Birding in Colombia #13: The Forest of Birds

Multicolored Tanager

After our warm morning at Sonso Lake, we had a 2+ hour drive to our next destination, La Florida - El Bosque de Las Aves, which sits at 6,560 feet in elevation in the West Cordillera of the Andes just 60 miles northwest of Cali.

La Florida El Bosque de Las Aves is a top birding destination

Located in Valle del Cauca department, La Florida El Bosque de Las Aves (translation: Forest of Birds) has diverse ecosystems, well-maintained trails and several feeder areas that bring in a wide variety of colorful Hummingbirds, Tanagers and other exotic birds. 

Feeder birds, CW: Flame-rumped Tanager, Golden Tanagers, Red-headed Barbet

White-necked Jacobins in the Hummingbird feeder area

More than 340 bird species, including 39 varieties of Hummingbirds and up to 30 species of Tanagers have been recorded there.

Golden-naped Tanager and Andean Emerald

The facility, which is known for several endemics, is a day destination for birders, offers birding tours and also operates as a lodge.

An Andean Motmot on the feeders

Our itinerary originally had us at La Florida El Bosque de Las Aves for two nights, but there was a change at the last minute that sent us to Yotoco Lodge for a second night. Although Yotoco was fine, I really would have liked two nights at La Florida. 

But, on the other hand, even though I got lots of great photos, I didn’t really get that many lifers – probably more a function of time rather than location.

Lifer: Saffron-crowned Tanager

I gotta admit that, while it may not be as authentic or “pure” as tromping through the jungle looking for birds, I do like feeders.

One of La Florida El Bosque de Las Aves' feeders

They are set up to be photographer-friendly ...

Hummingbird feeding station

Andean Motmot on the other main feeding station

... and they draw in birds that are difficult or impossible to photograph or even see in the wild.

Perfection!

La Florida El Bosque de Las Aves has been called "the best backyard birding on earth." I agree.

I think Bob also agrees

The lodge was beautiful ...

... with duplex casitas climbing up the side of the mountain ...

... and a view across the valley

We saw Scarlet-fronted Parakeets (lifers) and White-collared Swifts flying out over the valley and in the morning, we saw waves of fog drift by.

Everything at the lodge looked new and well-thought-out ...

... from the Multicolored Tanager coverlets ...

... to the porch-front hammocks ...

... to the pretty gardens

The food was delicious. My favorite meal – non-Colombian cannelloni – was here, served at an outdoor table right next to some of the feeders. The staff was friendly and helpful.

The owner had, in her purchase of the lodge, also acquired a Yellow-crowned Amazon as a pet. There was some reason I missed that this large Parrot couldn’t leave with its owner. 

So, it stayed, a fixture of the lodge

The Amazon’s talent was amazing. It could mimic – perfectly, convincingly, annoyingly – and angry, crying child. I was totally fooled and had a hard time believing a Parrot sound so authentic.

Now, who would teach a Parrot that skill?

Tanagers

During our too-short time at La Florida El Bosque de Las Aves we spent a lot of time at the three main feeder areas in the late day, early morning and mid-day. Among the birds we saw were many Tanagers, a group of birds I have been talking about since day one.

Tanagers are the second-largest family of birds, representing about 4 percent of all avian species and 12 percent of the Neotropical birds.

Golden Tanager

Traditionally, the family contained around 240 species of mostly brightly colored fruit-eating birds. As more of these birds were studied using modern molecular techniques, it became apparent that the traditional families were not correct. Euphonias and Chlorophonias, which were once considered part of the Tanager family, now have their own family in a different group. 

Orange-bellied Euphonia: Excommunicated!

Likewise, the group that includes Scarlet, Summer and Western Tanagers are actually members of the Cardinal family.

Now, Tanagers comprise 393 species including Neotropical Tanagers, Honeycreepers, Dacnises, Grassquits, Finches, Bananquits, Conebills and surprising additions like Darwin's Finches and South American Cardinals.

Saffron Finch

Tanagers are small to medium-sized birds, ranging from four to 11 inches long. Both sexes are usually the same size and weight. Tanagers are often brightly colored, but some species are black and white. Males are typically more brightly colored than females and juveniles. 

