LIST OF ENDEMIC BIRDS OF PERU

One of the primary factors contributing to the remarkable endemism in Peru is its diverse range of habitats. The country’s landscape encompasses coastal deserts, towering Andean mountain ranges, lush cloud forests, and the expansive Amazon rainforest, all of which provide a multitude of niches for life to evolve in isolation creating an amazing number of endemic birds of Peru. These unique habitats have given rise to an exceptional array of flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world. This megadiversity may be confusing for it´s geographical complexity, you will find here a Comprehensible guide for Birding in Peru.

It´s important to notice that this list and total count may vary based on which Taxonomic authority you are following. For our recomendations about which Field Guides you should use for Birding in Peru see here.

Birds, in particular, are a striking example of Peru’s endemism. The country is home to a wealth of avian species that have evolved in isolation, adapting to specific ecological niches within Peru’s varied landscapes. Peru boasts over 117 endemic bird species (some still remain undescribed), from strikingly beautiful or rarely found even in appropriate habitat. As a great example of this bio diversity, Peru is currently the leading birding country in the October Big Day (see more details here).

You can find here first a short list of some of our favorites and a total list of the Endemic birds of Peru (see more here):

If you are interested in Birding in Peru check our Birding Tours thoughout the country here.

Our top ten of Endemic birds of Peru

1. Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis): Found in the cloud forests of northern Peru, this hummingbird is known for its striking, iridescent plumage and its remarkable tail feathers, which resemble spatulas.
2. Inca Wren (Pheugopedius eisenmanni): This small bird with distinctive markings is native to the high Andes of central Peru. It’s often seen skulking in dense undergrowth.
3. Golden-backed Mountain-Tanager (Buthraupis aureodorsalis): Endemic to the upper elevation cloud forests of northern Peru, this tanager stands out with its vibrant golden plumage.
4. Rusty-fronted Canastero (Asthenes ottonis): A resident of the high Andes, this canastero can be found in Peru’s central and southern mountain ranges, and its plumage features a rusty crown.
5. Long-whiskered Owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi): This tiny owl is a critically endangered species, inhabiting the montane cloud forests of northern Peru. Its long facial whiskers are a distinctive feature.
6. Yellow-scarfed Tanager (Iridosornis reinhardti): This tanager species is unique to the high cloud forests of northern Peru, and its bright yellow «scarf» makes it easily recognizable.
7. Marvellous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis): Residing in the cloud forests of northern Peru, this hummingbird features a striking spatula-shaped tail and is noted for its iridescent plumage.
8. White-cheeked Cotinga (Zaratornis stresemanni): This cotinga is found in the cloud forests of northern Peru and is characterized by its white cheeks and vibrant plumage.
9. Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant (Uromyias agraphia): A high-altitude bird, this tit-tyrant is native to the Andes of southern Peru and is known for its unmarked, grayish plumage.
10. Junin Grebe (Podiceps taczanowskii): Endemic to Lake Junin in the central Andes of Peru, this critically endangered bird is the world’s rarest grebe species and is recognized by its distinctive red eyes
11. Scarlet-banded Barbet (Capito wallacei): Wonderful cloud forest specie, found only in the remote and restricted mountains of the Cordillera Azul National Park in northern Peru. Unmistakable on its little range of distribution. Usually encountered in pairs or small groups that feed on fruit in the forest canopy.

