ITINERARY
March 8th: Arrival in Bogota, east slope Central Cordillera. 2625 meters.
March 9th: Birding all day at the Chingaza National Park at 3000 metres along the Piedras Gordas road and El Rincon del Oso. We stopped at the Guasca gravel pits on the way home. Night in Bogota. East slope Central Andes.
March 10th: Early morning birding trip to Parque La Florida, Distrito Capital, then to the airport in for our flight to Medellin and then on by our beloved van to the Reserva Natural de Aves (RNA) Arrierito Antioqueño Reserve, (Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve) 1600 meters. West slope Central Cordillera.
March 11th: Full day at the reserve walking the motmot and Bnagisa trails up the ridge in the morning, field lunch 1700-1800 meters and in the lodge garden in the end of the afternoon. Night at the RNA Arrierito Antioqueno. West slope Central Cordillera.
March 12th: Birding along the Cascada trail in the morning and then drive to Medellin with a quick stop at Quebrada La Romero and on to Carmen de Atrato and the Las Tangaras Lodge. Night at Las Tangaras Lodge at 1600 meters. West slope of the Western Cordillera.
March 13th: All morning at the Las Tangaras Reserve birding a nice wide trail uphill through the forest with a picnic lunch. Brief stop at the Hummingbird feeders and then some time off and birding in the lodge grounds. Night at Las Tangaras Lodge at 1600 meters. West slope of the Western Cordillera.
March 14th: Early start on the road to Urrao to a place curiously called “La M” at 2600 to 2500 meters, back to El Siete for lunch and on to the petty town of Jardinvia Bolivar and Andes at 1600 meters with a brief stop for endemics along the way. East slope of the Western Cordillera.
March 15th: Morning at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve at Alto las Ventanas 2700 – 2600 meters. and afternoon drive to the Otun Quimbaya Reserve for the night via La Pintada and Pereira 1800 meters, West slope of the Central Cordillera.
March 16th: Morning at the Otun Quimbaya NP, near La Suiza, 1800-1900 meters, Department of Risaralda. West slope of the Central Cordillera. In the afternoon – drive to Manizales via a stop in the Ecoparque Alcazar. Night in Manizales.
March 17th: Full day birding in the Rio Blanco reserve 2500-2600 meters. West slope Central Andes. Night in Manizales.
March 18th: Birding in the morning at the Nevado del Ruiz NP, Department of Risaralda. 4000 meters, and drive in the afternoon to Libano. Night in Libano.
March 19th: Morning birding above El Libano at La Tigrera, Central Cordillera east slope and afternoon birding along the Laguna del Hato road. Drive to Mariquita for the night.
March 20th: Early Drive and morning birding near La Victoria at the Bellavista Watershed Reserve, Central Cordillera East slope, Department of Caldas and drive to Puerto Pinzon via Pueeto Boyaca and on to Reserva Natural de Aves (RNA) El Paujil, Serranía de las Quinchas, Department of Boyaca. West slope of the eastern Cordillera. 200 meters.
March 21st and 22nd: Reserva Natural de Aves (RNA) El Paujil, Serrania de las Quinchas. 400 meters.
March 23rd: Some birding on the way, but mostly drive from El Paujil to Reserva natural de Aves (RNA) Reinita Cielo Azul (Cerulean Warbler Reserve), 1300 meters. Lunch along the way.
March 24th: Reserva Natural de Aves Reinita Cielo Azul (Cerulean Warbler Reserve) all day, 1300-1800 meters, west slope of the eastern Cordillera. We rode and walked to the slippery 150-year old Lengerke trail and spent the whole day here with a packed lunch. Late afternoon birding near the lodge.
March 25th: Some birding in the grounds of the lodge and the nearby coffee plantations on the way to San Vicente. Lunch in San Vicente de Chucuri and to Ocaña. West slope of the eastern Cordillera. Night Ocaña. 1200 meters Hotel Plaza Real.
March 26th: Reserva natural de Aves (RNA) Hormiguero (Recurve-billed Bushbird Reserve), 1500-1700 meters. After lunch we checked out a Los Estaques Reserve. Night Ocaña.
March 27th: Drive to the Bucaramanga airport and flights to Bogota for overnight or to Santa Marta for an extension.
SPECIES LIST
TINAMIDAE
Highland Tinamou - Nothocercus bonaparte. Heard only, at the RNA Cerulean Warbler. Named for Charles Jules Lucien Laurent 2nd price of Canino and musignano and Prince Bonaparte. (1803-1857). French ornithologist, taxonomist and collector. Nephew of the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.
Tawny-brested Tinamou – Nothocercus Julius. Heard only, at “La M”.
Black Tinamou – Tinamus osgoodi. Heard only. This rarely encountered Tinamou was heard at RNA Arrierito. Named for Wilfred Hudson Osgood (1875-1947) US zoologist.
Great Tinamou – Tinamus major: 2 seen in the rain at RNA El Paujil.
Little Tinamou - Crypturellus soui. Heard only, at many locations.
ANHIMIDAE
Northern Screamer - Chauna chavaria: Good views on the way to and from RNA El Paujil, but also at the wetlands on the roadside on the way to RNA Cerulean Warbler. Great views of around 9 in total.
ANATIDAE
Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors: Boreal migrant to Colombia seen at the Guasca Gravel Pits (20+) and at Parque La Florida c13.
Andean Teal – Anas andium. 2 seen at Nevado Ruiz. The SACC says “Hellmayr & Conover (1948a) and many earlier classifications treated andium as a separate species from A. flavirostris- Speckled Teal. 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.
Northern Pintail – Anas acuta. Another surprise at Guascra with 4 seen.
Northern Shoveler – Anas clypeata. 2 were a surprise at Guascar gravel pits.
Andean Duck – Oxyura ferruginea: 3 at Parque La Florida and 2 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: Good looks at this smallish Guan at Otun Quimbaya and the Piha reserve.
Cauca Guan – Penelope perspicax: Around 8 seen at the Otun Quimbaya Reserve where it was re-discovered. Penelope was the daughter of Icarius and wife of Ulysses King of Ithaca. Perspicax means “Sharp-sighted” in Latin. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Band-tailed Guan – Penelope argyrotis. Around 6 flushed at the Bushbird reserve.
Andean Guan – Penelope montagnii. 3 on our first morning at Rincon del Oso.
Wattled Guan – Aburria aburria. Heard only, at the Piha reserve.
Colombian Chachalaca - Ortalis columbiana: Many encounters with this endemic throughout the tour. ENDEMIC.
Blue-billed Curassow - Crax alberti: Wow – one of the birds of the trip a very shy wild female coming to a feeding station near the captive bird pens on one day – did not show the next day! Named for Prince Albert, Queen Victoria of Great Britains consort. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
ODONTOPHORIDAE
Crested Bobwhite - Colinus cristatus: 2 seen on the Laguna del Hato road.
Marbled Wood-quail - Odontophorus gujanensis. Heard only.
Chestnut Wood-quail - Odontophorus hyperythrus. Heard only. NEAR THREATENED ENDEMIC.
PODICIPEDIDAE
Pied-billed Grebe – Podilymbus podiceps. 2 on Guascar Gravel Pits.
ARDEIDAE
Rufescent Tiger-heron - Tigrisoma lineatum: One as we left RNA El Paujil.
Black-crowned Night Heron – Nycticorax nycticorax: 6 at the Guasca Gravel Pits and 2 at La Florida.
Striated Heron - Butorides striatus: Small numbers seen at several wetland areas.
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis: Common and widespread.
Cocoi Heron - Ardea cocoa: Around 7 seen.
Great Egret - Ardea albus: We saw small numbers at several wetland sites.
Capped Heron - Pilherodius pileatus: 2 near Puerto Pinzon.
Little Blue Heron – 1 seen.
Snowy Egret - Egretta thula: A few here and there.
THRESKIORNITHIDAE
Bare-faced Ibis - Phimosus infuscatus: Common.
CATHARTIDAE
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.
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture – Cathartes burrovianus: Several of this low flying vulture in the Magdalena Valley.
Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus. Common.
King Vulture – Sarcoramphus papa: 2 soaring at the Paujil reserve.
PANDIONIDAE
Western Osprey - Pandion haliaetus: 2 at the dam on the way to the Piha reserve and one on the dam leaving San Vicente. The IOC says: Pandion cristatus of Sulawesi to Australasia, Solomon Is, New Caledonia is split from P. haliaetus (Wink et al. 2004a, Christidis & Boles 2008).
ACCIPITRIDAE
White-tailed Kite - Elanus leucurus: fairly common in small numbers.
Pearl Kite – Gampsonyx swainsonni – 2 spotted by Yovanni on the wires near the Laguna del Hato road and one seen next day.
Gray-headed Kite – Leptodon cayanensis: seen at the Piha Reserve.
Swallow-tailed Kite - Elanoides forficatus: Pleasantly common throughout.
Black hawk-Eagle Spizaetus tyrranus. One soaring at the piha reserve.
Snail Kite - Rostrhamus sociabilis: A few on roadside ponds.
Double-toothed Kite – Harpagus bidentatus: 2 at Rio Blanco and 1 at La Tigrera.
Savanna Hawk - Buteogallus meridionalis: fairly common in the Magdalena Valley.
Roadside Hawk - Rupornis magnirostris: Numerous and widespread in small numbers. 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.
Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle - Geranoaetus melanoleucus : 3 sightings at Chingaza NP.
Broad-winged Hawk – Buteo platypterus: Quite common throughout the tour. A boreal migrant.
Short-tailed Hawk – Buteo brachyurus: One near Libano and 2 at RNA Paujil.
RALLIDAE
Bogotá Rail - Rallus semiplumbeus: A handsome endemic. 1 seen well at the Guascar Gravel Pits and one next day at La Florida. The world population is estimated at 1,000 – 2,499 individuals and is decreasing because its range is very small and is contracting owing to widespread habitat loss and degradation. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Grey-necked Wood-rail - Aramides cajanea. Heard only, at El Paujil.
White-throated Crake - Laterallus albigularis. Heard only, on the way to RNA El Paujil.
Russet-crowned Crake – Amaurolimnas viridis: Cool! Seen on the bridge to and from the Piha Reserve-4 in total.
Common Gallinule – Gallinula galeata: At Guascar and Parque La Florida. The new world populations are now considered a separate species from the Old World populations Common Moorhen - Gallinula chlorops.
Purple Gallinule - Porphyrio martinica: One seen at La Florida.
Spot-flanked Gallinule – Gallinula melanops: 2+ seen at the Guascar Gravel Pits on our first days birding and at la florida next day. The Bogotá plains hold an isolated population a long way from others of this species.
American Coot – Fulica Americana: At Guascar.
CHARADRIIDAE
Southern Lapwing - Vanellus chilensis: Fairly widespread in small numbers.
BURINIDAE
Double-striped Thick-knee - Burhinus bistriatus: one seen on the drive in the middle Magdalena valley.
SCOLOPACIDAE
Noble Snipe - Gallinago nobilis – rather conspicuous at the Guascar Gravel Pits with 2 seen and 5 next day at La Florida. A snipe at Los Nevados was probably this species.
Solitary Sandpiper – Tringa solitaria: Scattered sightings.
JACANIDAE
Wattled Jacana - Jacana jacana: common on ponds; the very strange looking black hypomelaena subspecies here.
LARIDAE
Large-billed Tern – Phaetusa simplex: 2 on the way to the Piha Reserve and then a few on the Magdalena River.
Yellow-billed Tern – Sternula superciliaris: Two from the van near Puerto Boyacu.
COLUMBIDAE
Rock Pigeon – Colomba livia. Common.
Band-tailed Pigeon - Patagioenas fasciata: Fairly common and widespread with many good views of perched birds.
Pale-vented Pigeon - Patagioenas cayennensis: seen at El Paujil in some numbers.
Plumbeous Pigeon – Patagioenas plumbea. Commonly heard and 2/3 seen near Manizales.
Ruddy Pigeon – Patagioenas subvinacea: Commonly heard and 2 seen at RNA Arrierito.
White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi: Pretty common at many localities.
Tolima Dove – Leptotila conover. Heard only. Recently re-discovered and heard by all. Named after H.B. Conoveri US ornithologist and author. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Lined Quail-Dove - Geotrygon linearis: This shy Dove was seen at the feeders in the forest at RNA Cerulean Warbler.
Eared Dove - Zenaida auriculata: Common.
Common Ground-Dove - Columbina passerine: a few.
