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| The road had several water crossings; Photo: Reserva Ecológica Río Blanco |
We were on our way to Reserva Ecológica Río Blanco, the entrance of which is just two miles from Manizales.
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| Manizales from Reserva Ecológica Río Blanco |
The Reserve comprises 12,187 acres of cloud forest at elevations between 7,000 and 12,000 feet above sea level. One of the most biodiverse areas in the world, it sits in the mountainous area of the greater Chinchiná River Basin.
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| Reserva Ecológica Río Blanco |
Río Blanco was another cool area on our itinerary, with an average temperature of 52 °F and relative humidity of 90 percent.
Famous for Antpitta feeders and a high density of Hummingbird species, Río Blanco is home to roughly 380 species of birds.
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| Brown-banded Antpitta and Long-tailed Sylph |
It has 60 types of mammals. Really, Colombia? Prove it!
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| I don't think the Mules or the (ridiculous) herding dog count |
And, it claims 180 types of butterflies and 40 types of endemic orchids.
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| We saw more Moths than Butterflies; White Witch Moth |
The Reserve is anchored by a reservoir that supplies 35 percent of the drinking water for the department of Caldas, of which the Manizales is the capital. As such, it is managed by a water company (as opposed to a park service) under the supervision of Colombia’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development.
Entrance Road
Before we entered the Reserve, we stopped to bird just outside the entrance. The lodge manager had told Alejandro to look on the cliff face on the other side of the road from the creek for a Lyre-tailed Nightjar nest. We were searching and searching until a birder stopped to give us better directions.
We were looking for something obscure and high up. But, the nest was in the open on a small ledge just a few feet off the ground. The female Nightjar was sitting perfectly still with her wings slightly bowed out.
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| We were told her chick had just hatched and she was guarding it under those wings |
The whole time we were there, she didn’t make even the slightest move. It would be possible to walk right past her and not even notice the nest, even though it was RIGHT THERE.
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| Closer look at her face |
The one thing that made it a little more prominent (and dangerous for the bird) was that well-meaning locals had sprinkled seeds all around the nest. Ironically, the Lyre-tailed Nightjar eats insects, not seeds.
Found in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, the Lyre-tailed Nightjar mostly ranges from 3,600 to 6,900 feet, but can be found as low as 2,600 feet and as high as 11,500. It inhabits humid montane forest, especially its edges and openings, favoring cliffs and ravines near running water (like where we were).
The Lyre-tailed Nightjar’s name reflects the male’s extremely long outer tail feathers that are more than twice as long as its body. The female's tail is much shorter and less graduated. Adults are nine to 11 inches long, but the feathers can be an additional 24 inches. Of course, this one was a lifer.
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| I wish we had seen a male; Left: iNaturalist; Right: Joel Rosenthal |
Oh, but we weren’t done! Nope. Three more lifers showed up in rapid succession …
We saw a couple of Sickle-winged Guans, one of several species of Guans in South and Central America. Arboreal, forest-dwelling chicken-like birds, Guans are recognized by their dark plumage, red throat wattles and loud cries. They are often found in pairs or small groups in the canopy.
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| The Sickle-winged Guan is one of three species of Guans we saw in Colombia |
There are 12 species of Guan, of which seven live in Colombia. We saw three species during our trip and I had seen two other species in Costa Rica.
We saw three Andean Motmots, a beautiful bird with a spectacular racket-tail, red eyes and turquoise brow.
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| Surprisingly, they are closely related to Kingfishers |
Motmots are colorful, medium-sized birds found in neotropical forests – often near water – in Central and South America. They are known for sitting quietly and wagging their tails like a pendulum. They eat fruits, insects and small reptiles, often caught by hovering or plucking from branches.
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| This tail-up posture is unusual for a Motmot |
Their name comes from their double-hooting call, which sounds like an Owl. There are 10 species; this was my fourth.
