MANU EXPEDITIONS BIRDING TOURS
[email protected] www.Birding-In-Peru.com
A TRIP REPORT FOR A BIRDING TRIP TO THE COLOMBIAN ANDES
April 5th – 23rd 2014
The scope of this trip was to target some of the most endangered Colombia endemics and range restricted species which are fortunately protected in fragmented forest patches thanks to the efforts of ProAves and the Colombian National Parks and watershed reserves Colombia – one of the three most diverse countries for birds on the planet along with Peru & Brazil. North of Ecuador the Andes branches into 3 distinct mountain chains, separated by the Cauca and Magdalena valleys, each with its endemic avifauna. The Santa Marta mountains rise, it seems, straight out of the Carribean and is a spectacular mountain range with a hatful of localized endemics. Mention of Colombia conjures images of Emeralds, Coffee, Vallenato music, Guerillas and Cocaine and indeed like many developing countries Colombia is in flux. We made no excuse for concentrating on endemics in the Colombian Andes, though on the route we took we did not ignore anything that popped up in front of us. This trip report is based on visits to reserves that protect the last remaining forests and habitats of some of the most endangered birds in the world. We experienced the warmth of the Colombia people, varied landscapes, tarditional local food and « surprise » juices!, and experienced driving skills from our driver Guovanni. Local Park guards were helpfull at all reserves.
The Agenda April 4th: Arrival in Bogota East slope Central Cordillera. 2625 Meters. Department of Cundinamarca.
April 5th: Birding all morning at the Chingaza National Park at 3000 metres above Nuevo Mundo, but dense fog and rain obliged us to drive back earlier than expected. Brief stop at the Guasca gravel pits. Night in Bogota. East slope Central Andes. Department of Cundinamarca.
April 6th: Early morning birding trip to Parque La Florida, Distrito Capital, then to the Tabacal Lake. After a nice lunch, we visited the Jardin Encantado with +40 Hummingbirds Feeders. Night in Bogota.
April 7th: Flight to Pereira and then drive to Otun Quimbaya reserve where we spent the afternoon. Night in Otun Quimbaya Reserve, 1800 meters, Department of Risaralda. West slope of the Central Cordillera.
April 8th: Morning at the Otun Quimbaya NP, near La Suiza, 1900 meters, Department of Risaralda. West slope of the Central Cordillera. In the afternoon - drive Manizales. Department of Risaralda. Night in Manizales.
April 9th: Full day birding in the Rio Blanco reserve 2500-2600 meters. West slope Central Andes. Department of Risaralda. Night in Manizales.
April 10th: Birding in the morning at the Nevado Del Ruiz NP, Department of Risaralda. 4000 meters, and drive in the afternoon to Mariquita for the night. Department of Tolima.
April 11th: Morning birding above El Libano at La Tigrera, Central Cordillera East slope and afternoon birding at Finca El Palmar (El Hato road) in the Magdalena Valley. Night in Mariquita.
April 12th: Early Drive and morning birding near La Victoria at the Bellavista Watershed Reserve, Central Cordillera East slope, Department of Caldas and drive to Puerto Boyaca for lunch and some birding nearby. Then afternoon drive to the Rio Claro reserve.
April 13th-14th: two full days at the Rio Claro reserve, biridng the trail system there and a nearby Oilbird cave.
April 15th: Last morning birding Rio Claro reserve, and afternoon drive to Medellin. Night in Medellin.
April 16th: Birding La Romera above Medellin. Flight to Santa Marta. Afternoon birding near Santa Marta.
April 17th: Morning birding near Baranquilla and at the Isla Salamanca reserve. Lunch in Santa Marta, and afternoon birding in the surroundings. Night in Santa Marta.
April 18th: Impossible to reach Tayrona NP because of National Holidays, and we birded the Las Gaviotas area. Then drive towards Riohacha and birding around Perico in the afternoon. Night in Riohacha.
April 19th: To Los Flamencos National Park, spending the morning birding near Pericos and the lagoons at Camarones. Lunch at the pleasant hotel in Minca, with several species of hummingbirds visiting the feeders. Drive to El Dorado lodge 1900 meters. Department of Magdalena.
April 20th-21st: Two full days birding the Santa Marta Mountains. 1600-2000 meters, Department of Magdalena.
April 22nd: birding the way down to Minca. Night in Minca.
April 23rd: Two last hours birding around Minca, and then drive to Santa Marta airport, and fly to Bogota and International conections.
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta at the Rio Blanco feeders – Picture Fabrice Schmitt
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow at Otun Quimbaya – Picture Rhys Harrison
Vermilion Cardinal at Los Flamencos NP – Picture Rhys Harrison
Buff-breadsted Mountain-tanager – Picture Rhys Harrison
Buffy Helmetcrest at Los Nevados del Ruiz – Picture Fabrice Schmitt
Butterfly at El Libano – Picture Fabrice Schmitt
More pictures from Rhys Harrison: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rbird53 And from Fabrice Schmitt: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fabrice-schmitt/
THE KEY
Species which were heard but not seen are indicated by the symbol * RED = IUCN RED LIST CATEGORY IOC = International Ornithological Congress SACC = South American Classification Committee RNA = Reserva Natural de Aves (Pro-Aves Reserves) E = Colombian Endemic RR = Range Restricted
THE BIRDS
TINAMIDAE Little Tinamou - Crypturellus soui*: Heard at several locations.
ANHIMIDAE Northern Screamer - Chauna chavaria: 1 seen near Puerto Boyaca. The last screamer for most of the group!!
ANATIDAE Black-bellied Whistling-duck - Dendrocygna autumnalis: 2 at parquet Florida, and 2 more near Puerto Boyaca.
White-cheeked Pintail – Anas bahamensis: 1 found near Baranquilla
Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors: Boreal migrant to Colombia seen at the Guasca Gravel Pits, Parque La Florida and near Barranquilla.
Andean Teal – Anas andium – seen on our first day at the Guasca Gravel Pits. The SACC says “Hellmayr & Conover (1948a) and many earlier classifications treated andium as a separate species from A. flavirostris- Speckled Teal. Following
Andean Duck – Oxyura ferruginea: 25+ at Parque La Florida and 2 on the pond at Los Nevados. Most of the birds seen around Bogotá were boreal migrants (males with white face), and the ones seen at Los Nevados belong to the “AndeanDuck” group. The SACC says “Andean populations have often (e.g., Hellmayr & Conover 1948a, Siegfried 1976, Sibley & Ahlquist 1990, AOU 1998, Ridgely et al. 2001, Jaramillo 2003) been treated as a separate species, O. ferruginea ("Andean Duck" or "Andean Ruddy-Duck"). However, see Adams and Slavid (1984), Fjeldså (1986), and McCracken & Sorenson (2005) for rationale for treating them as conspecific, as done previously (e.g., Blake 1977, Johnsgard 1979), and then followed by Fjeldså & Krabbe (1990) and Carboneras (1992f). Siegfried (1976) and Livezey (1995) considered ferruginea to be more closely related to O. vittata than to O. jamaicensis, but McCracken & Sorenson (2005) showed that this is incorrect” Cited as “Andean Duck “by the IOC.
Torrent Duck – Merganetta armata: a nice pair seen at Otun Quimbaya
CRACIDAE RR Chestnut-winged Chachalaca – Ortalis garrula: 20+ seen near Santa Marta
Rufous-vented Chachalaca – Ortalis ruficauda: 5 at Los Flamencos NP
E Colombian Chachalaca - Ortalis columbiana: a few sightings
E Cauca Guan – Penelope perspicax: Around 6 seen at the Otun Quimbaya Reserve where it was re-discovered. Penelope was the daughter of Icarius and wife of Ulysses King of Ithaca. Perspicax means “Sharp-sighted” in Latin. ENDANGERED
Wattled Guan – Aburria aburria: A hard to see Guan seen at Otun Quimbaya where a few more were heard only.
Sickle-winged Guan – Chamaepetes goudotti: Good looks above Bogota and in the Santa Marta mountains.
ODONTOPHORIDAE Crested Bobwhite - Colinus cristatus: two seen briefly at Los Flamencos
Black-fronted Wood-quail - Odontophorus atrifrons: coming daily at the El Dorado feeders
Chestnut Wood-quail – Odontophorus hyperythrus*: at Otun Quimbaya
PODICIPEDIDAE Pied-billed Grebe – Podilymbus podiceps: 2 at La Florida
PHOENICOPTERIDAE American Flamingo – Phoenicopterus ruber: 4 at the well named Los Flamencos reserve!!
FREGATIDAE Magnificent Frigatebird – Fregata magnificens: a few on Caribbean coast.
PHALACROCORACIDAE Neotropic Cormorant – Phalacrocorax brasilianus: seen here and there
ANHINGIDAE Anhinga - Anhinga anhinga: 1 seen near Puerto Boyaca
ARDEIDAE Capped Heron - Pilherodius pileatus: 1 seen along El Hato road, and even just glimpsed by Fabrice during our drive near Santa Marta
Great Blue Heron – Ardea Herodias: 1 seen near Barranquilla together with the following species
Cocoi Heron - Ardea cocoa: 5+ near Barranquilla
Great Egret - Ardea albus: We saw small numbers at several wetland sites. Now usually placed in the genus Ardea.
Reddish Egret – Egretta rufescens: 1 at Los Flamencos NP
Tricolored Heron – Egretta tricolor: 25+ near Barranquilla
Little Blue Heron – Egretta caerulea: regular sightings, especially along the Carribean coast
Snowy Egret - Egretta thula: fairly common
Striated Heron - Butorides striatus: Small numbers seen at several wetland areas.
Green Heron – Butorides virescens: 2 seen near Barranquilla
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis: Common and widespread
Rufescent Tiger-heron - Tigrisoma lineatum: only 1, seen near Puerto Boyaca
Fasciated Tiger-heron – Tigrisoma fasciatum: An immature seen at the Rio Claro reserve.
THRESKIORNITHIDAE Bare-faced Ibis - Phimosus infuscatus: Common.
White Ibis – Eudocimus albus: 50+ at Los Flamencos NP, including several hybrids with the following “species”.
