A photo series from our 2016 tour: Among the huge variety of "jewels" was this Sparkling Violetear by participant Peter Relson.
Fancy boots adorn the Sapphire-vented Puffleg, photographed by participant Peter Relson.
Peruvian Pygmy-Owl at Catamayo gave our group a fine view. Photo by participant Tom Hammond.
Diminutive Pacific Parrotlets are fine-looking birds when seen this well! Photo by participant Peter Relson.
Tanagers, like this lovely Red-hooded, are another large feature of the "jewels" theme of the tour. Photo by participant Peter Relson.
It's not often we get to see tinamous like this Gray this well. A little free food at a lodge helped! Photo by participant Peter Relson.
Green Jay of the "Inca" form in Ecuador is a spectacular bird! Photo by participant Peter Relson.
The Tit-like Dacnis is a specialist of the high Polylepis woodlands of SW Ecuador down through Peru. Photo by participant Peter Relson.
A few hummers, like this Ecuadorian Hillstar photographed by participant Peter Relson, can survive at chilly high elevations in the paramo.
Our third "jewel" component, the antpittas: some species are much easier to see now thanks to habituation! Photo by participant Peter Relson.
A spectacular Long-tailed Sylph on an equally eye-catching Abutilon flower. Photo by participant Peter Relson.
Black-billed Mountain-Toucan was one of three mountain-toucan species seen on our 2016 tour. Photo by participant Peter Relson.
Flame-faced Tanager photographed by participant Peter Relson.
The wonderful Booted Racket-tail, which in Ecuador has white boots on the west slope and buffy boots in the east. Photo by participant Peter Relson.
All a-shimmer: Velvet-purple Coronet, one of the spectaculars of the west slope. Photo by participant Peter Relson.
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