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Ecuador Birding
About Ecuador
Ecuador(Republic of the equator), is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, by Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America (with Chile) that does not have a border with Brazil. The country also includes the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific, about 965 kilometres (600 miles) west of the mainland. Ecuador straddles the equator, from which it takes its name, and has an area of 256,371 square kilometres (98,985 mi²). Its capital city is Quito; its largest city is Guayaquil.
Ecuador is one of 17 megadiverse countries in the world according to Conservation International. With 1600 bird species (15 percent of the world's known bird species) in the continental area, and 38 more endemic in the Galapagos. In addition to 25,000 species of plants, the country has 106 endemic reptiles, 138 endemic amphibians, and 6,000 species of butterfly. The Galapagos Islands are well known as a region of distinct fauna, famous as the place of birth of Darwin's Theory of Evolution, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Despite being on the UNESCO list, the Galapagos islands are endangered by a range of negative environmental effects, threatening the existence of this exotic ecosystem.
Source: Wikipedia