Scarlet Ibis – Eudocimus ruber: Just 2 “pure” ones, unfortunately only seen flying from the bus. Eudocimus albus and E. ruber have similar displays, interbreed to a limited degree, and are interfertile, but nonetheless mate assortatively in Venezuela, with the overwhelming majority of breeding birds phenotypically "pure" rather than intermediate (Ramos & Busto 1983, 1985, 1987); they constitute a superspecies (Mayr & Short 1970, Steinbacher 1979, Sibley & Monroe 1990). They were considered conspecific by Hancock et al. (1992) because of the frequent interbreeding
Glossy Ibis – Plegadis falcinellus: 10+ seen near Barranquilla
Roseate Spoonbill – Platalea ajaja: 4 at Los Flamencos NP
CATHARTIDAE Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura: Jaramillo (2003) suggested that the resident tropical subspecies ruficollis and the southern subspecies group (jota and "falklandica") might merit recognition as separate species from the northern Cathartes aura group.
Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture – Cathartes burrovianus: a few seen in the lowlands (El Hota road, Puerto Boyaca)
King Vulture - Sarcoramphus papa: A stunning view of 1 perched bird, near Rio Claro reserve.
PANDIONIDAE Osprey - Pandion haliaetus: a few
ACCIPITRIDAE White-tailed Kite - Elanus leucurus: a few sightings during our drives.
Hook-billed Kite – Chondrohierax uncinatus: 1 seen at El Libano
Snail Kite – Rostrhamus sociabilis: 10+ seen near Barranquilla
Double-toothed Kite – Harpagus bidentatus: 1 seen at the Rio Claro reserve
Plain-breasted Hawk – Accipiter ventralis: 2 seen in the Sierra Nevada mountains
Common Black-hawk – Buteogallus anthracinus: 1 seen on the way to Riohacha
Great Black-hawk – Buteogallus urubitinga: 2 seen near Puerto Boyaca
Savanna Hawk - Buteogallus meridionalis: a few in the lowland wetlands
Harri’s Hawk – Parabuteo unicinctus: 2 seen near Riohacha.
Black-collared Hawk – Busarellus nigricollis: 1 near Barranquilla
Roadside Hawk - Buteo magnirostris: Numerous and widespread in small numbers.
Gray-lined Hawk – Buteo nitida: seen on 3 different days
ARAMIDAE Limpkin – Aramus guarauna: 10+ near Barranquilla
RALLIDAE E Bogotá Rail - Rallus semiplumbeus: A handsome endemic. Absolutely wonderful views at the Guascar Gravel Pits and also heard at La Florida. The world population is estimated at 1,000 – 2,499 individuals and is decreasing because its range is very small and is contracting owing to widespread habitat loss and degradation. ENDANGERED
Grey-necked Wood-rail - Aramides cajanea*: at El Libano
Purple Gallinule – Porphyrio martinica: a few here and there
Common Gallinule – Gallinula galeata: At Parque La Florida, Guascar Gravel Pits and 50+ near Barranquilla. The new world populations are now considered a separate species from the Old World populations Common Moorhen - Gallinula chlorops
Spot-flanked Gallinule – Gallinula melanops: 2 seen at Parque La Florida and 2 at the Guascar Gravel Pits on our first days birding. The Bogotá plains hold an isolated population a long way from others of this species.
American Coot – Fulica Americana: Fairly common at Parque La Florida.
CHARADRIIDAE Southern Lapwing - Vanellus chilensis: Fairly widespread in small numbers.
Semipalmated Plover – Charadrius semipalmatus: 1 near Barranquilla
Collared Plover – Charadrius collaris: seen on the shore of the Magdalena river, during our lunch at Puerto Boyaca
HAEMATOPODIDAE Black-necked Stilt – Himantopus mexicanus: a few near Barranquilla
JACANIDAE Wattled Jacana - Jacana jacana: common on ponds; the very black hypomelaena subspecies here. We also saw one belonging to the nominate subspecies at the Guascar gravel pits.
SCOLOPACIDAE Noble Snipe - Gallinago nobilis – 5 seen at the Guascar Gravel Pits
Greater Yellowlegs – Tringa melanoleuca: 15+ at La Florida and 1 at Los Flamencos reserve
Lesser Yellowlegs – Tringa flavipes: 1 at La Florida and 1 near Barranquilla
Solitary Sandpiper – Tringa solitaria: several sightings of that boreal migrant
Spotted Sandpiper – Actitis macularia: several sightings of that boreal migrant
Least Sandpiper – Calidris minutilla: a few near Barranquilla
LARIDAE Laughing Gull – Leucophaeus atricilla: a few seen from Riohacha beach
Royal Tern – Thalasseus maximus: at Los Flamencos NP and on Caribean coast
Large-billed Tern – Phaetusa simplex: 1 seen near Barranquilla
COLUMBIDAE Bare-eyed Pigeon – Patagioenas corensis: common at Los Flamencos NP
Band-tailed Pigeon - Patagioenas fasciata: Fairly common and widespread with many good views of perched birds. Note that recent research has shown that the genus Columba is paraphyletic, with New World taxa being more closely related to Streptopelia than to Old World Columba pigeons. This is consistent with differences between New World and Old World Columba in terms of morphology, serology and behaviour. The suggestion was made to place all New World forms in the genus Patagioenas, and the AOU recently adopted this change in its latest checklist supplement. One of the most widespread New World birds, ranging from Alaska to Argentina. Here the Neotropical form albilinea, which has been regarded by some authors as a full species.
Pale-vented Pigeon - Patagioenas cayennensis: seen at several locations
Eared Dove - Zenaida auriculata: Common.
Common Ground-dove – Columbina passerina: relatively common
Ruddy Ground-Dove - Columbina talpacoti: Numerous and widespread in open country.
Scaled Dove – Columbina squammata: common in the driest area.
White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi: Pretty common at many localities.
Lined Quail-Dove - Geotrygon linearis: This shy Dove was seen by all in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
CUCULIDAE RR Dwarf Cuckoo – Coccyzus pumilus: Fantastic looks at El Palmar
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – Coccyzus americanus: 1 seen at La Florida park.
Squirrel Cuckoo - Piaya cayana: Several encounters during the tour.
Greater Ani - Crotophaga major: several sightings
Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani: The common Ani of the trip.
Groove-billed Ani – Crotophaga sulcirostris. Seen in the driest areas
STRIGIDAE Tropical Screech Owl – Megascops choliba: 1 seen at Otun Quimbaya
E Santa Marta Screech-owl – Megascops sp. nov.: at El Dorado lodge!!
RR Colombian Screech Owl – Megascops colombianus. Great close up looks at Otun Quimbaya
White-throated Screech-owl – Megascops albogularis*: at the Rio Blanco reserve.
Crested Owl – Lophostrix cristata*: heard daily at Rio Claro reserve.
Mottled Owl - Strix virgata*: heard at Otun Quimbaya
STEATORNITHIDAE Oilbird – Steatornis caripensis: 200+ seen leaving their cave at Rio Claro reserve, and excellent views when visiting another colony nearby. Brian also saw one near El Dorado lodge in the Sierra Nevada.
NYCTIBIIDAE Common Potoo – Nyctibius griseus: heard at Otun Quimbaya and 1 seen on his day roost at Rio Blanco reserve.
CAPRIMULGIDAE Rufous-bellied Nighthawk – Lurocalis rufiventris: heard at Otun Quimbaya and excellent views at Rio Blanco reserve.
Common Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis: in the garden at Otun Quimbaya.
Band-winged Nightjar - Caprimulgus longirostris: 1 seen well, displaying at Rio Blanco reserve.
White-tailed Nightjar – Hydropsalis cayennensis: 1 seen by day at the Los Flamencos reserve.
Lyre-tailed Nightjar – Uropsalis lyra: a male seen briefly by Fabrice at Rio Blanco reserve.
APODIDAE Chestnut-collared Swift - Chaetura lemosi: seen on 3 different days
White-collared Swift - Streptoprocne zonaris several sightings of groups
Short-tailed Swift – Chaetura brachyura: a few here and there
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift – Panyptila cayennensis: 2 seen at Rio Claro reserve
TROCHILIDAE Rufous-breasted Hermit - Glaucis aeneus: several sightings during the trip, including 1 building his nest at Rio Claro reserve.
Band-tailed Barbthroat – Threnetes ruckeri: 1 nice view at Rio Claro reserve
Stripe-throated Hermit - Phaethornis striigularis: 1 good view at Rio Claro reserve
Pale-bellied Hermit - Phaethornis anthophilus: best views at the Minca Hotel feeders
Long-billed Hermit – Phaethornis longirostris: seen in the Sierra Nevada mountains
White-necked Jacobin - Florisuga mellivora: several sightings and most abundant at the Minca hotel feeders
Brown Violetear - Colibri delphinae: 2 at the Jardín Encantado feeders
Green Violetear - Colibri thalassinus: dominating the feeders and flowering bushes in the Sierra Nevada.
Sparkling Violetear -Colibri coruscans: 2 at the Jardín Encantado feeders.
Black-throated Mango - Anthracothorax nigricollis: Common at the Jardín Encantado feeders
Ruby-topaz Hummingbird – Chrysolampis mosquitus: excellent views of that stunning bird at the Jardín Encantado feeders
Western Emerald – Chlorostilbon melanorhynchus: good view at Otun Quimbaya
RR Red-billed Emerald Chlorostilbon gibsoni: A few were noted at Jardín Encantado, in the Santa Marta area and Minca. Species limits in the mellisugus group of taxa in Chlorostilbon are complex. At one extreme, Zimmer (1950d) and Schuchmann (1999) considered them all conspecific, including the canivetii group of Middle America. Chlorostilbon gibsoni (including nitens) was usually (e.g., Cory 1918, Peters 1945, Meyer de Schauensee 1970) considered a separate species ("Red-billed Emerald") from C. mellisugus, as was C. canivetii. Stiles (1996a) proposed that C. mellisugus should be treated as at least three separate species within South America: melanorhynchus (of western Colombia and Ecuador), gibsoni (northern and central Colombia, NW Venezuela), and mellisugus (rest of South America); this represents a partial return to the classification of Cory (1918) and was followed by Ridgely & Greenfield (2001). Together, these taxa would form a super-species with recently described olivaresi. Sibley & Monroe (1990) considered C. mellisugus to form a superspecies with Middle American Chlorostilbon species but not with C. gibsoni, because the two were thought to be sympatric [are they? breeding?] in the Magdalena Valley, Colombia. SACC proposal passed to follow species limits proposed by Stiles (1996). So the ones you see in the Amazona are Blue-tailed Emeralds.
Crowned Woodnymph - Thalurania colombica: common in the Sierra Nevada Thalurania colombica and T. fannyi (Green-crowned Woodnymph) were formerly (e.g., Peters 1945, Zimmer 1950d, Phelps & Phelps 1958a, Meyer de Schauensee 1966, 1970) considered conspecific with T. furcata, but Escalante-Pliego & Peterson (1992) showed that the three taxa are essentially parapatric with no signs of gene flow; they constitute a superspecies (Sibley & Monroe 1990). They had been treated as separate species from T. furcata by Cory (1918) and AOU (1983, 1998). Donegan (2012a), however, found new evidence for gene flow between these populations. SACC proposal passed to treat fanny and colombica as conspecific.
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird - Amazilia tzacatl: Commonly seen in small numbers throughout the tour.
Blue-chested Hummingbird - Amazilia amabilis: a few seen at El Libano and Rio Claro reserve
Steely-vented Hummingbird – Saucerottia saucerottei. Common at feeders at the Minca Hotel feeders.
E Indigo-capped Hummingbird - Amazilia cyanifrons: Abundant at the Jardín Encantado feeders.
E Blossomcrown – Anthocephala floriceps: 1 male seen in the Sierra Nevada VULNERABLE
White-vented Plumeleteer - Chalybura buffonii: Common at several locations.
Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer – Chalybura urochrysia: 1 at Rio Claro reserve
Speckled Hummingbird -Adelomyia melanogenys: One at Chingaza and 5+ at the Rio Blanco Reserve.
Fawn-breasted Brilliant – Heliodoxa rubinoides: just 1 at Rio Blanco reserve, and 1 at Otun Quimbaya
Buff-tailed Coronet – Boissoinneaua falvescens: 5 at the Rio Blanco feeders
Mountain Velvetbreast – Lafresnaya lafresnayi: 1 seen on the San Lorenzo ridge in the Sierra Nevada
Bronzy Inca - Coeligena coeligena: 1 at Otun Quimbaya
Collared Inca – Coeligena torquata: 1 at the Rio Blanco feeders
White-tailed Starfrontlet – Coeligena phalerata: a pair seen daily at the feeders at El Dorado.
Sword-billed Hummingbird – Ensifera ensifera: 1 at the feeders at Rio Blanco reserve
Tourmeline Sunangel – Heliangelus exortis: 5 at the Rio Blanco feeders
Amethyst-throated (Longuemare’s) Sunangel – Heliangelus (clarisse) amethysiticollis: 1 seen at Chingaza National Park. Called Longuemare’s Sunangel by Restall, it is considered conspecific with Amethyst-throated Sunangel H.amethysticollis (SACC 2004)
Glowing Puffleg – Eriocnemis vestita: 2 at Chingaza National Park.
RR Golden-breasted Puffleg – Eriocnemis mosquera: 1 on the access road to Los Nevados National Park. A range restricted species also occurring in Ecuador. Named after Colombian dictator General Tomas Cipriano de Mosquera who ruled in the late 1800s
Santa Marta Tyrian Metaltail – Metallura tyrianthina districta: common in the Sierra Nevada Named after the color Tyrian purple. Variously known as Royal purple, Tyrian purple, purple of the ancients, this ancient dyestuff, mentioned in texts dating about 1600 BC, was produced from the mucus of the hypobranchial gland of various species of marine molluscs, notably Murex. Although originating in old port of Tyre in modern day Syria (hence the name), man's first large scale chemical industry spread throughout the world. With the decline of the Roman Empire, the use of the dye also declined and large scale production ceased with the fall of Constantinople in 1453. It was replaced by other cheaper dyes like lichen purple and madder.
Virdian Metlatail - Metalllura williami 5+ seen well on the access road to Los Nevados National Park
Rainbow-bearded Thornbill – Chalcostigma herrani: 1 on the access road to Los Nevados National Park
E RR Buffy Helmetcrest – Oxypogo stubelii: A recent split from Bearded Helmetcrest. Now a Colombian Endemic, seen at Los Nevados National Park. Oxypogon is Greek meaning “pointed beard”
Long-tailed Sylph – Aglaiocercus kingi: At the feeders at the Rio Blanco Reserve
Purple-crowned Fairy – Heliothryx barroti: nice view at the Jardín Encantado feeders and at La Victoria
White-bellied Woodstar – Chaetocercus mulsant: seen at Jardín Encantado, Otun Quimbaya and Rio Blanco reserve
Gorgeted Woodstar – Chaetocercus heliodor: good views at the Jardín Encantado feeders
TROGONIDAE White-tailed Trogon – Trogon chionurus: good views at the Rio Claro reserve
Gartered Trogon - Trogon caligatus: at the Rio Claro reserve
Collared Trogon - Trogon collaris . Great looks at Otun Quimbaya.
Masked Trogon - Trogon personatus: A highland version of the former – we saw a few at Rio Blanco reserve
RR White-tipped Quetzal – Pharomachrus fulgidus: nice views in the Sierra Nevada
ALCEDINIDAE Ringed Kingfisher - Megaceryle torquata: Small numbers at various wetlands. Note that these big species are now treated as a distinct genus, the Megaceryle.
Amazon Kingfisher - Chloroceryle amazona: 1 near Barranquilla
Green Kingfisher – Chloroceryle americana: a few seen here and there
MOMOTIDAE Andean Motmot - Momotus aequatorialis: Conspicuous at Otun Quimbaya Rio Blanco reserve. The SACC says - All Momotus were treated as a single species in most recent classifications since Peters (1945), but see Stiles (2009) for rationale for recognizing five species, four of which occur in South America. SACC proposal passed to revise species limits. The subspecies aequatorialis, venezuelae, subrufescens, microstephanus, and argenticinctus were all formerly (e.g., Ridgway 1914, Cory 1919) considered separate species from M. momota, as were two Middle American taxa. Chapman (1923) recognized four species in South America: M. subrufescens (including "venezuelae") of the Caribbean rim of northern South America, M. bahamensis of Trinidad, M. aequatorialis of the Andes, and M. momota (including microstephanus) of the rest of South America, including argenticinctus of western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Peters (1945) considered them all conspecific, and this was followed by Meyer de Schauensee (1970) and AOU (1983, 1998). Fjeldså & Krabbe (1990) proposed that the Andean form aequatorialis was a separate species from M. momota, and this was followed by Ridgely & Greenfield (2001), Dickinson (2003), and Schulenberg et al. (2007), thus returning to the classification of Cory (1919) and Chapman (1923, 1926). However, no formal analysis had ever been published, and the published evidence in support of treating aequatorialis as a species-level taxon is weak. SACC proposal passed for treating aequatorialis as conspecific with M. momota. The latter decision was reversed, however, by the more recent proposal to revise species limits based on new data.
Distributions of the forms of the “Momotus momota” complex treated in this study: From northwest to southeast, LE = lessonii; CO = conexus; RE = reconditus; SU = subrufescens; OL = olivaresi; SP = spatha; OS = osgoodi; BA = bahamensis; AQ = aequatorialis; AR = argenticinctus; MI = microstephanus; MO = momota. Note the high degree of geographical replacement among taxa; only conexus, reconditus and subrufescens overlap appreciably (and olivaresi is indistinguishable from subrufescens).
So there are now 6 recognized species (one is not treated in the mentioned paper and ma Momotus coeruliceps Blue-crowned Motmot – NE and Central Mexico Momotus lessoni Blue-diademed Motmot – South Mexico to Central Panama Momotus subrufescens Whooping Motmot - E Panama to NC Venezuela and the Magdalena Valley of Colombia; SE Ecuador and extreme NW Peru. Momotus bahamensis Trinidad Motmot – Trindad & Tobago Momotus momota Amazonian Motmot - Venezuela (S of the Orinoco) and the Guianas S through the entire Amazon basin to extreme N Argentina and Paraguay. Momotus aequatorialis Andean Motmot – The Andes from NC Colombia to NE Bolivia.
Whooping Motmot - Momotus subrufescens: See above. This one was seen at lower elevations at El Palmar and around Minca.
Broad-billed Motmot – Electron platyrhynchum*: at Rio Claro reserve
GALBULIDAE Rufous-tailed Jacamar – Galbula ruficauda: excellent views an the El Hato road, and in the Santa Marta surrounding
BUCCONIDAE Barred Puffbird - Nystalus radiatus: Excellent view at El Palmar (El Hato road)
Russet-throated Puffbird – Hypnelus ruficolis: some excellent views in the driest areas.
CAPITONIDAE E White-mantled Barbet Capito hypoleucus: Excellent looks of a pair at La Victoria! A so-called Nechí endemic, confined to the humid forests of the middle Magdalena Valley. The Nechí is actually a tributary of the Cauca river, its drainage being on the east side of the top end of the Central Andes. Classified as Endangered by BirdLife International, the world population is estimated at 2,500 – 9,999 individuals and is decreasing. This species has a very small and severely fragmented range. Habitat loss is occurring rapidly in some parts of its range, and the population is likely to be declining.ENDANGERED
RAMPHASTIDAE Black-mandibled Toucan – Ramphastos ambiguous: contacted daily at the Rio Claro reserve.
Keel-billed Toucan – Ramphastos sulfuratus: excellent views above Minca
E Santa Marta (Emerald) Toucanet – Aulacorhynchus lautus: seen daily in the Sierra Nevada. See following species.
White-throated (Emerald) Toucanet -Aulacorhynchus albivitta: Seen at Otun Quimbaya, Rio Blanco, El Libano, and above Medellin (all belonging to the griseigularis subspecies). The SACC says - Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) suggested that Aulacorhynchus prasinus (Emerald Toucanet) may consist of more than one species-level taxon, but see Short & Horne (2001), who pointed out that the allopatric taxa are no more distinctive than those known to intergrade. The subspecies lautus, albivitta, cyanolaemus, dimidiatus, and atrogularis, as well as Middle American wagleri and caeruleogularis, were formerly (e.g., Ridgway 1914, Cory 1919) each considered separate species from (and in some cases not particularly closely related to) Aulacorhynchus prasinus, but Peters (1948) and Haffer (1974) treated them all as conspecific. Navarro et al. (2001) say Patterns of variation support recognition of four species in Mesoamerica: A. wagleri in western Mexico, A. prasinus in eastern Mexico and northern Central America, A. caeruleogularis in Costa Rica and western Panama, and A. cognatus in eastern Panama, as well as several additional forms (A. lautus - Santa Marta Mountains, A. albivitta - Andes of Colombia and Ecuador and A. nigrogularis –Peru and North Bolivia) in South America. The IOC presents Grey-throated and White–throated as splits, citing, Puebla-Olivares et al. 2008 and if accepted the former would become a Colombian endemic. IOU splits, SACC does not.
Groove-billed Toucanet – Aulacorhynchus sulcatus: good views in the Sierra Nevada.
Black- billed Mountain-Toucan – Andigena nigrirostris Great looks of a pair at Chingaza National Park, and 1 more at Rio Blanco reserve
Collared Aracari – Pteroglossus torquatus: good views at Rio Claro reserve and around Minca
PICIDAE Olivaceous Piculet – Picumnus olivaceus: excellent views at Otun Quimbaya, Victoria and Rio Claro reserve.
RR Chestnut Piculet – Picumnus cinnamomeus: stunning views at Los Flamencos NP.
Acorn Woodpecker – Melanerpes formicivorus: seen near Medellin
E Beautiful Woodpecker - Melanerpes pulcher* – at La Victoria. A Colombian endemic. The SACC says “The Colombian taxon pulcher was considered a separate species from Central American Melanerpes chrysauchen by Cory (1919), Eisenmann (1955), and Stiles & Skutch (1989); however, Peters (1948) treated them as conspecific, and that treatment has been followed by most subsequent authors (e.g., Meyer de Schauensee 1979, Short 1982, Hilty & Brown 1986, Winkler et al. 1995, AOU 1998, Winkler & Christie 2002, Dickinson 2003). Wetmore (1968) provided rationale for treating pulcher as a separate species, as noted by Meyer de Schauensee (1966), but this has not been followed by most subsequent authors.
Red-crowned Woodpecker – Melanerpes rubricapillus: Common.
Yellow-vented Woodpecker – Venilornis dingus: A pair at Rio Blanco reserve. Colombia is the easiest place to see this species.
Red-rumped Woodpecker – Venilornis kirkii: Seen at La Victoria and Rio Claro reserve. Named after James T. Kirk, captain of the Starship Enterprise.
Golden-green Woodpecker – Piculus chrysochloros: 1 seen by part of the group at Isla Salamanca NP
Golden-olive Woodpecker – Piculus rubiginosus: A couple of sightings of individuals at different locations
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker – Colaptes rivolii: fantastic views at Rio Blanco reserve.
Spot-breasted Woodpecker – Colaptes punctigula: excellent view near Rio Claro reserve and also near Barranquilla
Cinnamon Woodpecker – Celeus loricatus: daily views at Rio Claro reserve
Lineated Woodpecker – Dryocopus lineatus.: here and there
Powerful Woodpecker – Campephilus pollens: 1 at Rio Blanco reserve
Crimson-crested Woodpecker - Campephilus melanoleucos: a few sightings during the trip.
FALCONIDAE Northern Crested Caracara - Caracara cheriway: Formerly placed in the genus Polyborus but this species has been switched to the genus Caracara. Note also that the former species known as Crested Caracara, has been split into three species with those ranging north of north-west Peru and the Amazon River (i.e. Colombia) and as far as the USA, according to the IOC, retain the name Northern Crested Caracara C. cheriway, the birds from Southern Peru to the tip of South America, Tierra del Fuego, are referable to the species Caracara plancus Southern Crested Caracara, while another form, the extinct Guadalupe Caracara C. lutosus, of Guadalupe Island, Mexico, has also been given its untimely species status. The SACC says “Caracara cheriway and C. plancus were formerly considered conspecific (e.g., Hellmayr & Conover 1949, Phelps & Phelps 1958a), sometimes also including C. lutosus of Guadalupe Island (e.g., Meyer de Schauensee 1970, Stresemann and Amadon 1979), but the ranges of cheriway and plancus are nearly parapatric with no sign of intergradation, contrary to earlier interpretations (see Banks REF); they constitute a superspecies. The three forms had previously been considered separate species by REFS, Pinto (1938), and Friedmann (1950).”
Yellow-headed Caracara - Milvago chimachima: Another widespread open country raptor that was seen regularly in small numbers.
Laughing Falcon - Herpetotheres cachinnans*: near Minca
Barred Forest-falcon – Micrastur ruficollis: 2 near El Dorado lodge coming to the tape but seen very briefly
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius: Scattered sightings.
PSITTACIDAE Scarlet-fronted Parakeet Aratinga wagleri Excellent views in the Sierra Nevada, where they use the nest box buildt for the Santa Marta Parakeet!!
Brown-throated Parakeet – Eupsittula pertinax: common around Santa Marta
Golden-plumed Parakeet – Leptosittaca branickii* heard only at the Rio Blanco Reserve but the fog and cloud did not help to find that ENDANGERED species
E Santa Marta Parakeet – Pyrrhura viridicata: excellent views at the San Lorenzo ridge, including close perched birds. ENDANGERED
E Flame-winged Parakeet – Pyrhura calliptera: Spectacular in flight. We saw a flock of 20 above Nuevo Mundo at Chingaza National Park. Sometimes called Brown-breasted Parakeet. VULNERABLE
Green-rumped Parrotlet – Forpus passerines: 20+ at Los Flamencos NP.
RR Spectacled Parrotlet – Forpus conpicillatus. Almost a Colombian endemic. Seen on several occasions.
Orange-chinned Parakeet - Brotogeris jugularis: common
Rusty-faced Parrot – Hapalopsittaca amazaonina*: at Rio Blanco
Blue-headed Parrot - Pionus menstruus: A few
Red-billed Parrot – Pionus sordidus: 20+ in the Sierra Nevada.
Bronze-winged Parrot – Pionus chalcopterus: some good views at the Otun Quimbaya Reserve.
Scaly-naped Parrot – Amazonas mercenaria: a few seen at Rio Blanco reserve and in the Sierra Nevada.
THAMNOPHILIDAE Black-crested Antshrike – Sakesphorus canadensis: common in the driest areas
RR Bar-crested Antshrike Thamnophilus multistriatus: Great views of a 2 at El Libano. A near- endemic, generally replacing the Barred Antshrike, at higher elevations. Outside Colombia it’s only known from the Venezuelan side of the Sierra de Perijá, so it’s a de facto endemic.
RR Black-backed Antshrike – Thamnophilus melanotus: excellent views at Minca our last morning!!
Western Slaty-Antshrie Thamnophilus atrinucha: Seen well above La Victoria and Rio Claro reserve
Plain Antvireo – Dysithamnus mentalis: 1 at Otun Quimbaya
Pacific Antwren – Myrmotherula pacifica: a pair well seen at Rio Claro reserve
White-flanked Antwren – Myrmotherula axiliaris: 1 at Rio Claro reserve
Northern White-fringed Antwren – Formicivora intermedia: great looks in the Guajira peninsula.
Streak-headed Antbird – Drymophila striaticeps: 1 well seen at Rio Blanco. See Santa Marta Antbird.
E Santa Marta Antbird – Drymophila hellmayri: well seen above Minca. Isler et al. (2012) proposed that the broadly defined Drymophila caudata consists of four species: (1) klagesi, with aristeguietana; (2) hellmayri; (3) nominate caudata; and (4) striaticeps, with occidentalis, peruviana, and boliviana. SACC proposal passed to recognize four species.
Rufous-rumped Antwren – Ternura callinota*: at Las Tangaras.
E Parker’s Antbird - Cercomacra parkeri: Recently described: Graves (1997). Good looks at a pair at the Piha reserve. One of the birds named for our late friend and neo-tropical birding pioneer, Ted Parker.
Jet Antbird – Cercomagra nigricans: stunning views at El Palmar!!
Chestnut-backed Antbird - Myrmeciza exsul: wonderful views at Rio Claro reserve.
White-bellied Antbird – Myrmeciza longipes: briefly seen at el Tabacal lake, and then excellent views on El Hato road.
RR Magdalena Antbird – Myrmeciza palliata: stunning view at Rio Claro reserve!! Formerly treated as a subspecies of Dull-mantled Antbird M. laemosticta, but Chaves et al. (2010) presented evidence that palliata should be ranked as a separate species. SACC proposal passed to elevate palliata to species rank.
Bicolored Antbird – Myrmeciza leucaspis: close view at Rio Claro reserve.
GRALLARIDAE Chestnut-crowned Antpitta - Grallaria ruficapilla: Photographed at the worm feeder at Rio Blanco, heard elsewhere
RR Moustached Antpitta – Grallaria alleni*: Heard at Otun Quimbaya.
E Santa Marta Antpitta – Grallaria bangsi: Seen in the Sierra Nevada. VULNERABLE
E Bicolored Antpitta – Grallaria rufocinerea: 1 came to the feeders at Rio Blanco VULNERABLE
Rufous Antpitta – Grallaria rufula rufula: Seen well at Chingaza and heard at Los Nevados del Ruiz NP. Keep track of where you see your Rufous Antpittas – they will be split.
E Santa Marta Rufous Antpitta – Grallaria rufula spatiator: excellent views in the Sierra Nevada
Tawny Antpitta – Grallaria quitensis: At Los Nevados very tame and great looks. Named for the city of Quito which in turn is named for the Quitu indians.
E Brown-banded Antpitta – Grallaria milleri: 3 came to the worm feeders at Rio Blanco – fantastic! ENDANGERED
Slate-crowned Antpitta – Grallaricula nana:2 at the worm feeders at Rio Blanco was very nice indeed!
RHINOCRYPTIDAE Ash-colored Tapaculo – Myornis senilis*: at Rio Blanco.
Blackish Tapaculo – Scytalopus latrans latrans: 1 seen at Rio Blanco reserve.
E Santa Marta Tapaculo – Scytalopus sanctaemartae*: in the Sierra Nevada!!
White-crowned Tapaculo – Scytalopus atratus nigricans*. Above El Libano. Scytalopus atratus (with confusus and nigricans) was formerly (e.g., Zimmer 1939x, Peters 1951, Meyer de Schauensee 1970) considered conspecific with S. femoralis; for treatment as a separate species from S. femoralis based on differences in voice, see Krabbe & Schulenberg (1997); it had previously been considered a separate species by Cory & Hellmayr (1924). Keep track of which subspecies you see – there are surely several species in this group based on vocal differences.
E Stile’s Tapaculo – Scytalopus stilesi: 1 seen above Medellin
Spillman’s Tapaculo – Scytalopus spillmani: One of the more tricky Tapaculos to see, but we had good views Rio Blanco reserve.
E Brown-rumped Tapaculo – Scytalopus latebricola*: in the Sierra Nevada.
E Pale-bellied (Mattoral) Tapaculo – Scytalopus griseicollis*. at Chingaza where we had very bad weather…
Paramo Tapaculo - Scytalopus opacus*: at Los Nevados National Park. This species has been recently split into Paramo and Paramillo (S. canus) Tapaculos with the latter becoming a Colombian endemic restricted to the Western Cordillera in the north.
Ocellated Tapaculo – Acropternis orthonyx*: Phew!!
FURNARIIDAE Tyrannine Woodcreeper - Dendrocincla tyrannina: one seen well at Rio Blanco.
Plain-brown Woodcreeper - Dendrocincla fuliginosa: Good views at La Victoria and Rio Claro reserve
Wedge-billed Woodcreper - Glyphorynchus spirurus: 1 seen at Rio Claro reserve
Strong-billed Woodcreeper - Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus: Seen at Otun Quimbaya, Rio Blanco reserve and also seen in the Sierra Nevada.
Straight –billed Woodcreeper – Dendroplex picus: Common. Xiphorhynchus picus and X. kienerii (Zimmer’s Woodcreeper) were formerly (e.g., Cory & Hellmayr 1925, Zimmer 1934c, Pinto 1937, Phelps & Phelps 1950a) treated in a separate genus, Dendroplex, but this was merged into Xiphorhynchus by Peters (1951). Wetmore (1972), however, maintained Dendroplex as a separate genus based not only on bill shape but also on (unstated) cranial characters. Aleixo et al. (2007) summarized rationale for validity of Dendroplex and for its usage for these two species. SACC proposal passed to resurrect Dendroplex for these two species.
Cocoa Woodcreeper – Xiphorynchus susurrans: seen at Rio Claro reserve, and also at low elevation in the Santa Marta area. The SACC says -The relationships among taxa included in Xiphorhynchus susurrans and X. guttatus (Buff-throated Woodcreeper) are complex and need much additional work. Xiphorhynchus susurrans was formerly (e.g., Zimmer 1934d, Phelps & Phelps 1950a, Peters 1951, Meyer de Schauensee 1970) considered conspecific with X. guttatus, but Willis (1983) provided evidence that it should be treated as a separate species; this treatment was followed by Ridgely & Tudor (1994) and AOU (1998); they constitute a superspecies. Xiphorhynchus susurrans had previously been treated as a species by Cory & Hellmayr (1925), who also treated the subspecies polystictus (= sororius) as a separate species; this was considered conspecific with X. guttatus by Zimmer (1934d) and Peters (1951). However, Aleixo (2002) found that treating X. susurrans at the species level makes Xiphorhynchus guttatus paraphyletic with respect to Amazonian guttatoides group (Lafraneye’s Woodcreeper) of western and southwestern Amazonia (guttatoides, dorbignyianus, eytoni, and vicinalis) and eastern Amazonian guttatus group (guttatus, polystictus, and provisionally connectens). Marantz et al. (2003) also emphasized that the current assignment of subspecies to either X. susurrans or X. guttatus does not correspond to the boundaries in vocalizations. Furthermore, the eytoni subspecies group was formerly (e.g., Todd 1948, Meyer de Schauensee 1966, 1970) considered a separate species ("Dusky-billed Woodcreeper") from X. guttatus; here it is treated as subspecies of guttatus following Cory & Hellmayr (1925), Zimmer (1934d), Pinto (1937), Peters (1951), and Ridgely & Tudor (1994), but Marantz et al. (2003) noted that this group differed in vocalizations from other taxa included in X. guttatus. Restall (2007) gives this taxon full species rank as does the IOC.
Black-striped Woodcreeper – Xiphorhynchus lachrymosus: excellent view of 2 birds at La Victoria.
Streak-headed Woodcreeper – Lepidocolaptes souleyetii: a few good views.
Montane Woodcreeper – Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger: Best views at Rio Blanco. Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger was formerly (e.g., Peters 1951, Meyer de Schauensee 1970, AOU 1983, 1998, Sibley & Monroe 1990) considered conspecific with Middle American L. affinis (Spot-crowned Woodcreeper), but recent treatments (e.g., Ridgely & Tudor 1994, Hilty 2003) usually follow Cory & Hellmayr (1925), Zimmer (1934c), and Phelps & Phelps (1950a) in treating them as separate species. Their vocalizations differ strongly, although a formal analysis has not been published; they constitute a superspecies.
Brown-billed Scythebill – Campylorhamphus pusillus: stunning bird seen well at Rio Blanco reserve
Plain Xenops – Xenops minutus: seen on 3 different dates
Streaked Xenops - Xenops rutilans: The form found in the Central and Western Andes is heterurus. Best views at Rio Blanco reserve
Spotted Barbtail – Premnornis brunnescens: 1 seen briefly near Medellin, and a few more heards
Carribean (Pale-legged) Hornero – Furnarius leucopus: good views on the Guajira peninsula.
Stout-billed Cinclodes – Cinclodes excelsior: Great looks on the access road to Los Nevados National Park. The SACC says “Cinclodes aricomae (Royal Cinclodes) is often considered conspecific with C. excelsior (e.g., Peters 1951, Meyer de Schauensee 1970), and evidence for treating them as separate species (e.g., Fjeldså & Krabbe 1990, Remsen 2003) is weak.”
Chestnut-winged Cinclodes – Cinclodes albidiventris: 1 seen at a distance, on the access road to the Nevados Del Ruiz reserve.
Montane Foliage-gleaner - Anabacerthia striaticollis: well seen in the Sierra Nevada.
Lineated Foliage-gleaner – Syndactyla subalaris*: At Otun Quimbaya.
Flammulated Treehunter – Thripadectes flammulatus: seen first at the Rio Blanco reserve, and very good views in the Sierra Nevada
E Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner – Automolus rufipectus: excellent views above Minca.
Pearled Treerunner – Margarornis squamiger: Good looks at this splendid montane species at Chingaza and Rio Blanco
Streaked Tuftedcheek – Pseudocolpates boissonneautii: 1 at Rio Blanco. Superb furnarids.
Andean Tit-Spinetail – Leptasthenura andicola: good views at Los Nevados del Ruiz.
Many-striped Canastero – Asthenes flammulata*: at Los Nevados del Ruiz.
White-chinned Thistletail – Schizoeaca fuliginosa: good views at Los Nevados del Ruiz.
E Streak-capped Spinetail – Cranioleuca hellmayri: good views in the Sierra Nevada.
Yellow-chinned Spinetail - Certhiaxis cinnamomea: common in ponds near Barranquilla
E Silvery-throated Spinetail - Synallaxis subpudica: 1 of this endemic dull tailed Spinetail were seen very well at Parque La Florida.
Azara’s Spinetail - Synallaxis azarae: Fairly commonly heard and a few seen at Otun Quimbaya and Rio Blanco. Pip-Squeak!!
Pale-breasted Spinetail - Synallaxis albescens: seen well on a few occasions.
Rufous Spinetail – Synallaxis unirufa: good views above Medellin.
E Rusty-headed Spinetail – Synallaxis fuscorufa: common in the Sierra Nevada, but not that easy to see… VULNERABLE
RR White-whiskered Spinetail – Synallaxis candei: common at Los Flamencos NP
Stripe-breasted Spinetail - Synallaxis cinammomea*: at Tabacal lake.
TYRANNIDAE Sooty-headed Tyrannulet - Phyllomyias griseiceps: fairly common in coffee plantation and at Rio Claro reserve
Black-capped Tyrannulet - Phyllomyias nigrocapillus: excellent views in the Sierra Nevada
Plumbeous-crowned Tyrannulet – Phyllomyias plumbeiceps: 2+ seen well at Otun Quimbaya
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet - Tyrannulus elatus*: at Rio Claro reserve
Yellow-bellied Elaenia - Elaenia flavogaster: Common in open country
Mountain Elaenia - Elaenia frantzii: A few in the Sierra Nevada. The species was named after Alexander von Frantzius, a nineteenth century German collector in Brazil and Costa Rica.
Southern Beardless-tyrannulet - Camptostoma obsoletum: seen near Santa Marta
White-throated Tyrannulet Mecocerculus leucophrys: We saw this species at Chingaza, La Florida and in the Sierra Nevada
White-banded Tyrannulet - Mecocerculus sticopterus: 2 individuals at Chingaza.
White-tailed Tyrannulet – Mecocerculus poecilocercus : good views at Rio Blanco
Torrent Tyrannulet – Serphophaga cinerea: 1 at Otun Quimbaya.
Venezuelan Tyrannulet – Zimmerius improbus: 2 seen well above Minca. Sibley & Monroe (1990) and Ridgely & Tudor (1994), followed by Hilty (2003) and Fitzpatrick (2004), considered the South American improbus group of subspecies to be a separate species from Paltry Tyrannulet Zimmerius vilissimus. SACC proposal to treat improbus as a separate species did not pass. Traylor (1982) suspected that the subspecies parvus, from Honduras to NW Colombia, should also be considered a separate species. Rheindt et al. (in press) found additional genetic and vocal support for treating improbus (with tamae) as a separate species as well as petersi and extralimital parvus. SACC proposal needed.
Golden-faced Tyrannulet - Zimmerius chrysops: Seen at various localities. Variation in Golden- faced Tyrannulet subspecies is reasonably extensive and more than one species may be involved. Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) considered the subspecies flavidifrons of southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru to represent a separate species from Zimmerius chrysops based on differences in voice. Ridgely & Greenfield (2001), Krabbe & Nielsson (2003), and Fitzpatrick (2004) also noted that the taxon albigularis from w. Ecuador and sw. Colombia might be a species distinct from Zimmerius chrysops (2003)
Marble-faced Bristle-tyrant – Pogonotriccus ophthalmicus: 2 seen at Otun Quimbaya
E Antioquia Bristle-tyrant – Pogonotriccus lanyoni: a brief view at Rio Claro reserve!! Lifer for everybody!! ENDANGERED
Olive-striped Flycatcher – Mionectes olivcaeous: a few sightings in the Sierra Nevada
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher - Mionectes oleaginea: the most common mionectes on that trip.
Slaty-capped Flycatcher – Leptopogon amaurocephalus: Common in the higher cloud forest.
