Ecuador Ramsar wetland
El Cajas National Park
153 bird species recorded; the most in February and in November.
Delphine Ménard ( notafish }<';> ) · CC BY-SA 2.0 fr
This month here
114 species in January.130 species in February.109 species in March.74 species in April.65 species in May.63 species in June.81 species in July.102 species in August.93 species in September.81 species in October.126 species in November.99 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
VU
VU
VUVU
VU
VU
VU
VUVU
VU
VU- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
153 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 153Speciesrecorded more than once
- 33Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 3ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 8,653Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 3,826 mAltitudeabove the sea
- 9Raptors
- 3Owls
- 6Waders
- 1Gulls & seabirds
- 6Ducks & geese
- 4Herons, ibises & grebes
- 86Songbirds
- 38Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 153 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors9 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Buteo polyosomaButeo polyosoma
- Black-chested Buzzard-EagleGeranoaetus melanoleucus
- Andean CondorVultur gryphusVU
- Falco sparveriusFalco sparverius
- Aplomado FalconFalco femoralis
- Turkey VultureCathartes aura
- Accipiter striatusAccipiter striatus
- Swallow-tailed KiteElanoides forficatus
- Black VultureCoragyps atratus
Owls3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus
- Andean Pygmy-OwlGlaucidium jardinii
- Rufous-banded OwlStrix albitarsis
Waders6 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Andean LapwingVanellus resplendens
- Andean SnipeGallinago jamesoni
- Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius
- Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdii
- Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaNT
- Lesser yellowlegsTringa flavipesVU
Gulls & seabirds1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Andean GullChroicocephalus serranus
Ducks & geese6 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Andean TealAnas andium
- Andean DuckOxyura ferruginea
- Yellow-billed PintailAnas georgica
- White-cheeked PintailAnas bahamensis
- Blue-winged TealSpatula discors
- Torrent DuckMerganetta armata
Herons, ibises & grebes4 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Southern Silvery GrebePodiceps occipitalis
- Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podiceps
Songbirds86 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Cinclodes albidiventrisCinclodes albidiventris
- Tawny AntpittaGrallaria quitensis
- Plumbeous Sierra FinchGeospizopsis unicolor
- Tit-like DacnisXenodacnis parina
- Ochthoeca fumicolorOchthoeca fumicolor
- Great ThrushTurdus fuscater
- Stout-billed CinclodesCinclodes excelsior
- Many-striped CanasteroAsthenes flammulata
- Andean Tit-SpinetailLeptasthenura andicola
- Brown-bellied SwallowNotiochelidon murina
- Grass WrenCistothorus platensis
- Giant ConebillConirostrum binghamiNT
- Black FlowerpiercerDiglossa humeralis
- Black-billed Shrike-tyrantAgriornis montanus
- Spectacled RedstartMyioborus melanocephalus
- Plain-coloured SeedeaterCatamenia inornata
- Red-rumped Bush-tyrantCnemarchus erythropygius
- White-throated TyrannuletMecocerculus leucophrys
- Rufous-collared SparrowZonotrichia capensis
- Paramo Ground TyrantMuscisaxicola alpinus
- Hooded SiskinSpinus magellanicus
- Tufted Tit-tyrantAnairetes parulus
- Schizoeaca griseomurinaSchizoeaca griseomurina
- Pearled TreerunnerMargarornis squamiger
- Cinereous ConebillConirostrum cinereum
- Scarlet-bellied Mountain-TanagerAnisognathus igniventris
- Superciliaried HemispingusThlypopsis superciliaris
- Synallaxis azaraeSynallaxis azarae
- Turquoise JayCyanolyca turcosa
- Yellow-breasted Brush-FinchAtlapetes latinuchus
- Masked Flower-piercerDiglossa cyanea
- Buff-breasted Mountain-tanagerDubusia taeniata
- White-banded TyrannuletMecocerculus stictopterus
- Blue-and-black TanagerTangara vassorii
- Myiothlypis nigrocristataMyiothlypis nigrocristata
- Mountain WrenTroglodytes solstitialis
- Blackish TapaculoScytalopus latrans
- Red-crested CotingaAmpelion rubrocristatus
- Paramo PipitAnthus bogotensis
- White-capped DipperCinclus leucocephalus
- Paramo SeedeaterCatamenia homochroa
- Russet-crowned WarblerMyiothlypis coronata
- Chiguanco ThrushTurdus chiguanco
- Rufous-chested TanagerThlypopsis ornata
- Grey-browed BrushfinchArremon assimilis
- Rufous-breasted Chat-TyrantOchthoeca rufipectoralis
- Blue-and-white SwallowNotiochelidon cyanoleuca
- Grallaria saturataGrallaria saturata
- Crowned Chat-TyrantOchthoeca frontalis
- Undulated AntpittaGrallaria squamigera
- Streaked TuftedcheekPseudocolaptes boissonneautii
- Blue-backed ConebillConirostrum sitticolor
- Ash-breasted Sierra FinchGeospizopsis plebejus
- Golden GrosbeakPheucticus chrysogaster
- Black phoebeSayornis nigricans
- Line-cheeked SpinetailCranioleuca antisiensis
- Band-tailed SeedeaterCatamenia analis
- Glossy Flower-piercerDiglossa lafresnayii
- White-crested ElaeniaElaenia albiceps
- Streak-throated Bush-TyrantMyiotheretes striaticollis
- Anairetes agilisAnairetes agilis
- Smoky Bush-tyrantMyiotheretes fumigatus
- Cinnamon FlycatcherPyrrhomyias cinnamomeus
- Peruvian MeadowlarkSturnella bellicosa
- Glossy-black ThrushTurdus serranus
- Lacrimose Mountain-TanagerAnisognathus lacrymosus
