birding photography Archives - Sula Travel Agency

What is a Birding Photography Tour and Where to Go in Colombia

Posted on 05/02/202105/02/2021 by Frank59872

Doing bird photography in Colombia is a must. It is the ‘birdiest’ country in the world. Nowhere else on the planet you will find more bird species than in here. There are over 1,900 registered species — 80 endemic — and this number represents 20% of all the species of birds in the world.

Every region of Colombia boasts unique bird species for birders to enjoy. However, photographing birds is a whole another scenario and not all the birding spots throughout the country are apt to do bird photography tours.

Find out the best tips for bird photography in our entries Brief Overview about Bird Photography for Beginners and How to Prepare for a Birding Tour in the Neotropics?.

In this post, we will talk about the difference between bird photography and birdwatching tours, and the most recommended bird photography destinations in Colombia.

Bird Photography vs Birdwatching

The Guide

In South America, both fields are commonly undistinguished. However, it is essential that a guide leading a bird photography tour has knowledge about birds in the region as well as photography, to help tourists improve their pictures.

About 4 or 5 years ago, Colombia did not have this kind of complete guides, but currently the landscape is changing.

The Destination

Also, the destination for doing bird photography is totally different from a spot for birdwatching. Photography guides are used to visiting the destinations in advance to know if those are convenient for doing a photography tour or not.

Aspects to take into account for a bird photography destination, and which offer ease to the photographers, are:

The bird perches.
The background.
The slope of the terrain where you are going to place your tripod or seat.
The suitable infrastructure for photography such as hides, or observation towers.
Access to electricity.
Spacious rooms with extra desks and outlets.

Experts Advice

We interviewed 2 South American photographers at the Colombia BirdFair 2020 on the subject, and here we will share their recommendations.

Steve Sánchez

Steve Sánchez is a birding guide and nature photographer specialized in bird photography from Peru. He is the manager and CEO of Kuntur Birding and Steve Sánchez Wildlife Photography.

Steve thinks a birdwatching tour is very different from a photography tour or a bird photography tour.

Usually, what a birdwatcher wants is to observe as many bird species as possible during their trip. On the ther side, a nature photographer is not interested in having a lot of species photographed if those pictures are mediocre or do not turn out well. For a photographer, the priority is quality, not quantity.

Steve Sanchez recommends to lodge owners to listen to the professional photographers advice to make the lodge more apt for photography (that means changing the perches or moving the feeders to a better place and this does not negatively impact birds, as it is commonly believed).

Memo Gómez

Memo Gomez, a nature photographer from Colombia, and CEO of the El Cantil Ecolodge, says that photographers need to spend time with birds.

Memo explained to us that bird photographers need the right landscape, the right spot, the right button for every picture, while birders seek to spot a bird and cross their checklists, it is quite different. Photographers are more patient, because they need to wait for the perfect conditions to take a shot.

Some practical tips for bird photographers, explained by Memo Gomez, are:

Exposure is key, if you learn how to control exposure well, you will get more and more pictures.
Understand pretty well the focus system of your camera, for example when photographing birds in flight, cause it depends on the camera manufacturer.
Have the right local guide. When going to the jungle or complex environments, finding a bird is tough if you do not bring a local guide that has a deep knowledge of the area.

The Coffee Triangle Bird Photography Tour

In the western and central ranges of the Andes lies the region where the best-quality coffee of the world is grown: the Colombian Coffee Region.

Quindío, Caldas and Risaralda are the mainly constituents of the region, with stunning landscapes and high biodiversity hosted in dry forests, tropical humid forests and páramos.

This area concentrates about 45% of all birds in the country, Quindío has around 690 bird species, Caldas has approximately 880 species with 22 endemic and Risaralda around 890 species with 25 endemic.

That being said, you may notice why the Coffee region is a special destination for bird photography. In Sula, we have a bird photography tour around the Eje Cafetero (or Coffee region)

It starts in Pereira and ends in the town of La Virginia, in Risaralda too. It is an unforgettable 14-day birding experience.

