This high Andean lake is located in the paramo near Papallacta Pass in Ecuador. Tawny Antpittas bounce around on the high paramo grasslands surrounding the lake; Sedge Wrens sing from the thick tussocks of grass; Ecuadorian Hillstars probe the orange chuquiragua flowers that are scattered over the grasslands; while the water itself holds some classic high elevation waterbirds, including Andean Duck, Yellow-billed Pintail, Silvery Grebe, and Andean Teal. However, it is arguably more important what lurks in the dense stands of polylepis woodland that dot the hillsides on the fringes of the lake. It is here where most birders focus their efforts on the lookout for the nuthatch-like Giant Conebill, a red, white-and-blue "tanager" that creeps along the flaky red bark gleaning bugs off these distinctive polylepis trees. This type of forest that is found above the normal treeline in areas of high paramo like this is a highly threatened habitat due to the scarcity of other resources for firewood in such areas.