Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
A Tropical Birding SET DEPARTURE tour SOUTHERN ECUADOR
Highland Rarities and Tumbesian Endemics 12th – 27th January 2015 (main tour)
28th - 31st January 2015 (Esmeraldas Woodstar Extension)
Tour Leader: Jose Illanes
This tour is all about getting rare and local species; like this El Oro Parakeet, which was only recently described and has a tiny world population.
NB. All of the photos of species seen on the tour were taken by Jose Illanes. (The species in the photos are highlighted in RED).
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
INTRODUCTION
This classic circuit of Southern Ecuador took in an extraordinary array of habitats; we started out in the sweltering lowlands near the coastal city of Guayaquil, scouring mangroves and wetlands near there (and finding the local Horned Screamer and “Pacific” Royal Flycatcher); before ascending into the Andean foothills, and the Buenaventura reserve, where our time in their tropical forests produced some of their most special birds, like Long-wattled Umbrellabird at a display site, the mouthy Ochraceous Attila, and the above El Oro Parakeets, gathering at a breeding spot. From there we changed habitat entirely moving into the true Tumbesian realm, and the humid deciduous woodland of Jorupe, with its horde of endemics. The feeders at this site are superb, and aided in seeing some of these, like the normally shy Pale-browed Tinamou (apart from at these feeders!), and the stunningly beautiful White-tailed Jay. The area of Jorupe was combined with Utuana, (upslope and wetter montane evergreen forest), to add birds like the impossibly cute Black-crested Tit-Tyrant, and sturdy Black-cowled Saltator among others. From there we headed up to an even higher site, the temperate and Elfin forest of Cerro Toledo, where we picked up another rare and local species, the Neblina Metaltail, as well as the difficult Masked Mountain-Tanager too. We remained within temperate forest on the east side of the Andes for the next site, Tapichalaca, where we saw one of the most famous birds in all of Ecuador, the formerly fabled Jocotoco Antpitta (which, in spite of its continuing rare status, continues to be easy to see at this site). This area also produced Chestnut-naped Antpitta, and Bearded Guan too.
Moving on from there we stayed on the east slope, but this time moved significantly lower down, to the foothills around Yankuam Lodge, the haunt of the exquisite and rare Orange-throated Tanager,
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015 which was seen with some effort in rainy conditions, here at the only reliable site on Earth. As usual this site yielded a number of other rare birds too, like the recently discovered (in Ecuador that is) White-bellied Pygmy-Tyrant, the local Zimmer’s Antbird, and the decidedly rare Blackish Pewee. We remained in the eastern foothills for our next stop, where we temporarily moved into the very popular Copalinga Lodge, located near the edge of Podocarpus National Park; here we were thrilled with the pair of normally very difficult Gray Tinamous coming to their grain feeder (the only place in the World where this can be seen in this way), while inside the park highlights included specialties like Black-streaked Puffbird and Coppery-chested Jacamar, and outside the national park White- breasted Parakeet and Foothill Elaenia (a recently described species) also featured, along with always popular Andean Cock-of-the-rock. The next stop was a small and little visited reserve that holds one of the rarest birds in South America, the Pale-headed Brush-Finch, numbering just a few hundred individuals (all confined to a very small areas in southern Ecuador). Thankfully, we saw four of these at the feeder on site, and so in spite of its great rarity the bird was remarkably straightforward!
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
After this short visit, our final major site of the tour was one of a very different nature to all the others, El Cajas National Park, where we birded in two markedly different habitats; temperate forest and paramo grasslands above the treeline. This yielded many new birds for the tour, even on this last day of the main tour, with the rarest and most vaunted of them being Violet-throated Metaltail, the oft-difficult Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant, and the nuthatch-like Giant Conebill, as well as some very confiding, azure blue Tit-like Dacnis. For the extension we moved first onto a coastal, arid peninsula, west of Guayaquil, where birds like the rarely seen Sulphur-throated Finch, Parrot-billed Seedeater, and Crimson-breasted Finch were found, as well as Chilean Flamingoes on the coastal pans. Heading north we moved to our final major site of the entire tour, Ayampe, the seasonal home of the very rare Esmeraldas Woodstar, where several males were seen, both foraging and perched, another species probably only numbering a total world population of several hundred only (and all confined to Ecuador). At the end of this grand southern Ecuador circuit we had witnessed some very special birds indeed, among a heady haul of over 600 species SEEN. This remains one of Ecuador very best birding regions, with some of its rarest birds well staked out, and yet, remarkably, it remains very under birded, so it was common that we were birding alone, unlike some of Ecuador’s more popular northern sites.
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Day 1 (of birding): Guayaquil to Buenaventura (via Manglares Charute)
An hour’s drive from our hotel in Ecuador’s most populous city of Guayaquil, we started our birding along a forested road in Manglares Charute National Park. Our main quarry was the Jet Antbird, and “Pacific” form of Royal Flycatcher (sometimes regarded as a separate species and regional endemic), both of which were seen with the minimum of fuss. Other highlights included regional endemics like Black-capped Sparrow and Sooty-crowned Flycatcher, as well as Orange-crowned Euphonia, Red-billed Scythebill, Gray-cheeked Parakeet, and the noisy Superciliated Wren, as well as Whiskered Wren in an isolated bamboo patch there. In the open fields near there the scarlet-breasted Peruvian Meadowlark showed up, along with the usual high numbers of Snail Kites, as well as both Snowy-throated Kingbird and Pacific Pygmy-Owl perched on open power lines. Another surprise find in this open area was a White-necked Puffbird perched in an open cecropia, a nice find on this tour. In the wetter fields we also located at least two Horned Screamers perched up in the large bushes.
We then started the long journey to Buenaventura, our first of six Jocotoco Conservation Foundation reserves that were visited on the tour! Before getting there though we stopped at some wetland areas near Santa Rosa, which yielded White-cheeked Pintail, Roseate Spoonbill, Wattled Jacana, Croaking Ground- Dove and Chestnut- throated Seedeater among others. We finally arrived at Umbrellabird Lodge, in Buenaventura reserve, in the evening, with no time for birding, bar adding a pair of Black-and-white Owls, which were added to the list right before dinner, right by the restaurant!
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Day 2: Buenaventura
We started birding right around the lodge, where birds came in to pick insects off the areas where these had been attracted by the lodge lights during the night. This led us to see Gray-and-gold Warbler, three species of woodcreeper (Spotted, Olivaceous and Plain-brown); the local fruiting tree, visible from the restaurant drew in birds too, including Collared (Pale-mandibled) Aracari, Blue-necked and Bay-headed Tanagers. Then a shock occurred, when three Long-wattled Umbrellabirds flew into a dead tree for a short time, before leaving a gob-smacked tour group in its wake as they shot off back into the dark forest, where they are more normally found. In spite of this sighting, we stuck to our plan, then taking a short walk to the lek site for this species, where we had better views of a single booming male, showing the full extent of his extraordinary wattle.
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Once the umbrellabird had been well and truly “dealt with”, we returned to the forested dirt road and focused our birding there, which helped us to find Rufous Motmot, Song Wren, Brownish Twistwing, Yellow-throated and Ashy-throated Chlorospinguses, Striped (Western) Woodhaunter, and White-throated Spadebill. A soaring Gray-backed Hawk was a nice find (another regional specialty), which was overshadowed, at least in terms of rarity, by a perched up Semicollared Hawk (arguably the toughest of all the Ecuadorian hawks to find). All too soon it was near lunchtime, and so we returned to the restaurant to not only eat, but also spend some quality time with their hummingbirds, as their feeders drawn them in in good numbers. At the feeders, we observed Violet-bellied Hummingbird, Green Thorntail, Emerald-bellied (lumped with Crowned) Woodnymph, Andean Emerald, Green-crowned Brilliant, White-necked Jacobin, Brown and Green Violetears. However, it was not only hummingbirds taking advantage of the sugar water, as the regular Green Honeycreepers were also in attendance.
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
In the afternoon, once we’d had our fill of the local hummingbird horde, we started to make our way towards a higher area of the reserve, the known hang out for the rare and local El Oro Parakeet, which breeds within nest boxes there. Our journey was quickly interrupted however by a calling Ochraceous Attila, another local and rare bird, which we jumped out of the car for, and all got to see. Further along the journey a Fasciated Tiger-Heron standing beside a wide creek caused us to halt the vehicle once again. Once we reached the “parakeet spot”; a grassy hillside overlooking the surrounding tropical forest. We waited by their nesting boxes, with no initial sign of parakeets, but we were not phased, being distracted by Golden-headed Quetzal and Club-winged Manakin while we waited. A dozen of the El Oro Parakeets eventually arrived and landed by their regular nesting and roosting boxes, giving excellent views in the process. With our main target in the bag, we retreated towards the lodge, this time stopping on the journey for Choco Toucan and Rufous- headed Chachalaca on the return leg, which rounded out a great day.