Ruddy Ground-Dove - Columbina talpacoti: Numerous and widespread in open country.
CUCULIDAE
Little Cuckoo – Coccycua minuta: One at Guascar.
Dwarf Cuckoo – Coccycua pumilus: One in a bushy marsh in the Magdalena Valley.
Squirrel Cuckoo - Piaya cayana: 4 encounters during the tour.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo –Coccyzus americanus: One of this boreal migrant near San Vicente.
Greater Ani - Crotophaga major: common at RNA El Paujil.
Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani: The common Ani of the trip.
Groove-billed Ani – Crotophaga sulcirostris. We actually looked and identified some on the Laguna del Hato road.
Striped Cuckoo - Tapera naevia. Heard only.
STRIGIDAE
Tropical Screech Owl – Megascops choliba: In the garden of the Piha and El Paujil Reserves seen well.
Colombian Screech Owl – Megascops colombianus. Great close up looks without getting out of the van on arrival at Otun Quimbaya. Range Restricted.
Stygian Owl – Asio stygius. Heard only, at the Piha reserve. Greek mythology relating to Styx, one of the rivers of Hades, across which Charon ferries the shades of the departed.
NYCTIBIIDAE
Common Potoo - Nyctibius griseus. Heard only.
CAPRIMULGIDAE
Rufous –bellied Nighthawk – Lurocalis rufiventris: One seen at dawn at Otun Quimbaya.
Common Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis: Seen at El Paujil.
APODIDAE
White-collared Swift - Streptoprocne zonaris. Several sightings of groups.
Band-rumped Swift – Chaetura spincaudus: Seen on two days at RNA Paujil.
Gray-rumped Swift – Chaetura cinereiventris : At the Piha reserve.
White-tipped Swift – Aeronautes montivagus: 20+ at the Cerulean Warbler Reserve.
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift – Pnyptila cayennensis: 6 seen near Libano.
TROCHILIDAE
White-necked Jacobin - Florisuga mellivora: common at the feeders at RNA El Paujil and Piha.
Rufous-breasted Hermit - Glaucis aeneus: One at RNA Paujil.
Stripe-throated Hermit - Phaethornis striigularis: Several sightings at different localities.
Pale-bellied Hermit - Phaethornis anthophilus: 1 bird visiting the feeders at RNA El Paujil.
Green Hermit - Phaethornis guy: Common.
Tawny-bellied Hermit – Phaethornis syrmatophorus: A few seen here and there.
Long-billed Hermit – Phaethornis longirostris: One at Rio Blanco nd one at RNA Paujil.
Green-fronted Lancebill - Doryfera ludovicea. Several sightings throughout the trip.
Wedge-billed Hummingbird - Schistes geofroyi: 2 seen at rio Blanco.
Brown Violetear - Colibri delphinae: at the feeders at RNA Cerulean Warbler reserve.
Green Violetear – Colibri thalassinus: One at the RNA Cerulea. Thalassinus = Sea-green.
Sparkling Violetear – Colibri coruscans: On at Rio Blanco.
Purple-crowned Fairy – Heliotrhyx barroti: One at RNA Arrierito. Named for Theodore Adolphe Barrot, French diplomat in Colombia 1831-1835.
Black-throated Mango - Anthracothorax nigricollis: daily at the feeders at RNA El Paujil and Cerulean Warbler.
Tourmeline Sunangel – Heliangelus exortis: 8+ at Alto de Ventanas and few elsewhere.
Speckled Hummingbird -Adelomyia melanogenys: fairly common at various locations. A forest Hummer.
Andean Blossomcrown – Anthoephala berlepschi: 2 females seen above Libano. Now split from Sierra Nevada Blossomcrown A. floriceps, which is also an endemic. The SACC says: Evidence for marked divergence and reciprocal monophyly in mitochondrial and nuclear loci, in addition to differentiation in climatic niche and morphological diagnosability, implies that each population is a fully diagnosable phylogenetic species. Because the two populations are disjunct and occur in widely separated areas, their status as independently evolving units ("evolutionary" species) is likely to persist over the long term. Reproductive isolation cannot be assessed directly owing to their distributions, but phenotypic differences are marked and arguably comparable to those seen between some good species of hummingbirds, suggesting these are probably best considered separate biological species as well. Therefore, we recommend elevating both subspecies to species rank. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Long-tailed Sylph – Aglaiocercus kingi: only three seen at Rio Blanco.
