Birds, Coffee, and Cloud Forests: My First Days in Colombia’s Central Andes

Anna Orr
Jul 16
4 min read

Updated: Aug 19

Colombia.

Just the mention of the country probably brings to mind images of Pablo Escobar, the cartel, and vague feelings of danger or unease. I get it. From the late 1970s through the early 1990s, drug trafficking and cartel violence were the only stories coming out of Colombia, alongside ongoing conflict with the FARC (the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).

Unfortunately, that reputation has stuck—despite the fact that the country itself has changed dramatically.

✨ A New Colombia

Through joint efforts by the Colombian and U.S. governments, the major cartels were dismantled in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 2016, the Colombian government signed a peace agreement with the FARC. While drug trafficking and guerrilla groups haven’t vanished entirely, they no longer control the country and are now mostly relegated to isolated regions.

The result?

Much of Colombia is now safe for travelers—or at least, as safe as anywhere else in the world.

*My view on the approach to the airport in Medellín - breathtaking.*

🐦 A Birder’s Paradise

Colombia is quickly rising as a top-tier destination for birdwatching and ecotourism—and those activities are becoming a major part of the economy in several regions.

Here’s why:

~2,000 bird species—about 10% of all bird species on Earth
80+ endemic species found nowhere else
140+ threatened species, many vulnerable due to habitat loss
Diverse ecosystems and habitats packed into a single country

For any bird lover or wildlife photographer, the real question is:

Where in Colombia will you go first?

📍 Destination: The Central Andes

In late February 2025, I joined photographer and tour leader Jeff Parker for a 9-day bird photography tour through the Central Andes of Colombia. It was go-go-go the entire time—we were up before sunrise and often returning to our lodging well after dark.

Our journey began in Medellín, and I was the last participant to arrive on the afternoon of Saturday, February 22. After a long and hot immigration line (and brushing off some very rusty Spanish: ¿Dónde está el autobús para Hotel Movich?), I finally made it to our hotel and met Jeff for the first time.

I had just enough time to rinse off the travel day, grab a drink at the hotel bar, and meet the group for dinner. (The bar was beautiful—and yes, there were peacocks roaming the grounds.) I crashed pretty hard after that.

🦉 The Birding Begins

The next morning—Sunday—we were packed up and ready to roll when our local guide, Gilberto, spotted an owl roosting on the hotel grounds. And just like that, our trip officially began with a Tropical Screech Owl sighting.

*This Tropical screech owl was not thrilled that we were disturbing him. We each got a few shots and then left him to his morning nap.*

We hit the road for Jardín, a stunning mountain town with a picturesque town square, a beautiful church, and plenty of local restaurants and cafés. We checked into Casa Passiflora, a boutique hotel just two blocks off the square with only nine rooms. Our group filled nearly the entire place.

After checking in and dropping off our bags, we headed straight to our first photo shoot: a lek of Andean Cock-of-the-rock.

🐤 Andean Cock-of-the-Rock: The Lek Experience

The Andean Cock-of-the-rock is an iconic species of the cloud forest. Striking in appearance, they’re even more fascinating to observe during breeding season.

*A male Andean Cock-of-the-rock perches on a branch in Colombia’s cloud forest, showing off his brilliant plumage and prominent crest.*

The males gather at a lek, a competitive display site, where they call, posture, and sometimes even fight to win the attention of nearby females. We had the rare opportunity to witness one of these male confrontations—it had already been going for nearly an hour when we left the site.

We spent several hours with these extraordinary birds, many of whom perched on nearby branches just a few meters away. It was an unreal experience—one of those moments that reminds you why you travel, why you wake up early, why you carry a heavy lens through the jungle.

*Two male Andean cocks-of-the-rock posturing. These two ended up fighting and posturing for at least an hour.*

😅 The Climb

After we left the lek, we had to hike up what might’ve been the steepest hill of my life. There’s truly nothing more humbling than gasping for air in front of a group of strangers you’ve just met. Thankfully, we were all in the same boat.

Back at the hotel, we were more than ready for a cold drink, a warm meal, and an early bedtime. Our departure time for Monday?

5:00 AM.