Podocarpus National Park

🇪🇨 Ecuador

🐦 Collared Inca's Misty Peaks
🌍 #279 Global · 2.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #44 in South America #118 in Tropical Forest
Southern Andes, Ecuador 1523 spp. recorded

Podocarpus National Park is a rugged tropical rainforest sanctuary in the Southern Andes of Ecuador, spanning steep mountain slopes and dense jungle valleys. Dense cloud forests and high Andean vegetation cloak the park, traversed by steep dirt trails through thick fern-choked undergrowth. This protected area is famous for shielding rare Andean wildlife, including the signature Marañón white-fronted capuchin that forages through the upper forest canopy during morning hours.

-4.370° S   78.933° W

Wildlife

SIGHTING PROBABILITY Share of citizen-science records from the park that report this species
<5%
Rare5–20%
With luck20–40%
Possible40–70%
Likely>70%
Very likely
ACTIVITY PATTERN
☀️ Diurnal 🌙 Nocturnal 🌅 Crepuscular ☀️🌙 Day & Night

⭐ Iconic Species

Jocotoco Antpitta ★
EN

Jocotoco Antpitta

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Grallaria ridgelyi

20–30% · With luck
Andean Bear ★
VU

Andean Bear

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tremarctos ornatus

Insufficient data
Bearded Guan ★
NT

Bearded Guan

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Penelope barbata

30–40% · Possible
Andean Tapir ★

Andean Tapir

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Tapirus pinchaque

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Marañón white-fronted capuchin
NT

Marañón white-fronted capuchin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Cebus yuracus

40–50% · Likely
Collared Inca
LC

Collared Inca

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coeligena torquata

40–50% · Possible
Blue-and-white Swallow
LC

Blue-and-white Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Notiochelidon cyanoleuca

30–40% · Possible
Band-tailed Pigeon
LC Endemic

Band-tailed Pigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Patagioenas fasciata

30–40% · Possible
Amethyst-throated Sunangel
LC

Amethyst-throated Sunangel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Heliangelus amethysticollis

30–40% · Possible
Masked Flowerpiercer
LC

Masked Flowerpiercer

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Diglossa cyanea

30–40% · Possible
Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager
LC

Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anisognathus lacrymosus

30–40% · Possible
Blue-necked Tanager

Blue-necked Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Stilpnia cyanicollis

30–40% · Possible
Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch
LC

Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Atlapetes latinuchus

30–40% · Possible
Great Thrush
LC

Great Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus fuscater

30–40% · Possible
Green Jay
LC

Green Jay

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cyanocorax yncas

30–40% · Possible
Chestnut-breasted Coronet
LC

Chestnut-breasted Coronet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Boissonneaua matthewsii

30–40% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

Andean Bear ★
VU

Andean Bear

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tremarctos ornatus

Insufficient data
Andean Tapir ★

Andean Tapir

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Tapirus pinchaque

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Marañón white-fronted capuchin
NT

Marañón white-fronted capuchin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Cebus yuracus

40–50% · Likely
South American Coati
LC

South American Coati

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Nasua nasua

20–30% · Possible
Black Agouti
LC

Black Agouti

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Dasyprocta fuliginosa

10–20% · With luck
Mountain Coati
NT

Mountain Coati

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Nasua olivacea

Insufficient data
Red-tailed Squirrel
LC

Red-tailed Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Sciurus granatensis

Insufficient data
🐒 No photo available
LC

Stump-tailed Porcupine

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Echinoprocta rufescens

Insufficient data
Spotted Paca
LC

Spotted Paca

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Cuniculus paca

Insufficient data
Kinkajou
LC

Kinkajou

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Potos flavus

Insufficient data
Brown-eared Woolly Opossum
LC

Brown-eared Woolly Opossum

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Caluromys lanatus

Insufficient data
🐒 No photo available
VU

Andean Caenolestid

Mammal

Caenolestes condorensis

Insufficient data
Gray-bellied Caenolestid
NT

Gray-bellied Caenolestid

Mammal

Caenolestes caniventer

Insufficient data
Mexican Free-tailed Bat
LC

Mexican Free-tailed Bat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Tadarida brasiliensis

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Jocotoco Antpitta ★
EN

Jocotoco Antpitta

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Grallaria ridgelyi

20–30% · With luck
Bearded Guan ★
NT

Bearded Guan

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Penelope barbata

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Collared Inca
LC

Collared Inca

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coeligena torquata

40–50% · Possible
Blue-and-white Swallow
LC

Blue-and-white Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Notiochelidon cyanoleuca

30–40% · Possible
Band-tailed Pigeon
LC Endemic

Band-tailed Pigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Patagioenas fasciata

30–40% · Possible
Amethyst-throated Sunangel
LC

Amethyst-throated Sunangel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Heliangelus amethysticollis

