Bird Tours Peru - Cusco
Short tours from Cusco
This area, while geographically not too far from the Manu Road, is home to a quite different set of birds. The main focus is always on the endemics, but there are lots of other birds to be found as well. On the routes to Abra Malaga or the alternative one to Cancha Cancha we will visit Polylepis forest, a disappearing habitat with endangered bird species. The main object for our route to Abancay is the Podocarpus forest of Bosque Ampay, one of the few places where the original Andean forest still exists.
Abra Malaga ( 3 days)
Day 1- Abra Malaga pass
We'll make an early start from Cusco or Ollantaytambo (if you come from Machu Picchu) and bird the Polylepis forest at Abra Malaga in the morning. The three best birds to be found here are Royal Cinclodes, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant and White-browed Tit-Spinetail. While these, especially the highly sought-after cinclodes, are sometime elusive, there are many other birds to see as well, including Tawny Tit-Spinetail, Puna Tapaculo, Blue-mantled Thornbill and Giant Conebill. In the afternoon we'll return and stay in a hotel in Ollantaytambo. On the way up (or when we return) we visit a place called ¨Peña Ruins". This is the stake-out for the endemic White-tufted Sumbeam. Also Creamy-crested Spinetail, Rusty-fronted Canastero, Black-backed Grosbeak and, with luck, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch are possible here.
Day 2- the other side of the pass
Today we drive over the pass, where we will see a complete different habitat: theupper cloud forest. We'll hope especially to encounter some good mixed flocks which could contain Parodi's Hemispingus, Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, White-browed Conebill, Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet, Tit-like Dacnis and many others. Undulated Antpittas are frequently heard calling but are very hard to see, as are Diademed Tapaculos. Hummingbirds to look for include Coppery-naped Puffleg, Scaled Metaltail, Rufous-capped Thornbill and Sword-billed Hummingbird. In the afternoon we'll return to Cusco.
A possibility for people that like culture too, is to stay that second night in Ollantaytambo in order to do a cultural third day in the Sacred Valley, visiting the archeological sites of Ollantaytambo and Piscac before returning to Cusco.
Abancay ( 3 days)
The Ampay cloud forest, above the town of Abancay, is isolated from the extensive eastern slope cloud forest and thus harbours a few very interesting species. Combined with the dry side of the same valley, this 3 day trip is an excellent extension to other Cusco area trips.
Day 1 - Cusco, Abacay
After a morning of birding the Cusco ruins of Saqsaywaman for Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch and some other more widespread highland species, we'll begin the drive to Abancay. En route we'll make a stop for Junin Canastero before our afternoon arrival. We'll install ourselves in a hotel for the night.
Day 2 - Ampay
We'll make an early start and spend the day birding the Ampay Cloud Forest. The main target will be Apurimac Spinetail, a species virtually confined to this forest. Other species to look for include White-winged Black-Tyrant, Creamy-crested Spinetail, Rusty-fronted Canastero and Rust-and-yellow Tanager. The forest is also home to a good variety of hummingbirds, including Purple-backed Thornbill, Mountain Velvetbreast, Sword-billed Hummingbird and even an undescribed species of Leucippus hummingbird. Two other undescribed species, a tapaculo and a thistletail, are also possible but difficult. If time allows and we hike up to the treeline, possibilities include White-tufted Sunbeam and, with luck, Taczanowski's Tinamou. We'll head back to the hotel in Abancay for the night.
Day 3
We'll spend the early morning hours to explore the drier parts of the valley near Abancay. The main target will be the endangered Pale-tailed Canastero, also a distinctive local subspecies. More widespread birds we'll search for include Black-backed Grosbeak, White-bellied Hummingbird and Mitred Parakeet. Afterwards we'll drive back to Cusco or to Ollantaytambo for the connection with trips to machu Picchu and Abra Malaga.
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| TANAGER TOURS | ||
| Lima - Peru | ||
| Phone: | +51 1 9858 36609 | |
| e-mail: | info@tanagertours.com | |
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