Garenolodge - Private Bird Watching Tours

Garenolodge Bird Watching

Without a doubt, this is the best place to see the Rufous Potoo in the world. It is a very rare bird that is difficult to find but believed to live in most of the lower Amazon basin. It is not classified as vulnerable by Birdlife International but it’s population size has not been quantified and the Amazon continues to be threaten by Agriculture, Oil Exploration, and subsistence farming.

Garenolodge is one of those very special cases where an Ecuadorian humble family have made it to the birding circuit with hard work, ingenuity, and an touch of common sense. It is a 100% sustainable business that benefits from the ancestral knowledge of the Huaorani who own the land, and the protection of Petroamazonas (Oil company) who controls the access to the area preventing the deforestation of the jungle. It is a symbiotic relationship where the jungle is protected by humans and in return it provides some benefits for its parasites; it is not a perfect relationship but it works!

The primary forest that surrounds the area belongs to the Huaorani, and the area where the lodge is constructed is leased by Sandro Aguinda and his family to operate their Ecotourism business. Each visitor to the Garenolodge pays $20 which goes to the community of Gareno and is given directly to each family so they get help which promotes the conservation of the area. The Huaorani have always hunted for their survival so it is important to support projects that encourage the protection of the jungle and gives them an alternative way to get food without killing the animals and the birds.

For more information visit their website: www.garenolodge-huao.com

You can also contact Sandro at cell: 095612225

Note that it is not possible to reach Garenolodge on your own since the access road is controlled by the oil company and you must to be accompanied by someone from the lodge.

Birdlist Gareno lodge: Bird List Gareno Lodge.pdf

BIRDS of Garenolodge

Rufous Potoo in the Primary Forest near Garenolodge

Greater Yellow-headed Volture	Double-toothed Kite	Roadside Hawk	Bicolored Hawk

Sunbittern	Sapphire Quail-Dove-nest	White-eyed Parakeet	Mealy Amazon

Black-bellied Cuckoo	Spectacled Owl	Spectacled Owl	Rufous Potoo Nyctibius bracteatus

Gray-breasted Saberwing	Black-eared Fairy	Amazonian Violaceous Trogon	Pavonine Quetzal

Brown-Jacamar	Yellow-billed Jacamar	White-fronted Nunbird	Many-banded Aracari

Chestnut-eared Aracari	Creamed-colored Woodpekcer	Straight-billed Woodcreeper	Wedge-billed Woodcreeper

Fasciated Antshrike	Yellow-browed Antbird	Rusty-belted Tapaculo	Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet

Eastern Wood Pewee	Cinereous Mourner	Screaming Phia	Gray-caped Flycatcher

Yellow-throated Flycatcher	Golden-headed Manakin	Blue-crowned Manakin	Blue-backed Manakin

Green-Manakin	White-banded Swallow	Buff-rumped Warbler	Purple Honeycreeper

Orange-bellied Euphonia	Swallow Tanager	Swallow Tanager	Green-and-gold Tanager

White-lined Tanager	Lesser Seed Finch	Casqued Oropendola	Russet-backed Oropendola