A close encounter with the Antpittas of Ecuador.
Mercedes Rivadeneira, a bir tour organiser from Ecuador, has a close encounter with an endangered Giant Antpitta.
On a day like any day, when I thought I had seen it all in Ecuador, Xavier planned a birding outing to introduce me to the Pied Piper of the Antpittas.
We drove for about 1 ½ hours to the western slope of the Pichincha volcano, which dominates the city of Quito. We entered a semi-deforested partly-pastureland, the property of Angel Paz, a farmer who grows tomatoes, black berries and passion fruit for a living. He loves walking every day on the trails he has opened up on his 70 hectares of forest. He finds worms to feed the birds and he puts up grapes, bananas and apples on strings from one tree to the next in order to attract the Cock of the Rock, Toucan Barbet, Golden Tanagers, Pale-mandible Aracari, and a dozen other birds. He does this as a hobby with no other intention than to enjoy watching his friends come every day to greet him. And they do. We stood next to him listening as he called the Giant Antpitta by a very Spanish name while he busily washed the worms in a stream. He explained that "Manuel (A Giant Antpitta) and María (A Yellow bellied Antpitta) don’t like mud on their worms."
About ten minutes later, from up the creek and out of the foliage of the forest, came Manuel bobbing his head from right to left. Manuel hopped from branch to branch until he was no more than 3 feet away from Xavier, Angel and me. I took some of the pieces of well-washed worms and started to toss them at the bird, just as we had seen Angel do up the trail with a Moustached Antpitta.
The Giant Antpitta had no second thoughts and, in total trust, hopped up to the meal and ate it right up. This procedure went on for another 15 minutes until the Giant decided to pick up three big pieces in his beak and take off into the foliage. Back at home I was writing about the experience to some of my birding friends and we immediately booked our groups of birding clients to make a stop at this property.
Most people have returned with another bird on their most-wanted list crossed out, but the whole experience is not one of just "seeing" the bird you wanted, it is one that speaks of passion for nature, a passion for living creatures big and small, and one of respect.
A man with barely any literacy had taught us a lesson on the simple pleasure of friendship, loyalty and joy. Angel has no use for fancy cars, or a big home or designer clothes. Status symbols mean nothing to him. He gives his heart to these birds and the birds give him theirs back. They trust him, just like paradise should be. Complete trust between animals and man based on loyalty.
If you would like to visit this man and María and Jose, please email info@neblinaforest.com or contact any one at Neblina Forest.
On a day like any day, when I thought I had seen it all in Ecuador, Xavier planned a birding outing to introduce me to the Pied Piper of the Antpittas.
We drove for about 1 ½ hours to the western slope of the Pichincha volcano, which dominates the city of Quito. We entered a semi-deforested partly-pastureland, the property of Angel Paz, a farmer who grows tomatoes, black berries and passion fruit for a living. He loves walking every day on the trails he has opened up on his 70 hectares of forest. He finds worms to feed the birds and he puts up grapes, bananas and apples on strings from one tree to the next in order to attract the Cock of the Rock, Toucan Barbet, Golden Tanagers, Pale-mandible Aracari, and a dozen other birds. He does this as a hobby with no other intention than to enjoy watching his friends come every day to greet him. And they do. We stood next to him listening as he called the Giant Antpitta by a very Spanish name while he busily washed the worms in a stream. He explained that "Manuel (A Giant Antpitta) and María (A Yellow bellied Antpitta) don’t like mud on their worms."
About ten minutes later, from up the creek and out of the foliage of the forest, came Manuel bobbing his head from right to left. Manuel hopped from branch to branch until he was no more than 3 feet away from Xavier, Angel and me. I took some of the pieces of well-washed worms and started to toss them at the bird, just as we had seen Angel do up the trail with a Moustached Antpitta.
The Giant Antpitta had no second thoughts and, in total trust, hopped up to the meal and ate it right up. This procedure went on for another 15 minutes until the Giant decided to pick up three big pieces in his beak and take off into the foliage. Back at home I was writing about the experience to some of my birding friends and we immediately booked our groups of birding clients to make a stop at this property.
Most people have returned with another bird on their most-wanted list crossed out, but the whole experience is not one of just "seeing" the bird you wanted, it is one that speaks of passion for nature, a passion for living creatures big and small, and one of respect.A man with barely any literacy had taught us a lesson on the simple pleasure of friendship, loyalty and joy. Angel has no use for fancy cars, or a big home or designer clothes. Status symbols mean nothing to him. He gives his heart to these birds and the birds give him theirs back. They trust him, just like paradise should be. Complete trust between animals and man based on loyalty.
If you would like to visit this man and María and Jose, please email info@neblinaforest.com or contact any one at Neblina Forest.
