Birds

Tit-like Dacnis (Xenodacnis) in Ecuador

May 7, 2011 by Renato 7 Comments

I got very exited two weeks ago when I finally met face-to-beak with a rare bird that I have been wanting to see,  the Tit-like Dacnis.   This bird is very difficult to find except for one place in Ecuador where you are almost guaranteed to see it:   The Cajas National Park.   Here are two amazing videos of Cajas National park:

DOCUMENTAL CAJAS PARTE I
DOCUMENTAL CAJAS PARTE II

This amazing national park is listed as an important bird area by Birdlife International and is also part of the International Important Wetlands by RAMSAR .  It is made up of 28,544 hectares of high land marsh and paramo that lies between Cuenca and Guayaquil. The amazing story about this bird is that its only numerous colony was discovered in the park next to a small lake called Illincocha at 3,800 meters above sea level!   Not too long ago the highway department decided to run a brand new highway between Cuenca and Guayaquil and this road is only 50 meters away from the colony.   The most amazing thing is that neither the highway construction nor the constant traffic of cars and trucks could persuade these birds to search for a quieter place and now they are happily doing their gig next to the highway.

Although I could not find any published studies that testify to their well being, I saw one bird with a band on is leg as a testimony that someone is looking after them.

Tit-like Dacnis – Female

Tit-like Dacnis – Male

Written by Renato
Renato was born in Quito, Ecuador and quickly flew to the USA to learn all about engineering and climbing company ladders. After getting his engineering degree from the University of Minnesota he worked in the Standard-American-Rat-Race-Company for fifteen years. After climbing the ladder to where he could no longer see the ground, he decided to jump off the ladder and migrate south like all normal birds do. To his surprise home did not look like it did when he left as a young fledgling; the towns were bigger, most of his friends had nests of their own, and the countryside was changed. Shocked by all the change he searched for a new life and a new wife. He stumbled across a vivacious young chick who would accompany him inside a volcanic crater to set up a love nest. So, after eight years of nesting inside the crater a new love for nature and birds has sprung a career in environmental conservation and birding tours. Finally this bird has come home to roost!