You will visit the next spots:

Tinamú Birding Nature Reserve

The Tinamú Birding Nature Reserve is a renowned birding place in Manizales where you can hear, observe and photograph from 70 to 110 bird species at 1,225 meters above sea level!

Find out more information about Tinamu in our entry The Nicest Bird-lodge of Colombia: Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve.

Moustached Puffbird (*Malacoptila mystacalis*) at Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve.

Among the species you can find are the Little Tinamou, Colombian Chachalaca, Gray-headed Dove, Dwarf Cuckoo, Common Potoo, Common Pauraque, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Stripe-throated Hermit, Western emerald, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Grayish Piculet, Bar-crested Antshrike and Scrub Tanager.

The Reserve offers Facilities and Avitourism Services with a comprehensive and specialized service for photographers and birders, as follows:

Tour of photography and bird watching
Birding Library for consultation
Space for workshops with audiovisual equipment
Wide screen for review of photographic and video files
Hummingbird garden with support feedlots
Feedlots for birds with hide for photographers
Fishing lake for birds only
+3 Km. of private and safe paths
Hides
Trails with recognized perches and crossing points for some birds

Río Blanco Reserve

The Rio Blanco Reserve is 3 km from Manizales and has the cloud forest ecosystem at over 2,159 MASL. It is key in the preservation of water and biodiversity. The place has been suitable with feeders and drinkers for hummingbirds and tanager, as well as with small observation benches to photograph the 4 different species of antpittas that have been bait in the reserve.

Brown-banded Antpitta (*Grallaria milleri*) at Rio Blanco Reserve, Caldas, Colombia

Here you can photograph species such as the Masked Saltator, Rusty Faced Parrot, Golden Plumed Parakeet, the endemic Brown-banded Antpitta and the near endemic Bicolored Antpitta. There are approximately 350 bird species here!

Cameguadua Reservoir

The Cameguadua Reservoir is an aquatic ecopark commonly visited by around 250 species of aquatic birds.

From the pier you can photograph Blue-winged Teal, Pied-billed Grebe, Blackish Rail, Common Gallinule, Purple Gallinule, Wattled Jacana, Pectoral Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Neotropic Cormorant, Snowy Egret, among others. It has a dock that goes deep into the lake, from where it is possible to locate the camera to take photographs.

Romelia Colors of Life Farm

In the Romelia Colors of Life farm, you will have the possibility to spot over 200 bird species including the Golden-plumed Parakeet, Bar-crested Antshrike, Crimson-rumped Toucanet , Yellow-vented Woodpecker and Golden-olive Woodpecker, in a nice area with orchids, bonsai, citrus fruits and avocados crops.

There is also a striking collection of orchids and bonsais from around the world.

Termales del Ruiz Hotel

If you want to discover highland birds, Termales del Ruiz Hotel hosts approximately 190 species including Andean Siskin, Shining Sunbeam, Glowing Puffleg, Red-crested Cotinga, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Great Sapphirewing, Slaty Brushfinch, Masked Flowerpiercer and Black-backed Bush Tanager in a páramo ecosystem at 3,500 meters above sea level.

Shining Sunbeam – *Aglaeactis cupripennis*

Also, you can enjoy several hot springs here. This place is known for its large number of drinking fountains and gardens with native plants that attract hummingbirds and other high mountain species. It has benches and terraces to facilitate photography. It is even possible to have the experience of feeding the birds in your own hand.

Tatamá Hill and Montezuma Ecolodge

One particularly recommended birding spot is the Finca Montezuma eco-lodge, located on the hillside that connects the Risaralda with Chocó, in the western range of the Andes.

It has a huge cloud forest that borders the Tatamá National Natural Park and boasts fauna and flora wealth. It is not so known among birders but is home to various endemic species, such as the iconic Black-and-gold and Gold-ringed Tanagers and the Chocó Tapaculo and Warbler.

