Cayambe - Coca Ecological Reserve

Localization

Central Ecuador; 107 km northeast of Quito (No. 14 in the map on Ecuador introducing page)

Access

Easy

Characteristic

3 700 km²; Mountainous area around the dead volcano Cayambe and eastern slopes of the Andas towards the Amazon area, very well preserved thanks to its inaccessibility. Deep canyons, lakes. Typical ecosystems: mountainous steppe (páramo), lowland rain forest, cloud forest, lakes and rivers, alpine and volcanic biotopes.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

150 mammal species

Carnivores - Bears (Ursidae): Spectacled Bear

- Procyonids (Procyonidae): South American Coati

Birds:

700 bird species 

Tinamiformes - Tinamous (Tinamidae): Undulated Tinamou

Podicipediformes - Grebes (Podicipedidae): Silvery Grebe

Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): Striated Heron

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Torrent Duck

Birds of Prey - American Vultures (Cathartidae): Andean Condor; King Vulture; American Black Vulture; Turkey Vulture

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Broad-winged Hawk; Roadside Hawk; Semicollared Hawk; Short-tailed Hawk; White-rumped Hawk; Swallow-tailed Kite

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Black Caracara; Carruncalated Caracara

Galliformes - Chachalacas, Guans and Curassows (Cracidae): Speckled Chachalaca; Wattled Guan

Gruiformes - Finfoots and Sungrebes (Heliornithidae): Sungrebe

Charadriiformes - Jacanas (Jacanidae): Wattled Jacana

- Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): Andean Snipe; Imperial Snipe; Noble Snipe

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Band-tailed Pigeon; Scaled Pigeon

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae): Military Macaw; Blue-headed Parrot; Mealy Parrot; Yellow-naped Parrot; Cobalt-winged Parakeet; Dusky-headed Parakeet; Maroon-tailed Parakeet; Spot-winged Parrotlet

Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae): Ferruginous Pygmy Owl; Rufescent Screech-Owl

Cuculiformes - Cuckoos, Anis, Coucals and Roadrunners (Cuculidae): Smooth-billed Ani

Apodiformes - Swifts (Apodidae): Chestnut-collared Swift; Short-tailed Swift; White-collared Swift

- Hummingbirds (Trochilidae): Glittering-throated Emerald; Gray-chinned Hermit; Ecuadorian Hillstar; White-tailed Hillstar; Speckled Hummingbird; Bronzy Inca; Collared Inca; Tyrian Metaltail; Viridian Metaltail; Glowing Puffleg; Sapphire-vented Puffleg; Lazuline Sabrewing; Great Sapphirewing; Buff-winged Starfrontlet; Tourmaline Sunangel; Shining Sunbeam; Long-tailed Sylph; Blue-mantled Thornbill; Purple-backed Thornbill, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill; Black-bellied Thorntail; Wire-crested Thorntail; Black-tailed Trainbearer, Green-tailed Trainbearer, Mountain Velvetbreast; Sparkling Violet-ear; Rufous-vented Whitetip; Fork-tailed Woodnymph; Gorgeted Woodstar

Trogoniformes - Trogons (Trogonidae): Crested Quetzal; Golden-headed Quetzal; Masked Trogon; White-tailed Trogon

Coraciiformes - Kingfishers (Alcedinidae): Green Kingfisher

Galbuliformes - Jacamars (Galbulidae): Coppery-chested Jacamar; White-eared Jacamar

- Puffbirds (Bucconidae): Black-fronted Nunbird; Swallow-wing

Piciformes - Barbets (Capitonidae): Black-spotted Barbet; Red-headed Barbet

- Toucans (Ramphastidae): Chestnut-eared Aracari; Grey-breasted Mountain-Toucan

- Woodpeckers, Wrynecks and Piculets (Picidae): Lafresnaye's Piculet; Olivaceous Piculet; Rufous-breasted Piculet; Bar-bellied Woodpecker; Crimson-mantled Woodpecker; Golden-olive Woodpecker; Smoky-brown Woodpecker; Spot-breasted Woodpecker; Yellow-tufted Woodpecker

Perching Birds - Woodcreepers (Dendrocolapidae): Greater Scythebill; Long-billed Woodcreeper; Olivaceous Woodcreeper; Plain-brown Woodcreeper; Strong-billed Woodcreeper

- Ovenbirds or Horneros (Furnariidae): Stout-billed Cinclodes; Montane Foliage-gleaner; Orange-fronted Plushcrown; Dusky Spinetail; Flammulated Treehunter; Pearled Treerunner; Streaked Tuftedcheek; Rufous-tailed Xenops

- Antshrikes (Thamnophilidae): Great Antshrike; Russet Antshrike; Lined Antshrike

