Natural la Paya National Park

National Park · Colombia

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Photo © wildatlasguide

Where the Amazon's western reaches fold into the Andes foothills, La Paya National Park sprawls across more than 8,500 square kilometers of pristine Amazonian rainforest in Putumayo, Colombia. This vast protected landscape encompasses multiple forest strata, from emergent canopy towers to shadowed understory, woven through by blackwater rivers, oxbow lakes, and seasonally inundated floodplain forests that pulse with water during the rainy months. The park's terrain ranges from lowland terra firme forest to transitional forests climbing toward higher elevations, creating a mosaic of microclimates where nutrient-rich soils support exceptional biodiversity. Large mammals inhabit these forests—big cats, primates, ungulates, and rodents adapted to both terrestrial and arboreal life—while the canopy thrums with mixed feeding flocks of songbirds, parrots, and other avifauna. Amphibians abound in the leaf litter and streams, and the river systems teem with fish species, caimans, and freshwater dolphins that patrol the deeper channels.

For wildlife photographers and naturalists, La Paya offers an unfiltered window into the Amazonian heart, where accessibility from Puerto Leguízamo provides entry to one of the continent's least disturbed rainforests. The sheer scale and remoteness of the park mean that patient observers can encounter a full cross-section of lowland tropical forest fauna—from birds of prey and waterfowl to forest mammals active at dawn and dusk. The wet season transforms the park's character, flooding the forest floor and concentrating wildlife around remaining high ground and riverbanks, while the drier months allow deeper forest exploration. Visiting demands serious preparation, substantial time, and local guides, but the reward is unmediated wilderness where evolutionary processes remain largely uninterrupted by human presence.

Website parquesnacionales.gov.co/PNN/portel/libreria/php/decide.php?patron=01.0111

