Colombia
A bit of Choco and Amazon besides Central Andes
(Sendero El Aguilon & Cerro Azul)
March 2025


 

- Pre-departure planning
- General information
- Itinerary
- Sendero El Aguilon
- Cerro Azul
- Central Andes


Pictures of the trip:
Colombia 2025


Total species list with sites:
List of Species


See more reports by me on: Birder.nl

 

It was a long wish for me to visit this most diverse and most interesting of the South American countries but for some reason it never happened. I did visit Venezuela (1994), Bolivia (2001), Ecuador (2005), Chile (2012) and Brazil (2023) before.

Towards the end of 2024 I had a look on eBird just to see the status of Harpy Eagle. After having seen several of my personal number one birds this mighty Eagle had shifted to the very top of my most wanted list.

I was always in awe because of its enormous claws, larger than a man's hand, with nails up to 10 cm long and a wrist that is as thick as man's.
As a kid watching a nature documentary, I never forget that scene when the camera zoomed in on a sloth in a tree and it was suddenly plucked out of that tree by this mighty Eagle. What power this bird must have to grab a prey that size that is firmly clung to a branch and just fly off with it as casually as taking a fish out of the water.

I looked at eBird and to my pleasant surprise saw a site in Colombia where a Harpy had a nest. I looked at the birds seen at the site and to my even greater surprise right at the nest site there was also Guianan Cock of the Rock and a few other exciting species. I thought wow!! That would be some birding day scoring those species on a single day. A few months later it came to exactly that.

 

Pre-departure Planning

Colombia is way too big to do in one short trip. Studying the possible itineraries, I concluded that the country needs at least 3 visits.

The North, the Amazon and the central Andes area and perhaps the Choco area.

I contacted Stephen Patmore who I travelled with before to Uganda and Brazil. Stephen was interested and he did a great job helping with the itinerary and the bookings. We quickly abandoned the idea of the North. This should be done by itself including a few more interesting sites around the Medellin area.

The other decision was to do Montezuma and/or Las Tangaras. Both having quite similar birds. Montezuma had no space available by the end of December 2024 they replied that they were full until April 2025.

In hindsight I'm glad considering the lack of time that we had that we decided to go for Las Tangaras only because it has a top birding site quite near that is half of the reason, I'm writing this report now.

The itinerary kept on changing to the end. We decided to skip El Paujil missing out on the Blue billed Currasow and a few other goodies. Based on the stories it was a hard-to-reach place due to a bad road and it could cost us a lot of time, if we would get bogged on the way with a normal car. Others had succeeded but even then, the site takes a fair bit of time to get to and get back. If we would include two days in the Amazon area, there wasn't enough time to do justice to the other great sites in the Andes.

While planning we found a very interesting site in the Choco area which could be visited in a single day starting from Las Tangaras. Chances of mouth-watering list of species that were high on my most wanted list: Sendero El Aguilon.

Going towards the Amazon, the first Harpy nest that we saw on eBird was not too far away from the Central Andes but there was a second more tempting site which was more into the Amazon with a huge list of possibles added to it. It was however a long drive from the Bogota area to San Jose del Guiviare: more than 6 hours.

The thought was if we could make a deal with a local guide for the site that was not too expensive we would include it. It was fairly pricey for Colombian standards but the prospects were tremendously rewarding. We decided to include it.

Contact information is marked red

Links are in blue

We contacted:

Wilmer Ramirez
+57 318 5471305
Happy Life Tours Guaviare.
https://happylifebirding.com/

Wilmer is a very good birder. He has excellent knowledge of all birdspecies and knows all birdsounds. He knows a good network of people to make your trip very smooth and efficient. Spending nights in different basic locations right at the site. He knows all the specialities and little stake outs for a very successful trip. He comes highly recommended.

