Birding Tour Specialties Southern Ecuador

Birding Tour Specialties and Highlights of Southern Ecuador. 2025 – 2026

Southern Ecuador is home to more than half of Ecuador’s total bird species, making it one of the top destinations to explore for rarities and endemic birds — such as the recently discovered Blue-throated Hillstar and the famous Jocotoco Antpitta.

Our tours are led by Pablo Andrade, a passionate bird expert with many years of experience and deep knowledge of the region. He will guide you through the stunning landscapes, mountains, and forests of southern Ecuador, visiting key areas such as Podocarpus National Park and renowned private reserves.

Upon arriving in the south and beginning the journey through remote regions, you’ll be amazed by the pristine native forests and the variety of ecosystems. Starting in the southwestern lowlands, you’ll witness the incredible biodiversity of the Tumbesian zone — including dry forests, mangroves, wetlands, acacia groves, and towering ceibo trees.

As we ascend through the western slopes of the Andes, the vegetation shifts dramatically. Here, several ecosystems converge: mangrove forests, evergreen lowland forest, premontane humid forest, cloud forest, and páramo. These montane and temperate forests offer breathtaking views and rich birdlife.

While traveling between destinations, you’ll enjoy the vibrant chorus of birds — from the calls of toucans welcoming you in the canopy, to the mysterious voices echoing through the dense vegetation. It’s not uncommon to ask for a quick stop just to catch a glimpse of them. 

In the Amazon Basin, the lush foothill rainforest of the Nangaritza Valley and the Cordillera del Cóndor offers one of the most exciting experiences. This region is home to an astonishing diversity of flora and fauna. You’ll be captivated by the colorful Amazonian Trogons, the melodic songs of wrens, flocks of tanagers, and the secretive world of antbirds, antshrikes, and antwrens.

Our itineraries cover the full range of ecosystems — from lowland dry forest to the high Andean páramo, including some of the most remote areas in Zamora-Chinchipe such as Chinapinza,  El Zarza, Paquisha, Shaime, and the Cordillera del Cóndor. And now, we also visit Cerro de Arcos, the discovery site of the recently described hummingbird, the Blue-throated Hillstar (Oreotrochilus cyanolaemus).