Find out more information about Tatamá and Montezuma Lodge in our entry The Uniqueness of Tatamá Park and Montezuma Road Destination.

Other birding spots within the Coffee region are the towns of Santa Rosa de Cabal, Santa Cecilia, Apía, Mistrató and La Virginia. These boast ecosystems such as páramo, rainforest, wet premontane forest, cloud forest and tropical dry forest, so the variety of birds you can spot is unbelievable. However, there is still lack of good infrastructure to photograph them.

Chicoral, Dapa and Km 18, Cali

Find out more information about Km 18 and the San Antonio forest in Valle del Cauca in our e entry Know the Winged Jewels Held by San Antonio Cloud Forest – Km 18.

Finca Alejandría Farm

Finca Alejandría is 18 km down the road from Cali to Buenaventura, on the Pacific coast. This place covered in cloud forest has several feeders that attract hummingbirds and other regional bird species such as tanagers, toucanets and motmots.

Red-headed Barbet – *Eubucco bourcierii* at Finca Alejandría

The stars of the zone are the Multicolored Tanager, which is really difficult to see, Blue-headed Sapphire, Ornate Hawk-eagle, Crested Quetzal and Golden-headed Quetzal. Our Valle del Cauca birding route has a stop in this farm. Check the itinerary here.

Finca La Conchita Farm

In this zone known as the 18 Km, you can also visit Finca La Conchita to photograph hummingbirds, honey creepers, tropical mockingbirds and plenty more bird species. Experienced photographers such as Augusto Ilian have taken gorgeous shots at this birding spot.

Bronzy Inca – *Coeligena coeligena* at La Conchita

La Minga Ecolodge

Another eco-lodge for bird photography is La Minga, which is located within the Rio Bitaco forest reserve. In the cloud forest, over 300 species and 4 endemic birds have been spotted.

You can easily photograph up to 17 species of hummingbirds, up to 30 species of tanagers, flower piercers and honeycreepers. Watch our birding experience in Km 18!

Upper Anchicayá

Find out more about this destination in our entry Best Set to Photography Tropical Rainforest Birds at Upper Anchicayá.

El Descanso km 55 – Doña Dora

It is also important to mention the immense effort local people is putting into develop adequate places for bird photography. It requires a lot of compromise, money and time.

Compas – Toucan Barbet – *Semnorinis ramphastinus* at El Descanso Km 55

Here is one of the most impressive places in Valle del Cauca, where bird watching and bird photography helped local people to transform and enhance their life conditions, El Descanso, Km 55 Old Way to Buenaventura with doña Dora.

As time goes by, the list of bird photography destinations in Colombia gets longer and you can be sure that you will find fantastic birds in any region of the country. Check all of our Birding Routes here!

References

About the authors

Ana María Parra

Modern Languages professional with emphasis on business translation. Interested in cultural adaptation of written and audiovisual content. Passionate about knowing new cultures and languages, tourism and sustainable living.

Sara Colmenares

Current director of Sula. Doctor in Biological Sciences. Her main interests are to explore and understand the organism – environment interactions, taking advantage of emerging knowledge for the management and conservation of species and ecosystem services. She is currently working as a consultant in functional ecology, ecosystem services and conservation projects in Colombia related to ecotourism and birdwatching.

Top 7 Most Colorful Tanagers of Colombia and Where to Find Them

Posted on 15/09/202024/09/2020 by Frank59872

Did you know that Tanagers are a very large family of birds? Yes! and you must know that many species from this family are brightly colored. Therefore, we decided to dedicate a whole post to them, however, if you want to know other colorful birds of Colombia, you can visit our entry Most Colorful Birds of Colombia and where to find them. In this post you will find the Most Colorful Tanagers of Colombia and where to find them.

