Undiscovered Eastern Colombia: Birding Secrets of the White Sands of Inírida
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UNDISCOVERED EASTERN COLOMBIA: BIRDING SECRETS OF THE WHITE SANDS OF INÍRIDA JANUARY 17–24, 2019 White-naped Seedeater ©Steve Hilty LEADERS: STEVE HILTY & LUIS EDUARDO URUEÑA LIST COMPILED BY: STEVE HILTY VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM UNDISCOVERED EASTERN COLOMBIA: BIRDING SECRETS OF THE WHITE SANDS OF INÍRIDA JANUARY 17–24, 2019 By Steve Hilty The Pto. Inírida region of extreme northeastern Colombia has, until recently, been largely ignored by professional ornithologists and the birding community. And I have been guilty of similar neglect. Despite conducting research in Colombia since 1971 and guiding trips as early as 1975, I had visited this region only once a long time ago—briefly with a friend in October of 1978. That changed in January of 2019 when I returned with eight eager birders on a VENT trip. The sleepy little town of Pto. Inírida on the banks of the Río Inírida, is just a short boat ride downriver to the larger Río Guaviare. Upriver from the town, it is a little over an hour to the Cerros de Mavecure. Now, if you haven’t heard of any of these names you’re not alone. It’s a good bet most birders will be scrambling to Google Maps and Wikipedia to find out where they are. And, if you check, you will likely be surprised by what you find. Pto. Inírida is best known for the phenomenal Cerros de Mavecure, three smoothly-rounded, dome-shaped, quartzite mountains that seem to rise, as if by magic, out of the flat lowland forests that surround them. These cerros are huge and black and stunning. At midday they’re also hot, and so are numerous rock outcrops that dot the surrounding region. It is an otherworldly place. Adventurous visitors with Lonely Planet guides in tow often come to climb one or more of these fantastic peaks. We didn’t. We came for the birds and the experience of simply seeing this remarkable area. We disembarked at an Amerindian village at the base of these cerros, but there were few people around during our visit— no venders or hawkers, and no tourists. There is a small boat dock now, and the village is a little larger than when I visited 41 years ago. Most buildings are improved; there is a small, gleaming white hospital now, and a cell tower and a concrete basketball court, but it seems a village otherwise largely unaffected by time. Walking beyond the village, it didn’t take long to begin seeing birds—Opal-rumped Tanagers, Fulvous-rumped Tanagers, a White-throated Toucan, then four White-browed Purpletufts in a bare treetop. Not long after, we crossed a large rock outcrop (yes, also black and hot) and spotted a Pompadour Cotinga. Moments later, we saw four more males in another bare treetop. Walking back to the village, five Swallow-tailed Kites swooped and dived overhead, snatching large insects from the canopy leaves. However, the real draw for birders to the Inírida area may not be these magical (and sacred to the indigenous Amerindians) cerros at all. It is, in fact, the unique juxtaposition of Guianan, Amazonian, and grassland birds that occur in the mix of white sand soil forests and savannas here. White sand soils, because of their nutrient-poor nature, strongly influence the type of vegetation capable of growing in these areas. Forests tend to be scrubby—less luxuriant than in Amazonia, leaves are thick and leathery, and many areas are seasonally flooded. Most rivers are as black as strong tea. A variety of unique microhabitats have evolved here as well—just the sorts of places where interesting and range- restricted birds occur. We came with the promise of seeing many of the birds that occur in these white sand soil forests but nowhere else. And, we were not disappointed. Green-tailed Goldenthroat, Bronzy Jacamar, Orinoco Piculet, Blackish-gray Antshrike, Cherrie’s Antwren, Yapacana Antbird, Orinoco Softtail, Pale-bellied Mourner, Black Manakin, Yellow-crowned Manakin, Capuchinbird, Rose-breasted Chat, White-naped Seedeater, and Plumbeous Euphonia were among the species we found associated with these white sand soil forests. Other notables, mostly Amazonian in distribution, included Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet, four species of macaws, Cream-colored Woodpecker, Back-throated Trogon (is there a more beautiful trogon anywhere?), Chestnut-backed Antshrike (a recent discovery here), Imeri Warbling-Antbird, Yellow-crowned Elaenia, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Wire-tailed Manakin, Paradise Tanager, three species of oropendolas, and Velvet-fronted Grackles among others. And then there were two Giant Otters in the river one afternoon. We also had a fascinating close-up encounter with a surprisingly large Electric Eel checking little hiding places in a brandy-colored forest stream. This was an exploratory trip—not announced in VENT brochures, but it will be announced next year. Great food served family style and quickly, comfortable air-conditioned rooms, and short commutes to birding areas—it doesn’t get much better . but it could be a little cooler. Humidity was relatively benign, but middays were hot. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 2 Undiscovered Eastern Colombia 2019 Cerros de Mavecure, Guainía, Colombia. Photo: S. Hilty LOCATIONS: Caño Culebra Matraca Trail Caño Cunuben El Paujil Trail Finca La Rompedi (Río Guaviari) Remanso community [Cerro Mavecure (Mavicure)] Caño Vitina and community KEY: Red - White Sand Soil species Green - Guianan species possibly associated also with white sands habitats Blue - Boreal Migrants Boldface - Rare, unusual or of interest for varying reasons * heard only sendero = trail caño = creek or small stream várzea = seasonally flooded forest BIRDS: Tinamous, Tinamidae Little Tinamou, Crypturellus soui heard Caño Culebra Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 Undiscovered Eastern Colombia 2019 Ducks, Geese & Waterfowl, Anatidae Muscovy Duck, Cairina moschata pair at Sabanitas Guans, Chachalacas & Curassows, Cracidae Spix's Guan, Penelope jacquacu, 2 briefly at Caño Culebra at onset of rainstorm Cormorants & Shags, Phalacrocoracidae Neotropic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax brasilianus, rivers (small nos.) Anhingas, Anhingidae Anhinga, Anhinga anhinga. Rivers (3-4) Herons, Egrets & Bitterns, Ardeidae Cocoi Heron, Ardea cocoi, 1 or 2 Great Egret, Ardea alba, a few along rivers Snowy Egret, Egretta thula, very few Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, 3-4 Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis, group in river-edge tree Striated Heron, Butorides striata, one Capped Heron, Pilherodius pileatus, one or two Black-crowned Night-Heron, Nycticorax Nycticorax, a couple Ibises & Spoonbills, Threskiornithidae Bare-faced Ibis, Phimosus infuscatus, little groups New World Vultures, Cathartidae Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus, near human-occupied areas and beaches Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura, all resident forms Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, Cathartes melambrotus, over forest Osprey, Pandionidae Osprey, Pandion haliaetus , surprisingly common; 12-15 seen Hawks, Eagles & Kites, Accipitridae Double-toothed Kite, Harpagus bidentatus, 1 seen Black-collared Hawk, Busarellus nigricollis, Caño Cunuben Slate-colored Hawk, Buteogallus schistaceus, 2 pairs Caño cunuben Savanna Hawk, Buteogallus meridionalis, 2 along paved road south Great Black Hawk, Buteogallus urubitinga, 1 near end of Sendero El Paujil Roadside Hawk, Rupornis magnirostris, several Sunbittern, Eurypygidae Sunbittern, Eurypyga helias, pair in muddy creek at El Paujil trail Rails, Gallinules & Coots, Rallidae Russet-crowned Crake, Anurolimnas viridis, savanna area south of town Finfoots, Heliornithidae Sungrebe, Heliornis Fulica, Caño Cunuben Plovers & Lapwings, Charadriidae Southern Lapwing, Vanellus chilensis Collared Plover, Charadrius collaris Jacanas, Jacanidae Wattled Jacana, Jacana jacana Sandpipers & Allies, Scolopacidae Spotted Sandpiper, Actitis macularius Gulls, Terns & Skimmers, Laridae Yellow-billed Tern, Sternula superciliaris (apparently seen along river sand bars by a few people) Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 4 Undiscovered Eastern Colombia 2019 Large-billed Tern, Phaetusa simplex, numerous Black Skimmer, Rynchops niger, a few Pigeons & Doves, Columbidae Pale-vented Pigeon, Patagioenas cayennensis, mostly flying overhead various days Scaled Pigeon, Patagioenas speciosa, 2 at Vitina Ruddy Pigeon, Patagioenas subvinacea, heard frequently; Remanso Common Ground-Dove, Columbina passerine, Remanso Plain-breasted Ground-Dove, Columbina minuta, Remanso Ruddy Ground-Dove, Columbina talpacoti, ranch along Río Guaviari Eared Dove, Zeenaida auriculata [Bogotá) White-tipped Dove, Leptotila verreauxi, seen along Caño Cuneben Gray-fronted Dove, Leptotila rufaxilla, heard; several sites Cuckoos, Cuculidae Smooth-billed Ani, Crotophaga ani, a few (not numerous) Squirrel Cuckoo, Piaya cayana, several Nightjars & Allies, Caprimulgidae Least Nighthawk, Chordeiles pusillus, at dawn; Sabanitas Swifts, Apodidae White-collared Swift, Streptoprocne zonaris Short-tailed Swift, Chaetura brachyura Gray-rumped Swift, Chaetura cinereiventris Fork-tailed Palm-Swift, Tachornis squammata Hummingbirds, Trochilidae White-necked Jacobin, Florisuga mellivora, Sabanitas Great-billed Hermit, Phaethornis malaris, Sabanitas; El Paujil trail Reddish Hermit, Phaethornis ruber, Sabanitas Green-tailed Goldenthroat, Polytmus theresiae , 3-4 at Sabanitas (Savanna) Black-throated Mango, Anthracothorax nigricollis Amethyst Woodstar, Calliphlox amethystine , male at Sabanitas scrubb savanna Versicolored Emerald, Amazilia versicolor Glittering-throated Emerald, Amazilia fimbriata White-chinned Sapphire, Hylocharis