The Andean motmot occurs in all three major Cordilleras of the Andes in Colombia and along the eastern side of the Andes in Ecuador, Peru and northern Bolivia. In Colombia, it ranges in elevation from 4,900 to 10,200 feet.
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| During our tour, we saw many more. Pretty bird! |
But, it gets even better(ish). We saw a male Golden-headed Quetzal! Yes, it was pretty far back in the trees, but we saw it!
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| A great sighting! |
The Golden-headed Quetzal, a member of the Trogon family, is known for its iridescent green color, which can appear blue depending on the light (ours truly looked blue), red belly and distinctive goldish green head (ours looked green).
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| See how the light changes the color? Left: ABC Birds; Right: Joel Sartore |
A large bird, its wingspan is 13-14 inches and its length, including tail, is 16-17 inches.
Golden-headed Quetzals live in eastern Panama and the Andes. Their natural habitat is humid and wet moderate-elevation montane and foothill forests although they have also been seen on forest edges, in clearings and in temperate cloud forests and elfin forests. They reside at elevations ranging from 4,000 to 10,000 feet.
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| We could hear its mate calling, but didn't see her (that would have been cool) |
Generally solitary and quiet, they often sit motionless for long periods of time. When they do vocalize, the far-carrying call sounds like mournful, hawk-like whistles, repeated 6-8 times or like a horse whinnying.
The word Quetzal comes from the Nahuatl (the Aztec language) word quetzalli, which translates to "long green plume." The Golden-headed Quetzal is a cousin of the more famous Resplendent Quetzal.
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| I had gotten equally unsatisfying shots of a juvenile Resplendent Quetzal in Costa Rica |
After those three unique and, at least for the last two, colorful, birds, the final bird we saw – the Glossy Thrush – was less exciting.
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| Plus, it was a repeat for me |
We couldn't stay because we needed to get through the gates before they were locked for the night to get to the lodge and to dinner.
Río Blanco Lodge
We were staying at the Rio Blanco Lodge within the Reserva Ecológica Río Blanco. It consisted of two hacienda-style buildings – the original and the new. We ate in the original and Heather, Enid, Bob and I stayed in the new; Hernan and Alejandro slept in the original building.
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| The original lodge and Hummingbird feeders |
There was a small Hummingbird garden between the buildings and additional feeders – both nectar and fruit – off the side of the original building.
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| The lodge is surrounded by flowers |
My room was huge – with three beds, a giant bathroom and big windows that looked out over the Hummingbird garden.
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| My room; Photo: TripAdvisor |
In my first installment of this blog series on Colombia, I covered the misery of having no hot water the first night at Río Blanco because the propane had been accidentally turned off. Beside that, it was a delightful place to stay. A sweet, if somewhat inexperienced, team of young ladies served us our meals, which were traditional Colombia food, but well-cooked and tasty. We stayed two nights at this lodge, giving us a chance to settle in a bit.
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| Some of the regulars: A Collared Inca and a Buff-tailed Coronet |
The lodge appeared to be the site of an old farm. There were still some farms in the area, which is why a road cut through the Reserve.
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| Farm fences |
The entire next day was spent birding in Reserva Ecológica Río Blanco, as was the following morning.
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| Reserva Ecológica Río Blanco |
We did most of our birding along Reserve Roads that headed in both directions from the official entrance (a short drive from the lodge, but probably walkable).
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| Master Birder Heather |
We also spent time the first night and the next two days birding around the lodge when we were there for meals.  |
| Bob taking Hummingbird photos |
And, we went to the reservoir, which is a pure water source, not a recreation area (a dam, fences around the manmade holding lake and pumping equipment).
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| Torrent Tyrannulet at the dam |
While in the Reserve, we had a local guide along with Alejandro.
Instead of trying to cover birds in chronological order, I am loosely grouping them in, perhaps, a way that makes a bit more sense.