First of all, I will tell you that the initial selection was not easy, many of tanagers are beautiful. Secondly, tanagers are very widely distributed along the entire American continent! Here is a preliminary list of those chosen: Scarlet-and-white Tanager, Guira Tanager, Masked Crimson Tanager, Swallow Tanager, Multicolored Tanager, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Purplish-mantled Tanager, Grass-green Tanager, Golden-hooded Tanager, Paradise Tanager, Rufous-winged Tanager, Bay-headed Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager, Golden-eared Tanager, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Green-and-gold Tanager, Golden Tanager, Rufous-throated Tanager, Red-hooded Tanager, and White-capped Tanager.

Colombia also has important, but less colorful tanagers to speak of, belonging to the Bangsia genus. We will talk about these in another post, stay tuned!

In this entry I will focus on Tanagers with reduced distribution, and/or exclusive to Colombia.

Multicolored Tanager: The Queen of the Most Colored Tanagers

Chlorochrysa nitidissima

This bird has an incredible color pattern: electric cerulean chest and flanks, black belly, green nape and wings, cream colored back, golden face and throat, and brown-black ear patch.

Endemic to the forests of the central and western mountain ranges of the Colombian Andes, it is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is the symbol of the IBA “Bosque de Niebla San Antonio – km 18“, in the department of Valle del Cauca. There you can easily photograph this bird at La Minga Ecolodge.

Flame-faced Tanager

Tangara parzudakii

Among the most colorful tanagers, you cannot miss this one. Know that this bird has unmistakable colors with a bright red-orange face, which turns yellow on the crown and nape. Also, it has a black patch on its ears, and its back is black. Its underparts and wing covert patch are opalescent greenish and the rump is reddish.

Depending on its geographical location in some places it shows individuals with bright red on the face, while in other places they may look more orangish.

Yes, I know you can say “but this bird is widely distributed among Colombia, Ecuador y Perú!” But I also can tell you that it is still an eye-catching attraction when you are in a birding tour in Colombia. You can find it around the whole Andean region of Colombia, in altitudes between 1000 and 2500 m.

Golden-eared Tanager

Tangara chrysotis

This colorful bird moves on top of the trees, however it visits low troughs from where its colors can be appreciated. It is blue-green with an orange face, coppery belly and contrasting black patches on its head and back.

You can find this bird in the departments of Huila and Caquetá, in the south of Colombia. It is very easy to photograph in the El Encanto Nature Reserve and in the Mirador de las Tangaras on the old road to Florencia, capital of Caquetá.

Scarlet-and-white Tanager

Chrysothlypis salmoni

You must know this Tanager is rare, like, difficult to find. You can find it only by visiting the lowland and foothill rainforests of western Colombia, throughout the Pacific region, which also corresponds to the Biogeographic Chocó forest.

The male has a spectacular coloration, which makes him different from any other South American bird. It has a bright red plumage with white flanks and slightly darker wings.

You can watch this bird when you visit the old road to Buenaventura, better known as Anchicayá, in the department of Valle del Cauca. Also at Las Bangsias Reserve in the department of Nariño.

Rufous-throated Tanager

Ixothraupis rufigula

All the species of the genus Ixothraupis have a very particular plumage, presenting very vivid colors of greens, blues, whites and yellows, but they become weird by the black spots in the midle of their feathers, which make them look with scales, as a fish… Among them, the Rufous-throated Tanager differenciates the most.

The Rufous-throated Tanager has a set of colors, which makes those Ixothraupis scales look less trippy. This Tanager may appear as of sober plumage, however when you see it in the sun it is spectacular. It has a mostly black head, and a very striking orange throat. Its neck, back and scapulas are dark with a flaky appearance, as well as the contrasting black spots on its breast and flanks over the white of its belly.

You will find this tanager throughout the Pacific region of Colombia, which also corresponds to the Biogeographic Chocó forest. You can photograph it when you visit Anchicayá in the department of Valle del Cauca. Also in the department of Nariño at Las Bangsias Reserve.

Purplish-mantled Tanager

Iridosornis porphyrocephalus

This tanager is almost completely blue. However, the truth is that its plumage represents almost every shade of blue, from a brighter dark blue on the head, to a paler cerulean blue towards the tail. And, to complete its beauty, it has a bright lemon-yellow throat.