Southern Lapwing

Vanellus chilensis

Blue-and-yellow Macaw

Crotophaga major

Butorides striata

Opisthocomus hoazin

Black-billed Thrush

Turdus ignobilis

Yellow-rumped Cacique

Ringed Kingfisher

Megaceryle torquata

Amazon Kingfisher

Chloroceryle amazona

Coragyps atratus

Spotted Tody-Flycatcher

Todirostrum maculatum

White-banded Swallow

Atticora fasciata

Pandion haliaetus

White-winged Swallow

Tachycineta albiventer

Cinereous Tinamou

Crypturellus cinereus

Undulated Tinamou

Crypturellus undulatus

Variegated Tinamou

Crypturellus variegatus

Cairina moschata

Speckled Chachalaca

Ortalis guttata

Penelope jacquacu

Nyctidromus albicollis

Nyctibius grandis

Nyctibius griseus

White-collared Swift

Streptoprocne zonaris

Grey-rumped Swift

Chaetura cinereiventris

Short-tailed Swift

Chaetura brachyura

Fork-tailed Palm Swift

Tachornis squamata

Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift

Panyptila cayennensis

White-necked Jacobin

Florisuga mellivora

Rufous-breasted Hermit

Glaucis hirsutus

Pale-tailed Barbthroat

Threnetes leucurus

Black-throated Hermit

Phaethornis atrimentalis

Phaethornis ruber

White-bearded Hermit

Phaethornis hispidus

Straight-billed Hermit

Phaethornis bourcieri

Great-billed Hermit

Phaethornis malaris

Black-eared Fairy

Heliothryx auritus

Black-throated Mango

Anthracothorax nigricollis

Butterfly Coquette

Lophornis verreauxii

Grey-breasted Sabrewing

Campylopterus largipennis

Blue-chinned Sapphire

Chlorestes notata

Smooth-billed Ani

Common Squirrel Cuckoo

Black-bellied Cuckoo

Piaya melanogaster

Pale-vented Pigeon

Patagioenas cayennensis

Plumbeous Pigeon

Patagioenas plumbea

Patagioenas subvinacea

Ruddy Ground Dove

Columbina talpacoti

Blue Ground Dove

Claravis pretiosa

Ruddy Quail-Dove

Geotrygon montana

White-tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

Grey-fronted Dove

Leptotila rufaxilla

Heliornis fulica

Ash-throated Crake

Mustelirallus albicollis

Grey-breasted Crake

Laterallus exilis

Rufous-sided Crake

Laterallus melanophaius

Aramus guarauna

Eurypyga helias

Anhinga anhinga

Neotropic Cormorant

Nannopterum brasilianum

Mesembrinibis cayennensis

Bare-faced Ibis

Phimosus infuscatus

Rufescent Tiger Heron

Tigrisoma lineatum

Boat-billed Heron

Cochlearius cochlearius

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Pilherodius pileatus

Sarcoramphus papa

Greater Yellow-headed Vulture

Cathartes melambrotus

Swallow-tailed Kite

Elanoides forficatus

Double-toothed Kite

Harpagus bidentatus

Ictinia plumbea

Black-collared Hawk

Busarellus nigricollis

Slate-colored Hawk

Buteogallus schistaceus

Rupornis magnirostris

Zone-tailed Hawk

Buteo albonotatus

Short-tailed Hawk

Buteo brachyurus

Ferruginous Pygmy Owl

Glaucidium brasilianum

Tropical Screech Owl

Megascops choliba

Tawny-bellied Screech Owl

Megascops watsonii

Pulsatrix perspicillata

Lophostrix cristata

Black-tailed Trogon

Trogon melanurus

Green-backed Trogon

Blue-crowned Trogon

Amazonian Black-throated Trogon

American Pygmy Kingfisher

Chloroceryle aenea

Green Kingfisher

Chloroceryle americana

Green-and-rufous Kingfisher

Chloroceryle inda

Amazonian Motmot

Paradise Jacamar

Jacamerops aureus

White-necked Puffbird

Notharchus hyperrhynchus

Black-fronted Nunbird

Monasa nigrifrons

White-fronted Nunbird

Monasa morphoeus

Swallow-winged Puffbird

Chelidoptera tenebrosa

Scarlet-crowned Barbet

Capito aurovirens

White-throated Toucan

Ramphastos tucanus

Channel-billed Toucan

Ramphastos vitellinus

Lettered Aracari

Pteroglossus inscriptus

Ivory-billed Aracari

Pteroglossus azara

Chestnut-eared Aracari

Pteroglossus castanotis

Many-banded Aracari

Pteroglossus pluricinctus

Yellow-tufted Woodpecker

Melanerpes cruentatus

Chestnut Woodpecker

Cream-colored Woodpecker

Ringed Woodpecker

Celeus torquatus

Lineated Woodpecker

Dryocopus lineatus

Red-necked Woodpecker

Campephilus rubricollis

Crimson-crested Woodpecker

Campephilus melanoleucos

Red-throated Caracara

Ibycter americanus

Laughing Falcon

Herpetotheres cachinnans

Falco rufigularis

White-winged Parakeet

Brotogeris versicolurus

Orange-cheeked Parrot

Pyrilia barrabandi

Blue-headed Parrot

Pionus menstruus

Short-tailed Parrot

Graydidascalus brachyurus

Yellow-crowned Amazon

Amazona ochrocephala

Amazona farinosa

Orange-winged Amazon

Amazona amazonica

Dusky-billed Parrotlet

Forpus modestus

Black-headed Parrot

Pionites melanocephalus

Maroon-tailed Parakeet

Pyrrhura melanura

Dusky-headed Parakeet

Aratinga weddellii

Chestnut-fronted Macaw

White-eyed Parakeet

Psittacara leucophthalmus

Wedge-billed Woodcreeper

Glyphorynchus spirurus

Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper

Dendrexetastes rufigula

Long-billed Woodcreeper

Nasica longirostris

Amazonian Barred Woodcreeper

Dendrocolaptes certhia

Black-banded Woodcreeper

Dendrocolaptes picumnus

Buff-throated Woodcreeper

Xiphorhynchus guttatus

Rufous-tailed Xenops

Microxenops milleri

