There are two departments Piura and Tumbes in Northern Peru that are too forgotten in the eyes of the birders. Kolibri Expeditions feel obliged to promote birdwatching in every corner of Peru, so we introduce a new 3 week itinerary which include these forgotten areas. To make the itinerary even more interesting these areas are combined in a circuit with some of the best endemics of Southern Ecuador.

The trip starts with a flight to Piura from where we travel, after searching for Peruvian Plantcutter neaby, to Canchaque an area known to hold Saffron Siskin, Grey-headed Antbird, Piura Hemispingus and a Rufous Antpitta that may be the Cajamarca form or something new. From Huancabamba with Gray-winged Inca-Finch, we travel over the Chinguela ridge to Carmen de la Frontera picking up Neblina Metaltail, Chusquea Tapaculo, Rufous-naped Antpitta and Mouse-colored Thistletail on the way. We will look-out for Chestnut-bellied Cotinga, Red-faced Parrot and Masked Mountain-Tanager in this area. While camping we hope to add Imperial Snipe. Near Carmen de la Frontera we shall be searching for Paynter´s Brush-Finch. In the Tabaconas valley we will look for Marañon Spinetail, Marañon Slaty-Antshrike, Marañon Crescentchest and Chinchipe Spinetail, In Tapichalapa reserve in Ecuador we will be searching for Jocotoco Antpitta and further north in Cajanuma in the Podocarpus national park we should find Bearded Guan. Bombuscaro is worth a visit for White-necked Parakeet and Coppery-chested Jacamar. North of Loja close to Cuenca is the reserve for the recently rediscovered Pale-headed Brush-Finch and while driving to Peñas we will cross Cajas reserve to add the endemic Violet-throated Metaltail. In the reserve near Peñas there is El Oro Parekeet, Ecuadorian Tapaculo, Club-winged Manakin and Long-wattled Umbrellabird. We will reach Tumbes town for some days of camping in Tumbes National Forest, which is a wilderness of tumbesian forest that holds virtually all the tumbesian species we may still be looking for. Birding in Tumbes would not be complete without a visit to the nearby mangroves with Mangrove Black Hawk, White Ibis, Magnificent Frigatebird etc.

Day 1. Start from Piura when first flight arrives with (around 9 AM) and drive to Canchaque. There is a reliable locality for Peruvian Plantcutter on the way. Above Canchaque we shall look for Saffron Siskin, Gray-headed Antbird,  Black-cowled Saltator and Piura Hemispingus Camp at Cruz Blanca just above Canchaque.

 

Day 2. A strange calling Rufous Antpitta ? that may be the Cajamarca form or maybe a different species is quite common near the camp. Later birding along the road through Huancabamba to Sapalache could produce Gray-winged Inca-finch. In the bamboo here Masked Saltator is another target. At the Chinguela ridge pass Neblina Metaltail, Mouse-colored Thistletail, Rufous Antpitta (the nominate rufula form vocally very distinct from the former) are all common. We shall be looking out for the rare Chestnut-bellied Cotinga, Masked Mountain-Tanager and Rusty-faced Parrot. Camp in cloud forest.

 

Day 3. Birding our way up to Carmen de la Frontera at the Ecuadorian border we shall be looking for Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Spectacled Prickletail, Rufous-rumped antwren, Chusquea tapaculo. Basic hotel in Carmen de la Frontera.

 

Day 4. Our main target this morning is the localized Paynter´s Brush-Finch (usually considered a sub-species of White-winged Brush-Finch, but by some considered a likely candidate of species status),  In the afternoon we will continue to bird the cloud forests of the Chinguela ridge. Night in hotel in Huancabamba.

