[email protected]www.Birding-In-Peru.com A TRIP REPORT FOR A BIRDING TRIP TO THE COLOMBIAN ANDES AND THE SANTA MARTA MOUNTAINS. February 24 th –March 5 th 2018 Leader: Trevor Ellery All Photos by Tevor Ellory unless indictated otherwise A slow-paced tour to 4 the many Colombian birding hotspots – the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, RNA Las Tangaras, RNA Yellow-eared Parrot, Rio Blanco with its Antpitta feeders and more, this giving fantastic photo opportunities, good quality hotels for the most part, astounding scenery and not forgetting the birds – looks at 50 species of Hummingbirds and 10 Antpittas’s - many seen well and photographed at worm feeders. Quite a trip! 18 Santa Marta Mountain Endemics were seen and an additional 10 Colombian endemics and many range retricted species. Not bad!
All Photos by Tevor Ellory unless indictated otherwise
A slow-paced tour to 4 the many Colombian birding hotspots – the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, RNA Las Tangaras, RNA Yellow-eared Parrot, Rio Blanco with its Antpitta feeders and more, this giving fantastic photo opportunities, good quality hotels for the most part, astounding scenery and not forgetting the birds – looks at 50 species of Hummingbirds and 10 Antpittas’s - many seen well and photographed at worm feeders. Quite a trip! 18 Santa Marta Mountain Endemics were seen and an additional 10 Colombian endemics and many range retricted species. Not bad!
The Agenda February 24th. Following a late arrival for most on the previous evening we begin with some birding in the grounds of our country hotel near Medellin airport. After this we woundd our way to Las Tangaras Reserve with some opportune birdings stops en route. The first is at a restaurant with some fruit feeders and the second is in the hot Cauca Valley. We arrived at Las Tangaras in the late afternoon with some time to look at the feeders. February 25th. –All day birding at Las Tangaras Reserve along the main trail and the roaad and with a visit to the hummingbird feeders. Las Tangaras is situated in the western Andes at an elevation of 1500 – 1900m. Night at Tangaras Lodge February 26th. –Morning birding at Las Tangaras followed by a stop at Ciudad Bolivar to look for Spectacled Owls and an afternoon arrival at Jardin. Night at Tangaras Lodge. February 27th. –An early morning start to the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve with a mid morning depature for the long journey to Termals de Ruiz – the journey made longer by the closure of one of the main roads and a large detour. Night at Termales Hotel.
February 28th. –Full day in the high elevation (3500 – 4000m) wild and windswept Paramo of Los Nevados National Park – mainly in the vicinity of Nevado del Ruiz. Afternoon birding around our Hotel at Termales del Ruiz with some having a swim in the thermal baths. Night at Termales Hotel. March 1st. Early morning drive down to the Rio Blanco Reserve at 2700m where we spend the whole day. Night in the Hotel on the edge of Manizales. March 2nd. –Early morning drive to Periera where we caught a flight to Santa Marta via Bogota (with time for a quick snack lunch). We arrived in Santa Marta mid afternoon and climbed to Minca with a productive birding stop en-route. Night in the Hotel Sierra Sound in Minca. March 3rd. Morning birding above Minca and then working our way up the mountain to El Dorado Lodge where we spend the afternoon birding in the garden. Night El Dorado Lodge. March 4th. –Morning birding along the San Lorenzo ridge at 2600m above El Dorado Lodge followed by afternoon birding in the vicinity of the lodge. March 5th – Morning birding slowly down from El Dorado lodge arriving at Santa Marta airport in time for a mid-afternoon flight back to Bogota to connect with international flights.
THE KEY Species which were heard but not seen are indicated by the symbol * RED = IUCN RED LIST CATEGORY IOC = International Ornithological Congress SACC = South American Classification Committee E = Colombian Endemic SME = Endemic to the Sierra Neavada of Santa Marta RR = Range Restricted RNA = Reserva Natural de Aves (Pro-Aves Reserves) – the reserves and their names are listed here NP = National Park
THE BIRDS
TINAMOUS Tawny-breasted Tinamou Nothocercus Julius*: Heard distantly at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve.
ANATIDAE Black-bellied Whistling Duck - Dendrocygna autumnalis) Seen along the roadside on the first day’s drive
Andean Teal – Anas andium – 2 seen at the pond at Los Nevados Del Ruiz. The SACC says “Hellmayr & Conover (1948a) and many earlier classifications treated andium as a separate species from A. flavirostris- Speckled Teal. Following <find first author to lump>, many authors, from Meyer de Schauensee (1970) to Dickinson (2003), have treated andium as a subspecies of A. flavirostris. Anas andium was considered a
separate species from Anas flavirostris by Ridgely et al. (2001), and this was followed by Hilty (2003). SACC proposal passed to recognize andium as separate species” Jaramillo (2003) further suggested that the subspecies oxyptera may also deserve recognition as a separate species from A. flavirostris. Andean Duck – Oxyura ferruginea: Several seen on the pond at Los Nevados. The SACC says Andean populations have often (e.g., Hellmayr & Conover 1948a, Siegfried 1976, Sibley & Ahlquist 1990, AOU 1998, Ridgely & Greenfield 2001, Jaramillo 2003) been treated as a separate species, O. ferruginea ("Andean Duck" or "Andean Ruddy-Duck"). However, see Adams and Slavid (1984), Fjeldså (1986), and McCracken & Sorenson (2005) for rationale for treating them as conspecific, as done previously (e.g., Blake 1977, Johnsgard 1979), and then followed by Fjeldså & Krabbe (1990) and Carboneras (1992f). The IOC says: Oxyura ferruginea is split from O. jamaicensis (Ridgely & Greenfield 2001; Jaramillo 2003, Dickinson 2003); SACC does not.
CRACIDAE Sickle-winged Guan – Chamaepetes goudotti: Seen at multiple sites in the Andes and also around the lodge at El Dorado in the Santa Marta mountains. Band-tailed Guan - Penelope argyrotis: Common around El Dorado Lodge in the Santa Marta Mountains. E Colombian Chachalaca – Ortalis colombiana – 3 Seen in the garden of our country Hotel on the first morning.
NEW WORLD QUAIL E Chestnut Wood-quail - Odontophorus hyperythrus*: At Las Tangaras Reserve.
RR Black-fronted Wood Quail – Odontophorus atrifrons: Seen well at the feeder at El Dorado Lodge. VULNERABLE
FRIGATEBIRDS Magnificent Frigatebird – Fregatta magnificens: Seen at Santa Marta airport
PELICANS Brown Pelican - Pelecanus occidentalis: Seen at Santa Marta Airport
ARDEIDAE Striated Heron - Butorides striata: A single seen in the grounds of our country hotel on the first morning. Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis: Common and widespread Great Egret - Ardea alba: A couple of roadside sightings in the Andes and on the north coast. Snowy Egret – Egretta thula: Seen roadside in the Andes and near Santa Marta airport.
THRESKIORNITHIDAE Bare-faced Ibis - Phimosus infuscatus: Common in the Andes and seen at the Hotel on our first morning and roadside on the drive to Pereira.
CATHARTIDAE Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura: Common with daily sightings. Jaramillo (2003) suggested that the resident tropical subspecies ruficollis and the southern subspecies group (jota and "falklandica") might merit recognition as separate species from the northern Cathartes aura group. Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus: Common
ACCIPITRIDAE Pearl Kite – Gampsonyx swainsonii: A single seen by some of the group on roadside wires on the drive from Santa Marta aiport to Minca. Hook-billed Kite - Chondrohierax uncinatus: A single seen by some of the groups at Las Tangaras. Swallow-tailed Kite – Elaniodes forficatus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Ornate Hawk-Eagle – Spizaetus ornatus: A single seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Roadside Hawk - Rupornis magnirostris: Seen at several sites in the Andes... Raposo do Amaral et al. (2009) recommended the resurrection of monotypic genus Rupornis, widely used for this species in earlier literature (e.g., Pinto 1938). The genus Buteo as currently broadly defined is almost certainly polyphyletic (Riesing et al. 2003, Raposo et al. 2006, Raposo do Amaral et al. 2009). SACC proposal passed to resurrect Rupornis for magnirostris White-tailed Hawk – Geranoaetus albicaudatus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Broad-winged Hawk – Buteo platypterus: A boreal migrant – seen on most days throughout the trip. Short-tailed Hawk – Buteo brachyurus: Seen on a couple of days in the Andes and above Minca in the Santa Marta mountains.
CHARADRIIDAE Southern Lapwing - Vanellus chilensis: Seen commonly in the Andes.
SCOLOPACIDAE Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres: Seen on the beach at Santa Marta airport.
COLUMBIDAE Rock Pigeon – Colomba livia: Scattered sightings in the Andes. Band-tailed Pigeon - Patagioenas fasciata: Fairly common and widespread – seen almost daily in the Andes and Santa Marta mountains.qwd Plumbeous Pigeon - Patagioenas plúmbea: seen at Las Tangaras Reserve.
Pale-vented Pigeon - Patagioenas cayennensis: seen on the drive from the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve to Termales del Ruiz.
Eared Dove - Zenaida auriculata: Seen fairly commonly in the Andee White-tipped Dove – Leptotila verreauxi – Seen commonly in the Santa Marta Mountains. Ruddy Ground-Dove - Columbina talpacoti: Seen at a couple of sites in the Andes.
CUCULIDAE Squirrel Cuckoo - Piaya cayana: 2 seen at Las Tangaras Reserve and Minca in the Santa Marta mountains. Smooth-billed Ani - Crotophaga ani: The common Ani of the trip. Ruddy Ground-Dove - Columbina talpacoti: Seen at a couple of sites in the Andes.
CUCULIDAE Squirrel Cuckoo - Piaya cayana: 2 seen at Las Tangaras Reserve and Minca in the Santa Marta mountains. Smooth-billed Ani - Crotophaga ani: The common Ani of the trip.
STRIGIDAE SME Santa Marta Screech Owl – Megascops gilesi*: In the vicinity of El Dorado Lodge. Spectacled Owl – Pulsatrix perspicillata: Great views of a roosting bird at Ciudad Bolivar.
Black-and-white Owl – Ciccaba nigrolineata: Great views of a roosting bird above Minca in the Santa Marta Mountains.
CAPRIMULGIDAE Band-winged Nightjar – Systellura longirostris: Seen on the drive up to El Dorado Reserve. Common Pauraque - Nyctidromus albicollis: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve.
APODIDAE Chestnut-collared Swift - Streptoprocne rutile: Seen on a couple of days at Las Tangaras White-collared Swift - Streptoprocne zonaris: Seen almost daily in the Andes and Santa Marta Mountains. Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift - Panyptila cayennensis: A couple seen above Minca in the Santa Marta Mountains.
TROCHILIDAE White-necked Jacobin – Florisuga mellivora: common on the feeders at Minca in the Santa Marta Mountains.
White-necked Jacobin
Pale-bellied Hermit – Phaethornis anthophilus: Seen on the feeders at Hotel Minca in the Santa Marta Mountains. Long-billed Hermit – Phaethornis longirostris: Seen on the feeders at mid-elevation in the Santa Marta Mountains. Green Hermit – Phaethornis guy: Good views at the Cock-of-the-Rock lek at Jardin. Green-fronted Lancebill – Doryfera ludovicae: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Wedge-billed Hummingbird - Schistes geofroyi: Great views at Rio Blanco.
Lesser Violetear – Colibri cyanotus: Seen at scattered sites in the Andes and common at the feeders at El Dorado Lodge. This waa splot off in 2016 from the northern central American Green Violetear Brown Violetear - Colibri delphinae: Seen on the feeders at El Dorado Lodge. Tourmaline Sunangel – Heliangelus exortis: 1 seen at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve and Rio Blanco. Speckled Hummingbird -Adelomyia melanogenys: Seen at Rio Blanco Reserve Long-tailed Sylph – Aglaiocercus kingi: Seen at Rio Blanco Reserve RR Violet-tailed Sylph – Aglaiocercus coelestes: Common at the feeders at Las Tangaras Reserve Rainbow-bearded Thornbill – Chalcostigma herrani: Wow – great looks at the feeders of Los Termales Del Ruiz at Los Nevados National Park. Named for General Pedro Alcantara Herran Martinez de Zaldia (1800-1872) Colombian statesman and president of the Republic of New Granada. The Republic of New Granada was a centralist republic consisting primarily of present-day Colombia and Panama with smaller portions of today's Ecuador, and Venezuela. It was created after the dissolution in 1830 of Gran Colombia
E Buffy Helmetcrest – Oxypogon stubelli: Seen very well at the Los Nevados National Park. VULNERABLE.
Buffy Helmetcrest – Linda Ingram
SME Santa Marta Blossomcrown – Anthocephala berlepschi: A single male gave excellent views below El Dorado Lodge.
Santa Marta Blossomcrown
SME Black-backed Thonbill – Ramphomicron dorsale: Several showed well along the San Lorenzo ridge in the Santa Marta Mountains – including perched views.
Black-backed Thornbill
Tyrian Metaltail - Metallura tyrianthina: The nominate subspecies was seen at Nevado del Ruiz while the the distinctive districta subspecies – which is sometimes mooted as a potential split – was seen at in the Santa Marta mountains. Named after the color Tyrian purple. Variously known as Royal purple, Tyrian purple, purple of the ancients, this ancient dyestuff, mentioned in texts dating about 1600 BC, was
produced from the mucus of the hypobranchial gland of various species of marine molluscs, notably Murex. Although originating in old port of Tyre in modern day Syria (hence the name), man's first large scale chemical industry spread throughout the world. With the decline of the Roman Empire, the use of the dye also declined and large-scale production ceased with the fall of Constantinople in 1453. It was replaced by other cheaper dyes like lichen purple and madder. Viridian Metaltail - Metalllura williami: Seen well at the hummingbird feeders of Los Termales Del Ruiz Hotel at Los Nevados National Park. SME White-tailed Starfrontlet – Coeligena phalerata: seen well daily at the lodge at El Dorado in the Santa Marta Mountains. Greenish Puffleg – Haplopaedia aureliae: Fairly common at RNA Las Tangaras. Haplophaedia assimilis (Buff- thighed Puffleg of the Manu Road) was formerly (e.g., Peters 1945, Meyer de Schauensee 1970) considered a subspecies of H. aureliae, but Schuchmann et al. (2000) provided rationale for treating it as a separate species, representing a return to the classification of Cory (1918). RR Golden-breasted Puffleg – Eriocnemis mosquera: Common on the feeders of Los Termales Del Ruiz Hotel at Los Nevados National Park. A range restricted species also occurring in Ecuador. Named after Colombian dictator General Tomas Cipriano de Mosquera who ruled in the late 1800’s
Golden-breasted Puffleg
Golden-breasted Puffleg
RR Black-thighed Puffleg - Eriocnemis derbyi: A couple seen at the Nevados Ruiz feeders at Los Nevados National Park. A somewhat nomadic species. Named for English zoologist Edward Smith Stanley Earl of Derby (1775-1851) NEAR THREATENED
Black-thighed Puffleg
Shining Sunbeam – Aglaeactis cupripennis: Common at the Los Nevados Del Ruiz Hotel feeder’s at PN Nevados Ruiz
Shining Sunbeam
Bronzy Inca – Coeligena coeligena Common on the feeders at Rio Blanco Reserve. RR Brown Inca - Coeligena wilsoni: Several on the feeders at Las Tangaras Reserve Collared Inca – Coeligena torquata: Common at the new feeders at Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve above Jardin and also at the Rio Blanco feeders
Collared Inca
Mountain Velvetbreast - Lafresnaya lafresnaya: Seen at Los Termales Del Ruiz Hotel feeders at Los Nevados National Park. Named for Noel Frederic Armand Andre Baron de Lafresnaye a French Ornithologist and collector 1783-1861. He has many species named for him. The French were extremely energetic collectors and naturalists during the 19th century or “Natural Philosophers”.
Mountain Velvetbreast
Great Sapphirewing – Pterophanes cyanopterus: Common at the Los Termales Del Ruiz Hotel feeders at Los Nevados National Park.
Great Sapphirewing
Sword-billed Hummingbird - Ensifera ensifera: Seen well at the new feeders at Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Buff-winged Starfrontlet - Coeligena lutetiae: Several at the feeders of Los Termales Del Ruiz Hotel at Los Nevados National Park.
Buff-winged Starfrontlet
Buff-tailed Coronet – Boissoinneaua falvescens: The owner of the feeders at the Rio Blanco reserve and also at the new feeder’s station at Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve
Buff-tailed Coronet
E Dusky Starfrontlet - Coeligena orina: A single male at the feeders at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve was a real surprise. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Dusky Starfrontlet
RR Velvet-purple Coronet – Boissoinneaua jardini: Several at the feeders of Las Tangaras Reserve. White-booted Booted Rackettail – Ocreatus underwoodii: Good views at Las Tangaras Reserve and Rio Blanco. Change English name of Booted Racket-tail O. underwoodi to White-booted Racket-tail with split of Peruvian and Rufous-booted Racket-tail White-tailed Hillstar – Urochroa bougueri: Several at the feeders at Las Tangaras Reserve. Purple-bibbed Whitetip – Urosticte benjamini: A single at the feeders at Las Tangaras Reserve. Fawn-breasted Brilliant – Heliodoxa rubinoides: Several at the feeders at Las Tangaras Reserve and another at Rio Blanco Reserve RR Empress Brilliant - Heliodoxa imperatrix: Excellent views at the feeders of Las Tangaras Reserve Long-billed Starthroat - Heliomaster longirostris: One seen at Minca in the Santa Marta Mountains. White-bellied Woodstar – Chaetocercus mulsant: Nice looks at the feeders at the new feeder station at Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve and Rio Blanco Reserve. Named after yet another French zoologist and collector. Purple-throated Woodstar – Calliphlox mitchelli: Common on the feeders at Las Tangaras. SME Santa Marta Woodstar - Chaetocercus astreans: Great views of a female below El Dorado Lodge. VULNERABLE
Santa Marta Woodstar
Western Emerald - Chlorostilbon melanorhynchusm: Seen at Las Tangaras Lodge RR Coppery Emerald - Chlorostilbon russatus: Great views of a female below El Dorado Lodge.
Coppery Emerald
White-vented Plumleteer – Chalybura buffonii: Common on the feeders at Hotel Minca. Crowned Woodnymph – Thalurania colombica: Common on the feeders at El Dorado Lodge.
Crowned Woodnymph
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird - Amazilia tzacatl: In the garden at our first Hotel, on the feeders at Las Tangaras Lodge and on the feeders in Minca. Andean Emerald – Agyrtria franciae: Seen on the feeders at the YE Parrot Reserve. Named for Francia Bourcier daughter of the French consul to Ecuador 1849. Steely-vented Hummingbird – Saucerottia saucerottei: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve and Minca.
Steely-vented Hummingbird
TROGONIDAE Golden –headed Quetzal – Pharomachrus auriceps: Heard at Las Tangaras Reserve RR White-tipped Quetzal – Pharomachrus fulgidus: Great views near El Dorado Lodge where a pair were nesting. Collared Trogon - Trogon collaris: 3 seen at Otun Quimbaya Gartered Trogon – Trogon caligatus: Seen above Minca. Masked Trogon - Trogon personatus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve, Rio Blanco and in the Santa Marta Mountains.
White-tipped Quetzal
Masked Trogon
MOMOTIDAE Andean Motmot - Momotus aequatorialis: Seen fairly commonly in the Andes. Whooping Motmot – Momotus subrufescens: Seen above Minca.
SEMINORTITHIDAE RR Toucan Barbet - Semnornis ramphastinus*: At Las Tangaras Reserve.
CAPITONIDAE Red-headed Barbet – Eubucco bourcierii: Good views at Las Tangaras Reserve.
RAMPHASTIDAE Keel-billed Toucan: Ramphastos sulfuratus Seen fairly commonly above Minca.
Santa Marta Toucanet – Aulacorhynchus (prasinus) latus: Seen fairly commonly around El Dorado Lodge. Groove-billed Toucanet – Aulacorhynchus sulcatus: Seen below El Dorado.
Groove-billed Toucanet
E Grey-throated (Emerald) Toucanet - Aulacorhynchus (prassinus) griseogularis: Seen at Rio Blanco. – griseogularis (The Grey-throated Toucanet) Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) suggested that Aulacorhynchus prasinus may consist of more than one species-level taxon, but see Short & Horne (2001), who pointed out that the allopatric taxa are no more distinctive than those known to intergrade. The subspecies lautus, albivitta, cyanolaemus, dimidiatus, and atrogularis, as well as Middle American wagleri and caeruleogularis, were formerly (e.g., Ridgway 1914, Cory 1919) each considered separate species from (and in some cases not particularly closely related to) Aulacorhynchus prasinus, but Peters (1948) and Haffer (1974) treated them all as conspecific. Puebla-Olivares et al. (2008) identified three clades in South America based on mtDNA and proposed species rank for each. The IOC presents Grey-throated and White–throated as splits, citing, Puebla-Olivares et al. 2008 and the former becomes a Colombian endemic. IOC splits, SACC does not as yet and is awaiting a proposal. Crimson-rumped Toucanet -Aulacorhynchus haematopygus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve Black- billed Mountain-Toucan – Andigena nigrirostris: Seen at Rio Blanco
Black- billed Mountain-Toucan
PICIDAE Scaled Piculet – Picumnus squamulatus: Seen well above Minca.
Scaled Piculet
Acorn Woodpecker - Melanerpes formicivorus: Seen at El Rancherito Restaurant in our travel day to Las Tangaras from Medellin. A species heavily associated with Oak forest (Quercus) which only extends as far south as Colombia in South America, hence, so does the Woodpecker! Red-crowned Woodpecker – Melanerpes rubricapillus: Common and conspicuous in both the Andes and Santa Marta range. Smoky-brown Woodpecker – Venilornis fumigatus*: At Las Tangaras Reserve Golden-olive Woodpecker - Colaptes rubiginosus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve.
Golden-olive Woodpecker
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker – Colaptes rivolii. 1 seen at Rio Blanco Reserve. Yet another Frenchman! Named for the impressive sounding Francois Victor Massena Prince d’Essling and Duc de Rivoli (1795-
1863). An ornitholigist and collector.
Lineated Woodpecker – Dryocopus lineatus: Heard near Las Tangaras Lodge and seen in the foothills of the Santa Marta mountains. Crimson-crested Woodpecker – Campephilus melanoleucos: Seen well below El Dorado Lodge.
FALCONIDAE Crested Caracara - Caracara cheriway: Common throughout the tour: Formerly placed in the genus Polyborus but this species has been switched to the genus Caracara. Note also that the former species known as Crested Caracara, has been split into three species with those ranging north of north-west Peru and the Amazon River (i.e. Colombia) and as far as the USA, according to the IOC, retain the name Northern Crested Caracara C. cheriway, the birds from Southern Peru to the tip of South America, Tierra del Fuego, are referable to the species Caracara plancus Southern Caracara, while another form, the extinct Guadalupe Caracara C. lutosus, of Guadalupe Island, Mexico, has also been given its untimely species status.
Yellow-headed Caracara - Milvago chimachima: Another widespread open country raptor that was seen regularly in small numbers. American Kestrel - Falco sparverius: Single sightings in the Andes and Santa Marta mountains.
PSITTACIDAE Barred Parakeet – Bolyborhynchus lineola*: At Las Tangras Reserve. Orange-chinned Parakeet – Brotogeris jugularis: Seen commonly around Minca. Red-billed Parrot – Pionus sordidus: Seen on a couple of days in the Santa Marta mountains. Blue-headed Parrot – Pionus menstruus: Seen below Minca. Scaly-naped Parrot – Amazona mercenaria*: On thethe San Lorenzo ridge. Military Macaw – Ara militaris: A single bird flew overhead while birding above Minca. VULNERABLE E Yellow-eared Parrot – Ognorhynchus icterotis: Great views At Alto Las Ventanas. Historically known from Ecuador it now seems to be extirpated there so is a de facto Colombian endemic. This species is classified as Endangered because the known population of mature individuals is extremely small; however, intensive conservation action has stabilised its current range and resulted in a population increase. If the number of mature individuals continues to increase the species may be downlisted in the future. ENDANGERED.
Yellow-eared Parrot - Pro Aves
Scarlet-fronted Parakeet – Psittacara wagleri: One seen on the drive from the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve to Nevado del Ruiz and seen commonly in the Santa Marta Mountains
Scarlet-fronted Parakeet
THAMNOPHILIDAE Rufous-rumped Antwren – Euchrepomis callinota: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve Black- crested Antshrike – Sakesphorus canadiensis: A female one seen near Salgar where we saw the Antioquia Wren. Sakephorus is Greek meaning “Shield-bearing” referring to the black shield like breast patches of this genus. RR Bar-crested Antshrike - Thamnophilus multistriatus: Seen in the Cauca Valley on our first day. A near-endemic, generally replacing the Barred Antshrike, at higher elevations. Outside Colombia it’s only known from the Venezuelan side of the Sierra de Perijá, so it’s a de facto endemic. Black-backed Antshrike – Thamnophilus melanonotus: Seen on the drive up to Minca. White-fringed Antwren – Formicivora grisea: Seen on the drive up to Minca. Yellow-breasted Antwren – Herpsilochmus axillaris: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Streak-headed Antbird – Drymophila striaticeps: Seen at Rio Blanco. SME Santa Marta Antbird – Drymophila hellmayri: Seen on a couple of days in the Santa Marta Mountains.
GRALLARIDAE Chestnut-crowned Antpitta - Grallaria ruficapilla: Photographed at the worm feeder at Rio Blanco
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta
RR Bicolored Antpitta – Grallaria rufocinerea: 1 seen at the worm feeder at Rio Blanco VULNERABLE.
Bicolored Antpitta
Chestnut-naped Antpitta – Grallaria nuchalis*: Heard at the YE Parrot Reserve and Rio Blanco.
RR Yellow-breasted Antpitta – Grallaria flavotincta*: Heard at Las Tangaras Reserve Rufous Antpitta – Grallaria rufula rufula*: Heard at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve. Keep track of where you see your Rufous Antpittas – they will be split. Tawny Antpitta – Grallaria quitensis: Seen at Los Nevados National Park. Named for the city of Quito which in turn is named for the Quitu Indians.
Tawny Antpitta
E Brown-banded Antpitta – Grallaria milleri: 1 came to the worm feeders at Rio Blanco – fantastic! VULNERABLE SME Santa Marta Antpitta – Grallaria bangsi: Great views at a worm feeder in the Santa Marta mountains. VULNERABLE
Brown-banded Antpitta
Santa Marta Antpitta
Slate-crowned Antpitta – Grallaricula nana: Heard at the YE Parrot Reserve and seen at Rio Blanco.
Slate-crowned Antpitta
Rusty-breasted Antpitta – Grallaricula ferrugineipectus: Good views below El Dorado Lodge in the Santa Marta Mountains.
RHINOCRYPTIDAE Ash-coloured Tapaculo - Myornis senilis*: At Rio Blanco Blackish Tapaculo - Scytalopus latrans latrans*: At Rio Blanco. Spillman’s Tapaculo – Scytalopus spillmani*: At Rio Blanco. Paramo Tapaculo - Scytalopus opacus*: At Los Nevados National Park. This species has been recently split into Paramo and Paramillo (S. canus) Tapaculos with the latter becoming a Colombian endemic restricted to the Western Cordillera in the north. RR Nariño Tapaculo – Scytalopus vicinior*: At Las Tangaras Reserve. E Tatama Tapaculo – Scytalopus alvarezlopezi Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. recently described in The Auk – “A new species of tapaculo (Rhinocryptidae: Scytalopus) from the Western Andes of Colombia” by F. Gary Stiles, Oscar Laverde-R, and Carlos Daniel Cadena. They say: we suggest the English name of Tatamá Tapaculo for S. alvarezlopezi because the majority of localities for this species are in the middle sector of the Western Andes wher the most prominent and best-known mountain is Cerro Tatamá
SME Santa Marta Tapaculo – Scytalopus sanctaemartae: Seen below Minca.
FURNARIIDAE
Grey-throated Leaftosser
Grey-throated Leaftosser – Sclerurus albigularis: Good views below El Dorado Plain-brown Woodcreeper – Dendrocincla fuliginosa: Seen above Minca. Cocoa Woodcreeper – Xiphorhynchus susurrans: Seen in the Cauca Valley on our first day and above Minca. Olive-backed Woodcreeper – Xiphorhynchus triangularis: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Brown-billed Scythebill – Campylorhamphus pusillus*: At Las Tangaras Reserve. Streak-headed Woodcreeper – Lepidocolaptes souleyetii: Seen above Minca. Montane Woodcreeper – Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger: Seen at Rio Blanco Reserve and in the Santa Marta Mountains. Streaked Xenops - Xenops rutilans: Seen at Las Tangaras and Rio Blanco Reserve
Streaked Tuftedcheek – Pseudocolaptes boissonneautii: Seen at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve. Stout-billed Cinclodes – Cinclodes excelsior: Great looks at Los Nevados National Park. The SACC says Cinclodes aricomae (Royal Cinclodes) is often considered conspecific with C. excelsior (e.g., Peters 1951, Meyer de Schauensee 1970), and evidence for treating them as separate species (e.g., Fjeldså & Krabbe 1990, Remsen 2003) is weak. Proposal needed. Montane Foliage-gleaner - Anabacerthia striaticollis: Seen at Rio Blanco and in the Santa Marta mountains. SME Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner – Automolus rufipectus: Seen below El Dorado Lodge. Flammulated Treehunter Thripadectes flammulatus: Seen along the ridge at El Dorado. Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner – Anabacerthia variegaticeps: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve.
Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner
Lineated Foliage-gleaner - Syndactyla subalaris: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve RR Uniform Treehunter – Thripadectes ignobilis: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve.
Uniform Treehunter
Fulvous-dotted Treerunner - Margarornis stellatus – Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Pearled Treerunner – Margarornis squamiger: Common component of mixed Cloud Forest flocks; seen at Rio Blanco Reserve. Andean Tit-Spinetail - Leptasthenura andicola: Seen at Los Nevados NP. Many-striped Canastero – Asthenes flammulata: Good views at Los Nevados National Park. Red-faced Spinetail – Cranioleuca erythrops: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. RR Streak-capped Spinetail – Cranioleuca hellmayri – Seen on a couple of days in the Santa Marta mountains. SME Rusty-headed Spinetail – Synallaxis fuscorufa – Seen on the San Lorenzo ridge in the Santa Marta mountains. VULNERABLE Azara’s Spinetail - Synallaxis azarae: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve and heard at Rio Blanco Reserve. Pip-Squeak!! Pale-breasted Spinetail - Synallaxis albescens: Seen on the drive up to Las Tangaras Reserve.
Many-striped Canastero
TYRANNIDAE Sooty-headed Tyrannulet - Phyllomyias griseiceps: Seen above Minca. Black-capped Tyrannulet - Phyllomyias nigrocapillus: Seen at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve. Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet – Tyrannulus elatus: Seen below Minca. Forest Elaenia – Myiopagis gaimardii: Seen below Minca. Greenish Elaenia – Myiopagis viridicta: Seen in the Cauca Valley on the first day. Yellow-bellied Elaenia - Elaenia flavogaster: Seen at a couple of sites in the Andes and heard above Minca. Mountain Elaenia – Elaenia frantzii: Seen at Rio Blanco. Southern Beardless Tyrannulet - Camptostoma obsoletum: Seen in the Cauca valley on our first days birding and above Minca. White-throated Tyrannulet - Mecocerculus leucophrys: We saw this species at Los Nevados National Park and on the San Lorenzo ridge in the Santa Marta mountains. White-tailed Tyrannulet – Mecocerculus poecilocercus: Seen at Rio Blanco.
Golden-faced Tyrannulet - Zimmerius chrysops: Seen at several sites in the Andes. Variation in Golden-faced Tyrannulet subspecies is reasonably extensive and more than one species may be involved. Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) considered the subspecies flavidifrons of southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru to represent a separate species from Zimmerius chrysops based on differences in voice
Sooty-headed Tyrannulet
RR Coopman’s Tyrannulet – Zimmerius chrysops: We saw this species below El Dorado Lodge. Variegated Bristle-Tyrant – Phylloscartes poecilotis: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant – Phylloscartes opthamicus: Seen at Las Tangaras reserve. SACC keeps bristle tyrants in Phylloscartes but needs proposal to update to Pogonotriccus (Fitzpatrick 2004) IOC uses Pogonotriccus. Streak-necked Flycatcher – Mionectes striaticollis: Seen at Rio Blanco Reserve. Olive-striped Flycatcher – Mionectes olivaceus: We saw this species in the Santa Marta mountains. Ochre-bellied Flycatcher – Mionectes oleaginous: Seen in the Cauca Valley on our first day and below Minca. Slaty-capped Flycatcher – Leptopogon amaurocephalus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Ornate Flycatcher – Myiotriccus ornatus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant – Lophotriccus pileatus*: At Las Tangaras Reserve. Pale-eyed Pygmy Tyrant – Atalotriccus pillaris – We saw this species above Minca. Bronze-Olive Pygmy-Tyrant - Pseudotriccus pelzelni – Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Black-throated Tody-Tyrant - Hemitriccus granadensis: At La M and seen at El Dorado Lodge.
Black-throated Tody-Tyrant
Rufous-headed Pygmy-tyrant - Pseudotriccus ruficeps: One seen at Alto las Ventanas – a stunning bird! Common Tody-Flycatcher - Todirostrum cinereum: Seen on a couple of days in the Andes. Yellow-breasted Flycatcher – Tolmomyias flaviventris: Seen below Minca. Handsome Flycatcher – Myiophobus pulcher: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Cinnamon Flycatcher Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea: Regularly encountered in the Andes (pyrrhoptera). And also seen in the Santa Marta Mountains. Acadian Flycatcher - Empidonax virescens: 1 seen at Rio Blanco. Tropical Pewee – Contopus cinereus: Seen above Minca. Smoke-coloured Pewee – Contopus fumigatus: Seen at Las Tangaras. Black Phoebe - Sayornis nigricans: A bird of streams and rivers that was frequently seen sitting on bridges in the Andes. Vermilion Flycatcher - Pyrocephalus rubinus: Seen roadside on a couple of days in the Andes. Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant - Myiotheretes striaticollis: Seen at the Yellow-eraed Parrot Reserve SME Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant – Myiotheretes pernix: Seen on the San Lorenzo ridge in the Santa Marta mountains. ENDANGERED Yellow-bellied Chat-tyrant - Ochthoeca diadema: Seen on the San Lorenzo ridge in the Santa Marta mountains.
Yellow-bellied Chat-tyrant
Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant – Ochthoeca cinnamomeiventris: Seen at Rio Blanco Reserve.
Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant
Rufous-breasted Chat Tyrant – Ochthoeca rufipectoralis: Seen at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve and Rio Blanco. Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant - Ochthoeca fumicolor: Seen at Los Nevados National Park. Cattle Tyrant – Machetornis rixosa: Seen at a couple of sites in the Andes. Piratic Flycatcher – Legatus leucophaius: Seen above Minca. Rusty-margined Flycatcher – Myiozetetes cayanensis: Seen at a couple of Andean sites. Great Kiskadee - Pitangus sulphuratus: A widespread bird of open areas. Golden-crowned Flycatcher - Myiodynastes chrysocephalus: Seen at Las Tangaras and heard in the Santa Marta mountains. Streaked Flycatcher – Myiodynastes maculatus: Seen at a couple of Andean sites and in the Santa Marta foothills. Boat-billed Flycatcher – Megarynchus pitangua: Seen above Minca. Tropical Kingbird - Tyrannus melancholicus: TK! Common throughout seen every day of the trip. Fork-tailed Flycatcher – Tyrannus savanna: A couple of sightings on the north coast. Great-crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus crinitus: One seen below Minca.
Pale-edged Flycatcher – Myiarchus cephalotes: Seen at Las Tangaras, Alto and Rio Blanco Reserve. Bright-rumped Attila – Attila spadiceus*: Above Minca.
COTINGIDAE
RR Green and Black Fruiteater - Pipreola riefferii: Seen at Rio Blanco Reserve. Named for Gabriel Rieffer Collector in Tropicla America in the mid 19th Century RR Orange-breasted Fruiteater – Pipreola jucunda: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve.
Olivaceous Piha – Snowornis cryptolophus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. The genis is named for He won a scholarship to Eton and started there in 1938 just before his 14th birthday. He won a scholarship to study classics at New College, Oxford but was called up to serve in the Royal Navy in April 1943 and served on several ships In 1946 he returned to Oxford and switched from classics to the study of zoology, earning a D.Phil degree in 1953 In 1958, David married Barbara Kathleen Whitaker, who was the warden of Lundy Island. From 1957 to 1961 the Snows worked for the New York Zoological Society at the society's research centre in Trinidad. Here they made detailed studies of the oilbirds (Steatornis caripensis) and the fascinating and very complex courtship dances of the white-bearded manakin (Manacus manacus) and the golden-headed manakin (Pipra erythrocephala). From 1963 to 1964 he was the Director of the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) in the Galapagos Islands. He was also Director of Research for the British Trust for Ornithology from 1964 to 1968, and from 1968 to 1984 he worked at the Natural History Museum. From 1987 to 1990 he was president of the British Ornithologists' Union.David Snow edited The Ibis, Bird Study and the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club.
Dusky Piha – Lipaugus fuscocinereus: Good views of a single at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock – Rupicola peruvianus: Amazing views at their Lek at about 12 minutes away from Jardin Town “sanguinolentus”
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
PIPRIDAE Golden-winged Manakin – Masius chrysopterus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. White-bearded Manakin- Manacus manacu: Seen above Minca.
TITYRIDAE Masked Tityra – Tityra semifaciata: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve and abve Minca. Cinnamon Becard – Pachyramphus cinnamomeus – Seen above Minca. Barred Becard - Pachyramphus versicolor: 1 seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. White-winged Becard – Pachyramphus polychopterus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve.
VIREONIDAE Black-billed Peppershrike – Cyclarhis nigrirosrtis*: At Las Tangaras and Rio Blanco. Brown-capped Vireo – Vireo leucophrys: Seen at Rio Blanco. Red-eyed Vireo – Vireo olivaceus: Seen above Minca.
Red-eyed Vireo
Yellow-green Vireo – Vireo flavoviridis: Seen in the Cauca valley on the first day. Scrub Greenlet – Hylophilus flavipes: Seen below Minca. Rufous-naped Greenlet – Pachysylvia semibrunneus: Seen in the Cauca valley on our first day.
CORVIDAE RR Beautiful Jay – Cyanolyca pulchra: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Black-chested Jay – Cyanocorax affinis: Seen commonly in the Santa Marta Mountains.
HIRUNDINIDAE Blue-and-white Swallow -Pygochelidon cyanoleuca: Widespread in small numbers Brown-bellied Swallow - pygochelidon murina: At Rio Blanco and Los Nevados National Park. Southern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx ruficollis: Common at lower elevations Gray-breasted Martin – Progne chalybea: Seen on one of the drives in the Andes and on the north coast.
TROGLODYTIDAE House Wren - Troglodytes aedon: Common and widespread. Many authors (e.g., Hellmayr 1934, Pinto 1944, Phelps & Phelps 1950a) formerly treated Neotropical mainland populations as a separate species T. musculus; see also Brumfield and Capparella (1996); this treatment was followed by Brewer (2001) and
Kroodsma & Brewer (2005). The Falklands population, T. a. cobbi, might also be best treated as a species (Wood 1993) and is done so by the IOU, as was done by Brewer (2001), Mazar Barnett & Pearman (2001), Jaramillo (2003), and Kroodsma & Brewer (2005); Mountain Wren - Troglodytes solstitialis: Seen at Rio Blanco Reserve Paramo Wren – Cistothoru platensis: Seen at Los Nevados National Park. Robbins & Nyri (2014) proposed recognition of nine species within broadly defined platensis, seven of which are in South America: C. alticola, C. aequatorialis, C. graminicola, C. minimus, C. tucumanus, C. hornensis, and C. platensis. They proosed the name Paramo Wren for the form we saw. White-headed Wren – Campylorhynchus albobrunneus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Bicolored Wren – Campyloryhynchus griseus: Common around Minca. Rufous-breasted Wren – Pheugopedius rutilus: Good views above Minca.
Rufous-breasted Wren
Rufous-and-white Wren – Thryophilus rufalbus: Good views above Minca. RR Sooty-headed Wren – Pheugopedius spadix: Seen at Las Tangaras. Bay Wren – Pheugopedius nigricapillus*: At Las Tanagaras Reserve. Sharpe’s Wren - Cinnycerthia olivascens: Seen at Las Tangaras and heard at Rio Blanco. Grey-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys: Regularly heard at higher elevations with a number of good views. We saw the nominate leucophrys. SME Hermit Wood-Wren – Henicorhina anachoreta: Good view on the San Lorenzo ridge.
Hermit Wood-Wren
SME Bang’s (Grey-breasted) Wood-wren Henicorhina leucophrys bangsi: Good views below El Dorado Lodge. E Munchique Wood-Wen - Henicorhina negreti: 2 seen really well after play-back at La M. Named for the Munchique National Park where this taxon was first noted. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Chestnut-breasted Wren - Cyphorhinus thoracicus: Good views at Las Tanagaras Reserve.
POLIOPTIDAE Long-billled Gnatwren – Ramphocaenus melanurus: Good views above and below Minca.
Tropical Gnatcatcher – Polioptila plumbea: Seen in the Cauca Valley on our first day.
CINCLIDAE White-capped Dipper – Cinclus leucocephalus: Seen at Las Tangaras and at Rio Blanco Reserve
TURDIDAE Andean Solitaire - Myadestes ralloides: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Black Solitaire – Entomodestes coracincus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Orange-billed Nightingale Thrush – Catharus aurantiirostris: Seen below El Dorado. Slaty-backed Nightingale Thrush – Catharus fuscater: Seen below El Dorado Lodge.
