PAPALLACTA PASS to GUANGO LODGE & LISTS 
ECUADOR (compass n,e,s or w)

NAPO (Papallacta), (Wc)

00o22´S/78o12´W ha, 2,500-4,145m, e slope volcanic rugged mountains with montane and elfin forest, Polylepis and paramo with lakes 
Papallacta is s end of Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve (see that account) 
Best time for visit (15th October, 2006)

 

Birding Site Guide

The Papallacta Pass is a famous birding area, located immediately over the border of Pichincha in Napo province. In fact it is right where the welcome (bienvenida) sign is over the road (there is also a large shrine), that the left-hand turn is (from Quito) onto a stone track up to some antennas (which usually are not visible due to cloud and rain). But the Pass is not the only place to bird in this area, and there are several other easily accessed points along the main Quito-Baeza road to try. Sites are given as if coming from Quito. All these sites can be birded in a day trip from Quito, there are several basic ‘hotels’ in Papallacta town, or there is Guango Lodge a bit further out of that town. 

The first good birding spot is around an hour out of Quito, passing through Cumbayá and the last scattered houses, the road starts to climb to the higher mountains of the w side of the e slope. At the first place where a huge cliff comes close to the road on the left, and a similarly high cliff is set back on the right, look for a stone surfaced lay-by (bus stop) with narrow road. The road leads in less than half a km to a small bridge over a stream, there are two large gates blocking some tracks and concrete aqua-engineering structures, as the site is owned by a Quito water company. The elevation here should be around 3,050m. Bird the stone road either side of the stream, and if the gate is not padlocked, walk the short trail along the stream as we did. Check along both cliffs for raptors. Giant Hummer is found here, we heard it but only had very briefly flight views. But other birds more than made up and they were. Tawny Antpitta on gravel road, Cinereous Conebill, Rufous-naped Brush-Finch, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Carunculated Caracara (9), White-crested Eleania, Blue & Yellow Tanager, Black-crested Warbler, Tyrian Metaltail, Sword-billed Hummer, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant, Red-crested Cotinga, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Citrine Warbler, Black-crested Warbler, Andean Condor 1 adult & 2 immatures being mobbed by a Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle!! Plain-coloured Seedeater, Brown-bellied Swallow and other common species. 

Next stop was the pass itself birding the few km up to the antennas. After turning left off the main road, the stone track forks, take the right fork past a small wooden park guard hut (never manned). A 4 wheel-drive is preferable but not essential and with care 2 wheel-drive is ok. Walking is possible but it should be remembered that the altitude is high and walking even a short distance is exhausting, even if a day or two acclimatising in Quito has been taken. If you feel symptoms of altitude sickness: nausea, disorientation, lack of reasoning ability, vomiting etc, there is no alternative but descend to a much lower altitude immediately, as this can be a killer.

The road twists to the right above a small boggy lake, here on the left by the road are some shelter bushes, these sheltered spots are the areas to bird. Further up is a larger area of sheltered bushes in a half bowl again on the left and this is a very good area for all the elfin forest species. Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe is found (sometimes!) right at the top around the antennas, park next to the antennas, without blocking access, and bird the area there. Follow the signed path to the left and around the back of the buildings to some seats and a view-point (mirador), stunning on clear days. Unfortunately Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe did not show for us, but birding was again very good. Andean Tit-Spinetail, Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant a real bonus, scope views!! Bar-winged and Stout-billed Cinclodes, Plumbeous Sierra-Finch, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Andean Siskin, Variable Hawk (3), Paramo Ground-Tyrant, Paramo Pipit, Many-striped Canastero. 

Descend back to the main road and continue e, the road descends slowly, only a couple of km or so from the pass is a long rightt-hand bend with a crash barrier. On the left is a huge domed rock hill with a cliff-face toward the road, and all around the base of the hill is dense Polylepis (gnarled with pale green leaves and reddish flaking bark), park as safely as possible and walk to the start of the crash-barrier on the left side of the right-hand bend. Here on the side of the hill is a narrow track, with a sign a bit further in, and this leads to Suco Lake, which is not visible from the road at all. Also bird the Polylepis from the roadside for Giant Conebill and mountain-tanagers etc. Silvery Grebe is often at the far right-hand end of the lake in a patch of water partly divided from the rest of the lake due to a hilly spit (we saw 7), a scope is needed for anything other than views of white blobs. Other species we saw were Andean Coot, Andean Ruddy-Duck, Giant Conebill (2) superb views in scope and photos and Grass Wren.

