Mindo: World's Top Birding Destination in the Cloud Forest
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Mindo: World's Top Birding Destination in the Cloud Forest

Mindo — a small village 2 hours from Quito in the western Andean cloud forest — is one of the world's greatest birding destinations; over 500 bird species have been recorded in the Mindo-Nambillo protected area, making it the most bird-rich accessible spot in Ecuador

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    Bird Diversity Record

    Mindo and the surrounding Mindo-Nambilo Protected Forest have recorded over 500 bird species – an extraordinary concentration that reflects the western Andean cloud forest's role as a global biodiversity hotspot; many species found here occur nowhere else on earth

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    Cock-of-the-Rock Play

    The Andean rock - with its brilliant orange disc-shaped crest - performs competitive lekking displays at dawn in Mindo's cloud forest; the males congregate at traditional display sites, display and call competitively; seeing 20 men perform at the same time is unforgettable

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    Tanager Diversity

    The Mindo Cloud Forest has extraordinary tanager diversity — the multicolored tanager, the bay-headed tanager, the golden tanager and over 40 other tanager species create a cascade of color at the forest edge and by fruit trees; tanager dawn feeding is Mindo's most beautiful wildlife moment

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    Hummingbird Feeders

    Mindo lodges and cabañas have hummingbird feeders that attract up to 25 species; the violet-tailed sylph, the white-necked Jacobin and the green-crowned brilliant are among the Mindo specialties; the feeders are active from dawn to dusk

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    Cloud Forest Ecosystem

    Mindo cloud forest has extraordinary epiphytic density - the moss-covered trees dripping with orchids, bromeliads and ferns create a lush green world of surprising intimacy; the constant fog of the cloud forest, the filtered light and the calls of birds create an environment of rare beauty

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    Birdwatching Guides

    Mindo has some of Ecuador's best birding guides — naturalists who have spent decades learning the local forest; a guided morning walk with a Mindo expert is likely to produce 80-100 species; the ability of the guides to call birds by recorded playback or by imitation is a remarkable skill

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