Did you know that Peru is home to 1847 bird species? Learn more about the Cock of the Rock, the Andean Condor and other birds that inhabit our country.

Peru is not only one of the four most biologically diverse countries on the planet, it is also the nation with the second largest number of bird species in the world. Our country, according to the Ministry of Environment, is home to 1847 bird species, 105 of which are endemic. This means that they only exist in Peru.

All of them can be found in different types of habitats throughout the national territory: from the seabirds that fish along our coasts, to those that rest in the Andean and Amazon wetlands. Our biodiversity is clearly enhanced by the unique geography of our country.

While traveling and discovering new spots in Lima you may need to use one of our mobile phone plans for tourists to have a tourist SIM card. In order to understand and find new adventures, here in PeruSIM. The following is a list of the 5 most representative birds of Peru.

COCK-OF-THE-ROCK (RUPICOLA PERUVIANUS)

It was declared the national bird of Peru in 1941, by the government of the then president Manuel Prado. Its crest and its singular plumage, of a very bright orange, make it as unmistakable as it is beautiful. Its preferred habitat is located in the humid cloud forests of the Amazon, located on the eastern slopes of the Andes mountain range between 500 and 2400 meters above sea level, especially in the ravines and gorges?

ANDEAN CONDOR (VULTUR GRYPHUS)

This is one of the largest flying birds in the world, with a wingspan of 1.4 meters and up to 3.3 meters with wings outstretched. Its flight capacity is also very special, as it is capable of reaching up to 6500 meters above sea level and then gliding for hundreds of kilometers without expending much energy, thanks to its efficient use of the rising thermal currents of warm air.

WHITE-WINGED GUAN (PENELOPE ALBIPENNI)

For an entire century it was thought to be extinct, until it was rediscovered in 1977 in Olmos (Lambayeque) by farmer Sebastián Chinchay. Today, the white-winged guan lives only in the dry forests of northern Peru, in Lambayeque, Piura and Cajamarca, in isolated populations. It measures 70 to 80 cm in length and feeds on fruits, flowers, leaves and seeds.

PERUVIAN BARBERRY (PHYTOTOMA RAIMONDI)

This species is endemic to Peru and only inhabits the dry forests of the north, from Tumbes to Ancash. Its most striking feature is the powerful crest that bristles at an alarm signal. Its curious name comes from the fact that it usually searches and perches on the lowest branches of trees and bushes to feed on their leaves and, to a lesser extent, their fruits.

PARIHUANA (PHOENICOPTERUS CHILENSIS)

This is the bird that, according to Ricardo Palma’s account, inspired the Liberator José de San Martín to create the first Peruvian flag. It is one of the three species of flamingos that exist in Peru. It is also a migratory bird that moves periodically from the Andes to the coastal region.