In the western part of the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve, there is a place covered with a dense mountain forest inhabited by the Horned Guan, better known as the "pavo de cacho" (Oreaphasis derbianus) and the fascinating Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno). In October, the migratory birds begin to arrive, among the most prominent of which is the Golden-cheeked Warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia), an endangered species(Rappole 1998). This forest also contains mammals, including jaguars, pumas, wild boar, tapirs, margays and the raucous howler monkeys.

Location: Municipal District of San Agustín Acasaguastlán, Departament of El Progreso
Area: 240,803 (RBSM) (Conap 2006)

Fundacion Defensores de la Naturaleza

FDN

CLIMATE
The period from November through February is the coldest of the year. During these months, the temperature at night drops to almost 0°C (Paiz 1996). Beginning in June, the rains increase and the rivers rise.

VEGETATION
During the rainy season, mushrooms of different colors and shapes pop up at various times, and are probably more colorful than the flowers. Orchids abound, along with bromeliads and tree ferns. Firs, liquidambars, "masorco", "tajo" and chinchona are some examples of the characteristic trees of this kind of forest. (De León 1998).

NATURAL SPOTS
• PIEDRA DEL ANGEL: Among the pines, oaks, "jocotillos" and avocado trees, a great rock juts out at an altitude of 2,500 m.a.s.l. (De León 1998). This lookout point, known as Angel Rock (Piedra del Angel), offers visitors a spectacular place from which to view the forest, the Polochic Valley and innumerable topographical features among the mountains and valleys.

Pena del Angel / FDN

Pena del Angel / FDN

CONTACTS
The situation of the place might have changed; contact Defensores in advance.
To visit the reserve, you need permission from the Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza, Purulhá headquarters. To make your reservation call Tel. (502) 7959-5341, 7936-0681 or e-mail sminas@defensores.org.gt, info@defensores.org.gt
If you want a guided tour, contact one of the tour operators.

GETTING THERE
From the Guatemala City, take the Atlantic Highway (CA-9), to Km 88, where you turn left and drive about 2.5 km to get to San Agustín Acasaguastlán, the whole drive takes about one and a half hours. The highway is paved, in good condition and can be taken any time of year.
The second part of the trip is more complicated, as it requires a four-wheel drive vehicle. You will drive 26 km on an all weather road to the La Trinidad Plantation in los Albores (2-3 hours). This road has steep slopes and is poor condition. In the rainy season it gets muddy and you will have an opportunity to show your driving skills so as not to end up mired down.
To get to the Las Nubes Plantation, where you will find the La Cabaña Scientific Station, you must still drive 6km uphill. In the dry season, you can get there in a four-wheel drive vehicle. In the rainy season, you will have to walk this uphill stretch (2.5-3 hours). When you see the sign, “Bosque Eterno de los Niños”, it means that your are close. In the sign you must park your car and walk 30 minutes to the bungalows. See Site Map

FDN

Oak-pine forest /Andrea Najera, FDN

FDN

BIRDING SPOTS
Trinidad Plantation
Around the Trinidad Plantation (located 6 km from the La Cabaña Scientific Station) one can often observe seedeaters, such as the White-collared Seedeater (Sporophila torqueola), the Chestnut-capped Brushfinch (Atlapetes brunneinucha), the Yellow-throated Brushfinch (Atlapetes gutteralis) and the Flame-colored Tanager (Piranga bidentata).

Stretch from Trinidad Plantations to The Las Nubes Plantation
On the stretch from the Trinidad Plantation to the Las Nubes Plantation, you can observe the Common Black Thrush (Turdus infuscatus) and the Rufous-collared Thrush (Turdus rufitorques), as well as flycatchers such as the Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contupus borealis), the Blue-throated Motmot (Aspatha gularis) and some hawks such as the Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis). The Blue-and-white Mockingbird (Melanotis hypoleucus) is easier to identify by sight than by song, as it imitates the songs of various birds. Along the road you will be accompanied by the songs of the solitaires, the Brown-backed Solitaire (Myadestes occidentalis) known here as the "guardabarrancos" and the Slate-colored Solitaire (Myadestes unicolor) also known as "pito real". The Emerald Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus) is common, although sometimes it cannot be seen because its emerald green color mimics the vegetation.

Las Cabañas
The surroundings of las Cabañas (cabins) are also a good place to watch birds. During the night you can hear the song of the Mottled Owl (Ciccaba virgata), the Great-horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) and of the Pauraque (Nyctidromus albicollis). As night falls, be careful, as you may run into some of the mammals living in the forest, such as skunks, wild boars and margays. The next day you will awaken to the song of the Barred Parakeet (Bolborhynchus lineola), and then you will have to look in the forest for the Unicolored Jay (Aphelocoma unicolor) and the spectacular Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno). When the sun is stronger, look into the sky for predators such as the Ornate-hawk Eagle (Spizaetus ornatus) and the Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis).
During mating season, quetzals prefer the area of the cabins where there are more tree stumps, which they use as nests. The male quetzal keeps its long tail. According to M.C. Paiz, a biologist that worked for Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza, it is common for the quetzals to migrate to lower grounds during the months of November and December in search of food.

On almost any walking trail you will find the Golden-browed Warbler (Basileuterus belli), the Pink-headed Warbler (Ergaticus versicolor), the Common Bush-tanager (Chlorospingus ophthalmicus), and the Grey-breasted wood-wren (Henicorhina leucophrys) with its characteristic melodious song. At ground level, mainly where there are fallen branches, you can see the Ruddy-capped Nightingale-thrush (Catharus frantzii).

The Alex Trail / Piedra del Angel
To get to the Piedra del Angel Lookout Point at La Cabaña, take the Alex Trail. This 1.6 km long path is one of the best-maintained and it has a number of slopes. Along the way you will see a tree unique to the mountains of Guatemala, the "tajo" (Taxus globosa), which has poisonous seeds that can be fatal. Nevertheless, it can also be useful for humans, as its bark contains tannins, which are astringent and can be used to tan pelts. You can see the "jocotillo" tree (Sympolocos hartweggi), which is the favorite food of the horned guan and its relatives, the chachalacas and curassows (Arias 1999). On a clear day, from the Piedra del Angel Lookout Point you can enjoy an incredible view from some 2,500 m.a.s.l.. It is also a good place to see birds of prey. But be careful, because this rock becomes slippery when it rains. Near the rock, look for flowering trees so that you will be able to observe the Garnet-throated Hummingbird (Lamprolaima rhami).

The Trueno Trail
The Trueno trail is very comfortable for walking and you can look for interesting birds, such as the Moutain Trogon (Trogon mexicanus), from the same family as the quetzal, and among the cracids, the Crested Guan (Penelope purpurascens) is very easy to hear.
If you want to see the Horned Guan (Oreaphasis derbianus) you will have to be in the forest either at 5:30 AM or at 5:30 PM. When you detect the song (it has one with a low tone and another that sounds like a pig), look among the trees. Sometimes it sounds as if it were on the ground, but it is not and it may be perched 15 meters up. Once you find it, it is easy to follow. Sometimes it stays on the same branch for long periods of time. Remember that these birds are found near water.

The Piñalón Trail
The Piñalón trail leads to the second-highest point in the whole sierra. It is not permitted to go all the way to the summit, but you can go as far as a Guatemalan Fir or "pinabete" (Abies guatemalensis) tree, which is native to the mountains of Guatemala. On the way you may come across groups of foragers, including the Pink-headed Warbler (Ergaticus versicolor), the Common-bush Tanager (Chlorospingus ophthalmicus), the Golden-browed Warbler (Basileuterus belli), the Hepatic Tanager (Piranga flava) and the Spotted Woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus erythropygius). Look into the dense vegetation in the undergrowth at the edge of the path at seedeaters, such as the Chestnut-capped Brushfinch (Atlapetes brunneinucha).
This forest is home to various mammals such as jaguars, pumas, tapirs and howler monkeys. You may find the tracks of a jaguar or tapir confirming its presence. It is common to hear the howler monkeys or "zaraguates". You can easily follow them, getting closer and closer until you actually manage to see them.

Horned Guan / Andrea Najera, FDN	FDN
Golden-browed Warbler / Andrea Najera, FDN

SERVICES

SERVICE	COST	FACILITIES
Admission	Guatemalans: US$3/person Foreigners: US$5/person
Admission and Logning	Guatemalans: US$15/person/night Foreigners: US$35/person/night	2 cabins (8 beds) Shared baths Hot water Solar panels
Food	Q50 (US$7)/person/meal (groups > 5 persons)	Cabin with kitchen and dining room
Guide Service	US$10/ group/day	Maximum 15 persons.

Cabin / Andrea Najera, FDN

FDN

ATTRACTIONS ALONG THE WAY:
Nature
The dry forest is characteristic of the Motagua River Valley. There are two places where you can stop and watch the birds that are typical of this region. Thorn Scrub
As you gain altitude, there will be changes in the vegetation. During the migratory season you can observe the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), and the Grey Hawk (Buteo nitidus). The White-collared Swift (Streptoprocne zonaris) and those with a bifurcated tail, the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift (Panyptila cayennensis) and the Great Swallow-tailed Swift (Panyptila sanctihieronymi). In the oak-pine forest you can find more tanagers such as the Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) and the Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana), which is migratory, and woodpeckers such as the Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus). The Chestnut-sided Shrike-vireo (Vireolanius melitophrys) has also been sighted in this area of the forest (J.M. Ponciano, biologist U. del Valle de Guatemala, com. pers. 1998). Though it is rarely seen, its loud song resembles that of a falcon or hawk. It travels in foraging flocks with the Yellow-backed Oriole (Icterus chrysater).

ALTERNATIVES
The Chilascó Waterfall
From the Las Nubes Plantation you can hike to Chilascó. It is a trip of about 24km through the central zone. Even though it is truly a challenge, it is worth it, since you will get to see one of the largest (130m) and most spectacular waterfalls in Central America, “El Salto de Chilascó”. The waterfall is located 4 Km from the town of Chilascó. A communal forest surrounds the waterfall and is the start of the biological corridor between the SMBR and the Quetzal Biotope.
Access: From Guatemala City, Atlantic Highway to El Rancho (km 85), where you turn left towards Cobán. At the Km 144.8 there is a sign indicating a right turn to the village of Chilascó. The 12 Km stretch is a dirt road in good condition that can be driven with any kind of vehicle. The entire trip takes about 4 hours. Contact: You should notify the Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza headquarters of Purulá, of your visit to the area, so that the members of the waterfall committee will be aware of your plans and can help you. A guided visit to the waterfall costs Q30 (US$4). Admission fee: Q25 (US$3). Tel. 5301-8928 Web page www.chilasco.net.ms

Chilasco / FDN

Chilasco Waterfall / FDN

SUGGESTIONS

• If you go by private vehicle:
1. Check your gasoline at El Rancho (3km from of San Agustín Acasaguastlán), because there are no filling stations ahead.
2. Bring your car tools.

• Bring warm clothes for cold nights.

• If you are going to start the trip from Guatemala City, you should leave at dawn to get to the cabins during daylight. If you want to watch birds in the thorn scrub, it is best to do so on your return trip, when it will be easier to calculate how much time the remainder of the trip will take.