Range extensions and other noteworthy bird records from the Ecuadorian Andes

We present the results of nine ornithological expeditions aimed at documenting bird diversity in areas of Ecuador that remain relatively underexplored. The majority of new records were made along the western Andes, either in the central or the southern extensions of the outer slope, suggesting that several species may have more continuous distributions than previously thought. Among the most interesting records are those of Collared Inca Coeligena torquata in western Azuay, Tricoloured Brush Finch Atlapetes tricolor in the Cerro de CelicaGuachanamá, in Loja, and White-browed Spinetail Hellmayrea gularis and Bluish Flowerpiercer Diglossa caerulescens in the Cordillera de Chilla, in El Oro. These new records in the south-west of the country suggest that extensive sampling is still needed in this region. We also report new altitudinal records for several species and suggest that they may represent range extensions rather than occasional records.