It is difficult to find the most beautiful among all the species of the Iridosornis genus. Firstable, what can you expect from a genus called Iridosornis which means rainbow bird? I found Iridosornis is a word derived from the Greek roots “iris = rainbow” and “ornis = bird“. Second, they all look alike and have the same range of colors: all blues, yellow, black and a little bit of rufus.

I decided that Purplish-mantled Tanager and Golden-crowned Tanager (Iridosornis rufivertex) are the most beautiful in this genus. And you can find them in Colombia. You can observe the Purplish-mantled Tanager in southern Colombia, and it is especially easy to see in the department of Putumayo.

On the other hand, the Golden-crowned Tanager can be found all over the Andean region of Colombia, the luck is to find it, but in places like the national natural park Los Nevados in the coffee axis, or the national natural park Chingaza, near Bogotá, you can get easy records.

Golden-crowned Tanager is rare to see, its color is mostly dark cobalt blue with a black head and a bright yellow cap. Its under tail coverts are reddish, which differentiates it from the rest of the birds of this genus.

Rufous-winged tanager

Tangara lavinia

This tanager is mostly green. The male is deep emerald green with a yellow back and neck. The head and wings are mostly ferruginous and the belly is bright sky blue.

You can find this tanager throughout the Pacific region of Colombia, which also corresponds to the Biogeographic Chocó forest. Also, the best places to photograph this bird are Anchicayá in the department of Valle del Cauca, and Apía in the department of Risaralda.

References

The Internet Bird Collection IBC
The Macaulay Library

About the author

Sara Colmenares

Know the Winged Jewels Held by San Antonio Cloud Forest – Km 18

Posted on 11/09/202024/09/2020 by Frank59872

The San Antonio cloud forest and the wooded areas of the sector known as “kilometro 18” (Km. 18), are located between kilometers 14 to 23 of the Cali – Buenaventura road. The area belongs to the municipalities of Cali, in the townships of El Saladito, Felidia, and La Elvira and Dagua in the townships of San Bernardo, and Km. 26.

Multicolored Tanager – *Chlorochryssa nitidissima* ©Colombia Birdfair

More than 180 species of birds have been registered in San Antonio Forest – Kilometer 18. The presence of threatened species such as the Multicolored Tanager (Chlorochryssa nitidissima) and the Cloud-forest pygmy owl (Glaucidium nubicola) stands out, and raises the place as one of the best hotspots for birding near to the city of Santiago de Cali, in the department of Valle del Cauca.

Sustainable Destination

Red-headed Barbet – *Eubucco bourcierii*, La Minga Ecolodge, Valle del Cauca

The local community was interested in conserving the forests and following this aim they decided to creat the Asociación Rio Cali, together with the support of numerous allies. The Asociación Río Cali is a private non-profit organization that promotes and supports the maintenance of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources by involving the local human communities of the Cali and Aguacatal river basin, where the San Antonio forest and km 18 are located.

The community supports biodiversity conservation initiatives from small rural farms through the planning and management of agroecosystems, generating income and employment through the production of primary goods and environmental services. It also seeks to protect birds and their habitat by generating economic income for rural communities through nature tourism focused on bird watching.

Scientific Research at San Antonio Forest

This forest was explored in the early 20th century by the famous naturalist, ornithologist and banker Frank M. Chapman of the American Museum of Natural History. He was the creator of the Christmas Bird Count (you should know this if you are a serious bird watcher … I am just kidding!) After him, more studies and explorations were carried by other ornithologists several times during the same century. Today, all this information has served to historically track birds that have become extinct in the area due to forest fragmentation. It also have been useful to support conservation initiatives implemented on the area.

