Bolivia - Lowlands

Naturetrek Tour Report 12 - 20 November 2006

Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk

Tour Report Bolivia - Lowlands

Report compiled by William Perez (tour leader)

Tour participants: Francis Argyle Stephen Gents Peter and Hilary Smith Peter Nickless Graham Jones Graham Mant Michael Burton Helmut Schenkel Brunner.

Day 1 Monday 13th November

I met the whole group in the Viru Viru Airport at Santa Cruz at 1.30pm and we drove to have lunch first before heading to the hotel to drop off our bags. As we drove out of the airport a Whistling Heron give the group a nice welcome! Later we took the journey to Parque Regional Lomas de Arena, where our serious birding started. The highlights of the afternoon included the great views of the White bellied Nothura, which was very close, and flying above us were Fork-tailed Flycatchers, Campo Flickers, Plush crested Jays and White Woodpeckers, as well as Narrow billed Wood creeper and many others! We went back to the hotel and had dinner at Casa del Camba (very good traditional Bolivian food).

Day 2 Tuesday 14th November

We started very early in the direction of the Jardin Botanico where we arrived at 6am. Near the pond we had stunning views of at least 3 or 4 Rufous-sided Crake feeding on the reefs. Many Yellow-tufted woodpeckers were around and we had great views of both Cocoi and Rufesent Tiger Heron. The Ferruginous Pygmy Owl was an excellent sighting! We managed to see some antbirds too, like the Great and Bolivian Slaty Antshrike. Most of the people managed to see a huge Collared forest Falcon, Woodcreepers (Olivaceous & Straight-billed) and a lot of other species. The most exciting bird at that time was a Woodpecker that looked like Blond crested, and we checked it as such. However, when I returned to Ecuador and consulted books as well as several people it seemed to be the consensus that it was a subspecies of the Pale crested Woodpecker, the Latin name Celeus flavescens flavescens. The birding in this particular area was fabulous, and we saw Blue crowned Trogon, Chestnut fronted Macaw, Yellow olive Flatbill and many others. At noon we headed in the direction of Los Volcanes and stayed in a beautiful location. Along the way we managed to spot some other birds and had great views of Mitred Parakeet, King Vulture, and Moustached Wren. We walked all the way down to the lodge and we got to see some other birds like Variable Antshike, Pale legged Warbler. Another highlight of the day, not counting all these beautiful bird sightings, was a Cerveza fria.

Day 3 Wednesday 15th November

We spent the whole day in Los Volcanes. In the morning we did a trail around the lodge and my main goal was to look for the difficult Slaty Gnateater which we happily found! This was followed by good views of Plain Antvireo, Black capped Antwren, Blue Dacnis and Tawny crowned Greenlet. Some people managed to see a

Bolivia - Lowlands Tour Report

Tataupa Tinamou crossing the path. We worked very hard for sightings of the famous Yungas Manakin and finally we saw this great bird with the scope! It was very enjoyable to see such an attractive and friendly bird coming so close to us.

After lunch we walked along the road and along the way saw a Buff fronted Foliage gleaner, and, Bolivian Recurvebill. Interesting bird sightings in the afternoon included the Andean Condor and Hauxwell’s Thrush. We also had gorgeous views of the Saffron billed Sparrow and White barred Piculet on the road near the river. To finish off the afternoon there was a single tree with some of the pretty Tanagers, Blue browed, White winged, Guira, and Silver beaked on full display.

