Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve

Localization

West Ecuador, 40 km south of Guayaquil (No. 19 in the map on Ecuador introducing page)

Access

Easy

Characteristic

500 km², Coastal lowlands and hills up to 700 m along the Pacific coast in Guayas River delta. Typical ecosystems: very important mangroves and wetlands (67% park area), lagoons, coastal biotopes, dry tropical forest.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Edentata - Anteaters (Myrmecophagidae): Southern Tamandua

Carnivores - Cats (Felidae): Ocelot

Whales - Dolphins (Delphinidae): Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin

Birds:

264 bird species

Tinamiformes - Tinamous (Tinamidae): Little Tinamou; Pale-browed Tinamou

Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): Least Bittern; Great White Egret

- Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae): Black-faced Ibis; White Ibis; Roseate Spoonbill

Phoenicopteriformes - Flamingos (Phoenicopteridae): Chilean Flamingo

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Comb Duck; Masked Duck

- Screamers (Anhimidae): Horned Screamer (the only known population in western Ecuador)

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

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Mangrove Black-Hawk; Barred Hawk; Grey-backed Hawk; Grey-lined Hawk; Harris's Hawk; Roadside Hawk; Savanna Hawk; Black Hawk-Eagle; Double-toothed Kite; Plumbeous Kite; Snail Kite

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Barred Forest-Falcon

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

- Quails (Odontophoridae): Rufous-fronted Wood-Quail

Gruiformes - Rails, Crakes, Coots and Gallinules (Rallidae): White-throated Crake; Spotted Rail; Brown Wood-Rail; Rufous-necked Wood-Rail

- Limpkins (Aramidae): Limpkin

Charadriiformes - Gulls (Laridae): Grey-headed Gull; Kelp Gull

- Terns (Sternidae): Elegant Tern; Peruvian Tern

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

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae): Grey-cheeked Parakeet; Red-masked Parakeet; Bronze-winged Parrot; Red-billed Parrot; Red-lored Parrot; Scaly-naped Parrot; Pacific Parrotlet

Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae): Peruvian Pygmy-Owl

Cuculiformes - Cuckoos, Anis, Coucals and Roadrunners (Cuculidae): Grey-capped Cuckoo; Little Cuckoo; Striped Cuckoo

Goatsuckers - Nightjars (Caprimulgidae): Scrub Nightjar; Common Pauraque

Apodiformes - Swifts (Apodidae): Grey-rumped Swift; Tumbes Swift; White-collared Swift

- Hummingbirds (Trochilidae): Fawn-breasted Brilliant; Green-crowned Brilliant; Western Emerald; Stripe-throated Hermit; Tawny-bellied Hermit; White-whiskered Hermit; Amazilia Hummingbird; Wedge-billed Hummingbird; Brown Inca; Black-throated Mango; White-tipped Sicklebill; Buff-winged Starfrontlet; Green Violet-ear; Green-crowned Woodnymph; Esmeraldas Woodstar; Little Woodstar

Trogoniformes - Trogons (Trogonidae): Crested Quetzal; Collared Trogon

Coraciiformes - Kingfishers (Alcedinidae): Ringed Kingfisher

- Motmots (Momotidae): Blue-crowned Motmot; Broad-billed Motmot; Rufous Motmot

Galbuliformes - Puffbirds (Bucconidae): Barred Puffbird

Piciformes - Barbets (Capitonidae): Orange-fronted Barbet; Red-headed Barbet 

- Toucans (Ramphastidae): Chestnut-mandibled Toucan; Choco Toucan; Crimson-rumped Toucanet

- Woodpeckers, Wrynecks and Piculets (Picidae): Black-cheeked Woodpecker; Guayaquil Woodpecker; Red-rumped Woodpecker; Scarlet-backed Woodpecker 

Perching Birds - Woodcreepers (Dendrocolapidae): Red-billed Scythebill; Streak-headed Woodcreeper; Tyrannine Woodcreeper; Wedge-billed Woodcreeper 

