Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge


Hotel category: Stars Stars Stars Stars

Rating: BirdsBirdsBirdsBirdsBirds

Country: Ecuador

Region: Tandayapa Alta, Quito

We speak: English, Español


Location:

Ecuador is South America´s prime birding destination. Bellavista is just 2 hours from Quito city, and 2 hours from its international airport. Access is along the new road towards Los Bancos, turning off at km52, and driving 12 km up the Tandayapa Valley, or leave Quito along the famous Nono-Mindo road. Coming from the coast, turn off at km 77 at San Tadeo, 14 km on a dirt road to the Lodge. We are at 2200 meters (7200 feet) elevation, on the forested slopes of the Western Andes, deep in the cloud forest, apparently remote, yet so accessible! Our Lodge has its own private reserve of 700 hectares (2000 acres), so good trails and quiet roads await the visitor. The Tandayapa Valley has arguably the highest count of hummingbirds anywhere in the Americas, with over 40 species having been seen here, then range-restricted Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan and Toucan Barbet, lots of tanagers, etc!! Contact us for info about Bellavista´s birding / natural history packages.

Services:

Open year round. Birding and naturalist guides available. Optics for rental, ponchos and rubber boots available free. Daily transfer service offered from Quito, and transfers from the airport or other destinations are easily arranged. Trogon´s Lounge offers a nice seating area, with good birding / naturalist reference library. Bird books, binocular straps, T shirts etc. for sale. Full service restaurant and cafeteria, includes vegan / vegetarian options. Hummingbird feeders bring these avian jewels really close, and many other species have become incredibly confiding over 20 years of contact with well-intentioned visitors. Almost 10 km of clearly-marked trails take you into primary and secondary forests, and to hidden waterfalls.

Guestrooms:

17 comfortable rooms with private bath. Rooms are largely twin or double/matrimonial, with some rooms for families. Pleasant standard rooms include the unusual Bamboo House, Mirador Suite, and the half-timbered Trailhead House. New larger “Mountain View” superior rooms with extra long beds (2 meters long). Extensive views over and into the forest, towards Pichincha Volcano. 4 star Lodge rating. One room is wheelchair- accessible. Our Geodesic Dome offers quirky pie-slice shaped private rooms and an economical dormitory with shared bath (12 beds), with 360 degree views and a large balcony. If you want to be alone in your forest cabin, you can stay in San Luis House, located 30 minutes hike from the main area of the lodge but we of course offer shuttles at no cost and as needed. And for the budget-minded, there is a Research Station / Hostel or camping options.


* Please note that the English bird names on this site follow the American terminology. If you can't find a species name, try searching by Family or latin name.
Status key: B = breeding species; RB - rare breeding; W = winter only; V - vagrant; RV = rare vagrant; TM - trans-migrant; In - introduced

Name
Status
Name (lat)
Family
Roadside Hawk
B
Buteo magnirostris Accipitridae
Broad-winged Hawk
B
Buteo platypterus Accipitridae
Black-and-Chestnut Eagle
B
Spizaetus isidori Acciptridae
Barred Hawk
B
Leucopternis princeps Acciptridae
White-rumped Hawk
B
Buteo leucorrhous Acciptridae
White-collared Swift
RB
Streptoprocne zonalis Apodidae
Toucan Barbet
B
Semnornis ramphasttinus Capitonidae
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
B
Pheucticus ludovicianus Cardinalidae
Golden-bellied Grosbeak
B
Pheucticus chrysogaster Cardinalidae
Band-tailed Pigeon
B
Patagioenas fasciata Columbidae
White-throated Quail-Dove
B
Geotrygon frenata Columbidae
Plumbeous Pigeon
B
Patagioenas plumbea Columbidae
White-tipped Dove
B
Leptotila verreauxi Columbidae
Turquoise Jay
B
Cyanolyca turcosa Corvidae
Beautiful Jay
B
Cyanolyca pulchra Corvidae
Red-Crested Cotinga
B
Ampelion rubrocristatus Cotingidae
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
B
Rupicola peruvianus Cotingidae
Green and Black Fruiteater
B
Pipreola riefferii Cotingidae
Sickle-winged Guan
B
Chamaepetes goudotii Cracidae
Squirrel Cuckoo
B
Piaya cayana Cuculidae
Strong-billed Woodcreeper
B
Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus Dendrocolaptidae
White-winged Brush-Finch
B
Atlapetes leucopterus Emberizidae
Tanager-Finch
B
Oreothraupis arremonops Emberizidae
Orange-bellied Euphonia
B
Euphonia xanthogaster Fringillidae
Montane Woodcreeper
B
Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger Furnariidae
Tyrannine Woodcreeper
B
Dendrocincla tyrannina Furnariidae
Azara's Spinetail
B
Synallaxis azarae Furnariidae
Rufous Spinetail
B
Synallaxis unirufa Furnariidae
Striped Treehunter
B
Thripadectes holostictus Furnariidae
Streaked Tiftedcheek
B
Pseudocolaptes boissonneautii Furnariidae
White-faced Nunbird
B
Hapaloptila castanea Galbulidae
Giant Antpitta
B
Grallaria gigantea Grallariidae
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta
B
Grallaria ruficapilla Grallariidae
Undulated Antpitta
B
Grallaria squamigera Grallariidae
Blue-and-white Swallow
B
Pygochelidon cyanoleuca Hirundinidae
Giant Cowbird
B
Molothrus oryzivorus Icteridae
Band-winged Nightjar
B
Caprimulgus longirostris Nyctibiidae
Common Potoo
B
Nyctibius griseus Nyctibiidae
Swalow-tailed Nightjar
B
Uropsalis segmentata Nyctibiidae
Dark-backed Wood-Quail
B
Odontophorus melanonotus Odontophoridae
Spectacled Whitestart
B
Myioborus melanocephalus Parulidae
Three-striped Warbler
B
Basileuterus tristriatus Parulidae
Slaty-throated Whitestart
B
Myioborus miniatus Parulidae
Blackburnian Warbler
W
Dendroica fusca Parulidae
Russet-crowned Warbler
B
Basileuterus coronatus Parulidae
Black-crested Warbler
B
Basileuterus chrysogaster Parulidae
Rufous-collared Sparrow
B
Zonotrichia capensis Passerellidae
Chestnut-capped Brush Finch
B
Arremon brunneinucha Passerellidae
Powerful Woodpecker
B
Colaptes pollens Picidae
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker
B
Colaptes rivolii Picidae
Red-billed Parrot
B
Pionus sordidus Psittacidae
Speckle-faced Parrot
B
Pionus seniloides Psittacidae
Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan
B
Andigena laminorostris Ramphastidae
Crimson-rumped Toucanet
B
Aulacorhynchus haematopygus Ramphastidae
Spillmans Tapaculo
B
Scytalopus spillmannsi Rhinocryptidae
Ocellated Tapaculo
B
Acropternis orthonyx Rhynocryptidae
Mottled Owl
B
Ciccaba virgata Strigidae
Black-and-white Owl
B
Ciccaba nigrolineata Strigidae
Rufescent Screech-Owl
B
Megascops ingens Strigidae
Cloud-Forest Pygmy-Owl
B
Glaucidium nubicola Strigidae
Long-tailed Antbird
B
Drymophila striaticeps Thamnophilidae
Golden Tanager
B
Tangara arthus Thraupidae
Metallic-green Tanager
B
Tangara labradorides Thraupidae
Flame-faced Tanager
B
Tangara parzudakii Thraupidae
Capped Conebill
B
Conirostrum albifrons Thraupidae
Blue and Black Tanager
B
Tangara vassorii Thraupidae
Plushcap
B
Catamblyrhynchus diadema Thraupidae
Beryl-spangled Tanager
B
Tangara nigroviridis Thraupidae
Hooded Mountain-Tanager
B
Buthraupis montana Thraupidae
Grass-green Tanager
B
Chlorornis riefferii Thraupidae
White-sided Flowerpiercer
B
Diglossa albilatera Thraupidae
Blue-capped Tanager
B
Thraupis cyanocephala Thraupidae
Dusky Bush-Tanager
B
Chlorospingus semifuscus Thraupidae
Masked Flowerpiercer
B
Diglossa cyanea Thraupidae
Golden-naped Tanager
B
Tangara ruficervix Thraupidae
Rufous-chested Tanager
B
Thlypopsis ornata Thraupidae
Western Hemispingus
B
Hemispingus melanotis melanotis Thraupidae
Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager
B
Anisognathus somptuosus Thraupidae
Buff-tailed Coronet
B
Boissonneaua flavescens Trochilidae
Tawny-bellied Hermit
B
Phaethornis syrmatophorus Trochilidae
Gorgeted Sunangel
B
Heliangelus strophianus Trochilidae
Sparkling Violetear
NB
Colibri coruscans Trochilidae
Purple-bibbed Whitetip
B
Urosticte benjamini Trochilidae
Andean Emerald
B
Amazilia franciae Trochilidae
Booted Rackettail
B
Ocreatus underwoodii Trochilidae
Speckled Hummingbird
B
Adelomyia melanogenys Trochilidae
Violet-tailed Sylph
B
Aglaiocercus coelestis Trochilidae
Fawn-breasted Brilliant
B
Heliodoxa rubinoides Trochilidae
Green Violetear
B
Colibri thalassinus Trochilidae
Purple-throated Woodstar
B
Calliphlox mitchelli Trochilidae
Collared Inca
B
Coeligena torquata Trochilidae
Wedge-billed Hummingbird
B
Schistes geoffroyi Trochilidae
Sharpes Wren
B
Cinnycerthia olivascens Troglodytidae
Gray-breasted Wood Wren
B
Henicorhina leucophrys Troglodytidae
Plain-tailed Wren
B
Thryothorus euophrys Troglodytidae
Crested Quetzal
B
Pharomachrus antisianus Trogonidae
Masked Trogon
B
Trogon personatus Trogonidae
Golden-headed Quetzal
B
Pharomachrus auriceps Trogonidae
Great Thrush
B
Turdus fuscate Turdidae
Glossy-black Thrush
B
Turdus serranus Turdidae
Slaty-backed Nightingale Thrush
B
Catharus fuscater Turdidae
Andean Solitaire
B
Myadestes ralloides Turdidae
Black Solitaire
B
Entomodestes coracinus Turdidae
Cinnamon Flycatcher
B
Pyrrhomyias cinnamomeus Tyrannidae
Smoke-coloured Pewee
B
Contopus fumigatus Tyrannidae
Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant
B
Ochthoeca diadema Tyrannidae
Golden-crowned Flycatcher
B
Myiodynastes chrysocephalus Tyrannidae
Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant
B
Pseudotriccus ruficeps Tyrannidae
Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant
B
Ochthoeca cinnamomeiventris Tyrannidae
Flavescent Flycatcher
B
Myiophobus flavicans Tyrannidae
Streak-necked Flycatcher
B
Mionectes striaticollis Tyrannidae
White-tailed Tyrannulet
B
Mecocerculus poecilocercus Tyrannidae
Brown-capped Vireo
B
Vireo leucophrys Vireonidae

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