The universal reaction from friends and family when I told them I was planning to go to Colombia was a collective head-shaking sort of cringe, sometimes embellished with a shudder, and always with a warning to be very careful.

But here’s the secret bottom line: the REAL RISK is that you’ll want to stay!!!

That is one of Colombia’s slogans for promoting tourism, and it is right on target. This country is alive and well, thriving, in fact, from what I observed during my month of birding and travel. Americans are actually welcomed with open arms - how refreshing! And though the tourism infrastructure has a way to go to catch up to, say, Ecuador or Peru, my trip was comfortable, the food was good, and the scenery was lovely. There was never the slightest hint of violence or danger, not even a ripple of unrest during their Presidential Election, which took place without incident while I was there. I’m not so sure we can even say that about the United States these days! There is a considerable police and military presence, not threatening, but rather securing the safety and everyday lives of the people. This country has come a long, long way from its perceived drug-dominated culture of kidnapping and violence, and it deserves a prime spot in the array of South American countries which should be experienced. Sure, there are parts of the country which one wouldn’t visit, still, especially along the Venezuelan border (thanks a lot, Mr. Chavez), but then, we could say that about our country too. Anyone feel like vacationing along the Arizona border these days??



The first half of my trip concentrated on the Central Andes. As you will see from the map, when the Andes cross the southern border of Colombia, they split into three arms, with the Cauca river flowing west of the Central branch, and the Magdalena River flowing in a broader valley to the east. The second half of the trip ranged northward along the Magdalena Valley, ending in the far northeastern Santa Marta Mountains and the desert scrub beyond. Ably led by Victor Emanuel leader Steve Hilty, along with an excellent local guide, Luis Eduardo Urena, our trip focused on Colombian endemics, i.e., those birds which can only be found within the country. Colombia has recorded close to 1900 species of birds, perhaps 20% of the world’s total, of which approximately 70 are endemic, with many more being “near-endemic” (seen in another country, but perhaps only once or twice, just over the border). Many species are more easily seen in Colombia than elsewhere as well. Thus, Columbia can claim more species than any other country in the world!
Having arrived a day early via an evening non-stop flight from Atlanta, I was able to do a bit of sightseeing in Bogota, a city of some 8.5 million population, third largest in South America and also the third highest capital in the world, at 8500'. At this altitude, the city enjoys a pleasant climate year-round. Once the capital of “Gran Colombia”, a confederation of present-day Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama and Colombia, today the city sprawls across a broad upland plain which a single photo, taken from the top of Monserrate, can only begin to capture.









The gardens (with some very nice birds) and views of Monserrate are well worth the visit via funicular or cable car. In addition, a congenial group of 4 of us “early-birds” visited the Museo del Oro, which offers a world-class presentation of countless treasures of the pre-Colombian era. I think what amazed me most of all was the realization that there were still so many gold pieces extant. The Museum only displays a portion of its tens of thousands, and there were more than enough to see and enjoy!


Others stops on our tour included the Quinta de Bolivar and Bolivar Plaza.
The plain upon which Bogota sits was once marshland, almost all of which has disappeared now, with the city’s expansion and the extensive complexes of greenhouses. Colombia ships tremendous numbers of hothouse flowers, especially roses, all over the world. However, there are still a few “humidales”, bits of marsh where the endemic Bogota Rail can still be found. Parque Florida and a nearby golf course provided access for our sightings of the Rails as well as several other special birds. The Noble Snipe, seen at length as it quietly fed among the reeds, was a special find. Yes, there really is such a critter as a snipe, and this one has a noble beak indeed!






My first views of the lush green slopes came as we drove from Pereira to the Otun-Quimbaya Sanctuary. It was a holiday weekend and the dirt track was busy with an endless stream of cyclists, and the twice daily route of the local “chivo” (young goat), typical of the colorful and well-stuffed rural buses which serve even the most remote villages.
Clearly, there was no hint of horrific drug-related, FARC violence here either!
This gorgeous butterfly was the only victim, and though definitely flattened by something, it still shows its vivid colors.


