Bird Stories

One of the highlights of our Colombian trip was bird photography. Our goal was to photograph as many big and/or colorful birds as we could find. Colombia did not disappoint! At the end of our trip we had spotted 140 species of birds, most of which were colorful, albeit small. 

A big aid in our quest was our bird guide, Jose Ivan. Not only is he a bird expert for the region of Cali, his family owns a coffee plantation. And, he brought samples. And, he is a naturally trained barista. Fresh, great coffee every morning. 🙂

The following three bird stories highlight some of our favorite species of the trip.

Andean motmot or highland motmot (Momotus aequatorialis)

The Andean motmot is a colorful forest bird found in the humid Andean regions of South America, particularly in countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. It has vibrant green plumage accented with a bright blue crown and a distinctive black mask across its face. Unlike some other motmots, it lacks the long, racket-tipped tail feathers, instead having a shorter, squared tail. The Andean motmot typically inhabits mountain forests and forest edges, where it feeds on insects, small vertebrates, and fruit, often perching quietly before swooping down to catch prey.

Our second stop is San Felipe where we met the local motmot, named Tom. Shouldn’t it be “Tomtom I asked?” They didn’t get it. Our motmot craves worms. And our local guide, Sergio, had a huge supply.  Sergio would walk into the field and hook a worm onto the end of a metal wire. Then he would make the most interesting sounds, calling our motmot into action. Within a few minutes Tom would appear waiting patiently on a tree branch. Sergio then stepped back, then in a split second there was Tom picking off the worm and heading back to his perch. I barely had time to get my camera ready.

Another try, I asked. Sergio extracts another worm for a repeat. This time I had my camera pointed and prefocussed on the worm. Sergio repeated and here came Tom. As soon as I saw Tom at the wire, I fired away. With my prefocus setting enabled I captured many images of Tom approaching the worm.

We tried it again and again. Finally, both Sergio and Tom had enough. I’m told that Tom was full and needed a rest.

Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruvianus)

As you’ll soon see, the Andean Cock of the Rock is stranger looking than its name. It is a striking, brightly colored bird native to the cloud forests of the Andes Mountains in South America. Males are especially eye-catching, with vivid orange or red plumage, a large fan-shaped crest that partially covers the bill, and dark wings marked with gray patches. They are famous for their elaborate courtship displays, in which groups of males gather in leks to perform energetic dances and loud calls to attract females. This species is the national bird of Peru and is most commonly found in humid, forested ravines from Venezuela to Bolivia, including Colombia.

Interestingly enough, this lek occurs at exactly the same time each day, at 6:15am. Unfortunately, this means an early wakeup call. At 4:30am we left the cozy confines of our room to endure a one hour bumpy ride to Avistamiento de aves Dona Dora, weaving this way and that. By the time we arrived, I was turning green. Luckily Jose set up his coffee apparatus for a little home brew. Armed with caffeine we started our hike to visit these birds.  It was muddy – we are in a rain forest! It was rocky and slick. Down we hiked. Down some more.  After a bit, I noticed a hut that was well lit. We are there! Nope, it is just the halfway point. The second half of the hike was even steeper. Mud started to encompass my leg making the hiking even more treacherous. Then we arrived to a small blind. It’s still very dark as we settle in for the cock-of-the-rock extravaganza.

A few minutes later the first one arrived. What a strange looking bird, a bird body with a squid’s head. Then a few more arrived. For the next forty minutes we photographed these birds. At the end, like a Fourth of July finale, all the birds squawked and squawked, hopping and flying around. It was an amazing sight.

Vermilion Cardinal (Cardinals phoeniceus) male and female.

The Vermilion Cardinal is a striking red songbird found in northern South America, including parts of Colombia. The male is especially eye-catching, with brilliant crimson plumage contrasted by a black face and throat, while the female is more subdued in brownish tones with reddish highlights. Often seen in dry forests, shrublands, and open areas, this species feeds on seeds, insects, and fruit. Its bold coloration and clear, whistling song make it one of the most beautiful and recognizable birds in its range.

We are now in Boca De Camerones where it is very hot. We are on the hunt for this cardinal, walking through a desert, heading for tree cover where we might see one. I’m looking all over but there are no birds anywhere. Perhaps this expedition will be a bust. Finally tree cover and slightly cooler temperatures. Not only is it cooler but there looks to be a setup to photograph birds. So much for the hunt, they are being called to come see us. 

We tried hard to coax them to together for a family shot, but they had other ideas.

That’s it! Three beautiful birds. Three bird stories. What do you think?