If there was a competition for the most impressive bird seen on my monumental trip to the thrilling country of Ecuador in September, then the Crimson-rumped Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus haematopygus) would be way up there. I can easily remember what it was like when I caught my first glimpse of this extraordinary bird. I had seen photos before I left the UK and then when one put in an appearance, it was like seeing a celebrity in the flesh for the first time. I am a wildlife dweeb so things like this make a big impact on me. They are not big like the other Toucans, about the size of a moorhen, perhaps a tiny bit smaller. To say that they are green wouldn't do them justice because they have multiple shades including, turquoise and blues. The crimson rump matches the red bare skin around the eye and they have an impressive, imposing beak. I don't know if it is just a coincidence but these photos are amongst the best from the trip. I love the first picture best.
It was photographed at Los Bancos near to Quito at the Amagusa Reserve. The host was a lovely man with an eye for business. He had been a hunter in a former life and had now realised that his future lay in "eco-torism". He bent over backwards to be helpful and his reserve was fabulous with dozens of Tanagers and Hummingbirds coming down to the feeding stations that he had set up. I can honestly say that visiting Amagusa Reserve was way up there with one of the best wildlife days of my entire life! The trip was part of a photography tour with Javier Zurita, a guide organised by Mercedes at the Puembo Birding Garden. Contact her to organise your own trip.
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