List of flora and fauna of the Eastern Hills, Bogotá

Eastern Hills, Bogotá

The Eastern Hills of Bogotá is a threatened but rich area of biodiversity. Various species have been registered in the Eastern Hills of the Colombian capital.

Flora[]

Eagle fern (Pteridium aquilinum)

In the Eastern Hills a total of 443 species of flora have been identified, of which 156 species in 111 genera and 64 families of vascular plants.^[1]

A study published in 2013 lists as most important and characteristic species:^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

Name	Species	Image
eagle fern	Pteridium aquilinum
encenillo	Weinmannia tomentosa
	Drimys granadensis
	Carex jamesonii
	Gaiadendron punctatum
	Myrcianthes rhopaloides
	Tibouchina grossa
	Tillandsia turneri
	Ugni myricoides

Birds[]

Colombia is the country with the most recorded bird species (1912 as of 2014) in the world.^[7] The biodiversity of bird species in the Eastern Hills is higher than in the parks of urban Bogotá. The northern part of the reserve is richer in bird species due to the dense forests and larger space between the urban zones. Birds of 30 families, 92 genera and 119 species have been identified in the Eastern Hills.^[1] A study in 2011 provided data on 67 species in an area of 75 hectares (190 acres).^[8] The observation stations were between 2,674 metres (8,773 ft) and 3,065 metres (10,056 ft) in elevation.^[9]

Common name	Species	Image
white-bellied woodstar	Acestrura mulsant
yellow-billed cacique	Amblycercus holosericeus
red-crested cotinga	Ampelion rubrocristatus
scarlet-bellied mountain tanager	Anisognathus igniventris
white-browed brush finch	Arremon torquatus
pale-naped brush finch	Atlapetes pallidinucha
slaty brush finch	Atlapetes schistaceus
russet-crowned warbler	Basileuterus coronatus
black-crested warbler	Basileuterus nigrocristatus
broad-winged hawk	Buteo platypterus
band-winged nightjar	Caprimulgus longirostris
band-tailed seedeater	Catamenia analis
plain-colored seedeater	Catamenia inornata
Swainson's thrush	Catharus ustulatus
rufous wren	Cinnycerthia unirufa
yellow-billed cuckoo	Coccyzus americanus
golden-bellied starfrontlet	Coeligena bonapartei
crested bobwhite	Colinus cristatus
rufous-browed conebill	Conirostrum rufum
black vulture	Coragyps atratus
Blackburnian warbler	Dendroica fusca
white-sided flowerpiercer	Diglossa albilatera
bluish flowerpiercer	Diglossa caerulescens
grey-bellied flowerpiercer	Diglossa carbonaria
masked flowerpiercer	Diglossa cyanea
black flowerpiercer	Diglossa humeralis
mountain elaenia	Elaenia frantzii
white-tailed kite	Elanus leucurus
glowing puffleg	Eriocnemis vestita
American kestrel	Falco sparverius
Andean pygmy owl	Glaucidium jardinii
chestnut-crowned antpitta	Grallaria ruficapilla
black-eared hemispingus	Hemispingus melanotis
superciliaried hemispingus	Hemispingus superciliaris
grey-breasted wood wren	Henicorhina leucophrys
barn swallow	Hirundo rustica
golden-crowned tanager	Iridosornis rufivertex
green-tailed trainbearer	Lesbia nuna
white-throated tyrannulet	Mecocerculus leucophrys
Tyrian metaltail	Metallura thyrianthina
golden-fronted whitestart	Myioborus ornatus
streak-throated bush tyrant	Myiotheretes striaticollis
brown-bellied swallow	Notiochelidon murina
band-tailed pigeon	Patagioenas fasciata
Andean guan	Penelope montagnii
plumbeous sierra finch	Phrygilus unicolor
smoky-brown woodpecker	Picoides fumigatus
fawn-breasted tanager	Pipraeidea melanonota
purple-backed thornbill	Ramphomicron microrhynchum
eastern meadowlark	Sturnella magna
house wren	Troglodytes aedon
great thrush	Turdus fuscater
eastern kingbird	Tyrannus tyrannus
eared dove	Zenaida auriculata
rufous-collared sparrow	Zonotrichia capensis
black-chested mountain tanager	Buthraupis eximia
blue-throated starfrontlet	Coeligena helianthea
brown-backed chat-tyrant	Ochthoeca fumicolor
buff-breasted mountain tanager	Dubusia taeniata
cinnamon flycatcher	Pyrrhomyias cinnamomeus
coppery-bellied puffleg	Eriocnemis cupreoventris
many-striped canastero	Asthenes flammulata
sparkling violetear	Colibri coruscans
yellow-backed oriole	Icterus chrysater
pale-bellied tapaculo	Scytalopus griseicollis
rufous-banded owl	Ciccaba albitarsis
silvery-throated spinetail	Synallaxis subpudica
tawny-rumped tyrannulet	Phyllomyias uropygialis
white-throated screech owl	Megascops albogularis

Mammals[]

Mammals of 14 families, 17 genera and 18 species have been identified in the Eastern Hills.^[1][10] Until the first half of the twentieth century, the Eastern Hills were populated by larger species as the puma, spectacled bear and white-tailed deer, but these species have been hunted to extinction.^[11]

Common name	Species	Image
crab-eating fox	Cerdocyon thous
mountain paca	Cuniculus taczanowskii
white-eared opossum	Didelphis albiventris
eastern red bat	Lasiurus borealis
oncilla	Leopardus tigrinus
long-tailed weasel	Mustela frenata
	Nasuella olivacea
red-tailed squirrel	Sciurus granatensis
tapeti	Sylvilagus brasiliensis
soft-furred Oldfield mouse	Thomasomys laniger
snow-footed Oldfield mouse	Thomasomys niveipes
Thomas' small-eared shrew	Cryptotis thomasi
	Cavia anolaimae

Reptiles[]

Unidentified lizard in the Eastern Hills, locality Chapinero

Reptiles of four families, five genera and five species have been identified in the Eastern Hills.^[1][10] Of these species, only the lizards Anadia bogotensis and Proctoporus striatus have been found on the Guadalupe Hill.^[12] The striped lightbulb lizard is also present on the terrain of the Universidad de los Andes.^[13]

Common name	Species	Image
flat Andes anole
striped lightbulb lizard
thickhead ground snake	Atractus crassicaudatus
	Anadia bogotensis

Amphibians[]

Amphibians of four families, six genera and nine species have been identified in the Eastern Hills.^[1][10][11]

Common name	Species	Image
Peter's climbing salamander	Bolitoglossa adspersa
	Centrolene buckleyi
cream-backed poison frog	Colostethus subpunctatus
	Eleutherodactylus bogotensis
	Eleutherodactylus elegans
	Colostethus edwardsi

Fish[]

Three species of fish have been identified in the waters of the Eastern Hills.^[10][11] Of Trichomycterus venulosus only two specimens have been found, and it is thought the species is extinct in the rivers of the Eastern Hills, which may have to do with the introduction of trout.^[14]

Common name	Species	Image
rainbow trout (introduced)	Oncorhynchus mykiss
	Trichomycterus venulosus (extinct?)

Butterflies[]

In the Eastern Hills two species of butterflies have been identified.^[15]

Common name	Species	Image
Julia butterfly	Dryas iulia
common green-eyed white	Leptophobia aripa aripa

See also[]

• List of flora and fauna named after the Muisca
• Biodiversity of Colombia
• Thomas van der Hammen Natural Reserve

References[]

Bibliography[]

• Cantillo Higuera, Edgard E., and Melisa Gracia Cuéllar. 2013. Diversidad y caracterización florística de la vegetación natural en tres sitios de los cerros orientales de Bogotá D. C.. Colombia Forestal 16. 228–256. Accessed 2017-01-10.
• Mendoza R., Juan Salvador, and Camila Rodríguez Barbosa. 2014. Saurios en los Andes: historia natural de la comunidad de lagartijas de los cerros orientales de Bogotá, 11–13. Universidad de los Andes. Accessed 2017-01-10.
• Peraza, Camilo A. 2011. Aves, Bosque Oriental de Bogotá Protective Forest Reserve, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia. Journal of species lists and distribution 7. 57–63. Accessed 2017-01-10.
• Ramírez Hernández, Héctor Andrés; Claudia Inés Mesa Betancourt; Catalina García Barón, and Rodrigo Valero Garay. 2015. ¡Así se viven los cerros! – Experiencias de habitabilidad, 1–151. Alcaldía de Bogotá. Accessed 2017-01-10.
• N., N. s.a. Parque Ecológico Distrital de Montaña Entrenubes – Tomo I – Componente Biofísico – Fauna-Anfibios y Reptiles, 334–370. Corporación Suna Hisca.
• N., N. s.a. Los cerros, una reserva natural, 22–27. Accessed 2017-01-10.