San Antonio Cloud Forest – Km 18: Important Bird Area (IBA)

According to BirdLife International, the San Antonio cloud forest and the surrounding wooded areas at kilometer 18 were declared National Forest Reserve Areas in 1938 and 1943. Then, in 1948 and 1960 the area was ceded to the municipality of Cali for its management as a Forest Reserve Area. In 1998, the housing areas of the Forest Reserve Area were excluded.

It is in 2004, when members and researchers from the local community and the Asociación Río Cali, proposed to BirdLife International and the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Biological Research, the declaration of the “Bosque de Niebla de San Antonio – Km 18” as an Important Area for the Conservation of Birds (IBA/AICA). Thus, kilometer 18 and the San Antonio cloud forest were designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) for conservation, especially for hosting significant numbers of globally threatened species.

The Multicolored Tanager was choosen as the symbol of the IBA/AICA, because of being a unique species of the Colombian Andes, very easy to observe in the region, and being threatened to extinction due to habitat loss.

The Multicolored Tanager is the symbol of the IBA/AICA “Bosque de Niebla de San Antonio- Km 18” ©Asociación Rio Cali

Asociación Río Cali activities are also involved with monitoring the Birds of the AICA Bosque de Niebla de San Antonio and Km 18, studying native species and making inventories of plants, mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles with the support of the local environmental authority (CVC).

Among the 180 species of this place, the following ones are of main importance to the IBA: Chestnut Wood-quail (Odontophorus hyperythrus), Yellow-headed Manakin (Chloropipo flavicapilla), Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera), Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea), Purplish-mantled Tanager (Iridosornis porphyrocephalus) and the Multicolored Tanager (Chlorochrysa nitidissima).

Location

Cloud forest located in the western mountain range of Colombia.

The Cerro de San Antonio, also called Cerro de La Horqueta, is a montane summit (2100 m elevation) in the western andean mountain range in Colombia. It is localted 15 km west of the city of Santiago de Cali, on the road to Buenaventura, department of Valle del Cauca.

The cloud forests of San Antonio and its surrounding area, were heavily extracted during the first half of the past century (1900-1950). However, the remaining fragments stayed more or less pristine since the 1960s, and are distributed in a matrix of small farms and suburban houses.

What to do

Birding at San Antonio Cloud Forest – Km 18

In the San Antonio Cloud Forest – Km 18 you can observe more than 220 species of birds, both resident and migratory. Some of the species that can be seen are the Multicolored Tanager, the Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, the Blue-naped Chlorophonia, the Green-and-black Fruiteater, the Colombian Chachalaca and 30 species of hummingbirds.

Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager – *Anisognathus somptuosus*

Colombian Chachalaca – *Ortalis columbiana,* Endemic, Valle del Cauca

You can find many highly recommended places to observe and photograph birds. Also ecolodges and birdlodges specialized in offering high quality accommodation in the area. Among the most famous and recommended places to go birding in the San Antonio Cloud Forest Km 18 in Valle del Cauca are:

Finca La Conchita: At Finca La Conchita west of the city of Cali you can have superb studies of hummingbirds, plus a wide variety of other birds such as the endemic Colombian Chachalaca.

Purple-throated Woodstar – *Calliphlox mitchellii* – male-

La Minga Ecolodge: This is the prime destination to observe and photograph the Multicolored Tanager. Be sure that the best pictures of this bird were took at La Minga Ecolodge.

View to the San Antonio Cloud Forest from La Minga Ecologe

Finca Alejandría “El Paraíso de los Colibríes”: This is one of the most known and traditional palces for photographing tanagers and hummingbirds at Km 18, perhaps because it was one of the first to open. There you can find adequate trails with numbered drinking troughs, where the birds arrive. There are also gardens with feeders inside the forest.

Crowned Woodnymph – *Thalurania colombica*

Araucana Lodge: Eco-lodge specializing in bird watching, botanical tours and wellness. Organic farm on site. Know more about this place in our entry Complete Guide to the Best Eco lodges in Colombia.