Day 4 Thursday 16th November

Today we had a very early start and worked the Parrot trail. It wasn’t a great success as it was too windy and we subsequently didn’t see much. However there was much excitement when Steven found a Sclater’s Tyranulet chick. We went back and had breakfast and started our journey up the hill to get the bus. The plan was that the guys from the lodge were going to drive all of us but unfortunately their car broke down. We had to wait for a long while for the car to be fixed which eventually didn’t happen. We took advantage of the wait and during this time we managed to see some very good birds and also a troop of Brown Capuchin monkeys. The birds seen were Rufous Casiornis, Lineated Woodpecker and others. Some of us walked all the way up, an hour’s trek, but along the way we found an Austral Rail which was dead on the road. Eventually we met Leo and his bus again and we left at 11 o clock in the direction to El Tambo. We kept driving along the dry valleys and then it was time to have some lunch. We stopped in Samaipata at the Pizza place; the lunch was excellent with the bonus of good birding in the garden. We found a Glittering bellied Emerald, Creamy bellied Thrush and Blue and yellow Tanager. Our goal was to get to a place called los Negros to do the next stop, and it was fantastic birding, the first bird there was Greater wagtail Tyrant, Streaked fronted Thornbird, Red Paliated Finch, Masked Gnatcatcher and many other great birds. We arrived to El Tambo quite late in the afternoon to stay at a place called Monte Blanco, which used to be a boarding school.

Day 5 Friday 17th November

After an early breakfast we headed in the direction of Saipina to look for the famous Red fronted Macaw. We started with no luck at the beginning but we saw some of them flying in the valley but it was not a great sighting. We arrived at San Rafael and luckily there were still some corn plantations left so we went to look for them in that area. On the way to the corn fields we had great views of Blue-crowned Parakeets, and the stunning little Black and Chestnut Warbling Finch and hundreds of Yellow chevronet Parakeets. We hadn’t yet seen our main targets well enough. We could hear the macaws coming towards us and finally we saw them very well several times! We kept on driving to look for another important bird, the Cliff Parakeet but no luck - just some Flycatchers along the way. We drove back to El Tambo to look for birds before dinner. This was a good decision because at the time we were looking for the Bolivian Earthcreeper when at least 20 Red Fronted Macaws landed in a tree very close to us, so everyone really enjoyed this beautiful bird. After that we saw our target Bolivian Earthcreeper, and very happy we all went back for the night.

2 © Naturetrek April 07

Bolivia - Lowlands Tour Report

Day 6 Saturday 18th November

Another early start but this time we went in the direction of Siberia, Yungas (Cloudforest). But we stopped before the Yungas and the first bird of the day was a good one, an Olive crowned Crescentchest and the second even better, Gray bellied Flowerpiercer. Along the road there were many birds, a Blue capped Puffleg , Rust and Yellow Tanager , and Red tailed Comet, to name a few.

We arrived to the normal stop to do the walk and this place was even more spectacular. There we had superb views of the famous Bolivian endemic Rufous faced Antpitta, as well as the Trilling Tapaculo out in the open. Any birds we saw after this (and there were many) felt like a bonus: Blue backed Conebill, followed by Bar- bellied Woodpecker and Andean slaty Thrush. There were also Red-crested Cotingas around and Crested Becards, and many others. During the hike we saw Rufous naped Brush Finches (very common), Andean Tyrant, and Strong billed Woodcreeper. On the way back with those who were interested we went to look for the Scissor tailed Nightjar , and this sighting for many people was the bird of the day.

Day 7 Sunday 19th November

This was the last day of our lowland tour and we had to drive back to Santa Cruz. Before heading out we decided to look for the elusive White cheeked Puffbird with no luck. Instead of that we saw Tawny headed Swallow, and during the drive back we did a few stops where we saw the pretty Ring warbling Finch and also Black capped Warbling Finch and some others. After this we went to the Pirai River where we saw Collared Plover. We had some time to spare and we went to the airport, where we saw Long winged Harrier, Rufous rumped Seedeater, White browed Blackbird, and many Red winged Tinamous.

Day 8 Monday 20th November

As all the group members were doing the Highland tour we spent the morning looking for some of the birds that we didn’t se , one of them being the Rhea and Toco Toucan. This is something that I call just luck, when the Toco Toucan flew above us and landed on a tree. It stayed there until I set up the scope and everyone had a great view of him. Our day got even better when 6 Rheas came to the field later on. This was a great finale to the Lowland trip and we were happy to move on to the next part of the trip to see what lay in store for us.

Summary

We managed to see most of the birds we were looking for and I would like to thank the entire group for being patient, for their continual enthusiasm, and also for their very sharp eyes!

Bolivia - Lowlands Tour Report

Species lists

Please observe that in the list below, birds that were heard only and not actually seen, are in this list, but noted as “heard only”. All the rest were seen by at least half of the group.

Taxonomy and nomenclature are almost exclusively derived from Hennessey, A. B., Herzog, S. K. & Sagot, F. 2003. Lista Anotada de las Aves de Bolivia. Quinta edición. Asociación Armonía/BirdLife International, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.

Common name Scientific name Status Red winged Tinamou Rhynchotus rufescents White bellied Nothura Nothura boraquira Undulated Tinamou Crypturellus undulates Heard only Greater Rhea Rhea Americana Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicusseen Pied billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Fasciated Tiger Heron Tigrisoma Faciatum Rufescent Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma lineatum Striated Heron Butorides striatus Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Whistling Heron Syrigma sibilatrix Cocoi Heron Ardea cocoi Black crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Buff necked Ibis Theristicus caudatus Wood Stork Mycteriana Americana Brazilian Teal Amazonetta brazilensis Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Black Vulture Coragyps atratus King Vulture Sarcoramphus papa Andean Condor Vultur gryphus Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus White tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus Long winged Harrier Circus buffoni Black cheasted Buzzard Eagle Geranoaetus melanoleucos Gray Hawk Asturina nitida Variable Hawk Buteo magnirostris Roadside Hawk Buteo magnirostris White tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Southern (Crested) Caracara Caracara plancus Yellow-headed Caracara Milvago chimachima Collared forest Falcon Micrastur semitorquatus American Kestrel Falco sparverius Rufous breasted Wood Quail Heard only Limpkin Aramus guarauna Grey-necked Wood-Rail Aramides cajanea Heard only Rufous sided Crake Laterallus melanophaius Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinica Wattled Jacana Jacana jacana

Bolivia - Lowlands Tour Report

Common name Scientific name Status Southern Lapwing Vanellus chilensis Collared Plover Charadrius collaris Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda Rock Dove Columbia livia Plumbeous Pigeon Patagioenas plumbea Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata Ruddy Ground-Dove Columbina talpacoti Picui Ground-Dove Columbina picui White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi Red-fronted Macaw Ara rubrogenys Chestnut-fronted Macaw Ara severa Blue-crowned Parakeet Aratinga acuticauda Mitred Parakeet Arating mitrata Dusky-headed Parakeet Aratinga weddellii Green-cheeked Parakeet Pyrrhura molinae Andean Parakeet Bolborhynchus orbygnesius Gray hooded Parakeet Psilopsiagon aymara Blue-winged Parrotlet Forpus xanthopterygius Yellow-chevroned Parakeet Brotogeris chiriri Blue headed Parrot Pionus menstrus Red-billed Parrot Pionus sordidus Scaly-headed Parrot Pionus maximiliani Turquoise-fronted Parrot Amazona aestiva Scaly-naped Parrot Amazona mercenaria Yellow billed Cuco Coccyzus americanus Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani Guira Cuckoo Guira guira Ferruginous Pygmy Owl Glaucidium brasilianum Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia Nacunda Nighthawk Podager nacunda Scissor-tailed Nightjar Hydropsalis torquata White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris Ashy tailed Swift Chaetura Andrei White tipped Swift Aeronautes montivagus Straight billed Hermit Phaethornis bourcieri Glittering-bellied Emerald Chlorostilbon aureoventris Blue tailed Emerald Chlorostlbon mellisugus Fork-tailed Woodnymph Thalurania furcata White-bellied Hummingbird Amazilia chionogaster Violet throated Starfrontlet Coeligena violifer Blue capped Puffleg Eriocnemis glaucopoides White vented Violetear Colibri serirostris Scaled Metaltail Metallura aeneocauda Red-tailed Comet Sappho sparganura Tyrian Metaltail Metallura tyrianthina Blue-crowned Trogon Trogon curucui Blue-crowned Motmot Momotus momota

Bolivia - Lowlands Tour Report

Common name Scientific name Status Spot-backed Puffbird Nystalus maculatus Black-fronted Nunbird Monasa nigrifrons Chestnut-eared Aracari Pteroglossus castanotis Toco toucan Ramphastus toco White barred Piculet Picumnus cirratus Yellow-tufted Woodpecker Melanerpes cruentatus White Woodpecker Melanerpes candidus White-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes contorum Little Woodpecker Veniliornis passerinus Bar-bellied Woodpecker Verniliornis nigriceps Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopuslineatus Pale crested Woodpecker Celeus lugubris lugubris Green barred Woodpecker Colaptes melanochloros Campo Flicker Colaptes campestris Olivaceous Woodcreeper Sittasomus griseicapillus Black banded Woodcreeper Dendrocolaptes picumnus Straight-billed Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus picus Narrow-billed Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes angustirostris Montane Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger Ocellated Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus ocellatus Strong billed Woodcreper Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus Bolivian Earthcreeper Upucerthia harterti Rufous Hornero Furnarius rufus Sooty-fronted Spinetail Synallaxis frontalis Plain crwned Spinetaile Synallaxis gujanensis Light crowned Spinetail Cranioleuca albiceps Striped crowned Spinetail Cranioleuca pyrchrophia Azara’s Spinetail Synallaxis azarae Rusty-vented Canastero Asthenes dorbigbyi Common Thornbird Phacellodomus rufifrons Spot-breasted Thornbird Phacellodomus maculipectus Streak fronted Thornbird Phacellodomus striaticeps Greater Thornbird Phacellodomus ruber Streaked Xenops Xenops rutilans Pearled Treerunner Margarornis squamiger Bolivian Recurvebill Simexenops striatus Buff fronted Foliage gleaner Philydor rufum Gray throated Leaftosser Sclerurus albigularis Great Antshrike Taraba major Bolivian Slaty Antshrike Thamnophilus sticturus Rufous-capped Antshrike Thamnophilus ruficapillus Variable Antshike Thamnophilus caerulescens Plain Antvireo Dysithamnus mentalis Black-capped Antwren Herpsilochmus atricapillus White-backed Fire-eye Pyriglena leuconota Short tailed Antthrush Chamaeza campanisona Rufous-faced Antpitta Grallaria erythrotis Heard Slaty Gnateater Conopophaga ardesiaca Trilling Tapaculo Scytalopus parvirostris

Bolivia - Lowlands Tour Report

Common name Scientific name Status Olive-crowned Crescentchest Melanopareia maximiliani White-crested Elaenia Elaenia albiceps Small-billed Elaenia Elaenia parvirostris Mouse-coloured Tyrannulet Phaeomyias murina Sclater’s Tyrannulet Phyllomyas sclateri White-throated Tyrannulet Mecocerculos leucophrys Buff banded Tyrannulet Mecocerculos hellmayri Slaty capped Flaycatcher Leptopogon superciliaris Greater Wagtail-Tyrant Stigmatura budytoides Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant Anairetes flavirostris Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant Hemitriccus margaritaceiventer Yellow-olive Flycatcher Tolmomyias sulphurescens Cinnamon Flaycatcher Pyrrhomyias cinnamomeus Cliff Flycatcher Hirundinea ferruginea Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans Western Wood Pewee Contopus virens Bran-colored Flaycatcher Myophobus fasciatus Andean Tyrant Knipolegus signatus White-winged Black-Tyrant Knipolegus aterrimus Slaty backed Chat Tyrant Ochthoeca cinnamomeiventris Rufous breasted Chat Tyrant Ochthoeca rufipectoralis Yellow browed Tyrant Satrapa icterophrys Variegeted Flaycatcher Empidonomus varius Streaked throated Bush Tyrant Myiotheretes striaticollis Rufous Casiornis Casiornis rufa Cattle Tyrant Machetornis rixosus Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Dusky capped Flaycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer Swainson’s Flaycatcher Myiarchus swainsoni Streaked Flycatcher Myiodynastes maculatus Golden crowned Flaycatcher Myiodynastes chrysocephalus Crowned Slaty Flycatcher Empidonomus aurantiatrocristatus Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus Boat-billed Flaycatcher Megarynchus pitangua Fork-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus savanna Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata Crested Becard Pachyramphus validus Barred Becard Pachyramphus versicolor Red-crested Cotinga Ampelion rubrocristatus White-tipped Plantcutter Phytotoma rutila Yungas Manakin Chiroxiphia boliviana Purplish Jay Cyanocorax cyanomelas Plush-crested Jay Cyanocorax chrysops Grey-breasted Martin Progne chalybea Southern Martin Progne elegans Blue-and-White Swallow Pygochelidon cyanoleuca Tawny-headed Swallow Alopochelidon fucata Bank Swallow Riparia riparia