- Southern House WrenTroglodytes musculus
- Golden-crowned TanagerIridosornis rufivertex
- Furnarius leucopusFurnarius leucopus
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Brown-capped VireoVireo leucophrys
- Blue-gray TanagerThraupis episcopus
- PlushcapCatamblyrhynchus diadema
- Chestnut-crowned AntpittaGrallaria ruficapilla
- Rauenia bonariensisRauenia bonariensis
- Slaty-backed Chat-TyrantOchthoeca cinnamomeiventris
- Scarlet FlycatcherPyrocephalus rubinus
- Slate-throated RedstartMyioborus miniatus
- White-winged Brush FinchAtlapetes leucopterus
- Rufous WrenCinnycerthia unirufa
- Smoke-colored PeweeContopus fumigatus
- White-sided FlowerpiercerDiglossa albilatera
- Rusty Flower-piercerDiglossa sittoides
- Blackburnian WarblerSetophaga fusca
- Black-chested Mountain TanagerCnemathraupis eximia
- Elaenia pallatangaeElaenia pallatangae
Other birds38 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Blue-mantled ThornbillChalcostigma stanleyi
- Violet-throated MetaltailMetallura baroniVU
- Ecuadorian HillstarOreotrochilus chimborazo
- Slate-colored CootFulica ardesiaca
- Shining SunbeamAglaeactis cupripennis
- Tyrian MetaltailMetallura tyrianthina
- Rainbow StarfrontletCoeligena iris
- Gray-breasted Mountain-toucanAndigena hypoglauca
- Sapphire-vented PufflegEriocnemis luciani
- Ecuadorian RailRallus aequatorialis
- Sparkling Violet-earColibri coruscans
- Mountain VelvetbreastLafresnaya lafresnayi
- Green-tailed TrainbearerLesbia nuna
- Great SapphirewingPterophanes cyanopterus
- Purple-throated SunangelHeliangelus viola
- Masked TrogonTrogon personatus
- Andean GuanPenelope montagnii
- White-collared SwiftStreptoprocne zonaris
- Black-tailed TrainbearerLesbia victoriae
- Sword-billed HummingbirdEnsifera ensifera
- Band-tailed PigeonPatagioenas fasciata
- Golden-plumed ParakeetLeptosittaca branickii
- Viridian MetaltailMetallura williami
- Band-winged NightjarSystellura longirostris
- Eared DoveZenaida auriculata
- Glowing PufflegEriocnemis vestita
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Crimson-mantled WoodpeckerColaptes rivolii
- Rainbow-bearded ThornbillChalcostigma herrani
- Purple-backed ThornbillRamphomicron microrhynchum
- Bar-bellied WoodpeckerVeniliornis nigriceps
- Giant HummingbirdPatagona gigas
- White-tipped DoveLeptotila verreauxi
- White-bellied WoodstarChaetocercus mulsant
- White-throated Quail-DoveZentrygon frenata
- Speckled HummingbirdAdelomyia melanogenys
- Chestnut-collared SwiftStreptoprocne rutila
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species in February and in November.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan22°/12°78 mm
- Feb21°/12°114 mm
- Mar21°/12°136 mm
- Apr21°/12°85 mm
- May22°/12°48 mm
- Jun22°/11°32 mm
- Jul22°/10°21 mm
- Aug23°/10°17 mm
- Sep23°/11°20 mm
- Oct23°/11°37 mm
- Nov22°/11°43 mm
- Dec22°/12°44 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
El Cajas National Park.
National park in Ecuador
El Cajas National Park is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Ecuador, 3,826 m above the sea.
153 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 8,653 open records.
The most recorded are the Cinclodes albidiventris, the Tawny Antpitta and the Plumbeous Sierra Finch.
27 species come for the summer, 5 for the winter and 1 only pass through.
3 are threatened worldwide, including Violet-throated Metaltail, Andean Condor and Lesser yellowlegs.
The most species are recorded in February and in November.
Get there and watch
- Buen lugar para acamparcampsite · 6.1 km · 7 within 10 km
- Lodge Mazanplace to stay · 6.7 km · 6 within 10 km
- Sinincaynearest town · 23 km in a straight line
- Mariscal Lamar Airport (CUE)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 27 km in a straight lineCar hire at CUE airport (Cuenca)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 2viewpoints within 5 km
- 7campsites within 10 kmBuen lugar para acampar, Laguna Toreadora Parking Lot Camping and 5 more
- 6places to stay within 10 kmLodge Mazan, Refugio Toreadora, Cabañas Del Pescador and 3 more
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
- visitor centres within 6 km
- car parks within 3 km
- restaurants and cafés within 3 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
El Cajas National Park
Ecuador
- 56Birdyas Score
- 153Species
- 33Migrants
- 3Threatened
Gulf of Guayaquil-Tumbes mangroves
Ecuador · 68 km
- 66Birdyas Score
- 206Species
- 63Migrants
- 4Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q1295864) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 8,653 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.
beaches
Find your beach: sea temperature, sun and swimming month by month.Visit 
lakes
Every lake on Earth: water temperature, ice, depth and the shore.Visit 
mountains
Every summit in 3D: summit weather, the 0 °C line, huts and trails.Visit 
waterfalls
Every waterfall: height, flow month by month and when it roars.Visit 
islands
Every island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit 
rivers
Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
caves
Every cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit 
dark skies
Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
Every bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.You are here
forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit