Ecuador, West Slope

January 28-February 8, 2009

By Roger Wolfe

 

Itinerary

DAY 1.-  Jan 28th.  Arrive in Quito
DAY 2.-  Jan 29th.  Antisana in the morning for Andean Condors & others, Papallacta in the afternoon for Seed Snipe. Over Night Cumbayá
DAY 3.-  Jan 30th.  Yanacocha - Tandayapa. Over Night Bellavista
DAY 4.-  Jan 31st.   Bellavista area. Over Night Bellavista
DAY 5.-  Feb  1st.   Angel Paz Reserve-Antpitta site. Over Night Sachatamia Lodge
DAY 6.-  Feb 2nd.   Mindo Area. Over Night Sachatamia
DAY 7.-  Feb 3th.   Milpe Reserve. Over Night Sachatamia
DAY 8.-  Feb 4th.    Silanche Reserve. Over Night Quininde
DAY 9.-  Feb 5th.    Canande. Over Night Canande Reserve
DAY 10.-Feb 6th.   In Canande. Over Night Canande
DAY 11.-Feb 7th    To Quito, Over Night Quito
DAY 12.- Feb 8th   Quito-Miami

 

January 28: Barry McLaughlin, Linda St. John and I arrive in Quito via Miami at 7:40pm and are met at the airport by our local guide Francisco “Pancho” Enriquez for a short trip in his four wheel drive Hyundai to Hotel Quito. I mention the vehicle not because we need 4WD in Quito but because it would prove to be indispensible over the course of the next ten days.

Pancho is a outstanding and very experienced guide with a great deal of experience leading trips for a variety of clientele. He is an amazing birder in his own right and very talented at birding by ear which is indispensable in the cloudforest. For contact information and details visit his websites: http://www.avestoursecuador.com or if you’re interested in learning Spanish whilst birding: http://www.BirdSpan.com

See Barry and Linda’s photo trip report with maps at: http://www.coincidence.net/barry/ecuador/Photos.html

Links to Barry’s and my photos can be found under our photos in the report.

January 29: Quito-Yanacocha-Bellavista

After an early breakfast buffet at the Top of the World restaurant on the top floor offering a stunning view of Quito we meet Pancho in the lobby and leave the city behind. We make a brief stop at a park on the outskirts where we find EARED DOVE, BLACK-TAILED TRAINBEARER, SPARKLING VIOLETEAR, GOLDEN-RUMPED EUPHONIA and VERMILLION FLYCATCHER.

Leaving the park we head for Antisana Volcano and pass the modest houses of the local Quechua Indians wearing their distinctive fedora hats and drive through a vast quarry that looks like something out of Mordor. We leave the world of traffic and trucks behind to find ourselves in the vast, wide open landscape of the high paramo.

Antisana Ecological Reserve is located in the largest hacienda in Ecuador. The landowner has protected these lands and their inhabitants for decades thus this is the most reliable place in the country to find the iconic ANDEAN CONDOR as we do shortly after entering the reserve. We also see our first CARUNCULATED CARACARA of which we will see a hundred spread across the paramo like we sometimes see Ravens back home. A series of PUNA HAWKS overhead AMERICAN KESTRELS and a single APLOMADO FALCON on a fencepost add to the raptor theme for the morning.

Walking here at 12,000 ft. we do notice the altitude but thanks to the dosage of Diamox we are all feeling fine. HOODED SISKINS fly alongside the road as do PLUMBEOUS SIERRA FINCHES and BLACK-WINGED GROUND -DOVES.

Further up the flanks of the 18,871 ft. volcano we find a wet section of paramo and more of our target birds; flocks of BLACK-FACED IBIS and ANDEAN GULLS. WHITE-COLLARED SWIFTS strafe across the road. Both STOUT-BILLED and BAR-WINGED CINCLODES are seen along with PARAMO GROUND TYRANTS. Along the road we encounter a Mountain Tropical White-tailed Deer.

We come to La Mica lake and are delighted to have an ANDEAN LAPWING fly right over our heads and land in plain view. On the lake itself we see SILVERY GREBE, ANDEAN COOT, ANDEAN TEAL and in the distance a YELLOW-BILLED PINTAIL.

Andean Lapwing by Barry Mclaughlin http://www.pbase.com/bmclaughlin/northwestern_ecuador_janfeb_2009

We lunch off the main road in an area with flowers to catch a glimpse of the high altitude hummingbird, the ANDEAN HILLSTAR. We find more Andean Lapwings with some chicks. Pancho spots a PARAMO PIPIT. We make a brief stop at the landowner’s cabin for a better view of a Hillstar at a feeder before we make the drive out of the reserve.

On our way to Papallacta Pass we stop along the road to Tambo for a short visit and find: MOUNTAIN VELVETBREAST , AZARA’S SPINETAIL and RUFOUS-NAPED BRUSH FINCH.

Then we are off to 14,500 ft. Papallacta Pass. This is my third time here in search of RUFOUS-BELLIED SEEDSNIPES. Twice I’ve dipped and today my chances look bleak as we are shrouded in the clouds with very limited visibility. We wander about in our warmest clothes wearing gloves and warm caps but find nothing but seedsnipe turds. I’m beginning to despair when Pancho say’s here they are. I get a quick look at the pair in front of us before they fly off. Hurray, a new family tick for me. Finally. See my previous Ecuador East Slope trip report.

We leave the summit of Papallacta and descend from the clouds to bird a small section of remnant polyepsis forest. No luck with the desired Giant Conebill this time but we do get looks at a GRASS WREN, RUFOUS SPINETAIL and STREAK-BACKED CASTANERO.

We are running out of sunlight as we travel back down to the highway. We cross paths with a pair of GREAT-HORNED OWLS and an ANDEAN SNIPE flies past the windshield in the last light of day.

Our first night is spent in Cuyamba at El Nido Bed& Breakfast. Our host Renato serves us typical Ecuadorian fare for dinner: fried pork, hominy and tomato and onion salad.

January 30 Cuyamba-Yanacocha-Calacali Rd.-Bellavista

The alarm sounds at 4:30am and we are on the road by 5am to escape Quito before the morning commute. Our route is the old Nono-Mindo Rd. to the Yanacocha Reserve of the Jocotoco Foundation located on the slopes of Pichincha Volcano.

From this day on our emphasis will be on finding Chocó endemics(marked with an asterisk *).

Bird Life International says, ”The Chocó Endemic Bird Area supports the largest number of restricted-range birds of any EBA in the Americas, over 50 species being endemic to the area (in Colombia and Ecuador). A large number of birds are confined to the tropical lowland and lower subtropical foothill forests, with the remainder primarily found in the subtropical zone; only a few species occur in the high-altitude temperate areas.” (See article)

As we approach the reserve Pancho spots a bird scurrying down the road and we manage a brief look at a CURVE-BILLED TINAMOU before in disappears in the roadside shrubs.

Entering the reserve we find ourselves shrouded in mist again. I’ve heard the views from here are amazing, unfortunately we never get to enjoy them due to limited visibility. Ah but birds we do see; WHITE-BROWED SPINETAIL, STREAKED TUFTEDCHEEK, PEARLED TREERUNNER, WHITE-BANDED, WHITE-TAILED and WHITE-THROATED TYRAUNNULETS, TUFTED TIT-TYRANT, SMOKE-COLORED PEWEE, CROWNED CHAT-TYRANT, SUPERCILLIARIED HEMISPINGUS, GRASS GREEN TANAGER, CINEREOUS and CAPPED CONEBILLS, SCARLET-BELLIED , HOODED and BLACK-CHESTED MOUNTAIN TANAGERS.

On the upper trail Pancho plays his iPod to entice a UNICLORED TAPACULO into view and we get a lucky view of a RUFOUS ANTPITTA scurrying down the trail ahead of us.

Hummingbird feeders are placed along our route and we record quite a variety of Ecuador’s flying gems: BUFF-WINGED STARFRONTLET, GOLDEN-BREASTED PUFFLEG, the large and very striking GREAT SAPPHIREWING, RUFOUS-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD, SAPPHIRE-VENTED PUFFLEG and the has to be seen to be believed SWORD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD.

Sword-billed Hummingbird by Barry McLaughlin

http://www.pbase.com/bmclaughlin/northwestern_ecuador_janfeb_2009

See my Hummingbirds of Ecuador Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3Yh_wWnzi4

The feeders are also a magnet for both MASKED, WHITE-SIDED and GLOSSY FLOWERPIERCERS.

After lunch we hit the road to Nono and then along the Calacali Rd. Stopping along the way we find BAND-TAILED PIGEON, WHITE-TIPPED DOVE, SPECKLED HUMMINGBIRD, TYRIAN METALTAIL, TURQUOISE JAY, BLUE-NECKED TANAGER, our first of many BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS, BLACK-CRESTED WARBLER and SPECTACLED WHITESTART. Pancho takes us to a spot where he has a stake out for ECUADORIAN RAIL that respond to the Ipod.

We try the old Nono-Mindo Rd. but find our way blocked by a very recent landslide but not before we find a WHITE-CAPPED DIPPER on the dam of a trout farm at the roadside. A RED-BROCKET DEER vaults across the road in front of us. Unfortunately we are now forced to backtrack the 30 minutes to Nono and take the Calacali Rd. to the highway. One of the locals stops us and asks for a ride. He’s willing to hang on to the roof rack and stand on the running board. The guy is no spring chicken but he hangs on for a good while but when it starts raining we make room for him in the car. “God thanks you,” he tells us when we drop him off.

We arrive at Bellavista Lodge late in the day and take the short, slippery trail down to our accommodations in a cabin down the road from the main lodge aka the Dome.

Returning to the main lodge for a delicious meal and conversation with owner Richard Parsons who is a gracious host carrying on conversations with diners in fluent English, French, German and Spanish. Back at the carpark we find the resident COMMON POTOO on its nightly perch near the lights.

January 31 Bellavista

Rains like hell throughout the night so it is no surprise that we are without power in the cabin this morning. Back at the main lodge we find a few birds working the lights even though they aren’t illuminated. MASKED TROGON, TURQOUISE JAY, RUSSET-CROWNED and THREE-STRIPED WARBLERS and SOUTHERN YELLOW-GROSBEAK. Barry is having a fine time snapping photos of these cooperative birds.

The hummingbird feeders are abuzz with crazy stuff like BOOTED RAQUET-TAIL and VIOLET- TAILED SYLPH* and PURPLE-THROATED WOODSTAR along with the more sedate EMPRESS* and FAWN-BREASTED BRILLIANTS.

We take the trail to the compost bins finding nothing and so continue on into the forest. WHITE-BREASTED WOOD WREN delights us with its melody, a song we will hear daily.

Pancho tries to coax a few birds with recordings on his iPod but they are largely uninterested, perhaps they’re taped out. We see very few birds before we return to the lodge for breakfast. Outside there is some excitement as other birders have just seen and photographed a very sought-after and hard-to-see bird right off the back deck. Once we’re done with the meal we follow suit and with some coercion from Pancho’s Ipod we get some less than fulfilling glimpses of an OCELLATED TAPACULO. But hey, any time you get to see a tapaculo you count yourself fortunate.

Back to birding along the upper road at Bellavista where we see BERYL-SPANGELD TANAGER, DUSKY BUSH TANAGER*, RUFOUS-NAPED BRUSH- FINCH, the endemic PLATE-BILLED MOUNTAIN TOUCAN* is the bird of the day, the cover bird for The Birds of Ecuador. CRIMSON-RUMPED TOUCANET, CRIMSON-MANTELD WOODPECKER, SICKLE-WING GUAN, STRONG-BILLED and MONTANE WOODCREEPERS, YELLOW-BELLIED CHAT TYRANT, FASCIATED ANTSHRIKE and STREAK-NECKED FLYCATCHER.

After lunch at the lodge we hit the trails again despite a downpour. This proves to be fruitless, we see very few birds while hiking up a very steep and slippery trail back to the upper road. Unlike this morning we find lots of traffic and discover that cars and trucks are being routed this way due to a washout on the main highway. This will make things a bit more difficult for us to detour around several times to get to where we need to go. Soon these unpaved roads are a snarl with mud, buses, trucks and cars unfit for travel on roads like this in these conditions. The lodge at Bellavista is jammed with travelers.

In the evening things have quieted down and we enjoy another splendid meal at Bellavista. I had read some trip reports complaining about the food but we are very satisfied with the fare.

February 1 Angel Paz-Satchatamia Lodge

We rise at the ungodly hour of 4am and slog our luggage up the muddy trail from our cabin up to the road. By 5am we are parked outside of Angel Paz’ house on his ranch. In a few minutes other birders arrive with their guides and soon we are all on the trail with headlamps. The other groups hurry to the blind but we take out time to do some owling. Playing recordings we get responses from RUFESCENT SCREECH, MOTTLED and ANDEAN PYGMY OWLS.

With the first daylight we arrive at the blind and find the other birders packed inside cheek to jowl for the morning show at the ANDEAN COCK OF THE ROCK lek. Brilliant birds making bizarre sounds in difficult to photograph conditions.

Our next stop is another blind where Angel strings some bananas and fruits in the trees but with all the food available in the forest at this time of year no birds show any interest in his offerings so off we go to see the Antpittas he has habituated to the extent that they actually come when he calls them by name.