Sepia-capped Flycatcher - Leptopogon amaurocephalus: a few seen daily at Rio Claro reserve
RR Rufous-breasted Flycatcher – Leptopogon rufipectus: contacted daily at Otun Quimbaya
Northern Scrub-flycatcher – Sublegatus arenarum: relatively common in the dry shrubs of the Guajira peninsula.
RR Slender-billed Inezia – Inezia tenuirostris: common at Los Flamencos.
Scale-crested Pygmy-tyrant - Lophotriccus pileatus*: a few… different by voice and habitat from the ones seen in Peru…
Pale-eyed Pygmy-tyrant – Atalotriccus pilaris: excellent views around Minca.
Pearly-vented Tody-tyrant – Hemitriccus margaritaceiventer: stunning views at Los Flamencos.
Rufous-crowned Tody-tyrant – Poecilotriccus ruficeps: good views at Rio Blanco.
Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher - Poecilotriccus sylvia: excellent view along the El Hato road
Common Tody-Flycatcher - Todirostrum cinereum: Small numbers seen at various locations.
Olivaceous Flatbill – Rhynchocyclus olivaceus: superbe views at Rio Claro, where we found a pair building a nest.
Yellow-olive Tolmomyias – Tolmomyias sulphurescens: seen at Rio Claro and a few other locations.
Black-tailed Flycatcher – Myiobius atricaudus: 1 in a mixed species flock at Rio Claro reserve
Cinnamon Flycatcher Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea: Regularly encountered in the Andes (pyrrhoptera), and in the Santa Marta Mountains we saw the endemic and much brighter assimilis.
Smoke-colored Pewee – Contopus fumigatus: seen our first day at Chingaza NP.
Eastern Wood-pewee – Contopus virens: regular sightings during the trip
Tropical Pewee – Contopus cinereus: 1 seen above Minca
Black Phoebe - Sayornis nigricans: A bird of streams and rivers that was frequently seen sitting on bridges.
Vermilion Flycatcher - Pyrocephalus rubinus: Small numbers seen at a number of sites.
E Santa Marta Bush-tyrant – Myiotheretes pernix: excellent views on 4 different birds in the Sierra Nevada!! ENDANGERED
Pied Water-Tyrant - Fluvicola pica: several seen near Barranquilla and at Los Flamencos NP
White-headed Marsh-tyrant - Arundinicola leucocephala: 3+ seen near Puerto Boyaca
Yellow-bellied Chat-tyrant – Ochtoeca diadema: 1 seen at Rio Blanco, when waiting at the Antpitta feeder. Also heard in the Sierra Nevada.
Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant – Ochthoeca cinnamomeiventris: good views at Rio Blanco reserve
Rufous-breasted Chat-tyrant – Ochtoeca rufipectoralis: 4 at Chingaza NP
Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant – Ochthoeca fumicolor: Seen at Los Nevados and Chingaza National Parks.
Long-tailed Tyrant – Colonia colonus: displaying near a tree cavity at Rio Claro reserve
Cattle Tyrant - Machetornis rixosa: regular sightings
Piratic Flycatcher - Legatus leucophaius: common
Rusty-margined Flycatcher Myiozetetes cayanensis: Numerous and widespread at lower elevations.
Social Flycatcher - Myiozetetes similis: only seen once during the trip
Great Kiskadee - Pitangus sulphuratus: A widespread bird of open areas, even found right in the centre of towns.
Lesser Kiskadee – Pitangus lector: two sightings including excellent views along El Hato road
Golden-crowned Flycatcher – Myiodynastes chrysocephalus: a few seen during the trip, even in the Sierra Nevada.
Streaked Flycatcher - Myiodynastes maculatus: regular sightings.
Boat-billed Flycatcher - Megarynchus pitangua: above Minca A very interesting post by Nathan Pieplow on xenocanto http://www.xeno- canto.org/features.php?action=view&blognr=65 present differences in vocilizations for three populations of Boat-billed Flycatcher: South American, Central American, Tumbes area. Three cryptic species??
Tropical Kingbird - Tyrannus melancholicus. Common throughout
Fork-tailed Flycatcher – Tyrannus savanna: A few on the drives in open country.
Eastern Kingbird – Tyrannus tyrannus: migrating groups seen at Minca
Gray Kingbird – Tyrannus dominicensis: 2 seen near Barranquilla.
Rufous Mourner – Rhytipterna holerythra: nice view at Rio Claro reserve
Dusky-capped Flycatcher - Myiarchus tuberculifer: only contacted in the Sierra Nevada
Panama Flycatcher - Myiarchus panamensis: common in the dry habitat around Santa Marta
Pale-edged Flycatcher – Myiarchus cephalotes: at Rio Blanco reserve
Great-crested Flycatcher – Myiarchus crinitus: a few sightings of that austral migrant
Brown-crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus tyrannulus: common sightings during the trip
Bright-rumped (Flammulated) Attila - Attila (flamulatus) spadiceus: excellent view at Rio Claro reserve.
COTINGIDAE Red-crested Cotinga – Ampelion rubrocristatus: 2 at Los Nevados NP
Andean Cock-of-the-rock – Rupicola peruvianus: a female seen at Otun Quimbaya
Golden-breasted Fruiteater – Pipreola aureopectus: good views, after a log search, in the Sierra Nevada.
Dusky Piha – Lipaugus fuscocinereous*: at Rio Blanco
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow – Pyroderus scutatus: Common at Otun Quimbaya with 30+ seen.
PIPRIDAE White-bearded Manakin Manacus manacus: a few seen on leks
Western Striped Manakin - Machaeropterus striolatus*: at La Victoria The SACC says “Snow (2004) considered the Amazonian striolatus subspecies group to be a separate species from Machaeropterus regulus of SE Brazil”. Restall (2007) does not follow this split but Volume 9 of handbook of Birds of the World does. If you follow the split Eastern Striped Manakin Machaeropterus regulus is restricted to SE Brazil so all the Colombia Ecuador and Peruvian ones are Western Striped Manakin Machaeropterus striolatus
Blue-crowned Manakin – Lepidothrix coronata: 1 at Rio Claro reserve
Lance-tailed Manakin – Chiroxipha lanceolata: nice views on the way to Riohacha
TITYRIDAE In this classification, the genera Tityra through Phibalura were formerly placed tentatively in the Cotingidae, following Prum et al. (2000). They had formerly been scattered among the Tyrannidae, Cotingidae, and Pipridae. Prum and Lanyon (1989) and Sibley & Ahlquist (1990) found that Tityra, Schiffornis, and Pachyramphus formed a distinct group, separate from the rest of the Tyrannidae; Sibley & Ahlquist (1990) proposed that they were most closely related to core Tyrannidae than to other tyrannoid families such as the Cotingidae or Pipridae. More recent genetic data (Johansson et al. 2002, Chesser 2004, Barber & Rice 2007) confirm that the genera Tityra through at least Pachyramphus form a monophyletic group, but Chesser (2004) found that this group is more closely related to the Pipridae than to the Cotingidae or Tyrannidae. SACC proposal passed to remove from Cotingidae (and place as Incertae Sedis or as separate family, Tityridae). Barber & Rice (2007) not only confirmed the monophyly of the group but also proposed elevation to family rank. SACC proposal passed to recognize Tityridae. Within this group, Barber & Rice (2007) found genetic evidence for two major groups: (a) Laniisoma, Laniocera, and Schiffornis, and (b) Iodopleura, Tityra, Xenopsaris, and Pachyramphus.
Masked Tityra – Tityra semifasciata: seen at Minca
Rufous-winged Schiffornis – Schiffornis stenorhyncha: 1 seen so well near Rio Claro reserve!!
Barred Becard – Pachyramphus versicolor: great views at Rio Blanco reserve
Cinnamon Becard - Pachyramphus cinnamomeus: daily contact at Rio Claro reserve, where are pair was breeding on a Oropendola nest!
White-winged Becard – Pachyramphus polychopterus*
One-colored Becard – Pachyramphus homocrhous: nice view at Rio Claro reserve
VIREONIDAE Rufous-browed Peppershrike – Cyclarhis gujanensis: good views at Puerto Boyaca and near Minca
Black-billed Peppershrike – Cyclarhis nigrisrostris: stunning views at Rio Blanco reserve
Brown-capped Vireo – Vireo leucophrys: 4+seen at Rio Blanco reserve
Red-eyed (Chivi) Vireo - Vireo (chivi) olivaceus: Some classifications (e.g., Pinto 1944) have considered the South American chivi group as a separate species ("Chivi Vireo") from V. olivaceus, or as conspecific with V. flavoviridis (Hamilton 1962), but see Hellmayr (1935), Zimmer (1941d), Eisenmann 1962a, Johnson & Zink (1985), and Ridgely & Tudor (1989). Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) suggested, however, that more than one species may be involved within the South American chivi group.
Black-whiskered Vireo – Vireo altiloquus: 1 seen near Santa Marta
RR Rufous-naped Greenlet - Hylophilus semibrunneus: Good views at El Libano. Almost a Colombian endemic but gets into Venezuela.
Scrub Greenlet - Hylophilus flavipes: here and there
CORVIDAE RR Black-collared Jay - Cyanolyca armillata: Good views at Rio Blanco
Black-chested Jay - Cyanocorax affinis: common
Inca Jay Cyanocorax yncas: A most handsome bird. Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) and Hilty (2003) treated Middle American populations as a separate species, C. luxosus ("Green Jay") from South American C. yncas ("Inca Jay"), but no data presented; they were formerly (e.g., REFS) considered separate species.
HIRUNDINIDAE Brown-chested Martin – Progne tapera: a few near Barranquilla
Gray-breasted Martin - Progne chalybea: a few
Brown-bellied Swallow - Notiochelidon murina: At Bogotá, Chingaza and Los Nevados del Ruiz.
Blue-and-white Swallow -Notiochelidon cyanoleuca: Widespread in small numbers
Southern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis: Common at lower elevations.
Bank Swallow – Riparia riparia: 1 near Barranquilla
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica: common sightings in the lowlands
Cliff Swallow – Hirundo pyrrhonota: 1 at the Guascar gravel pits
TROGLODYTIDAE Southern Nightingale-Wren: Microcerculus marginatus: stunning views of a singing bird at Rio Claro reserve. Now its official name according to the IOU.
House Wren Troglodytes aedon: Common and widespread. Many authors (e.g., Hellmayr 1934, Pinto 1944, Phelps & Phelps 1950a) formerly treated Neotropical mainland populations as a separate species T. musculus; see also Brumfield and Capparella (1996); this treatment was followed by Brewer (2001) and Kroodsma & Brewer (2005). The Falklands population, T. a. cobbi, might also be best treated as a species (Wood 1993) and is done so by the IOU, as was done by Brewer (2001), Mazar Barnett & Pearman (2001), Jaramillo (2003), and Kroodsma & Brewer (2005);
Mountain Wren – Troglodytes solstitiatus: Two seen well at the Rio Blanco reserve
Sedge Wren – Cistothoru platensis: 1 good view on the paramo at Los Nevados National Park The SACC says “Two distinctive major subspecies groups, Andean and south-temperate platensis and lowland polyglottus, intergrade in southeastern South America (Traylor 1988). The North American stellaris group may warrant species rank from Cistothorus platensis (e.g., see Meyer de Schauensee 1966, Ridgely & Tudor 1989).”
E Apolinar’s Wren – Cistothorus apolinari: good view at La Florida park close to Bogota. ENDANGERED
Band-backed Wren – Campylorhynchus zonatus: seen daily at Rio Claro reserve
Stripe-backed Wren – Campylorhynchus nuchalis: 10+ near Barranquilla
Bicolored Wren - Campylorhynchus griseus: repeated excellent views
Black-bellied Wren - Pheugopedius fasciatoventris: Great looks at Rio Claro where contacted daily
Whiskered Wren - Pheugopedius mystacalis: good views at El Libano
Rufous-breasted Wren – Pheugopedius rutilus: nice views above Minca!
Bay Wren - Pheugopedius nigricapillus: good views at Rio Claro reserve where contacted daily
Rufous-and-white Wren – Thryophilus rufalbus: great views above Minca!!
Buff-breasted Wren – Cantorchilus leucotis: common in the Santa Marta area
Rufous Wren – Cinnecerthia unirufa: at Chingaza
Sharpe’s Wren – Cinnycerthia sharpei: at Rio Blanco reserve
White-breasted Wood-wren - Henicorhina leucosticta: good views at Rio Claro reserve
Grey-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys: Regularly heard at higher elevations with a number of good views.
Chestnut-breasted Wren - Cyphorhinus thoracicus*: at Otun Quimbaya.
POLIOPTIDAE Long-billed Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus: Excellent views near Minca.
Tropical Gnatcatcher – Polioptila plumbea: Common on the Guajira peninsula. Todd & Carriker many years ago split plumbiceps of the Guajira from bilineata so keep track of this
MIMIDAE Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus: A common open country species.
TURDIDAE Andean Solitaire Myadestes ralloide: a few heard but one seen well at otun Quimbaya!!
Slaty-backed Nightingale-thrush – Catharus fuscater: 1 seen in the El Dorado lodge garden
Gray-cheeked Thrush – Catharus minimus:1 seen well at La Victoria
Swainson ’s Thrush – Catharus ustulatus: regular sightings
Yellow-legged Thrush - Turdus flavipes: good views in the Sierra Nevada
Great Thrush Turdus fuscater: Ubiquitous at higher elevations. We saw quindio (endemic) in the Central and Western Andes, and cacozelus (a very pale subspecies that is also endemic) in the Santa Marta Mountains.
Black-hooded Thrush – Turdus olivater: nice views in the Sierra Nevada
Pale-breasted Thrush - Turdus leucomelas: Relatively common.
Black-billed Thrush - Turdus ignobilis: Fairly common in the lowlands
White-necked Thrush - Turdus albicollis: 1 in the Sierra Nevada
THRAUPIDAE White-capped Tanager – Sericossypha albocristata: Stunning bird seen very well at Rio Blanco reserve
Black-capped Hemispingus – Hemispingus atropileus: Seen well at Rio Blanco reserve. Hemispingus is Greek and means half a spingus – a spingus being a Finch so referring to their small size.
Superciliaried Hemispingus – Hemispingus superciliaris: 2 first at Chingaza and 5+ at Rio Blanco
Oleaginous Hemispingus – Hemispingus frontalis: 2 at Rio Blanco
Grey-hooded Bush Tanager – Cnemoscopus rubrirostris: 5+ of the nominate form that do have pink bills at Rio Blanco. Note the southern form chyrsogster south of the Maranon River in Peru, which does not have a pink bill may be a separate species and, if so, would become a Peruvian endemic.
Gray-headed Tanager – Eucometis penicillata: 2 at La Victoria
Tawny-crested Tanager – Tachyphonus delatrii: 1 at Rio Claro reserve
White-lined Tanager – Tachyphonus rufus: a pair seen near Minca
Crimson-backed Tanager - Ramphocelus dimidiatus: A widespread tanager of open and secondary habitats. Lemon-rumped Tanager Ramphocelus ictronotus: Well seen at Rio Claro reserve. Limited hybridization between Ramphocelus icteronotus and R. flammigerus was the basis for lumping them (Isler and Isler 1987, Ridgely and Tudor 1989, Sibley and Monroe 1990), but that may have been a mistake (Ridgely & Greenfield 2001, Ridgely & Tudor 2000. The SACC says: The taxon icteronotus was formerly (e.g., Hellmayr 1936, Meyer de Schauensee 1970) considered a separate species from Ramphocelus flammigerus, but intergradation between them in southwestern Colombia (Chapman 1917, Sibley 1958) led Storer (1970a) to consider them conspecific, and this treatment has been followed by most authors subsequently (e.g., Ridgely & Tudor 1989, Sibley & Monroe 1990), Restall (2007). However, as noted by Ridgely & Greenfield (2001), the differences between these two are comparable to those between two Ramphocelus taxa (passerinii and costaricensis) recently treated as separate species (Hackett 1996, AOU 1998). Restall 2007 agrees with the split as does the IOC. The SACC is considering.
RR Flame-rumped Tanager - Ramphocelus flammigerus: Seen at the beginning of our trip. See the preceding species for the taxonomic status of this near endemic.
Blue-gray Tanager - Thraupis episcopus: Numerous and widespread. The scientific name is derived from the ‘episcopal blue’ plumage.
Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum: Common and widespread.
Blue-capped Tanager Thraupis cyanocephala: A few seen at Rio Blanco reserve
Hooded Mountain Tanager – Buthraupis Montana: 2 at Chingaza – a large showy Tanager
E Santa Marta Mountain-Tanager – Anisognathus melanogenys: 5+ on the San Lorenzo ridge in the Sierra Nevada VULNERABLE
Lacrimose Mountain Tanager – Anisognathus lacrymosus: 1 at Rio Blanco reserve
Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager – Anisognathus igniventris: Always a great bird – 2-3 seen at Chingaza on our first day and then again at Los Nevados
Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus somptuosus: Good views at Rio Blanco.
Buff-breasted Mountain Tanager – Dubusia taeniata: fantastic sighting of that great tanager at Rio Blanco reserve!!
Golden-crowned Tanager – Iridosornis rufivertex: wonderful sighting of 2 individual of that stunning species at Los Nevados del Ruiz!!
Plain-colored Tanager – Tangara inornata: 2 at El Tabacal lake, and 2 more at Rio Claro reserve
Golden Tanager -Tangara arthus: A stunning montane species that we saw at Otun Quimbaya.
Bay-headed Tanager Tangara gyrola: We saw the turquoise bellied deleticia in the Andes, The name ‘gyrola’ is derived from the Latin ‘gyros’, or ring, and refers to the golden nuchal collar present in most races of this species.
RR Scrub Tanager - Tangara vitriolina: One of the most numerous and widespread tanagers in Colombia’s valleys and on the adjacent slopes, but outside the country it is a localized specialty in northern Ecuador.
Blue-necked Tanager Tangara cyanicollis: Common and widespread but nonetheless striking.
Golden-hooded Tanager - Tangara larvata: seen daily at Rio Claro reserve
Beryl-spangled Tanager - Tangara nigroviridis: Common at Rio Blanco.
Black-capped Tanager - Tangara heinei: A few seen at various sites.
Black-headed Tanager - Tangara cyanoptera: 1 near Minca (leader only)
Blue and Black Tanager – Tangara vassorii: Fairly common at Chingaza and Rio Blanco
Swallow Tanager – Tersina viridis: several good looks in the Sierra Nevada
Rusty Flowerpiercer – Diglossa sittoides: good views in the Sierra Nevada
Glossy Flowerpiercer – Diglossa lafresnayi: 1 at Los Nevados del Ruiz
Black Flowerpiercer – Diglossa humeralis: seen at Los Nevados del Ruiz and in the Sierra Nevada.
White-sided Flowerpiercer - Diglossa albilatera: Perhaps the most common and widespread of the flowerpiercers. Here the nominate race.
Bluish Flowerpiercer – Diglossa caerulescens: 1 at Chingaza
Masked Flowerpiercer – Diglossa cyanea: Common at Chingaza and Rio Blanco
Plushcap – Catamblyrhynchus diadema: 1 seen well at Rio Blanco and a few following a mixed species flock in the Sierra Nevada
RR Black-backed Bush-tanager – Urothraupis stolzmanni: fantastic close view of 4 birds at Los Nevados del Ruiz.
Yellow-backed Tanager - Hemithraupis flavicollis: 2 at Rio Claro reserve
Blue-backed Conebill – Conirostrum sitticolor: 2 at Chingaza NP
Capped Conebill – Conirostrum albifrons: Fairly common at Chingaza and Rio Blanco.
Yellow-tufted (Black-faced) Dacnis – Dacnis lineata egregia: 2 at Rio Claro reserve
Blue Dacnis – Dacnis cayana: 1 above Minca
Green Honeycreeper – Chlorophanes spiza: 1 at Rio Claro reserve.
Plumbeous Sierra-finch – Phrygilus unicolor: 2 at Los Nevados del Ruiz NP
Grassland Yellow-finch – Sicalis luteola: a few at Guascar gravel pits and at La Florida
Saffron Finch - Sicalis flaveola: Common
Blue-black Grassquit - Volatinia jacarina: Common.
Yellow-bellied Seedeater - Sporophila nigricollis: Common.
Ruddy-breasted Seedeater - Sporophila minuta: a few along El Hato road
Thick-billed seed-Finch - Oryzoborus funereus: 1 at Rio Claro reserve
Band-tailed Seedeater – Catamenia analis: 2 at Guascar gravel pits
Plain-colored Seedeater – Catamenia inornata: 5+ at Los Nevados del Ruiz
Paramo Seedeater – Catamenia homochroa: 2 at Los Nevados del Ruiz NP
Bananaquit – Coereba flaveola: for sure we enjoyed waching that nice little guy!!
