Head in the Clouds: The Misty Rainforests of Choco, Ecuador
Photo StoryPublished : Aug 05, 2019Updated : Sep 25, 2023
Meet the magnificent birds of this biodiversity hotspot in South America
Text by: Sustain Team
Photos by: Dhritiman Mukherjee
Meet the magnificent birds of this biodiversity hotspot in South America
Ecuador is one of the smallest countries in South America — a jigsaw piece in the far west — and one of its most biologically diverse. Lovers of wildlife might know of Galapagos, a chain of volcanic islands that is home to marine iguanas, fur seals, and the giant Galapagos tortoise. Ecuador also stewards part of the Upper Amazon, a lush rainforest area that throbs with life of all sizes.
Far fewer travellers make it to Chocó: a strip forest that is flanked by the Andean mountain range on the right, and the calm waters of the Pacific on the left. The ocean brings humid winds ashore and the mountains ensure the rain clouds remain locked in this region. What results is a tropical habitat that is both dense and diverse, layer upon layer of life, living in sometimes beautiful, and sometimes brutal harmony.
Choco is a breathtaking landscape with emerald slopes, gurgling streams, and tree canopies crowned with clouds. In the upper reaches, pygmy marmosets and spider monkeys swing from mossy branches, picking berries and fruit. Farther down, pumas prowl for prey and jewel-toned hummingbirds flitter around blooms, hungry for nectar. The forest floor is crowded too, home to rare snakes, frogs, and spiders seeking shelter among fungus and giant ferns.
Isolated by mountains, Choco has developed a unique variety of flora and fauna, different from the Amazon rainforest on the other side of the Andes. The bird life, in particular, is incredibly diverse, ranging from tiny antpittas to flamboyant toucans and parakeets. But like all old forests on Earth, this region and its inhabitants is in a fragile state. Forests have been cleared for mining, palm plantations, and to grow timber to support local construction, causing habitat loss. Some species are hunted for meat, or for sale as exotic pets. Today, less than ten percent of Choco’s cloud forests remain.
But all is not lost. Choco’s emergence as a birding destination has helped raise numbers of many critically threatened species. National parks in the region have expanded their boundaries, anti-logging and poaching laws are more strictly enforced, and the number of private reserves too have increased, as locals see the economic value of a healthy rainforest.
The forests of Choco extend from the 360 to around 4,500 meters above sea level, encompassing a range of habitats from riverine wetlands to mountain forests perennially swathed in mist. The WWF recognises the region as “one of the world's most biologically and culturally diverse”
The heat and humidity is ideal for mushrooms, and the forests of Choco abound with macro and micro fungus. Often spotted in clusters on tree barks and under leaf litter, fungus plays the crucial role of decomposing organic matter, and making nutrients available to the trees and plants in the ecosystem. Umbrella-shaped mushrooms also provide shelter to small insects, slugs, and snails when it rains, as it often does in these forests.
A club winged manakin surveys the forest of San Tadeo bird reserve, two hours from the capital city of Quito. Males of the species are known for their unique call — a high-pitched beep— which they create by vibrating their wings. Like so many extraordinary displays in the animal kingdom, the club-winged manakin does this to attract the attention of a female.
When it comes to attention-seeking behaviour, however, few birds in Choco compare to the Andean Cock of the Rock who scores in the looks and moves department. Courting males are especially entertaining, breaking into a series of moves that involve jumping, bopping, and moving from side to side (often all at the same time). This display of flexibly and flamboyance is accompanied by whoops, grunts, and clicks, similar to sounds made by novice beatboxers.
Far more practical in plumage are the antpittas, a family of birds found around Central and South America. The Choco region alone has numerous species, which spend their days hopping around the forest floor, looking for worms and ants to eat. Among them is the chestnut-crowned antpitta (top), ochre-breasted antpitta (b) and the moustachioed antpitta.
Largest among the antpitta species is the giant antpitta, which measures a little over 20cm in length. They are shy birds, rarely sighted despite spending much of their time on the forest floor. Giant antpitta are meticulous builders that live in mug-shaped nests a few centimetres from the forest floor, often behind a curtains of ferns. They use dried leaves, twigs and vines to build the structure and plenty of moss as soft furnishing.
A chestnut-tipped toucanet in Tandayapa forests of Choco. These members of the toucan family spend much of their time in the mid and upper reaches of the forest, foraging for food. They are largely fruit eaters and play the role of seed dispersers in the forest ecosystem. Occasionally though, toucanets will snack on spiders and the odd lizard.
The Milpe Sanctuary is another birding hotspot in Choco. Among the reserve’s more striking inhabitants, are the pale-mandibled aracari (top) and the Choco toucan (bottom). Both are large birds, vividly coloured, with large beaks that they use to forage for berries.
Much harder to spot, is the lanceolated monklet, a tiny bird prone to silences and staying still for long periods of time. When the monklet does exercise its voice, it emits small, tight whistles of increasing frequency. It is a member of the puff bird family that gets its name for its puffy plumage.
Choco’s geographical isolation means the region is home to a number of endemic species, many with by red, orange, and yellow plumage. Among these eye-catching birds is the Choco trogon (top), dark-backed wood quail (middle) and the yellow breasted antpitta (bottom). They are a joy to watch, but the more brightly coloured the bird, the more visible it is to predators.
The predators too are at risk. Species like the plumbeous hawk are under serious threat from deforestation. Without their forest habitat, they lose their food source, causing their numbers to drop.
is one of India's most prolific wildlife and conservation photographers. His work has been featured in leading publications. He is also a RoundGlass Ambassador, and an RBS Earth Hero awardee.