 Continuing e about 5km the road descends in a huge left-hand bend with a huge area of Polylepis covering all the steep high hill on the right; the scenery is still truly stunning on clear days, and as the road comes out of the left-hand bend Papallacta Lake comes into view on the left. Take the stone road to the left almost immediately at this point around this end of the lake and bird this road around the back of the lake until a couple of km further on it rejoins the main road, which is now also not surfaced. We saw Yellow-billed Pintail, Andean Gull, Andean Teal and a lost Neotropical Cormorant. 

The main road snakes e down through Papallacta village, and areas around this small town can be birded, the road continues downhill along the valley, until around 10km there is a large sign on the right for Guango Lodge (2,500m), which is also on the right, pull in the short drive and ring the bell. There is a small fee for non-residents to bird here. The hummer feeder at the lodge are well worth a look and there are a series of trails leading along the riverside. Birds we saw were Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Long-tailed Sylph, White-bellied Woodstar, Tourmaline Sunangel, Collared Inca, Tyrian Metaltail, Sword-billed Hummer, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Buff-tailed Coronet, Green Violetear, Mountain Velvetbreast m & fm, Speckled Hummer, Glowing Puffleg, Turquoise Jay. 



PAPALLACTA PASS LIST & below GUANGO LODGE LIST 

  • Curve-billed Tinamou Nothoprocta curvirostris
  • Silvery Grebe Podiceps occipitalis
  • Torrent Duck Merganetta armata
  • Andean Teal Anas andium
  • Yellow-billed Pintail Anas georgica
  • Andean Condor Vultur gryphus
  • Plain-breasted Hawk Accipiter ventralis
  • Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle Geranoaetus melanoleucus
  • Variable Hawk Buteo polyosoma
  • Carunculated Caracara Phalcoboenus carunculatus
  • American Kestrel Falco sparverius
  • Aplomado Falcon Falco femoralis
  • Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia
  • Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda
  • Noble Snipe Gallinago nobilis
  • Andean Snipe Gallinago jamesoni
  • Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe Attagis gayi
  • Andean Lapwing Vanellus resplendens
  • Andean Gull Larus serranus
  • Band-tailed Pigeon Columba fasciata
  • Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata
  • White-capped Parrot Pionus seniloides
  • Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus
  • Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
  • Andean Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium jardinii
  • Band-winged Nightjar Caprimulgus longirostris
  • Sparkling Violet-ear Colibri coruscans
  • Ecuadorian Hillstar Oreotrochilus chimborazo
  • Giant Hummingbird Patagona gigas
  • Shining Sunbeam Aglaeactis cupripennis
  • Mountain Velvetbreast Lafresnaya lafresnayi
  • Great Sapphirewing Pterophanes cyanopterus
  • Buff-winged Starfrontlet Coeligena lutetiae
  • Sword-billed Hummingbird Ensifera ensifera
  • Tourmaline Sunangel Heliangelus exortis
  • Glowing Puffleg Eriocnemis vestitus
  • Sapphire-vented Puffleg Eriocnemis luciani
  • Golden-breasted Puffleg Eriocnemis mosquera
  • Black-tailed Trainbearer Lesbia victoriae
  • Green-tailed Trainbearer Lesbia nuna
  • Purple-backed Thornbill Ramphomicron microrhynchum
  • Viridian Metaltail Metallura williami
  • Tyrian Metaltail Metallura tyrianthina
  • Rainbow-bearded Thornbill Chalcostigma herrani
  • Blue-mantled Thornbill Chalcostigma stanleyi
  • Mountain Avocetbill Opisthoprora euryptera
  • Masked Trogon Trogon personatus
  • Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan Andigena hypoglauca
  • Bar-bellied Woodpecker Veniliornis nigriceps
  • Powerful Woodpecker Campephilus pollens
  • Bar-winged Cinclodes Cinclodes fuscus
  • Stout-billed Cinclodes Cinclodes excelsior
  • Andean Tit-Spinetail Leptasthenura andicola
  • Azara's Spinetail Synallaxis azarae
  • Rufous Spinetail Synallaxis unirufa
  • White-browed Spinetail Hellmayrea gularis
  • White-chinned Thistletail Schizoeaca fuliginosa
