Birding in the Clouds

Ecuador has an overwhelming diversity of avi-fauna that presents itself in dramatic colours and shades, making it a highly sought-after bird photography destination. We join the author on a photo-journey to the Choco Lowlands meeting exotic avian members all the way.

- Santanu Nandy

As a passionate bird photographer, the tiny Republic of Ecuador has always been on my bucket list. Located in the northwestern part of South America, it boasts of the highest avian density per unit area in the world with over 1500 species of birds on offer. The avian presence includes the permanent residents endemic to the region as well as the ones which home here for breeding, not to mention the migratory birds sheltering in winter to escape the bitter cold up north. So when a long weekend break came up last July during one of my routine business trips to the U.S, a visit to the cloud forests of Ecuador was an automatic choice.

Ecuador, officially known as Republic of Ecuador, literally means the ‘Republic of the Equator’. The equator passes 24 kilometres north of the capital city of Quito at Mitad del Mundo. It is one of 17 mega-diverse territories in the world boasting of the famed Galapagos Islands, the seat of Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. Not only does it match our country in its development index, but also in the warm hospitality it extends to its visitors. Visiting Ecuador is convenient and easy as it is well connected with USA and for people of most nationalities, including Indians, VISA on arrival is available.