Well, we came out of the Andes and headed for the Amazon and what a treat it was staying at 3 different lodges with a break in bustling Iquitos. All our time was spent in the Department of Loreto. We set off down the Amazon and up the Napo Rivers. Explornapo and ACTS were rustic but just great with all the necessities – we mostly birded terra firme forest at Explorama and ACTS and its canopy walkway, with a bit of transitional floodplain forest, and of course the Amazonian River Islands and their specialties – a break out of Iquitos in the very strange Varillal and Chamizal nutrient poor forests (see below) and then varzea and island birding at the more comfortable Muyuna Lodge. We racked up a lot of birds and a big beer bill with around 435 species recorded including 30 Ovenbirds and 50+ Antbirds and Wattled Curassow – Wow!
October 5th: Early morning flight to Iquitos, met by our local guide Lucio Panda and then by boat down the Amazon River to the confluence with the Napo River and then up the Napo River to the Sucusari River and the Explornapo Lodge. We birded behind the lodge specializing on Mankins in the afternoon. Night Explornapo Lodge.
October 6th: River Island day. We started on a young island, worked a medium to old Island and finally in the baking sun went for Lesser Hornero on a very very young island. Afternoon relaxing boat ride around the backwaters of Yarina off the Napo River. Night Explornapo Lodge.
October 7th: Rainy morning we explored a new trail Lucio Panda told us about but with mixed success. The balance of the morning was spent birding the Sucusari River from the boat. Afternoon we explored the trail system on the local trails behind the lodge. Night Explornapo Lodge.
October 8th: We birded the Sucusari River and some transitional floodplain forest near the Shimigaycocha trail with great looks/photos of Orange-eyed Flycatcher. Birding the way to the ACTS (Amazonian Concession for Tropical Studies) Lodge for lunch and afternoon session on the famous canopy walkway and towers. Night ACTS.
October 9th: All morning on the terra firme trails where we saw a LOT and Barry missed a lifer – such is life! Afternoon canopy tower 6 was the destination. Night ACTS.
October 10th: We birded our way to Explornapo Lodge for lunch and, after lunch, travelled down the Napo River and then up the Amazon to Iquitos with Fabrice and Silverio's group. Amazon fish supper and beer at the Fitzcarraldo restaurant. Night Iquitos.
October 11th: All day in the Allpahuayo-Mishana Reserve, birding the km 28 trail in the morning (The varillal was good!) and km 26 in the afternoon. We lunched at a pleasant nearby restaurant. Night Iquitos.
October 12th: All day in the Allpahauyo-Mishana Reserve at Km 25/26 at El Dorado. Lunch at Ari’s burger, downtime for some and some night birding along the km 28 trail for others. Night Iquitos.
October 13th: Travel up the Amazon River and the Yanayacu River to Muyuna Lodge (South of the Amazon) and meet our guide Edson and boatman Jairo. Afternoon birding on the trails upriver from Muyuna lodge at Quebrada Nahuapa. Night Muyuna Lodge.
October 14th: Morning birding on the trail system in the varzea forest of Muyuna lodge. Afternoon spent on Parura Lake with late afternoon Parrot action. Night Muyuna lodge.
October 15th: Morning birding in the varzea forest near Parura Lake for a successful search of the Wattled Curassow. INTENSE! Afternoon Dolphin trip on the Amazon and birding along the Yanayacu River. Night Muyuna Lodge.
October 16th: We birded Buenos Aires Island opposite the mouth of the Yanayacu River for some island birds we were missing, saw a lot more, and in the afternoon we did a short walk near Purura Lake. Night Muyuna lodge.
October 17th: Morning birding on the Quebrada Nahuapa trail and lunch at Muyuna. Travel back to Iquitos in the afternoon, drinks and burgers at the Yellow Rose of Texas and flight from Iquitos to Lima and connections home.
SPECIES LIST
TINAMOUS
White-throated Tinamou Tinamus guttatus. Heard only-daily at ExplorNapo and Allpahuayo-Mishana. NEAR-THREATENED.
Great Tinamou Tinamus major. Heard only, at ExplorNapo and Muyuna. NEAR-THREATENED.
Cinereous Tinamou Crypturellus cinereus. Heard only, at Allpahuayo-Mishana and at Muyuna.
Little Tinamou Crypturellus soui. Heard only, at Allpahuayo Mishana. The genus name means “hidden tailed”.
Undulated Tinamou Crypturellus undulates. Heard only, at Muyuna.
Bartlett’s Tinamou Crypturellus bartletti. Heard only, at ExplorNapo. Named for Abraham Dee Bartlett (1812-1906) English zoologist.
DUCKS
Black-bellied Whistling-duck Dendrocygna autumnalis. 16 seen at the Buenos-Aires Island near Muyuna. Not a common species in the Peruvian Amazon!
Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata. Daily sightings on the oxbow lakes at Muyuna, with a max of 7 seen on a single day.
SCREAMERS
Horned Screamer Anhima cornuta. Seen daily at Muyuna.
GUANS, CURASSOWS and ALLIES
Speckled Chachalaca Ortalis guttata. Regularly seen or heard during the trip.
Spix’s Guan Penelope jacquuacu. One seen at Allpahauyo – Mishana. Named for the German naturalist and collector in Brazil (1781-1826) Johann Baptist Ritter von Spix. In Greek mythology Penelope was daughter of Icarus and wife of Ulysses, King of Ithaca.
Wattled Currasow Crax globulosa. Two sightings at Muyuna: Finally good long scope view of a male in a tall tree. Currently, there are estimated to be 320 individuals in Colombia,100-150 in Bolivia, less than 300 in Peru, and at least 250, maybe as many as 1,000 individuals in Brazil (R. MacLeod in litt. 2008). This is consistent with recorded population density estimates across its Area of Occurrence, taken as 366 km2 (H. Aranibar-Rojas in litt. 2008, R. MacLeod in litt. 2008), hence the population is precautionarily estimated at 250-999 mature individuals (equating to 375-1,499 individuals in total, rounded here to 350-1,500 individuals), though the true population size may be greater. This species is suspected to lose 30.1-31.7% of suitable habitat within its distribution over three generations (35 years) based on a model of Amazonian deforestation (Soares-Filho et al. 2006, Bird et al. 2011). Given the susceptibility of the species to hunting and/or trapping, it is therefore suspected to decline by ≥30% over three generations. ENDANGERED, Range Restricted.
PARTRIDGES and QUAIL
Marbled Wood-Quail Odontophorus gujanensis. Heard only, at ExplorNapo. NEAR-THREATENED.
STORKS
Wood Stork Mycteria americana. 501 counted on the Amazon!
CORMORANTS
Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus. Common, with a group of 503 on an oxbow lake at Muyuna.
HERONS
Rufescent Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma lineatum. 2 seen at Explornapo and Muyuna.
Boat-billed heron Cochlearius cochlearius. 3 seen during our nocturnal boat ride at Muyuna.
Agami Heron Agamia agami. 2 seen-one at ExplorNapo on the Yarina Creek and one at Muyuna.
Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax. One at Allpahuayo-Mishana Reserve, one on the way up to Muyuna Lodge and one on the return to Iquitos from Muyuna.
Little Blue-Heron Egretta caerulea. A few seen.
Snowy Egret Egretta thula. Common.
Capped Heron Pilherodius pileatus. Common at Muyuna.
Cocoi Heron Ardea cocoi. Common.
Great Egret Ardea albus. Common.
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis. Just a few seen during our navigation along the Amazon.
Striated Heron Butoroides striatus. Common.
IBIS
Green Ibis Mesembrinibis cayennensis. Common at Exploranapo and Muyuna.
AMERICAN VULTURES
Black Vulture Coragyps atratus. Common.
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura. Common. 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.
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture Cathartes melambrotus. Common over the forest especially at Explornapo.
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture Cathartes burrovianus. Common along the big rivers over river islands and rice fields.
King Vulture Sarcoramphus papa. One at ACTS and two at Allpahuayo-Mishana Reserve.
OSPREYS
Osprey Pandion haliaetus. Always a winner to see these guys in the rainforest! One at ExplorNapo, and a few more at Muyuna. Pandion in Greek mythology was king of Attica whose tragic daughters, Philomela and Procne were metamorphosed into a Nightingale and a Swallow respectively. The latter daughter gives the corrupted name to the Martin genus Progne.
HAWKS and EAGLES
Hook-billed Kite Chondrohierax uncinatus. One seen by some at Explornapo.
Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis. A few seen at Muyuna.
Double-toothed Kite Harpagus bidentatus. 3 seen at different locations.
Plumbeous Kite Ictinia plumbea. 4+ seen from the canopy walkway at ACTS, hunting flying termites at the end of the day. And a few more here and there.
Tiny Hawk Accipiter superciliosus. One seen at ACTS.
Black-collared Hawk Busarellus nigricolli. Common at Muyuna.
Crane Hawk Geranospiza caerulescens. One seen.
Roadside Hawk Rupornis magnirostris. Common.
Slate-colored Hawk Buteogallus schistacea. Seen at ExplorNapo and Muyuna.
Great Black Hawk Buteogallus nigricollis. Common at Muyuna.
Grey-lined Hawk – Buteo nitidus. Miller & Griscom (1921) and Sibley & Monroe (1990) considered the Middle American subspecies plagiatus to deserve recognition as a separate species from Buteo nitidus, but this treatment has not been widely accepted; see Hellmayr & Conover (1949) for rationale for treating them as conspecific, although numerous authors have mentioned that they might be best treated as separate species. Millsap et al. (2011) provided morphological, vocal, and plumage (for all age categories) evidence for treatment as separate species. SACC proposal passed to treated extralimital plagiatus as separate species.
RAILS
Black-banded Crake Anurolimnas fasciatus. Heard only.
Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinicus. Seen in the rice paddies in Iquitos.
Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata. 6 (some juveniles) on a pond outside Iquitos – not a common bird in the Amazon. Note that the New World form has been split from the Common Moorhen of Eurasia. Common Gallinule of Western Hemisphere is split from Common Moorhen on the basis of morphological, genetic, and vocal differences (Groenenberg et al 2008). So watch for Moorhens in Alaska!
FINFOOTS
Sungrebe Heliornis fulica. One seen at Explornapo.
SUNBITTERN
Sunbittern Eurypyga helias. Good view at ExplorNapo.
PLOVERS
Collared Plover Charadrius collaris. Regular sightings on the sandy beaches.
Pied Lapwing Vanellus cayanus. 9 seen at various locations. Vanellus cayanus was formerly (e.g., Ridgway 1919, Peters 1934, Pinto 1938, Hellmayr & Conover 1948b, Phelps & Phelps 1958a, Meyer de Schauensee 1970, Blake 1977, Haverschmidt & Mees 1994) placed in monotypic genus Hoploxypterus, but see Bock (1958) for placement in Vanellus. However, Strauch (1978) and Fjeldsa and Nielsen (1989) provided rationale for retention in monotypic genus, in part because it might be closer to Charadrius than to Vanellus. Ridgely et al. (2001) retained Hoploxypterus for that reason. Livezeys (2010) analysis of phenotypic characters indicates that cayanus is the sister to all Vanellus and recommended resurrection of monotypic Hoploxypterus. SACC proposal needed.
SANDPIPERS and SNIPES
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca. 4 on the way to Muyuna.
Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria. One at Muyuna.
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia. Common on the riversides.
Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos. 4 on the beach at Muyuna.
Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis. A total of 14 seen at 3 different localities. The Peruvian Amazon is on its migratory flight path and sometimes large numbers can be seen.
JACANAS
Wattled Jacana Jacana jacana. Common at Muyuna and near Iquitos.
GULLS and TERNS
Yellow billed Tern Sternula superciliatus. Freshwater Tern seen almost daily.
Large-billed Tern Phaetusa simplex. Large groups of adults and juveniles seen daily on the Napo and Amazon Rivers.
SKIMMERS
Black Skimmer Rynchops niger. 25+ seen along the Amazon near Muyuna and 4 near Iquitos.
PIGEONS and DOVES
Pale-vented Pigeon Patagioenas cayennensis. Common around the oxbow lakes and river islands. Note that the New World Columba species are now placed in the genus Patagioenas.
Plumbeous Pigeon Patagioenas plumbea. A few seen and many more heard.
Ruddy Pigeon Patagioenas subvinacea. Common by voice-we made the effort to see one.
White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi. Here a river island specialists where it occurs with the latter – seen on 2 occasions. Jules Pierre Verreaux was a French natural history dealer and collector (1808-1873).
Gray-fronted Dove Leptotila rufaxilla. Common forest understory Dove.
Ruddy- Quail Dove Columbina talpacoti. One seen at Explonapo.
Blue Ground Dove Claravis pretiosa. Heard only, at Allpahuayo-Mishana.
Ruddy Ground-Dove Columbina talpacoti. Common around Iquitos and other agricultural areas.
CUCKOOS
Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana. Common.
Little Cuckoo Piaya minuta. Excellent views on the young island at ExplorNapo and one at Muyuna.
Dark-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus melacoryphus. One along the Yanayacu River showed well.
Greater Ani Crotophaga major. Fairly common in wet situations. Quite a noise they make! From the Greek. Kroton = tick. Phaga = to eat. Tick eater – “They live chiefly on ticks and other small vermin”. P Browne 1769.
Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani. Common.
Striped Cuckoo Tapera naevia. Seen on Buenos Aires Island near Muyuna.
TYPICAL OWLS
Tropical Screech-Owl Megascops choliba. Singing every day in the Muyuna garden and seen well. Recent analyses of genetic and vocal differences confirm a major division of the screech-owls into New World Otus and Old World groups. Consequently, the AOU placed all New World Otus (except O. flammulatus) in the genus Megascops.
Northern Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl Megascops watsonii watsonii. Good views at ACTS by some and heard daily at ExplorNapo. North of the Amazon they sound faster and very different from those south of the Amazon.
Crested Owl Lophostrix cristata. Heard only, at ACTS.
Black-banded Owl Ciccaba huhula. Heard only, at Explornapo.
Ferruginous Pygmy Owl Glaucidium brasilianum. Heard only. Commonly heard.
Amazonian Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium hardyi. Heard only, at Explornapo.
POTOOS
Great Potoo Nyctibius grandis. One seen during our nocturnal boat ride at Muyuna.
Long-tailed Potoo Nyctibius aethereus. One roosting (incubating) along the Yanayacu River.
Common Potoo Nyctibius griseus. Heard daily at ExplorNapo and ACTS, and at least 4 seen during our night boat ride at Muyuna.
NIGHTHAWKS and NIGHTJARS
Sand-colored Nighthawk Chordeiles rupestris. 8 seen from the Canopy walkway at dusk.
Common Nigthhawk Chordeiles minor. 25+ at ACTS.
Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis. Two seen others heard.
Ladder-tailed Nightjar Hydropsalis climacocerca. A nest with two young on the young island at ExplorNapo and one on the Island at Muyuna.
SWIFTS
Pale-rumped Swift Chaetura egregia. A few at ACTS and I am sure some Gray-rumped too but......
Amazonian Swift Chaetura viridipennis. One at least at Explornapo. Chaetura viridipennis was formerly (e.g., Cory 1918, Pinto 1937, Meyer de Schauensee 1970) considered a subspecies of C. chapmani, but Marin (1997) provided the rationale for treating viridipennis as a separate species. Del Hoyo & Collar (2014) returned to earlier classifications in treating viridipennis as a subspecies of C. chapmani. SACC requires proposal.
Short-tailed Swift Chaetura brachyura. Common.
Neotropical Palm-Swift Tachornis squamata. Seen daily.
HUMMINGBIRDS
White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora. Good views from the canopy walkway at ACTS and one on a river island.
Rufous-breasted Hermit Glaucis hirsute. Commonly seen at various locations.
Pale-tailed Barbthroat Threnetes leucurus. One seen well at ACTS.
White-bearded Hermit - Phaethornis hispidus. A few at ExplorNapo.
Great-billed Hermit Phaethornis malaris. 2 at Allpahuayo-Mishana. Phaethornis longirostris was formerly (e.g., Peters 1945, Meyer de Schauensee 1970) treated as conspecific with P. superciliosus; Hinkelmann (1996), followed by Hinkelmann and Schuchmann (1997), provided evidence that it should be treated as separate species, a return to the classification of Cory (1918)
(1) P. longirostris (Long-billed Hermit) inc baroni, of Middle America and northwestern South America;
(2) P. malaris (Great-billed Hermit) of western Amazonia, the eastern Guianan Shield, and southeastern Brazil; and
(3) P. superciliosus (Long-tailed Hermit) (with muelleri) of the Guianan Shield and eastern Brazil.
Thus, taxa from western Amazonia formerly (e.g., Peters 1945, Meyer de Schauensee 1970) treated as subspecies of P. superciliosus are considered subspecies of P. malaris. Phaethornis longirostris and P. superciliosus form a superspecies (Schuchmann 1999).
Straight-billed Hermit Phaethornis bourcieri. Two on our first day at ExplorNapo and one at the Allpahuayo-Mishana Reserve which we put down as Needle-billed Hermit Phaethornis philippii but as we were on the north bank of the Amazon must have been of this species. Named for another Frenchman Juke Bourcier French Consul general to Ecuador 1849-1850. Collector who specialized in Hummingbirds.
Reddish Hermit Phaethornis ruber. At least 4 seen.
Black-eared Fairy Heliothryx auritus. Seen in the canopy at ACTS.
Black-throated Mango Anthracothorax nigricollis. One seen at ExplorNapo.
Blue-chinned Sapphire Chlorestes notata. A few at Muyuna Lodge.
Fork-tailed Woodnymph Thalurania furcata. One only. Thalurania greek meaning “heavenly sky-blue”.
Olive-spotted Hummingbird Leucippus chlorocercus. An island specialist and commonly seen at ExplorNapo and on Buenos Aires island at Muyuna. Range Restricted.
TROGONS and QUETZALS
Black-tailed Trogon Trogon melanurus. Common.
Green-backed Trogon Trogon viridis. Contacted almost daily. Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) considered the subspecies chionurus (White-tailed Trogon) of the Choco region to be a separate species from Trogon viridis (Green-backed Trogon); followed by Hilty (2003); SACC proposal to recognize this split did not pass because of insufficient published data. Genetic data (DaCosta & Klicka 2008) suggest that chionurus is more closely related to T. bairdii than either are to Amazonian T. viridis. SACC proposal passed to recognize chionurus as a species. Sibley & Monroe (1990) considered Trogon viridis to form a superspecies with Central American T. bairdii, and suggested that they might be conspecific.
Collared Trogon Trogon collaris. A female seen at Muyuna, heard elsewhere.
Black-throated Trogon Trogon rufus. Heard only, at Explornapo.
Blue-crowned Trogon Trogon curucui. 2 individuals seen.
Amazonian Trogon Trogon ramonianus. One seen at ExplorNapo. The subspecies ramonianus and caligatus were formerly (e.g., Cory 1919, Pinto 1937) considered separate species from Trogon violaceus, but Peters (1945) considered them all conspecific. Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) considered caligatus of Middle America and northwestern South America (Gartered Trogon) to be a separate species from Trogon violaceus (Violaceous Trogon), and this was followed by Hilty (2003); Genetic data (DaCosta & Klicka 2008) indicate that caligatus is basal to a group that includes Amazonian T. violaceus, T. curucui, and T. surrucura (and that Amazonian violaceus may be paraphyletic with respect to the latter two species). SACC proposal passed to recognize caligatus (Gartered Trogon) as a species. SACC proposal passed to recognize ramonianus (Amazonian Trogon) as a separate species from T. violaceus (Guianan Trogon). So in short you have Gartered Trogon (T.caligatus) in Middle America and northwestern South America, Amazonian Trogon (T. ramonianus) in the Amazon and Guianan Trogon (T. violaceous) in Venezuela, Trinidad and the Guianas.
KINGFISHERS
Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata. Common. Megaceryle torquata and M. alcyon have been placed in the genus Ceryle in many classifications (e.g., Meyer de Schauensee 1970, AOU 1983, 1998), but most classifications have followed Fry (1980) in restricting Ceryle to Old World C. rudis (e.g., Sibley & Monroe 1990, Fry & Fry 1992, Woodall 2001). Recent genetic data (Moyle 2006) indicate that Old World Ceryle rudis is the sister to Chloroceryle, and so Megaceryle must be recognized if Chloroceryle is maintained as a genus.
Amazon Kingfisher Chloroceryle amazona. Seen daily on the Amazon.
Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana. Common at Muyuna.
Green-and-rufous Kingfisher Chloroceryle inda. 3 seen and one photographed at Explornapo and Muyuna.
American Pygmy Kingfisher Chloroceryle aenea. 3 seen and one photographed at Explornapo and Muyuna.
MOTMOTS
Rufous Motmot Baryphthengus martii. Seen at ACTS and heard at Allpahuayo-Mishana.
Amazonian Motmot Momotus momota. Heard only, at Explornapo.
JACAMARS
White-eared Jacamar Galbalcyrhynchus leucotis. Nice looks at Allpahuyao-Mishana and Muyuna. Jacamars are butterfly specialists and can often be seen in sunny clearings waiting for their prey. They snip off the wings with their scissor-like bill before eating.
Yellow-billed Jacamar Galbula albirostris. Great looks on consecutive days at the nursery at Allpahuayo Mishana.
Blue-cheeked Jacamar Galbula cyanicollis. Three seen at Muyuna. Only found south of the Amazon and East of the Ucayali. Range Restricted.
Purplish Jacamar Galbula chalcothorax. Excellent views at ExplorNapo.
Paradise Jacamar Galbula dea. 2 seen at Allpahuayo-Mishana.
PUFFBIRDS
White-necked Puffbird Notharcus hyperrhynchus. Seen on three days. Note which form we saw – the scientific name has just recently been changed. The taxon swainsoni of the Atlantic forest region was formerly (e.g., Cory 1919, Pinto 1937) considered a separate species from Notharchus macrorhynchos, but Peters (1948) treated them as conspecific; this was followed by most subsequent classifications. Rasmussen & Collar (2002) elevated swainsoni to species rank (Bar-bellied Puffbird), and Alvarenga et al. (2002) provided rationale in support of that treatment. SACC proposal passed to elevate swainsoni to species rank. The hyperrhynchus subspecies group was also formerly (e.g., Ridgway 1914, Cory 1919, Pinto 1937) considered a separate species, but it was also treated as conspecific with N. macrorhynchos by Peters (1948). Rasmussen & Collar (2002) also suggested that the hyperrhynchus group might also warrant species rank. SACC proposal passed to elevate hyperrhynchus to species rank; SACC proposals passed to apply English name "Guianan Puffbird" to narrowly distributed macrorhynchos. (Found in the Guianas and Brazil north of the Amazon) and to retain "White-necked" for widely distributed hyperrhynchus.
Brown-banded Puffbird Notharcus ordii. Good views at Allpahuayo-Mishana of a pair. Whitesand specialist.
Pied Puffbird Notharcus tectus. Heard only.
Chestnut-capped Puffbird Bucco macrodactylus. One recorded on the Yanayacu River at Muyuna Lodge.
Spotted Puffbird Bucco tamatia. Heard only, at ExplorNapo.
Rufous-necked Puffbird Malacoptila rufa. A fantastic scope view on a pair at Muyuna!!! Range Restricted.
Rusty-breasted Nunlet Nonnula rubecula. One seen along the trail system at ACTS – very vocal but up high.
Brown Nunlet Nonnula brunnea. Very good views of a pair at the Allpahuayo-Mishana reserve. Range Restricted.
Black-fronted Nunbird Monasa nigrifrons. Common.
White-fronted Nunbird Monasa morphoeus. 10+ at ACTS. Monasa is Greek for solitary or a monk a reference to the plain plumage and quiet behavior of the Nunbirds. Morpheus = Greek Mythology – Son of sleep and god of dreams (der: Morphine).
Yellow-billed Nunbird Monasa flavirostris. A good view at Allpahuayo-Mishana.
Swallow-wing Chelidoptera tenebrosa. Common.
NEW WORLD BARBETS
Scarlet-crowned Barbet Capito aurovirens. Excellent looks at ExplorNapo and Muyuna of this varzea forest species. Capito is Latin for big-headed.
Gilded Barbet Capito auratus. Good views from the canopy walkway, and heard daily.
Lemon-throated Barbet Eubucco richardsoni. Seen at ACTS. Named for Sir John Richardson Scots surgeon, explorer, geologist, zoologist, botanist (1787-1865).
TOUCANS
White-throated Toucan Ramphastos tucanus. Common. Haffer (1974) showed that R. cuvieri ("Cuvier's Toucan") and R. tucanus form a broad hybrid zone in northern and eastern Amazonia, and, therefore, treated cuvieri as a subspecies of Ramphastos tucanus. This taxonomic treatment has been followed by most subsequent authors except Sibley & Monroe (1990).
Channel-billed Toucan Ramphastos vitellinus. Common.
Golden-collared Toucanet Selenidera reinwardtii. Excellent views from the canopy walkway, and two more seen at Allpahuayo-Mishana. Named for Prof. Jasper Georg Carl Reinwardti Dutch Naturalist and Collector (1773-1854).
Lettered Aracari Pteroglossus inscriptus. 2 at ACTS and 5 at Muyuna. In Greek Pteroglossus means “feathertongued” a reference to the slim feather-like tongues of toucans and aracaris.
Chestnut-eared Aracari Pteroglossus castanotis. Common.
Many-banded Aracari Pteroglossus pluricinctus. Common.
WOODPECKERS
Bar-breasted Piculet Picumnus aurifrons. Heard only.
Plain-breasted Piculet Picumnus castelnau. Individulas seen on consecutive days at Muyuna. Castelneau (also of the Antshrike further down the list), was Francois Laporte Nompar de Caumont Comte de Castelnau (1810-1880) – French diplomat and explorer in tropical America. Amazonian River Island Specialist.
Yellow-tufted Woodpecker Melanerpes cruentatus. Nice bird and common!
Little Woodpecker Veniliornis passerinus. Two views of two different pairs.
Red-stained Woodpecker Veniliornis affinis. 3 seen in terra firme forest where it replaces the former.
Yellow- throated Woodpecker Piculus flavigula. One seen at Muyuna Lodge.
Golden-green Woodpecker Piculus chrysochloros. A pair at Allpahuayo-Mishana.
Spot-breasted Woodpecker Colaptes puntigula. Good views on islands.
Scaly-breasted Woodpecker Celeus grammicus. An excellent view at ACTS.
Chestnut Woodpecker Celeus elegans. Good views at several locations. Quite common.
Cream-colored Woodpecker Celeus flavus. Excellent sightings at Muyuna.
Ringed Woodpecker Celeus torquatus. One seen well at Muyuna.
Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus. Several seen.
Crimson-crested Woodpecker Campephilus melanoleucos. 3 seen at ExplorNapo over the banos!
Red-necked Woodpecker Campephilus rubricollis. Two seen at Muyuna.
FALCONS
Black Caracara Daptrius ater. Common.
Red-throated Caracara Ibycter americanus. Two seen at ACTS.
Yellow-headed Caracara Milvago chimachima. Common.
Laughing Falcon Herpetotheres cachinnans. Heard only.
Barred Forest-Falcon Micrastur ruficollis. Heard only. Vocal at Explornapo on days 4 and 5.
Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis. One seen at Muyuna.
PARROTS
Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet Touit purpuratus. Vocal at Yanayacu River at Muyuna.
White-winged Parakeet Brotogeris versicolourus. Really common around Iquitos. Brotogeris chiriri (Yellow-chevroned Parakeet) was formerly (e.g., Meyer de Schauensee 1970) considered a subspecies of B. versicolurus, but see Pinto & Camargo (1957), REFS; they constitute a superspecies (Sibley & Monroe 1990). Genetic data (Ribas et al. 2009) confirm that they are sister taxa. Versicolourous is still sometimes called Canary-winged Parakee e.g by SACC.
Cobalt-winged Parakeet Brotogeris cyanoptera. Common. Mostly always high but some good looks at perched birds.
Tui Parakeet Brotogeris sanctithomae. Seen at Muyuna.
Blue-headed Parrot Pionus menstruus. Common.
Short-tailed Parrot Graydidascalus brachyurus. Large groups seen near Muyuna!! Amazonian River Island Specialist.
Festive Parrot Amazona festiva. Nice views at Muyuna, where the species is fairly common. VULNERABLE. The primary threat to this species is accelerating deforestation in the Amazon basin as land is cleared for cattle ranching and soy production, facilitated by expansion of the road network (Soares-Filho et al. 2006, Bird et al. 2011). It is also susceptible to hunting and trapping for international trade, particularly in Venezuela (Restall et al. 2006, A. Lees in litt. 2011). Proposed changes to the Brazilian Forest Code reduce the percentage of land a private landowner is legally required to maintain as forest (including, critically, a reduction in the width of forest buffers alongside perennial steams) and include an amnesty for landowners who deforested before July 2008 (who would subsequently be absolved of the need to reforest illegally cleared land) (Bird et al. 2011).
Yellow-crowned Parrot Amazona ochrocephala. A few seen at Muyuna.
Orange-winged Amazon Amazona amazonica. Common.
Mealy Amazon Amazona farinosa. Good views at Muyuna. Farinosa is Latin for “Sprinkled with Flour” referring to the “dusted” appearance of this Amazon.
Blue-winged Parrotlet Forpus xanthopterygius. Seven seen on the young island at ExplorNapo.
Dusky-billed Parrotlet Forpus sclateri. One seen at the nursery at Allpahuayo-Mishana.
Black-headed Parrot Pionites melanocephala. Heard only.
White-bellied Parrot Pionites leucogaster. 4 at Muyuna. VULNERABLE, Range Restricted.
White-eyed Parakeet Psitticara leucopthalmus. Common.
Dusky-headed Parakeet Aratinga weddellii. Common.
Maroon-tailed Parakeet Pyrrhura melanura. 8 at Explornapo.
Blue-and-yellow Macaw Ara ararauna. At Muyuna.
Red-and-green Macaw Ara chloropterus. Heard only. Vocal at Muyuna on day ten.
Chestnut-fronted Macaw Ara severus. Two at Muyuna on day 12.
Red-bellied Macaw Orthopsittaca manilata. Two groups of 4 & 7 seen at Muyuna.
ANTBIRDS
Fasciated Antshrike Cymbilaimus lineatus. Heard only, at ACTS.
Great Antshrike Taraba major. Good view of a pair Muyuna.
Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus. Heard only.
Castelnau’s Antshrike Thamnophilus cryptoleucas. Great looks on the young island at ExplorNapo and later ay Muyuna. Named for Francois Louis Nompar de Caumont Comte de Laporte de Castelnau (1812-1880). French Naturalist and explorer. Good job they did not give his full name to the bird! NEAR-THREATENED, Amazonian River Island Specialist.
Plain-winged Antshrike Thamnophilus schistaceus. Seen at Muyuna and Allpahuayo-MIshana.
Mouse-colored Antshrike Thamnophilus murinus. Fairly common in the Terra Firme forest, where seen or heard daily.
Amazonian Antshrike Thamnophilus amazonicus. A responsive male at Muyuna and a female at the same place on another day. Has a wide distribution but is hard to find.
Spot-winged Antshrike Pygiptila stellaris. Common by voice, and a pair seen.
Pearly Antshrike Megastictus margaritatus. A pair seen well at Allpahuayo-Mishana following a mixed-species flock–likes nutrient poor soil forest. Whitesand specialist.
Black Bushbird Neoctantes niger. A pair seen at Muyuna.
Dusky-throated Antshrike Thamnomanes ardesiacus. Two pulled out of a flock at ACTS and also heard at Allpahuayo-Mishana.
Cinereous Antshrike Thamnomanes caesius. Good views of males and females. The understory flock leader in this part of the world north of the Amazon.
Bluish-slate Antshrike Thamnomanes schistogynus. Good views of a female at Muyuna. The understory flock leader in this part of the world south of the Amazon. Females very different from the former species. Range Restricted.
Saturnine Antshrike Thamnomanes saturninus. 3 seen well at Muyuna. Range Restricted.
Plain-throated Antwren Isleri hauxwelli. Regular sightings. This guy never forages above waist height. The only thing known about Mr J Hauxwell for whom the bird is named is that he was a collector resident in Peru in the mid to late 1800’s but the genus is named for Mort and Phyllis Isler who continue to do a lot of work on Antbirds.
Napo Stipple-throated Antwren Epinecrophylla haematonota. 2 pairs seen both on the south bank of the Amazon. There is a pending split and the form we saw will become Napo Stipple-throated Antwren Epinecrophylla haematonota as opposed to Negro Stipple-throated Antwren Epinecrophylla pyrrhonota, Madeira Stipple-throated Antwren Epinecrophylla amazonica. The currently recognized Brown-backed or Yasuni Antwren Epinecrophylla fjeldsaai Antwren would be absorbed into Napo Stipple-throated Antwren Epinecrophylla haematonota. Genetic (Hackett & Rosenberg 1990) and vocal (Zimmer & Isler 2003) data indicated that the "stipple-throated" species formerly included in Myrmotherula (fulviventris through erythrura) form a monophyletic group that may be more closely related to Pygiptila than to other Myrmotherula. Irestedt et al. (2004), Brumfield et al. (2007), and Moyle et al. (2009) found that Myrmotherula was polyphyletic but found no relationship to Pygiptila, which they found to be closely related to Thamnistes and Myrmornis (see Note 10). Isler et al. (2006) named a new genus, Epinecrophylla, for the stipple-throated antwrens. SACC proposal passed to recognize Epinecrophylla; also followed by Banks et al. (2008). Range Restricted.
Pygmy Antwren Myrmotherula brachyura Common by voice. Seen well at Muyuna.
Moustached Antwren Myrmotherula ignota. Good views at Muyuna in the same flock as the former Amazonian Streaked Antwren Myrmotherula multostriata Good views at ExplorNapo.
White-flanked Antwren Myrmotherula axillaris. Regular sightings of that mixed-species flock follower. Numerous authors have noted that vocal differences among several subspecies of Myrmotherula axillaris suggest that more than one species is involved.
Gray Antwren Myrmotherula menetriesii. A few with understory flocks. We saw the plain throated pallida race which is north of the Amazon, and the black-throated menetriesii subspecies at Muyuna.
Leaden Antwren Myrmotherula assimilis. Good views at Muyuna in the end!
Ancient Antwren Herpsilochmus gentryi. Common by voice at Allpahuayo-Mishana, and nice views of a pair foraging in the canopy of the white sand forest. Described to science in 2001. NEAR THREATENED.
Dugand’s Antwren Herpsilochmus dugandi. Fantastic looks from the canopy walkway of a pair. Named for Armado Dugand Colombian botanist (1906-1971).
Gray Antbird Cercomacra cinerescens. Very common by voice and one seen at ExplorNapo.
Ash-breasted Antbird Myrmoborus lugubris. We all got excellent views of a pair of that Island specialist at ExplorNapo!! VULNERABLE.
Black-faced Antbird Myrmoborus myotherinus. A bird seen very well at ACTS and Allpahuayo-Mishana.
Black-tailed Antbird Myrmoborus melanurus. Great looks at Muyuna of a pair. Almost an endemic as it has recently been found in remote Brazil. VULNERABLE. Large tracts of suitable habitat remain, but deforestation is occurring within its range, especially near Iquitos. The region is under threat from oil exploration and extraction, while associated road-building has facilitated further human colonisation (Dinerstein et al. 1995).
Peruvian Warbling Antbird Hypocnemis peruviana. Good views at ACTS and Muyuna. Formerly part of the Warbling Antbird species. Ridgely & Tudor (1994) and Zimmer & Isler (2003) noted that the yellow-bellied (flavescens) subspecies group is almost certainly a separate species from Hypocnemis cantator (as treated by Cory & Hellmayr [1924] and Pinto [1937]). Following Zimmer (1932a), they have been treated as conspecific. Vocal differences and documentation of syntopy and parapatry among taxa formerly ranked as subspecies (Isler et al. 2007) indicate that H. cantator actually consists of at least six species, including H. flavescens. SACC proposal passed to revise species limits. So now there are 6 species that have come out of the old “Warbling Antbird” Geographic distributions of taxa found to differ in at least one vocal character from allother populations; vocalizations of implicata and affinis were not distinguishable. Open circles =specimen locations; open stars = recording locations, most of which are also specimen locations; 1 = cantator, 2 = flavescens, 3 = peruviana, 4 = subflava, 5 = ochrogyna, 6a = taxon novum, 6b = implicata, 6c = striata, and 6d = affinis. Ranges of subflava and peruviana overlap in the hatched area and near the location labeled “A” where these taxa have been observed in sympatry; double lines to thenorth and south of “A” represent apparent altitudinal parapatry. Parapatry without any majorphysical barrier also appears to occur between flavescens and cantator in the southeastern cornerof Venezuela, located by letter “B” on map. Question marks identify regions lacking data where a form in the complex may occur.
Yellow-browed Antbird Hypocnemis hypoxantha. Good views at ExplorNapo. One of the candidates for prettiest bird of the trip.
Black-chinned Antbird Hypocnemoides melanopogon. One bird seen very well on the Sucusari River at ExplorNapo.
Band-tailed Antbird Hypocnemoides maculicauda. A pair came very close to the tape at Muyuna. Several seen. Replaces the former south of the Amazon. Range Restricted.
Black and White Antbird Myrmochanes hemileucas. 14 seen. Some very good views of this bizarre looking Antbird seen on the river islands at ExplorNapo and heard at Muyuna.
Silvered Antbird Sclateria naevia. Nice view at ExplorNapo.
Black-headed Antbird Percnostola rufifrons jensoni. One seen eventually on our return from our walk at ACTS and it came really close! Capparella et al. (1997) recommended considering the western subspecies, minor (with jensoni), as a separate species from Percnostola rufifrons, and this was followed by Dickinson (2003); see, however, Isler et al. (2001) and Hilty (2003). I certainly cannot see why this is not a full species given the following has attained species rank. Watch this space!
Allpahuayo Antbird Percnostola arena rum. Excellent views at Allpahuayo-Mishana. A white sand forest specialist species, only described in 2001. Based on current knowledge about this species, it has a much specialized habitat niche and a very small geographic range. The habitats in which it is found are subject to intense human activity in a region of rapid population growth. Varillal is heavily exploited for poles for building houses, and the leaves of the irapay palm are extensively harvested to make thatched roofs (Isler et al. 2001). The impact of these threats is exacerbated by the fact that the species has only been found in certain 'varillales', and even fewer 'irapayales', despite intense ornithological surveying (Isler et al. 2001). Despite protection, 200 people have entered the Allpahuayo-Mishana reserve and carved out homesteads, illegal hunting occurs, and illegal road building and logging destroys habitat (J. Alonso Alvarez in litt. 2003). See A NEW SPECIES OF PERCNOSTOLA ANTBIRD (PASSERIFORMES: THAMNOPHILIDAE) FROM AMAZONIAN PERU, AND AN ANALYSIS OF SPECIES LIMITS WITHIN PERCNOSTOLA RUFIFRONS MORTON L. ISLER, JOSE ́ ALVAREZ ALONSO, PHYLLIS R. ISLER, AND BRET M. WHITNEY Wilson Bull., 113(2), 2001, pp. 164–176. VULNERABLE.
Slate-colored Antbird Schistocichla schistacea. At ExplorNapo. The species in Schistocichla were formerly (e.g., Peters 1951, Meyer de Schauensee 1970, Haverschmidt & Mees 1994) placed in Percnostola, but see Ridgely & Tudor (1994) and Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) for rationale for return to use of Schistocichla for these three species (as in, e.g., Zimmer 1931, Pinto 1937, Phelps & Phelps 1950a). Zimmer & Isler (2003) continued to treat them in Percnostola; see also Braun et al. 2005.
Spot-winged Antbird Schistocichla leucostigma. Heard only. 2 at ExplorNapo.
Zimmer’s Antbird Myrmeciza castanea. Close views after a long wait at the Allpahuayo Mishana Reserve. A species only described in 2002 – formally part of the Chestnut-tailed Antbird group.
Plumbeous Antbird Myrmeciza hyperythra. Great looks at Muyuna Lodge.
White-shouldered Antbird Myrmeciza melanoceps. Great looks at Muyuna Lodge.
Sooty Antbird Myrmeciza fortis. One with ants In the terra firme forest at ACTS.
White-plumed Antbird Pithys albifrons. An antswarm follower seen near ExplorNapo.
White-cheeked Antbird Gymnopithys leucaspis. Good views near Explornapo. Willis (1967) suggested that trans-Andean bicolor subspecies group deserved separate species, and this was followed by Wetmore (1972), Hilty & Brown (1986), and Sibley & Monroe (1990), returning to the species limits of Cory & Hellmayr (1924). See Hackett (1993) for continued treatment of bicolor as conspecific with G. leucaspis, as outlined by Zimmer (1937a). However, genetic data (Brumfield et al. 2007) indicate that leucaspis is actually the sister to G. rufigula, not to bicolor. SACC treats bicolor as separate species.
Dot-backed Antbird Hylophylax punctulata. Cracking views at Muyuna!!
Common Scale-backed Antbird Willisornis poecilinotus. Seen on 3 occasions mostly with Ants. Traditionally treated in the genus Hylophylax, Ridgely & Tudor (1994) suggested that poecilinotus might belong in Hypocnemoides. Zimmer & Isler (2003) also suggested that it might not be closely related to other Hylophylax. Brumfield et al. (2007) have shown that its inclusion in Hylophylax makes that genus a paraphyletic taxon. SACC proposal passed to revive genus Dichropogon. Agne & Pacheco (2007), however, noted that Dichropogon is preoccupied by a genus of asilid fly, and so they proposed Willisornis as a new name. SACC proposal passed to replace with Willisornis. Additionally Pinto (1978) treated lepidonota (with duidae) as a separate species (Xingu Scale-backed Antbird) from W. poecilinotus, and Hilty (2003) and Zimmer & Isler (2003) suggested that more than one species was involved; however, see Zimmer (1934d), Willis (1982), and Ridgely & Tudor (1994). Isler & Whitney (2011) presented evidence that the subspecies vidua merits species rank (including also nigrigula). SACC proposal passed to treat vidua as separate species.
Black-spotted Bare-eye Phlegopsis nigromaculata. Several heard but only one seen.
GNATEATERS
Chestnut-belted Gnateater Conpophaga auritao. Excellent view of that superb bird at ExplorNapo on our first walk. Conopophaga aurita almost certainly consists of more than one species (Whitney 2003); see also Batalha-Filho et al. (2014).
ANTPITTAS
Thrush-like Antpitta Myrmothera campanisona. Heard only, at ExplorNapo.
TAPACULOS
Rusty-belted Tapaculo Liosceles thoracicus. Heard only, at Allpahuayo-Mishana. Ahhh life without Tapaculos!
ANTTHRUSHES
Rufous-capped Antthrush Formicarius colma. Heard only, at ExplorNapo.
Black-faced Antthrush Formicarius analis. Heard only, at ExplorNapo.
OVENBIRDS
Plain-brown Woodcreeper Dendrocincla fuliginosa. Seen twice well.
White-chinned Woodcreeper Dendrocincla merula. One with ants at ACTS.
Long-tailed Woodcreeper Deconychura longicauda. Nicely seen at ACTS.
Olivaceous Woodcreeper Sittasomus griseicapillus amazonus. A few at Muyuna and Allpahuayo-Mishana. Sittasomus griseicapillus almost certainly consists of multiple species (Hardy et al. 1991, Ridgely & Tudor 1994, Parker et al. 1995, Ridgely & Greenfield 2001, Hilty 2003), with at least five subspecies groups’ possibly deserving separate species status (Marantz et al. 2003). The subspecies viridis and amazonus are elevational replacements in southern Peru with different song types (Robbins et al. 2013).
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper Glyphorynchus spirurus. Common.
Long-billed Woodcreeper Nasica longirostris. Good views at ExplorNapo and at Muyuna Lodge. Quite a bill!
Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper Dendrexetastes rufigula. Nice looks and common by voice.
Amazonian Barred Woodcreeper Dendrocolaptes certhia. Some good views. We saw the radilotaus ssp at Explornapo and the juruanus ssp at Muyuna. A proposed split by Batista et al 2013 was rejected by SACC.
Black-banded Woodcreeper Dendrocolaptes picumnus. Heard on several days and two seen at Muyuna Lodge.
Zimmer’s Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus kienerii. Only recently re-discovered and known to be an island specialist. We had birds respond to playback of this species and the next and they are VERY similar and occupy the same habitat. Confusion reigns. We may have seen one on our island walk at ExploNapo – Fabrice was convinced he had a few there, I less so BUT see Dave’s photo here taken on our Curassow hunt morning at Muyuna, brown (not rufescent) lesser wing coverts being significant and more streaked than ocelated and long tail. I think the duskier bill may be significant too! NEAR-THREATENED
Straight-billed Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus picus. Regular sightings during the trip and overlaps with the former and they appear to respond to each other’s voice.
Striped Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus obsoletus. A very responsive bird at ExplorNapo and heard daily in the varzea forest along watercourses.
Ocellated Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus ocellatus beauperthuysii. One at Allpahuayo-Mishana Reserve. Literature states a liking for nutrient poor forest. The subspecies chunchotambo of the Andean foothills was formerly (e.g., Cory & Hellmayr 1925) treated as a separate species from Xiphorhynchus ocellatus, but they were considered conspecific by Peters (1951). Aleixo (2002) found that Xiphorhynchus ocellatus is paraphyletic with respect to X. pardalotus, and suggested that X. chunchotambo of the foothills of the Andes be recognized as a separate species from lowland X. ocellatus; this was followed by Marantz et al. (2003), who treated chunchotambo (with napensis and brevirostris) as a separate species ("Tschudi's Woodcreeper"). Derryberry et al. (2011) found that chunchotambo did not group with X. ocellatus. Sousa-Neves et al. (2013), with more extensive population sampling, found that chunchotambo, with brevirostris and napensis, were indeed sister to X. ocellatus, and that the subspecies beauperthuysii was sister to them; they argued that chunchotambo and beauperthuysii each deserved species rank.
Elegant Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus elegans. At least 3 seen.
Buff-throated Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus guttatus. The common Woodreeper and we had many encounters.
Duida (Lineated) Woodcreeper Lepidocolpates (albolineatus) duidae. The Amazonian fuscicapillus subspecies group (with madeirae and layardi) was formerly (e.g., Cory & Hellmayr 1925) treated as a separate species from Lepidocolaptes albolineatus, but recent authors have followed Zimmer (1934c) in treating them as conspecific; Hilty (2003) suspected that this treatment will be shown to be correct, and Marantz et al. (2003) suspected that more than one species was involved. Rodrigues et al. (2013) treated all diagnosable taxa in the complex as separate species, but they did not use BSC criteria; they also described a new species, Lepidocolaptes fatimalimae, from southwestern Amazonia (but where it finishes and diudae begins I’m not sure. SACC proposal passed to recognize fatimalimae as a species and also elevate subspecies layardi and fuscicapillus to species rank. Revised species limits not yet implemented pending proposal on English names. SACC passed the proposal pending on English names. Molecular systematics and taxonomic revision of the Lineated Woodcreeper complex (Lepidocolaptes albolineatus: Dendrocolaptidae), with description of a new species from southwestern Amazonia Elinete Batista Rodrigues, Alexandre Aleixo, Andrew Whittaker, and Luciano N. Naka Pages 248-252 in Handbook of the Birds of the World. Special Volume: New Species and Global Index (published 20 June 2013). So we saw this newly decribed taxon.
Plain Xenops Xenops minutus. A few sightings at Explornapo and Muyuna.
Point-tailed Palmcreeper Berlepschia rikeri. 2 seen really well near Iquitos. In the 80’s this was a mystery bird known from specimens. Once we found it was a Mauritia Palm specialist and once we had its song – Bingo! It was everywhere! Named for C.B Riker (863-1947) US Collector in Brazil.
Pale-billed (Bay) Hornero Furnarius torridus. The “old island” Hornero. Seen at Explornapo. SACC calls it Pale-billed Hornero, the IOC has come down with the decision to call it Bay Hornero.
Lesser Hornero Furnarius minor. The “young island” Hornero – we had a responsive vocal pair and we got great looks at ExplorNapo, Muyuna and in Iquitos.
Cinnamon-rumped Foliage-gleaner Philydor pyrrhodes. Excellent views at Muyuna.
Rufous-tailed Foliage-gleaner Anabacerthia ruficaudata. 3 seen with mixed flocks.
Chestnut-winged Hookbill Ancistrops strigilatus. Several heard and one seen.
Olive-backed Foliage-gleaner Automolus infuscatus. At Allpahuayo-Mishana.
Orange-fronted Plushcrown Metopothrix aurantiacus. Excellent views of a group of three birds, at Muyuna.
Dark-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis albigularis. Seen on the “young island” and a few more heard at Muyuna.
White-bellied Spinetail Synallaxis propinqua. Good looks at 2 pairs on the young island we visited and one at Muyuna.
Parker’s Spinetail Cranioleuca vilpecula. Great looks at four birds on the young island. Named after our late old friend Ted Parker, pioneer US ornithologist in Peru.
Red-and-white Spinetail Cranioleuca mustelina. Splendid views at Muyuna. Restricted to marsh habitats along large rivers in the Amazon.
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet Tyrannulus elatus. ‘Free Beer”.
Forest Elaenia Myiopagis gaimairdii. Excellent views at Muyuna. Named for Paul Gaimard (1793-1858) French surgeon naturalist and explorer. Many medical men of the days of the great sailing ships and the Napoleonic wars were “natural philosophers” e.g. Charles Darwin.
Gray Elaenia Myiopagis caniceps. Excellent views from the canopy walkway.
White-lored Tyrannulet Ornithion inerme. One at Allpahuayo Mishana.
Mouse-colored Tyrannulet Phaeomyias murina wagae. One in the tree outside our breakfast room in Iquitos.
River Tyrannulet Serpophaga hypoleuca. One seen on the Buenos-Aires Island at Muyuna.
Lesser Wagtail-Tyrant Stigmatura napensis. Two seen on the Buenos-Aires Island at Muyuna.
Mishana Tyrannulet Zimmerius villarejoi. Calling at Allpahuayo Mishana but hard to see in the canopy. Named for the forest type varrillal.
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Mionectes oleagillingneus. Seen at ExplorNapo.
Sepia-capped Flycatcher Leptopogon amaurocephalus. Two at ACTS in the understory.
Zimmer’s Tody-Tyrant Hemitriccus minimus. Heard both days at Allpahuayo-Mishana and one seen.
Double-banded Pygmy-tyrant Lophotriccus vitiosus. Contacted almost daily but did we see one? We tried hard enough.
Black-and-white Tody-tyrant Poecilotriccus capitalis. One seen in the rain briefly by some.
Rusty-fronted Tody-flycatcher Poecilotriccus latirostre. Two seen briefly on Buenas Aires island near Muyuna.
Spotted Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum maculatum. Common on the river islands and river edge forest.
Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum chrysocrotaphum. Best views from the canopy walkway at ACTS but also at Muyuna.
Ringed Antpipit Corythopis torquata. Heard only. Very close at ExplorNapo but not seen.
Brownish Twistwing Cnipodectes subbrunneus. A very responsive bird at ExplorNapo but tough to get a look at.
Rufous-tailed Flatbill Ramphotrigon ruficauda. Good views of two at Allpahuayo-Mishana.
Olivaceous Flatbill Rhynchocyclus olivaceus. One at Mayuna.
Yellow-olive Tolmomyias Tolmomyias sulphurescens insignis. Great views at Muyuna. The AOU (1998), Hilty (2003), and Fitzpatrick (2004) suggested that Tolmomyias sulphurescens almost certainly consists of multiple species. Ridgway treated Middle American subspecies cinereiceps and flavoolivaceus each as a separate species from T. sulphurescens. We saw the insignis subspecies restricted to older river islands and varzea forest.
Yellow-breasted (Olive-faced) Flycatcher Tolmomyias flaviventris viridiceps. One seen on the islands near ExplorNapo. Tolmomyias viridiceps is split from T. flaviventris by IOC (Ridgely & Greenfield 2001; Hilty 2003); SACC needs proposal and says “Tolmomyias flaviventris almost certainly involves more than one species; see Bates et al. (1992) and Ridgely & Tudor (1994). The subspecies viridiceps is almost certainly a distinct species, and was so considered by Ridgely et al. (2001) and Hilty (2003). However, Zimmer (1939a) considered them conspecific because the subspecies he considered the subspecies subsimilis and dissors to represent taxa that were intermediate between the two, and this treatment was followed by Fitzpatrick (2004) in the absence of published data supporting a Split”.
Orange-eyed (Flatbill) Flycatcher Tolmomyias traylori. Fantastic views near the Shimigaycocha trail. Almost an endemic but occurs further upriver in Ecuador. The IOC calls this genus “Flatbill” which I find outrageous as we already have a genus of Flycatchers called Flatbills (Rhynchocyclus). Birds of Peru returns to the non- committal “Flycatcher” for this genus as does Restall 2007. Perhaps better to use Tolmomyias. Named after Major Melvin Traylor US collector, ornithologist and writer.
Sulphur-rumped (Whiskered) Flycatcher Myiobius barbatus. Seen at ExplorNapo and Muyuna. Cory & Hellmayr (1927), Wetmore (1972), and the AOU (1983, 1998) treated the sulphureipygius group as a separate species from Myiobius barbatus, but see Zimmer (1939b) and Ridgely & Tudor (1994) for rationale for continued treatment as conspecific; however, Ridgely and Greenfield (2001) returned to AOU classification, followed by Hilty (2003) and Fitzpatrick (2004), with the name "Whiskered Flycatcher" applied to the Amazonian barbatus group, as in Cory & Hellmayr (1927). SACC proposal to treat sulphureipygius as separate species did not pass. The name formerly (e.g., Ridgway 1907) used for sulphureipygius was xanthopygus. The subspecies mastacalis of southeastern Brazil was formerly (e.g., REF) treated as a separate species, but see Zimmer (1939b). SACC proposal pending to treat mastacalis as separate species did not pass.
Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher Terenotriccus erythrurus. 2 seen at Muyuna Lodge.
Euler’s Flycatcher Lathrotriccus euleri. Fairly common at Muyuna. After Carl Euler Swiss vice-consul in Rio de Janeiro 1867-1901.
Fuscous Flycatcher Cnemotriccus fuscatus fuscatior. Good view on the young island at ExplorNapo. Pronounced differences in vocalizations, habitat, and nest construction indicate that widespread C. f. bimaculatus should be treated as a separate species from nominate. Cnemotriccus f. fuscatus consists of more than one species (Belton 1984). Hilty (2003) also suggested that C. f. duidae should be treated as a separate species based on voice.
Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum. Two on Buenos Aires Island at Muyuna Lodge.
Eastern Wood Pewee Contopus virens. One at Explornapo.
Riverside Tyrant Knipolegus orenocensis. Good views of a male on the Buenos-Aires Island at Muyuna.
Drab Water-Tyrant Ochthornis littoralis. Seen on the Sucusari River at ExplorNapo.
White-headed Marsh-Tyrant Arundinicola leucocephala. Fairly common in the right habitat.
Little Ground-tyrant Muscisaxicola fluviatilis. Good views on the Buenos-Aires Island near Muyuna.
Piratic Flycatcher Legatus leucophaius. Fairly common.
Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis. Common.
Gray-capped Flycatcher Myiozetetes granadensis. Several seen here and there.
Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus. Very common.
Lesser Kiskadee Philohydor lictor. Common at Muyuna Lodge near water.
Streaked Flycatcher Myiodynastes maculatus. A few seen of the maculatus subspecies.
Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua. Common.
Sulphury Flycatcher Tyrannopsis sulphurea. In the ExplorNapo lodge garden. A Mauritia palm specialist.
Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus. Common and seen every day!
Fork-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus savanna. A few on migration at ExplorNapo.
Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus. A small group of 4 migrating birds at ExplorNapo and 2 at Muyuna.
Crowned Slaty Flycatcher Empidonomus aurantioatrocristatus. Excellent sighting from the canopy walkway. An austral migrant.
Grayish Mourner Rhytipterna simplex. Heard only. Regularly heard.
Short-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus ferox. Two seen in the medicinal garden at ExplorNapo others heard.
White-eyed (Dull-capped) Attila Attila bolivianus. Good views at Muyuna.
Cinnamon Attila Attila cinnamomeus. One seen very well at ExplorNapo.
Citron-bellied Attila Attila citriniventris. Heard only, at Allpahuayo-Mishana reserve.
Bright-rumped Attila Attila spadaceus. 2 seen on different days.
COTINGAS
Black-necked Red Cotinga Phoenicircus nigricollis. Heard only. Heard daily at ACTS and Explornapo.
Screaming Piha Lipaugus vociferans. Many heard – always a great sound of the forest – and a great view at Allpahuayo-Mishana without even trying!
Purple-throated Cotinga Porphyrolaema porphyrolaema. Great views of one at Explornapo on the Sucusari River.
Plum-throated Cotinga Cotinga maynana. Good views at Muyuna.
Spangled Cotinga Cotinga cayana. A male in the nursery at Allpahuayo Mishana.
Pompadour Cotinga Xipholena punicea. A female at Allpahuayo-Mishana. Punicea is Latin for “Purple/red".
Bare-necked Fruitcrow Gymnoderus foetidus. A few seen.
Purple-throated Fruitcrow Querula purpurata. Good views at ExplorNapo and Muyuna. Querula in Latin means complaining, noisy – from this birds vocalizations.
Amazonian Umbrellabird Cephalopterus ornatus. Two on the river island at Explornapo and two on the river island at Muyuna.
MANAKINS
Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin Neopelma chrysocephalum. Great looks in the varillal at Allpahuayo Mishana. The white sand forests of Iquitos are the only place to see this species in Peru.
Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin Tyranneutes stolzmanni. Common by voice, but one seen. T-shirt bird! Named for J. Stolzmann, Polish zoologist and collector in tropical America. (1854-1928).
Blue-backed Manakin Chiroxiphia pareola. Good view at ExplorNapo.
Wire-tailed Manakin Ceratopipra filicauda. A splendid manakin seen well at ExploNapo and Muyuna.
Golden-headed Manakin Pipra erythrocephala. Very common at Explornapo and always a great bird to see.
White-crowned Manakin Dixiphia pipra. At Allpahuayo Mishana.
Blue-crowned Manakin Lepidothrix coronata. Common at Explornapo.
White-bearded Manakin Manacus manacus. Heard only.
Striped Manakin Machaeropterus regulus. At ExplorNapo. Stunner!
TITYRAS and BECARDS
Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata. A few seen at Explornapo and Allpahuayo-Mishana.
Black-crowned Tityra Tityra inquisitor. One at Muyuna.
Varzea Schiffornis Schiffornis major. A very loud song regularly heard, with best views at Explorama.
Cinereous Mourner Laniocera hypopyrra. One seen at ACTS.
White-browed Purpletuft Iodopleura isabellae. Excellent looks from the canopy walkway – 2 pair each day.
White-winged Becard Pachyramphus polychopterus. At least 8 seen.
Pink-throated Becard Pachyramphus minor. A pair on the Quebrada Nahuapa trail at Muyuna.
INCERTAE SEDIS
Wing-barred Piprites Piprites chloris. Heard only, at Allpahuayo-Mishana.
VIREOS and GREENLETS
Red-eyed (Chivi) Vireo Vireo olivaceus. Common. Some classifications have considered the South American chivi group (without the red eye) as a separate species ("Chivi Vireo") from V. olivaceus, or as conspecific with V. flavoviridis (Hamilton 1962). Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) suggested, however, that more than one species may be involved within the South American chivi group itself.
Dusky-capped Greenlet Hylophilus simicinereous. One at ACTS others heard.
Tawny-crowned Greenlet Hylophilus ochraceiceps. One in a mixed flock at Allpahuayo-Mishana.
JAYS
Violaceous Jay Cyanocorax viola. At Explornapo.
SWALLOWS and MARTINS
White-banded Swallow Atticora fasciata. Common on the rivers.
Southern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis. Common.
Brown-chested Martin Progne tapera. Common.
Gray-breasted Martin Progne chalybea. A few here and there.
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White-winged Swallow Tachycineta albiventer. Common.
Bank Swallow Riparia riparia. Seen regularly. Called "Sand Martin" or "Common Sand-Martin" in Old World literature and in Ridgely & Tudor (1989), Turner & Rose (1989), Sibley & Monroe (1990), and Ridgely & Greenfield (2001). SACC proposal to change to "Sand Martin" did not pass. SACC proposal to add to "Sand Martin" as an alternative name did not pass.
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica. Regular sighting of this boreal migrant. The New World populations of Hirundo rustica were formerly (e.g., Ridgway 1904) treated as a separate species, H. erythrogastra, from Old World populations.
WRENS
Scaly-breasted (Southern Nightingale) Wren Microcerculus marginatus. Amazingly close views at ACTS.
House Wren Troglodytes aedon. A few recorded. 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).
Thrush-like Wren Campylorhynchus turdinus. Common by voice and seen at Muyuna.
Coraya Wren Pheugopedius coraya. Common. Note the genus change for this and the next species. Genetic data (Mann et al. 2006) indicate that the broad genus Thryothorus is polyphyletic, and that true Thryothorus is not found in South America; Mann et al. (2006) recommended recognition of three genera for South American taxa by resurrecting two from the synonymy of Thryothorus (Pheugopedius and Thryophilus) and describing a new one (Cantorchilus). Mann et al. (2009) found distinctive vocal behaviors marking Pheugopedius, Thryophilus, and Cantorchilus. New SACC proposals passed to revise Thryothorus and linear sequences of species.
Buff-breasted Wren Cantorchilus leucotis. Common especially at Muyuna.
GNATCATCHERS
Collared Gnatwren Microbates collaris. Heard only, at ACTS.
Tawny-faced Gnatwren Microbates cinereiventris. One on the ACTS trails.
Long-billed Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus. Good views at Muyuna.
DONACOBIUS
Black-capped Donacobius Donacobius atricapillus. Common at Muyuna - the genus name means “reed-inhabiting".
THRUSHES and SOLITAIRES
Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus. Six sightings of that boreal migrant. Named for William Swainson (1789-1855) English naturalist, artist, collector and author of “Fauna Boreali Americana 1831”.
Black-billed Thrush Turdus ignobilis. A few around Iquitos.
Lawrence’s Thrush Turdus lawrencii. Heard only. Heard daily (a great concert of bird song imitations) at ExplorNapo and ACTS.
TANAGERS and ALLIES
Red-capped Cardinal Paroaria gularis. Common at Muyuna.
Magpie Tanager Cissopis leveriana. A few.
Orange-headed Tanager Thlypopsis sordida. Common on the river islands 30+.
Hooded Tanager Nemosia pileata. A female in the Cecropias on Buenos Aires Island.
Gray-headed Tanager Eucometis penicillata. 2 at Muyuna in the varzea forest. Penicillata – Latin – “brush-like tufts’ referring to the crest.
Flame-crested Tanager Tachyphonus cristatus. Good views at ACTS.
White-shouldered Tanager Tachyphonus luctuosus. One at Muyuna.
Fulvous Shrike-Tanager Lanio fulvus. 2 seen at ACTS. The canopy flock leader of the Terra Firme forest.
White-winged Shrike-Tanager Lanio versicolor. One at Muyuna Lodge where it replaces the former south of the Amazon and where it is also the canopy flock leader of the forest.
Masked Crimson Tanager Ramphocelus nigrogularis. Seen along the Sucusari River, at Allpahuayo-Mishana and Muyuna.
Silver-beaked Tanager Ramphocelus carbo. Common.
Blue-Gray Tanager Thraupis episcopus. Common.
Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum. Common.
Paradise Tanager Tangara chilensis. Several flocks. Does not occur in Chile – it is a mistake!
Turquoise Tanager Tangara mexicana. One seen at Explornapo.
Green and Gold Tanager Tangara schrankii. Common in the ExplorNapo area.
Swallow Tanager Tersina viridis. Four seen.
Black-faced Dacnis Dacnis lineata. 2 at Explornapo.
Blue Dacnis Dacnis cyana. A few seen from the canopy walkway.
Green Honeycreeper Chlorophanes spiza. Seen daily at ExplorNapo.
Purple Honeycreeper Cyanerpes caeruleus. A few sightings at ExplorNapo.
Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus. One at Allpahuayo – Mishana.
Yellow-backed Tanager Hemithraupis flavicollis. Only seen from the canopy walkway.
Pearly-breasted Conebill Conirostrum margaritae. Excellent sightings on the island near ExplorNapo. VULNERABLE.
Lined Seedeater Sporophila lineola. Nice views at Muyuna.
Lesson’s Seedeater Sporophila bouvronides. Two amongst the Lined at Muyuna.
Chestnut-bellied Seedeater Sporophila castaneiventris. Common.
Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch Sporophila angolensis. Seen well near Iquitos. Note that the IOC has standardized the English name to this and rejected the other contender (Lesser Seed-Finch) and also placed it in Sporophila. Named for the country of Angola an obvious error.
INCERTAE SEDIS
Slate-colored Grosbeak Saltator grossus. Good views from the canopy walkway. Saltators are related to tanagers, not grosbeaks and should be included in a major re-sequencing of tanager genera (Klicka et al. 2007; AOU 2009).
Grayish Saltator Saltator coerulescens. Fairly common on the islands.
NEW WORLD SPARROWS
Yellow-browed Sparrow Ammodramus aurifrons. Pleasantly Common.