Male Flame-rumped Tanager

Female Flame-rumped Tanager

Most Tanagers have short, rounded wings. The shape of the bill seems to be linked to the species' foraging habits.

The Blue-winged Mountain Tanager has a thick bill

Like Hummingbirds, Tanagers are restricted to the Western Hemisphere and mainly to the tropics. About 60 percent live in South America, and 30 percent of these species live in the Andes. Most species are endemic to a relatively small area.

The Golden-naped Tanager lives exclusively in the Andes

They live in pairs or in small groups of three to five individuals, often groups comprising parents and their offspring. They can be seen in either single-species or mixed flocks. Many (but not all) Tanagers are thought to have dull songs.

The Palm Tanager also has rather dull coloring, but is pretty in a muted way

Tanagers are omnivorous, and have been seen eating fruits, seeds, nectar, flower parts and insects. Many pick insects off branches or from holes in the wood; others look for insects on the undersides of leaves; and still others wait on branches until they see a flying insect and catch it in the air. Because many species may inhabit the same areas, the different feeding approaches alleviate competition.

At La Florida El Bosque de Las Aves, we saw these “true” Tanagers …

Blue-winged Mountain Tanagers

Golden Tanager

Palm Tanager

Flame-rumped Tanager (much flame-ier than the lemon-rumed in Montezuma)

Multicolored Tanager, the most colorful of the lot

The La Florida El Bosque de Las Aves Tanagers included two lifers ...

Golden-naped Tanager

Saffron-crowned Tanager 

We also saw family members ...

Green Honeycreepers, male and female

Saffron Finch, juvenile and adult

There were also a Crimson-backed Tanager and a couple of Bananaquits, birds we had seen before, that I didn’t photograph at La Florida.

We had seen both at Jardin Encantado

As I said, the star here was the Multicolored Tanager, which is also occasionally known as the Rainbow or Seven-color Tanager. 

Seven colors: cerulean, black, green, creamy yellow, gold, orange and chestnut

This vibrant bird is found exclusively in the montane cloud forests of Colombia at altitudes between 4,200 and 10,000 feet. Males feature a gleaming palette and females and juveniles are slightly more subdued.

I don't think we saw any females or juveniles; Photo: eBird

They spend almost all their time high up in the dense, humid forest canopy and rarely pause, making them very challenging to spot in the wild. That makes these feeders invaluable. 

A good feeder shot

Because they have a highly restricted range and rely on undisturbed, mature forests, they are unfortunately listed as vulnerable. Up to 81 percent of their natural habitat has been lost to deforestation and agricultural expansion.

Other Feeder Birds

Among the pretty birds we saw at the feeders were Hepatic Tanagers ...

Both adult ...

... and juvenile

Full disclosure here: Alejandro identified these as Hepatic Tanagers; I thought they might be Summer Tanagers and eBird agreed. Then, I looked it up and found that the Highland subspecies of Hepatic Tanager more closely resembles the Summer. I stayed with Hepatic, but could be wrong. 

It’s not important because neither is a lifer for me and they both inhabit the area

The not-a-Tanager-anymore Orange-bellied Euphonia is also delightfully colorful.

But, it doesn't look orange!

The feeders attract bigger birds as well. 

We saw Colombian Chachalacas and Sickle-winged Guans

Chachalacas and Guans are large, turkey-like birds of the ancient family Cracidae (along with Curassows). They are virtually unchanged for millions of years. Native to tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas, they are arboreal fruit-eaters that play a vital role dispersing seeds, which helps regenerate Neotropical forests. 

Chachalacas are the smallest members of the family. 

Chachalacas are about the size of a pheasant

Preferring more open, scrubby woodlands, they are highly gregarious and extremely loud (believe me, they are LOUD).

We found them much quieter when gorging on seeds

Guans are larger, about the size of a turkey. More shy and elusive than their cousins, they generally inhabit dense forests, moving in pairs or small family groups. 

Guans are most active at dawn and dusk

The vast majority of the 50+ species in the family are found in Central and South America. The exception, the Plain Chachalaca, which I have seen, just barely breaches into the southern tip of Texas.