En route our group finds a pair of OLIVACEUOS PIHAS and a GOLDEN-HEADED QUETZAL. Angel gets to work calling in the infamous Maria. It takes a little doing but there she is on the trail the GIANT ANTPITTA! Down to the river we go for the next act which is Willy the YELLOW-BREASTED ANTPITTA.

Giant Antpitta by Barry McLaughlin

http://www.pbase.com/bmclaughlin/northwestern_ecuador_janfeb_2009

It is a quite the scene with all us birders and our guides, see my Angel Paz/Antiptta video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hVQg-3J5y8

Working our way back up the trail we hear and then locate a female POWERFUL WOODPECKER that is aptly named, very impressive.

Angel closes the show with a SCALED ANTPITTA whose name escapes me. We dip on the Moustached Antpitta. The visit to Angel Paz’ is a real highlight for me as here I garnered another new bird family the splendid TOUCAN-BARBET*!

Back at Angel’s house his wife is cooking up a fantastic Ecuadorian breakfast for all of us. The Plantain Empandas are delicious. David Fisher introduces himself and word goes round that he’s found 4 new lifers this morning. Not bad for a guy with more than 7,000 species on his life list. After a delicious breakfast and coffee we head up the hill where Angel’s son has found a pair of ORANGE-BREASTED FRUITEATERS*; what a striking bird!

Orange-breasted Fruiteater by Barry McLaughlin http://www.pbase.com/bmclaughlin/northwestern_ecuador_janfeb_2009

We say our goodbyes and drive down the road about 100 feet and stop when a feeding flock appears in the roadside trees; FLAME-FACED, FAWN-BREASTED, GOLDEN and SUMMER TANAGERS along with the frequently seen SWAINSON’S THRUSH.

Back on the highway we go to see the washout. It is fifty feet across and about as deep. This road isn’t going to open for some time and it is the main road between Quito and the coast.

On to our home for the next three nights, the very comfortable Satchatamia Lodge where we find the feeders buzzing with activity like no place I’ve ever seen before, hummingbird heaven. In addition to the resplendent BOOTED RACKET-TAILS and VIOLET-TAILED SYLPH* we see ANDEAN EMERALD, BROWN INCA* and VIOLETEAR, ECUADORIAN HILLSTAR, EMPRESS and FAWN-BREASTED BRILLIANT, PURPLE-BIBBED WHITETIP*, PURPLE-THROATED WOODSTAR, RUFOUS-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD, WESTERN EMERALD, WHITE-NECKED JACOBIN and perhaps the most beautiful of all the VELVET-PURPLE CORONET*.

Velvet-purple Coronet by Barry McLaughlin http://www.pbase.com/bmclaughlin/northwestern_ecuador_janfeb_2009

 

Booted Racket-tail by Roger Wolfe

http://www.pbase.com/wolfbird/ecuador_west_slope_2009

As we check into our rooms we find a flock of PALE-MANDIBLED ARACARIS* in the trees outside of my room. Following a brief but much needed siesta we hit the trail behind Satchatamia Lodge down to the river finding RUFOUS MOTMOT, SPOTTED BARBTAIL, WEDGE-BILLED and SPOTTED WOODCREEPERS, SMOKE-COLORED PEWEE, GOLDEN-CROWNED and ORNATE FLYCATCHER, CINNAMON BECARD, PALE-EYED THRUSH, CAPPED CONEBILL, ORANGE-BELLIED EUPHONIA, WHITE-WINGED TANAGER and the ubiquitous BLUE-GRAY and LEMON-RUMPED TANAGERS and TROPICAL KINGBIRDS.

Dinner and all our meals at Satchatamia are very pleasing. I highly recommend this place to stay. Not a lot of birders go there. I don’t know why. The lodge is quite nice and they also have separate cabins, an indoor pool and a Jacuzzi. Non birding spouses will love it here.

After dinner we drive over to the Mindo Rd. bus stop but the streetlight is out and thus the Black and White Owl usually found there is not present.

Feb. 2 Mindo- Narino Rd.

Just outside the burgeoning hamlet of Mindo that Pancho tells us has grown exponentially due to increasing interest in ecotourism we begin our day’s birding with another COMMON POTOO on the perch. What a day it is, blue skies are a welcome change. Without much ado we locate our first flocks by driving and listening.

Our first stop is a doozy with sightings of RED-EYED and BROWN-CAPPED VIREO, BAY WREN, TROPICAL PARULA, SLATE-THROATED WHITESTART, RED-FACED SPINETAIL, BANAQUIT. Moving up the road we make multiple stops for CHESTNUT-MANDIBLED TOUCAN, YELLOW-THROATED BUSH TANAGER, BLUE-WINGED MOUNTAIN TANAGER and both BUFF-THROATED and BLACK-WINGED SALTATORS, a GREEN MANAKIN is a bonus but the bird of the day is a YELLOW-COLLARED CHLOROPHONIA* (Pancho had not seen one in more than 2 years). We feel fortunate seeing this canopy dweller in plain view and not too high up.

Numerous SWALLOW-TAILED KITES ply the skies along with a couple of GRAY HAWKS and the expected ROADSIDE HAWK.

We park the car and walk a long section of the road up the ridge finding LINEATED and SMOKY-BROWN WOODPECKERS, TAWNY-BELLIED HERMIT, RED-HEADED BARBET and SCALY-THROATED, LINEATED and BUFF-THROATED WOODCREEPERS, GOLDEN-FACED TYRAUNULET and ANDEAN SOLITAIRE.

Back in Mindo we stop by Pancho’s aunt’s place and walk down to the river where we find a SUNBITTERN on the far side of the creek.

We are back at the lodge for a late lunch. I’m ready for a break from the birding so I enjoy a siesta in the afternoon after a nice soak in the Jacuzzi. Barry, Linda and Pancho head out in the late afternoon for Lyre-tailed Nightjar and some owling. I’ve seen the nightjar on my last trip to Ecuador so I’m content to stay in the lodge and read for a spell. It’s nice having the whole cozy lodge to myself.

My fellow travelers return with the news that they found the LYRE-TAILED NIGHTJAR ,unfortunately it was the less exciting female and they dipped on any owls.

February 3 Milpe-Oilbird Cueva

We park in the lot at Milpe at first light. Before setting out on the trails we check the hummingbird feeders and find GREEN THORNTAILS and GREEN-CROWNED WOODNYMPHS in abundance. We stop first at what used to be an active lek of Club-winged Manakins but find nothing. Pancho tells us one of the trees went down and changed everything. There may not be manikins but there are other birds to see: PLUMBEOUS PIGEON, BLUE-NECKED and BAY-HEADED TANAGER, THICK-BILLED EUPHONIA, ORANGE-BILLED SPARROW, CHESTNUT-CAPPED BRUSH-FINCH.

