Birding at Bellavista

Bellavista... located on the old Nono-Tandayapa-Mindo road, synonymous with one of the very best birding areas in Ecuador, an area that has won the Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the highest number of bird species seen in one day! And now, with the recent declaration of the road from Nono – Tandayapa – San Tadeo as the first Ecoroute in Ecuador, more habitat will be protected in the region for birds and living things in general.

Hike the extensive trail system (10 km of trails), or the little-travelled dirt roads that cross the Reserve. There are always great birds to see, be it a good tanager flock, speciality birds like Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan and Tanager-Finch, or strange calls inviting for identification!! And we GUARANTEE you will see hummingbirds!

And give yourself / yourselves the time to take day excursions to different elevations for different birds, or to other nearby reserves such as the recently opened and already famous Reserva Paz de las Aves, where a Cock-of-the-Rock lek awaits you, and up to three usually elusive Antpittas can be seen at truly incredibly close quarters – Yellow-breasted Antpitta, Moustached Antpitta, and Giant Antpitta.

How long do you need to do justice to Bellavista´s birds? Honestly, you should give yourselves at least 3 days, but many people spend up to 5 or 6 days to explore Bellavista and the surrounding region. And of course even a short visit can be highly productive!!

Check our bird lists. We provide specialist birding trips from one to 7 or more days. We include transport, specialist birding guides or local naturalist guides, full meal plan, complete lodging facilities, entrances and more. We are happy to help you set up your tour, alone or with others!

Cock-of-the-Rock lek:
extraordinary opportunity to see this amazing bird!!

Paz de las Aves' lek: starts at 4:30 am with a long 40 minute drive + another 30 minutes hike. This tour ends before lunch back in Bellavista. This lek is active throughout the year with usually between 6 and 10 individuals plus the area gives the chance to see the Giant Antpitta, the Mustached Antpitta, Dark-backed Quails and many other interesting species.

Enquire about this trip, and other birding, or adventure or fun tours, at the lodge with your Bellavista guide!