Day 3: Buenaventura to Jorupe (via El Empalme)
In the morning we focused our birding on the upper sections of the reserve, along a forested dirt road that (eventually) leads all the way back to the lodge. However, we did not have the time to cover all of this, merely searching for birds along its upper reaches. This led us to a flurry of tanagers; Silver-throated, Golden-naped, Rufous-throated, and Beryl-spangled Tanagers all featuring, as well as Violet-tailed Sylph (an endemic species for which this site offered our chance), Pale-vented Thrush, Scaled Fruiteater, Black-winged Saltator, Zeledon’s Antbird (formerly Immaculate, before being split), and Uniform Antshrike. This section of road was also good for spinetails, with Slaty, Azara’s and Line-cheeked Spinetails all seen that morning. We also added Chestnut- mandibled Toucan to our toucan haul, which now stood at three species.
Having checked out of the lodge early, complete with a packed lunch, we then began our journey to Jorupe (and El Empalme), taking lunch along the way. Nothing much was seen until we reached El Empalme, late in the afternoon. This dry, semi-arid site was in stark contrast to where we had been and offered plentiful new birds. Here we got Tumbes Hummingbird, Plumbeous-backed Thrush, cute ever-talkative Pacific Parrotlets, and the scarce Baird’s Flycatcher, very much a key species of this site. Other specialties included White-edged Oriole, and the striking White-headed Brush- finch (a pair of which were seen after an initial struggle); the latter species was the main reason for visiting the site. In the evening we rolled into the excellent Jorupe reserve and Urracas Lodge (that means “Jay Lodge”). The jays and other birds would have to wait for the next day though, as by this time, it was too dark for diurnal birds.
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Day 4: Jorupe and Zapotillo
We spent the morning around the excellent Jorupe reserve, and then after lunch at the lodge, we visited a distant site, Zapotillo, in the hope of some rarer birds. Our birding of the humid deciduous woodland in Jorupe began right on the doorstep, watching their superb feeders from the restaurant, where two Pale-browed Tinamous paraded around in the open, a flock of Red-masked Parakeets came in to feed, and a single Ochre-bellied Dove came in to forage on the corn, along with a procession of Blue Ground-Doves. However, arguably, it was the mob of White-tailed Jays that created the biggest stir among the group. The hummingbird feeders at Jorupe are a bit of a dud for hummingbirds, with no hummingbirds coming, but they were not wasted as they attracted both Yellow-tailed and White-edged Orioles, which gave amazing views in the process. After our fill of breakfast and birds at the feeders, we simply walked down the entrance road to the lodge searching for the many other regional endemics that abound in this excellent reserve. For this section we were aided by one of the local lodge bird guides, Leo, who helped us greatly in finding some quality 9 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015 birds. Blackish-headed Spinetail was seen well by all, as was the often-slippery Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner, although the Collared Anthshrike proved a little more difficult, despite being present in bigger numbers than the other two. The prize find though was a Watkins’s Antpitta that even allowed us to all view it in the ‘scope for some time! Gray-breasted Flycatcher, Ecuadorian Piculet, Ecuadorian Trogon, Black-capped Sparrow, Pacific Elaenia, Speckle-breasted Wren, and the “Tumbes” form of Short-tailed Swift were all seen too, in a busy morning for trip additions.
After lunch at the lodge we decided to take a drive further out to Zapotillo, in the hope of finding the rare Tumbes Tyrant, only recently discovered in Ecuador at this site. This species did give us a hard time, but after some effort, we all got views, just about when we were thinking of leaving. We 10 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015 also saw more Tumbes Hummingbirds, and were relieved to pick up Tumbes Sparrow, which seems to have declined or disappeared from the formerly reliable spot of El Empalme. We also saw the delightful Elegant Crescentchest, although unfortunately, this individual chose not to show to all in the group. Other highlights included a Baird’s Flycatcher on a power line, plentiful West Peruvian Doves, and a short view (for some only) of the gaudy Saffron Siskin. Driving back towards the lodge we found some Wood Storks passing overhead, a good bird for this trip, and also 2-3 Comb Ducks foraging in the rice paddies, a very local species in Ecuador. On the way back to the lodge, we factored in a stop along the entrance road to try for West Peruvian Screech-Owl, which showed up right as hoped.
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Day 5: Utuana and Sozoranga
On this day, we climbed up higher in the mountains, and visited another markedly different Jocotoco Conservation Foundation reserve, Utuana. On the climb up we passed through the town of Sozoranga, and paused briefly to add Chestnut-collared Swallows, which were nesting on the church in town. Climbing higher, we stopped again before reaching the reserve itself, checking the forest patches along the main road. These held some great birds, like Gray-headed Antbird in a bamboo stand, and Chapman’s Antshrike and the beefy Black-cowled Saltator. Then we arrived at the reserve and walked along an open track inside the reserve. Our main target here, was the ever- popular, Black-crested Tit-Tyrant, which we found before arriving at the excellent hummingbird feeders, which are located deep inside the forest. A Red-crested Cotinga also was seen on the way
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015 in. The feeders did not, as usual, have a huge variety of hummingbirds, but they did have their usual “special” ones, like Rainbow Starfrontlet, one of the best looking hummingbirds, period, as well as Purple-throated Sunangel and Speckled Hummingbird. On the way back to the entrance and our vehicle, where our packed lunch was waiting, we also saw Glossy-black Thrush, and Gray-browed Brush-finch (a recent split from Stripe-headed). After lunch we dropped back down towards Jorupe, but birded instead near Sozoranga. At this final site of the day we finally tracked down White- winged and Bay-crowned Brush-finches, the local Loja form of Golden-faced Tyrannulet, Black- crested and Three-banded Warblers, Silvery and Blue-capped Tanagers, and the Loja form of Amazilia Hummingbird (i.e. “Loja” Hummingbird), Tumbesian form of Mouse-colored Tyrannulet (i.e. Tumbesian Tyrannulet), and “Highland” Hepatic Tanager. We had hoped to try for Spectacled Owl that night, but were thwarted by heavy rain, and so Sozoranga formed the final birding phase of the day after all.
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Day 6: Sozoranga to Villcabamba (via Catamayo)
We left Jorupe early, with little still available for us there, and concentrated our final birding in this area around Sozoranga instead, which did offer something new. For the most part we did not add much though, but Chestnut-crowned Antpitta was new. Many others seen were not new (e.g. Chapman’s Antshrike and Black-cowled Saltator). By mid-morning we were en-route towards Catamayo, for some different birding on the journey to Vilcabamba, stopping for our packed lunch and some birding when we arrived in Catamayo. Our birding on the way proved productive, with Peruvian Meadowlark, better looks at Collared Antshrike (which had proved uncharacteristically difficult to see well in Jorupe), more Tumbes Sparrows, a surprising find of a roosting Lesser Nighthawk, Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch, and Drab Seedeater. The latter species was a key, if unexciting, bird for us to find there. After lunch, we proceeded to the wonderful Vilcabamba, a town formerly famed for its high proportion of residents over 100 years old. Near town, we managed to track down a Plumbeous Rail, a highly local species in Ecuador, which was the last diurnal species of the day. At night, we also saw another West Peruvian Screech-Owl on the hotel property before we took dinner, and retired early in preparation for another early start the following day.
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Day 7: Cerro Toledo to Tapichalaca
Under cover of darkness, we left the town of Vilcabamba and headed up to Cerro Toledo, a very special site indeed. As we ascended the deserted dirt road we bypassed first cleared cultivated lands, and then temperate forest, but carried on instead to stunted elfin forest higher up, near the border with the paramo grasslands, at the edge of the treeline. Here, our quarry was the red- throated Neblina Metaltail, several of which were found with ease, once at the correct elevation, along with the exquisite Rainbow-bearded Thornbill nearby too. This species is very local in Ecuador, with this really being the only reliable site for the species. We also tried our hand to find the scarce Masked Mountain-Tanager in the same area, which took its time before three birds turned up, and showed to all. We also tried for some paramo species, and tracked down Mouse- colored Thistletail, and Many-striped Canastero, before we descended some and birded the temperate forest lower down. In this area we got Rufous Antpitta, Citrine Warbler, Black-capped 15 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015 and Black-headed Hemispinguses, Blue-backed Conebill, and a flock with Golden-crowned, Lacrimose and Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanagers. The same excellent flock also held a male Barred Fruiteater, which gave awesome views, and Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant, and both Pale- naped and Yellow-breasted Brush-Finches. Further down the road from this sweet flock we also found a calling Andean Pygmy-Owl, and observed Barred Parakeets, typically flying high overhead; (they perch so rarely, it has been said they they do not have feet!) Flowering shrubs along this great birding road also attracted the stunning Glowing Puffleg too. After taking our packed lunch along this road, we continued our journey south to Tapichalaca reserve, famed for the Jocotoco Antpitta, although that species would have to wait for the next day after our late arrival. Our afternoon road birding near the reserve produced some nice birds, like another Golden- crowned Tanager, although all of the species were merely repeats of the morning’s fare.
Day 7: Tapichalaca
This day was largely about getting one very, very special bird, which was unknown to science until Robert Ridgeley and others stumbled into it in 1997: Jocotoco Antpitta.
And so, we took the Jocotoco Trail for obvious reasons, which leads to a reliable feeding area for the antpitta. Along the narrow, winding trail that leads to there, we encountered a flock, with some repeats and some newbies, like Streaked Tuftedcheek, Black-throated Tody-Tyrant, Citrine Warbler, and the sublime Golden-crowned Tanager. We also stopped off at a specially built blind where we watched the usual, hoped-for, pair of White-throated Quail- Dove feeding on the corn laid down for it.
Finally, we arrived at the antpitta area, where 3 Jocotoco Antpittas were seen with typical ease, (involving one juvenile and its parents). As usual these were seen so close, and for so
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015 long, that reams of photos were taken by most of the group. After spending an extended period with these striking antpittas, we birded back towards the lodge, walking a different trail to get there than we’d come up. We hit some good flocks along there, which brought us birds like Rufous Wren, Rufous-breasted and Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrants, Black-capped Hemispingus, and Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager. Along the same trail we also found Plain-tailed Wren, Chusquea Tapculo, got a good view of a Chestnut-naped Antpitta, and our only view of the tour of Golden-plumed Parakeets (a flyover). We also eked out a Yellow-billed Cacique from one of the many stands of bamboo that carpet the sides of the trail. We arrived at the lodge just before lunchtime, and chanced on another flock, this time with Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Pearled Treerunner, Gray- hooded Bush-Tanager, and other regular attendees like Cinnamon Flycatcher.
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
We had not yet spent time at the lodge hummingbird feeders; and so post-lunch we put some time in there, and enjoyed watching birds like Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Long-tailed Sylph, Flame- throated and Amethyst-throated Sunangels nipping in an out regularly. After that we headed downslope from the lodge, and birded near the town of Valladolid, for some very different species, at this much lower elevation site. Unfortunately, the birding was largely frustratingly slow, although we did get our principal target, Maranon Thrush, as well as more common new birds like Yellow- browed Sparrow, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, and Torrent Tyrannulet. Our journey back to the lodge was arguably birdier, with Turquoise Jay, White-capped Dipper, and Green-and-black Fruiteater being seen.
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Day 8: Tapichalaca to Yankuam
This day involved a fair amount of driving, as we dropped much lower in elevation, moving from the chilly temperate forests of Tapichalaca, into the eastern foothills of the Andes, near the Peruvian border. We took in some final birding at Tapichalaca before we left though, spending further time along the very productive Jocotoco Trail, where we found Grass-green Tanager, Hooded Mountain-Tanager and Mountain Wren in a passing flock, in addition to, Rufous-crowned Tody- Flycatcher, Bearded Guan, Masked Trogon, Orange-banded Flycatcher, and another Barred Fruiteater; not bad for a morning’s work! With a long drive ahead, we took an early lunch at the lodge, before we checked out and headed further east. Road construction made our progress slow, but we still managed to squeeze in a few new birds once we got close to our final destination, Yankuam Lodge. Along the last stretch of road we found Blue-headed Parrot, White-eyed Parakeet, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Swallow and Yellow-bellied Tanagers, and Chestnut-bellied Seedeater. We checked into Yankuam, a simple lodge, nowhere near as fancy as the rest used on this extremely comfortable tour, knowing full well though it would be worth it for the mega birds to be found in this area…
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Day 9: Yankuam & Shaime
This day was part frustration, part success. Essentially the day opened with heavy rain, which affected the birding on and off all day long. The worst of the rain fell at dawn though, and so we sheltered after our early breakfast right at the lodge, waiting for the worst of the rain to pass. It did not ease for several hours, and so we only departed the lodge at the ghastly late hour of 8am! While we sheltered at the lodge we did manage to add new birds, as pretty much everything in this zone was likely to be new. During our enforced stay, we saw Squirrel Cuckoo, White-browed Antbird, and Orange-billed Sparrow.
Once the rain had subsided we climbed aboard the bus and drove up the road, with a clear target in mind: Orange-throated Tanager, for which this site represents literally the only reliable, and accessible place on earth. Normally straightforward, we were stunned to return for lunch minus the tanager. However, we had plenty of other good birds anyway; flocks brought us Ecuadorian Tyrannulet, and Olivaceous, Lineated and Olive-backed Woodcreepers, Slaty-capped Shrike- Vireo, Rufous-winged and White-flanked Antwrens, (Eastern) Striped Woodhaunter, Wing- barred Piprites, and Masked Tityra. Other birds that featured during this stream of new birds included Long-tailed Tyrant, Thrush-like Wren, and Yellow-bellied, Masked, and Paradise Tanagers. We also stumbled onto a side trail into the forest that aided us in finding some nice interior forest birds: Musician Wren and Scaly-breasted (Southern Nightingale-) Wren, the superb Black-and-white Tody-Tyrant, and very local Zimmer’s Antbird. Back on the road we also got the rare Green Manakin, Flame-faced Tanager, Speckled Chachalaca, and a quick view of an Amazonian Umbrellabird, our only sighting of the entire tour. Ore widespread, but nice birds, like Magpie Tanager and Violcaeous Jay were also seen prior to lunch.
We returned to lunch back at the lodge, and even then, post eating, we added yet more birds, with a flurry of hummingbirds visiting the flowering verbena shrub right in the garden: Glittering- throated Emerald, Golden-tailed Sapphire, and Amethyst Woodstar, all turning up there.
Unfortunately, that afternoon rain returned, but all the same we drove out and birded the road again in the Shaime area, in the continuing need for the tanager. The Orange-throated Tanager proved to remain elusive, and our afternoon birding did not yield that species. However, we got some stellar sightings for our persistence, like Purplish Jacamar, Chestnut-crowned Becard, Lined Antshrike, Crested Oropendola, Yellow-backed Tanager, Sooty-headed Tyrannulet, Black-eared Fairy, Yellow-bellied Dacnis, Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher, and the rare Blackish Pewee. Black- capped Donacobius was also found within a damp pasture.
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Day 10: Yankuam & Shaime to Copalinga
With only a morning left to bird the Yankuam area, there was one major gap in our list, and everyone knew what we were looking for; Orange-throated Tanager. Luckily, we started the day differently from the day before with the rain having abated, making birding a little easier all round. A fruiting tree was found along the road, and was being frequented by Gilded and Lemon-throated Barbets, and Green Honeycreeper. Finally, much to everyone’s relief, the calls of Orange- throated Tanager were heard, and a pair responded well to playback, coming in and allowing everyone really decent views of both a stunning and rare species. Our good luck for the morning continued with both Channel-billed Toucan and Golden-collared Toucanet, and finally too, the rare White-bellied Pygmy- Tyrant, following a long spell of effort to find a bird which had only recently been discovered in Ecuador. The standout sighting of the morning was an electric blue male Spangled Cotinga, notable as the very first sighting ever on this tour. A further taste of the Amazon was provided by Black-faced and Peruvian Warbling Antbirds. Once again, flocks featured, and yielded some great birds, like Lanceolated Monklet, Masked Tanager, another Purplish Jacamar, Short-billed Antwren, and Black-faced Dacnis. A good sighting within the flock was also the rare Gray-tailed Piha, but sadly it only showed to Jose. After this fantastic morning, we packed up and left Yankuam Lodge behind, and headed to arguably the most popular lodge of this tour, Copalinga, located very close to the edge of Podocarpus National Park. On the way there we picked up Bat Falcon, Chestnut-bellied Seed- Finch, Amazon Kingfisher, and the gorgeous Yellow-tufted Woodpecker. We planned to get to Copalinga by 4pm, and we did, hurrying straight to a purpose-made blind, where we got the hoped for Gray Tinamou, coming in to feed on cracked corn with some Gray-fronted Doves for company. The tinamou is one of the toughest Ecuadorian tinamous to see, and this is the only place in the 21 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015 world where the species comes in to a feeder, making this a must see bird, and must experience experience!
Day 11: Bombuscaro (Podocarpus National Park)
On this day we visited the magnificent Bombuscaro sector of Podocarpus National Park, just a short drive from the excellent Copalinga Lodge. We breakfasted at the lodge, spent the morning on the trail into the park, then returned back to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon we birded around the lodge itself, taking in the hummingbirds at their feeders, and other garden birds.
The great birding in the park begun right at the parking lot, where a Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper was found. As we made our way up the trail we notched up bird after bird; Ecuadorian Piedtail, Black-streaked Puffbird and Coppery-chested Jacamar all headlined during the morning.
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
As with anywhere in the Andes flocks are often the best way of finding some new birds, and we stumbled upon several flocks during the morning, which brought us Yellow-breasted Antwren, Dull-blue (Golden-eyed) Flowerpiercer, Montane Foliage-gleaner, Orange-eared, Paradise, and Spotted Tanagers, and Ash-browed Spinetail. A Blue-rumped Manakin was also found feeding in a trailside fruiting tree. Plenty of other quality birds showed up during another hectic morning’s birding, with Bronze-green Euphonia, Golden-eared Tanager, a Foothill Schiffornis for some only, the scarce Orange-crested Flycatcher, Pale-eyed Thrush, White-crowned Tapaculo, Andean Motmot, and Lafrenaye’s Piculet. It would be a travesty not to mention a male Andean Cock-of- the-rock that also showed well during the morning too.
