Synopsis: A distant silhouette soon became a breathtaking, overhead encounter as Andean Condors ruled the canyon skies at Tambo Cóndor, their ancient majesty framing a morning where smaller high‑Andean specialists flickered back into view beneath their sweeping shadows.
Ecuador Birding – Where Every Feather Tells a Story
From October 26, 2025 through November 8, 2025 I joined 5 other adventurers and an outstanding photographer and birding guide (Liron Gertsman) with Eagle-Eye Tours to Ecuador. This blog series highlights the animals (mostly birds), people and locations we encountered over the 14 full days in this beautiful land.
A Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain
**Due to the high resolution and quality of the images in this blog series it is highly recommended
that readers view posts in Landscape Mode on a desktop PC from the actual blogsite at Ecuador Birding**
DAY 10 – Early Afternoon
Andean Condor
Out of the morning haze, a broad-winged shadow unfurled itself against the sky.
The first hint of the Andean Condor came not from detail, but from shape—a distant silhouette sliding along the far cliffs, wings held in that unmistakable shallow “V.” Even at great distance, there was no mistaking it. The bird was enormous, steady, and utterly unhurried, riding the thermals with the authority of something that has ruled these mountains for millennia. Another silhouette joined it, then a third, each one tracing long, effortless arcs along the canyon walls. They were far away, but perfectly identifiable, their massive wings catching the morning light as they drifted in and out of view. It was a quiet, reverent moment—the kind of sighting that reminds you why the condor is the national bird of Ecuador and featured on my Ecuador Birding logo.
When the condors finally slipped behind a distant ridge, the canyon seemed to exhale, and the smaller residents of Tambo Cóndor stepped back into the foreground.
Tyrian Metaltail
From the terrace edge, a tiny spark of iridescence flickered into view.
A Tyrian Metaltail flickered along the terrace edge, its metallic tail catching the sun in quick, brilliant flashes. It hovered with a sharp, needling precision, wings whirring as it inspected each bloom with territorial confidence. In certain angles the bird seemed to ignite, its greens and purples flaring like gemstones struck by sudden light, a tiny spark of color against the vast Andean backdrop.
Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle
High above the canyon, a broad-winged shadow carved slow circles in the rising air.
A Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle soared overhead, its broad wings and bold patterning cutting a sharp silhouette against the sky. It circled with slow, deliberate power, riding the thermals with the ease of a bird that knows every contour of the canyon. When it banked, the pale underwings flashed open like a banner, revealing the stark contrast that makes the species unmistakable even at great height. Its presence added a sense of scale—reminding you just how immense these mountains truly are.
Black-tailed Trainbearer
Out of the flowering shrubs, a ribbon of emerald and tail-plume drifted into the light.
Along the flowering shrubs, a Black-tailed Trainbearer drifted in with its impossibly long tail streaming behind it. The tail moved like a ribbon caught in a gentle breeze, trailing the bird in elegant, fluid arcs as it hovered from flower to flower. Its emerald body glowed in the morning light, and every shift of position seemed choreographed, as if the bird were performing a slow-motion dance across the terrace.
Black Flowerpiercer
Among the blooms, a dark, quick-moving silhouette worked the flowers with practiced precision.
A Black Flowerpiercer followed, working the blooms with its curved, specialized bill. It moved with quick, purposeful energy, darting between flowers and pausing only long enough to pierce the base of each corolla with practiced efficiency. The glossy black plumage absorbed the light, giving the bird a sleek, almost shadow-like presence among the bright blossoms. Despite its subtle appearance, its busy foraging added a lively rhythm to the scene.
And then, in a moment that felt scripted by the mountains themselves, a condor swept directly overhead.
And then, as if the morning wished to close the loop it had opened, one of the condors returned—this time directly overhead. Its wings spanned the sky, casting a slow-moving shadow across the terrace. The bird passed so close that the white collar around its neck glowed in the sunlight, a brief, breathtaking reminder of the scale and majesty of these mountains. Even after the condor drifted away, the moment hung in the air, impossible to shake.
The day’s journey, however, was only beginning. Ahead lay a drive across the Andes once more, with a planned stop at Mitad del Mundo, the monument marking the equator, before continuing westward toward Tandayapa, where we would spend the next couple of nights exploring an entirely new side of the Andean story.
NEXT UP: EB#60 “Between Hemispheres: A Stop at Mitad del Mundo on the Way to Tandayapa Lodge“
Additional Photographs
Previous Ecuador Birding Blog Posts:
- EB59 – Final Gems of the High Andes at Tambo Condor
A distant silhouette soon became a breathtaking, overhead encounter as Andean Condors ruled the canyon skies at Tambo Cóndor, their ancient majesty framing a morning where smaller high‑Andean specialists flickered back into view beneath their sweeping shadows. This blog series chronicles Jim Gain’s experiences with birds and nature. - EB58 – A Titan Among Hummingbirds: The Giant Hummingbird Reveals Itself
The Giant Hummingbird’s arrival at Tambo Cóndor felt like the Andes unveiling a second mountain‑forged marvel—an immense, slow‑winged specialist of thin air and rugged slopes whose deliberate power and quiet presence echoed the grandeur of the landscape itself. This blog series chronicles Jim Gain’s experiences with a birding tour in Ecuador. - EB57 – A Sapphire Flash in the Clouds: Meeting the Great Sapphirewing
The Great Sapphirewing’s arrival at Tambo Cóndor felt like a shift in the very air—an immense, jewel‑toned hummingbird shaped by altitude and silence, revealing its rare beauty in a moment that seemed carved directly from the high Andes. This blog series chronicles Jim Gain’s experiences with a birding tour in Ecuador.
>>Ecuador Birding Blog Home Page Link https://reflectionsofthenaturalworld.com/ecuador-birding/
*This Ecuador Birding blog post was shaped and polished with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot, helping bring clarity and a consistent flow to my field notes and dictated memories.
**Unless otherwise indicated in the image caption, all photographs (>99%) are mine.
Reflections of the Natural World 
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