Birdwatching in Peru's Mountains

Santa Eulalia Valley, Marcapomacocha and Lake Junín circuit
Although the Santa Eulalia Valley lies just 50km northeast from Lima, it is the gateway to the central Andes, where some of the best puna birding can be found. The most interesting bird in the Santa Eulalia area is the rare Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch, but there are also some nice specimens of Pacific slope species, like Pied-crested Tit-Tyrant, Collared Warbling-Finch and Peruvian Pygmy-Owl. Among the raptors, you can see Aplomado Falcon, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle and, occasionally, Andean Condor.

Marcopomacocha strikes for its extreme altitude (4,500 m.a.s.l., radical birding for sure), and for its dramatic difference from Lima city, which lies a scarce three hours away. In this high puna-grass and bog land, you find both the Diademed Sandpiper, a rare wader of the mineral-rich marshes, and the White-bellied Cinclodes, perhaps one of the rarest of the furnarids. Another highlight in the area (in particular in the Milloc valley, a side valley off the Santa Eulalia) is the White-cheeked Cotinga, which can be seen in the early morning hours.

Other species seen here include Andean Condor, Harris' Hawk, Puna Ibis, Rufous bellied Seedsnipe, Scarlet fronted Parakeet, Amazilia Hummingbird, Band-winged Nightjar, Stripe-headed Antpitta, Giant Coot, Silvery Grebe, Puna Tinamouincluding, Dark-winged Miners, Plain-breasted Earthcreepe, Mountain Caracara, Andean Lapwing, Great Inca Finch, White winged Cinclodes and Junin Canastero.

A 3-hour ride from Marcopomacocha -some 120 kilometres- takes to Lake Junín, Peru's second largest after Titicaca. This high altitude lake (4100 m.a.s.l.) is the only place to see two rare endemic birds: Junin Flightless Grebe and Junin Rail, with the latter being a particularly difficult sight. Besides these 2 endemics, other interesting specimens include Wren-like Rush-bird, Silvery Grebe, Chilean Flamingo, Cinereous Harrier, Puna Snipe, Puna Plover, as well as the Peruvian-endemics Dark-winged Miner and Black-breasted Hillstar.

Huascarán National Park
The Huascarán National Park is located in the department of Ancash, in the Cordillera Blanca massif, the world's highest tropical mountain chain. Covering an area of 340,000 hectares and declared Mankind Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985, the park is home to one of the most extraordinary high-mountain ecosystems on Earth: 663 glaciers, 269 lakes and 41 rivers, as well as hundreds of mountain peaks, 26 of which top 6,000 meters. The park teems with an extraordinary variety of flora and fauna, including 800 plant species and dozens of kinds of animals.

Considered by many the most beautiful place in Peru, birding at the foot of Huascaran (6,768 m), the highest mountain in Peru, is quite impressive. The high Andean polylepis forests surrounding the lakes of Llanganuco hold such rare gems as the White-cheeked Cotinga and the endemic Plain-tailed Warbling Finch. Other species to be seen around here include Baron´s Spinetail, Giant Conebill, Rufous-eared Brush-finch, Stripe-headed Antpitta, Tit-like Dacnis and Giant Conebill, while the high-flying Andean Condor is a fairly common sight.

Arequipa
Four hours north of Arequipa city (department of Arequipa) lies the impressive Colca Valley, famous for providing some great whitewater rafting. The road to the valley crosses the lower slopes of Mount Chachani and runs along plains studded with ichu and yareta (plants used for fuel) and which are home to alpacas and vizcacha rodents. The road crosses a high point of 4,350 meters before dropping down to the valley, an area of breath-taking landscapes surrounded by terracing and snow-capped peaks. Far below, at a depth of 3,400 meters, the Colca River winds along the bottom of the canyon, one of the world's deepest. In the Colca Canyon it's possible to see Andean Condors at eye-level. The Cruz del Condor viewpoint is a popular spot for birding: it overlooks a perching-site for condors; in the mornings, you see them riding the thermals and soaring aloft.

In the salt-lake of the Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve (4,300 m.a.s.l.), Flamingos (Chilean, Andean and Puna) are a regular sight, as well as Andean Avocet and Puna Plovers.

Machu Picchu & Abra Málaga
Located in the department of Cusco and covering an area of 32,592 hectares, the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary protects unique species of flora and fauna, as well as, needless to mention, featuring some breath-taking landscapes and preserving precious archaeological sites. Much of the beauty and enchantment of Machu Picchu, Peru's premier tourist attraction, resides on its spectacular natural surroundings: the cloud forest region of this historic sanctuary.

Machu Picchu is home to some striking species, such as the cock-of-the-rocks (Peru's national bird) and the spectacled bear, the only bear species in South America. The area is also inhabited by the rare dwarf deer called sachacabra and the Huemal deer, plus more than 300 bird species. The area boasts a large variety of flora species, with some 200 species of orchids registered here to date.

Although the area next to Machu Picchu is the habitat of some species of interest for birdwatchers, it is the forests along the Urubamba River, located below the archaeological site at the heart of this Sanctuary, that are ideal for a successful ornithological excursion. It is advisable to do these tours on foot starting from the railway line at the Aguas Calientes community (Machu Picchu) and following the river downstream for a few kilometers. This area is covered in dense tropical vegetation. What stands out in this foliage are the patches of high-altitude bamboo that are the habitat par excellence of an enormous number of mountain forest species such as the spectacular Peruvian Cock-of-the-Rocks, Peru's national bird. Contributing to the beauty of the area are the abundant orchids and arboreal ferns, considered to be the Sanctuary's most treasured plants. On the other hand there is an estimate of 400 species of birds, including Black-tailed Trainbearer, Black-throated Flower-piercer, Peruvian Dipper, Rufescent Tiger Heron, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Spectacled Redstart, White-crested Elaenia, Inca Wren, and White-winged Black bird.

A dirt track between Ollantaytambo and the jungle community of Quillabamba gives the visitor the chance to pass through an incredible range of altitudes and ecosystems, as well as offering breath-taking views of nearby snow-capped peaks, in particular Verónica (5.750 masl). As the winding road leaves the Inca community of Ollantaytambo, it heads toward a high mountain pass (the Abra Málaga), featuring abundant wetlands and lakes. An accelerated descent begins here and leads into a beautiful humid temperate forest that is perhaps the best preserved forest in the region. Here, some very rare birds can be easily seen, like the Royal Cinclodes and the White-browed Tit-spinetail (the latter being one of the ten most endangered birds on earth). The area, besides being abundant in many endemic bird species, is considered by birdwatchers as a definite destination in any journey through the Peruvian Andes. Other species here include Andean Condor, Black-throated Flower-piercer, Brown-bellied Swallow, Creamy-crested Spinetail, Gray-hooded Sierra-Finch, Orange-billed Saltator, Rusty-fronted Canastero, and Shining Sunbeam.

Source: PromPerú (Comission for the Promotion of Peru) et al.