↑COLOMBIA">
COLOMBIA↑

TARGETS">
CHECKLIST

MINCA AREA

COLOMBIA
LOCALE

# Species:383
# Excl Vagrants:383
# Endemics:9
# Near Endemics:19
Habitat: Shade-grown coffee plantations, dry scrub

ABOUT THE BIRDING

Minca is a pleasant village surrounded by shade-grown coffee plantations. It's a very good stop en route between the Santa Marta Mountains and the town of Santa Marta on the coast. The birding is good enough that an entire day could be spent there. The dry scrub below Minca is the best place to look for the elusive Black-backed Antshrike, a near endemic found only in northeastern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela. The endemic Chestnut-winged Chachalaca and near endemic Venezuelan Tyrannulet are also possible in the same habitat. Golden-winged Sparrow is common, and Rosy Thrush-Tanager can be seen with some diligence. Heliconia flowers along the road attract Pale-bellied Hermit, Long-tailed Hermit, Rufous-breasted Hermit, and Stripe-throated Hermit, while nearby flowering trees attract the sought after near endemic Coppery Emerald associating with Steely-vented Hummingbird< /i> and other species. Walking the road can be productive as well. Possibilities include Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant, Golden-fronted Greenlet, Scrub Greenlet, Black-chested Jay, Rufous-breasted Wren, Blach-headed Tanager, and other species. Raptors can sometimes be seen soaring overhead, and even a Solitary Eagle is possible.

LOCATION OF SITE

Minca is a small village located about 10 miles (30 min) south of Santa Marta along the Cienga-Minca Road in northwest Colombia. It's on the route between the El Dorado Reserve in the Santa Marta Mountains and the town of Santa Marta near the coast.