Machalilla National Park

Localization

West Ecuador; (No. 1 in the map of national parks on Ecuador introducing page)

Access

Easy

Characteristic

550 km²; The only coastal National Park in Ecuador - includes strip of the land along the coast, two bigger and several small islands close to the coast. Interior of the park - slightly rolled landscape covered with thorny bush. Typical ecosystems: internationally important wetlands, marine and coastal ecosystems, cloud forest, tropical dry forest and sand dunes. Breeding ground for humpback whales close to the park coast. It is estimated 19 percent of the woody plants in the park are endemic.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Primates - New World Monkeys (Cebidae): White-fronted Capuchin

- Spider Monkeys and Wooly Monkeys (Atelidae): Black Howler Monkey; Mantled Howler Monkey

Edentata - Anteaters (Myrmecophagidae): Giant Anteater

Rodents - Agoutis and Acuchis (Dasyproctidae): Central American Agouti

- Pacas (Agoutidae): Paca

Carnivores - Cats (Felidae): Jaguar; Ocelot

Whales - Finner Whales (Balaenopteridae): Humpback Whale

Even-toed Ungulates  - Peccaries (Tayassuidae): Collared Peccary; White-lipped Peccary

- Deers (Cervidae): Red Brocket Deer; White-tailed Deer

Birds:

More than 270 bird species

Tinamiformes - Tinamous (Tinamidae): Pale-browed Tinamou

Podicipediformes - Grebes (Podicipedidae): Pied-billed Grebe

Tubenoses - Storm Petrels (Hydrobatidae): Black Storm-Petrel; Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel

- Albatrosses (Diomedeaidae): Waved Albatross (the only known population outside of Galapagos)

Pelecaniformes - Tropic Birds (Phaethonidae): Red-billed Tropicbird

- Frigate Birds (Fregatidae): Magnificent Frigatebird

- Gannets and Boobies (Sulidae): Blue-footed Booby; Masked Booby; Nazca Booby; Red-footed Booby

- Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoarcidae): Neotropic Cormorant

- Pelicans (Pelecanidae): Brown Pelican

Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): Cattle Egret; Great White Egret; Snowy Egret; Cocoi Heron; Striated Heron; Yellow-crowned Night-Heron; Rufescent Tiger-Heron

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

- Ospreys (Pandionidae): Osprey

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Great Black-Hawk; Grey-backed Hawk; Grey-lined Hawk; Harris´s Hawk; Savanna Hawk; Short-tailed Hawk; Grenada Hook-billed Kite

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Laughing Falcon; Peregrine Falcon; Collared Forest-Falcon

Galliformes - Chachalacas, Guans and Curassows (Cracidae): Rufous-headed Chachalaca

Gruiformes - Rails, Crakes, Coots and Gallinules (Rallidae): Common Moorhen

Charadriiformes - Jacanas (Jacanidae): Wattled Jacana

- Avocets (Recurvirostridae): Black-necked Stilt

- Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): Wilson’s Phalarope; Sanderling; Least Sandpiper; Spotted Sandpiper; Western Sandpiper; Whimbrel

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Wilson’s Plover

- Gulls (Laridae): Grey Gull; Grey-headed Gull; Laughing Gull

- Terns (Sternidae): Royal Tern

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Ochre-bellied Dove; White-tipped Dove; Croaking Ground-Dove; Ecuadorian Ground-Dove; Ruddy Pigeon

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae): Great Green Macaw; Grey-cheeked Parakeet; Red-masked Parakeet; Bronze-winged Parrot; Pacific Parrotlet

Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae): Spectacled Owl; Peruvian Pygmy Owl

Cuculiformes - Cuckoos, Anis, Coucals and Roadrunners (Cuculidae): Groove-billed Ani; Little Cuckoo; Squirrel Cuckoo

Goatsuckers - Nightjars (Caprimulgidae): Lesser Nighthawk; Scrub Nightjar

Apodiformes - Swifts (Apodidae): Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift

- Hummingbirds (Trochilidae): Band-tailed Barbthroat; Amazilia Hummingbird; Rufous-tailed Hummingbird; Speckled Hummingbird; White-necked Jacobin; Violet-throated Metaltail; Long-billed Starthroat; Green-crowned Woodnymph; Esmeraldas Woodstar; Little Woodstar; Short-tailed Woodstar

Trogoniformes - Trogons (Trogonidae): Collared Trogon; Violaceous Trogon

Coraciiformes - Kingfishers (Alcedinidae): Green Kingfisher; Ringed Kingfisher

- Motmots (Momotidae): Blue-crowned Motmot

Piciformes - Barbets (Capitonidae): Red-headed Barbet

- Toucans (Ramphastidae): Pale-mandibled Aracari; Crimson-rumped Toucanet

- Woodpeckers, Wrynecks and Piculets (Picidae): Ecuadorian Piculet; Olivaceous Piculet; Golden-olive Woodpecker; Guayaquil Woodpecker; Red-rumped Woodpecker; Scarlet-backed Woodpecker

Perching Birds - Woodcreepers (Dendrocolapidae): Red-billed Scythebill; Barred Woodcreeper; Olivaceous Woodcreeper; Plain-brown Woodcreeper; Spotted Woodcreeper; Streak-headed Woodcreeper; Wedge-billed Woodcreeper

- Ovenbirds or Horneros (Furnariidae): Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner; Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner; Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner; Slaty-winged Foliage-gleaner; Scaly-throated Leaftosser; Blackish-headed Spinetail; Necklaced Spinetail; Slaty Spinetail

- Antshrikes (Thamnophilidae): Bicolored Antbird; Grey-headed Antbird; Immaculate Antbird; Collared Antshrike; Great Antshrike; Slaty Antshrike; Plain Antvireo; Slaty Antwren; White-backed Fire-eye

