El Cairo is a picturesque town nestled atop a small plateau in the Western Cordillera of the Andes Mountains. The topography, unique to this area of the cordillera, consists of a ridge that runs diagonally from high elevations in the center of the mountains to the pacific lowlands below. This altitudinal gradient makes for impressive birding , and added to this is the fact that we bird in secluded areas and travel in 4-wheel drive vehicles on seldom used roads. The area boasts nearly 290 species of birds, six that are endemic and relatively easy to see and 30 near-endemic species. Target species include Gold-Ringed, Glistening-Green and Black-and-Gold Tanager, Indigo Flowerpiercer and Beautiful Jay.
The two reserves we will visit are Cerro El Ingles and Cascadas de San Antonio, both of which are manged by Serraniagua. Serraniagua is a community organization that promotes sustainable development through conservation, and one of their main goals to achieve their mission is the creation of conservation corridors. Stakeholders include farmers, rural schools, environmental groups, ecotourism outfits and women’s associations.
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