30–40% · Possible
Masked Flowerpiercer
LC

Masked Flowerpiercer

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Diglossa cyanea

30–40% · Possible
Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager
LC

Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anisognathus lacrymosus

30–40% · Possible
Blue-necked Tanager

Blue-necked Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Stilpnia cyanicollis

30–40% · Possible
Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch
LC

Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Atlapetes latinuchus

30–40% · Possible
Great Thrush
LC

Great Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus fuscater

30–40% · Possible
Green Jay
LC

Green Jay

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cyanocorax yncas

30–40% · Possible
Chestnut-breasted Coronet
LC

Chestnut-breasted Coronet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Boissonneaua matthewsii

30–40% · Possible
Russet-backed Oropendola
LC

Russet-backed Oropendola

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Psarocolius angustifrons

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Parker's Pholiodobolus
EN Endemic

Parker's Pholiodobolus

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Macropholidus annectens

10–20% · With luck
Parker's Ground Snake
EN

Parker's Ground Snake

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Atractus carrioni

10–20% · With luck
Cuilanes of Hillis
LC Endemic

Cuilanes of Hillis

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Pholidobolus hillisi

10–20% · With luck
Girard's Whorltail Iguana
VU Endemic

Girard's Whorltail Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Stenocercus ornatus

10–20% · With luck
Black-and-white Worm Lizard

Black-and-white Worm Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Amphisbaena fuliginosa

10–20% · With luck
Andean Forest-pitviper
LC

Andean Forest-pitviper

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Bothrops pulcher

10–20% · With luck
Shieldhead Gecko
LC

Shieldhead Gecko

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Gonatodes caudiscutatus

Insufficient data
Patterned Whorltail Iguana
LC

Patterned Whorltail Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Stenocercus humeralis

Insufficient data
🦎 No photo available
VU Endemic

Lojan Lancehead

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Bothrocophias lojanus

10–20% · With luck
Barba Amarilla
LC

Barba Amarilla

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Bothrops atrox

5–10% · With luck
Speckled Forest Pit Viper

Speckled Forest Pit Viper

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Bothrops taeniatus

Insufficient data
Brown-eared Anole
LC

Brown-eared Anole

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Anolis fuscoauratus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Red-skirted Tree Frog
LC

Red-skirted Tree Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Dendropsophus rhodopeplus

20–30% · Possible
Lyman's Robber Frog
LC

Lyman's Robber Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Pristimantis lymani

10–20% · With luck
🐸 No photo available
LC

Cajamarca Robber Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Pristimantis cajamarcensis

10–20% · With luck
South American Common Toad
LC

South American Common Toad

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Rhinella margaritifera

10–20% · With luck
Gray Toad
LC

Gray Toad

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Rhinella poeppigii

10–20% · With luck
Red Snouted Tree Frog
LC

Red Snouted Tree Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Scinax ruber

10–20% · With luck
Espada's Robber Frog
LC

Espada's Robber Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Pristimantis galdi

10–20% · With luck
Sharp-nosed Forest Toad

Sharp-nosed Forest Toad

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Rhinella acutirostris

10–20% · With luck
🐸 No photo available
LC

Diminutive Rainfrog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Pristimantis andinognomus

10–20% · With luck
Günther's Banded Tree Frog
LC

Günther's Banded Tree Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Boana fasciata

Insufficient data
Tapichalaca Tree Frog
EN Endemic

Tapichalaca Tree Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Hyloscirtus tapichalaca

Insufficient data
Cocha Chirping Frog
LC

Cocha Chirping Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Adenomera andreae

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐦

Andean Cock-of-the-Rock Lekking

SepOctNovDec

Males gather at communal leks in the lower Bombuscaro forest to display; a lek is reported near the river trail inside the park.

Andean Cock-of-the-rock
LC

Andean Cock-of-the-rock

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rupicola peruvianus

10–20% · With luck
🦜

Golden-plumed Parakeet Flocks

FebMarAprNovDec

Noisy flocks of this threatened parakeet forage in the upper cloud forest at Cajanuma, a documented tour target of the park.

Golden-plumed Parakeet
LC

Golden-plumed Parakeet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leptosittaca branickii

20–30% · Possible
🐦

Boreal Migrant Songbird Season

NovDecJanFebMar

North American warblers and tanagers overwinter in the park's cloud forests, joining mixed flocks during the northern winter.