- Antbirds (Formicariidae):  Chestnut-naped Antpitta; Crescent-faced Antpitta; Tawny Antpitta; White-bellied Antpitta

- Cotingas (Cotingidae):  Chestnut-bellied Cotinga; Black-chested Fruiteater; Green-and-black Fruiteater; Dusky Piha

- Tapaculos (Rhinocryptidae): Paramo Tapaculo; Spillmann´s Tapaculo

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant; Variegated Bristle-Tyrant; Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant; Smoky Bush-Tyrant; Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant; Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant; Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant; Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant ; Large Elaenia; Acadian Flycatcher; Cliff Flycatcher; Dusky-capped Flycatcher; Ochre-bellied Flycatcher; Olive-chested Flycatcher; Olive-striped Flycatcher; Rufous-breasted Flycatcher; Slaty-capped Flycatcher; Social Flycatcher; Yellow-throated Flycatcher; Tropical Kingbird; Great Kiskadee; Lesser Kiskadee; Blackish Pewee; Smoke-colored Pewee; Black Phoebe; Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant; Agile Tit-Tyrant; Black-tailed Tityra; Common Tody-Flycatcher; Golden-faced Tyrannulet; Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet; Torrent Tyrannulet; White-banded Tyrannulet; Western Wood-Pewee

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Blue-and-white Swallow; Southern Rough-winged Swallow; White-banded Swallow

- Crows and Jays (Corvidae): Black-collared Jay; Turquoise Jay; Violaceous Jay

- Thrushes and Chats (Turdidae): Black-billed Thrush; Chestnut-bellied Thrush; Glossy-black Thrush; Great Thrush; Swainson's Thrush

- Dippers (Cinclidae): White-capped Dipper

- Wrens (Troglodytidae): Black-capped Donacobius; House Wren; Rufous Wren; Sedge Wren; Thrush-like Wren

- Tanagers (Thraupidae): Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager; Blue-naped Chlorophonia; Blue-backed Conebill; Capped Conebill; Giant Conebill; Orange-bellied Euphonia; Black-capped Hemispingus; Black-headed Hemispingus; Oleaginous Hemispingus; Superciliaried Hemispingus; Black-chested Mountain-Tanager; Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager; Hooded Mountain-Tanager; Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager; Masked Mountain-Tanager; Bay-headed Tanager; Black-capped Tanager; Blue-and-black Tanager; Blue-gray Tanager; Blue-necked Tanager; Fawn-breasted Tanager; Flame-faced Tanager; Golden Tanager; Golden-crowned Tanager; Golden-eared Tanager; Golden-naped Tanager; Green-and-gold Tanager; Hepatic Tanager; Magpie Tanager; Masked Crimson Tanager; Palm Tanager; Paradise Tanager; Rufous-crested Tanager; Saffron-crowned Tanager; Scarlet Tanager; Silver-backed Tanager; Silver-beaked Tanager; Spotted Tanager; Swallow Tanager; Turquoise Tanager; White-lined Tanager; Yellow-backed Tanager

- Blackbirds, Orioles and Cowbirds (Icteridae): Mountain Cacique; Yellow-billed Cacique; Yellow-rumped Cacique; Giant Cowbird; Russet-backed Oropendola; Troupial 

- Cardinals and Grosbeaks (Cardinalidae):  Greyish Saltator

- Vireos (Vireonidae): Lesser Greenlet; Olivaceous Greenlet; Black-billed Peppershrike

- New World Warblers (Parulidae): Tropical Parula; Blackburnian Warbler; Black-crested Warbler; Canada Warbler; Slate-throated Whitestart

- Bananaqits (Coerebidae): Bananaquit

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Black-backed Bush-Finch; Pale-naped Brush-Finch; Rufous-naped Brush-Finch; Slaty Brush-Finch; Black Flower-piercer; Glossy Flower-piercer; Golden-eyed Flower-piercer; Masked Flower-piercer; Rusty Flower-piercer; White-sided Flower-piercer; Blue-black Grassquit; Band-tailed Seedeater; Black-and-white Seedeater; Chestnut-bellied Seedeater; Lesson's Seedeater; Plain-colored Seedeater; Variable Seedeater; Lesser Seed-Finch; Rufous-collared Sparrow; Yellow-browed Sparrow

- Finches (Fringillidae): Olivaceous Siskin

Reptiles:

140 reptile species 

Amphibians:

110 amphibian species

Plants:

Orchids, ferns, lycophytes. Grasses dominate to paramo zone.

Possible activities

Walking tourism - many trekking paths.

Mounaineering, climbing up the volcano summit, horseback riding, fishing

Note

Hot springs - bathing

Picture - source paramosecuador.com.ec