As we drove to the hilltop city of Manizales a few days later, the lushness of the Colombian Andes really hit me. We were having rain at some point every day (and this was to continue throughout the trip), and the mountain scenery, unlike the Andes in Ecuador and Peru, was especially green. Or trip was scheduled at the beginning of the minor rainy season as the birds tend to be breeding at this time of plentiful food. The dawn chorus in the reserves was a welcome sound!
From a very fine hotel in the city, we visited the nearby Rio Blanco Reserve, where this Long-tailed Sylph and Black-collared Jay were observed, along with two species of Antpittas which were coming in to a feeding station for freshly dug earthworms. As we watched the forest birds, the local farmers (mostly dairy) went about their daily business of milking and delivering milk cans to the local pick-up point.







Perhaps the most exciting stop of the early part of my trip was our visit to the Nevado del Ruiz, at 11,000' +. Though the park goes higher and includes snow-capped peaks, our stop above the tree-line at the park entrance was in a totally different floral and faunal “paramo” habitat. The “freilejones” are typically adapted plants which can survive very cold nighttime temperatures and moisture-laden cloud swirls. Here the Bearded Helmetcrest was seen, feeding on the specialized flowers and insects of its high Andean home.
Even the geology is of interest, as the up-thrust peaks were once a part of the ocean floor and the ribs of the earth speak clearly to millions of years of activity.


Best of all, however, was our exceptional sighting of 10 or more Rufous-fronted Parakeets. This was a life bird for all of us, even for our two guides! When Steve Hilty, who authored the Field Guide for Colombia and has spent more than 25 years in the field here, gets a life-bird, I know it’s got to be very special. Though at first the fog was frustrating our complete views, eventually, as the birds settled onto a grassy cliff ledge, we were able to observe them at length. Little is known about them, their breeding and irruptive appearances and we were thrilled to be able to watch them for more than half an hour. They are highly range-restricted, occurring only in the high Central Andes of Colombia, with an estimated population of two to four thousand.
Moving on along the Cauca River Valley, we birded in much warmer temperatures at only 2300' before heading uphill again to the picturesque foothill town of Jardin, and our pleasant hotel, the Hacienda Balandu.







From here we hoped to access the first of many ProAves Reserves we were to visit along our route. ProAves is a Colombian bird conservation and tourism group which has established, with the help of groups such as the American Bird Conservancy, a number of reserves that attempt to protect the endangered endemic birds of Colombia.

The Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve is small, at only 750 acres, but protects the nesting palms of the endangered parrot for which it is named. Nest boxes have been established on the wax palms which the bird requires for foraging, roosting and nesting. As these palms have been cut for centuries to be used in Easter celebrations, the once wide-spread population plummeted to less than a hundred individuals. After not having been seen for many years, until 1998, it was thought to be extinct. It has taken a considerable effort to protect the habitat and the palms, introduce nest boxes and educate the public, but the population has now climbed to approximately 1000. We were fortunate to see a few after a lot of searching and waiting. In fact, our access to the reserve was initially totally blocked by a landslide after an overnight deluge. Fortunately, the slide was cleared the next day, at least enough so that our jeeps could get through.

This area is known as the home of Juan Valdez (remember the Colombian Coffee ads?), and though he was not seen, the intensely farmed slopes offered both coffee and birds.







A full day’s drive brought us to the Rufous-capped Piha Reserve in the department of Antioquia. Our comfortable rooms adjoined a delightful outdoor dining area which overlooks a flower-filled yard with several hummer feeders. We even enjoyed the services of a professional chef, complete with white jacket and toque!
Our two days of birding here involved some steep hikes and some excellent endemics. The Purplish-mantled Tanager is described as a scare and local species, and classified as near-threatened. The Multi-colored Tanager, another gorgeous bird seen well here, certainly lives up to its name! And then, of course, the Chestnut-capped Piha, an endangered endemic with a range restricted to the north slope of the Central Andes, is a must-see. While it is drab by comparison with its neighborhood species, it was only described to science within the last 10 years and its population is estimated at less than 2500 and falling.





If I seem to be dwelling on the endemics here, it’s because I never dreamed that I would be able to see them, safely, in my lifetime! Each one of these birds is special, as is the country in which they occur.

Also seen on our highest hike here was this beautiful Red-tailed Boa. Several of us had walked past it a few times before I noticed it as I sat down on a nearby log. It was no threat to us and moved quite slowly back into the underbrush. While it is not venemous, it does have formidable fangs which would go deep and leave a multitude of possibilities for infection. Eventually it returned to sun itself in the same spot where we first found it.

While snake sightings are far less common on birding trips than one might imagine, we did also see this Fer de Lance, poised at shoulder-height on a leaning tree trunk right by our trail. This is a venomous snake, and its posture was not reassuring to me!




