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World atlas

Cotopaxi National Park

National Park · Ecuador

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Photo © Simon Matzinger

Photo © Simon Matzinger — CC BY 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

ABOUT

High in Ecuador's volcanic corridor, where the páramo transitions into cloud forest along the slopes of Cotopaxi volcano, the national park unfolds across nearly 500 square kilometers of terrain sculpted by geological drama and ecological richness. Alpine grasslands dominate the upper reaches, their sparse vegetation adapted to thin mountain air and intense ultraviolet exposure, while lower elevations embrace dense montane forest where mist clings perpetually to canopy and understory. This mosaic of habitats—from exposed ridges to sheltered ravines—harbors a distinctive Andean fauna shaped by altitude and climate. Birds of prey hunt the open grasslands and forest edges, while forest songbirds and mixed-species flocks animate the cloud forest's shadowed depths. Small mammals navigate the dense vegetation and rocky outcrops, and larger herbivores move through clearings and forest corridors, their presence a measure of the park's ecological health. The volcanic geology creates stark contrasts: black lava fields adjoin emerald vegetation, creating a landscape of raw beauty and biological productivity that rewards patient observation.

WILDLIFE

Turdus fuscater

Black Flowerpiercer

Diglossa humeralis

Rufous-collared Sparrow

Zonotrichia capensis

Black-tailed Trainbearer

Lesbia victoriae

Sparkling Violetear

Colibri coruscans

Shining Sunbeam

Aglaeactis cupripennis

Southern Giant Hummingbird

Tyrian Metaltail

Metallura tyrianthina

Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle

Geranoaetus melanoleucus

Plumbeous Sierra Finch

Geospizopsis unicolor

Grallaria quitensis

Blue-winged Teal

Spatula discors

White-cheeked Pintail

Anas bahamensis

Yellow-billed Pintail

Oxyura ferruginea

White-collared Swift

Streptoprocne zonaris

Ecuadorian Hillstar

Oreotrochilus chimborazo

Sapphire-vented Puffleg

Eriocnemis luciani

Band-tailed Pigeon

Patagioenas fasciata

Black-winged Ground Dove

Metriopelia melanoptera

Fulica ardesiaca

Semipalmated Plover

Charadrius semipalmatus

Vanellus resplendens

Upland Sandpiper

Bartramia longicauda

Wilson's Phalarope

Phalaropus tricolor

Solitary Sandpiper

Tringa solitaria

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

Greater Yellowlegs

Tringa melanoleuca

Baird's Sandpiper

Calidris bairdii

Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

White-rumped Sandpiper

Calidris fuscicollis

Chroicocephalus serranus

Plegadis ridgwayi

Cinereous Harrier

Circus cinereus

Geranoaetus polyosoma

Short-eared Owl

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Carunculated Caracara

Daptrius carunculatus

Aplomado Falcon

Falco femoralis

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Chestnut-winged Cinclodes

Cinclodes albidiventris

Stout-billed Cinclodes

Cinclodes excelsior

Pearled Treerunner

Margarornis squamiger

Andean Tit-Spinetail

Leptasthenura andicola

Many-striped Canastero

Asthenes flammulata

White-throated Tyrannulet

Mecocerculus leucophrys

White-banded Tyrannulet

Mecocerculus stictopterus

Tufted Tit-Tyrant

Anairetes parulus

Paramo Ground Tyrant

Muscisaxicola alpinus

Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant

Agriornis montanus

Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant

Ochthoeca fumicolor

Red-crested Cotinga

Ampelion rubrocristatus

Brown-bellied Swallow

