Stretching from the High Barren Plains to the Subtropical Rainforest The Magic Birding Circuit is the first of its kind in South America, San Jorge owns 4 private exclusive birding reserves in four different eco-systems throughout Ecuador. Kept in their rich, natural state, all of our exclusive reserves offer the chance to fully immerse yourself in all that is Ecuador, mainly the diverse array of flora, fauna, climate regions and hundreds of beautiful species that await you. Over 800 possible bird species may be reached by way of The Magic Birding Circuit, offering the perfect chance to combine nature, culture and birding at its best.

Begin your birding adventure as soon as you arrive in Ecuador with San Jorge's prime trails, specialized guides and lots of birding options to view over 130 species. San Jorge Botanical Reserve, the regions only private reserve, is situated on 200 acres of native flora and fauna, offering peace and tranquility to all birders alike. Whether you would like to stroll through our gardens and watch the hummingbirds gather at the feeders or travel through the four climate steps of Ecuador (High Barren Plains, Highland Rainforest, Cloud Forest and Subtropical Rainforest) San Jorge is the ideal retreat for some of the best birdwatching in the world.


San Jorge owns two birding lodges – San Jorge Eco-Lodge/Quito; and San Jorge de Milpe Eco-Lodge/Milpe which has recently opened in December, 2006. The Magic Birding Circuit tours are based from our two lodges, offering day tours to our private birding reserves, all within close proximity.

San Jorge Botanical Reserve
Location: Quito
Area: 80 Hectares
Climate: High Barren Plains, Highland Rainforest and Paramo
Altitude: 10,824 - 13,200 feet o.s.l. /3,300 - 4,023 meters
Coordinates: N 00 02.632'

Common Birds to Look For: Hooded Siskin, Variable Hawk, Black Flowerpiercer, Cinereous Conebill Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Masked Flowerpiercer, Southern Yellow Grosbeak, Eared Dove, Band tailed Pigeon, Streak throated Bush Tyrant, Red crested Cotinga, Spectacled Whitestar, Sapphire vented Puffleg, Shining Sunbeam, Band tailed Nightjar, Scarlet bellied Mountain Tanager, Great Thrush, Sparkling Violtear, Black tailed Trainbearer, Rufous napped and Tricolored Brush Finches, Tyrian Metaltail, American Kestrel and Rufous collared Sparrow.

Fairly Common Birds to Look For: Stripe headed Brush Finch, White bellied Woodstar Hummingbird, Green Tail Trainbearer, Black tailed Trainbearer, Giant Hummingbird, Sword billed Hummingbird, Mountain Velvetbreast, Tawny Antpitta, Ash colored Tapaculo, Unicolored Tapaculo, Azara’s Spinetail, White tipped Dove, Smoky Bush Tyrant, Blue and yellow Tanager, Buff breasted Mountain Tanager, Black chested Buzzard Eagle, Rufous breasted and Brown backed Chat Tyrants, Curve billed Tinamou, White collared Swift and Plain breasted Hawk.

Uncommon and Scarce: Rufous chested Tanager, Andean Pygmy Owl, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Strong billed Woodcreeper, Red rumped Bush Tyrant, Spot billed Ground Tyrant, Grass Wren, Black chested Mountain Tanager, Hooded Mountain Tanager and Turkey Vulture

Rare: Curved Bill Tinamou, Red Crested Cotinga and Andean Condor.

A 200 acre private reserve located just seventeen minutes from the Quito Airport. Enjoy virgin nature and Ecuadorian tradition at our 18th Century Ecuadorian Hosteria while you explore the many birding possibilities that Ecuador has to offer.

San Jorge de Tandayapa
Location: Tandayapa Valley
Area: 20 Hectares
Climate: Cloud Forest
Altitude: 5,120 - 5,800 feet o.s.l./1,560 - 1,767 meters
Coordinates: N 00 00.614' WO 78 40.547'

Common Birds to Look For: Grass green Tanager, Blue winged Mountain Tanager, Andean Cock of the Rock, Beryl Spangled Tanager, Black capped Tanager, Golden naped Tanager, Blue gray Tanager, Swallow Tanager, Tropical Parula, Blue capped Tanager, Lemon rumped Tanager, Metallic green Tanager, Bananaquit, Golden Tanager, Silver throated Tanager, Plate billed Mountain Toucan, Black Phoebe, Smoke colored Pewee, Tropical Kingbird, Social Flycatcher, White capped Dipper, Roadside Hawk, House Wren, Southern rough winged Swallow, Blue and White swallow, Blue black Grassquit, Yellow bellied Seedeater, Blackburnian Warbler, Cinamon Becard, Ecuadorian Thrush and Great Thrush.