- Ovenbirds or Horneros (Furnariidae): Spotted Barbtail; Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner; Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner; Lineated Foliage-gleaner; Ruddy Foliage-gleaner; Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner; Pale-legged Hornero; Scaly-throated Leaftosser; Blackish-headed Spinetail; Necklaced Spinetail; Slaty Spinetail; Striped Treehunter

- Antshrikes (Thamnophilidae): Chestnut-backed Antbird; Dusky Antbird; Esmeraldas Antbird; Immaculate Antbird; Long-tailed Antbird; Collared Antshrike; Great Antshrike; Russet Antshrike; Slaty Antshrike; Uniform Antshrike; Dot-winged Antwren; Pacific Antwren; Slaty Antwren

- Antbirds (Formicariidae): Scaled Antpitta; Black-headed Antthrush; Rufous-breasted Antthrush

- Cotingas (Cotingidae): Purple-throated Fruitcrow; Green-and-black Fruiteater; Scaled Fruiteater

- Manakins (Pipridae): White-bearded Manakin

- Tapaculos (Rhinocryptidae): Elegant Crescent-chest; Ash-colored Tapaculo

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Ochraceous Attila; Cinnamon Becard; Slaty Becard; Pacific Elaenia; Acadian Flycatcher; Boat-billed Flycatcher; Bran-colored Flycatcher; Brownish Flycatcher; Golden-crowned Flycatcher; Grey-breasted Flycatcher; Olive-sided Flycatcher; Ornate Flycatcher; Rusty-margined Flycatcher; Slaty-capped Flycatcher; Yellow-olive Flycatcher; Snowy-throated Kingbird; Bronze-olive Pygmy-Tyrant; Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant; Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant; Pacific Royal-Flycatcher; White-throated Spadebill; Common Tody-Flycatcher; Rufous-crowned Tody-Tyrant; Brown-capped Tyrannulet; Golden-faced Tyrannulet; White-tailed Tyrannulet; Yellow Tyrannulet; Masked Water-Tyrant; Western Wood-Pewee

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Chestnut-collared Swallow

- Crows and Jays (Corvidae): White-tailed Jay

- Thrushes and Chats (Turdidae): Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush; Spotted Nightingale-Thrush; Andean Solitaire; Ecuadorian Thrush; Plumbeous-backed Thrush; Swainson's Thrush

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

- Wrens (Troglodytidae): Fasciated Wren; Speckle-breasted Wren; Superciliated Wren

- Gnatcatchers (Polioptilidae): Long-billed Gnatwren

- Tanagers (Thraupidae): Orange-bellied Euphonia; Thick-billed Euphonia; Bay-headed Tanager; Flame-rumped Tanager; Silver-throated Tanager; Swallow Tanager; White-lined Tanager

- Blackbirds, Orioles and Cowbirds (Icteridae): Scrub Blackbird; Scarlet-rumped Cacique; Yellow-rumped Cacique; Great-tailed Grackle; Yellow-tailed Oriole

- Cardinals and Grosbeaks (Cardinalidae): Blue-black Grosbeak; Golden-bellied Grosbeak; Black-winged Saltator; Streaked Saltator

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

- Warblers (Parulidae): Tropical Parula; Golden-bellied Warbler; Grey-and-gold Warbler; Three-striped Warbler; Masked Yellowthroat; Olive-crowned Yellowthroat

- Bananaquits (Coerebidae): Bananaquit

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch; Crimson Finch; Saffron Finch; Blue Seedeater; Chestnut-throated Seedeater; Parrot-billed Seedeater; Yellow-bellied Seedeater; Large-billed Seed-Finch; Black-capped Sparrow; Black-striped Sparrow; Orange-billed Sparrow

- Finches (Fringillidae): Saffron Siskin

Plants:

6 mangrove species including worldwide highest mangrove species; oaks, balza tree; many kinds of orchids and bromeliads

Possible activities

4 short walking trails

Canoe trips through mangrove areas

Note

VI-VII big concentration of migratory birds

Pictures - source flickr.com