Flying back from Medellin to Bogota, we then drove to the small town of Soata, in the Department of Boyaca, to the NE of Bogata about 5 hours. Located in the Eastern Andes, it is surrounded by dry shrub-land and contains a fine handful of endemics. Higher up, there are green, oak forest patches which contain another endangered endemic, the Mountain Grackle. Given the ease with which most grackles can be seen, this one can be a stinker, but we all got excellent views in the end.
On our drive back to Bogata we stopped en route at the Rogitama Reserve, a private home and farmland which has been lovingly reforested for the past 25 years by a retired physician from Bogota. Here we saw the gorgeous Black Inca, a striking hummingbird, along with several other new species.





The final day of this leg of the trip was spent in the farmlands outside of the Chingaza Reserve, to the East of Bogata. Our target was the Flame-winged Parakeet (AKA Brown-breasted, which doesn’t begin to describe it). Though we enjoyed moist hikes through pastures with newborn calves and stunning views as the clouds shifted, we never did catch up with the parakeets. (But, stay tuned...)
I couldn’t believe my time in Colombia was already half over! What a wonderful surprise these 2 weeks had been - a clean, lush countryside, the city of Bogota a clean and modern metropolis, the people all along the way eager to welcome our group. There was construction going on everywhere, roads and housing too, and plenty of consumer goods on offer with huge malls and upscale grocery stores in the city. Colombia has an air of increasing prosperity about it, and while there is certainly poverty to be found, it seems nowhere near as widespread as elsewhere in South America.

During my R & R (two days), I was able to catch up on sleep (managed 11 hours the first night!), and to explore a bit more of the city. I enjoyed an excellent lunch in the La Candelaria, historic section of town. Jenny Bowman had found a charming restaurant in an old home along a cobbled street, and though neither of us can remember the proper name of the dish we so enjoyed, I would happily return to Fulanitos, which specializes in the foods of Cali and the western part of Colombia. The rough translation of Fulanitos is “what’s-his-name”!




A further word about food I encountered along the way. We often ate in roadside restaurants and enjoyed such typical dishes as “ajiaco”, a filling, soup/stew with plenty of herbs, chunks of chicken, corn and tasty broth. It is served with steamed rice, avocado, cream and capers - yum!
Throughout the trip the menu most often consisted of grilled chicken, pork or beef, served with french fries. Another common offering, especially in Antioquia, is the “bandeja paisa” which is a gut-busting assortment of grilled meats, chorizo, blood sausage, chicharron (pork cracklings), manioc, rice, beans, fried plantains and topped with a fried egg. This photo is of the “small” sized platter!





While the relative lack of vegetables bothered me, there was plenty of fresh fruit at breakfasts, which of course featured delicious coffee and sometimes hot chocolate as well, often with hot arepas (flat griddle cakes made of maize). Cheese played a large role in sauces, and was sometimes eaten with “agua de panela” (hot sugar water into which the cheese is dipped). Patacones, which are fried, smashed plantain patties, often accompany main dishes. Later on, at the Bucamaranga airport, we were to encounter their local specialty, “hormigas culonas”, which are large-bottomed, fried black ants. Needless to say, I passed them up - didn’t need any more fiber that day!

The second half of my trip began inauspiciously when I slept through my alarm on the morning of the 29th of June. However, as there were only 4 in our group for these two weeks, we were able to be a bit more flexible and I didn’t really hold up our departure, thankfully. We were soon off and running, back up to the Chingaza area, in hopes of finally catching up with those darned parakeets. Reaching higher elevations than on our previous visit, we were greeted and accompanied by a herd of heifers as we birded along a level track. Though they were amusing, they were no help in seeing the Rufous Antpitta and the clouds/fog were growing thicker. As we moved lower, we found Crimson-mantled Woodpeckers, Great Thrushes and a Black-billed Mountain Toucan. Both species range beyond Colombia, but it is always very nice to see “old friends”!

Scaly-naped Parrots kept appearing and while they are fun to see, they weren’t what we had hoped for. Finally, at the last minute as we bounced down the hill, our 4WD trucks screeched to a stop, while Luis and Steve jumped out to the calls of the Flame-winged Parakeets - at last! As they wheeled about across the valley, the group of 30 or so flashed their brilliant yellow underwings, and I was even able to get a brief view of a perched bird as well. “Por fin”, as Luis so appropriately exclaimed!! The clouds seemed to lift and we had lovely, long-range views as we drove back to Bogota.





