SORATA & LIST 
BOLIVIA

LA PAZ (Compass)

Lat:00o00´S/00o00´W ha topography msl 
Protected/registered status 
Best Time for visit (January, 2006)

 

Birding Site Guide

Sorata is easily reached from La Paz in 4-5 hours depending on the road. Two bus companies run almost hourly services to Sorata from the Cementario area of La Paz. There is plenty of cheap accomodation in Sorata. I stayed at Panchita's on the plaza (Bs15 for a single). The reason for visiting the area was to try and find the endemic Berlepsch's Canastero which is apparently easy to find in Eucalyptus groves around town. I failed to find it in 2 full days of searching a variety of habitats and elevations around town and over 10km back out of town towards La Paz. This leads me to believe that there is some seasonal movement. There were some worthwhile birds though. Walking about 10 minutes out of town towards La Paz there is a sharp bend in the road where a stream comes down. This was a good spot for Cinereous Conebill, Brown-capped Tit-Spinetail, Azara's Spinetail and White-winged Black-Tyrant. I saw Green-tailed Train-bearer and Yellow-bellied Siskin a little further along this road. Crossing the main river the road snakes up the valley. I saw Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant perched in a Eucalyptus above the small settlement of Atahuallpani and a pair of Aplomado Falcons in fields at the top of the valley (about 10km from town). From here the habitat changes into more open Puna. I saw 32 species including 5 lifers. 


Species seen 

  • Andean Tinamou Nothoprocta pentlandii Heard
  • Speckled Teal Anas flavirostris Seen from bus back to La Paz
  • Mountain Caracara Phalcoboenus megalopterus
  • American Kestrel Falco sparverius
  • Aplomado Falcon Falco femoralis
  • Rock Pigeon Columba livia Introduced
  • Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata Photographed
  • Picui Ground-Dove Columbina picui
  • Andean Swift Aeronautes andecolus Heard
  • Sparkling Violet-ear Colibri coruscans
  • White-bellied Hummingbird Leucippus chionogaster Photographed
  • Green-tailed Trainbearer Lesbia nuna Photographed
  • Bar-winged Cinclodes Cinclodes fuscus
  • Brown-capped Tit-Spinetail Leptasthenura fuliginiceps
  • Azara's Spinetail Synallaxis azarae
  • White-crested Elaenia Elaenia albiceps
  • Tufted Tit-Tyrant Anairetes parulus
  • Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant Myiotheretes striaticollis
  • White-winged Black-Tyrant Knipolegus aterrimus Photographed
  • Purple Martin Progne subis
  • Blue-and-white Swallow Notiochelidon cyanoleuca
  • House Wren Troglodytes aedon
  • Chiguanco Thrush Turdus chiguanco Photographed
  • Cinereous Conebill Conirostrum cinereum
  • Sayaca Tanager Thraupis sayaca
  • Blue-and-yellow Tanager Thraupis bonariensis
  • Band-tailed Seedeater Catamenia analis
  • Black-throated Flowerpiercer Diglossa brunneiventris Seen from bus back to La Paz
  • Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis
  • Golden-billed Saltator Saltator aurantiirostris Photographed
  • Black-backed Grosbeak Pheucticus aureoventris Photographed
  • Yellow-bellied Siskin Carduelis xanthogastra Photographed


Other Fauna 

A total of -- species of mammals. 

There are -- recorded species of amphibians and reptiles. 

Flora 

Author: Charles Hesse

 

www.birdingsiteguide.com