sign in sign up
<<
Home , Antillean nighthawk, Elfin woods warbler, Lesser Antillean pewee, Puerto Rican flycatcher, Puerto Rican tody

Field Guides Tour Report 2011

Apr 2, 2011 to Apr 8, 2011 George Armistead & John Coons

We dashed down to Puerto Rico for a week in April in 2011, and it rewarded us richly. Most everyone added a day to check out the sights at Old San Juan, but our time together was spent birding and searching for the island's 18 or so endemic (depending on your ), and several regional endemics too. We were well received by the island's friendly folks, and we found comfortable (and birdy!) lodgings and good roads that delivered us a lovely week in the commonwealth. Though the smallest of the , Puerto Rico harbored some big target birds for us, and we enjoyed a wonderful -filled and relaxing week.

We began in San Juan. One third of Puerto Rico's population resides here, and so mostly our goal in San Juan was to meet up, eat up, and head out, and that's just what we did. Our first morning we headed for the Haystack Hills and were dazzled by a dizzying array of endemics. By 10 a.m. we had tallied about half the island's endemic bird species, registering fantastic sightings of Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo, Lesser Antillean (Puerto Rican) , the incomparable , and the absurdly good-looking . We picnicked along the coast and watched as a dozen or more White- tailed Tropicbirds careened around below us under halcyon skies.

While exploring the arid scrubby southwest side of the island, we visited Cabo Rojo, finding our first Yellow-shouldered Blackbirds and an abundance of shorebirds. Lesser Yellowlegs, peep, and Stilt Sandpipers packed the shores of the mangrove lagoons there. Amid these throngs of migrants headed to their arctic breeding grounds were a couple of surprises including an American Avocet and at least one Red Phalarope. A pair of Wilson's Plovers were present for good measure. The following morning a nearby lake teemed with birds. Ten species of herons fringed the marsh there, and we added elusive wetland denizens like Mangrove Cuckoo and West Indian Whistling-Duck and also encountered some like Red Bishop, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, and Bronze Mannikin. After a siesta we headed for the subtropical dry forest. Covering only about 500 square miles, this ecoregion is reduced to only a few small patches but is home to the entire world population of the critically endangered Puerto Rican . We arrived in late afternoon and were overwhelmed to spot not one but several Key West Quail-Doves that came flying (!) past us and then landed. Soon they dropped to the ground to feed. We couldn't take our eyes off these birds, marked in amethyst and metallic green. We sat and enjoyed them for nearly an hour, permitting Pearly-eyed Thrashers, , and Red-legged Thrushes to distract us occasionally. As the night fell, the cries of the nightjar materialized, at first just distantly. Suddenly, one called right next to us, and we discovered that if we flattened out on the ground we could see it beautifully. We enjoyed simply amazing studies of this rare endemic.

Next we headed up into the highlands. Maricao was our first highland destination, and what a great one it turned out to be. We scored with all of our targets, netting great Elfin-woods Warblers, Puerto Rican Tanagers, Green Mangos, Puerto Rican Orioles, and even the extremely rare Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawk and a couple of Black Swifts. Then it was time to move off to the east and visit the Caribbean National Forest, also known as "El Yunque." The only tropical rainforest in the U.S. national forest system, it gets its name from that of a Taino god believed to inhabit the peaks of these Luquillo Mountains. By now we'd seen nearly all the endemic birds, but we indeed needed to see this park which is (along with Old San Juan) a big draw to the island and is remarkably beautiful and lush. Black-whiskered Vireos and Loggerhead Kingbirds were abundant, and along the coast below these impressive mountains we found regional endemics like Green- throated Carib and Antillean Crested Hummingbird. After our farewell dinner, we retreated to the lodge to search one last time for the Puerto Rican Screech-Owl. This bird had given us the slip several times, but our last effort was our best, and magically it appeared right in front of us for a fantastic finale.

John and I truly enjoyed birding with you all, and want to thank you for making this trip possible and so fun to guide. We hope you enjoyed Puerto Rico as much as we did, and look forward to seeing you birding again soon.

--George

We have more information about this itinerary and future departures on our web page for Puerto Rico.

KEYS FOR THIS LIST One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant

Field Guides Birding Tours • www.fieldguides.com • 800-728-4953 1 BIRDS Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl) WEST INDIAN WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna arborea) – Both visits to a lake near our hotel produced good views. The species has declined dramatically on Puerto Rico and fewer than 100 birds are believed to reside on the island now. BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Anas discors) WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAIL (Anas bahamensis) RUDDY DUCK (Oxyura jamaicensis) Podicipedidae (Grebes) PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podiceps) Phaethontidae (Tropicbirds) WHITE-TAILED TROPICBIRD (Phaethon lepturus) – Yes indeed! No shortage of them flying around the cliffs at our lunch spot on the first day. Gorgeous and elegant birds. Fregatidae (Frigatebirds) MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD (Fregata magnificens) – Nearly daily. Sulidae (Boobies and Gannets) BROWN BOOBY (Sula leucogaster) – A handful in the harbor at Fajardo. Pelecanidae (Pelicans) BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis) Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns) LEAST BITTERN (Ixobrychus exilis) – One at a lake near our hotel in the southwest perched up briefly before disappearing. GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias) GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba) – The birds on this island seem as though they can be found just about anywhere. In Puerto Rico you see lots feeding along dry roadsides or even in fields that have no water at all. We joked that there should be an endemic subspecies (A. a. pastoralis perhaps?). SNOWY EGRET (Egretta thula) LITTLE BLUE HERON (Egretta caerulea) TRICOLORED HERON (Egretta tricolor) – This slender heron was supposedly John James Audubon's favorite bird. We saw them two days. CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis) GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens) BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nycticorax nycticorax) YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nyctanassa violacea) – We saw quite a few this year. Apparently, the closest relative of this bird is not the Black-crowned Night-Heron, but (another Nyctanassa, described from remains in 2006) the extinct Bermuda Night-Heron, that fed on land crabs and was extirpated shortly after Bermuda was colonized in the 17th century. Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills) GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus) Cathartidae (New World Vultures) TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura) – The assertion in many books that this species was introduced to the island appears unfounded. are known from neighboring islands as far back as the Pleistocene, and the species is most migratory, and thus a highly capable flier. More likely there was no food or until europeans settled the island, cleared forest and introduced livestock. Their partiality to only the southwest side of the island remains a point of curiousity. Pandionidae (Osprey) OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus) Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (CARIBBEAN) (Accipiter striatus venator) – An endangered bird, and one we always consider ourselves luck to find, and so we celebrated seeing one in flight display over the gorgeous Maricao forest. Approximately 150 individuals remain after the population has been ~halved since 1992. Habitat loss, hurricanes, and

Field Guides Birding Tours • www.fieldguides.com • 800-728-4953 2 by Pearly-eyed Thrashers are all problems for this bird that appears to deserve species status. Tanagers and hummingbirds appear to be popular prey items. This form appears more solidly ruddy along the flanks and upperbreast than the mainland form. RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo jamaicensis) Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras) AMERICAN KESTREL (EASTERN CARIBBEAN) (Falco sparverius caribaearum) MERLIN (Falco columbarius) – Seen three different days. Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots) CLAPPER RAIL (Rallus longirostris caribaeus) – Great views of this Caribbean form right from our hotel in the southwest. PURPLE GALLINULE (Porphyrio martinica) – Good numbers around of this strongly migratory bird. COMMON MOORHEN (Gallinula chloropus) CARIBBEAN COOT (Fulica caribaea) – All the coots we saw this year appeared to be white-shielded birds. But, this character (long held as the only one distinguishing this "species" from American Coot) is apparently governed by testosterone levels. White-shielded birds are males and occur throughout North America, and the West Indies. Those with larger whiter frontal shields are also most aggressive. Given all this, it appears there is no good reason to consider American Coot and Caribbean Coot separate species. Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings) BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (Pluvialis squatarola) WILSON'S PLOVER (Charadrius wilsonia) – Two birds at Cabo Rojo were a nice score among the large numbers of shorebirds there. Formerly known as Thick-billed Plover, this species uses its relatively heavy bill to feed on crabs, among other things. SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (Charadrius semipalmatus) KILLDEER (Charadrius vociferus) Recurvirostridae (Stilts and Avocets) BLACK-NECKED STILT (Himantopus mexicanus) – Daily. AMERICAN AVOCET (Recurvirostra americana) – A rare vagrant to the island that we were lucky to find at Cabo Rojo. Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies) SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Actitis macularius) GREATER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa melanoleuca) – Singles here and there. LESSER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa flavipes) – Seen four days. Big group of >300 at Cabo Rojo. RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres) SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER (Calidris pusilla) LEAST SANDPIPER (Calidris minutilla) STILT SANDPIPER (Calidris himantopus) – About 20 birds were among the throngs of shorebirds at Cabo Rojo, including one leucistic or amelanistic bird that was most noticeable. SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER (Limnodromus griseus) RED PHALAROPE (Phalaropus fulicarius) – Christian spotted this rare vagrant to the island amid the other shorebirds at Cabo Rojo. Another phalarope there was seen too briefly to be positively identified. Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers) LAUGHING GULL (Leucophaeus atricilla) GULL-BILLED TERN (Gelochelidon nilotica) ROYAL TERN (Thalasseus maximus) SANDWICH TERN (ACUFLAVIDUS) (Thalasseus sandvicensis acuflavidus) Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves) ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia) [I] SCALY-NAPED PIGEON (Patagioenas squamosa) – Widespread and easily encountered in Puerto Rico, compared to the other Greater Antillean islands. We saw them daily. PLAIN PIGEON (Patagioenas inornata wetmorei) – Very local in Puerto Rico but apparently increasing. We were lucky to have time to search for and find them this year. AFRICAN COLLARED-DOVE (Streptopelia roseogrisea) [I] WHITE-WINGED DOVE (Zenaida asiatica) ZENAIDA DOVE (Zenaida aurita) – Common particularly towards the east end of the island.