Down to the river we hike but to be honest the birding on the trails is pretty slow until we get to the top of the hill where there is a small coffee plantation near the parking lot. Here we find many more birds like DUSKY-CAPPED, ORNATE and OLIVE STRIPED FLYCATHCERS, ECUADORIAN THRUSH, BLACK and WHITE WARBLER, PURPLE HONEYCREEPER and GUIRA, OCHRE-BREASTED, SILVER-THOATED, RUFOUS-CRESTED, SWALLOW, WHITE-SHOULDERED and BLUE-NECKED TANAGERS. Whew!

We pay a visit to Mirador de Los Bancos Restaurant and Hostel where we sip coffee on the back deck with an awesome view of the river below. Hummingbird and Tanager feeders are abuzz with activity. We get some better views of many tanagers we’ve already seen and record a new one for our trip-WHITE-LINED TANAGER. I spend my time trying to get shots of the hummingbirds.

If you are looking for a low rent place to stay consider Mirador. It isn’t really fancy but the rooms are nice and clean, the owner very friendly and the birds amazing. I also hear the food is really good. Lots of birds here but it is right in the middle of the town of Los Bancos. Rooms are $10 per night per person.

Next, we embark on perhaps the most adventurous part of our trip thus far. You might have gathered that I am interested in ticking off bird families and today we have the opportunity to see one that can be challenging to find. Fortunately some birding friends from Monterey told me about this place where they went to see them.

With the road washed out the detour and drive out to the ranch near the village of Pacto takes us nearly three hours. Along the way we see our first PACIFIC HORNERO and I spot a PEARL KITE perched on some power lines but for the most part we drive straight on through.

Upon arrival at the ranch we are met by a young man driving a tractor with a trailer hitched to it. The four of us hop into this for a short ride through cornfields to a place where a small creek runs through a narrow, cave like gorge. We then strap on old seatbelts that serve as climbing harnesses, we are belayed from above to descend down through two waterfalls on narrow, wet bamboo ladders to a place where we can see two groups of roosting OILBIRDS. Some of these take flight and we hear their strange, eery flight call that sounds like something out of a horror film.

We manage to get soaked in the process but the close up views are of the Oilbirds are worth it, another family seen. I get some decent shots of a juvenile perched atop their stash of night gathered palm fruits.

Oilbird by Roger Wolfe

http://www.pbase.com/wolfbird/ecuador_west_slope_2009

On the way back to the ranch house the tractor driver points out a flock of BRONZE-WINGED PARROTS, SWALLOW TAIL KITES ply the skies. We bird a bit more before heading back and turn up a STRIPED CUCKOO, GOLDEN OLIVE WOODPECKER and BAND-BACKED WREN. SMOOTH-BILLED ANIS haunt the cow pastures.

February 4 Milpe-Silanche-Quininde

Back to Milpe first thing to try and locate some of the endemics we missed yesterday. CHESTNUT-COLLARED SWIFTS fly overhead. A CHOCO TROGON* is a nice start as are the CHOCO TOUCANS*. We tick off PLAIN XENOPS. Pancho entices some birds into view with playback: IMMACULATE ANTBIRD and RUFOUS-BREASTED ANTTHRUSH scurry across the trail in plain view. It takes some effort as they are not where they have been in the past but we do manage to finally find both CLUB-WINGED* and GOLDEN-WINGED MANIKINS along with CHESTNUT-CAPPED BRUSH FINCH and COLLARED TROGON.

Just up the road is another private reserve that we park outside of, on the main road to look for Moss-backed Tanager in the tall snag. No luck with the tanager but that might be due to the TINY HAWK we see perched there.

Then it is back to Mirador Los Bancos for coffee whilst Pancho gets the tires checked and we are off to Silanche Reserve. I have to admit that I find myself saddened by Pancho’s descriptions of how this area has changed over the last five years. He alerts us to where the forest used to start and where he once found a rare Banded Ground Cuckoo but now all we see in place of forest is a monoculture of oil palm plantations and further up the road we find the deforested pastures of the squatters. Silanche reserve is now nearly an island of forest in the midst of all these clearings.

Upon arrival we are greeted by a RUFOUS-TAILED JACAMAR and after exiting the car we notice how much warmer it is now that we have dropped down to the lowlands. We get a late start and that probably affects the number of birds we see. At the canopy tower we cross paths with the very likeable Mitch Lysinger and his Field Guides group. He reports a good variety of birds seen this morning but it is quite a bit warmer and slower now. After a brief stint at the tower we walk the trails and pick up several new birds for our trip list: GRAY-HEADED KITE and GRAY-RUMPED SWIFTS, PALE-VENTED PIGEON, NORTHERN BARRED WOODCREEPER, SOOTY-HEADED TYRAUNULET, GREENISH ELAENIA, PACIFIC FLATBILL, EASTERN WOOD PEWEE, BOAT-BILLED and GRAY-BREASTED,SOOTY-CROWNED and SOCIAL FLYCATCHERS, LESSER GREENLET, FULVOUS-VENTED EUPHONIA and SLATE-COLORE GROSBEAK. We somehow manage to miss all the hoped for endemic tangagers and dacnis. After a picnic lunch we find a WHITE-BEARED MANAKIN and then return to the canopy tower for some awesome looks at RED-HEADED BARBET.

 

Red-headed Barbet by Barry McLaughlin

http://www.pbase.com/bmclaughlin/northwestern_ecuador_janfeb_2009

On our way back out we bird along the road finding, BLUE-HEADED PARROT, GUAYAQUIL WOODPECKER, YELLOW-TAILED ORIOLE, BLUE-BLACK GRASSQUIT and MASKED WATER TYRANT.

Back to the main highway we opt to turn back in the direction we’ve just come a short distance to Arasha Resort and Spa; a posh place we could not afford at $155 per person per night. We can afford a beer and appetizer by the pool. As it is we are in no hurry to get to Quininde. Our hotel there is very modest and all we want to do there is sleep so we linger at Arasha. Linda and I check out the spa and see that a one hour massage is $50 so hey, why not. Just the cure for tanager neck!

Pancho and Barry have every intention of birding the trails here. Pancho says that they have a very well preserved forest with good birds. But when the rain starts coming down in sheets they end up talking photography in bar.

We have a very nice dinner at Arasha before taking on the two hour drive to Quininde in pouring rain that makes driving a bit hazardous not being able to see the deep potholes in the road. We arrive at Quininde around 8 pm and after watching Tina Fey on 30 Rock with Spanish subtitles I hit the sack.

February 5 Quininde-Canande Reserve

We are up at 4:30am and on the road by 5. In the dark we pass by hectare after hectare of oil palm plantations. By sunrise we arrive in the town of Las Golondrinas, named for the large flocks of GRAY-BREASTED MARTINS we see on the wires. The road from Quininde is unpaved for the most part and here in Las Golondrinas the grinding poverty is reminiscent of East Africa. Gringo tourists are not often seen in these parts. We sip coffee and eat pastries along the main drag as the town is just waking up.

