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Podocarpus National Park - Bombuscaro
Podocarpus is the only conifer species native to Ecuador and is mostly found at this park. It has 146,280 hectares of protected forest where over 40% of its plants species are endemic to this area. The Bombuscaro entrance is 3 km beyond Cabañas Copalinga and is easily accessible from the town of Zamora. It is said that this park has more than 600 bird species or 38% of all the species found in Ecuador.
Its altitude ranges from 950 to 3700 MASL (3116 - 12,100 ft) and has two main entrances, the Bombuscaro (1000 MASL low altitude), and the Cajanuma (2700 MASL high altitude). In the Bombuscaro area the park begins at a parking lot. From the parking lot you walk about one kilometer of good birding ground to the park buildings where you pay the $10 entrance fee. There are some maps, pictures, and in the back is a very interesting orchid garden. From here there are a number of trails you can take depending on your interest. We took the Higuerones trail which is the flattest and gives you a good look at the canopy on your left and the low brush on your right.
From the parking lot, and with the help of Catherine from Cabañas Copalinga who gave us a ride to the park, we got some nice views of the Fasciated Tiger Heron and a Striated Heron. On our way to the administration buildings we encountered a pair of huge Spider Monkeys, Chestnut-tipped Toucanet, the Inca Jay, and the Yellow-throated Bush-tanager. As we walked the Higuerones we found the Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Oranged-billed-sparrow, Slaty-capped Flycatcher, and the Foothill Elaenia.
On our way back we had a lunch break at the park facilities and had a blast taking pictures and videos of some amazing butterflies that had gathered next to one of the buildings.
Here is a link to the IBA (Birdlife IBA Factsheet EC085 - Parque Nacional Podocarpus)
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Fasciated Tiger Heron
Tigrisoma fasciatum
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Fasciated Tiger Heron
Tigrisoma fasciatum
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Chestnut-tipped Toucanet
Aulacorhynchus derbianus
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Yellow-throated Bush-tanager
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Lemon-browed Flycatcher
Conopias cinchoneti
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Oranged-billed sparrow
Arremon aurantiirostris
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Foothill Elaenia
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Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
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Spider Monkey
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