I’m out of breath – and not just because I’m desperate to see one of Ecuador’s most elusive birds, the rufous-bellied seedsnipe. To have any chance of success, I’ve come to Cayambe Coca national park in the eastern Andes. At 4,400 metres (14,400 feet), this is the highest altitude I have ever experienced.

Fortunately the skies are clear, the sun is shining, and my guide, Juan Carlos, is optimistic. I don’t tell him I have a track record of missing nailed-on certainties.

We park by a set of radar antennas, a strangely incongruous presence in this montane wilderness, overlooked by the snow-capped summit of Cotopaxi volcano.

Juan Carlos sets off, climbing higher and higher while I nervously watch and wait. Then he signals that he has spotted the birds, and I begin my own laborious ascent, stopping frequently to catch my breath.

Finally, I reach him. And there, just a few metres away, two plump, grouse-like birds are feeding, untroubled by our presence. Their intricate, cryptic plumage resembles fine lace or chainmail, quite unlike any other bird I’ve ever seen. I feel both triumph and relief.

Seedsnipes are a unique family of waders that don’t wade, look like snipes, or feed on seeds. Four species, all in South America, inhabit harsh environments where few other birds can survive.

We spend an hour photographing these delightful birds, before heading down to more hospitable surroundings, leaving the seedsnipes to their quiet and solitary existence.