Fact Sheet

Creation Date: March, 2005

Hectares Protected: 100 ha (247 ac)

Altitude: 410 m.a.s.l (1345 ft)

Habitat Type: Montane Evergreen Forest of the Western Andes Foothills

Important Bird Area: Caoní River (EC040)

COME VOLUNTEER WITH US

We have an active and successful volunteer program and have had the pleasure of receiving volunteers from several continents. We look forward to working with you, so please contact us to inquire.

Come experience and support our 100 ha (247 ac) Chocó-lowland Bird Sanctuary, with its ample trail system and 15 m (≈ 50 ft) tall canopy observation tower.

This important site—one of the last remaining accessible forest remnants found in this key habitat—is situated in hilly lowland forest at an altitude between 325-410 m.a.s.l. The main feature at Río Silanche is its incredible birding: mixed species foraging flocks, packed with many important Chocó regional endemic species, bombard the visitor all day long without a break.

Many of these bird species are otherwise difficult to find without arranging a logistically far more complicated expedition to Esmeraldas province or even Colombia: Purple-chested Hummingbird, Chocó Trogon, Double-banded Graytail, Moustached/Griscom’s Antwren, Stub-tailed Antbird, Black-tipped Cotinga, Slate-throated Gnatcatcher, Scarlet-breasted Dacnis, Scarlet-and-white Tanager, Blue-whiskered Tanager.

Silanche Bird List (PDF)

Rose-faced Parrot

Entrance Fees

We charge entrance fees to help defray our operating and maintenance costs:

Per site: $12

Combo ticket: $22 (gives you multiple entrances to all sites for a three day period)

Map & Directions

Rio Silanche is just a three hour drive out of Quito, 7 kilometers down an all-weather dirt road taken at kilometer 126 along the Quito-Calacali-Rio Blanco. At km 126 look for a right-hand (North) turn-off, and “Santuario de Aves” sign, then follow smaller directional signs along this road until you get to the metal bridge over the Silanche river. Continue uphill 600 meters and the Reserve entrance and parking lot on your left.

All conservation efforts in this region are vital to secure the long-term viability of the avifaunal population in such fragmented habitat, and we have reforested 44 hectares on a neighboring property and 20 more dispersed on neighboring farms, as a first effort to repair and maintain a natural corridor between the Caoní and Silanche rivers, strengthening the Río Caoní IBA (EC040).

See more about this aspect of our project in the Restoration & Silviculture program.

Map & Directions

Rio Silanche is just a three hour drive out of Quito, 7 kilometers down an all-weather dirt road taken at kilometer 126 along the Quito-Calacali-Rio Blanco. At km 126 look for a right-hand (North) turn-off, and “Santuario de Aves” sign, then follow smaller directional signs along this road until you get to the metal bridge over the Silanche river. Continue uphill 600 meters and the Reserve entrance and parking lot on your left.

All conservation efforts in this region are vital to secure the long-term viability of the avifaunal population in such fragmented habitat, and we have reforested 44 hectares on a neighboring property and 20 more dispersed on neighboring farms, as a first effort to repair and maintain a natural corridor between the Caoní and Silanche rivers, strengthening the Río Caoní IBA (EC040).

See more about this aspect of our project in the Restoration & Silviculture program.

See other reserves

Milpe Bird Sanctuary

Tandayapa Reserves Cluster

Puyucunapi Pilot Project