Endemic birds of Colombia and Santander
An endemic species is one that lives exclusively in one territory. Colombia has around 80 endemic birds, and Santander is home to several of them in its dry canyons, mountain forests and the Magdalena valley.
Why Colombia has so many
The three Andean ranges, the dry valleys between them and the variety of climates isolated bird populations for thousands of years. Over time, some of them became distinct species that exist only here.
Some endemics found in Santander
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Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird
Saucerottia castaneiventris
Lives mainly in Santander and Boyacá, in dry Andean habitats. A departmental ordinance recognises it as Santander’s emblematic bird, and it is the image of the fair.
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Niceforo’s Wren
Thryophilus nicefori
One of the most threatened birds in the country. It lives in dry scrub in the Chicamocha canyon and nearby areas.
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Gorgeted Wood-Quail
Odontophorus strophium
Lives in oak forests of the Eastern Andes. You’re more likely to hear it than to see it.
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Black Inca
Coeligena prunellei
A dark hummingbird of the oak forests of the Eastern Andes.
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Beautiful Woodpecker
Melanerpes pulcher
Lives in the forests of the middle Magdalena valley. One of the Topocoro hosts is named after it.
This is a selection: the full list of endemics found in Santander is longer.
How to help protect them
- Visit them with local guides: birding tourism gives communities one more reason to look after the forests.
- Log your sightings on eBird: researchers and authorities use that data.
- Follow each reserve’s rules and leave plants and animals where they are.