Oswaldo Cortés

Oswaldo Cortés is a Colombian biologist and professional bird guide based in Bogotá who has been working across the country for more than twelve years. He is the owner and lead guide of Bogota Birding & Colombia Wildlife Tours and is widely regarded as one of the strongest local guides for the Bogotá area and the Eastern Andes endemics. His research career has focused on conservation of focal hummingbird species and other threatened Colombian endemics, including the Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird, Niceforo's Wren and Colombian Mountain-Grackle. He has published in scientific journals and contributed to the 2014 revised edition of the Field Guide to the Birds of Colombia. In the field he leads trips ranging from half-day Bogotá outings — high-altitude wetlands for Bogotá Rail and Apolinar's Wren, Sumapaz páramo, Chingaza — to long multi-region tours covering the Chocó, Santa Marta and Amazon. He guides in English and Spanish and is a frequent recommendation on BirdForum for visiting birders looking for a Bogotá-based local guide.