 

Itinerary

This was the second time that an airline, this time British Airways completely screwed up the connection. Because of fog in the morning the flight from London was delayed and they had warned me that my 1 hour 45 minutes stopover was not enough. I ended up stranded at Heathrow together with a hundred people or so. This meant that BA / Heathrow screwed up my chances of seeing Lance Tailed Manakin and Whooping Motmot in Mana Dulce.


03-03-2025 - Arriving one day late, driving to Mana Dulce and onwards to Retorno de los Colibris.
04-03-2025 - Giles Fuertesi Proaves Reserve.
05-03-2025 - Torre Fortaleza (Turquoise Dacnis) Otun Quimbaya, Cabana de la Florida.
06-03-2025 - Otun Quimbaya.
07-03-2025 - Hacienda El Bosque. PNN Los Nevados - Centro de Visitantes Brisas (4138msnm)
08-03-2025 - Hacienda El Bosque. Rio Blanco
09-03-2025 - Rio Blanco. Evening: Rufous fronted Parakeet roost.
10-03-2025 - Bosques de Quebrada Sinifana. Las Tangaras ProAves
11-03-2025 - Las Tangaras ProAves Reserve.
12-03-2025 - Sendero El Aguilon.
13-03-2025 - Las Tangaras ProAves Reserve.
14-03-2025 - Restaurante El Palacio De Los Frijoles. Side road South on way to Rio Claro
15-03-2025 - Rio Claro
16-03-2025 - Rio Claro, Charca de Guarinocito, La Dorada -Caldas
17-03-2025 - Laguna El Tabacal.
18-03-2025 - Bosque Bavaria, Bridge before San Jose Guaviare.
19-03-2025 - Cerro Azul Reserva Natural El Yawi,
20-03-2025 - Cerro Azul Reserva Natural El Yawi, Via Laguna Negra, San Jose del Guaviare
21-03-2025 - San Jose del Guaviare to Sumapaz
22-03-2025 - Sumapaz, Parque de Florida Flying home


Highlights were way too many to mention.

But personals I think:

1 Harpy Eagle 1 adult and a juvenile near a nest
2 Guianan Cock of the Rock
3 Scarlet and white Tanager
4 White Capped Tanager
5 Red Ruffed Fruitcrow
6 Lyre tailed Nightjar
7 The spectacular butterflies of Rio Claro (see below)
8 Oilbird
9 10 new Antpitta's: Crescent Faced, Spotted, Undulated, Chestnut crowned;
Chestnut naped, Bicolored, Equatorial, Boyaca, Brown-banded, Slate crowned.
10 Two new Jacamars: Brown and White-chinned







In terms of rarity or endemity the list would be quite different but to me birding is to get the species that excite one since you were young and dreamed about seeing. Often this is just by looking in the birdguide and noticing the odd one out that seems so different from the rest.


General information

Logistics

We rented a car from Localiza which has proven itself reliable in the past and also has been reported reliable by others. They generally deliver cars that are quite new, have good tires. It was a bit pricey at a little over 1200 Euro for the nearly 3 weeks. Car was a Suzuki Swift automatic. A weird automatic it appeared to be because it could roll backwards even if the gear was in forward. Not having to use the handbrake in mountainous areas is just the reason why I like automatics. Particular at very steep hills with tight manoeuvring that comes in really handy. Alas Suzuki managed to screw that up. Otherwise no issues with the car. The clearance was rubbish of course but scraping the bottom didn't happen all that often. We were worried a few times driving into Bogota with the regulations about license plates:"Pico y Placa":
Odd/Even System: Cars with license plates ending in odd numbers are restricted on odd-numbered days, and even-numbered plates on even-numbered days (or vice versa, check the current yearly schedule).
But we were not stopped and got no fines later on.

Safety
The two most interesting sites (in the Choco and Amazon) we went to are sites that are reputedly not safe if we go by the travel advise of both our embassies. So be warned.

We asked beforehand and locally if the places were safe and got reassuring answers. This does not mean it is without risk.

Reisadvies Colombia | Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken

However British Foreign Affairs is a little less paranoid:
Colombia travel advice - GOV.UK

Weather

This was a trip with a lot of rain. If I remember well there was not a single day without it. Luckily it wasn't raining all day and most days had a dry early morning and some showers in the afternoon. Often when we moved from one site to another it was raining, which made me think we were quite lucky considering the wet seemed to have started. For most places February should be much drier.

I usually look here to get an idea:
Average rainfall per month, various sites in Colombia



Sendero El Aguilon
Sendero El Aguilon, Choco, Colombia - eBird Hotspot

GPS: 5.749039, -76.270003

Carlos Uribe can be contacted via WhatsApp at +57 323 4339033 Carlos is a descent guide knowing all the birds and sounds and where to find them.
He did not overcharge us for his services but he seemed to lack the true perseverance of a top birding guide to keep finding new birds after a while.
If however we asked where to have chances to see the specialities he seemed very knowledgeable.

We wanted to see Long-wattled Umbrellabird and this is a top site to see it. We didn't see or hear it at the nearest site which usually produces a female or immature bird. To see the male one has to keep on going much further up the trail.

You can visit this site in a day from the Las Tangaras ProAves lodge. It is only 25 km further south on the major road. (though I have to say that the road is blocked right now that I'm writing this)
Even though it is just 25 km away from the lodge it is a total different birding area.
Here you can find the true Choco specialists that you will not find at Las Tangaras.

Carlos lives nearby and has a small motorbike he can pick you up from the ProAves Lodge in your own car. We have been told this is a private area. You have to leave your car by the road in a place that is usually not safe unless it is guarded. You have to pay a small fee for people to watch your car in front of a continuously manned roadside shop.

This site is right into the true Choco area. This means there are way more interesting species to get than if you stay in Las Tangaras only.

Mind that According to both our Ministries of Foreign Affairs it is supposed to be in a red zone: not safe to travel to. (see safety above)
We asked different people before we decided to go. They said the borders of the red zone are starting a bit further



Choco Woodpecker & Lita Woodpecker

The most tempting species for me were:
Scarlet-and-white Tanager
Golden Collared Manakin
Golden Chested Tanager
Scarlet-browed Tanager
Emerald Tanager
Choco Woodpecker
Lita Woodpecker
Baudo Guan
Long-wattled Umbrellabird


For the last species there were good chances to see a female. The day before with a lot of rain people saw the female bird but we were less fortunate. All the other species were in the bag and all of them with excellent views.

Birds seen:
Birdlist Sendero El Aguilon



Cerro Azul Reserva Natural El Yawi

Cerro Azul-Reserva Natural El Yawi eBird Hotspot

GPS: 2.514755, -72.882587 (not the actual nesting site but close by)



Looking at the birdlist I still am amazed by the number of top priority birds seen there:

Checklist Cerro Azul

It could be the very best birding site in the whole of South America for me so far.




And there were hard to find birds for Colombia there as well. Great sights of Spotted Antpitta and we heard calling Thrush-like Antpitta right at the very site where one could see Harpy Eagle and Guianan COTR.

A couple of other pleasant surprises: White browed Purpletuft, Spangled Cotinga. Bare-necked Fruitcrow, Brown Nunlet, Collared Puffbird, Great Jacamar, Rose breasted Chat and three stunning manakins.

The trail to the nesting site was short (less than a kilometer) but it produced a lot of good species. This is also probably the best place to see a Screaming Piha whistling. The bird is abundant in that area. Monkeys are numerous of several species. Woolly monkeys, Squirrel Monkeys. The nesting area seemed to be teeming with life of all sorts. (unfortunately also mosquitoes so bring your DEET).



Some notes on other major sites around the Central Andes

Hotel Termales del Ruiz

 Hotel Termales del Ruiz - eBird Hotspot

GPS: 4.970047, -75.378013



The good road to this hotel was blocked at the very day we had to go up. There was some kind of demonstration against the use of cars. We tried another spot nearby and saw some interesting birds but not the species hoped for. We took the other road to the Hotel via Gallinazo. This was a very bad and narrow road partly washed away by floods and we encountered several vehicles coming down and warning us that we could not proceed. We were stubborn and wanted to try. I have to say it was quite hairy at times and I wasn't very optimistic after the ominous predictions but we succeeded. One should not go up via the Gallinazo Road but go up by this road:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/5uGg6bKBF7g7CGKR8



It took some time to find a Rainbow bearded Thornbill. The entrance fee is quite expensive. It is possible to see a few good birds at the car park of the hotel including the Rainbow Bearded Thornbill if you are on a low budget.

Turquoise Dacnis spot

We could not get to the known site for this bird. It appeared to be locked behind a guarded gate and they would not let us through. Besides that it was pouring down with rain so we decided to drive on and try a different spot: Torre Fortaleza:
Torre Fortaleza, Risaralda - eBird Hotspot

GPS: 2.514755, -72.882587

The weather cleared and not soon after we saw our first Turquoise Dacnis

Otun Quimbaya

This famous site was finally the site where I could finally connect with two species that were high on my list of wanted birds and missed or only heard before.


We decided to stay in Cabanas de Florida.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zWfu8ft4tT6u3bSRA

Booked through Booking.com The actual place seemed different from the very near Cabanitas de Florida now at Booking which seems a bit nicer. It was very basic and dark but Ok but we had no Wifi and there contrary to what Google is saying was no place to eat nearby except a small shop.
The good thing was that we could start birding right near our cabins.
It was lovely to connect again with the fastest swimming duck of the world right in our backyard. Torrent Duck I remember was one of the highest priority birds for me back in 1994 when I first went to South America and I had not seen it since and never was able to take pictures of it until now.

The weird thing in Otun Quimbaya was that the road was narrow with no parking space. When you end up at the headquarters with a huge almost empty parking lot you think: Ah! get rid of the car and start walking but then despite the loads of space you are being told you can not park there. We found a tight spot near a picnic table where we got rid of the car because this is a place you do not want to drive but walk.

We had a lot of rain there but still managed to most of the important species.

Birds seen at Otun Quimbaya:
Otun Quimbaya

And
Cabana de la Florida

Rio Claro
This is a very special site and should definitely not be missed.

RN Canon del Rio Claro, Antioquia, Colombia - eBird Hotspot

The total checklist of the site of more than 600 species says probably enough. It is very popular with the locals so seems very touristy, but it gave us a lot of good species. I hoped very much for Crested Owl there but heard none. Only spectacled Owl. It was interesting to see how abundant Scorpions are at that site. I used a UV torch in the dark and saw hundreds of them. Sometimes 6 in a square metre. They were everywhere, even a few meters from where we were sleeping. Taking pictures in the dark of the greenish glow didn't work out with my camera without a tripod, way too dark. When flashed the Scorpions turned out to be become an in between of lighted and glowing making them blue. It was this site that produced the most diverse spectrum of wildlife. It gave us by far the most species of stunning butterflies and an array of other interesting wildlife. It was also Amazing to see the Oil birds coming out of the cave in the evening. It is also the only site where there are (low) chances of seeing one of my favorites: Blue Cotinga. We missed. Bird wise we could have done a little better but I was happy with the rare Saffron Crowned Parrot, Grey-cheecked Nunlet and the Barred Puffbird that showed amazingly well.
Birds:

Birds seen Rio Claro


Hacienda del Bosque and Rio Blanco produced all the antpitta's hoped for. Just an idea what you can see:



At Hacienda del Bosque we were accompanied by the guide Diego: phone: +57 323 2454202. Diego took us to the best areas for the Antpitta's and the site for Indigo winged Parrot. Diego was a good guide but he does not come cheap.


You can have a look at the many pictures taken.

Pictures of the trip:
Colombia 2025 | Flickr


The total list of birds seen (not heard) are: Total Birdlist trip Colombia


Stephen recorded many more species