The Humboldt Trail is another of those “must bird” sites. This Andean trail within the 276,466 ha Sierra Nevada National Park is a wide, old Spanish pack-horse track which winds up from the ranger station at La Mucuy to the Pico Humboldt. Fortunately, the only users are hikers and birders with the occasional curious day-visitor, so that it is not uncommon to enjoy these marvellous cloud forests and their avian denizens in complete solitude.

The trail begins at 2100m and can comfortably be birded to about 2700m in a morning – above that one can camp in order to access the high-altitude bamboo breaks and páramo. Often, the first species one encounters is Rufous-banded Owl in the La Mucuy car park itself. The recreation area provides excellent birding with Mérida Sunangel, Gorgeted Woodstar and Moustached Brush-Finch being typical. During the northern winter, migrant warblers fill out the colourful subtropical mixed feeding flocks. Further up the trail Rose-headed Parakeet, Golden-headed Quetzal, Golden Starfrontlet, Mérida Tapaculo, Golden-breasted Fruiteater and White-fronted Whitestart are usually easy. Rusty-faced Parrots are a question of luck whilst the four species of Antpitta, including the endemic Grey-naped, require patience. Of the four Hemispinguses, Grey-capped is common, whereas Slaty-backed is unpredictable at the higher elevations. Quite apart from the birds, this trail runs through some of the most impressive temperate forest to be found anywhere and the all-round naturalist and hiker will find many delights to savour. The trail is also frequented by Spectacled Bears. Excellent accommodation is available just a short drive from the trail head.

Photo: My favourite inn close to the Humboldt Trail,
with Sierra de la Culata in the background (Chris Sharpe)

Specialities and endemics

Full bird checklist

Cuesta, M.R. 1988. Lista de las aves de las zonas de La Mucuy y Mucubají Areas del Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada, Mérida, Venezuela. Editorial Venezolana C.A., Mérida, Venezuela. 15 pp. This list omits many species but is a good starting point. 182 spp. on the Cuesta list.

Stiles, F. G. 1984. Inventario preliminar de las aves de las selvas nubladas de Monte Zerpa y La Mucuy, Venezuela. Boletín de la Sociedad Venezolana de Ciencias Naturales 39: 11-23.

(also 7. Andes: Yacambú National Park)