Hummingbird Garden and Feeders
Let’s start with the birds we saw around the lodge, because there were a lot. of birds. Especially Hummingbirds.
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The feeder was always bustling with mixed species |
The lodge has both natural vegetation and an abundance of flowering shrubs, planted specifically to attract birds.
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| Coffee flower and Chinese Lanterns |
When the Hummingbirds weren't drinking at the feeders, they were sitting in the plants – many flowering plants – on the edges of the garden.
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| Long-tailed Sylph and Buff-tailed Coronet resting in the garden |
That's where I preferred to get photos. I was successful with some and not so much with others.
All the Hummingbirds I saw were lifers, except the Sparkling Violetear ...
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| You can see the "ear" in both pictures |
These were new ...
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| Purple-backed Thorntail |
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| Andean Emerald |
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| Buff-tailed Coronet |
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| Collared Inca |
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| Fawn-breasted Brilliant and Tourmaline Sunangel |
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| Long-tailed Sylph |
The Bronzy Inca was the only Hummingbird I didn’t get a photo of and it appeared only briefly; Drat, it was a lifer!
Watching Hummingbirds is addictive, so here are some more to look at ...
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A Long-tailed Sylph raspberry
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Two Buff-tailed Coronets square off
 | A Collared Inca with Buff-tailed Coronets
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 | | A Buff-tailed Coronet feeding in some flowers away from the feeders |
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| Speckled Hummingbird on a mission |
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As excited as I was to see the Long-tailed Sylph ...
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| ... the Buff-tailed Coronet was definitely the star! |
The Hummingbird feeders attracted other birds, as well, including ...
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| This beautiful Masked Flowerpiercer |
The fruit feeder and surrounding area had its own fans, including even three more lifers …
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| A Northern Slaty Brushfinch |
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| White-sided Flowerpiercer (male and female) |
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Speckled Hummingbirds (they prefer flowers to feeders) |
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| Summer Tanagers (juvenile and adult), a bird I have seen many times in the U.S. |
The grounds revealed more birds …
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| Sickle-winged Guans going to feed in a ravine behind the lodge |
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| A Blue-and-white Swallow resting on the roof |
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| Rufous-collared Sparrows singing and singing |
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| A Crested Caracara just chillin’ along the road |
There were other birds I didn’t photograph; only one was a lifer – a Blue-and-black Tanager.
Night Venture
After our first day of birding, Alejandro announced at dinner that we would be leaving in about 15 minutes to look for Owls. Yikes! I was not ready.
I had to rush to put together my tripod, find my headlamp and prep for a walk in the dark. With my poor night vision, it was an ordeal carrying my camera and tripod down the gravel road in the pitch-black night. We heard an Owl hooting and Alejandro successfully called it in. It alighted on a branch above us and I started shooting, fearing that I had not properly set the camera yet. I hadn’t.
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| The shot I hoped I had; I didn't; Photo: eBird |
I figured I would take two shots and then keep adjusting to get a better night shot.
But, when I decided to change the setting, the Owl flew away. It was on that branch maybe 15 seconds. Maybe. My photos were black with the faintest dark gray outline of a White-throated Screech-Owl, another lifer. At least I got to see it.
I vowed I’d be ready for the next night hunt. Although we went out briefly during the extension trip, we never saw another Owl at night.
Antpitta Stations
One of the main reasons we went to Río Blanco was to see Antpittas, several members of a family of small birds found in subtropical and tropical Central and South America. Between four and eight inches long, they have round bodies, extremely short tails and long legs that give them a distinctive upright posture.
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| They remind me of cartoon drawings of birds |
Antpittas are typically shy and elusive, making them a big challenge for birders. So, at several locations in the cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador, nature guides have created feeding stations where they have trained wild Antpittas to emerge from the dense understory to feed on worms at specific times of the day. This has made it easier for birders and wildlife photographers to observe these secretive birds.
