Ecuador possesses more bird species per area than any
other Latin American country. Eighteen percent of the total number
of bird species in the world are awaiting your visit. Ecuador has the greatest
diversity of hummingbird species (also known as quindes) in the world.
These small specimens will captivate the attention of
bird lovers. The condor, the country's national bird,
still flies over Ecuador's Andes mountains. Grab your binoculars
and enjoy the magic of the fauna of Ecuador!
What is birding or bird watching?
Birding involves the act of observing bird species in their natural
and wild state, without disturbing the ecosystem.
Within continental Ecuador, there are more than 1800
species of birds and a very special group of 30 species
on the Galapagos, which makes us the fourth country in
the world for bird diversity. This statistic keeps growing
due to the unexplored places that gives us new discoveries
every day.
Approximately 84% of the birds are residents and the rest
are migratory birds. The number of endemic species on
the mainland is 14. Unfortunately, in spite of this great
diversity and uniqueness, many species are in danger of
extinction.
Ecuador's representative
species
Hummingbirds: Ecuador has 131 species
of hummingbirds making us the country with the greatest
diversity of hummingbirds in the world. Their beauty and
peculiar way of flying makes them admired by scientists
and photographers looking for exclusive and difficult
shots of these animals. The smallest can measure less
than five centimeters long.
Andean condor: The largest bird of the
Ecuadorian highlands. For decades, hunting and destruction
of their habitat has caused this animal to be in danger
of extinction. As a scavenger, this species is essential
to the natural processes of the ecosystems where it's
found.
Harpy eagle: This is the largest raptor
in South America. It is found at the top of the food chain
in tropical forests that are in a good state of conservation. Due to the
deterioration of its natural habitat, the harpy eagle is on the
list of endangered species.