Field Guides Birding Tours • www.fieldguides.com • 800-728-4953 3 MOURNING DOVE (Zenaida macroura) – Fairly common in the arid southwest. COMMON GROUND-DOVE (Columbina passerina portoricensis) – Appear on the increase, we seem to see more and more each year, and saw them daily this year. KEY WEST QUAIL-DOVE (Geotrygon chrysia) – Yes!! Endemic to the Greater Antilles and , we were quite surprised to see our first ones go rocketing past us on the wing, and then spotted one resting up in a tree. Then we watched several on the ground. RUDDY QUAIL-DOVE (Geotrygon montana) – One seen by most folks. This is the most widespread quail-dove, found from tropical South America north thru Mexico and the West Indies, with a couple records from Florida and Texas. Psittacidae (Parrots) MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus) [I*] Cuculidae (Cuckoos) MANGROVE CUCKOO (Coccyzus minor) – Always a good place to see this skulker, as usual we had several nice sightings. PUERTO RICAN LIZARD-CUCKOO (Coccyzus vieilloti) – The lizard-cuckoos are found only in the Caribbean, and we enjoyed this strange and wonderful bird on several occasions. [E] SMOOTH-BILLED ANI (Crotophaga ani) – Daily. Strigidae (Owls) PUERTO RICAN SCREECH-OWL (Megascops nudipes) – Whew! This one came down to the last minute, but finally after considerable effort we were richly rewarded with a wonderful study. Formely known as "Múcaro" by the Taino for its monkey-like call, this bird or a closely related one is extinct from the Virgin Islands. [E] Caprimulgidae ( and Allies) ANTILLEAN ( gundlachii) – Though we did not see it, we were able to note its most distinctive feature: its voice. [*] (Caprimulgus noctitherus) – WOW! Amazing studies of this critically endangered bird. There are no guarantees with any bird much less one that numbers less than 2000 total birds. [E] Apodidae (Swifts) BLACK SWIFT (Cypseloides niger) – Great teamwork resulted in the spotting of a couple of these elusive birds. This was the first time we'd ever seen them on the tour, and they weren't close or in view for very long, but we still managed to see them decently. Trochilidae (Hummingbirds) ANTILLEAN MANGO (Anthracothorax dominicus aurulentus) GREEN MANGO (Anthracothorax viridis) [E] GREEN-THROATED CARIB (Eulampis holosericeus) PUERTO RICAN EMERALD (Chlorostilbon maugaeus) [E] ANTILLEAN CRESTED HUMMINGBIRD () (Orthorhyncus cristatus exilis) – After some brief initial sightings, we finally connected well with this dapper little hummer. Todidae (Todies) ( mexicanus) – Who doesn't love a tody? Nobody. They are tiny, colorful, charming and absurdly cute. The local name is the San Pedrito (Little St. Peter), and we found cooperative birds at several sites. They look like little Christmas tree ornaments, and folks are often surprised at how small they are. This family was once much more widely distributed across North and Central America, but today is confined to the West Indies. [E] Alcedinidae () BELTED (Megaceryle alcyon) Picidae (Woodpeckers) PUERTO RICAN WOODPECKER (Melanerpes portoricensis) – This is one stately woodpecker. In appearance it combines elements of Red-headed, Acorn, and Lewis's woodpeckers and is surely one of the world's best-looking. It is extinct from St. Thomas. Old nest holes are used by two other endemics, the Puerto Rican Flycatcher and the Yellow- shouldered Blackbird. [E] Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers) CARIBBEAN ELAENIA (Elaenia martinica) – Seen two days, heard another. (PUERTO RICO) (Contopus latirostris blancoi) – Split as an endemic by some, we had a nice pair in the Haystack Hills. PUERTO RICAN FLYCATCHER ( antillarum) – That amazing first morning in the Haystack HIlls this was

Field Guides Birding Tours • www.fieldguides.com • 800-728-4953 4 one of the endemics we tallied quickly. Seen 3 days. [E] GRAY KINGBIRD (Tyrannus dominicensis) – The national bird, and it is ubiquitous. We saw the "Pitirre" everyday, several times a day, and usually they were calling when we saw them or running off other birds. LOGGERHEAD KINGBIRD (PUERTO RICAN) (Tyrannus caudifasciatus taylori) – These birds are an oddity in that they are forest kingbirds, often lurking just inside the canopy, particularly in montane forest but even in the arid scrub of the southwest. Some authorities recommend this subspecies should be split. Unlike forms elsewhere in the Greater Antilles, this one's tail is entirely dark at the tip. Vireonidae (Vireos) PUERTO RICAN VIREO (Vireo latimeri) – Seen a couple days and heard several others. Its voice somewhat recalls that of a peppershrike, and it is a common victim of brood parasitism by Shiny Cowbirds. [E] BLACK-WHISKERED VIREO (Vireo altiloquus) – Sweet John Chewitt! They were singing all over the place and we saw several as well. Hirundinidae (Swallows) CARIBBEAN MARTIN (Progne dominicensis) CAVE SWALLOW (CARIBBEAN) (Petrochelidon fulva puertoricensis) – Endemic subspecies, commonly under bridges, especially towards the east end of the island where we saw them on our 1st and last days. Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies) RED-LEGGED THRUSH (EASTERN) (Turdus plumbeus ardosiaceus) – Daily. Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers) NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus polyglottos) PEARLY-EYED THRASHER (Margarops fuscatus) – With human settlement and development this native bird has increased dramatically, and appears spreading north. It commonly spoils nests of other birds, taking eggs from such as Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawk and Puerto Rican Parrot. Parulidae (New World Warblers) NORTHERN PARULA (Parula americana) YELLOW WARBLER (Dendroica petechia) – The ones in the Mangroves here are in the Golden Warbler/petechia group. They were common especially around our hotel grounds in the Southwest. ADELAIDE'S WARBLER (Dendroica adelaidae) – Wonderful views at several sites of this handsome endemic. [E] PALM WARBLER (Dendroica palmarum) ELFIN-WOODS WARBLER (Dendroica angelae) – YES! Great encounters in the Maricao Highlands. Another rare bird, totaling perhaps less than1200 birds, that was only just discoverd in 1972. [E] BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (Mniotilta varia) AMERICAN REDSTART ( ruticilla) NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (Parkesia noveboracensis) Coerebidae () BANANAQUIT (PUERTO RICO) (Coereba flaveola portoricensis) Thraupidae (Tanagers and Allies) (Nesospingus speculiferus) – The only endemic to the island and so really the island's most unique species. It is not super snazzy, but is still more attractive than illustrated by most artists, and may prove eventually not even really to be a 'tanager'. Nice views during our visits to the mountains. [E] PUERTO RICAN SPINDALIS (Spindalis portoricensis) – These birds are funny. Males are stupendous lookers, females are distinctive yet unfamiliar, and both may be easily encountered, or frustratingly difficult to find, depending on the day. We struggled mightly to find them but eventually did so up in the Maricao highlands. [E] Emberizidae (Buntings, Sparrows and Allies) YELLOW-FACED GRASSQUIT (Tiaris olivaceus bryanti) BLACK-FACED GRASSQUIT (Tiaris bicolor omissus) PUERTO RICAN BULLFINCH (Loxigilla portoricensis) – Daily. Their cardinal-like call was a constant. [E] GRASSHOPPER SPARROW (Ammodramus savannarum) Icteridae (Troupials and Allies) YELLOW-SHOULDERED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius xanthomus) – With a total population of around 1200 birds this is very much an endangered bird. We saw them splendidly in the southwest at a couple sites. The Shiny Cowbird has been very hard on this species. [E] GREATER ANTILLEAN GRACKLE (Quiscalus niger brachypterus)

Field Guides Birding Tours • www.fieldguides.com • 800-728-4953 5 SHINY COWBIRD (Molothrus bonariensis) PUERTO RICAN ORIOLE (Icterus portoricensis) – A handsome endemic that we saw at several sites, including a nest in Maricao that a ranger there showed to us. [E] VENEZUELAN TROUPIAL (Icterus icterus) [I] Fringillidae (Siskins, Crossbills, and Allies) ANTILLEAN EUPHONIA (Euphonia musica sclateri) – Wonderful studies. Passeridae (Old World Sparrows) HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) [I] Ploceidae (Weavers and Allies) RED BISHOP (Euplectes orix) [I] YELLOW-CROWNED BISHOP (Euplectes afer) – At Humacao National Wildlife Refuge we found quite a few of these. [I] Estrildidae (Waxbills and Allies) ORANGE-CHEEKED WAXBILL (Estrilda melpoda) [I] BLACK-RUMPED WAXBILL (Estrilda troglodytes) [I] BRONZE MANNIKIN (Spermestes cucullatus) [I] INDIAN SILVERBILL (Euodice malabarica) [I]

MAMMALS SMALL INDIAN MONGOOSE (Herpestes auropunctatus)

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Totals for the tour: 115 bird taxa and 1 mammal taxa

Field Guides Birding Tours • www.fieldguides.com • 800-728-4953 6