El Kilometer 18 – Colombia

About

More than 180 species of birds have been registered at El Kilometro 18. El Kilometro 18 refers to wooded areas in the San Antonio Cloud Forest that are located between Kilometers 14 through 23 of the Cali-Buenaventura roads, it is often referred to as the KM 18. The KM 18 belongs to the municipalities of Santiago de Cali, in the townships of El Saladito, Felidia, La Elvira, and Dagua in the townships of San Bernardo and Km. 26. The KM 18 is a local and international birding hotspot for Professional photographers and birders alike. It is only 30 minutes from Santiago de Cali, Colombia. It is of great importance in Colombia’s ornithological history. Frank Chapman, of the American Museum of Natural History, spent time researching the bird diversity within this area and forest and produced the first scientific inventory of the birds of Colombia. The Asociacion Rio Cali is a private non-profit organization that promotes and supports the maintenance of biodiversity and sustainable use of natural resources of the Cali and Aguacatal river basin, where the San Antonio forest and KM 18 are located. The KM 18 is designated as an Important Bird Area, IBA, for conservation. It has several globally threatened species like the Multicolored Tanager and the Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl. It is home to one of the most impressive nectar and banana feeder setups in Colombia that bring in more than 15 species of hummingbirds. Approximately 300 species have been recorded in the area.

Owen traveled to Colombia and visited El Kilometro 18 in January 2016 and has photographed the vulnerable Multicolored Tanager.

This site is featured in Owen’s new book, Birds of the Tropical Andes, available July 8, 2025.