Chestnut-winged Hookbill

Ancistrops strigilatus

Spot-winged Antshrike

Pygiptila stellaris

Moustached Antwren

Myrmotherula ignota

Myrmotherula brachyura

Amazonian Streaked Antwren

Myrmotherula multostriata

White-flanked Antwren

Myrmotherula axillaris

Myrmotherula menetriesii

Plain-throated Antwren

Isleria hauxwelli

Dusky-throated Antshrike

Thamnomanes ardesiacus

Dugand's Antwren

Herpsilochmus dugandi

Cocha Antshrike

Thamnophilus praecox

Plain-winged Antshrike

Thamnophilus schistaceus

Amazonian Antshrike

Thamnophilus amazonicus

Fasciated Antshrike

Cymbilaimus lineatus

Great Antshrike

Yellow-browed Antbird

Hypocnemis hypoxantha

Blackish Antbird

Cercomacroides nigrescens

Cercomacra cinerascens

Spot-backed Antbird

Hylophylax naevius

Spot-winged Antbird

Myrmelastes leucostigma

Black-faced Antbird

Myrmoborus myotherinus

White-shouldered Antbird

Akletos melanoceps

Rufous-capped Antthrush

Formicarius colma

Black-faced Antthrush

Formicarius analis

Rusty-belted Tapaculo

Liosceles thoracicus

Wing-barred Piprites

Piprites chloris

Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet

Tyrannulus elatus

Myiopagis gaimardii

Ochre-bellied Flycatcher

Mionectes oleagineus

Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher

Poecilotriccus calopterus

Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher

Todirostrum chrysocrotaphum

Grey-crowned Flatbill

Tolmomyias poliocephalus

Golden-crowned Spadebill

Platyrinchus coronatus

Pied Water Tyrant

Piratic Flycatcher

Legatus leucophaius

Rusty-margined Flycatcher

Myiozetetes cayanensis

Social Flycatcher

Myiozetetes similis

Grey-capped Flycatcher

Myiozetetes granadensis

Pitangus sulphuratus

Lesser Kiskadee

Philohydor lictor

Boat-billed Flycatcher

Megarynchus pitangua

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus

Short-crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus ferox

Large-headed Flatbill

Ramphotrigon megacephalum

Cinnamon Attila

Attila cinnamomeus

Citron-bellied Attila

Attila citriniventris

Bright-rumped Attila

Attila spadiceus

Purple-throated Fruitcrow

Querula purpurata

Amazonian Umbrellabird

Cephalopterus ornatus

Lipaugus vociferans

Plum-throated Cotinga

Cotinga maynana

Spangled Cotinga

Bare-necked Fruitcrow

Gymnoderus foetidus

Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin

Tyranneutes stolzmanni

Blue-backed Manakin

Chiroxiphia pareola

Blue-capped Manakin

Lepidothrix coronata

White-bearded Manakin

Manacus manacus

Wire-tailed Manakin

Pipra filicauda

Golden-headed Manakin

Ceratopipra erythrocephala

Black-crowned Tityra

Tityra inquisitor

Black-tailed Tityra

Tityra semifasciata

Varzea Schiffornis

Schiffornis major

Cinereous Mourner

Laniocera hypopyrra

White-browed Purpletuft

Iodopleura isabellae

White-winged Becard

Pachyramphus polychopterus

Lemon-chested Greenlet

Hylophilus thoracicus

Cyanocorax violaceus

Brown-chested Martin

Grey-breasted Martin

Progne chalybea

Southern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx ruficollis

Pheugopedius coraya

Buff-breasted Wren

Cantorchilus leucotis

Southern House Wren

Troglodytes musculus

Rusty-flanked Thrush

Turdus albicollis

White-lored Euphonia

Euphonia chrysopasta

Rufous-bellied Euphonia

Euphonia rufiventris

Yellow-browed Sparrow

Ammodramus aurifrons

Russet-backed Oropendola

Psarocolius angustifrons

Crested Oropendola

Psarocolius decumanus

Green Oropendola

Psarocolius viridis

Molothrus oryzivorus

Velvet-fronted Grackle

Lampropsar tanagrinus

Blackpoll Warbler

Setophaga striata

Buff-rumped Warbler

Myiothlypis fulvicauda

Green Honeycreeper

Chlorophanes spiza

Yellow-backed Tanager

Hemithraupis flavicollis

Purple Honeycreeper

Cyanerpes caeruleus

Red-legged Honeycreeper

Cyanerpes cyaneus

Short-billed Honeycreeper

Cyanerpes nitidus

Black-faced Dacnis

Bluish-grey Saltator

Saltator coerulescens

Buff-throated Saltator

Saltator maximus

Slate-colored Grosbeak

Saltator grossus

Blue-black Grassquit

Volatinia jacarina

Grey-headed Tanager

Eucometis penicillata

Flame-crested Tanager

Loriotus cristatus

Fulvous-crested Tanager

Tachyphonus surinamus

Masked Crimson Tanager

Ramphocelus nigrogularis

Silver-beaked Tanager

Ramphocelus carbo

Chestnut-bellied Seed Finch

Sporophila angolensis

Chestnut-vented Conebill

Conirostrum speciosum

Black-faced Tanager

Schistochlamys melanopis

Red-capped Cardinal

Paroaria gularis

Yellow-bellied Tanager

Ixothraupis xanthogastra

Blue-grey Tanager

Thraupis episcopus

Thraupis palmarum

Stilpnia nigrocincta

Green-and-gold Tanager

Tangara schrankii

Turquoise Tanager

Tangara mexicana

Paradise Tanager

Tangara chilensis

Opal-crowned Tanager

Tangara callophrys

Thick-billed Euphonia

Euphonia laniirostris

Yellow-bellied Dacnis

Dacnis flaviventer

Common Woolly Monkey

Lagothrix lagothricha

Colombian Red Howler

Alouatta seniculus

Pteronura brasiliensis

Tapirus terrestris

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