Fairly Common Birds to Look for: Fawn breasted Tanager, Guira Tanager, Plumbeous Pigeon, Bat falcon, Plain breasted Hawk, White capped Dipper, Dusky Phia, Black and Green Fruiteater, Scaled Fruiteater, Chestnut capped Brush Finch, Golden headed Quetzal and Andean Guan.

Scarce and Uncommon: Tanager Finch, White winged Tanager, Black and Chestnut Eagle, Crested Eagle, Andean Solitaire, White throated Hawk, Giant Antpitta, Collared Forest Falcon

Hummingbirds: Violet-tailed Sylph, Brown Inca, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Green-fronted Lancebill, Western Emerald, Purple-throated Woodstar, Amethyst Woodstar, Collared Inca, Wedge billed Hummingbird, Green Violtear, Andean Emerald, Sparkling Violtear, White tailed Hillstar, Gorgeted Sunangel, Booted Racket Tail, White bellied Woodstar, Buff tailed Coronet, Green crowned Woodnymph, Velvet purple Coronet, Speckled hummingbird and Tawny bellied Hermit.

Tandayapa is found in the Choco Endemic Bird Area (EBA) of northwest Ecuador. Here you will find lovely rivers and spectacular, bungalow with viewing deck, and beautiful panoramic 360 degree views of the lower Tandayapa Valley.


San Jorge de Milpe Reserve
Location: Milpe, near Mindo
Area: 240 Hectares
Climate: Subtropical Rain Forest
Altitude: 3,000 feet o.s.l./ 915 meters
Coodinates: N 00 02.632’ WO 53.229’

Common Birds to Look For: Swallow tailed Kite, Cattle Egret, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Ruddy Pigeon, Maroon tailed Parakeet, Red billed Parrot, Bronze winged Parrot, White collared Swift, Red headed Barbet, Bay headed Tanager, Summer Tanger, Black capped Tanager, Blue gray Tanager, White lined Tanager, palm Tanager, Swallow Tanager, Flame faced, Rufous throated, Silver throated Tanager, Blue necked Tanager, Lemon rumped Tanager, Goldn Tanager, Thick billed Euphonia, Buff throated Saltator, Black winged Saltator, Blue black Grassquit, Yellow bellied Seedeater, Pale mandible Aracari, Squirel Cuckoo and Roadside Hawk

Fairly Common: Toucan Barbet, Laughing Falcon, Gray headed Kite, Black checked Woodpecker, White winged Tanager, Moss back Tanager, Ochre breasted Tanager, Tropical Gnatcatcher, Band backed Wren, Black stripped Sparrow, Broad billed Motmot, Rufous Motmot, Barred Hawk, Broad winged Hawk, Long tailed Antbird, Buff rumped Warbler, Boat billed Flycatcher and Rufous winged Tyrannulet, Golden olive Woodpecker.

Scarce and Uncommon: Glistening green Tanager, Esmeraldas Antbird, Blue fronted Parrotlet, Red masked Parakeet, Tiny Hawk, Double toothed Kite, Osprey, Plumbeous Forest Falcon, Long wattled Umbrellabird, Dark backed Wood Quail, Gray and Gold Tanager

Hummingbirds: White whiskered Hermit, Stripe throated Hermit, Tooth billed Hummingbird, White necked Jacobin, Green Thorntail, Violet bellied Hummingbird, Purple chested Hummingbird, Purple bibbed Whitetip, Empress Brilliant, Velvet purple Coronet, purple crowned Fairy, Purple throated Woodstar.

In Milpe you will truly discover why this area is world-famous for its birding...there are large flocks of Tanagers everywhere! Known for majestic waterfalls and swimming holes, Milpe offers a variety of birding excitement with the presence of the Chocó Trogon, Pale-mandibled Araçari, Yellow-collared Chlorophonia, and Broad-billed Motmot among the many others listed above.

San Jorge de Cosanga - Yanayacu Reserve:
Location: Cosanga - Connected to Antizana National Park, Amazon Basin
Area: 145 Hectares
Climate: Cloud Forest - Highland
Altitude: : 6,000 – 6,600 feet o.s.l./1828-2,012 meters

Common Birds to Look For: Andean Cock of the Rock, Golden-eared Tanager, Esmerald Toucanet, Blackburnian Warbler, Beryl Spangled Tanager, Black capped Tanager, Blue gray Tanager, Masked Flowerpiercer, Fawn breasted Tanager, Lacrimose Mountain Tanager, Palm Tanager, Blue winged Mountain Tanager, Flame faced Mountain Tanager, Saffron crowned Tanager, Golden crowned Tanager, Hooded Mountain Tanager, Blue and Black Tanager, Superciliared Hemispingus, Slaty Finch, Crested Quetzal, Grass Green Tanager, Rufous collared Sparrow, Northern Mountain Cacique, Subtropical Cacique, Russet backed Oropendola, Stripe headed Brush Finch, Roadside Hawk, Broad winged Hawk, Sickle winged Guan, Scaly naped Amazon, Cinnamon Flycatcher and Rufous Antpitta.

Fairly Common: Golden rumped Euphonia, Purple Honeycreeper, Russet crowned Warbler, Rufous Wren, Orange bellied Euphonia, Orange crested tanager, Summer Tanager, Yellow whiskered Bush Tanager, White sided Flowerpiercer, Slate colored Seedeater, Chestnut crowned Brush Finch, Yellow billed Cacique, Spotted Sandpiper, Osprey, Black billed Mountain Toucan and Andean Gull

Scarce and Uncommon: Red hooded Tanager, White capped Tanager, Golden collared Honeycreeper, Golden eyed Flowerpiercer, Black capped Hemispungus, Slaty Finch, Black Hawk Eagle, Moustached Antpitta, Chestnut crowned Antpitta, White bellied Antpitta, Black chested Fruiteater, Ocellated Tapaculo, Golden winged Manakin, Highland Tinamou, tawny breasted Tinamou, Crane Hawk, Solitary Eagle, Wattled Guan, Military Macaw and Bronze green Euphonia.

Rare and Very Rare: Masked Saltator, Giant Antpitta, Black and White Hawk Eagle, Orange breasted Falcon, White rimmed Brush Finch, Maroon chested Ground Dove, Barred Anthrush, Greater Scythebill and White faced Numbird

Hummingbirds: Tawny bellied Hermit, Green fronted Lancebill, Lazuline Sabrewing, Brown Violtear, Wire crested Thorntail, rufous vented Whitetip, Violet fronted Brilliant, White tailed Hillstar, Mountain Velvetbreast, Bronzy Inca, Sword billed Hummingbird, Chestnut breasted Coronet, Tourmaline Sunangel, Emerald bellied Puffleg, Long tailed Sylph and Wedge billed Hummingbird.

Cosanga A birdwatchers paradise within the subtropical eastern slopes of the Andes, adjoining Antizana National Park, (Las Caucheras Road near Cosanga Village). Possible Cloud-forest species may include the Crested Quetzal, Chestnut Breasted Clorophonia, Scaly Naped Amazon and hundreds of others species. This is a prime birding region, surrounding by forest-covered mountain ridges, near San Jorge de Yanayacu Reserve, where our boundaries also adjoin the beautiful and immense 120,000 hectare Antizana National Park Reserve.

The complete area is surrounded by Antizana National Park (120,000 hectares), Cayambe Coca National Park (403,000 hectares), Sumaco National Park (205,000 hectares), including smaller farms and other private reserves, that guarantee the protection of wild species.

Yanayacu Adjoining the Antisana National Park, San Jorge de Yanayacu offers 60 acres of wild, at two separate reserves of virgin forest which give a home to many exotic species such as ocelets, panthers, night monkeys, porcupines, armadillos, and spectacle bears. Among these animals you will find hundreds of bird species fortunate enough to be protected on these grounds, safe from deforestation and harm.

For birding itineraries and pricing, please contact:
San Jorge Eco-Lodge & Botanical Reserves
Quito Ecuador
Email: birdwatching@eco-lodgesanjorge.com
(877) 565-2596 toll free

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