The following morning we revisited the Parque La Florida so that the two new members of our group could enjoy the endemics we had seen there a few weeks earlier. While there we noticed considerable helicopter activity overhead and then a couple of military police walked out to where we were searching for the Bogota Rails. After politely inquiring about our activities, they told us that the President was about to land at the nearby airport. They had been watching us with our scopes and bins - I guess we did look kind of suspicious!

We began driving down into the Magdalena Valley, leaving the Bogota Plateau behind and heading for more humid, warmer climes. We stopped along the way at a few birdy spots, one of them at a private home whose welcoming owner had at least 25 hummingbird feeders in her yard. She charged a small fee for us to enter and be dazzled by the spectacle of 50 to 75 feisty hummers zipping about. There were at least 10 species, one of which, the Indigo-capped Hummingbird, is endemic to Colombia.

Our birding the next day was near the small town of Libano, which was mercifully higher up and thus a bit cooler! We began the day with a great breakfast at the Panaderia Rico, where all sorts of baked goods, yoghurt, juices, even scrambled eggs were of offer to fill us up at 6AM. An early morning thunderstorm delayed our birding by and hour or so, but probably made it all the more productive as the birds came out in force to feed once the rain stopped. Sightings that day included the Barred Puffbird and an interesting roadside shrine. We had lunch at a small restaurant in Libano, which is a sleepy town where cows sometimes stroll the streets.








A stop at the Rio Claro Reserve gave us the opportunity to search out the rarely-seen Antioquia Bristle-Tyrant, yet another endangered endemic with a tiny range, and this fine White-mantled Barbet, which perched like a statue for great scope views. Along the way we also found a Savannah Hawk perched right outside our van windows, and the Northern Screamer, a large, awkward-looking bird with a preference for lowland marshy areas.
Heading on to our next reserve, we passed this well-loaded (understatement!) Jeep, headed for market with produce and everything else, apparently!








We spent 3 nights at El Paujil, the Blue-billed Curassow Reserve, and while we did not get even a hint of the presence of that bird, we did see many others (Bare-crowned Antbird, Black-bellied Wrens, Black-billed Flycatcher) as well as some great butterflies. It was hot and sticky, but this seemingly remote reserve, a half hour hike down an eroded dirt track, was well worth the visit.
One unfortunate incident occurred while we were on a steep trail leading down to a sandy stream bed. We had been watching a troop of White-faced Capuchin Monkeys which included a mother with her baby, when suddenly a shotgun blast shattered that peaceful scene - and our nerves as well! Luis took off up hill to confront the hunters, who had succeeded in killing the mother and were planning to return to capture the baby, no doubt for the cage trade. No wonder the Curassow are scarce and difficult to see! Protection of these reserves is a real problem, and while an effort is being made to educate and provide alternative income sources for the people of the nearby town, there is clearly still a lot to be done. It seems there are no funds to pay anyone to actually patrol the reserve. That was the sum total of our Fourth of July fireworks, by the way, and my 4th of July lifer was the Marbled Wood-Quail, a group of 5 seen stealing away through the forest across the river, having gobbled down all the corn left on a feeding station table for the Curassows.

Our bags were packed out, back up the hill, on the 5th of July and we bounced back down the road to head for the Reserva Reinita Cielo Azul (AKA the Cerulean Warbler Reserve). As we went, we found great views of a perched King Vulture, once again just outside our vehicle, as well as a typical van-meets-cows scene.








The Cerulean Warbler Reserve apparently doesn’t have many Cerulean Warblers to be seen and we were there at the wrong time of year in any case, but there are plenty of other endemics to be sought, all within walking distance of the lodge. The comfortable rooms sit amidst coffee and cocoa bean fincas and cow pastures above the town of San Vicente. The cooler air was definitely welcome, as was the very good food.
Our first target was the Recurve-billed Bushbird, which happened to be number one on my list of birds wanted for this trip. He’s a skulker, however, and while my views weren’t at all like this photo, I did see him and his bill well in profile as he flitted deep inside the darkest holes in tall, forest-edge foliage. He uses his can-opener-shaped bill to do the avian equivalent of just that, as he inserts and lifts it to probe for grubs and other goodies inside of bamboo and other stalks.





We spent the better part of one day here inside a nicely preserved forest about an hour’s ride above the lodge. The path up to and beyond the edge of the forest is known as the Lengerke Road, built by slave labor in about 1840. It consists of moss-covered, slippery, rounded river-rock, and can be treacherous and slow to navigate. However, my horse was remarkably sure-footed and once into the forest, where we were on foot, it was often possible to walk alongside the stones rather than on them. There were gorgeous views down and across the valley as we made our way up to the forest in the early morning sun.
There were excellent birds to be found once inside the forest, including the endemic, endangered Gorgeted Wood-Quail, 5 of which came to a feeding station, much to everyone’s delight. A White-bellied Antpitta tested Luis’ spotting and scoping abilities to the max and he came through brilliantly, though it required knees on the ground to capture the scope view!




Our days here were very productive and comfortable, but we had one more reserve yet to visit, requiring a couple of flights, first to Bogota from Bucamaranga, and then to Santa Marta, on the Caribbean coast. Once landed we climbed into 4WD trucks for the 2 hour drive up to the El Dorado Reserve, high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The road was initially rather good, but the last 9 kilometers, in the dark and rain, took well over an hour and all the skill our drivers could muster! Seen in daylight the following morning, we could better understand why the drive was so long and rough.
That said, however, this delightful lodge, set at 6500', was the best yet, and so were the views, and of course, the birds. The rooms were large and quite comfortable with views down to the Caribbean and across to Barranquilla, 60 miles away. The mountain range itself rises to 19,000' and has glacier-topped peaks. The isolation of this range has resulted in the evolution of many birds which are endemic just to this area, and we were very successful in seeing at least 13 such species (more if one counts impending splits).






Most of our birding was done along the dirt “road” above and below the lodge. On our first morning we drove (jounced) up to 9200', where we were greeted immediately by a small flock of Santa Marta Parakeets. Though they perched obligingly close, the fog rolled in making photography difficult, as you can see.
One bird, a Screech-Owl, when it is properly described to science, will likely be split as the Santa Marta Screech-Owl. It’s always exciting to see a “brand new” bird!

The grounds of the lodge were lovely too, with plenty of hummingbird feeders, which attracted such beauties as this dazzling White-tailed Starfrontlet. We also saw a female Santa Marta Woodstar, which can’t hold a candle to the Starfrontlet in the looks department, but which is nonetheless exciting as it is seldom seen.




On the upper story of the main lodge building there is a balcony which provides excellent opportunities to search at eye level for canopy birds, and at close range too. We were fortunate to have a mixed flock come through just at Wine-O’clock (thanks, Steve T.) on two evenings. The following photos are a sample of the birds in that group. Both are seen feeding on the fruit of the Cecropia tree.
I could happily have spent another couple of nights at El Dorado, but a few lifers still awaited in the desert scrub habitat to the east of Santa Marta, along the coast. Though not a lifer, this wonderfully punky Vermilion Cardinal, previously seen in NW Venezuela, posed nicely. This is more than can be said for the Chestnut Piculet, which was a lifer. As we neared the shore other old friends appeared - egrets, spoonbills, even some Marbled Godwits, which should have been up north at this time of year.




The area seems to have a small brick-making industry, as seen in this photo of a brick kiln with its fuel source stacked alongside. Such lowland scrub is often overlooked as important habitat for flora and fauna, and I wondered how long the area could withstand the cutting for such purposes as brick-making. Pressure from grazing cattle had already taken quite a toll.
I was fascinated by what appeared to be a black flower, seen along one goat/cattle-grazed track. Further out along a small lagoon, the scene seemed almost African, as people in the small fishing village went about their business.



We all went our separate ways the following day, 2 flying home from Barranquilla via Miami or Houston, one continuing on a private trip to Cartagena and beyond. I flew back to Bogota for the night as my direct flight to Atlanta left at 9:30 the next morning.
What a wonderful month it was! I cannot say enough about Colombia and its many attractions, except that I plan to return next year for more. Though it rained every day that hardly affected our birding and travel. I had the opportunity to learn a bit more Spanish, to drink in the terrific scenery, and to see birds for which I had previously had no hope. I was safe and well looked after, both by our guides and by the Colombians I encountered along the way. The two groups with whom I traveled and birded were fun and everyone contributed to our sightings, making the trips a success for all. Yes, the REAL RISK is that you’ll want to stay!

Note: All photos are mine except for those marked with an asterisk, and for this reason I ask that you not pass on this site without my permission, as I don’t want to abuse copyrights. Thank you!