additional birding (including Mamancana Reserve) before heading back to the airport at
about 5 PM.

That evening we will fly back to Bogata and spend the night there.

Day 19 (Day 7 of Extension): Flights (likely in morning) from Bogata to Points Home


Flight Recommendations for
North American Participants:

Please call for your trips arrival and
departure flights.  Good group planning
often results in additional birding and
savings on transfers.

The partnership between the Partnership for
International Birding and Neblina Forest Tours
has resulted in
8 sold out trips in just 12
months
.  Please note that Neblina Forest Tours
has been conducting birding tours in Colombia
for over seven years.  Recently, numerous
other bird tour outfits have joined in.  In just over
the last two years, we have been providing 6 to 8
Colombia birding trips to our clients each year.

Also, many of these trips are great values.  In
some cases, we have hosted trips, and you may
be able to join these trips.  
Please call us to find
out about any special offers we have on
Colombia birding travel.

We also can offer custom itineraries and trips to
any private group, birding and conservation
associations.