He has cousins in south Texas

Because they rely heavily on primary forest habitats and are often heavily hunted for meat, Chachalacas and Guans are considered one of the most threatened avian families in the Neotropics. 

Guan for Thanksgiving?

At La Florida El Bosque de Las Aves, I also briefly saw their cousin, the Andean Guan. We heard them and saw them in the trees several times on this trip, but I never got a photo. That’s a shame because it was lifer.

But, let's get back to more colorful birds. We saw lots of Andean Motmots. 

Or, maybe, it was one that got around quite a bit, showing up on feeders ...

... and all over the lodge

My favorite bird photo from my Costa Rica trip was a close-up of a male Red-headed Barbet – the ONLY shot I got when that beautiful bird swooped in and out of a feeder in a roadside cafe. 

The Costa Rica bird, right; and one from Colombia, left

This time, I got many, many photos of what is still a favorite Neotropical bird. 

Color and personality

And the color is amazing!

I also got great photos of the differently (but equally stunning) colored female

The feeders and surrounding areas brought in a parade of other birds of varying brilliance … 

Chestnut-capped Brushfinch

Russet-crowned Warbler

Canada Warbler (finally, a good shot after trying so hard last year in Ohio)

Acorn Woodpecker

Montane Woodcreeper

Black-billed Thrush

Eared Doves

Female Shiny Cowbird

Slate-throated Redstart

Southern House Wren (finally a photo of a Wren!)

The staff at the lodge keep the feeders filled with seeds, fruit and meal worms to attract birds.

Threading mealworms on a wire

But, the bird food also attracts bugs, which, in turn attract more birds.

Andean Motmot hunting beneath the "stocked" feeders

Most of the Hummingbirds at La Florida El Bosque de Las Aves were back in the woods in a special feeder station just for them. But, not all Hummingbirds like feeders. We saw several Tawny-bellied Hermits and Speckled Hummingbirds in the bushes near the main feeders. 

Tawny-bellied Hermits in the bushes

Hummingbird Feeders

When we headed down the trail to see the rest of the Hummingbirds, Heather and I stopped briefly to admire this huge Bessbug. The leaf, also huge, is a bit deceiving. 

That bug was a good 3 inches long!

The Hummingbird feeders were in a shaded area, making photography a bit tricky in the early morning. So, I apologize for some blur. I really liked the set up, though. Instead of feeders with perches, La Florida El Bosque de Las Aves had fashioned feeders from large syringes fitted with flower feeding tips. 

Of course, the Hummingbirds had to work harder to eat!

So, feeding Hummingbirds were in flight. 

And, all perching was done on natural branches

This would have been perfect if there had been more light. But, in the early morning, most of the perches were in shadow. So, the majority of my shots were redundant feeding poses. At least, I was spared the ugly red perches.

There was some good variety – I got photos of 10 species at the feeders ... 

Purple-throated Woodstar

White-booted Racket-tail

White-necked Jacobin

Long-tailed Sylph

Greenish Puffleg and Buff-tailed Coronet

Andean Emerald

Bronzy Inca

Brown Violetear

Crowned Woodnymph

The Hummingbirds were moving so quickly, it was hard to discern what species we were seeing. I saw some Fawn-breasted Brilliants and Steely-vented Hummingbirds, but didn’t capture them.

While watching the Hummingbirds, Enid provided a perch for a Lamplight Actinote Butterfly.

I can see where the "lamplight" came from

A Tricky Endemic

La Florida El Bosque de Las Aves is also famous for the endemic – and shy – Chestnut Wood-Quail. 

It skulks in low, dense foliage

We waited patiently hoping they would walk along the trail as they often do. No luck. The guide at the lodge tried and tried to coax them. No luck. Then, just as we were giving up, Alejandro tried to call them one more time. Luck! 

They never came out in the open and we had to crane to see them down the hill in some thick foliage. 

But, success!!! Another Lifer

The species faces an ongoing population decline due to deforestation and habitat fragmentation. 

Onithologists estimate the total wild population to be fewer than 10,000 mature birds

Watch one here ...

Of course, we saw a few more birds than I photographed, including one additional lifer – a Black-winged Saltator – and a couple of birds we had seen before – Common Squirrel-Cuckoo, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Ruddy Ground Dove, White-naped Brushfinch, Blackburnian Warbler and (again!) a Golden-bellied Flycatcher.