  • Streak-backed Canastero Asthenes wyatti
  • Many-striped Canastero Asthenes flammulata
  • Pearled Treerunner Margarornis squamiger
  • Rufous-breasted Antthrush Formicarius rufipectus
  • Undulated Antpitta Grallaria squamigera
  • Chestnut-crowned Antpitta Grallaria ruficapilla
  • Chestnut-naped Antpitta Grallaria nuchalis
  • Rufous Antpitta Grallaria rufula
  • Tawny Antpitta Grallaria quitensis
  • Paramo Tapaculo Scytalopus canus
  • Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet Phyllomyias uropygialis
  • White-crested Elaenia Elaenia albiceps
  • White-throated Tyrannulet Mecocerculus leucophrys
  • White-banded Tyrannulet Mecocerculus stictopterus
  • Torrent Tyrannulet Serpophaga cinerea
  • Tufted Tit-Tyrant Anairetes parulus
  • Rufous-breasted Flycatcher Leptopogon rufipectus
  • Cinnamon Flycatcher Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea
  • Smoke-colored Pewee Contopus fumigatus
  • Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans
  • Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca fumicolor
  • Crowned Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca frontalis
  • Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant Cnemarchus erythropygius
  • Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant Myiotheretes striaticollis
  • Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant Agriornis montana
  • Paramo Ground-Tyrant Muscisaxicola alpina
  • Spot-billed Ground-Tyrant Muscisaxicola maculirostris
  • Red-crested Cotinga Ampelion rubrocristata
  • Dusky Piha Lipaugus fuscocinereus
  • Turquoise Jay Cyanolyca turcosa
  • Inca Jay Cyanocorax yncas
  • Black-billed Peppershrike Cyclarhis nigrirostris
  • Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus
  • Great Thrush Turdus fuscater
  • Glossy-black Thrush Turdus serranus
  • White-capped Dipper Cinclus leucocephalus
  • Brown-bellied Swallow Notiochelidon murina
  • Blue-and-white Swallow Pygochelidon cyanoleuca
  • Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
  • Rufous Wren Cinnycerthia unirufa
  • Grass Wren Cistothorus platensis
  • Plain-tailed Wren Thryothorus euophrys
  • House Wren Troglodytes aedon
  • Mountain Wren Troglodytes solstitialis
  • Paramo Pipit Anthus bogotensis
  • Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca
  • Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis
  • Slate-throated Whitestart Myioborus miniatus
  • Spectacled Whitestart Myioborus melanocephalus
  • Black-crested Warbler Basileuterus nigrocristatus
  • Russet-crowned Warbler Basileuterus coronatus
  • Cinereous Conebill Conirostrum cinereum
  • Capped Conebill Conirostrum albifrons
  • Giant Conebill Oreomanes fraseri
  • Bluish Flowerpiercer Diglossopis caerulescens
  • Masked Flowerpiercer Diglossopis cyanea
  • Glossy Flowerpiercer Diglossa lafresnayii
  • Black Flowerpiercer Diglossa humeralis
  • White-sided Flowerpiercer Diglossa albilatera
  • Golden-crowned Tanager Iridosornis rufivertex
  • Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus igniventris
  • Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus lacrymosus
  • Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus somptuosus
  • Masked Mountain-Tanager Buthraupis wetmorei
  • Black-chested Mountain-Tanager Buthraupis eximia
  • Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager Dubusia taeniata
  • Blue-and-yellow Tanager Thraupis bonariensis
  • Black-backed Bush-Tanager Urothraupis stolzmanni
  • Black-capped Hemispingus Hemispingus atropileus
  • Superciliaried Hemispingus Hemispingus superciliaris
  • Plain-colored Seedeater Catamenia inornata
  • Paramo Seedeater Catamenia homochroa
  • Band-tailed Seedeater Catamenia analis
  • Plumbeous Sierra-Finch Phrygilus unicolor
  • Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch Phrygilus plebejus
  • Pale-naped Brush-Finch Atlapetes pallidinucha
  • Rufous-naped Brush-Finch Atlapetes rufinucha
  • Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis
  • Hooded Siskin Carduelis magellanica
  • Andean Siskin Carduelis spinescens 
  • Authors, BSG, Jane Lyons & Vinicio Perez 2000



