04 September 2009

Tandayapa’s Tame Trogons…(Tandayapa Lodge, NW Ecuador): August 2 & 3, 2009



Checking into Tandayapa Lodge for our Introtour, we whiled away the time sifting through the “swarm” of hummingbirds at the feeders, and were soon distracted by a flash of crimson in the trees beside the lodge. This drew us to this female Masked Trogon, a regular visitor to the lodge garden these days. The next day we returned for some more “rapid-fire” hummer action there and once again bumped into this confiding trogon. Initially us “introtourers” trod carefully trying gingerly to work our way closer to this female trogon (males have a green back), until we all realized that the trogon really did not care too much about us, and sat rooted to the branch until we all surrounded her. A few days later than this, there she was again, in exactly the same spot showing no fear once again.


The Masked Trogon is one of an incredible 12 species found in Ecuador, many of which are confined to the lowlands, although the Masked is the highest ranging of all the Ecuadorian species, even being found in temperate forests above 3000m (10,000ft) on occasion.

No comments: