Welcome to the news section of Aves Ecuador. Here we hope to present all the latest news on birds and birding in Ecuador. Do you want to publish an interesting news item yourself? You are more then welcome to send in your text and photos to
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The first record of Royal Sunangel Heliangelus regalis in Ecuador has been published recently in the journal Cotinga by Niels Krabbe and Frederik Ahlman. Previously, this endangered species was only recorded in Peru.
In the past people have been birding regularly in the Botanical Garden of Carolina Park in Quito. However, in the winter of 2008-2009, Roger Ahlman has been visiting the place continuously, several times a week, and he found it to be very successful for migrant species. Also other birders came to the place this year to see some of the rare migrants he discovered. Taken all the sightings of this winter together Quito birding can be pretty nice!
Apparently the first Ecuadorian record of this species. Discovered on 27 December 2008. Seen and photographed 2.5 km northwest of Zapotillo, province of Loja, Ecuador, near the "Relleno Sanitario" by Nick Athanas, Alan Davies and Ruth Miller.
On 12 December 2008 we birded along the pipeline of the Guacamayos ridge. At about 1400m height we were walking back up and were fantasising about rare Gray Tinamous crossing the path. Incredibly, just a few minutes later a big Greyish tinamou came out on the path in front of us as it watched us for two minutes! When we came home in Quito we examined the photographs of the tinamou with literature at hand. Surprisingly, the bird did not show the typical white markings on the head of Gray Tinamou. The bird was also rather uniform coloured without any barring in the plumage. Slowly it came to us that we have witnessed the very rare Black Tinamou!
On 28 March 2008 a first winter Red-throated Pipit A. cervinus was observed and photographed along the coast of Esmeraldas. Continue to read for a short story on the discovery of the bird.
A short note on recent records of Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa in Ecuador.
An active nest of Moustached Antpitta Grallaria alleni has recently been found at Reserva Las Gralarias, Pichincha.
A Crescent-faced Antpitta Grallaricula lineifrons was recently found along the road behind the Termas Papallacta.