Blackburnian Warbler
LC

Blackburnian Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga fusca

10–20% · With luck
Canada Warbler
LC

Canada Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cardellina canadensis

10–20% · With luck
Summer Tanager
LC

Summer Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Piranga rubra

5–10% · With luck

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Species Total
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
20–30
20–30
30–40
20–30
30–40
30–40
30–40
Jocotoco Antpitta
10–20
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
10–20
5–10
20–30
5–10
10–20
20–30
20–30
Andean Bear
10–20
<5
<5
<5
20–30
<5
20–30
10–20
<5
<5
<5
<5
Bearded Guan
30–40
30–40
40–50
30–40
20–30
10–20
10–20
40–50
20–30
40–50
30–40
20–30
Andean Tapir
<5
<5
<5
<5
<5
<5
<5
<5
<5
30–40
<5
<5
Marañón white-fronted capuchin
60–70
50–60
30–40
20–30
10–20
30–40
30–40
20–30
20–30
10–20
60–70
40–50
Collared Inca
40–50
30–40
40–50
30–40
40–50
20–30
20–30
40–50
20–30
40–50
30–40
40–50
Blue-and-white Swallow
20–30
30–40
30–40
40–50
50–60
40–50
50–60
40–50
30–40
40–50
40–50
50–60
Band-tailed Pigeon
40–50
50–60
50–60
40–50
30–40
20–30
10–20
20–30
20–30
20–30
30–40
50–60
Amethyst-throated Sunangel
30–40
30–40
50–60
40–50
30–40
20–30
10–20
40–50
10–20
40–50
30–40
30–40
Masked Flowerpiercer
30–40
20–30
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
40–50
20–30
40–50
30–40
30–40
Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager
30–40
30–40
40–50
20–30
30–40
30–40
20–30
30–40
20–30
40–50
40–50
40–50
Blue-necked Tanager
30–40
40–50
30–40
40–50
30–40
30–40
40–50
30–40
40–50
30–40
30–40
40–50
Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch
30–40
30–40
50–60
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
40–50
30–40
20–30
20–30
40–50
Great Thrush
30–40
30–40
40–50
30–40
30–40
20–30
20–30
40–50
30–40
30–40
40–50
40–50
Green Jay
30–40
30–40
20–30
30–40
40–50
30–40
40–50
30–40
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
Chestnut-breasted Coronet
30–40
30–40
40–50
20–30
30–40
20–30
10–20
40–50
10–20
40–50
20–30
20–30
Animal Events
🐦 Andean Cock-of-the-Rock Lekking
🦜 Golden-plumed Parakeet Flocks
🐦 Boreal Migrant Songbird Season

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Moderate
🐦 Collared Inca's Misty Peaks

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Excellent

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
1030
🐒 Mammals
269
🦎 Reptiles
147
🐸 Amphibians
77
1523 Total Species
850 Global average across 296 parks
76 Threatened 83 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
1.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
38%
📊
Coverage (274 species at ≥5% of 1523 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
18%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (11 bird, 1 mammal)
46% Global avg
20%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
134 Global avg
210
🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
15 Global avg
6
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
27 Global avg
1

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Podocarpus National Park?

The most likely sightings are Marañón white-fronted capuchin (seen by 40–50% of wildlife watchers), Collared Inca (seen by 40–50% of wildlife watchers), Blue-and-white Swallow (seen by 30–40% of wildlife watchers), Band-tailed Pigeon (seen by 30–40% of wildlife watchers), Amethyst-throated Sunangel (seen by 30–40% of wildlife watchers) — among 1523 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Podocarpus National Park for wildlife?

March has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see Jocotoco Antpitta in Podocarpus National Park?

Yes — about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Jocotoco Antpitta sighting in Podocarpus National Park, based on 302 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Andean Bear in Podocarpus National Park?

It's possible but not guaranteed: about 8% of wildlife watchers report a Andean Bear sighting in Podocarpus National Park, based on 3 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data. Sightings take luck and time in the field.

Can you see Bearded Guan in Podocarpus National Park?

Yes — about 33% of wildlife watchers report a Bearded Guan sighting in Podocarpus National Park, based on 509 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Andean Tapir in Podocarpus National Park?

It's possible but not guaranteed: about 7% of wildlife watchers report a Andean Tapir sighting in Podocarpus National Park, based on 2 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data. Sightings take luck and time in the field.

⚖️

Podocarpus or ?

Compare species and sighting probabilities

Compare parks

Explore Other Parks

Cajas National Park 📍 173 km 🐦 Violet-throated Metaltail in Polylepis Woods

Cajas National Park

🇪🇨 Ecuador 🌍 #226 Global · 3.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #34 in South America #101 in Tropical Forest
Machalilla National Park 📍 368 km 🐦 Blue-footed Boobies on Isla de la Plata

Machalilla National Park

🇪🇨 Ecuador 🌍 #76 Global · 4.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #9 in South America #29 in Tropical Forest
Yasuní National Park 📍 463 km 🐒 Woolly Monkey Rainforest

Yasuní National Park

🇪🇨 Ecuador 🌍 #12 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #2 in South America #3 in Tropical Forest
Cordillera Azul National Park 📍 502 km 🐸 Poison Frog Paradise in Cordillera Azul

Cordillera Azul National Park

🇵🇪 Peru 🌍 #178 Global · 3.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #29 in South America #84 in Tropical Forest