This is Bob's Golden-bellied Flycatcher

I was happy with what I got

Reserva Natural Mi Universo

After spending time at the Hummingbird feeders, we took a little field trip from the lodge before returning for lunch and more feeder time.

We took the van up a nearby road to Reserva Natural Mi Universo, a pretty natural area with a fern-lined road.

Fernhead

It passed some large estates, private homes and lodges. Apparently, a lot of these palatial homes used to be owned by drug lords. Now, they are part of a peaceful landscape. Still, they had guard dogs and cameras. So I didn't photograph them.

Just the flowers

We didn’t see a lot of birds on our short foray, but we did see some good ones. We got another good look at some Southern Emerald Toucanets …

Two, at close range!!!!

… and their beautiful cousin – a new bird for me – the Crimson-rumped Toucanet ...

Also close range

It could be tricky to tell them apart ...

The Crimson-rumped has a maroon bill; the Southern Emeral has black and yellow

My favorite was a new bird for me that was not a lifer: the Inca Jay, although it was the first I had ever seen. 

Let me explain ...

The Inca Jay is considered a subspecies of the Green Jay, which I have seen in Texas and Mexico, so it doesn’t “count” in my life list. The birds look different: the Green Jay has a blue crown with a smaller crest and the Inca Jay has a pale or white crown with a pronounced, prominent blue tuft at the base of the bill; the Green Jay has a brighter, predominantly lime-green and yellow underbelly and Inca Jays have a richer, contrasting bright yellow belly set against a deep blue upper back; Green Jays have a dark eye with yellowish skin and Inca Jays have pale or bright yellow irises.

Green Jay, Texas; Inca Jay, Colombia: Not the same

Some day, the species may be split. Alejandro believes they should because of the many pronounced differences between the two and I agree. If (when!) they do, that will add a bird to my count.

Ornithologists split or combine bird species as scientific tools advance and understanding of avian relationships changes. Birds are split into distinct species when distinct genetic or behavioral differences are found. Conversely, they are combined when separate groups are proven to be the same species. DNA sequencing, which was not available when most birds were named and grouped, is often the basis of classification changes. Splits can also occur if two populations consistently sing different songs and ignore each other's calls, if there are noticeable and consistent differences in feather patterns, size or beak shapes between geographically isolated groups or if different hunting techniques or migration routes prevent interbreeding.

A recent split that gave me a new bird was when the Yellow Warbler was divided into the Northern Yellow Warbler and the Mangrove Warbler.

Mangrove and Northern Yellow Warblers, Texas and Ohio

Species can be combined if two groups once thought to be separate regularly mate and produce fertile offspring in the wild, if scientists realize that a "new" species is just a different life stage of an already known bird or if a species with a wide geographic range has color differences that blend smoothly into one another without a distinct boundary. Taxonomic committees, such as the American Ornithological Society or eBird/Clements, review peer-reviewed data to keep the bird world's family tree organized and accurate. Different countries have review bodies that recommend changes and advocate for changes.

After that little detour, let's get back to our trip to Reserva Natural Mi Universo. I also got photos of a few more birds not at feeders …

Male Green Honeycreeper

Golden-naped Tanager

Masked Flowerpiercer

Spotted Barbtail

Plus a Graphita Griphe Butterfly

Among other birds I didn’t capture were a lot we had seen before; Andean Motmot, Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Crested Caracara, Pale-edged Flycatcher, White-naped Brushfinch, Masked Flowerpiercer, Black-winged Saltator and a bunch of Tanagers: Flame-rumped, Blue-winged Mountain, Blue-gray, Palm, Scrub, Saffron-crowned and Bananaquit. I missed a Blue-naped Chlorophonia that would have upped my life list.

Off Again

We returned to La Florida El Bosque de Las Aves for lunch and a bit of feeder time.

What a great place!

Then, we headed off closer to Cali. 

We had one more evening and one more morning of birding before flying back to Bogotá to end the main tour. I’ll cover the last stops in my next blog.

A good day for Spectacled Parrotlets

Tour dates: March 7-28, 2026