 

Day 5. Tabaconas road. An early start gets us to the pass of the Tabaconas road at first light. Bearded Guan is not uncommon. Manu of the other Chinguela birds may be seen on this road. In the evening we shall be reaching San Ignacio, after searching for Marañon Spinetail and Marañon Crescentchest on the way. Basic hotel in San Ignacio

 

Day 6. We will cross the Ecuadorian border at Namballe and continue to look for birds of the Chinchipe valley, such as Chinchipe Spinetail, Marañon Slaty Antshrike, Tataupa Tinamou and others before we arrive to Tapichalaca reserve where we will stay in a very nice lodge in the reserve.

 

Day 7. All day in the reserve searching for Jocotoco antpitta.

The feeders have Glowing puffleg, Rufous-capped thornbill and others. Along the trails we may find Slate-crowned Antpitta while looking for the Jocotoco antpitta.

 

Day 8. Birding at Quebrada Honda just north of the reserve. Then drive with several stops up to Loja.

Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Orange-banded flycatcher, Bearded guan, Ash-browed Spinetail are possible. Night in Loja

 

Day 9. Morning birding at the Cajanuma part of Poducarpus NP with more chance for some regional birds such as Chestnut-naped Antpitta, Plain-tailed Wren, Slaty Finch and others

and afterwards drive to Zamora. Purple-throated Whitetip, Spectacled Prickletail, Red-billed Tyrannulet, White-capped Dipper possible on the way.  Night in Loja. Copalinga Lodge

 

Day 10. All day in the Bombuscara part of the park.

White-breasted parakeet, Spot-winged parrotlet, Sharp-tailed streamcreeper, Crimson-bellied woodpecker, Plain-backed antpitta, Ecuadorian piedtail etc

 

Day 11. Morning birding at Bombuscara and Copalinga. Afternoon drive to Loja.

 

Day 12. Driving north to Santa Barbara in the early morning. Check for Crescent-faced Antpitta and Rusty-faced Parrot en route.

 

Day 13. Morning in the Yunguilla reserve and looking for Pale-headed brush-finch. Afternoon drive to a nice hostería in the outskirts of the Cajas NP above Cuenca.

Pale-headed brush-finch, Rufous-chested tanager, Purple-collared woodstar.

 

Day 14. All day in the Cajas NP looking in particular for Violet-throated metaltail.

Tit-like dacnis, Andean Condor, Giant conebill, Blue-mantled thornbill & Kör igenom denna dag till Piñas!!

 

Day 15. Morning birding at Cajas as we drive through the park. In the afternoon we arrive at the Umbrellabird lodge near Piñas. Lot´s of hummingbirds at the feeders.

Emerald-bellied woodnymph, White-vented plumeletear, Rufous-winged tyrannulet.

 

Day 16. All day around the lodge and the Buenaventura trail.

Long-wattled umbrellabird, White-tipped sicklebill, Pacific tuftedcheek, Club-winged- and Golden-winged manakins, El Oro parakeet and Tapaculo & two Ecuadorian endemics. At night we try for Black-and-white owl.

 

Day 17. All day around the lodge and the Buenaventura trail.

 

Day 18. Morning birding around the lodge then drive down to Huaquillas on the Peruvian border and on to the Ecuadorian/Peruvian border station north of Tumbes National Reserve.

 

Day 19-20. We spend 2 full days in the park.

Pacific Royal Flycatcher, Grey-backed Hawk, Henna-hooded Foliage-Gleaner, Grey-breasted Flycatcher, Blackish-headed Spinetail and Rufous-headed Chachalaca, Slaty Becard, Scrub (Watkin?s) Antpitta, Ecuadorian Trogon, Grey-necked Parakeet, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Saffron Siskin, etc.

 

Day 21. Drive to Tumbes visiting the Tumbes Mangroves on the way. White Ibis, Mangrove Black Hawk, Mangrove (Yellow) Warbler, Masked Water-Tyrant and Scrub Nightjar, Rufous-necked Woodrail, Magnifiscent Frigatebird, Tricolored Heron, Brown Pelican.

 

Day 22. We spend a full day approaching Tumbes forest from the Peruvian side, concentrating on species still needed. In the evening the flight leaves to Lima