Leaving town the road deteriorates , we weave our way past large trucks, motorbikes and surprisingly the local buses. The further we go the more the traffic thins until it is a bare trickle. A pond at the roadside has both RINGED and GREEN KINGFISHERS.

At the Canande River we board the dual-canoe, outboard-powered ferry with a fully loaded dump truck for the corssing and spot a STRIATED HERON and NEOTROPIC CORMORANT. Pancho tells us that just five years ago the forest came right up to the river here. Today we drive for many miles passing clearing after clearing of pastures and subsistence farms of squatters.

 

Once the logging companies have built roads and cut down the big trees the poor squatters show up with machetes and chainsaws to clear a bit of land and thus become the owners. Essentially it is homesteading. If you clear the forest the government gives you the deed to the land. Between logging interests, oil palm plantations and the subsistence farms of the squatters these forests are disappearing fast.

BirdLife International writes, “Unplanned colonization following the completion of roads and massive logging concessions are major threats to the Chocó forests. Since 1960, over 40% of the forest area has been cleared or heavily degraded, and deforestation rates are accelerating (Salaman 1994). Currently, intensive logging, human settlement, cattle-grazing, mining, wildlife exploitation, and coca and palm cultivation all threaten the region, with forest destruction most severe in the coastal plain and foothills below c.2,000 m. (Dinerstein et al. 1995, Wege and Long 1995).”

Along the road we stop now and then for DUSKY * and SCALED PIGEONS, RUDDY GROUND DOVE, LONG-TAILED TYRANT,TROPICAL GNATCATCHER, a small flock of the endemic ROSE-FACED PARROTS* eating bananas, MEALY AMAZON, SAFFRON-HEADED, BLUE-HEADED and RED-BILLED PARROTS dwarf tiny PACIFIC PARROTLETS. BAND-RUMPED SWIFTS fly overhead.

We arrive at the Jocotoco Foundation’s Canande Reserve and hit the trails. The sun is out today and it is quite warm. The loud thrum of cicadas electrifies the air. Birds seen include; BARRED PUFFBIRD, BLACK-CHEEKED WOODPECKER, both SLATY and DOT-WINGED ANTWREN and MASKED TITYRA. We locate the lek

Barred Puffibird by Barry McLaughlin

http://www.pbase.com/bmclaughlin/northwestern_ecuador_janfeb_2009

 

and get some outstanding views of a male RED-CAPPED MANAKIN. We get lucky views when some WHITE-FACED CAPUCHIN MONKEYS come frolicking through the canopy.

A stream crossing lacks a bridge but there is a stout vine hanging over the creek which we use like Tarzan to swing to the other side. Who says birders don’t swing?

Canande Reserve has a small lodge which is quite comfortable given its isolation. Our meals are taken in a large, airy dining hall and prepared by two local women who live next door. The lodge can accommodate groups up to 10 sharing rooms and utilizing bunk beds. Few birders visit this reserve due to the fact that the road in requires four wheel drive.

Around the lodge we find YELLOW-CROWNED TYRAUNULET, PURPLE-CHESTED HUMMINGBIRD*, ORANGE-FRONTED BARBET* and WHITE-THIGHED SWALLOWS.

In the afternoon we drive the road between the reserve and the tiny settlement of Oja Blanca finding WHITE-RINGED, PIRATIC, RUDDY-TAILED and RUSTY-MARGINED FLYCATCHERS and the ubiquitous TROPICAL KINGBIRDS on the roadside wires.

In one stop along the road we hit pay dirt. We may have missed these lowland species at Silanche but here at Canande we find RED-LEGGED HONEYCREEPER, YELLOW-TUFTED, SCARLET-THIGHED and the very striking SCARTLET-BREASTED DACNIS*. DUSKY-FACED, GOLDEN-CROWNED, GRAY-CROWNED and RUFOUS-WINGED TANAGERS. We also find some new trip birds that are not endemics like GREEN HONEYCREEPER, BLUE DACNIS.

We turn around to head back for the reserve in the tiny settlement of Oja Blanca. The simple homes are made of wooden planks without windows. Most have a power line and I’m surprised to see The Simpson’s playing on a TV inside one of these modest dwellings, talk about incongruous.

Most of the people are friendly at wave back to us. It is apparent they don’t see many gringos out here. Some of them look a bit frightened of us, I ask Pancho about this and he tells us these people out here in the bush have some strange ideas as to what the gringos are doing here. One of them is that we come here to steal their organs! We get a good laugh at that one.

Feb. 6 Canande

We rise early and hit the trails under the cover of darkness. Pancho is determined to find us a very difficult bird this morning thus our early start. After much effort Pancho does find a TAWNY-FACED QUAIL but we fumble trying to get on it and miss the “ghost”.

At dawn the resident HOWLER MONKEYS greet the day and we manage to see at least one of them. The next couple of hours are frustrating as Pancho tries to entice birds into view with either the iPod or using playback but the birds are largely unresponsive until we get down to the creek where a pair of TAWNY-CRESTED TANAGERS pop out of the foliage. Here we also get nice looks at the remarkably loud BUFF-RUMPED WARBLER.

Throughout the trip we’ve been hearing and taping SOUTHERN NIGHTINGALE-WREN to no avail but now we finally get a responsive one in view. A WESTERN WHITE-TAILED TROGON is a nice find as is WHITE-WHISKERED PUFFBIRD, WHITE-THROATED SPADEBILL and RED-RUMPED WOODPECKER. Finally we come across an active feeding flock and things get fast and furious with sightings of SPOT-CROWNED ANTVIREO, WHITE-FLANKED ANTWREN, ESMERALDAS and CHESTNUT-BACKED ANTBIRD, and PACIFIC FLATBILL.

As we did yesterday after lunch and siesta we hit the road. Today we find little activity between the reserve and Oja Blanca but up the road from the settlement the birding is fantastic; GRAY-CAPPED, OCHRE-BELLIED and WHITE-RINGED FLYCATCHERS along with a SNOWY-THROATED KINGBIRD.

We are still hoping to find more of the Choco endemics. There is one I’m particularly desirous of in that it is unique. I follow a tanager into the top of a snag and as I’m trying to get on it I see a distinctive snow-white bird perched. In a low key tone I say very calmly to my comrades, “I’m on the cotinga.”

Barry laughs at the way I say it, believing it a joke but indeed up in the tree is the sought after BLACK-TIPPED COTINGA. A nice find that Pancho tells us he’s seen on only half of the trips into Canande. To top it off Barry gets a nice shot of it! We’ll toast the moment later over beers.

