(Otcober 8.)
The reason that Ecuador has so many types of birds (some other countries have more species, but none come close to the number of species per square mile) is that the mountains give it a wide variety of microclimates. The Yanachocha trail has an altitude more than 10,000 feet and features temperate forests, a very different environment from Quito.
Buff-Winged Starfrontlet.
Mountain Tanager.
More Buff-winged Starfrontlets. (There were a lot of them).
Brown Inca.
Saphire-vented Puffleg.
Chestnut-breasted Coronet with a Great Saphirewing.
…And another Buff-winged Starfrontlet shows up.
Deep-blue Flowerpiercer.
Cows.