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Recent bird sightings:
Sites - Purace National Park

Site evaluation: 3 Stars 3 Stars 3 Stars
Species:  
Elevation: 2000-3400 m
Climate: Cold and wet
Trails: Basic
Accommodation: 2 Stars 2 Stars
Food: 2 Stars 2 Stars
Hot water: No
Electricity: No
Communications:
Region: Central Andes
Location: Dept of Cauca/Huila
Summary: Located along the Huila/Cauca department divide, this Park is home to the watersheds of four of Colombia’s most important rivers; Magdalena, Cauca, Caquetá and Patía rivers. The park is composed of montane cloud forests and páramo across a chain of volcanic peaks. The area is still volcanically active with thermal springs and regular smoke emitted by the Puracé volcano. SECURITY ISSUES PERSIST IN THIS AREA -- ONLY VISIT THIS AREA WITH A KNOWLEDGEABLE LOCAL GUIDE!
Endemics: Brown-banded and Bicolored Antpittas, Dusky-headed Brush-Finch.
Key Species: Golden-plumed Parakeet, Black-thighed Puffleg, Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan, Ocellated Tapaculo, Crescent-faced and Chestnut-naped Antpittas, Pale-footed Swallow, Masked Saltator and Masked Mountain-Tanager
Access: Good access to most of the park is via a pair of roads that bisects the area. One travels from Popayán east to Neiva, while the other forks off from the previous road just west of the park border and goes southeast to San Agustín.
Site Description: Pilimbala- San Nicolás road
At the paved Popayán-Puracé (and La Plata)-Coconuco (and San Agustín) road junction, you should look for the local Rufous-chested Tanager, Green-tailed Trainbearer, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant and Sierran Elaenia in the scrub. From the town of Puracé to several km above Pilimbala be on the lookout for Andean Condors, especially near cliffs in the Tierra Adentro Canyon.

The Pilimbala (3,300 m) turnoff is well-marked at km 153, where good temperate forest birding, accommodation and food can be found. Camping is also possible here. A strenuous trail leads from the cabin to Volcán Puracé at 4,000 m and takes about 8 hours. Many páramo specialists can be encountered here, including Carnunculated Caracara and Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle.

Three km east of the Pilimbala turnoff on the Popayán-Neiva Road is a large rocky mount on the north side of the road and a muddy trail to Tierra Adentro Canyon (2,950 m). Fifty meters along the trail you pass through a gate and steeply descend through fields to a small plain and a shack. Pass the house and continue descending into the Río San Francisco canyon, where the elusive Crescent-faced Antpitta, Rufous Antpitta, Grey-breasted Mountain-Toucan and White-capped Tanager have been seen.

Continuing along the road east you pass páramo, temperate scrub, and forest patches, before reaching the signed Laguna San Rafael; at km 142. The lake holds Silvery Grebes, Speckled Teal, and Noble Snipe. Crescent-faced Antpitta has also been found on a west-facing slope about 2 km southwest of the lake at 3,200m.

As the road starts to descend to the east, the Río Bedón runs alongside the road, and has Torrent Ducks. At km 37 sign (132 km from Popayán) the road passes by Termales de San Juan (3,080 m); an excellent birding site, with a visitors center and restaurant, although no accommodation. A 1 km trail on the north side of the road leads from the Park headquarters at Km 135 to the Termales de San Juan, is a good birding area, with Black-chested and Masked Mountain-tanager recorded. Also bird east and west along the road, where Crescent-faced Antpitta was recently discovered (1997).

A further five km east of Termales de San Juan and just beyond the town of San Nicolás, is a trail north from a farmhouse (km 127) that descends 200 m into the Río Bedón canyon, an area called Versalles (c.2,500 m). Explore trails along the river and steep sides to the canyon for White-rumped Hawk, Speckle-faced Parrot, Barred Antthrush, Chestnut-naped Antpitta, White-capped Tanager and White-rimmed Brush-Finch. Extensive deforestation has taken place in the area, and good forest may not be easily accessible now.

Cueva de los Guacharos (not to be confused by the National Park by the small name in Huila); A further 8 km east of San Nicholas is a signed trail to the Oilbird caves, from beside the restaurant El Turista at km 122. The main trail leads south to the famous Oilbird cave (from December to July), with several other trails branching off through good forest and leading to the Park cabins. Take a torch for the caves. White-rimmed Brush-Finch occurs around the caves, and Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan and Slate-crowned Antpitta have also been recorded.


Coconuco-San Agustín road
Paleterá;(2,900 m) at km 82 from San Agustín or 48 km from Popayán is near the western entrance to Park and has spectacular elfin cloud forest. From here to the Park entrance is good for Black-backed Bush-Tanager and Masked Mountain-Tanager. For a further 42 km the road winds higher east, passing the large Laguna de Buey before descending through good roadside birding areas to Chupayal del Perico.

Chupayal del Perico; (2,600-2,840 m) at km 41 from San Agustín, is at the eastern entrance to the Park, and has excellent birding around the MMA cabin. Golden-plumed Parakeets, Swallow-tailed Nightjar (garden of cabin), Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, White-rimmed Brush-Finch and Dusky-headed Brush-Finch.

San Agustín Archeological Park (0153/7616), at 1,690 m is 3 km out of San Agustín, and contains some secondary forest. Dusky-headed Brush-Finch and Black-faced Tanager are common, whilst Lazuline Sabrewing, Rufous-vented Whitetip, White-backed Fire-eye, Black-chested Fruiteater, Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulet, Bronze-green Euphonia and Orange-eared Tanager have been recorded rarely.
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