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| You seldom see one out in the open |
The process of habituating Antpittas to feeding stations requires patience and strict consistency. Guides use a distinct whistle to call the birds to a designated spot (a fallen log, mound of moss or feeding platform), offering them natural food sources such as mealworms. Over time, individual birds learn to associate the whistle and the guide with a reliable food source, leading to close observations without disrupting the birds’ natural habits or making them dependent for all their daily meals.
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| Birders love the stations and photographers love them even more |
These stations serve as massive conservation success stories. Instead of clearing land for agriculture, now locals and reserve owners find it far more profitable to keep the forest intact as birding ecotourism has grown. Local guides manage the feeding sessions to ensure they are sheltered from predators and strictly controlled so the birds maintain their wild foraging behaviors.
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| Just a snack |
The first Antpitta feeding station was created in Paz de las Aves near Mindo, Ecuador, more than 15 years ago. Tapichalaca Reserve, also in Ecuador, is famous for habituating the large, striking Jocotoco Antpitta to daily feedings. Río Blanco Reserve is known as the "capital of the Antpittas," because it has feeding stations for several species, all lifers for me.
The first station we visited attracted a beautiful little Chestnut-crowned Antpitta that responded almost immediately.
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| We had the best views here |
It strutted across a moss-covered feeding platform for us.
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| It even left the platform and ventured closer |
The second station brought in a far more tentative Slate-crowned Antpitta.
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| It stayed in the dark feeding area |
Its shyness was primarily caused by several other birds that also seemed to enjoy the free handout of worms ...
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| A Gray-browed Brushfinch, a lifer |
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| A Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush, a lifer, too |
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| A Rufous-collared Sparrow |
The other birds all spent time gobbling up worms, keeping the cute little Antpitta at bay.
While both of those stations were along the trails that fanned out into the reserve, a third one was right behind the lodge.
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| A pretty little grotto |
This one was designed for a Brown-banded Antpitta, which also made its appearance when called.
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| A pretty little bird |
When I was in Costa Rica, we had seen one Antpitta and my only photo was through a scope.
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| Streak-chested Antpitta, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, 2022 |
These feeding stations really made a difference.
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I got photos of all three … |
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| … plus the interlopers! |
Get on Down the Road
We spent most of our two days birding along the gravel roads through the reserve.
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| We traveled down the road ... |
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| ... trying to find and see birds in the sometimes-dense forest ... |
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... or across the broad vistas we sometimes saw through breaks in the trees Compared to other places we birded, the Río Blanco road was in good condition – level, wide enough for vehicle to pass and relatively free of potholes and washouts. In addition to our lodge, which belongs to the Reserve, there are several other birding enterprises along the road. |
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| Not a particularly Colombian vibe |
As we traversed the road, I felt that I saw a lot. I felt that I got great photos, but when I reviewed the numbers, I realized either how tough it was to bird there or how bad I am at it.
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| A Montane Woodpecker |
Along the roads, I saw 49 species, of which 31 were lifers. GREAT! But, I managed to get photos of only 18, including 12 lifers. UGH. Plus, others in the group, saw another 12 I didn’t see at all, including seven that would have been lifers.
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| It's hard to see some birds; that's an Oropendola nest on the right |
What I did capture included a female Golden-headed Quetzal ...
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| Maybe this is the one I missed the night before |
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| This time, we heard her mate and saw it fly rapidly, but I just got her |
Others I photographed were ...
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| Roadside Hawk |
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| A Band-tailed Pigeon in a tree with a looped branch covered in bromeliads |
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A very distant Purple-backed Thorntail |
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| A Masked Flowerpiercer (looking very chunky) |
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| A Golden-fronted Redstart |
And, these are all lifers ...
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| A Brown-capped Vireo |
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| Cinnamon Flycatchers |
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| Bob got a better photo, left, of the Grass-green Tanager than I did |
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| A White-rumped Hawk |
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| A Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant |
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| A Masked Saltator |
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| A Russet-crowned Warbler |
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| A couple of Masked Trogons |
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| A Black-billed Peppershrike |
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| A Montane Woodcreeper |
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| White-naped Brushfinches |
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| Powerful Woodpeckers (this is the male) |
The good thing about multi-day or multi-week trips is that you get some second chances. Later, I did see some of those missed lifers and even got a few photos.
But, I never got photos of 14 of the lifers I saw at Río Blanco: Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Streak-headed Antbird, Azara's Spinetail, Green-and-black Fruiteater, Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, Flavescent Flycatcher, Blue-capped Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager (and that was a beauty), Plushcap, Golden-faced Tyrannulet, Sharpe's Wren, Capped Conebill and Yellow-bellied Siskin.
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| Searching for birds; Photo: Heather |
Parrots and Parakeets were usually a challenge because we saw them as they flew rapidly past, usually high-up in the sky or against a distant mountain top. But, at Río Blanco, we had a great experience that awed me so much that I didn’t even try to take a photo. As we were standing in open area, admiring the view, a flock of Golden-plumed Parakeets flew right over our heads, maybe only 12-20 feet above us. They were moving fast, creating a loud whoosh and stir of wind. I kept seeing them, but never got a photo.
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| A nice view from the road |
Of the lifers I missed, at Río Blanco, I never saw six. Oh well! Birding is tough.
Reservoir Birds
But, we were not done. We also visited the reservoir, where we saw just four species ...
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| Black Phoebe |
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| Speckled Hummingbird |
... but two were lifers!
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| Green-fronted Lancebill |
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| Torrent Tyrannulet |
We first saw the Torrent Tyrannulet at the dam, but later we noticed that it had flown over to our tour van where it saw its reflection in the side mirror and then spent at least 15 minutes fighting off a perceived challenger to its territory.
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| A fierce little bird with no comprehension of reflection |
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| Certainly intimidating |
Watch it here ...
Moths and Bugs
The deck of the lodge had a nice collection of Moths, some of which I am still trying to identify …
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| Top: Periclina Moth, Quentalia Moth; Bottom: Cecile Moths |
And, along the trails, we saw some interesting bugs; I photographed a few ...
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| Longhorn Beetle |
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Fulvocompe Nemophilia
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| Bessbug |
Heading Out
When we finally ended our time at Río Blanco, we headed out the same road we came in on.
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| I was sad to leave |
I was looking forward to getting a few more photos of the Lyre-tailed Nightjar. But, It was Sunday and the road was clogged with locals walking or riding scooters to the Reserve from Manizales. Alejandro didn’t want to stop to see the Nightjar for fear that would alert too many people to its existence, threatening both mom and chick. Wise decision, but I was a bit disappointed.
Represa Cameguada
We made a brief stop at Represa Cameguada, a sunny park on a lake in town. People were picnicking, boating and setting up for what looked to be a huge baby shower.
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| The dock |
We had dropped down considerably in altitude, so it ws hot and sticky. The Park was filled with tropical-looking plants, including ...
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| Flame trees |
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| A large Bromeliad and some African Tulip Trees, an imported species |
The Tulip Trees hosted several birds ...
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| A Black-throated Mango and a Red-crowned Woodpecker |
We saw a variety of birds, most familiar, except a Gray Seedeater that I saw but never got a shot of.
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| Bob got a nice photo |
The birds I saw included ...
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| Muscovy Ducks |
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| A Scrub Tanager hiding in the tree and a Rusty-margined Flycatcher out in the open |
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| A Vermilion Flycatcher |
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| Bob caught the Vermilion Flycatcher in a more interesting pose |
It was a quick walk in the park before we headed on to Pueblo Rico where we would rendezvous with our drivers for our visit the Montezuma cloud forest. Next time …
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| More Hummingbirds! This is a White-necked Jacobin |
Tour dates: March 7-28, 2026
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