GUANGO LODGE RESERVE
ECUADOR
LOCALE
| Altitude (m): | 2100 |
| # Species: | 298 |
| # Excl Vagrants: | 298 |
| # Endemics: | 0 |
| # Near Endemics: | 11 |
| Habitat: Gardens, riverine woodland | |
ABOUT THE BIRDING
Guango Reserve is basically the area surrounding Guango Lodge and owned by the lodge. The grounds of the lodge feature a variety of habitat, including open gardens and riverine forest. Nearby temperate forest offers birding along the road and a source of birds coming onto the property. Numerous hummingbird feeders outside the entrance to the dining room attract many hummingbirds of several species. The most regular visitors include Speckled Hummingbird, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Buff-tailed Coronet, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Tourmaline Sunangel, Flame-throated Sunangel, Tyrian Metaltail, Long-tailed Sylph, White-bellied Woodstar, and Gorgeted Woodstar. In addition, Mountain Velvetbreast usually visits the feeders in small numbers.
The gardens around the lodge are excellent for birding in early morning. Some notable specialties to look for around the grounds are Andean Guan, White-banded Tyrannulet, Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Capped Conebill, Gray-hooded Bush Tanager, Black-capped Hemispingus, Black-eared Hemispingus, Blue-and-black Tanager, Plushcap, and Slaty Brush-Finch. A small, rapidly flowing river flows along the border of the property, and this is a good place to look for Torrent Tyrannulet and White-capped Dipper, both usually seen there.
LOCATION OF SITE
Guango Reserve is a small tract of land owned by Guango Lodge. The lodge and reserve is reached by driving eastward across Papallacta Pass from Quito. The reserve is located about 15 minutes drive downslope from the village of Papallacta along the main highway.