Yellow-faced Grassquit - Tiaris olivacea: Small numbers here and there
Dull-colored Grassquit – Tiaris obscurus: 20+ above Minca.
Black-faced Grassquit – Tiaris bicolor: a few near perico in the Guajira peninsula.
Pileated Finch – Coryhospingus pileatus: good views at Los Flamencos NP
INCERTAE SEDIS RR Dusky-faced Bush-tanager - Mitrospingus cassinii: common at Rio Claro reserve
Rosy Thrush-Tanager – Rhodinocichla rosea: 2 seen briefly at El Tabacal lake, and fantastic view for some of us above Minca!!
Buff-throated Saltator - Saltator maximus: Fairly common
Grayish Saltator – Saltator coerulescens: Common.
Black-winged Saltator - Saltator atripennis: Common at Otun Quimbaya. One of the nicer Saltators.
Orinocan Saltator – Saltator orenocensis: nice view at Los Flamencos
Streaked Saltator Saltator striatipectus: Fairly common throughout the tour.
SPARROWS & ALLIES Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis: Numerous at higher elevations.
Tocuyo Sparrow – Arremonops tocuyensis: 2 seen near Los Flomencos NP
Orange-billed Sparrow – Arremon aurantiirostris: good views at Rio Claro reserve
Golden-winged Sparrow – Arremon schlegeli: excellent views of that beautiful sparrow above Minca
Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch Arremon brunneinucha: good views at Otun Quimbaya and near Medellin
E Sierra Nevada Brush-Finch – Arremon basilicus: seen in the El Dorado lodge garden
Grey-browed Brush-Finch – Arremon assimilis: 3 at the Rio Blanco Reserve coming to the Antpitta worm feeders.
RR Black-headed Brush-Finch – Arremon atricapillus: good views at El Libano
Yellow-throated (White-naped) Brush-Finch – Atlapetes (albinucha) gutteralis: Seen on a few occasions. The SACC says- Paynter (1964) provided rationale for merging the Atlapetes gutturalis group into A. albinucha White-naped Brush-Finch; and this treatment was followed by Paynter (1970a), AOU (1998), and Dickinson (2003) but not by Restall (2007). The two certainly look very different but the IOC says Yellow-throated Brush Finch Atlapetes gutturalis intergrades and is conspecific with White-naped Brush Finch A. albinucha
E Santa Marta Brush-Finch – Atlapetes melanocephalus: very common in the Sierra Nevada
E Yellow-headed Brush-Finch – Atlapetes flaviceps: 2 seen in the early morning above Libano. An extremely localized endemic in real danger. Formerly (e.g., Meyer de Schauensee 1970, Hilty & Brown 1986, Dickinson 2003) known as "Olive-headed Brush-Finch". Called"Yellow-headed Brush- Finch" in BirdLife International (2000). SACC proposal passed to change English name to the latter because the historical name is inaccurate and misleading. ENDANGERED
Slaty Brush-Finch – Atlapetes schistaceus: seen at Rio Blanco.
CARDINALIDAE E Sooty Ant-Tanager - Habia gutturalis: A superb Nechí endemic. We saw 2 at La Victoria and again at Rio Claro reserve. It has a restricted range within north-west Colombia, where it occurs in the upper Sinú valley at the north end of the West Andes, and east along the north base of the Andes to the middle Magdalena valley. Despite a report that it may benefit from forest destruction, it is now adjudged rare in (often streamside) undergrowth in tall secondary and patchy woodland at 100-1,100m. It is highly insectivorous, with pairs or small family groups following swarms of army ants or joining mixed-species flocks. Suitable habitat within its range is unprotected and relatively reduced. The middle and lower Magdalena valley has been extensively deforested since the 19th century (foragriculture), and clearance of its favored foothills has been near total since the 1950s. NEAR THRATENED
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - Pheuctitus ludovicianus: Only one, at the Tabacal lake.
Vermillion Cardinal – Cardinalis phoeniculus: excellent views at Los Flamencos NP
PARULIDAE Northern Waterthrush – Parkesea noveboracensis: seen a few times,with the best views at Rio Claro reserve
Mourning Warbler – Geothlypis Philadelphia: seen twice during our trip
Tropical Parula – Parula pitiayumi: A few.
American Yellow Warbler – Dendroica aestiva: This North American Migrant was seen at a few occasions. The SACC says: Many authors suspect that the breeding populations of Dendroica petechia in South America may represent one or more separate species from North American wintering populations, but species limits in the "Yellow Warbler' complex are controversial (Klein and Brown 1994). Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) used a two-species classification, with North American wintering populations as one species, D. aestiva ("Yellow Warbler") and tropical resident populations as another, D. petechia ("Mangrove Warbler"). A three-species classification, as used by Hilty (2003), would separate the tropical populations into two species: mainly Pacific coastal populations, D. erithachorides ("Mangrove Warbler"), and Caribbean D. petechia ("Golden Warbler"). Olson (1980) noted that the South American populations on the Pacific coast show a gradation of characters between the erithachorides and petechia groups. SACC proposal to split petechia into two or more species did not pass due to insufficient published data. The IOC differs however and splits the birds into North American Yellow Warbler and Mangrove Warbler.
Blackpoll Warbler – Setophaga striata: a few
Bay-breasted Warbler - Dendroica castanea: a few seen at La Victoria
Blackburnian Warbler – Dendroica fusca: Regularly recorded throughout the tour – a very pretty bird.
Buff-rumped Warbler Basileuterus fulvicauda: common at Rio Claro reserve
Black-crested Warbler – Myiothlypis nigrocristatus: best views at Chingaza
E White-lored Warbler – Myiothlypis conspicillatus: contacted daily in the Sierra Nevada
Russet-crowned Warbler – Basileuterus coronatus: 3 at Otun Quimbaya
Golden-crowned warbler – Basileuterus culicivorus: 1 along El Hato road
Rufous-capped Warbler - Basileuterus rufifrons delatterii: Contacted several times, but best views above Minca!! The delatrii group of subspecies, from Guatemala south to northwestern South America, was formerly (e.g., Hellmayr 1935) treated as separate species from the Basileuterus rufifrons of (mainly) Mexico, but they evidently intergrade in Guatemala and Honduras (Monroe 1968, AOU 1983).
Three-striped Warbler - Basileuterus tristriatus: Common at Rio Blanco
E Santa Marta Warbler – Basileuterus basilicus: 1 seen briefly on the San Lorenzo ridge in the Sierra Nevada VULNERABLE
Canada Warbler – Wilsonia canadensis: Common
Slate-throated Whitestart - Myioborus miniatus: A common, widespread and delightful resident of the montane forests.
RR Golden-fronted Whitestart – Myioborus ornatus: We saw the chrysops race at Chingaza Rio Blanco reserve– a very pretty bird.
E Yellow-crowned Whitestart – Myioborus flavivertex: good views on the San Lorenzo ridge in the Sierra Nevada
ICTERIDAE Russet-backed Oropendola Zarhynchus angustifrons: seen above Medellin
Chestnut-headed Oropendola – Psarocolius wagleri: we found a small breeding colony at Rio Claro reserve
Crested Oropendola - Psarocolius decumanus: common
Northern Mountain Cacique – Cacicus leucorhamphus: 2 seen at Chingaza
Orange-crowned Oriole – Icterus auricapillus: seen daily at Rio Claro reserve
Yellow Oriole – Icterus nigrogularis: a few seen in the Guajira peninsula
E Red-bellied Grackle – Hypopyrrhus pyrohpogaste: A total of 5 seen very well near Medellin- a very striking species and very localized. ENDANGERED
Yellow-hooded Blackbird – Chrysmus icterocephalus: Common at Parque La Florida.
Giant Cowbird – Molothorus oryzivorus: A few of this brood parasite
Shiny Cowbird – Molothorus bonariensis: Common
Great-tailed Grackle – Quiscalus mexicanus: fairly common in the Guajira peninsula.
Carib Grackle - Quiscalus lugubris: a few seen during our drives and on the Guajira peninsula. A spreading species in Colombia!!
Red-breasted Blackbird - Sturnella militaris: seen near Puerto Boyaca
Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna 2 at the Guascar Gravel Pits on our first day
FRINGILLIDAE Andean Siskin – Sporaga spinescens: 15+ at Parque La Florida, and also contacted at Los Nevados del Ruiz.
Yellow-bellied Siskin – Sporaga xanthogastra: seen at Otun Quimbaya and Rio Blanco reserve
Lesser Goldfinch - Carduelis psaltria: A few seen
E Velvet-fronted Euphonia – Euphonia concinna: A few seen well at Finca El Palmar.
Trinidad Euphonia – Euphonia trinitatis: a few in the Guajira peninsula
Orange-bellied Euphonia - Euphonia xanthogaster: A few at Otun Quimbaya and Rio Blanco reserve and like most races, the birds we saw (oressinoma), are actually yellow-bellied. A species conspicuously absent from the, (impoverished) Santa Marta Mountains.
Thick-billed Euphonia - Euphonia laniirostris. Common
Fulvous-vented Euphonia - Euphonia fulvicrissa: 4 seen at Rio Claro reserve
Blue-naped Chlorophonia - Chlorophonia cyanea: fantastic views in the Sierra Nevada
PASSERIDAE House Sparrow – Passer domesticus: only seen at Riohacha…not a easy one in Colombia!!
MAMMALS
Neotropical Red-tailed Squirrel – Sciurus granatensis: seen almost daily, including several color morph
E Andean Squirrel - Sciurus pucheranii: An endemic! Seen at Rio Blanco
E White-footed (Silvery-brown Bare-faced) Tamarin – Saguinus leucopus: seen daily at Rio Claro reserve
Colombian Red Howler - Alouatta seniculus: 3 seen well at Otun Quimbaya
Central American Agouti – Dasyprocta punctata: seen in the Sierra Nevada
Kinkajou – Potos flavus: a small group seen in the Sierra Nevada
Crab-eating Fox – Cerdocyon thous: 1 seen too briefly near Pericos.
Neotropical Otter – Lontra longicaudis: stunning view of 2 otters at Rio Claro reserve
Sac-winged Bat sp. – Saccopteryx sp.: seen at La Victoria
Black Rat – Rattus rattus: seen near Santa Marta. Introduced species
REPTILES Green Iguana Iguana iguana : a few