Bosque de Niebla Birding & Nature: If you love nature and birds, you must know this place. It is a family business that offers its visitors bird watching and hiking tours, as well as birding workshops. It is located at Km 18, 30 minutes from Cali, and 2 kilometers from the entrance of Km 18 via Dapa. Its purpose is to help the conservation of the cloud forest of the National Protected Forest Reserve of La Elvira, thus promoting the conservation of the habitat of its birds.

Post Covid-19 Destination ©**Bosque de Niebla Birding & Nature**

If you want to know more about Colombian nature tours, or want to visit any Valle del Cauca, just check our Valle del Cauca tour, follow us, write us comments, or just contact us.

References

BirdLife International (2020) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Bosque de San Antonio/Km 18. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org
Calidris ONG
Forest Fragmentation and Bird Extinctions: San Antonio Eighty Years Later. Author(s): Gustavo H. Kattan, Humberto Alvarez-Lopez, Manuel Giraldo. Source: Conservation Biology, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Mar., 1994), pp. 138-146
Asociación Río Cali Website

About the author

Sara Colmenares

The Nicest Bird-lodge of Colombia: Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve

Posted on 10/07/202028/09/2020 by Frank59872

Tinamú Birding is a natural reserve 15 km away from the city of Manizales, in the village of San peregrino. More than 40 years ago, in the heart of the coffee region in Colombia, Tinamu Birding was a coffee farm. Over the years, the Londoño Jaramillo family allowed their coffee and banana plantations to become a forest.

The family started supporting the planting of native trees in the region, protecting and reforesting a small part of the sub-Andean forest in the department of Caldas. This resulted in a high density of fauna and flora, concentrated in a land completely surrounded by open coffee and fruit tree plantations, becoming a refuge for local wildlife.

Origins of the Tinamú Birding Lodge

The real story begins just six years ago, in 2014, when Mauricio Londoño, its owner, made the decision to build a bird lodge. Since then, it became a successful and unique project in the country, competing internationally with eco-lodges and bird-lodges in countries like Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and Costa Rica, which have a longer trajectory in birding and nature tourism. Since that time, ecotourism has been one of the main sources of self-financing for the reserve. They are specialized in offering a high level of service for birding tourists, who seek comfort and at the same time all the facilities to observe and photograph birds in their natural habitat.

According to Mauricio, a lot of perseverance and discipline was needed, because one of the main challenges was to adapt the facilities around the lodge to attract the birds. As is well known, the installation of bird drinkers and bird feeders requires a daily commitment to maintenance, to ensure the presence of the birds, but most of all, the health of the birds.

Tinamu Birding Visitors

Initially the bird lodge received hardcore birders, and still does, if not all of them have already passed through this place. As time went by, it became specialized in receiving people interested in having contact with nature and, at the same time, having the best possible comfort and attention. Today, Tinamú Birding is oriented to travelers looking for quality and comfort, and does not receive backpackers or outlanders. Just so you know, even camping is forbidden and no buses are accepted that bring more than 10 people.

Bird photographers at Tinamú Birding Nature Reserve

Eventually, Tinamu specialized to hosting bird photographers. Bird photographers are a particular segment of bird watching tourism, who generally carry photographic equipment that can weigh up to 15 kilograms. These people do not walk much, but rather sit and wait for the perfect conditions to photograph the birds.

Facilities for bird photographers and bird watchers at the Tinamú Birding Lodge

Steely-vented Hummingbird at Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve

The facilities offered for bird photographers at the Tinamu are concentrated on attracting the birds with food and water to scenarios well suited for bird photography. These locations are native plant gardens, with feeders and waterers installed around them. There are several natural perches installed there suitable for bird photography.

Around the lodge you can observe around 60 species of birds, among them the Gray-headed Dove, and the Little Tinamou itself, which gives the name to the reserve, has been baited to facilitate its observation. Some sectors even have hides for photographers.