Orochelidon murina

Cistothorus platensis

Anthus bogotensis

Yellow-breasted Brushfinch

Atlapetes latinuchus

Spectacled Whitestart

Myioborus melanocephalus

Superciliaried Hemispingus

Thlypopsis superciliaris

Cinereous Conebill

Conirostrum cinereum

Ash-breasted Sierra Finch

Geospizopsis plebejus

Plain-colored Seedeater

Catamenia inornata

Warbling Masked Flowerpiercer

Diglossa cyanea

Blue-and-yellow Tanager

Rauenia bonariensis

Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager

Anisognathus igniventris

Ecuadorian Rail

Rallus aequatorialis

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna autumnalis

Merganetta armata

Cairina moschata

Penelope montagnii

Band-winged Nightjar

Systellura longirostris

Chestnut-collared Swift

Streptoprocne rutila

White-necked Jacobin

Florisuga mellivora

Tawny-bellied Hermit

Phaethornis syrmatophorus

Speckled Hummingbird

Adelomyia melanogenys

Long-tailed Sylph

Aglaiocercus kingii

Violet-tailed Sylph

Aglaiocercus coelestis

Mountain Avocetbill

Opisthoprora euryptera

Green-tailed Trainbearer

Purple-backed Thornbill

Ramphomicron microrhynchum

Rainbow-bearded Thornbill

Chalcostigma herrani

Blue-mantled Thornbill

Chalcostigma stanleyi

Viridian Metaltail

Metallura williami

Golden-breasted Puffleg

Eriocnemis mosquera

Coeligena torquata

Buff-winged Starfrontlet

Coeligena lutetiae

Mountain Velvetbreast

Lafresnaya lafresnayi

Sword-billed Hummingbird

Ensifera ensifera

Great Sapphirewing

Pterophanes cyanopterus

White-bellied Woodstar

Chaetocercus mulsant

Gorgeted Woodstar

Chaetocercus heliodor

Patagioenas subvinacea

Common Ground Dove

Columbina passerina

White-tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

Zenaida auriculata

Common Gallinule

Gallinula galeata

White-throated Crake

Laterallus albigularis

Podiceps occipitalis

American Golden Plover

Pluvialis dominica

Southern Lapwing

Vanellus chilensis

Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe

Hudsonian Godwit

Limosa haemastica

Jameson's Snipe

Gallinago jamesoni

Gallinago nobilis

Spotted Sandpiper

Actitis macularius

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Leucophaeus atricilla

Neotropic Cormorant

Nannopterum brasilianum

Theristicus branickii

Coragyps atratus

Pandion haliaetus

Black-and-chestnut Eagle

Spizaetus isidori

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

Morphnarchus princeps

Rupornis magnirostris

Parabuteo unicinctus

White-rumped Hawk

Parabuteo leucorrhous

Broad-winged Hawk

Buteo platypterus

American Barn Owl

Athene cunicularia

Trogon personatus

Golden-olive Woodpecker

Colaptes rubiginosus

Crimson-mantled Woodpecker

Colaptes rivolii

Red-billed Parrot

Pionus sordidus

Streak-headed Woodcreeper

Lepidocolaptes souleyetii

Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner

Striped Treehunter

Thripadectes holostictus

White-browed Spinetail

Hellmayrea gularis

Streak-backed Canastero

Asthenes wyatti

White-chinned Thistletail

Asthenes fuliginosa

Azara's Spinetail

Synallaxis azarae

Undulated Antpitta

Grallaria squamigera

Chestnut-crowned Antpitta

Grallaria ruficapilla

Equatorial Antpitta

Grallaria saturata

Ocellated Tapaculo

Acropternis orthonyx

Paramo Tapaculo

Scytalopus opacus

Blackish Tapaculo

Scytalopus latrans

White-crested Elaenia

Elaenia albiceps

Sierran Elaenia

Elaenia pallatangae

White-tailed Tyrannulet

Mecocerculus poecilocercus

Agile Tit-Tyrant

Uromyias agilis

Torrent Tyrannulet

Serpophaga cinerea

Streak-necked Flycatcher

Mionectes striaticollis

Olive-striped Flycatcher

Mionectes galbinus

