Biogeographic birdregions of Perú
The Coast
Equatorial Pacific Coast: This coastal region of
dry forests and scrub, as well as the last tropical pacific forests
and the only Peruvian Mangoves, stretches from the border with Ecuador
south to the department of La Libertad. Together with the southeast
of Ecuador this is one of the most important endemic bird-centers
in the world, called the Tumbesian region, holding 54 range-restricted
bird species. Many of these regional endemics are also Peruvian
endemics such as White-winged Guan, Tumbes Tyrant, Rufous Flycatcher,
Peruvian Plantcutter, but most are shared with southern Ecuador,
for example: Ecuadorean Piculet, Short-tailed Woodstar, Henna-hooded
Foliage-gleaner, Watkin's Antpitta, Pacific Elaenia, Ochraceous
Attila, White-tailed Jay, Peruvian Swallow, Tumbes Sparrow, Sulphur-throated
Finch.
Peruvian Desert: This extremely dry region along
the Pacific coast, making it the driest desertin the world together
with the Atacama Desert with which it merges. This narrow strip
of desert runs from Ancash south to the border with Chile. Besides
some Miners and some sea birds that nest in the desert (Peruvian
Tern and Markham’s Storm-Petrel), few birds can live here.
However, the desert is crossed by 53 fertile, vegetated valleys
with some birds restricted to this region: Peruvian Sheartail, Chilean
Woodstar, Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant, Chilean Swallow, Slender-billed
Finch.
The Andes
Tropical Pacific Andes: Northern semi-humid to
dry mountains at the western slopes of the Andes including to the
south, the department of Ancash. Although the overall species diversity
is modest, it has a rather complex topography, high isolation and
most of the regional endemics are also endemic to Peru. These are
for example: Russet-bellied Spinetail, Unicolored Tapaculo, Piura
Chat-Tyrant, Great Inca-Finch, Bay-crowned Brush-Finch., Black-cowled
Saltator (not a Peru endemic).
Subtropical Pacific Andes: As a southern complement
of the Tropical Pacific Andes, this region goes from Lima to the
border with Chile. Being farther away from the tropics this region
is much drier and more seasonal then the previous. Some of the regional
endemics include: Cactus Canastero, Tamarugo Conebill, Raimondi's
Yellow-Finch, Rusty-bellied Brush-Finch.
Marañón: The upper Marañón
including part of the mid dry Huallaga Valley are embedded in the
Yungas forming not only an island of deciduous forest, but also
the barrier between the Equatorial and Central Yungas. As an island
it is also an important endemic bird area particularly at the subspecies
level. Some of the species endemic to the region are: Peruvian Pigeon,
Yellow-faced Parrotlet, Purple-backed Sunbeam, Marvelous Spatuletail,
Great Spinetail, Chestnut-backed Thornbird, Northern Slaty-Antshrike,
Marañon Crescentchest, Marañon Thrush, Buff-bridled
Inca-Finch, Little Inca-Finch.
Central Sierra: Embedded between the eastern and
western slopes of the Andes, this vast territory above 2500 m is
dominated by puna grasslands. It starts in northen Peru and goes
south including the departments of Junin and Ayacucho. Birds of
this region are all Peru endemics: Junin Grebe, Black-breasted Hillstar,
Dark-winged Miner, White-bellied Cinclodes, Ancash Tapaculo, White-cheeked
Cotinga, Plain-tailed Warbling-Finch, Black-spectacled Brush-Finch.
Southern Sierra: This region is characterized by
the altiplano, a very large area mostly above 4000m dominated by
puna-grasslands: however it also has plenty of other habitats like
montane scrub, wetlands, and Polylepis woodland. This region connects
with the Bolivian sierra and has plenty of regional endemics, among
others: Rusty-fronted, Canastero Puna Canastero, Scribble-tailed
Canastero, Gray-bellied Shrike-Tyrant, Hellmayr's Pipit, Black-hooded
Sierra-Finch, White-throated Sierra-Finch, Chestnut-breasted Warbling-Finch,
Puna Yellow-Finch, Yellow-winged Blackbird.
The Yungas
Equatorial Yungas: The Yungas are extremely humid
areas on the eastern slope of the Andes. The Equaotiral Yungas
are the southern end of the Ecuadorean Yungas ending at the Marañon.
Depite this area not being very large this region has many birds
that can only be seen here in Peru. Among others, this ones represent
the reginal endemics: Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Spectacled
Prickletail, Flammulated Treehunter, Peruvian Antpitta, Slate-crowned
Antpitta, Chusquea Tapaculo, Paramo Tapaculo, Rufous-browed Tyrannulet,
Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Orange-banded Flycatcher, Dusky Piha,
Rufous Wren, Chestnut-bellied Thrush, Black-headed Hemispingus,
Masked Mountain-Tanager, Pale-naped Brush-Finch.
Central Yungas: These Yungas are the continuation
of the previous and start south of the Maraoñon. They continue
all the way to include the departments of Junin and Ayacucho.
This represents the central part of the Peruvian, so most of the
regional endemics are also Peruvian endemics. For example: Cloud-forest
Screech-Owl, Long-whiskered Owlet, Yellow-browed Toucanet, Scarlet-banded
Barbet, Yellow-browed Toucanet, Speckle-chested Piculet, Russet-mantled
Softail, Creamy-bellied Antwren, Ash-throated Antwren, Pale-billed
Antpitta, Rusty-tinged Antpitta, Bay Antpitta, Chestnut Antpitta,
Ochre-fronted Antpitta, Large-footed Tapaculo, Neblina Tapaculo,
Tschudi's Tapaculo, Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, Johnson's Tody-Tyrant,
Bay-vented Cotinga, Peruvian Wren, Rufous-browed Hemispingus,
Brown-flanked Tanager, Pardusco, Golden-backed Mountain-Tanager.
Subtropical Yungas: This might be the most humid
of the Yungas and therefore of all ecosystems, with the town of
Quincemil having the record for the second wettest year in the
world. The subtropical Yungas, also along the eastern face of
the Andes, are in the departments of Cuzco, Apurímac, Puno
and Arequipa and harbor many of the species from Bolivian Yungas
and some Peru endemics. Some of the reginal endemics ara: Black
Tinamou, Hooded Mountain-Toucan, Marcapata Spinetail, Streak-fronted
Thornbird, Upland Antshrike, Yellow-rumped Antwren, White-throated
Antpitta, Bolivian Tapaculo, Diademed Tapaculo, Sclater's Tyrannulet,
Buff-banded Tyrannulet, Hazel-fronted Pygmy-Tyrant, Ochre-faced
Tody-Flycatcher, Unadorned Flycatcher, Scimitar-winged Piha, Yungas
Manakin, Orange-browed Hemispingus, Parodi's Hemispingus, Two-banded
Warbler.
Amazonia
Tropical Amazonia North of the Amazon: The Amazonian
lowlands of Peru are part of the vast Amazon basin, a region whose
uniform green appearance conceals a complex and diverse pattern
of lowland forest types. The Amazon river represents a break in
the distribution of many species. The area north of the Amazon
is also particularly rich in white-sand forests and flooded forests
and has a Guyanan influence. Some of the birds only to be found
north of the Amazon are: Brown Jacamar, White-chinned Jacamar,
Brown-backed Antwren, Cherrie's Antwren, Ancient Antwren, Ash-winged
Antwren, Black-chinned Antbird, Black-headed Antbird, Allpahuayo
Antbird, Zimmer's Antbird, White-masked Antbird, Spotted Antpitta,
White-lored Antpitta, Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher, Orange-eyed
Flycatcher, Cinnamon-crested Spadebill, Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin,
Collared Gnatwren, Ecuadorian Cacique.
Our tour to North eastern Peru on the Alpahuayo Mishana reserve
are in this region…
Tropical Amazonia South of the Amazon: This region encompasses
the eastern lowlands south of the Amazon river, including most
of the department of Ucayali and most of the lowlands of the department
of Junin. This area has few regional endemics because it shares
many of it’s species either with the region north of the
Amazon or with Subtropical Amazonia. Some of the regional endemics
are: Blue-cheeked Jacamar, Rusty-backed Spinetail, Saturnine Antshrike,
Amazonian Black-Tyrant, Three-striped Flycatcher, Purple-breasted
Cotinga, Gray-chested Greenlet, Black-bellied Tanager, Dotted
Tanager, Sira Tanager.
ON our Northeastern tour we will make sure to include areas south
of the Aamazon
Subtropical Amazonia: The eastern lowlands in
the departments of Madre de Dios, lowlands of the department of
Cuzco and southern part of the departments of Ucayali and lowlands
of Junin are part of Subtropical Amazonia, a region of lowlands
characterized, as opposed to the previous ones, by a rather marked
dry season. Noted for it’s high percentage of protected
areas and extremely high diversity of species, it also includes
the Pampas, a unique habitat in Peru and large tract of bamboo
forests. Some of the regional endemics are: Fulvous-chinned Nunlet,
Scarlet-hooded Barbet, Toco Toucan, Fine-barred Piculet, White
Woodpecker, Peruvian Recurvebill, Bamboo Antshrike, Ihering's
Antwren, Striated Antbird, Manu Antbird, Goeldi's Antbird, Rufous-fronted
Antthrush, Slaty Gnateater, Plain-crested Elaenia, Long-crested
Pygmy-Tyrant, White-cheeked Tody-Tyrant, Black-backed Tody-Flycatcher,
Hudson's Black-Tyrant, Spectacled Tyrant, Yellow-browed Tyrant,
Gray Monjita, Black-faced Cotinga, Flame-crowned Manakin, Purplish
Jay, Sayaca Tanager, Grassland Sparrow, Plumbeous Seedeater, Pectoral
Sparrow, Black-masked Finch, Selva Cacique, Chopi Blackbird.
The Ocean
Cold Southern Ocean: The Pacific Ocean off the
Peruvian coast south of the department of Lambayeque is the richest
tropical ocean in the world thanks to the cold Humboldt Currents
that produce the nutrient-rich upwelling on which all marine life
is based. The edge of the Continental Shelf is relatively close,
which makes pelagic birding possible not that far from the coast.
Typical coastal species are Peruvian Tern, Inca tern, Red-legged
Cormorant, Markham’s Storm-Petrel, Surf Cinclodes, Peruvian
Diving-Petrel, Ringed Storm-Petrel.
If time allows we will visit the Pucusana fisher port. Here, on
a little boat drive we
Warm Northern Ocean: The ocean of the departments
of Piura and Tumbes are known by its warmer waters. The currents
coming from the north, passing by the Galapagos islands also bring
some birds that are characteristic of these warmer currents: Waved
Albatross, Galapagos Petrel, Dark-rumped Petrel, Black Storm-Petrel,
Nazca Booby, Swallow-tailed Gull.
A pelagic from Tumbes will incursionate on this region and bors
wil be different than the ones at Callao…