Comprehensive List of Endemic Birds of Peru

N°	Latin Name	English name
1	Penelope albipennis	White-winged Guan
2	Pauxi koepckeae	Sira Curassow
3	Podiceps taczanowskii	Junín Grebe
4	Patagioenas oenops	Peruvian Pigeon
5	Xenoglaux loweryi	Long-whiskered Owlet
6	Phaethornis koepckeae	Koepcke’s Hermit
7	Phlogophilus harterti	Peruvian Piedtail
8	Polyonymus caroli	Bronze-tailed Comet
9	Taphrolesbia griseiventris	Gray-bellied Comet
10	Oreotrochilus melanogaster	Black-breasted Hillstar
11	Oreonympha nobilis	Bearded Mountaineer
12	Metallura theresiae	Coppery Metaltail
13	Metallura eupogon	Fire-throated Metaltail
14	Metallura phoebe	Black Metaltail
15	Loddigesia mirabilis	Marvelous Spatuletail
16	Aglaeactis castelnaudii	White-tufted Sunbeam
17	Aglaeactis aliciae	Purple-backed Sunbeam
18	Heliodoxa branickii	Rufous-webbed Brilliant
19	Leucippus taczanowskii	Spot-throated Hummingbird
20	Amazilia viridicauda	Green-and-white Hummingbird
21	Capito wallacei	Scarlet-banded Barbet
22	Aulacorhynchus huallagae	Yellow-browed Toucanet
23	Picumnus steindachneri	Speckle-chested Piculet
24	Colaptes atricollis	Black-necked Woodpecker
25	Forpus xanthops	Yellow-faced Parrotlet
26	Herpsilochmus motacilloides	Creamy-bellied Antwren
27	Herpsilochmus parkeri	Ash-throated Antwren
28	Percnostola arenarum	Allpahuayo Antbird
29	Myrmoderus eowilsoni	Cordillera Azul Antbird
30	Pithys castaneus	White-masked Antbird
31	Grallaria carrikeri	Pale-billed Antpitta
32	Grallaria przewalskii	Rusty-tinged Antpitta
33	Grallaria capitalis	Bay Antpitta
34	Grallaria erythroleuca	Red-and-white Antpitta
35	Grallaria cajamarcae	Cajamarca Antpitta
36	Grallaria blakei	Chestnut Antpitta
37	Grallaria occabambae	Urubamba Antpitta
38	Grallaria gravesi	Chachapoyas Antpitta
39	Grallaria oneilli	Panao Antpitta
40	Grallaria obscura	Junin Antpitta
41	Grallaria centralis	Oxapampa Antpitta
42	Grallaria ayacuchensis	Ayacucho Antpitta
43	Grallaricula ochraceifrons	Ochre-fronted Antpitta
44	Scytalopus affinis	Ancash Tapaculo
45	Scytalopus krabbei	White-winged Tapaculo
46	Scytalopus urubambae	Vilcabamba Tapaculo
47	Scytalopus whitneyi	Ampay Tapaculo
48	Scytalopus frankeae	Jalca Tapaculo
49	Scytalopus altirostris	Neblina Tapaculo
50	Scytalopus femoralis	Rufous-vented Tapaculo
51	Scytalopus intermedius	Utcubamba Tapaculo
52	Scytalopus macropus	Large-footed Tapaculo
53	Scytalopus gettyae	Junin Tapaculo
54	Scytalopus unicolor	Unicolored Tapaculo
55	Scytalopus acutirostris	Tschudi’s Tapaculo
56	Geositta peruviana	Coastal Miner
57	Geositta crassirostris	Thick-billed Miner
58	Geositta saxicolina	Dark-winged Miner
59	Geocerthia serrana	Striated Earthcreeper
60	Cinclodes palliatus	White-bellied Cinclodes
61	Cinclodes taczanowskii	Surf Cinclodes
62	Leptasthenura pileata	Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail
63	Leptasthenura xenothorax	White-browed Tit-Spinetail
64	Phacellodomus dorsalis	Chestnut-backed Thornbird
65	Asthenes virgata	Junín Canastero
66	Asthenes ayacuchensis	Ayacucho Thistletail
67	Asthenes vilcabambae	Vilcabamba Thistletail
68	Asthenes ottonis	Rusty-fronted Canastero
69	Asthenes palpebralis	Eye-ringed Thistletail
70	Thripophaga berlepschi	Russet-mantled Softtail
71	Cranioleuca marcapatae	Marcapata Spinetail
72	Cranioleuca albicapilla	Creamy-crested Spinetail
73	Pseudasthenes cactorum	Cactus Canastero
74	Synallaxis hypochondriaca	Great Spinetail
75	Synallaxis zimmeri	Russet-bellied Spinetail
76	Synallaxis courseni	Apurimac Spinetail
77	Uromyias agraphia	Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant
78	Zimmerius villarejoi	Mishana Tyrannulet
79	Leptopogon taczanowskii	Inca Flycatcher
80	Poecilotricus luluae	Johnson’s Tody-Flycatcher
81	Poecilotriccus pulchellus	Black-backed Tody-Flycatcher
82	Ochthoeca piurae	Piura Chat-Tyrant
83	Myiarchus semirufus	Rufous Flycatcher
84	Pipreola pulchra	Masked Fruiteater
85	Zaratornis stresemanni	White-cheeked Cotinga
86	Phytotoma raimondii	Peruvian Plantcutter
87	Doliornis sclateri	Bay-vented Cotinga
88	Lepidothrix coeruleocapilla	Cerulean-capped Manakin
89	Machaeropterus eckelberryi	Painted Manakin
90	Pheugopedius eisenmanni	Inca Wren
91	Cinnycerthia peruana	Peruvian Wren
92	Polioptila clementsi	Iquitos Gnatcatcher
93	Kleinothraupis parodii	Parodi’s Hemispingus
94	Poospiza rufosuperciliaris	Rufous-browed Hemispingus
95	Thlypopsis pectoralis	Brown-flanked Tanager
96	Nephelornis oneilli	Pardusco
97	Ramphocelus melanogaster	Black-bellied Tanager
98	Cnemathraupis aureodorsalis	Golden-backed Mountain-Tanager
99	Iridosornis reinhardti	Yellow-scarfed Tanager
100	Tangara phillipsi	Sira Tanager
101	Piezorina cinerea	Cinereous Finch
102	Incaspiza pulchra	Great Inca-Finch
103	Incaspiza personata	Rufous-backed Inca-Finch
104	Incaspiza ortizi	Gray-winged Inca-Finch
105	Incaspiza laeta	Buff-bridled Inca-Finch
106	Incaspiza watkinsi	Little Inca-Finch
107	Poospiza alticola	Plain-tailed Warbling-Finch
108	Poospiza rubecula	Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch
109	Poospiza caesar	Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch
110	Sicalis raimondii	Raimondi’s Yellow-Finch
111	Atlapetes rufigenis	Rufous-eared Brushfinch
112	Atlapetes nationi	Rusty-bellied Brushfinch
113	Atlapetes forbesi	Apurimac Brushfinch
114	Atlapetes melanopsis	Black-spectacled Brushfinch
115	Atlapetes terborghi	Vilcabamba Brushfinch
116	Atlapetes canigenis	Cuzco Brushfinch
117	Cacicus koepckeae	Selva Cacique

Written by Danny Vargas by Manakin Expeditions