Rufous-breasted Flycatcher

Leptopogon rufipectus

Cinnamon Flycatcher

Pyrrhomyias cinnamomeus

Sayornis nigricans

Vermilion Flycatcher

Pyrocephalus rubinus

Spot-billed Ground Tyrant

Muscisaxicola maculirostris

White-browed Ground Tyrant

Muscisaxicola albilora

Red-rumped Bush Tyrant

Cnemarchus erythropygius

Streak-throated Bush Tyrant

Myiotheretes striaticollis

Smoky Bush Tyrant

Myiotheretes fumigatus

Crowned Chat-Tyrant

Silvicultrix frontalis

Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant

Ochthoeca cinnamomeiventris

Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant

Ochthoeca rufipectoralis

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus

Cyanolyca turcosa

Riparia riparia

Southern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx ruficollis

Blue-and-white Swallow

Pygochelidon cyanoleuca

Hirundo rustica

American Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Plain-tailed Wren

Pheugopedius euophrys

Southern House Wren

Troglodytes musculus

Troglodytes solstitialis

Grey-breasted Wood Wren

Henicorhina leucophrys

Swainson's Thrush

Catharus ustulatus

Chiguanco Thrush

Turdus chiguanco

Glossy-black Thrush

Turdus serranus

White-capped Dipper

Cinclus leucocephalus

Passer domesticus

Spinus magellanicus

Ashy-throated Chlorospingus

Chlorospingus canigularis

Chestnut-capped Brushfinch

Arremon brunneinucha

Choco Brushfinch

Atlapetes crassus

Pale-naped Brushfinch

Atlapetes pallidinucha

White-winged Brushfinch

Atlapetes leucopterus

Peruvian Meadowlark

Leistes bellicosus

Molothrus oryzivorus

Scrub Blackbird

Dives warczewiczi

Blackburnian Warbler

Setophaga fusca

Black-crested Warbler

Myiothlypis nigrocristata

Golden Grosbeak

Pheucticus chrysogaster

Black-backed Grosbeak

Pheucticus aureoventris

Band-tailed Sierra Finch

Rhopospina alaudina

Blue-black Grassquit

Volatinia jacarina

Black-and-white Seedeater

Sporophila luctuosa

Conirostrum binghami

Blue-backed Conebill

Conirostrum sitticolor

Grassland Yellow Finch

Sicalis luteola

Band-tailed Seedeater

Catamenia analis

Paramo Seedeater

Catamenia homochroa

Glossy Flowerpiercer

Diglossa lafresnayii

White-sided Flowerpiercer

Diglossa albilatera

Buff-breasted Mountain Tanager

Dubusia taeniata

Black-chested Mountain Tanager

Cnemathraupis eximia

Blue-grey Tanager

Thraupis episcopus

Nomonyx dominicus

Smooth-billed Ani

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Calidris subruficollis

White-tailed Shrike-Tyrant

Agriornis albicauda

Andean Solitaire

Myadestes ralloides

Lycalopex culpaeus

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Sylvilagus andinus

View Complete List (210 more) →

COMMUNITY

0 Community observations

No community observations yet — be the first to log a sighting here.

Natural environment

Cotopaxi National Park

Very cold conditions shape most of the year.

Usual climateTundraHigh mountain

Average annual temperature 5.9 °C Average of the twelve monthly means

Average elevation 4,011 m High mountain

Climate pattern Tundra Main environment around this hotspot

A year of temperatures

Monthly means, with the coldest and warmest highlighted

Monthly minimum · July 4.6 °C Monthly maximum · April 6.5 °C

Global temperature scale

−40°−20°0°20°40°

Terrain and elevation

4,011 m · High mountain

Average terrain elevation estimate. This hotspot also includes high-mountain areas; the figure does not represent its highest summits.

Elevation scale

4,011 m

02,0004,0006,0008,000m

High mountain

Long-term climate averages, not live weather.

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