After returning to Copalinga Lodge for lunch, we spent some time beside their feeders, where the fruit attracted Palm, Blue-gray, Silver-beaked, and Green-and-gold, Golden-eared Tanagers. We got some good fortune at the feeders, where Black-throated Brilliant came in (an erratic though regular visitor!). More predictable at their feeders were Many-spotted Hummingbird, Green Hermit, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Green and Sparkling Violetears, and Fork-tailed Woodnymph. 23 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
In the ever productive flowering verbena in the lodge garden, we witnessed visits by Wire-crested Thorntail, Little Woodstar, Violet-headed Hummingbird, and Golden-tailed Sapphire. As dusk approached we found a pair of Sickle-winged Guans, not long before we needed to turn our attention to nightbirds…At dusk we left the lodge to search for Blackish Nightjar, and found one perched on a roadside cliff, as hoped.
Day 12: Old Loja-Zamora Road to Saraguro and Cuenca
On this day we packed up and left the wonderful Copalinga Lodge behind, so that we could bird the remnants of foothill and subtropical forests along the Old Loja-Zamora Road, knowing that this offered our best chance at plugging some of the inevitable gaps in our bird list, (there are simply too many birds in this area to “clean up”!). We had a good run on new birds along this road, which often offers great views into the canopy of the trees. In our short morning spell there we saw Green- backed (Yellow-cheeked) Becard, Grayish Saltator, White-winged Becard, and Red-headed
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Barbet, while a fruiting tree held a Chestnut-tipped Toucanet. Once again, Andean mixed feeding flocks came to the fore too, holding Guira Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Green Honeycreeper, Equatorial Graytail among the attendees. We also got another look at a male Andean Cock-of-the-rock, never to be scoffed at, and right when were leaving, quite literally from the vehicle, we got a close flyby from a flock of White-breasted Parakeets, a late, late, late save!!!!
Later in the morning we took on the long drive to Cuenca, but made a stop near Saraguro en-route, where we’d hoped to sneak in a Crescent-faced Antpitta, but we neither heard nor saw anything of this bird during only a short possible session on site. However, we did see Glowing Puffleg, Brown- backed Chat-Tyrant, Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Glossy Flowerpiercer, Many-striped Canastero, and Mouse-colored Thistletail. Late in the day, we rolled into Cuenca, and checked into our very comfortable hotel, complete with hot baths, fed from nearby natural hot springs.
Day 13: Yungilla
Although this day involved an early, early start, with no nearby quality hotels to Yungilla reserve, meaning we needed to travel there from Cuenca, it was balanced with an early finish and some substantial, much appreciated downtime in the afternoon for those who wanted it. Once we arrived at Yungilla, we went straight after their star resident, the critically endangered Pale-headed Brush- Finch, an Ecuadorian endemic numbering just over 200 birds. In the reserve they have set out oranges for the brush-finches, which sometimes brings them in, while at other times it is necessary to search further afield, using traditional methods. Thankfully, our first check of the oranges brought success, with three different brush-finches coming in. They were also accompanied by Gray-browed (formerly Stripe-headed) Brush-Finch. Yungilla is a small reserve, with limited other species relative to most of the other sites on this itinerary, and so we only saw a handful of other species, like Rufous-chested Tanager, Russet-crowned Warbler, Hooded Siskin, Striped Cuckoo, and best of all, got cracking looks at the usually difficult Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush. We also saw Dull- colored Grassquit, a soaring Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, more Peruvian Meadowlarks, and Black-lored (Masked) Yellowthroat. After taking our packed lunch at the end of the morning in Yungilla, we returned to Cuenca, many taking advantage of an early finish, with others doing some relaxed birding around the hotel, and finding Green-tailed Trainbearer and Golden-bellied (Southern Yellow) Grosbeak in doing so, around the swimming pool!
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Day 14: El Cajas National Park
While we had spent much of the tour in various forest types, this day saw us emerge above the treeline and bird the open paramo grasslands in El Cajas National Park. However, before we did so, we started out in one of the lower sections of the park (but still high up in the Andes), in some high elevation temperate forest, surrounding a scenic lake, just below the timberline. Staring birding around the deserted parking lot, we soon found Superciliated Hemispingus, Blue-backed Conebill, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Blue-and-black Tanager, Tyrian Metaltail, Mountain Velvetbreast, and Sword-billed Hummingbird, (a difficult find on this tour). On the lake itself were Slate-colored (Andean) Coot, Andean Teal, and Andean Gull. The reedy edges of the lake also held Grass Wren, and for some the local form of Virginia (Ecuadorian) Rail, which stalked in towards us. However, the bird most wanted here was the Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, which is easy to hear at this site, but remarkably tricky to see, as we found it. Eventually, though we managed to track one down, much to the delight of the group, who had been utterly focused on getting this species!
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
After a few hours at the lake, we drove higher up in the park, making another roadside stop, for a very special bird, the Violet-throated Metaltail. This is another local and scarce species, confined to high elevations in southern Ecuador. Luckily, it is relatively easy to find, at the right spot, and it was soon tracked down. The same stop also revealed Tufted Tit-Tyrant and Shining Sunbeam, before we drove up higher still, and emerged onto the rolling paramo grasslands.
Once up in the grasslands, we made a stop around a large lake, checking the surrounding polylepis for special birds, of which we found all of the main ones: Giant Conebill, Tit-like Dacnis and Red- rumped Bush-Tyrant. Incredibly another, better, view of Giant Conebills came at the next stop too, around a much smaller lake, also bordered with the stunted polylepis woodland needed for that species. Tawny Antpitta was also seen hopping around on the open paramo, displaying, once again that it is arguably the easiest of all the antpittas (away from feeders anyway!) The second stop, around a smaller lake also saw us track down Ecuadorian Hillstar foraging among the bright orange Chuquiragua flowers that is their regular food source. Also there were Plumbeous Sierra-Finch, Blue-mantled Thornbill, two species of cinclodes (Stout-billed and Chestnut-winged Cinclodes), and Plain-colored Seedeater.
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
After a day wrapped up in multiple warm layers for our day in the highlands, we made our way steadily downhill, and back to the city of Guayaquil, in the sweaty coastal lowlands, for the final day of the main tour. That night, at the final dinner of the main tour, we bade farewell to some of the group, who were leaving the next morning, while the rest of us stayed on for some extra days for the Esmeraldas Woodstar Extension…
Esmeraldas Woodstar Extension:
28th – 31st January 2015
Day 15: Santa Elena Peninsula to Puerto Lopez
We made our way west from the humidity of Guayaquil, to the very different habitat of the Santa Elena Peninsula, an area of dry and arid scrubland. Our first stop, near Atahualpa village produced one of the more difficult birds of the entire tour, Sulphur-throated Finch. At least twelve of these erratic birds were seen. In this same stark-looking environment we also found Band-tailed Sierra- Finch, Necklaced Spinetail, Gray-and-white Tyrannulet, Parrot-billed Seedeater, more Peruvian Meadowlarks, Collared Warbling-Finch, Short-tailed Woodstar and Short-tailed Field-Tyrant. I stark contrast to this area, we then moved onto the pools and beaches of the coast, around Ecuasal,
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015 an area dotted with saltpans and shrimp ponds. In this area we found Peruvian Pelican, American Oystercatcher, Whimbrel, Gray, Gray-headed and Franklin Gulls, and great views of Chilean Flamingos. Moving to another coastal area, we also added White-cheeked Pintail, Semipalmated and Western Sandpipers, Semipalmated, Black-bellied, Collared and Snowy Plovers. Continuing along the coast we were kept seeing species like Royal and Gull-billed Terns, and a lot of Magnificent Frigatebirds. Later in the afternoon we arrived at our wonderful hotel outside the town of Puerto Lopez, where just before dinner, we got a Scrub (Anthony’s) Nightjar at dusk.
Day 16: Ayampe & Puerto Lopez
With this short extension being named the “Esmeraldas Woodstar Extension”, it was only natural that this day would see us focus on getting that rare, and local Ecuadorian endemic. Seasonally, it visits the Ayampe area, an area recently purchased by the Jocotoco Conservation Foundation. This area saw us see a number of Tumbesian birds we had seen earlier in the trip around Jorupe, 29 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015 and so it also offered the few we had missed there too; after entering the patchy humid woodland in this area, we soon found Guayaquil Woodpecker, Crimson-breasted Finch, a Black-capped Sparrow bouncing along the road, Pacific Pygmy-Owl, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, White- backed Fire-eye, and Plain Antvireo. We also did get several views of our main quarry, seeing several male Esmeraldas Woodstars, both foraging on flowers and perched. Later in the morning, before we headed back to the lodge for lunch, we saw species like Green-breasted Mango, White- whiskered Puffbird, White-bearded Manakin, Ecuadorian Trogon, Whooping Motmot, Choco Toucan, Rufous-headed Chachalaca, Speckle-breasted Wren, Hook-billed Kite and Gray-backed Hawk, the latter two both at nests.
After lunch and a long break in the heat of the day, we returned to Ayampe reserve again at 3pm. By this stage, of course, many of the species seen were repeats from earlier on the trip, like Crimson-breasted Finch, Slaty Spinetail, Chestnut-throated Seedeater, Dull-collared Grassquit, Masked Water-Tyrant, although for most of the group a bathing Saffron Siskin was a new bird for
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015 the trip, after the very brief showing earlier on at Zapotillo. We lingered on in the reserve until dusk, adding Lineated Woodpecker to this trip list in doing so. Then, as darkness fell we tried for, and got Spectacled Owl, a good pull back, after we had missed it earlier in Jorupe due to rain dogging our nightbirding there.
Pacific Hornero
Day 17: Ayampe to Guayaquil
This was our final day’s birding of the trip, and so we spent another final birding session at Ayampe, before heading east back to the city of Guayaquil for one final night, birding the coast on the way there. At Ayampe we did add a new species in the form of Red-rumped Woodpecker, and also saw Purple-crowned Fairy, Little Cuckoo, Black-crowned (Western Slaty) Antshrike, and yet more Esmeraldas Woodstars. For the remainder of the day we birded along the coast as we headed back towards Guayaquil, finding Snowy and Collared Plovers, Short-billed Dowitcher, Laughing, Franklin’s and Kelp Gulls, Sandwich and Royal Terns, and Black-crowned Night-Heron. We
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015 arrived back in our now familiar Guayaquil hotel, where we had a final farewell dinner and debated the best birds of the trip, which were voted for as follows (in descending order): Jocotoco Antpitta, Orange-throated Tanager, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Paradise Tanager, Andean Cock-of the-rock, Andean Motmot, Pale-headed Brush-finch, El Oro Parakeet, Giant Conebill, Club- winged Manakin, Elegant Crescentchest, Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Rainbow Starfrontlet, Lanceolated Monklet, Watkin’s Antpitta, and Long-Wattled Umbrellabird.
Rainbow Starfrontlet 32 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Red-masked Parakeet
BIRD & MAMMAL LISTS
The taxonomy of the bird list follows: Clements, James F., White, Anthony W., and Fitzpatrick, John W. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. Cornell, 2007.
H indicates a species that was HEARD only.
TINAMOUS TINAMIDAE Gray Tinamou Tinamus tao Little Tinamou Crypturellus soui H Pale-browed Tinamou Crypturellus transfasciatus
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
SCREAMERS ANHIMIDAE Horned Screamer Anhima cornuta
DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS ANATIDAE Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos Blue-winged Teal Anas discors White-cheeked Pintail Anas bahamensis Andean Teal Anas flavirostris andium (Andean) Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis andina
GUANS, CHACHALACAS, CURASSOWS CRACIDAE Rufous-headed Chachalaca Ortalis erythroptera Speckled Chachalaca Ortalis guttata Bearded Guan Penelope barbata Sickle-winged Guan Chamaepetes goudotii
NEW WORLD QUAIL ODONTOPHORIDAE Rufous-fronted Wood-Quail Odontophorus erythrops H Rufous-breasted Wood-Quail Odontophorus speciosus H
GREBES PODICIPEDIDAE Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Great Grebe Podiceps major
FLAMINGOS PHOENICOPTERIDAE Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis
BOOBIES AND GANNETS SULIDAE Blue-footed Booby Sula nebouxii
PELICANS PELECANIDAE Peruvian Pelican Pelecanus thagus Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis
CORMORANTS AND SHAGS PHALACROCORACIDAE Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus
ANHINGAS ANHINGIDAE Anhinga Anhinga anhinga
STORKS CICONIIDAE Wood Stork Mycteria americana
FRIGATEBIRDS FREGATIDAE Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens
HERONS, EGRETS, AND BITTERNS ARDEIDAE Cocoi Heron Ardea cocoi Great Egret Ardea alba Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea Snowy Egret Egretta thula Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 34 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Striated Heron Butorides striata Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea Fasciated Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma fasciatum
IBIS AND SPOONBILLS THRESKIORNITHIDAE White Ibis Eudocimus albus Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja
NEW WORLD VULTURES CATHARTIDAE Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Greater Yellow-headed Vulture Cathartes melambrotus
OSPREY PANDIONIDAE Osprey Pandion haliaetus
HAWKS, EAGLES, AND KITES ACCIPITRIDAE Pearl Kite Gampsonyx swainsonii White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Hook-billed Kite Chondrohierax uncinatus Gray-headed Kite Leptodon cayanensis H Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis Plumbeous Kite Ictinia plumbea Semicollared Hawk Accipiter collaris Sharp-shinned (Plain-breasted) Hawk Accipiter striatus ventralis Bicolored Hawk Accipiter bicolor Crane Hawk Geranospiza caerulescens Savanna Hawk Buteogallus meridionalis Barred Hawk Morphnarchus princeps H Roadside Hawk Rupornis magnirostris Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus Variable Hawk Geranoaetus polyosoma Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle Geranoaetus melanoleucus Gray-backed Hawk Pseudastur occidentalis Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus Gray-lined Hawk Buteo nitidus Short-tailed Hawk Buteo brachyurus Zone-tailed Hawk Buteo albonotatus
RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS RALLIDAE Chestnut-headed Crake Anurolimnas castaneiceps White-throated Crake Laterallus albigularis H Gray-breasted Crake Laterallus exilis Virginia (Ecuadorian) Rail Rallus limicola aequatorialis Blackish Rail Pardirallus nigricans H Plumbeous Rail Pardirallus sanguinolentus Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinicus Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata Slate-colored (Andean) Coot Fulica ardesiaca
LIMPKIN ARAMIDAE Limpkin Aramus guarauna 35 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
STILTS AND AVOCETS RECURVIROSTRIDAE Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus
OYSTERCATCHERS HAEMATOPODIDAE American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus
PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS CHARADRIIDAE Black-bellied (Gray) Plover Pluvialis squatarola Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus Wilson's Plover Charadrius wilsonia Snowy Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Collared Plover Charadrius collaris
JACANAS JACANIDAE Wattled Jacana Jacana jacana
SANDPIPERS and ALLIES SCOLOPACIDAE Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Sanderling Calidris alba Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
GULLS,TERNS and SKIMMERS LARIDAE Andean Gull Chroicocephalus serranus Gray-hooded Gull Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus Gray Gull Leucophaeus modestus Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Franklin's Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis
PIGEONS AND DOVES COLUMBIDAE Rock Pigeon Columba livia Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata Pale-vented Pigeon Patagioenas cayennensis Plumbeous Pigeon Patagioenas plumbea Ruddy Pigeon Patagioenas subvinacea H Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata Pacific (West Peruvian) Dove Zenaida meloda Ecuadorian Ground-Dove Columbina buckleyi Croaking Ground-Dove Columbina cruziana Blue Ground-Dove Claravis pretiosa Maroon-chested Ground-Dove Claravis mondetoura White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi Gray-fronted Dove Leptotila rufaxilla Pallid Dove Leptotila pallida 36 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Ochre-bellied Dove Leptotila ochraceiventris White-throated Quail-Dove Geotrygon frenata CUCKOOS CUCULIDAE Little Cuckoo Coccycua minuta Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana Striped Cuckoo Tapera naevia Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris
OWLS STRIGIDAE Peruvian Screech-Owl Megascops roboratus Spectacled Owl Pulsatrix perspicillata Band-bellied Owl Pulsatrix melanota H Andean Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium jardinii Peruvian (Pacific) Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium peruanum Black-and-white Owl Ciccaba nigrolineata
NIGHTJARS CAPRIMULGIDAE Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor Common Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis Scrub (Anthony's) Nightjar Caprimulgus anthonyi Blackish Nightjar Caprimulgus nigrescens Swallow-tailed Nightjar Uropsalis segmentata G
SWIFTS APODIDAE Chestnut-collared Swift Streptoprocne rutila White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris Short-tailed (Tumbes) Swift Chaetura brachyura ocypetes Gray-rumped Swift Chaetura cinereiventris Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift Panyptila cayennensis
HUMMINGBIRDS TROCHILIDAE White-whiskered Hermit Phaethornis yaruqui Green Hermit Phaethornis guy Long-billed (Baron's) Hermit Phaethornis longirostris baroni Gray-chinned Hermit Phaethornis griseogularis G White-tipped Sicklebill Eutoxeres aquila G Gray-breasted Sabrewing Campylopterus largipennis White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora Brown Violetear Colibri delphinae Green Violetear Colibri thalassinus Sparkling Violetear Colibri coruscans Green-breasted (Black-throated) Mango Anthracothorax prevostii iridescens Violet-headed Hummingbird Klais guimeti Wire-crested Thorntail Discosura popelairii Green Thorntail Discosura conversii Green-crowned Woodnymph Thalurania fannyi verticeps Crowned (Emerald-bellied) Woodnymph Thalurania fannyi hypochlora Fork-tailed Woodnymph Thalurania furcata Violet-bellied Hummingbird Damophila julie Golden-tailed Sapphire Chrysuronia oenone Tumbes Hummingbird Leucippus baeri Many-spotted Hummingbird Taphrospilus hypostictus 37 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Amazilia Hummingbird Amazilia amazilia Amazilia (Loja) Hummingbird Amazilia amazilia alticola Andean Emerald Amazilia franciae Glittering-throated Emerald Amazilia fimbriata Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia tzacatl Speckled Hummingbird Adelomyia melanogenys Ecuadorian Piedtail Phlogophilus hemileucurus Black-throated Brilliant Heliodoxa schreibersii Fawn-breasted Brilliant Heliodoxa rubinoides Green-crowned Brilliant Heliodoxa jacula Violet-fronted Brilliant Heliodoxa leadbeateri Chestnut-breasted Coronet Boissonneaua matthewsii Shining Sunbeam Aglaeactis cupripennis Ecuadorian Hillstar Oreotrochilus chimborazo Mountain Velvetbreast Lafresnaya lafresnayi Collared Inca Coeligena torquata Buff-winged Starfrontlet Coeligena lutetiae Rainbow Starfrontlet Coeligena iris Sword-billed Hummingbird Ensifera ensifera Amethyst-throated Sunangel Heliangelus amethysticollis Little (Flame-throated) Sunangel Heliangelus micraster Purple-throated Sunangel Heliangelus viola Glowing Puffleg Eriocnemis vestita Booted Racket-tail Ocreatus underwoodii Green-tailed Trainbearer Lesbia nuna Tyrian Metaltail Metallura tyrianthina Violet-throated Metaltail Metallura baroni Neblina Metaltail Metallura odomae Blue-mantled Thornbill Chalcostigma stanleyi Rainbow-bearded Thornbill Chalcostigma herrani Long-tailed Sylph Aglaiocercus kingi Violet-tailed Sylph Aglaiocercus coelestis Wedge-billed Hummingbird Schistes geoffroyi Purple-crowned Fairy Heliothryx barroti Black-eared Fairy Heliothryx auritus Long-billed Starthroat Heliomaster longirostris Amethyst Woodstar Calliphlox amethystina Short-tailed Woodstar Myrmia micrura Little Woodstar Chaetocercus bombus Esmeraldas Woodstar Chaetocercus berlepschi
TROGONS TROGONIDAE Golden-headed Quetzal Pharomachrus auriceps Ecuadorian Trogon Trogon mesurus Green-backed (Amaz. White-tailed) Trogon Trogon viridis Gartered (N. Violaceous) Trogon Trogon caligatus H Collared Trogon Trogon collaris Masked Trogon Trogon personatus
MOTMOTS MOMOTIDAE Whooping (Blue-crowned) Motmot Momotus subrufescens argenticinctus Andean (Highland) Motmot Momotus aequatorialis aequatorialis Rufous Motmot Baryphthengus martii Broad-billed Motmot Electron platyrhynchum H 38 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
KINGFISHERS ALCEDINIDAE Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquatus Amazon Kingfisher Chloroceryle amazona Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana
PUFFBIRDS BUCCONIDAE White-necked Puffbird Notharchus hyperrynchus White-whiskered Puffbird Malacoptila panamensis Black-streaked Puffbird Malacoptila fulvogularis Lanceolated Monklet Micromonacha lanceolata
JACAMARS GALBULIDAE Coppery-chested Jacamar Galbula pastazae Purplish Jacamar Galbula chalcothorax
NEW WORLD BARBETS CAPITONIDAE Gilded Barbet Capito auratus Lemon-throated Barbet Eubucco richardsoni Red-headed Barbet Eubucco bourcierii
TOUCANS RAMPHASTIDAE Chestnut-tipped Toucanet Aulacorhynchus derbianus Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan Andigena hypoglauca Chestnut-eared Aracari Pteroglossus castanotis Collared (Pale-mandibled) Aracari Pteroglossus torquatus erythropygius Black-mandibled (Chestnut-mandibled) Toucan Ramphastos ambiguus swainsonii Choco Toucan Ramphastos brevis Channel-billed Toucan Ramphastos vitellinus
WOODPECKERS PICIDAE Lafresnaye's Piculet Picumnus lafresnayi Ecuadorian Piculet Picumnus sclateri Olivaceous Piculet Picumnus olivaceus Black-cheeked Woodpecker Melanerpes pucherani Yellow-tufted Woodpecker Melanerpes cruentatus Red-rumped Woodpecker Veniliornis kirkii Scarlet-backed Woodpecker Veniliornis callonotus Bar-bellied Woodpecker Veniliornis nigriceps Golden-olive Woodpecker Colaptes rubiginosus Crimson-mantled Woodpecker Colaptes rivolii Spot-breasted Woodpecker Colaptes punctigula Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus Crimson-crested Woodpecker Campephilus melanoleucos Guayaquil Woodpecker Campephilus gayaquilensis
FALCONS AND CARACARAS FALCONIDAE Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway Laughing Falcon Herpetotheres cachinnans Collared Forest-Falcon Micrastur semitorquatus American Kestrel Falco sparverius Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
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Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
NEW WORLD and AFRICANS PARROTS PSITTACIDAE Golden-plumed Parakeet Leptosittaca branickii El Oro Parakeet Pyrrhura orcesi White-necked Parakeet Pyrrhura albipectus Red-masked Parakeet Aratinga erythrogenys White-eyed Parakeet Aratinga leucophthalma Barred Parakeet Bolborhynchus lineola Pacific Parrotlet Forpus coelestis Gray-cheeked Parakeet Brotogeris pyrrhoptera Cobalt-winged Parakeet Brotogeris cyanoptera Blue-headed Parrot Pionus menstruus Red-billed Parrot Pionus sordidus Speckle-faced (White-capped) Parrot Pionus tumultuosus seniloides Bronze-winged Parrot Pionus chalcopterus Scaly-naped Parrot (Amazon) Amazona mercenaria
TYPICAL ANTBIRDS THAMNOPHILIDAE Fasciated Antshrike Cymbilaimus lineatus H Great Antshrike Taraba major Chapman's Antshrike Thamnophilus zarumae Lined Antshrike Thamnophilus tenuepunctatus Collared Antshrike Thamnophilus bernardi Black-crowned(Western Slaty) Antshrike Thamnophilus atrinucha Plain-winged Antshrike Thamnophilus schistaceus H Uniform Antshrike Thamnophilus unicolor White-shouldered Antshrike Thamnophilus aethiops H Russet Antshrike Thamnistes anabatinus Plain Antvireo Dysithamnus mentalis Checker-throated Antwren Epinecrophylla fulviventris Foothill Antwren Epinecrophylla spodionota Ornate Antwren Epinecrophylla ornata G Moustached (Short-billed) Antwren Myrmotherula (obscura) ignota White-flanked Antwren Myrmotherula axillaris Slaty Antwren Myrmotherula schisticolor Yellow-breasted Antwren Herpsilochmus axillaris Rufous-winged Antwren Herpsilochmus rufimarginatus Gray Antbird Cercomacra cinerascens H Black Antbird Cercomacra serva H Jet Antbird Cercomacra nigricans White-backed Fire-eye Pyriglena leuconota White-browed Antbird Myrmoborus leucophrys Black-faced Antbird Myrmoborus myotherinus Peruvian Warbling-Antbird Hypocnemis (cantator) peruviana Chestnut-backed Antbird Myrmeciza exsul Zimmer's (Chestnut-tailed) Antbird Myrmeciza (hemimelaena) castanea Zeledon's (Immaculate) Antbird Myrmeciza zeledoni zeledoni Gray-headed Antbird Myrmeciza griseiceps Common Scale-backed Antbird Willisornis poecilinotus
CRESCENTCHESTS MELANOPAREIIDAE Elegant Crescentchest Melanopareia elegans
ANTPITTAS GRALLARIIDAE Scaled Antpitta Grallaria guatimalensis H 40 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
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Plain-backed Antpitta Grallaria haplonota H Chestnut-crowned Antpitta Grallaria ruficapilla Watkins's Antpitta Grallaria watkinsi Jocotoco Antpitta Grallaria ridgelyi Chestnut-naped Antpitta Grallaria nuchalis Rufous Antpitta Grallaria rufula Tawny Antpitta Grallaria quitensis Thrush-like Antpitta Myrmothera campanisona H
TAPACULOS RHINOCRYPTIDAE Ash-colored Tapaculo Myornis senilis H Blackish (Unicolored) Tapaculo Scytalopus (unicolor) latrans (Northern) White-crowned Tapaculo Scytalopus atratus Chusquea Tapaculo Scytalopus parkeri Paramo Tapaculo Scytalopus opacus Ocellated Tapaculo Acropternis orthonyx G
ANTTHRUSHES FORMICARIIDAE Black-faced Antthrush Formicarius analis H Barred Antthrush Chamaeza mollissima H
OVENBIRDS AND WOODCREEPERS FURNARIIDAE Olivaceous Woodcreeper (east) Sittasomus griseicapillus amazonus Olivaceous Woodcreeper (west) Sittasomus griseicapillus aequatorialis Long-tailed Woodcreeper Deconychura longicauda Plain-brown Woodcreeper Dendrocincla fuliginosa Wedge-billed Woodcreeper Glyphorynchus spirurus Strong-billed Woodcreeper Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus Spotted Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus erythropygius Olive-backed Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus triangularis Red-billed Scythebill Campylorhamphus trochilirostris Streak-headed Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes souleyetii Lineated Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes albolineatus Plain Xenops Xenops minutus Streaked Xenops Xenops rutilans Streaked Tuftedcheek Pseudocolaptes boissonneautii Pale-legged (Pacific) Hornero Furnarius leucopus cinnamomeus Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper Lochmias nematura Stout-billed Cinclodes Cinclodes excelsior Chestnut-winged (Bar-winged) Cinclodes Cinclodes albidiventris Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner Anabacerthia variegaticeps Montane Foliage-gleaner Anabacerthia striaticollis Rufous-necked Foliage-gleaner Syndactyla ruficollis H Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner Hylocryptus erythrocephalus Striped (Eastern) Woodhaunter Hyloctistes subulatus subulatus Striped (Western) Woodhaunter Hyloctistes subulatus assimilis Pearled Treerunner Margarornis squamiger Many-striped Canastero Asthenes flammulata Mouse-colored Thistletail Asthenes griseomurina Equatorial Graytail Xenerpestes singularis Ash-browed Spinetail Cranioleuca curtata Line-cheeked Spinetail Cranioleuca antisiensis Azara's Spinetail Synallaxis azarae Dark-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis albigularis 41 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
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Rufous Spinetail Synallaxis unirufa Slaty Spinetail Synallaxis brachyura Blackish-headed Spinetail Synallaxis tithys Necklaced Spinetail Synallaxis stictothorax
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS TYRANNIDAE White-lored Tyrannulet Ornithion inerme H Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma obsoletum White-tailed Tyrannulet Mecocerculus poecilocercus White-banded Tyrannulet Mecocerculus stictopterus White-throated Tyrannulet Mecocerculus leucophrys Rufous-winged Tyrannulet Mecocerculus calopterus Black-crested Tit-Tyrant Anairetes nigrocristatus Tufted Tit-Tyrant Anairetes parulus Mouse-colored (Tumbesian) Tyrannulet Phaeomyias murina tumbezana Yellow Tyrannulet Capsiempis flaveola Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet Tyrannulus elatus H Foothill Elaenia Myiopagis olallai Pacific Elaenia Myiopagis subplacens Greenish Elaenia Myiopagis viridicata Yellow-bellied Elaenia Elaenia flavogaster White-crested Elaenia Elaenia albiceps Torrent Tyrannulet Serpophaga cinerea Streak-necked Flycatcher Mionectes striaticollis Olive-striped Flycatcher Mionectes olivaceus Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Mionectes oleagineus Slaty-capped Flycatcher Leptopogon superciliaris Ecuadorian Tyrannulet Phylloscartes gualaquizae Sooty-headed Tyrannulet Phyllomyias griseiceps Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet Phyllomyias uropygialis Golden-faced Tyrannulet Zimmerius chrysops chrysops Golden-faced (Loja) Tyrannulet Zimmerius chrysops flavidifrons Ornate Flycatcher Myiotriccus ornatus Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant Pseudotriccus ruficeps Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant Euscarthmus meloryphus Gray-and-white Tyrannulet Pseudelaenia leucospodia White-bellied Pygmy-Tyrant Myiornis albiventris Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant Lophotriccus pileatus White-eyed Tody-Tyrant Hemitriccus zosterops H Black-throated Tody-Tyrant Hemitriccus granadensis Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher Poecilotriccus ruficeps Black-and-white Tody-Flycatcher Poecilotriccus capitalis Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher Poecilotriccus calopterus Common Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum cinereum Brownish Twistwing Cnipodectes subbrunneus Yellow-olive Flycatcher (Flatbill) (southeast) Tolmomyias sulphurescens peruvianus Yellow-olive Flycatcher (Flatbill) (west) Tolmomyias sulphurescens aequatorialis Yellow-margined Flycatcher (Zimmer's Flatbill) Tolmomyias assimilis obscuriceps H Yellow-breasted Flycatcher (Olive-faced Flatbill) Tolmomyias flaviventris White-throated Spadebill Platyrinchus mystaceus (Pacific) Royal Flycatcher Onychorhynchus corona occidentalis Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher Terenotriccus erythrurus Cinnamon Flycatcher Pyrrhomyias cinnamomeus Black-tailed Flycatcher Myiobius atricaudus 42 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
Tropical Birding Trip Report SOUTHERN ECUADOR January 2015
Orange-crested Flycatcher Myiophobus phoenicomitra Orange-banded Flycatcher Nephelomyias lintoni Olive-chested Flycatcher Myiophobus cryptoxanthus Bran-colored Flycatcher Myiophobus fasciatus Gray-breasted Flycatcher Lathrotriccus griseipectus Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi Smoke-colored Pewee Contopus fumigatus Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus Tropical (Tumbes) Pewee Contopus cinereus punensis Blackish Pewee Contopus nigrescens Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant Agriornis montanus H Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant Myiotheretes striaticollis H Smoky Bush-Tyrant Myiotheretes fumigatus Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant Cnemarchus erythropygius Masked Water-Tyrant Fluvicola nengeta Tumbes Tyrant Tumbezia salvini Crowned Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca frontalis G Jelski's Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca jelskii H Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca diadema Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca cinnamomeiventris Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca rufipectoralis Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca fumicolor Long-tailed Tyrant Colonia colonus Short-tailed Field Tyrant Muscigralla brevicauda Ochraceous Attila Attila torridus Dusky-capped Flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer Short-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus ferox H Sooty-crowned Flycatcher Myiarchus phaeocephalus Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua Rusty-margined Flycatcher Myiozetetes cayanensis Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis Gray-capped Flycatcher Myiozetetes granadensis Lemon-browed Flycatcher Conopias cinchoneti H Golden-crowned Flycatcher Myiodynastes chrysocephalus Baird's Flycatcher Myiodynastes bairdii Streaked Flycatcher Myiodynastes maculatus Piratic Flycatcher Legatus leucophaius H Snowy-throated Kingbird Tyrannus niveigularis Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus
COTINGAS COTINGIDAE Green-and-black Fruiteater Pipreola riefferii Barred Fruiteater Pipreola arcuata Scaled Fruiteater Ampelioides tschudii Red-crested Cotinga Ampelion rubrocristatus Andean Cock-of-the-rock Rupicola peruvianus Gray-tailed Piha Snowornis subalaris Amazonian Umbrellabird Cephalopterus ornatus Long-wattled Umbrellabird Cephalopterus penduliger Spangled Cotinga Cotinga cayana
MANAKINS PIPRIDAE 43 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
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Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin Tyranneutes stolzmanni H Golden-winged Manakin Masius chrysopterus Club-winged Manakin Machaeropterus deliciosus Striped Manakin Machaeropterus regulus G Blue-rumped Manakin Lepidothrix isidorei White-bearded Manakin Manacus manacus Green Manakin Xenopipo holochlora holochlora Wing-barred Piprites Piprites chloris
TITYRAS AND ALLIES TITYRIDAE Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata Foothill (Thrush-like) Schiffornis Schiffornis aenea Green-backed (Yellow-cheeked) Becard Pachyramphus viridis xanthogenys Slaty Becard Pachyramphus spodiurus Chestnut-crowned Becard Pachyramphus castaneus White-winged Becard (east) Pachyramphus polychopterus nigriventris Black-and-white Becard Pachyramphus albogriseus
VIREOS, SHRIKE-BABBLERS and ERPORNIS VIREONIDAE Brown-capped Vireo Vireo leucophrys Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus Olivaceous Greenlet Hylophilus olivaceus Lesser Greenlet Hylophilus decurtatus Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo Vireolanius leucotis Rufous-browed Peppershrike Cyclarhis gujanensis
CROWS JAYS AND MAGPIES CORVIDAE Green (Inca) Jay Cyanocorax yncas yncas Violaceous Jay Cyanocorax violaceus White-tailed Jay Cyanocorax mystacalis Turquoise Jay Cyanolyca turcosa
SWALLOWS HIRUNDINIDAE Blue-and-white Swallow Pygochelidon cyanoleuca Pale-footed Swallow Orochelidon flavipes Brown-bellied Swallow Orochelidon murina White-thighed Swallow Atticora tibialis White-banded Swallow Atticora fasciata Southern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis Gray-breasted Martin Progne chalybea Chestnut-collared Swallow Petrochelidon rufocollaris
WRENS TROGLODYTIDAE Scaly-breasted (Southern Nightingale) Wren Microcerculus marginatus House Wren Troglodytes aedon Mountain Wren Troglodytes solstitialis Sedge (Grass) Wren Cistothorus platensis aequatorialis Fasciated Wren Campylorhynchus fasciatus Thrush-like Wren Campylorhynchus turdinus Plain-tailed Wren Pheugopedius euophrys Whiskered Wren Pheugopedius mystacalis Coraya Wren Pheugopedius coraya H Speckle-breasted Wren Pheugopedius sclateri Bay Wren Cantorchilus nigricapillus 44 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
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Superciliated Wren Cantorchilus superciliaris Rufous Wren Cinnycerthia unirufa Sharpe's (Sepia-brown) Wren Cinnycerthia olivascens White-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucosticta Gray-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys Song Wren Cyphorhinus phaeocephalus Musician Wren Cyphorhinus arada
GNATCATCHERS POLIOPTILIDAE Tropical Gnatcatcher Polioptila plumbea
DIPPERS CINCLIDAE White-capped Dipper Cinclus leucocephalus
DONACOBIUS DONACOBIIDAE Black-capped Donacobius Donacobius atricapilla
THRUSHES AND ALLIES TURDIDAE Andean Solitaire Myadestes ralloides Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush Catharus fuscater Spotted Nightingale-Thrush Catharus dryas H Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus Pale-eyed Thrush Turdus leucops Plumbeous-backed Thrush Turdus reevei Pale-vented Thrush Turdus obsoletus Ecuadorian Thrush Turdus maculirostris Black-billed Thrush Turdus ignobilis Marañon Thrush Turdus maranonicus Great Thrush Turdus fuscater Chiguanco Thrush Turdus chiguanco Glossy-black Thrush Turdus serranus White-necked Thrush Turdus albicollis
MOCKINGBIRDS AND THRASHERS MIMIDAE Long-tailed Mockingbird Mimus longicaudatus
NEW WORLD WARBLERS PARULIDAE Tropical Parula Setophaga pitiayumi Blackburnian Warbler Setophaga fusca Olive-crowned Yellowthroat Geothlypis semiflava Masked (Black-lored) Yellowthroat Geothlypis aequinoctialis auricularis Canada Warbler Cardellina canadensis Slate-throated Redstart (Whitestart) Myioborus miniatus Spectacled Redstart (Whitestart) Myioborus melanocephalus Gray-and-gold Warbler Myiothlypis fraseri Citrine Warbler Myiothlypis luteoviridis Black-crested Warbler Myiothlypis nigrocristatus Russet-crowned Warbler Myiothlypis coronatus Three-banded Warbler Basileuterus trifasciatus Three-striped Warbler Basileuterus tristriatus Buff-rumped Warbler Myiothlypis fulvicauda
TANAGERS AND ALLIES THRAUPIDAE Black-faced Tanager Schistochlamys melanopis 45 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
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Magpie Tanager Cissopis leverianus Black-capped Hemispingus Hemispingus atropileus Superciliaried Hemispingus Hemispingus superciliaris Black-headed Hemispingus Hemispingus verticalis Gray-hooded Bush Tanager Cnemoscopus rubrirostris Rufous-chested Tanager Thlypopsis ornata Flame-crested Tanager Tachyphonus cristatus White-shouldered Tanager Tachyphonus luctuosus White-lined Tanager Tachyphonus rufus Silver-beaked Tanager Ramphocelus carbo Flame-rumped (Lemon-rumped) Tanager Ramphocelus flammigerus icteronotus Blue-gray Tanager Thraupis episcopus Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum Blue-capped Tanager Thraupis cyanocephala Orange-throated Tanager Wetmorethraupis sterrhopteron Hooded Mountain-Tanager Buthraupis montana Masked Mountain-Tanager Buthraupis wetmorei Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus lacrymosus Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus igniventris Grass-green Tanager Chlorornis riefferii Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager Dubusia taeniata H Golden-crowned Tanager Iridosornis rufivertex Fawn-breasted Tanager Pipraeidea melanonota Orange-eared Tanager Chlorochrysa calliparaea Golden-naped Tanager Tangara ruficervix Silvery (Silver-backed) Tanager Tangara viridicollis Masked Tanager Tangara nigrocincta Blue-necked Tanager Tangara cyanicollis Rufous-throated Tanager Tangara rufigula Yellow-bellied Tanager Tangara xanthogastra Spotted Tanager Tangara punctata Blue-and-black Tanager Tangara vassorii Beryl-spangled Tanager Tangara nigroviridis Paradise Tanager Tangara chilensis Bay-headed Tanager Tangara gyrola Golden-eared Tanager Tangara chrysotis Green-and-gold Tanager Tangara schrankii Golden Tanager Tangara arthus Silver-throated Tanager Tangara icterocephala Swallow Tanager Tersina viridis Black-faced Dacnis Dacnis lineata lineata Yellow-bellied Dacnis Dacnis flaviventer Blue Dacnis Dacnis cayana Purple Honeycreeper Cyanerpes caeruleus Green Honeycreeper Chlorophanes spiza Golden-collared Honeycreeper Iridophanes pulcherrimus Guira Tanager Hemithraupis guira Yellow-backed Tanager Hemithraupis flavicollis Blue-backed Conebill Conirostrum sitticolor Giant Conebill Oreomanes fraseri Tit-like Dacnis Xenodacnis parina Glossy Flowerpiercer Diglossa lafresnayii Black Flowerpiercer Diglossa humeralis White-sided Flowerpiercer Diglossa albilatera 46 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
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Deep-blue (Golden-eyed) Flowerpiercer Diglossa glaucus Bluish Flowerpiercer Diglossa caerulescens Masked Flowerpiercer Diglossa cyaneus Plumbeous Sierra-Finch Phrygilus unicolor Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch Phrygilus plebejus Band-tailed Sierra-Finch Phrygilus alaudinus Slaty Finch Haplospiza rustica G Collared Warbling-Finch Poospiza hispaniolensis Saffron Finch Sicalis flaveola Sulphur-throated Finch Sicalis taczanowskii Blue-black Grassquit Volatinia jacarina Variable Seedeater Sporophila corvina Yellow-bellied Seedeater Sporophila nigricollis Parrot-billed Seedeater Sporophila peruviana Drab Seedeater Sporophila simplex Chestnut-bellied Seedeater Sporophila castaneiventris Chestnut-throated Seedeater Sporophila telasco Thick-billed (Lesser) Seed-Finch Oryzoborus (angolensis) funereus Chestnut-bellied (Lesser) Seed-Finch Oryzoborus (a.) angolensis Plain-colored Seedeater Catamenia inornata Paramo Seedeater Catamenia homochroa Crimson-breasted Finch Rhodospingus cruentus Bananaquit Coereba flaveola Dull-colored Grassquit Tiaris obscurus Streaked Saltator Saltator striatipectus Grayish Saltator Saltator coerulescens Black-cowled Saltator Saltator nigriceps Buff-throated Saltator Saltator maximus Black-winged Saltator Saltator atripennis Slate-colored Grosbeak Saltator grossus
BUNTINGS AND NEW WORLD SPARROWS EMBERIZIDAE Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch Arremon brunneinucha G Orange-billed Sparrow Arremon aurantiirostris Black-capped Sparrow Arremon abeillei Gray-browed (Stripe-headed) Brush-Finch Arremon assimilis Black-striped Sparrow Arremonops conirostris Pale-naped Brush-Finch Atlapetes pallidinucha Tricolored Brush-Finch Atlapetes tricolor Yellow-breasted (Rufous-naped) Brush-Finch Atlapetes latinuchus White-winged Brush-Finch (southwest) Atlapetes leucopterus dresseri White-headed Brush-Finch Atlapetes albiceps Pale-headed Brush-Finch Atlapetes pallidiceps Bay-crowned Brush-Finch Atlapetes seebohmi Tumbes Sparrow Rhynchospiza stolzmanni Yellow-browed Sparrow Ammodramus aurifrons Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis Common Chlorospingus Chlorospingus ophthalmicus Short-billed (Yellow-whiskered) Chlorospingus Chlorospingus parvirostris Yellow-throated Chlorospingus Chlorospingus flavigularis Ashy-throated Chlorospingus Chlorospingus canigularis
CARDINALS AND ALLIES CARDINALIDAE (Highland) Hepatic Tanager Piranga flava lutea 47 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page
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Summer Tanager Piranga rubra Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea White-winged Tanager Piranga leucoptera Ochre-breasted Tanager Chlorothraupis stolzmanni H Golden-bellied (Southern Yellow) Grosbeak Pheucticus chrysogaster Blue-black Grosbeak Cyanocompsa cyanoides
TROUPIALS AND ALLIES ICTERIDAE Peruvian Meadowlark Sturnella bellicosa Scrub Blackbird Dives warszewiczi Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis Giant Cowbird Molothrus oryzivorus White-edged Oriole Icterus graceannae Yellow-tailed Oriole Icterus mesomelas Yellow-billed Cacique Amblycercus holosericeus (Northern) Mountain Cacique Cacicus chrysonotus leucoramphus Scarlet-rumped Cacique Cacicus uropygialis pacificus Yellow-rumped Cacique Cacicus cela Russet-backed Oropendola Psarocolius angustifrons Crested Oropendola Psarocolius decumanus
FINCHES, EUPHONIAS AND ALLIES FRINGILLIDAE Orange-crowned Euphonia Euphonia saturata Thick-billed Euphonia Euphonia laniirostris Golden-rumped Euphonia Euphonia cyanocephala Golden-bellied (White-lored) Euphonia Euphonia chrysopasta Bronze-green Euphonia Euphonia mesochrysa Orange-bellied Euphonia Euphonia xanthogaster Blue-naped Chlorophonia Chlorophonia cyanea H Hooded Siskin Spinus magellanicus Saffron Siskin Spinus siemiradzkii Olivaceous Siskin Spinus olivaceus
OLD WORLD SPARROWS PASSERIDAE House Sparrow Passer domesticus
MAMMALS Mantled Howler Alouatta palliata Red-tailed Squirrel Sciurus granatensis Guayaquil Squirrel Sciurus stramineus Central American Agouti Dasyprocta punctata Tapeti (Brazilian Rabbit) Sylvilagus brasiliensis Tayra Eira barbara White-nosed Coati Nasua narica
48 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-0514 [email protected] Page