Bird Photos
Species Accounts
Conservation Issues
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Habitats of the
Andes Mountains
General Information
Extending from Venezuela to southern Chile, the Andes Mountains stretch for more than
6,000 miles along the western edge of the South American continent.
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This rugged chain of volcanoes, grasslands,
deserts, high altitude lakes and lush forests are home to some of the most diverse
habitats on earth. |
Figure 1 - South America
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Figure 2 - Cotapaxi Volcano
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More than 30 spectacular volcanoes occur in
the Andes Mountain range. At 19,347 feet, Cotapaxi Volcano is the highest active volcano
in the world. Some of the other volcanic peaks include Cayambe (18,991 feet), Imbabura
(15,117 feet), Pichincha (15,724 feet), Chimborazo (20,697 feet) and Sangay (17,154), also
one of the most active in the Andes.
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Perhaps the most famous bird of the Andes
Mountains is the Andean Condor. These immense birds make their home on the steep cliffs
found along the Andean chain where they gracefully soar while they look for a carrion
meal. |
Figure 3 - Andean Condor
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Figure 4 - Andean Condor
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Like their Condor relatives in North America,
now teetering on the edge of extinction, populations of Andean condors are declining in
the face of increasing human pressure. |
Above the treeline, windswept grasslands are
home to many species of birds. In the northern Andes, these grasslands are called Páramo,
but further south they are the Puna. |
Figure 5 - The Páramo
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Figure 6 - Stout-billed Cincloides
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Shown here in the Páramo, at an altitude of
about 13,000 feet, is a Stout-billed Cincloides. |
Other birds of the Páramo include the Noble
Snipe, Many-striped Canastero, Plumbeous Sierra-Finch, and Rufous-naped Brush Finch. Even
some hummingbirds, such as the Chimborazo Hillstar, are at home in the thin air of the
Andes.
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Figure 7 - Rufous-naped Brush Finch
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Figure 8 - High Altitude Lakes
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Above the treeline, acidic lakes thaw long
enough to provide a breeding home to some interesting aquatic birds. |
Birds such as the Andean Lapwing and
Slate-colored Coot nest and rear their young in these high altitude lakes. |
Figure 9 - Andean Lapwing
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Figure 10 - Andean Gull
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The Andean Gull is also very much at home in
these high altitude lakes. |
The flowers of Alpine plants provide nectar
to hummingbirds such as the Chimborazo Hillstar. |
Figure 11 - Blossoms
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Figure 12 - Primary Rainforest, Pacific Slope
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The Pacific slopes of the Andes are blanketed
with some of the wettest rainforests on earth. These forests are home to hundreds of
species of birds, including the spectacular Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. |
The forests surrounding the village of Mindo
in northwestern Ecuador, with more than 430 species of birds, is one of the best birding
locations in South America. Notice, however, the clear cutting of the forests on the
mountain sides. |
Figure 13 - Mindo, Ecuador
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Figure 14 - Río Mindo
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Turbulent rivers that cascade down the slopes
of the Andes to the Pacific Ocean are home to Torrent Ducks, Water Ouzels and other water
birds. |
Unfortunately, encroaching human civilization
continues to put pressure on remaining natural areas. |
Figure 15 - Life in the Rainforest
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Figure 16 - Deforestation
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In many regions, large tracts of rainforest
have already given way to ranching, farming and other human activities. |
Conservation of Neotropical Habitats
Many people in the Neotropical Zone recognize the need to conserve natural
areas, and are working hard through a number of organizations to preserve remaining areas.
Despite these efforts, populations of many species of birds and other wildlife are
dwindling as civilization continues to encroach into natural regions.
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All images are courtesy of CWBO. All image copyrights are owned by CWBO.
Any use of these images must have permission of CWBO. |
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