Guango Lodge Area

eBird Hotspot Link: Guango Lodge

Species - 309

Checklists - 8082

Projected Time at Site: Long (>3 hrs.)

About the Area: 

Guango Lodge, perched at 8,809' on Ecuador’s eastern Andean slope near Papallacta, is a hummingbird haven wrapped in misty temperate forest. The lodge grounds are compact yet bursting with life—flowering shrubs, native trees, and carefully placed feeders attract a dazzling array of highland hummingbirds. Within minutes, visitors can spot the Sword-billed Hummingbird, whose impossibly long bill defies belief, alongside Chestnut-breasted Coronets, Tourmaline Sunangels, and Collared Incas. The lodge’s cozy trails and riverside paths offer intimate views of mixed-species flocks, while the rushing Río Quijos adds a soundtrack of whitewater to the forest’s birdsong. Even from the dining room windows, birders can tally dozens of species in a single sitting.

The surrounding lands are part of a 300-hectare humid temperate forest reserve, a rare ecosystem characterized by stunted trees, cool temperatures, and rich epiphyte diversity. This elevational zone is a hotspot for montane specialties like the Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Masked Trogon, and Mountain Cacique. Torrent Ducks patrol the fast-flowing river, while Spectacled Redstarts and Pale-naped Brushfinches flit through the understory. The area’s steep slopes and varied microhabitats make it ideal for observing mixed flocks and elusive species like the Black-and-chestnut Eagle and Chestnut-crowned Antpitta. Guango’s location at the transition between páramo and cloud forest makes it a vital corridor for altitudinal migrants and a must-visit for anyone seeking the highland jewels of Ecuador’s avifauna.

The reserve is well known for its hummingbird diversity and the torrent duck trails. Ocassionally, it's possible to observe the Mountain Tapir. 

Top Target Species:

Torrent Duck, Andean Guan, Tourmaline Sunangel, Speckled Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Tyrian Metaltail, Collared Inca, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Buff-tailed Coronet, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, White-bellied Woodstar, Masked Trogon, Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Montane Woodcreeper, Pearled Treerunner, Cinnamon Flycatcher, White-banded Tyrannulet, Chestnut-bellied Chat-Tyrant, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Turquoise Jay, Green Jay, Mountain Wren, Great Thrush,  Gray-browed Brushfinch, Chestnut-capped Brushfinch, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Northern Slaty Brushfinch, Pale-naped Brushfinch, Mountain Cacique, Blackburnian Warbler, Black-crested Warbler, Russet-crowned Warbler, Spectacled Redstart, Black-capped Hemispingus, Black-eared Hemispingus, Hooded Mountain Tanager, Blue-and-black Tanager, Blue-backed Conebill, Capped Conebill, Masked Flowerpiercer and Gray-hooded Bush Tanager.

Recap and Reflections (How it played out)

(Stay tuned...)