White-tipped Cotinga by Barry McLaughlin

http://www.pbase.com/bmclaughlin/northwestern_ecuador_janfeb_2009

On this upper stretch of road we also find a TROPICAL GNATCATCHER and another RUFOUS-WINGED TANAGER. We see many of the tanagers and dacnis that we sighted yesterday, now everyone in our party has seen them well.

At the top of the road we come to a sign saying that further entry is prohibited by the timber company, as we start to turn around we see a young man riding up the slippery road on his horse with a machete. Pancho and I greet him a good afternoon, he is friendly and asks what we’re looking for.

In Spanish Pancho tells him, “Birds.”

“For food?”

“No just to look at.”

The guys gives us a curious look and then says he has just seen a parrot with a long tail just up the road.

“Really?” Pancho says and then turns to me and says, “could be a Great Green Macaw.”

He asks the guy if he’ll show it to us for five bucks and before we know it we are following him up the muddy trail. I hear some parrot chatter and see one fly in but it is a Mealy Amazon. We stop to look at it and Pancho asks him if that is the bird.

“No, it’s in that dead tree.” It is indeed but not the hoped for Great Green but rather a CHESTNUT-FRONTED MACAW.

We pay Juan Fernandez but we only have a ten dollar bill, Pancho asks if he has change to which Juan laughs, “I have no money, all I do is work.” He is one of the squatters I’ve mentioned trying to eke out a subsistence in a forest clearing.

I ask him if he wants see the bird through our scope. When he does he is incredulous.

“It’s right there!”

Pancho tells him to keep the change but to please watch over and protect the parrots. He explains that he is our guide to show us tourists the birds and he knows the names in English. Juan asks where we’re staying.

“Jocotoco Foundation Reserve.”

“What is Jocotoco?”

“A type of bird.”

“Oh, what is a reserve?”

Pancho explains that the reserve is to protect the animals and birds of the forest.

To this Juan Fernandez can only scratch his head. This is a foreign concept to him, that the land would need to be preserved. We are on the frontline of the battle where poverty and the need to preserve habitats meet.

We find a WESTERN WHITE-TAILED TROGON as we bid Juan good-bye, he takes another peek through the scope and declares what a beauty the bird is. We concur.

Western White-tailed Trogon by Roger Wolfe

http://www.pbase.com/wolfbird/ecuador_west_slope_2009

 

February 7 Canande-Quito

Our plan today is to bird the upper section of road as yesterday was so productive. Driving through Oja Blanca I wave to the locals and say out loud, “Watch your organs folks, here come the gringos again.”

Pancho hears a bird in some roadside vegetation. We stop and he plays the call over the cars speakers. Almost immediately we spot a WHITE-THROATED CRAKE streak across the road. Atop a fencepost is a LITTLE CUCKOO.

Two birds in silhouette on a roadside snag get the car stopped again. These are the best looks I’ve ever had of a pair of BAT FALCONS.

We walk up the road in the light rain finding birds here and there; a BLACK-CAPPED PYGMY TYRANT busily constructing a nest, BUFF-THROATED FOLIAGE GLEANER, SLATE-THROATED GNATCATCHER, THICK-BILLED EUPHONIA, BLUE-WHISKERED* and EMERALD TANAGERS. We have managed to do quite well with the endemic Choco tanagers. I believe that our only big miss is Scarlet-and-White-Tanager. Our best finds this morning is a LITA WOODPECKER* and an Ecuadorian endemic ESMERALDAS WOODSTAR*. A SCRUB BLACKBIRD in Oja Blanca is new for the trip.

Back to the lodge we collect our luggage for the long drive ahead of us. Sunday morning finds many people along the way, some of the men look to be on their way to local soccer matches. Las Golondrinas is a hive of activity unlike out early morning visit days before.

We stop for lunch in Quininde and then onward towards Quito. The washout forces us to detour one final time and finally we are on the outskirts of Quito where we stop near the Center of the World Monument to find ASH-BREASTED and BAND-TAILED SEEDEATERS but it is the GIANT HUMMINGBIRD we come for and it is also the last tick on our journey.

 

Birds seen:

Curve-billed Tinamou  Nothoprocta curvirostris

Silvery Grebe  Podiceps occipitalis

Cattle Egret     Bubulcus ibis

Striated Heron Butorides striatus

Black-faced Ibis          Theristicus melanopis

Turkey Vulture            Cathartes aura

Black Vulture   Coragyps atratus

Andean Condor           Vultur gryphus

Andean Teal    Anas andium

South Georgian Teal   Anas georgica

Grey-headed Kite       Leptodon cayanensis

Swallow-tailed Kite      Elanoides forficatus

Pearl Kite         Gampsonyx swainsonii

Tiny Hawk       Accipiter superciliosus

Roadside Hawk          Buteo magnirostris

Puna Hawk     Buteo poecilochrous

Carunculated Caracara          Phalcoboenus carunculatus

American Kestrel        Falco sparverius

Bat Falcon       Falco rufigularis

Aplomado Falcon        Falco femoralis

Sickle-winged Guan    Chamaepetes goudotii

White-throated Crake Laterallus albigularis

Andean Coot   Fulica ardesiaca

Sunbittern        Eurypyga helias

Andean Lapwing         Vanellus resplendens

Greater Yellowlegs     Tringa melanoleuca

Andean Snipe  Gallinago jamesoni

Andean Gull    Larus serranus

Band-tailed Pigeon      Columba fasciata

Plumbeous Pigeon      Columba plumbea

Ruddy Pigeon Columba subvinacea

Dusky Pigeon Columba goodsoni

Eared Dove     Zenaida auriculata

Ruddy Ground-Dove  Columbina talpacoti

Black-winged Ground-Dove   Metriopelia melanoptera

White-tipped Dove      Leptotila verreauxi

Chestnut-fronted Macaw        Ara severa

Pacific Parrotlet           Forpus coelestis

Rose-faced Parrot      Pionopsitta pulchra

Blue-headed Parrot     Pionus menstruus

Red-billed Parrot         Pionus sordidus

Bronze-winged Parrot Pionus chalcopterus

Mealy Parrot   Amazona farinosa

Smooth-billed Ani        Crotophaga ani

Striped Cuckoo           Tapera naevia

Squirrel Cuckoo          Piaya cayana

Little Cuckoo   Piaya minuta

Barn Owl         Tyto alba

Rufescent Screech-Owl         Otus ingens

Great Horned Owl      Bubo virginianus

Mottled Owl     Ciccaba virgata

Andean Pygmy-Owl    Glaucidium jardinii

Oilbird  Steatornis caripensis

Gray Potoo     Nyctibius griseus

Chestnut-collared Swift           Cypseloides rutilus

White-collared Swift    Streptoprocne zonaris

Band-rumped Swift     Chaetura spinicauda

Grey-rumped Swift     Chaetura cinereiventris

White-whiskered Hermit         Phaethornis yaruqui

Tawny-bellied Hermit  Phaethornis syrmatophorus

White-necked Jacobin            Florisuga mellivora

Brown Violet-ear         Colibri delphinae

Green Thorntail           Discosura conversii

Green-crowned Woodnymph Thalurania fannyi

Purple-chested Hummingbird Polyerata rosenbergi

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird    Amazilia tzacatl

Purple-bibbed Whitetip            Urosticte benjamini

Fawn-breasted Brilliant           Heliodoxa rubinoides

Green-crowned Brilliant          Heliodoxa jacula

Empress Brilliant         Heliodoxa imperatrix

Ecuadorian Hillstar      Oreotrochilus chimborazo

Giant Hummingbird     Patagona gigas

Mountain Velvetbreast            Lafresnaya lafresnayi

Great Sapphirewing    Pterophanes cyanopterus

Brown Inca      Coeligena wilsoni

Collared Inca   Coeligena torquata

Buff-winged Starfrontlet          Coeligena lutetiae

Sword-billed Hummingbird      Ensifera ensifera

Buff-tailed Coronet      Boissonneaua flavescens

Velvet-purple Coronet Boissonneaua jardini

Sapphire-vented Puffleg         Eriocnemis luciani

Booted Racquet-tail    Ocreatus underwoodii

Black-tailed Trainbearer         Lesbia victoriae

Tyrian Metaltail            Metallura tyrianthina

Violet-tailed Sylph        Aglaiocercus coelestis

Purple-throated Woodstar      Philodice mitchellii

Esmeraldas Woodstar            Chaetocercus berlepschi

Golden-headed Quetzal         Pharomachrus auriceps

Chocó Trogon Trogon comptus

Western White-tailed Trogon Trogon chionurus

Masked Trogon          Trogon personatus

Violaceous Trogon      Trogon violaceus

Ringed Kingfisher        Megaceryle torquata

Green Kingfisher         Chloroceryle americana

Rufous Motmot           Baryphthengus martii

Rufous-tailed Jacamar           Galbula ruficauda

Barred Puffbird            Nystalus radiatus

White-whiskered Puffbird        Malacoptila panamensis

Orange-fronted Barbet           Capito squamatus

Red-headed Barbet    Eubucco bourcierii

Toucan Barbet            Semnornis ramphastinus

Crimson-rumped Toucanet    Aulacorhynchus haematopygus

Pale-mandibled Araçari           Pteroglossus erythropygius

Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan Andigena laminirostris

Chocó Toucan            Ramphastos brevis

Chestnut-mandibled Toucan  Ramphastos swainsonii

Olivaceous Piculet      Picumnus olivaceus

Black-cheeked Woodpecker  Melanerpes pucherani

Red-rumped Woodpecker      Veniliornis kirkii

Lita Woodpecker         Piculus litae

Golden-olive Woodpecker      Piculus rubiginosus

Crimson-mantled Woodpecker           Piculus rivolii

Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus

Powerful Woodpecker            Campephilus pollens

Crimson-bellied Woodpecker Campephilus haematogaster

Guayaquil Woodpecker          Campephilus gayaquilensis

Plain-brown Woodcreeper      Dendrocincla fuliginosa

Wedge-billed Woodcreeper    Glyphorynchus spirurus

Strong-billed Woodcreeper     Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus

Northern Barred-Woodcreeper          Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae

Spotted Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus erythropygius

Streak-headed Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes souleyetii

Montane Woodcreeper           Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger

Bar-winged Cinclodes Cinclodes fuscus

Stout-billed Cinclodes Cinclodes excelsior

Andean Tit-Spinetail    Leptasthenura andicola

Azara's Spinetail         Synallaxis azarae

Slaty Spinetail  Synallaxis brachyura

White-browed Spinetail           Hellmayrea gularis

Red-faced Spinetail     Cranioleuca erythrops

Many-striped Canastero         Asthenes flammulata

Spotted Barbtail           Premnoplex brunnescens

Pearled Treerunner    Margarornis squamiger

Streaked Tuftedcheek            Pseudocolaptes boissonneautii

Lineated Foliage-gleaner        Syndactyla subalaris

Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner          Anabacerthia variegaticeps

Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner Automolus ochrolaemus

Plain Xenops   Xenops minutus

Spot-crowned Antvireo           Dysithamnus puncticeps

White-flanked Antwren            Myrmotherula axillaris

Slaty Antwren  Myrmotherula schisticolor

Dot-winged Antwren   Microrhopias quixensis

Chestnut-backed Antbird        Myrmeciza exsul

Esmeraldas Antbird    Myrmeciza nigricauda

Immaculate Antbird     Myrmeciza immaculata

Rufous-breasted Antthrush    Formicarius rufipectus

Giant Antpitta  Grallaria gigantea

Scaled Antpitta            Grallaria guatimalensis

Chestnut-crowned Antpitta     Grallaria ruficapilla

Rufous Antpitta           Grallaria rufula

Tawny Antpitta            Grallaria quitensis

Yellow-breasted Antpitta Grallaria flavotinca

Unicolored Tapaculo   Scytalopus unicolor

Spillmann's Tapaculo  Scytalopus spillmanni

Ocellated Tapaculo     Acropternis orthonyx

Sooty-headed Tyrannulet       Phyllomyias griseiceps

Golden-faced Tyrannulet        Zimmerius chrysops

Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet    Tyrannulus elatus

Pacific Elaenia Myiopagis subplacens

White-throated Tyrannulet      Mecocerculus leucophrys

White-tailed Tyrannulet           Mecocerculus poecilocercus

White-banded Tyrannulet       Mecocerculus stictopterus

Tufted Tit-Tyrant         Anairetes parulus

Streak-necked Flycatcher      Mionectes striaticollis

Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant Myiornis atricapillus

Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant Lophotriccus pileatus

Pacific Flatbill  Rhynchocyclus pacificus

White-throated Spadebill         Platyrinchus mystaceus

Ornate Flycatcher      Myiotriccus ornatus

Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher         Terenotriccus erythrurus

Smoke-colored Pewee           Contopus fumigatus

Western Wood-Pewee            Contopus sordidulus

Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens

Black Phoebe  Sayornis nigricans

Vermilion Flycatcher   Pyrocephalus rubinus

Crowned Chat-Tyrant Silvicultrix frontalis

Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant      Silvicultrix diadema

Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant Myiotheretes striaticollis

Smoky Bush-Tyrant   Myiotheretes fumigatus

Paramo Ground-Tyrant          Muscisaxicola alpina

Masked Water-Tyrant            Fluvicola nengeta

Long-tailed Tyrant       Colonia colonus

Dusky-capped Flycatcher      Myiarchus tuberculifer

Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua

Rusty-margined Flycatcher    Myiozetetes cayanensis

Social Flycatcher        Myiozetetes similis

Grey-capped Flycatcher        Myiozetetes granadensis

White-ringed Flycatcher         Conopias albovittata

Golden-crowned Flycatcher   Myiodynastes chrysocephalus

Piratic Flycatcher        Legatus leucophaius

Snowy-throated Kingbird        Tyrannus niveigularis

Tropical Kingbird         Tyrannus melancholicus

Cinnamon Becard       Pachyramphus cinnamomeus

Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata

Black-crowned Tityra Tityra inquisitor

Green Manakin           Chloropipo holochlora

White-bearded Manakin          Manacus manacus

Red-capped Manakin Pipra mentalis

Golden-winged Manakin         Masius chrysopterus

Club-winged Manakin Machaeropterus deliciosus

Orange-breasted Fruiteater   Pipreola jucunda

Olivaceous Piha          Lathria cryptolophus

Black-tipped Cotinga   Carpodectes hopkei

Andean Cock-of-the-rock       Rupicola peruviana

Gray-breasted Martin Progne chalybea

Brown-bellied Swallow            Notiochelidon murina

Blue-and-white Swallow          Notiochelidon cyanoleuca

White-thighed Swallow            Neochelidon tibialis

Southern Rough-winged Swallow       Stelgidopteryx ruficollis

Barn Swallow  Hirundo rustica

White-capped Dipper  Cinclus leucocephalus

Band-backed Wren     Campylorhynchus zonatus

Rufous Wren   Cinnycerthia unirufa

Short-billed Marsh-Wren         Cistothorus platensis

Black-capped Wren    Thryothorus nigricapillus

House Wren    Troglodytes aedon

White-breasted Wood-Wren   Henicorhina leucosticta

Scaly-breasted Wren  Microcerculus marginatus

Andean Solitaire          Myadestes ralloides

Pale-eyed Thrush       Platycichla leucops

Great Thrush  Turdus fuscater

Ecuadorean Thrush    Turdus maculirostris

Tawny-faced Gnatwren          Microbates cinereiventris

Tropical Gnatcatcher  Polioptila plumbea

Slate-throated Gnatcatcher    Polioptila schistaceigula

Turquoise Jay Cyanolyca turcosa

Rufous-collared Sparrow        Zonotrichia capensis

Plumbeous Sierra-Finch         Phrygilus unicolor

Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch     Phrygilus plebejus

Blue-black Grassquit  Volatinia jacarina

Black-and-white Seedeater    Sporophila luctuosa

Yellow-bellied Seedeater         Sporophila nigricollis

Lesser Seed-Finch     Oryzoborus angolensis

Band-tailed Seedeater            Catamenia analis

Plain-colored Seedeater         Catamenia inornata

Orange-billed Sparrow            Arremon aurantiirostris

Chestnut-capped Brushfinch  Buarremon brunneinucha

Southern Yellow Grosbeak     Pheucticus chrysogaster

Slate-colored Grosbeak         Saltator grossus

Buff-throated Saltator  Saltator maximus

Black-winged Saltator Saltator atripennis

Grass-green Tanager            Chlorornis riefferii

Dusky Bush-Tanager Chlorospingus semifuscus

Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager           Chlorospingus flavigularis

Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager  Cnemoscopus rubrirostris

Superciliaried Hemispingus    Hemispingus superciliaris

Guira Tanager            Hemithraupis guira

Dusky-faced Tanager            Mitrospingus cassinii

Ochre-breasted Tanager       Chlorothraupis stolzmanni

Rufous-crested Tanager        Creurgops verticalis

Scarlet-browed Tanager         Heterospingus xanthopygius

White-shouldered Tanager     Tachyphonus luctuosus

Tawny-crested Tanager         Tachyphonus delatrii

White-lined Tanager    Tachyphonus rufus

Summer Tanager        Piranga rubra

Lemon-rumped Tanager         Ramphocelus icteronotus

Blue-grey Tanager      Thraupis episcopus

Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum

Blue-capped Tanager Thraupis cyanocephala

Hooded Mountain-Tanager     Buthraupis montana

Black-chested Mountain-Tanager      Buthraupis eximia

Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager       Anisognathus igniventris

Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager          Anisognathus somptuosus

Fawn-breasted Tanager         Pipraeidea melanonota

Thick-billed Euphonia  Euphonia laniirostris

Golden-rumped Euphonia       Euphonia cyanocephala

Fulvous-vented Euphonia       Euphonia fulvicrissa

White-vented Euphonia           Euphonia minuta

Orange-bellied Euphonia        Euphonia xanthogaster

Yellow-collared Chlorophonia Chlorophonia flavirostris

Grey-and-gold Tanager          Tangara palmeri

Blue-whiskered Tanager        Tangara johannae

Emerald Tanager        Tangara florida

Golden Tanager          Tangara arthus

Silver-throated Tanager          Tangara icterocephala

Flame-faced Tanager Tangara parzudakii

Bay-headed Tanager  Tangara gyrola

Rufous-winged Tanager         Tangara lavinia

Metallic-green Tanager           Tangara labradorides

Blue-necked Tanager Tangara cyanicollis

Golden-hooded Tanager        Tangara larvata

Beryl-spangled Tanager         Tangara nigroviridis

Scarlet-thighed Dacnis           Dacnis venusta

Blue Dacnis     Dacnis cayana

Scarlet-breasted Dacnis         Dacnis berlepschi

Green Honeycreeper Chlorophanes spiza

White-sided Flowerpiercer      Diglossa albilatera

Glossy Flowerpiercer Diglossa lafresnayii

Black Flowerpiercer    Diglossa humeralis

Masked Flowerpiercer            Diglossopis cyanea

Swallow Tanager        Tersina viridis

Bananaquit      Coereba flaveola

Tropical Parula            Parula pitiayumi

Black-and-white Warbler        Mniotilta varia

Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca

Slate-throated Redstart          Myioborus miniatus

Spectacled Whitestart Myioborus melanocephalus

Black-crested Warbler            Basileuterus nigrocristatus

Buff-rumped Warbler  Basileuterus fulvicauda

Russet-crowned Warbler       Basileuterus coronatus

Three-striped Warbler            Basileuterus tristriatus

Cinereous Conebill      Conirostrum cinereum

Blue-backed Conebill  Conirostrum sitticolor

Capped Conebill          Conirostrum albifrons

Red-eyed Vireo           Vireo olivaceus

Brown-capped Vireo   Vireo leucophrys

Lesser Greenlet          Hylophilus decurtatus

Hooded Siskin Carduelis magellanica

Yellow-bellied Siskin    Carduelis xanthogastra

House Sparrow           Passer domesticus

Yellow-tailed Oriole     Icterus mesomelas

Scrub Blackbird          Dives warszewiczi

Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis