ANY QUESTION:
BIRDWATCHING IN VENEZUELA
by Roger Manrique
With more than 1,300 registered bird species (very likely to increase, potencially to over 1,400+) inhabiting Venezuela, this country offers exceptional opportunities to the birdwatcher, amateur and professional, abroad who wishes to experience the tropics. The varied and attractive avifauna of Venezuela is blessed by a modern infrastructure, superb field guide and friendly hospitality and atmosphere. So far Venezuela is surely the most visited country of South America by birdwatchers, naturalists and ecoturists. This country offers the impressive 43 National Parks, 311 islands and islets, many uninhabitated, 1,750 mi or 2,817 km of Caribbean coastline, Federal Forest Reserves, Fauna Sanctuaries, 21 Natural Monuments including the protection of the entire Amazon Territory and most of the Guyana shield (with all the Tepuis included). It is the nearest destination to Europe, U..K, and U.S, offering Andes mountains, Llanos and Amazon rainforest.
To any birdlover some amazing totals are a realistic possibility in any trip to Venezuela. Well experienced birdwatchers may record up to 170+ species in just one day in the famous Llanos (considered a world record), only compared with the plains in Kenya and the Pantanal in Brazil. Some other expectations could be a dream to come true to the classical birder; 500+ species in just three weeks and over 600+ species in 22 days including the Guyana’s Massif (Pantepui region), Andes, Llanos, Maracaibo Lake, Amazon and the Coastal Range (from 3 to 5 days in every bioregion). 20 of the 25 Neotropical endemic families are represented. 82 total families are registered. Approximately 1,360 species have been recorded with an impressive total of 51 endemic species, the fourth highest bird diversity in the World. There are approx. over 30 threatened species of which 12 are unique of the country, and also some regional records; 582 species in Henri Pittier National Park (in the Coastal Range) is one of the highest records for any Park in the World.
One of the top birding trips in South America is the combination between Andes Mountains and Llanos, an opportunity that a birdwatcher should not miss in a life time, with a chance of 400 or more species in just two weeks, featuring many Tanagers, Hummingbirds, Torrent Ducks, Quetzals and Trogons, Northern Screamers, Scarlet Ibises, Hoatzins, spectacular Cotingas (Fruiteaters, Fruitcrows, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock), Andean Condor, Toucans, Parrots, birds that symbolizes the Continent. Also at the eastern side of Venezuela is the legendary and almost mythical road south from El Dorado to the Brazilian border (the largest portion of untouched lowland rainforest left in South America), a place where you can find from Jaguars, Pemón indians, gold and diamond miners to Harpy Eagles.
In this region perhaps you won’t find the lost city of El Dorado, but definitely you will see a true golden site, something that the early Spaniards never noticed: the birds. This road is world known as "Paradise Road" by birders and supports many Parrot species (including the large Macaws), Toucans, large Raptors, Antbirds (including White-plumed), Manakins, Tanagers (including Blue-backed, Swallow & Paradise), stunning Hummingbirds (Crimson Topaz, Peacock Coquete), superb Cotingas (15 species including White and Bearded Bellbirds), Jacamars and Tepui endemics.
In a short period of time whithout travelling such long distances (Argentina and Brazil for example) and not missing the Amazon rainforest you will feel in this tropical country the sense of "all in one" or like Cristopher Columbus wrote 500 years ago in his third voyage "the Promised Land". If you are ready to be overwhelmed, Venezuela will surely be your next birding destination.