Bolivia - Lowlands Tour Report

Common name Scientific name Status Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Thrush-like Wren Campylorhynchus turdinus Moustached Wren Thryothorus genibarbis House Wren Troglodytes aedon Mountain Wren Troglodytes solstitialis Masked Gnatcatcher Polioptila dumicola Spotted Nightingale Thrush Catharus dryas Heard only Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus Glossy Black Thrush Turdus serranus Andean Slaty Thrush Turdus nigriceps Rufous-bellied Thrush Turdus rufiventris Creamy-bellied Thrush Turdus amaurochalinus Hauxwell’s Thrush Turdus hauxwelli White necked Thrush Turdus albicolis Great Thrush Turdus fuscater Chalk-browed Mockingbird Mimus saturninus Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus Tawny crowned Greenlet Hylophilus ochraceiceps Bananaquit Coereba flaveola Rust-and-Yellow Tanager Thlypopsis ruficeps Silver-beaked Tanager Ramphocelus carbo Sayaca Tanager Thraupis sayaca Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum Blue-and-Yellow Tanager Thraupis bonariensis Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus somptuosus Blue Dacnis Dacnis cayana Blue backed Conebill Conirostrum sitticolor Capped Conebill Conirostrum albifrons Gray bellied Flowerpiercer Diglossa carbonaira Guira Tanager Hemithraupis guira Blue browed Tanager Tangara cyanotis Common Bush-Tanager Chlorospingus ophthalmicus Hepatic Tanager Piranga flava Orange bellied Euphonia Euphonia xanthogaster Bronze green Euphonia Euphonia mesochrysa Fawn breasted Tanager Pipraeidae melanonota White winged Tanager Piranga leucoptera Hooded Tanager Nemosia pileata Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis Grassland Sparrow Ammodramus humeralis Grey-crested Finch Lophospingus griseocristatus Black-and-Chestnut Warbling-Finch Poospiza whitii Rusty browed Warblin Finch Poospiza erythrophrys Ringed Warbling-Finch Poospiza torquata Black-capped Warbling-Finch Wedge-tailed Grassfinch Emberizoides herbicola Great Pampa-Finch Embernagra platensis Blue-black Grassquit Volatinia jacarina Band-tailed Seedeater Catamenia analis

Bolivia - Lowlands Tour Report

Common name Scientific name Status Rufous rumped Seedeater Sporophila hypochroma Saffron-billed Sparrow Arremon flavirostis Bolivia Rufous-naped Brush-Finch Atlapetes rufinucha Red Pileated Finch Coryphospingus cucullatus Red-crested Cardinal Paroaria coronata Red-capped Cardinal Paroaria gularis Saffron Finch Sicalis flaveola Black-backed Grosbeak Pheucticus aureoventris Golden-billed Saltator Saltator aurantiirostris Ultramarine Grosbeak Cyanocompsa brissonii I Tropical Parula Parula pitiayumi Masked Yellowthroat Geothlypis aequinoctialis Brown-capped Whitestart Myioborus brunniceps Spectacled Whitestart Myioborus melanocephalus Two-banded Warbler Basileuterus bivittatus Pale-legged Warbler Basileuterus signatus Flavesent Warbler Basileuterus flaveolus Dusky-Green Oropendola Psarocolius atrovirens Crested Oropendola Psarocolius decumanus Chopi Blackbird Gnorimopsar chopi Bolivian Blackbird Oreopsar bolivianus Baywing Agelaioides badius Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis Epaulet Oriole Icterus cayanensis Solitari black Cacique Cacicus solitarius White-browed Blackbird Sturnella superciliaris Hooded Siskin Carduelis magellanica

Mammals

Brown Capuchin Cebus apella Three toed Sloth Bradypus sp Capybara Hydrochoerus hydrochaerus