AVITOPIA - Birds of Ecuador

Ecuador is a South American country located at the equator on the Pacific Ocean. It includes the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific, which are about 1000 km from the mainland. The highest mountain in the country is Chimborazo at 6268 m above sea level. The different altitudes in the Andes result in a great variety of climate zones, which has led to a high level of biodiversity. In fact, Ecuador is one of the 17 megadiverse countries on earth. A world-famous, but nonetheless exceptional feature are the volcanic Galapagos Islands, which have a relatively large number of endemic bird species (and other animal and plant species), which is why they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and have been declared an EBA (Endemic Bird Area) by BirdLife International. Because of the great interest, access to them has been regulated and restricted. In total, more than 100 IBAs (Important Bird and BIodiversity Areas) have been registered for Ecuador. According to the Ramsar Convention, 19 wetlands on the mainland are also protected because of their international importance. Even without the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador is a great ornithological treasure trove, which is also well developed for tourism.This multilingual (en, de, es, fr, ja, cn) bird guide introduces the entire bird life of Ecuador in color. Where available, links to the valuable websites of UNESCO, BirdLife International and the Ramsar Organization are provided, which characterize the country and help to find the best sites for birdwatching. Read more