- Antbirds (Formicariidae): Scrub Antpitta; Black-headed Antthrush

- Manakins (Pipridae): White-bearded Manakin

- Tapaculos (Rhinocryptidae): Elegant Crescent-chest

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Ochraceous Atilla; One-colored Becard; Slaty Becard; Greenish Elaenia; Pacific Elaenia; Yellow-bellied Elaenia; Short-tailed Field-Tyrant; Olivaceous Flatbill; Yellow-margined Flatbill; Acadian Flycatcher; Baird's Flycatcher; Black-tailed Flycatcher; Boat-billed Flycatcher; Grey-breasted Flycatcher; Ochre-bellied Flycatcher; Olive-sided Flycatcher; Pacific Royal Flycatcher; Social Flycatcher; Sooty-crowned Flycatcher; Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher; Streaked Flycatcher; Vermilion Flycatcher; Snowy-throated Kingbird; Tropical Kingbird; Smoke-colored Pewee; White-throated Spadebill; Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher; Common Tody-Flycatcher; Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant; Grey-and-white Tyrannulet; Southern Beardless Tyrannulet; Masked Water-Tyrant

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Grey-breasted Martin; Blue-and-white Swallow

- Thrushes and Chats (Turdidae): Spotted Nightingale-Thrush; Ecuadorian Thrush; Plumbeous-backed Thrush; Swainson´s Thrush

- Mockingbirds, Catbirds and Thrashers (Mimidae): Long-tailed Mockingbird

- Wrens (Troglodytidae): Grey-breasted Wood-Wren; Fasciated Wren; House Wren; Song Wren; Speckle-breasted Wren; Superciliated Wren; Whiskered Wren

- Gnatcatchers (Polioptilidae): Long-billed Gnatwren

- Tanagers (Thraupidae): Thick-billed Euphonia; Green Honeycreeper; Blue-grey Tanager; Summer Tanager

- Blackbirds, Orioles and Cowbirds (Icteridae): Scrub Blackbird; Yellow-billed Cacique; Yellow-rumped Cacique; Shiny Cowbird; White-edged Oriole; Yellow-tailed Oriole

- Cardinals and Grosbeaks (Cardinalidae): Yellow Grosbeak; Buff-throated Saltator; Streaked Saltator

- Vireos (Vireonidae): Lesser Greenlet; Rufous-browed Peppershrike

- Warblers (Parulidae): Tropical Parula; Buff-rumped Warbler; Grey-and-gold Warbler; Black-polled Yellowthroat

- Bananaquits (Coerebidae): Bananaquit

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch; Pale-headed Brush-Finch; Crimson Finch; Blue-black Grassquit; Parrot-billed Seedeater; Variable Seedeater; Black-capped Sparrow; Black-striped Sparrow; Orange-billed Sparrow; Collared Warbling-Finch

- Finches (Fringillidae): Saffron Siskin

Amphibians:

Frogs - Tree Frogs (Hylidae): Scinax quinquefasciatus; Trachycephalus jordani; Veined Frog (Phrynohyas venulosa)

- Leptodactylidae: Leptodactylus labrosus and L. ventrimaculatus

- Dendrobatidae: Colostethus infraguttatus and C. machalilla

- Toads (Bufonidae): Cane Toad (Bufo marinus)

- Ceratophryidae: Pacific Horned Frog (Ceratophrys stolzmanni)

- Eleutherodactylidae: Eleutherodactylus achatinus, E. subsigillatus and E. walkeri

- Leiuperidae: Engystomops monubio and E. pustulatus

Plants:

Dicotyledons:

Laurales - Lauraceae: Beilschmiedia sp.; Cinnamon (Cinnamomum sp.); Sweetwood (Ocotea sp.)

Brassicales - Capparidaceae: Caper (Capparis angulata)

Caryophyllales - Cactaceae: Monvillea diffusa; Opuntia sp.

Malvales - Bombacaceae: Ceiba (Ceiba trichistandra); Eriotheca ruizii; Kapok Tree (Ceiba pentandra); Matisia sp.; Quararibea sp.

Rosales - Rosaceae: Plum (Prunus subcorymbosa)

- Moraceae: Fustigtree (Maclura tinctoria)

- Rhamnaceae: jujube (Ziziphus thyrsiflora)

- Cecropiaceae: Pumpwood (Cecropia sp.)

Fabales - Fabaceae: Blackbead (Pithecellobium exelsum); Inga sp.; Mesquite (Prosopis juliflora)

Malpighiales - Clusiaceae: Rheedia sp.

- Erythroxylaceae: Coca (Erythroxylum patens)

- Euphorbiaceae: Croton (Croton riviniaefolius)

Sapindales - Rutaceae: Pricklyash (Zanthoxylum tumbezanum); Torchwood (Amyris pinnata)

- Burseraceae: Bursera graveolens

- Meliaceae: Cedar (Cedrela sp.); Trichillia sp.

Ericales - Sapotaceae: Pradosia montana

- Theophrastaceae:  Jaquinia sprucei

Gentianales - Rubiaceae: Simira ecuadorensis

Boraginales - Ehretiaceae: Cordia allidora and C. lutea

Lamiales - Bignoniaceae: Macranthisiphon longiflorus; Roble Amarillo (Tabebuia chrysantha); Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia billbergii)

Monocotyledons:

Arecales - Arecaceae: Nut Palm (Phytelephas aequatorialis)

Zingiberales - Heliconiaceae: Heliconia sp.

Possible activities

Walking tourism - several trails; whalewatching

Snorkelling, diving, horseback riding

Note

Several archeological finding places of pre-inca settlements

Park is threatened by various human activities

Best time to visit XII-V

Picture - source wikipedia