GUANGO LODGE LIST 

  • Torrent Duck Merganetta armata
  • Roadside Hawk Buteo magnirostris
  • Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus
  • White-throated Hawk Buteo albigula
  • Black-and-chestnut Eagle Oroaetus isidori
  • Andean Guan Penelope montagnii
  • Sickle-winged Guan Chamaepetes goudotii
  • Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia
  • Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata
  • White-throated Quail-Dove Geotrygon frenata
  • Barred Parakeet Bolborhynchus lineola
  • Speckle-faced Parrot Pionus tumultuosus
  • White-throated Screech-Owl Megascops albogularis
  • Rufous-banded Owl Ciccaba albitarsus
  • Andean Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium jardinii
  • Andean Potoo Nyctibius maculosus
  • Rufous-bellied Nighthawk Lurocalis rufiventris
  • Band-winged Nightjar Caprimulgus longirostris
  • Chestnut-collared Swift Streptoprocne rutila
  • White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris
  • Sparkling Violetear Colibri coruscans
  • Speckled Hummingbird Adelomyia melanogenys
  • Mountain Velvetbreast Lafresnaya lafresnayi
  • Collared Inca Coeligena torquata
  • Buff-winged Starfrontlet Coeligena lutetiae
  • Sword-billed Hummingbird Ensifera ensifera
  • Tourmaline Sunangel Heliangelus exortis
  • Glowing Puffleg Eriocnemis vestitus
  • Golden-breasted Puffleg Eriocnemis mosquera
  • Purple-backed Thornbill Ramphomicron microrhynchum
  • Tyrian Metaltail Metallura tyrianthina
  • Mountain Avocetbill Opisthoprora euryptera
  • Long-tailed Sylph Aglaiocercus kingi
  • White-bellied Woodstar Chaetocercus mulsant
  • Masked Trogon Trogon personatus
  • Crested Quetzal Pharomachrus antisianus
  • Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan Andigena hypoglaucaNT
  • Crimson-mantled Woodpecker Piculus rivolii
  • Bar-bellied Woodpecker Veniliornis nigriceps
  • Rufous Spinetail Synallaxis unirufa
  • Pearled Treerunner Margarornis squamiger
  • Streaked Tuftedcheek Pseudocolaptes boissonneautii
  • Tyrannine Woodcreeper Dendrocincla tyrannina
  • Montane Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger
  • Chestnut-crowned Antpitta Grallaria ruficapilla
  • Chestnut-naped Antpitta Grallaria nuchalis
  • Red-crested Cotinga Ampelion rubrocristata
  • Barred Fruiteater Pipreola arcuata
  • Dusky Piha Lipaugus fuscocinereus
  • Torrent Tyrannulet Serpophaga cinerea
  • Rufous-breasted Flycatcher Leptopogon rufipectus
  • Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant Pseudotriccus ruficeps
  • Black-capped Tyrannulet Phyllomyias nigrocapillus
  • Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet Phyllomyias uropygialis
  • White-banded Tyrannulet Mecocerculus stictopterus
  • Rufous-crowned Tody-Tyrant Poecilotriccus ruficeps
  • Cinnamon Flycatcher Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea
  • Smoke-colored Pewee Contopus fumigatus
  • Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans
  • Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca cinnamomeiventris
  • Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca rufipectoralis
  • Smoky Bush-Tyrant Myiotheretes fumigatus
  • Barred Becard Pachyramphus versicolor
  • Blue-and-white Swallow Notiochelidon cyanoleuca
  • Brown-bellied Swallow Notiochelidon murina
  • Pale-footed Swallow Notiochelidon flavipes
  • White-capped Dipper Cinclus leucocephalus
  • Rufous Wren Cinnycerthia unirufa
  • Plain-tailed Wren Thryothorus euophrys
  • Mountain Wren Troglodytes solstitialis
  • Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush Catharus fuscater
  • Great Thrush Turdus fuscater
  • Glossy-black Thrush Turdus serranus
  • Turquoise Jay Cyanolyca turcosa
  • Brown-capped Vireo Vireo leucophrys
  • Black-billed Peppershrike Cyclarhis nigrirostris
  • Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca
  • Spectacled Whitestart Myioborus melanocephalus
  • Citrine Warbler Basileuterus luteoviridis
  • Black-crested Warbler Basileuterus nigrocristatus
  • Russet-crowned Warbler Basileuterus coronatus
  • Blue-backed Conebill Conirostrum sitticolor
  • Capped Conebill Conirostrum albifrons
  • Common Bush-Tanager Chlorospingus ophthalmicus
  • Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager Cnemoscopus rubrirostris
  • Black-capped Hemispingus Hemispingus atropileus
  • Superciliaried Hemispingus Hemispingus superciliaris
  • Black-eared Hemispingus Hemispingus melanotis
  • Black-headed Hemispingus Hemispingus verticalis
  • Red-hooded Tanager Piranga rubriceps
  • Hooded Mountain-Tanager Buthraupis montana
  • Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus lacrymosus
  • Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus igniventris
  • Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager Dubusia taeniata
  • Fawn-breasted Tanager Pipraeidea melanonota
  • Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia Chlorophonia pyrrhophrys
  • Paradise Tanager Tangara chilensis
  • Blue-and-black Tanager Tangara vassorii
  • White-sided Flowerpiercer Diglossa albilatera
  • Glossy Flowerpiercer Diglossa lafresnayii
  • Masked Flowerpiercer Diglossopis cyanea
  • Pale-naped Brush-Finch Atlapetes pallidinucha
  • Slaty Brush-Finch Atlapetes schistaceus
  • Stripe-headed Brush-Finch Buarremon torquatus
  • Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis
  • Mountain Cacique Cacicus chrysonotus leucoramphus
  • Hooded Siskin Carduelis magellanica 

 

Author, Mitch Lysinger 2002

 

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