Accommodation and staff

Highlights at a glance:

Tinamu offers a high level of service, from food, lodging, cleaning in the lodge and in the forest. All the employees are from rural families who live nearby, and are trained in the love of service and the appreciation and respect for the clients, and so provide a qualified service. There are 9 staff members in charge of providing the best attention in all the services of cooking, lodging, guidance and maintenance of the reserve.

The lodge has large rooms of between 25 and 30 square meters, with comfortable beds, designed for a senior and family segment, so that people receive good service and feel good. The bathrooms are very spacious, with hot water, and are safe and functional for the senior tourist.

Accommodation capacity in the Tinamu is reduced to guarantee peace in the natural environment, allowing wild animals to come close. For this reason there are no dogs, cats, television or radio that can disturb the tranquility. It is a perfect place to enjoy the sounds of nature.

Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve

Today, the recovery of the forest has been so successful that, only 3 months ago, Tinamu Birding Lodge was declared as a Civil Society Nature Reserve (CSRR 031-19 before Colombian National Natural Parks NNP according to resolution 056 of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development). Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve is proudly rising as one of the most important private wildlife conservation centers in the region, and becoming a national reference for others who are beginning to understand and follow its example.

Today, the reserve guarantees the regeneration and restoration of the ecosystems within its 12.6 hectares. It protects a strategic habitat in the middle of the agricultural zone. This habitat is a refuge for 227 species of resident birds and 33 species of migratory birds. Also, different types of mammals, reptiles, insects, and attractive butterflies and moths, as well as many plants and fungi. Check out the gallery of wildlife you can photograph at Tinamu at the end of this post.

Sustainable Practices at Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve

Their new goal is to increase their environmental education programs focused on children and youth living in the surrounding area, people with disabilities, and the elderly. They are also looking for alliances with institutions, schools and universities, and agreements with ornithological associations in the country, to develop research projects for the conservation and biodiversity of nature.

Children from San Peregrino at Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve.

Among the main activities carried out in the reserve for the protection of the forest are:

The use of native trees for reforestation.
The creation of artificial nests for birds and mammals.
Research of the avifauna by carrying out permanent bird censuses.
Day and night monitoring of species with camera traps, videos, sound recording and photographic records.
Free workshops for children and young people in the San Peregrino area with emphasis on water, nature and bird care.
Workshops for groups of blind and disabled people with a focus on awareness and care of the environment.
Invitation of international experts, through PROCOLOMBIA and other institutions, as advisors for the preservation of the environment.

Juan Pablo Culasso at Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve.

Birds and Coffee at Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve

Within the reserve there are also some relics of the coffee plantations of the past. These trees have been left to grow along with the native species from the reforestation. The banana is also kept, but this time for the maintenance of the birds’ food. The coffee and banana plantations are maintained naturally as they do not receive any agricultural treatment. Birds like the tinamou and some species of grallarias are very attracted by these mixed covers of coffee and forest.

Recently Tinamú created the Café de las Aves, a completely organic coffee, roasted in Chichiná, Caldas which is offered to visitors during their stay, and for sale in general. The production is not industrial, and the profits from the sale of this coffee are destined to the maintenance of the food for the birds. If you want to know more about the relationship between birds and coffee read our entry Did you know birds can be saved by the coffee you drink?

What has been happening at Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve during Covid-19 pandemia?

During the pandemic, Tinamu has taken care of the people and their jobs. The lovely staff have prepared all the necessary biosecurity protocols to receive you with all the care you need. At the moment they only recommend you to #stayhome. If you like to know how to visit the reserve, write to us and we will be happy to design your trip.

Fernando Galvis – Birdwatching Guide at Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve

Verónica Echeverry – Receptionist at Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve.

James Martínez – Gardener Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve.

Dorany García – Housekeeper Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve.

Nancy and Natali -Chefs Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve.

Fauna and flora you can find at Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve (Photo gallery)

Sula thanks Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve for the visual material shared for the publication of this post. Also for receiving us at the reserve to know first hand everything they have to offer. This allows us to give the best information to our clients about this destination.

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About the author

Sara Colmenares

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