Great Thrush - Turdus fuscater: Common at higher elevations. We saw quindio (endemic) in the Central and Western Andes. Glossy-black Thrush – Turdus serranus: Seen at Rio Blanco. Black-billed Thrush - Turdus ignobilis: Fairly common in the lowlands Clay-coloured Thrush – Turdus grayi: Seen at a couple of sites in the Andes. Yellow-legged Thrush – Turdus flavipes: Seen in the Santa Mart foothills. Pale-breasted Thrush – Turdus leucomelas: Seen fairly commonly at lower elevations in the Santa Marta mountains. Black-hooded Thrush – Turdus olivater: Good views above El Dorado Lodge.
MIMIDAE Tropical Mockingbird – Mimus gilvus: Seen roadside on one of the drives in the Andes and heard on the north coast.
THRAUPIDAE Black-capped Hemispingus – Hemispingus atropileus: Seen at Rio Blanco Reserve and Nevado del Ruiz.. Hemispingus is Greek and means half a spingus – a spingus being a Finch so referring to their small size. Grey-hooded Bush Tanager – Cnemoscopus rubrirostris: We saw birds of the nominate form that do have pink bills at Urrao at Rio Blanco Reserve. Note the southern form chyrsogster south of the Maranon River
in Peru, which does not have a pink bill may be a separate species and, if so, would become a Peruvian endemic. White-lined Tanager – Tachyphonus rufus: Seen on the first day. Crimson-backed Tanager – Ramphocelus dimidiatus: Seen fairly commonly above Minca. RR Flame-rumped Tanager - Ramphocelus flammigerus: Seen in several localities in the Andes. See the following species for the taxonomic status of this near endemic.
Lemon-rumped Tanager - Ramphocelus ictronotus: Seen at Las Tangaras. Limited hybridization between Ramphocelus icteronotus and R. flammigerus was the basis for lumping them (Isler and Isler 1987, Ridgely and Tudor 1989, Sibley and Monroe 1990), but that may have been a mistake (Ridgely & Greenfield 2001, Ridgely & Tudor 2000. The SACC says: The taxon icteronotus was formerly (e.g., Hellmayr 1936, Meyer de Schauensee 1970) considered a separate species from Ramphocelus flammigerus, but intergradation between them in southwestern Colombia (Chapman 1917, Sibley 1958) led Storer (1970a) to consider them conspecific, and this treatment has been followed by most authors subsequently (e.g., Ridgely & Tudor 1989, Sibley & Monroe 1990), Restall (2007). However, as noted by Ridgely & Greenfield (2001), the differences between these two are comparable to those between two Ramphocelus taxa (passerinii and costaricensis) recently treated as separate species (Hackett 1996, AOU 1998). Restall 2007 agrees with the split as does the IOC. The SACC is considering.
Blue-gray Tanager - Thraupis episcopus: Numerous and widespread. The scientific name is derived from the ‘episcopal blue’ plumage. Palm Tanager - Thraupis palmarum: Common and widespread. Blue-capped Tanager - Thraupis cyanocephala: A few seen at different locations. E Black and Gold Tanager - Bangsia melanochlamys: Quite common at the Las Tangaras Reserve with great looks. VULNERABLE Grass-Green Tanager – Chroronis reifferi: Seen at Rio Blanco SME Black-cheeked Mountain Tanager – Ansiognathus melanogenys: Good views on the San Lorenzo ridge. Lacrimose Mountain Tanager – Anisognathus lacrymosus: Seen at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve, Nevado del Ruiz and at Rio Blanco Reserve Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager – Anisognathus igniventris: Seen at Los Nevados National Park Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager - Anisognathus somptuosus: Seen at Las Tangaras and Rio Blanco. RR Black-chinned Mountain Tanager – Anisognathus notabilis: 1 seen at RNA Las Tangaras Buff-breasted Mountain Tanager – Dubusia taeniata: Seen at Rio Blanco.
RR Purplish-mantled Tanager – Iridosornis porphyrocephalus. A near endemic creeping into NW Ecuador. Very good views at Las Tangaras. Golden-crowned Tanager – Iridosornis rufivertex: Seen at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve. RR Glistening-green Tanager – Chlorochrysa phoenicotis: Seen at Las Tangaras Golden Tanager -Tangara arthus: A stunning montane species that we sow good numbers at several Andean sites. Saffron-crowned Tanager - Tangara xanthocephala: Seen at Las Tanagaras Reserve. Silver-throated Tanager – Tangara icterocephala: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. RR Rufous-throated Tanager – Tangara rufigula: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Bay-headed Tanager - Tangara gyrola: Seen on our first day and at Jardin and fairly commonly in the Santa Marta mountains., The name ‘gyrola’ is derived from the Latin ‘gyros’, or ring, and refers to the golden nuchal collar present in most races of this species. Swallow Tanager – Tersinia viridis: Seen above Minca.
RR Scrub Tanager - Tangara vitriolina: Another species which prefers second growth. One of the most numerous and widespread tanagers in Colombia’s valleys and on the adjacent slopes, but outside the country it is a localized specialty in northern Ecuador. Blue-necked Tanager Tangara cyanicollis: Common and widespread – seen at a couple of sites in the Andes. Golden-hooded Tanager – Tangara larvata – Seen in the garden of Las Tangaras Lodge. Beryl-spangled Tanager - Tangara nigroviridis: Seen at Rio Blanco Reserve. Blue and Black Tanager – Tangara vassorii: Fairly common at Rio Blanco Black-capped Tanager - Tangara heinei: Seen at several Andean sites and in the Santa Marta mountains. Blue Dacnis - Dacnis cayana: Seen below Minca. Green Honeycreeper – Chlorophanes spiza: Seen below Jardin. Golden-collared Honeycreeper - Iridophanes pulcherririmus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Capped Conebill - Conirostrum albifrons: Seen at Rio Blanco
Male Swallow-Tanager
Black Flowerpiercer – Diglossa humeralis: Seen at Los Nevados National Park and in the Santa Marta mountains. White-sided Flowerpiercer - Diglossa albilatera: Perhaps the most common and widespread of the flowerpiercers. Here the nominate race. RR Indigo Flowerpiercer – Diglossa indigotica. Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Masked Flowerpiercer – Diglossa cyanea: Seen at a couple of Andean sites.
Masked Flowerpiercer
Plumbeous Sierra Finch - Phrygilus unicolor: Seen at Los Nevados National Park. Saffron Finch - Sicalis flaveola: Seen in the garden of our Hotel on the first day Blue-black Grassquit – Volatinia jacarina: Seen at Jardin and above Minca. Dull-coloured Grassquit – Tiaris obscurus: Seen below El Dorado Lodge. Thick-billed Seed-Finch – Sporophila funereus: Seen in the Cauca Valley on our first day. Buff-throated Saltator – Saltator maximus: Seen above Minca. Black-winged Saltator - Saltator atripennis: 1 seen at several sites in the Andes. Greyish Saltator – Saltator coerulescens: Seen on on our first day. Streaked Saltator - Saltator striatipectus: Seen on our first day and quite commonly near Minca. Gray Seedeater - Sporophila intermedia: 2 seen at the Potoo spot near Mariquita in our travel day to Bogota Yellow-bellied Seedeater - Sporophila nigricollis: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Plain-colored Seedeater – Catamenia inornata: Seen at Los Nevados National Park Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola: As usual, common and widespread. Yellow-faced Grassquit - Tiaris olivacea: Seen at a couple of sites in the Andes.
EMBERIZIDAE Chestnut-capped Brushfinch – Arremon brunneinucha: Seen at Las Tangaras.
Rufous-collared Sparrow - Zonotrichia capensis: Numerous at higher elevations. Black-striped Sparrow – Arremonops conirostris: Seen above Minca. Golden-winged Sparrow – Arremon schlegelii: Good views above Minca. SME Sierra Nevada Brush-Finch – Arremon basilicus: Good views at El Dorado Lodge. SME Santa Marta Brush-Finch – Atlapetes melanocephalus: Common in the Santa Marta Mountains. White-naped Brush-Finch – Atlapetes albinucha: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Pale-naped Brush-Finch - Atlapetes pallidinucha: Seen at Los Nevados National Park
Golden-winged Sparrow
Slaty Brush-Finch – Atlapetes schistaceus: Seen at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve and Rio Blanco. RR Choco Brush-Finch – Atlapetes crassus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. The SACC says: The subspecies crassus of the W. Andes of Colombia and Ecuador may merit species rank (Ridgely & Greenfield 2001). Dickinson (2003) prematurely elevated crassus to species rank from Tricolored Brushfinch of Peru.
CARDINALIDAE Highland (Hepatic) Tanager – Piranga (flava) lutea: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Summer Tanager – Piranga rubra: Quite common – seen in several locations. E Crested Ant-Tanager – Habia cristata: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Nice Colombian endemic. Rose-breasted Grosbeak – Pheucticus ludovicianus: Seen on the first day and in the Minca area.
PARULIDAE Louisiana Waterthrush- Parkesea noveboracencis: A showy individual seen very well at Minca. The genus is named for pioneer US Ornithologist Theodore (Ted) Parker. Black and White Warbler – Mniiotilta varia: Cool bird! – Seen at Rio Blanco and above Minca Tennessee Warbler – Vermivora peregrina: Common in the Santa Marta Mountains. American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla: Seen above Minca. Tropical Parula – Parula pitiayumi: Seen at a couple of sites in the Andes.
Louisiana Waterthrush
American Yellow Warbler – Dendroica aestiva: This North American Migrant was seen on our first day. The SACC says: Many authors suspect that the breeding populations of Dendroica petechia in South America may represent one or more separate species from North American wintering populations, but species limits in the "Yellow Warbler' complex are controversial (Klein and Brown 1994). Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) used a two-species classification, with North American wintering populations as one species, D. aestiva ("Yellow Warbler") and tropical resident populations as another, D. petechia ("Mangrove Warbler"). A three-species classification, as used by Hilty (2003), would separate the tropical populations into two species: mainly Pacific coastal populations, D. erithachorides ("Mangrove Warbler"), and Caribbean D. petechia ("Golden Warbler"). Olson (1980) noted that the South American populations on the Pacific coast show a gradation of characters between the erithachorides and petechia groups. SACC proposal to split petechia into two or more species did not pass due to insufficient published data. The IOC differs however and splits the birds into North American Yellow Warbler and Mangrove Warbler. Bay-breasted Warbler - Setophaga castanea: Seen in the Cauca Valley on our first day. Blackburnian Warbler – Setophaga fusca: Regularly recorded throughout the tour – a very pretty bird. SME Santa Marta Warbler – Myiothlypis basilica: Good views on the San Lorenzo riddge – Santa Marta Mountains. VULNERABLE
Santa Marta Warbler
SME White-lored Warbler – Myiothlypis conspicillata: Seen at mid-elevations in the Santa Marta mountains. Citrine Warbler – Myiothlypis luteoviridis: Seen at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve. Black-crested Warbler – Myiothlypis nigrocristatus: Seen at Nevado del Ruiz.
Black-crested Warbler
Russet-crowned Warbler – Myiothlypis coronatus: 2 at Rio Blanco Reserve Three-striped Warbler - Basileuterus tristriatus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve Rufous-capped Warbler – Basileuterus rufifrons: Seen above Minca Canada Warbler – Cardellina canadensis: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve and Rio Blanco. Slate-throated Whitestart - Myioborus miniatus: A common, widespread and delightful resident of the montane forests. RR Golden-fronted Whitestart – Myioborus ornatus: We saw the chrysops races at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve and Rio Blanco, a very pretty bird. SME Yellow-crowned Whitestart – Myioborus flavivertex: Seen on the San Lorenzo ridge, Santa Marta mountains.
Yellow-crowned Whitestart
ICTERIDAE Russet-backed Oropendola - Zarhynchus angustifrons: Fairly common – seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Crested Oropendola – Psarocolius decumanus: Seen on the drive from the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve to Los Nevdos and commonly in the Santa Marta mountains. Northern Mountain Cacique – Cacicus leucorhamphus: Seen at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve. Orange-crowned Oriole – Icterus auricapillus: Good views below Minca.
Yellow-backed Oriole - Icterus chrysater: Seen in our travel day from Las Tangaras to Jardin and in the Santa Marta Mountains. Baltimore Oriole - Icterus galbula: Seen on a couple of days near Minca. Giant Cowbird – Molothrus oryzivorus: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve and above Minca. Shiny Cowbird – Molothorus bonariensis: Seen at several sites in the Andes. Carib Grackle – Quiscalus lugubris: Seen on one of the drives in the Andes and at lower elevations in the Santa Marta mountains. Great-tailed Grackle – Quiscalus mexicanus: Seen commonly at lower elevations on the drives from and to Santa Marta airport. Red-breasted Meadowlark – Sturnella militaris: Seen at Periera airport.
FRINGILLIDAE Andean Siskin – Spinus spinescens: Seen at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve and Nevado del Ruiz. Yellow-bellied Siskin – Spinus xanthrogaster: Seen at a couple of sites in the Andes. Lesser Goldfinch - Astragalinus psaltria: Seen at several sites in the Andes and above Minca. Thick-billed Euphonia - Euphonia laniirostris: Seen at a couple of sites in the Andes and commonly in the Santa Marta mountains. Orange-bellied Euphonia - Euphonia xanthogaster: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve, the birds we saw (oressinoma), are actually yellow-bellied. A species conspicuously absent from the, (impoverished) Santa Marta Mountains. Yellow-collared Chlorophonia – Chlorophonia flavirostris: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia – Chlorophonia pyrrhophrys: Seen at Las Tangaras Reserve. Blue-naped Chlorophonia – Chlorophonia cyanea: Seen commonly at El Dorado Lodge in the Santa Marta mountains.
MAMMALS Western Dwarf Squirrel – Microsciurus mimulus: Seen at Rio Blanco
Andean Squirrel – Sciurus pucherani: Seen at Rio Blanco. Red-tailed Squirrel – Sciurus granatensis: Seen commonly in the Santa Marta mountains.
Red-tailed Squirrel
Crab-eating Fox – Cerdocyon thous: Seen at El Dorado Lodge. Central American Agouti - Dasyprocta punctate: Seen on the compost heap at El Dorado Lodge.
Central American Agouti
Kinkajou - Potos flavus: Point blank views as one raided the Hummingbird feeders at El Dorado Lodge. Grey-handed Night Monkey - Aotus griseimembra: Good views at El Dorado Lodge. Venezuelan Red Howler - Alouatta seniculus*: In the Santa Marta Mountains.