Violet-tailed Sylph – Aglaiocercus coelestes: at least 20 at Las Tangaras. Range Restricted.
Black-tailed Trainbearer – Lesbia victoria: only on eat PN Chingaza. Greek: Lesbia = A woman of Lesbos.
Rainbow-bearded Thornbill – Chalcostigma herrani: Wow – great looks at the feeders at Nevado Ruiz. 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.
Bronze-tailed Thornbill – Chalcostigma heteropogon: 4 or 5 seen very well at Chingaza NP. Range Restricted.
Green Bearded Helmetcrest – Oxypogon guerinii: Seen very well and for prolonged periods at Chingaza National Park. Oxypogon is Greek meaning “pointed beard”. The SACC says: The subspecies lindenii, cyanolaemus, and stubelii were formerly (e.g., Cory 1918) each considered separate species from Oxypogon guerinii, but Peters (1945) treated them all as conspecific. Collar & Salaman (2013) provided rationale for returning all three to species rank. SACC proposal passed to recognize four species of Oxypogon. So you have 3 endemics in Colombia –one in the western Andes, one in the Central Andes and one recently re-discovered in the Santa Marta Mountains. The 4th is a Venezuelan endemic. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Buffy Helmetcrest – Oxypogon stubelli: 7+ seen very well at the Los Nevados National Park. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Tyrian Metaltail - Metallura tyrianthina: We saw the reddish-tailed nominate race at La M. 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.
Virdian Metlatail - Metalllura williami. 3/4 seen well on the access road to Los Nevados National Park.
Greenish Puffleg – Haplopaedia aureliae: Fairly common at RNA Arrierito and at RNA Reinita. 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).
Glowing Puffleg – Eriocnemis vestita: Seen at Chingaza National Park.
Coppery-bellied Puffleg – Eriocnemis cupreoventris: One seen well at Chingaza NP. Range Restricted.
Black-thighed Puffleg - Eriocnemis derbyi: Common at the Nevado Ruiz feeders. A somewhat nomadic species. Named for English zoologist Edward Smith Stanley Earl of Derby (1775-1851) NEAR THREATENED, Range Restricted.
Golden-breasted Puffleg – Eriocnemis mosquera: On the feeders at Los Nevados National Park that was inadvertantly not on our nightly checklist. A range restricted species also occurring in Ecuador. Named after Colombian dictator General Tomas Cipriano de Mosquera who ruled in the late 1800’s. Range Restricted.
Shining Sunbeam – Aglaeactis cupripennis: 8+ at the feeders at PN Nevado Ruiz.
Brown Inca - Coeligena wilsoni: Two at Las Tangaras. Range Restricted.
Bronzy Inca – Coeligena coeligena: only one at Rio Blanco.
Black Inca - Coeligena prunellei: 6+ at the feeders at RNA Cerulean Warbler. This species has a larger range and population than previously thought. Nonetheless, its range is still highly fragmented and habitat patches are decreasing in size and quality through ongoing degradation and clearance for agriculture. It is therefore considered Vulnerable. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Collared Inca – Coeligena torquata: Common above Jardin and at the Rio Blanco feeders.
Blue-fronted Starfrontlet – Coeligena helinthea One at Chingaza NP. Range Restricted.
Buff-winged Starfrontlet - Coeligena lutetiae: At the feeders at Nevado Ruiz NP.
Mountain Velvetbreast - Lafresnaya lafresnaya: 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”.
Sword-billed Hummingbird - Ensifera ensifera: Seen well at the feeders at Nevado Ruiz.
Great Sapphirewing – Pterophanes cyanopterus: Common at the Nevado Ruiz feeders.
Buff-tailed Coronet – Boissoinneaua falvescens: The owner of the feeders at the Rio Blanco reserve.
Velvet-purple Coronet – Boissoinneaua jardini: around 8 at the feeders at Las Tangaras. Range Restricted.
Booted Racket-tail - Ocreatus underwoodii: at RNA Arrierito and RNA Cerulean Warbler.
Fawn-breasted Brilliant – Heliodoxa rubinoides: Two at the feeders at RNA Reinita.
Empress Brilliant – Helidoxia imperiatrix: At Least 6 at the Las tangaras feeders. Named for Empress Eugenie wife of Napoleon III.
Green-crowned Brilliant - Heliodoxa jacula: Common at the feeders at RNA Arrierito and Cerulean Warbler.
White-bellied Woodstar – Chaetocercus mulsant: Nice looks at the feeders at the Rio Blanco Reserve. Named after yet another French zoologist and collector.
Gorgeted Woodstar - Chaetocercus heliodor: One at Las Tangaras and one near Libano. Range Restricted.
Rufous–shafted Woodstar – Chaetocercus jourdanii: nice male flaring its cheeks at Ocana.
Western Emerald – Chlorostilbon melanorhynchus: One at the feeders at the Piha reserve.
Red-billed Emerald Chlorostilbon gibsoni: A few were at the feeders at the Cerulean Warbler reserve and at Libano. Species limits in the mellisugus group of taxa in Chlorostilbon are complex. At one extreme, Zimmer (1950d) and Schuchmann (1999) considered them all conspecific, including the canivetii group of Middle America. Chlorostilbon gibsoni (including nitens) was usually (e.g., Cory 1918, Peters 1945, Meyer de Schauensee 1970) considered a separate species ("Red-billed Emerald") from C. mellisugus, as was C. canivetii. Stiles (1996a) proposed that C. mellisugus should be treated as at least three separate species within South America: melanorhynchus (of western Colombia and Ecuador), gibsoni (northern and central Colombia, NW Venezuela), and mellisugus (rest of South America); this represents a partial return to the classification of Cory (1918) and was followed by Ridgely & Greenfield (2001). Together, these taxa would form super-species with recently described olivaresi. Sibley & Monroe (1990) considered C. mellisugus to form superspecies with Middle American Chlorostilbon species but not with C. gibsoni, because the two were thought to be sympatric in the Magdalena Valley, Colombia. SACC proposal passed to follow species limits proposed by Stiles (1996). So the ones you see in the Amazon are Blue-tailed Emeralds and the ones on the west slope of the Andes in Colombia and Ecuador are Western Emeralds. ENDEMIC.
White-vented Plumeleteer - Chalybura buffonii: Common at RNA Paujil. Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (7 September 1707 – 16 April 1788) was a French naturalist, mathematician, cosmologist, and encyclopedic author. His works influenced the next two generations of naturalists, including Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and Georges Cuvier. Buffon published thirty-six quarto volumes of his Histoire Naturelle during his lifetime; with additional volumes based on his notes and further research being published in the two decades following his death. It has been said that "Truly, Buffon was the father of all thought in natural history in the second half of the 18th century". Buffon held the position of intendant (director) at the Jardin du Roi, now called the Jardin des Plantes; it is the French equivalent of Kew Gardens in London.
Crowned Woodnymph – Thalurania colombica: Common throughout the tour. The SACC says: Thalurania colombica and T. fannyae were formerly (e.g., Peters 1945, Zimmer 1950d, Phelps & Phelps 1958a, Meyer de Schauensee 1966, 1970) considered conspecific with T. furcata, but Escalante-Pliego & Peterson (1992) showed that the three taxa are essentially parapatric with no signs of gene flow; they constitute a superspecies (Sibley & Monroe 1990). They had been treated as separate species from T. furcata by Cory (1918) and AOU (1983, 1998). Donegan (2012a), however, found new evidence for gene flow between these populations. SACC proposal passed to treat fannyae and colombica as conspecific. McGuire et al. (2014) found that fannyae and colombica were genetically indistinguishable. Del Hoyo & Collar (2014) followed this treatment and called the composite species Crowned Woodnymph.
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird - Amazilia tzacatl: Commonly seen in small numbers throughout the tour.
Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird – Amazilia castaneiventris: At least one individual visiting the higher feeders at the Cerulean Warbler Reserve. This species is classified as Endangered because it has a very restricted range which is severely fragmented, and in which continuing declines in habitat quality are likely. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Andean Emerald – Agyrtria franciae. Common at the feeders at RNA Arrierito and Cerulean Warbler. Named for Francia Bourcier daughter of the French consul to Ecuador 1849-1850.
Blue-chested Hummingbird - Amazilia amabilis: Common at RNA El Paujil.
Steely-vented Hummingbird – Saucerottia saucerottei. Common at feeders at the Piha reserve.
Indigo-capped Hummingbird - Amazilia cyanifrons: seen daily at the feeders at RNA Cerulean Warbler. ENDEMIC.
Shining-green Hummingbird - Lepidopyga goudoti: A tricky bird to identify but we got good views at the feeders at RNA Paujil. Named for Justin-Marie Goudot – French zoologist working in Colombia 1822-1843. Range Restricted.
TROGONIDAE
Golden–headed Quetzal – Pharomachrus auriceps. Heard only.
White-tailed Trogon - Trogon chionurus: Good views at RNA El Paujil. Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) considered the subspecies chionurus of the Chocó region to be a separate species from Trogon viridis; followed by Hilty (2003); 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 so the Amazonian form becomes Green-backed Trogon.
Gartered Trogon – Trogon chionurus: Great looks at RNA Paujil. 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: Great looks at several.
Masked Trogon - Trogon personatus: A highland version of the former – we saw 2 at Rio Blanco.
MOMOTIDAE
Broad-billed Motmot - Electron platyrhynchum: Nice looks at RNA Paujil.
Andean Motmot - Momotus aequatorialis: Conspicuous at Otun Quimbaya and RNA Arrierito.
Whooping Motmot - Momotus subrufescens: See above. This one was seen at lower elevations in the Magdalena Valley – El Paujil – noticeably lacking the blue “teardrop”. A recent paper defines 6 recognized species of the old Blue-crowned Motmot complex:
Momotus coeruliceps Blue-crowned Motmot NE and Central Mexico;
Blue-diademed Motmot – South Mexico to Central Panama = Momotus lessoni;
Momotus subrufescens Whooping Motmot - E Panama to NC Venezuela and the Magdalena Valley of Colombia; SE Ecuador and extreme NW Peru;
Momotus bahamensis Trinidad Motmot – Trindad & Tobago;
Momotus momota Amazonian Motmot - Venezuela (S of the Orinoco) and the Guianas S through the entire Amazon basin to extreme N Argentina and Paraguay;
Momotus aequatorialis Andean Motmot – The Andes from NC Colombia to NE Bolivia.
GALBULIDAE
Rufous-tailed Jacamar - Galbula ruficauda: 1 seen in the Laguna del Hato road.
BUCCONIDAE
Barred Puffbird - Nystalus radiatus: 1 seen after a marathon effort by Silverio and 2 more the next day as we left the Paujil Reserve.
Moustached Puffbird – Malocoptila myesticalis: Great looks at one at RNA Arrierito.
CAPITONIDAE
White-mantled Barbet Capito hypoleucus: Excellent looks of two at La Victoria. A so-called Nechí endemic, confined to the humid forests of the middle Magdalena Valley. The Nechí is actually a tributary of the Cauca River, its drainage being on the east side of the top end of the Central Andes. Classified as Endangered by BirdLife International, the world population is estimated at 2,500 – 9,999 individuals and is decreasing. This species has a very small and severely fragmented range. Habitat loss is occurring rapidly in some parts of its range, and the population is likely to be declining. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Red-headed Barbet – Eubucco bourcierii: 2 seen outside Manizales.
SEMINORTITHIDAE
Toucan Barbet Semnornis ramphastinus. Good views of 2 at Las Tangaras. Range Restricted.
RAMPHASTIDAE
Black-mandibled Toucan - Ramphastos ambiguous swainsonii: 2 at RNA El Paujil. The subspecies swainsoni was once split as Chestnut–mandibled Toucan but not anymore. Keep an eye on it.
Citron-throated (Channel-billed) Toucan – Ramphastos (vitilinus) citrolaemus: Seen at La Victoria and Serrania de los Quinches. The IOC splits Ramphastos citreolaemus from R. vitellinus (Hilty 2003); SACC does not (hybrid zones). Range Restricted.
Grey-throated (Andean) Toucanet -Aulacorhynchus griseogularis: Seen at Otun Quimbaya and 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. ENDEMIC.
Crimson-rumped Toucanet -Aulacorhynchus haematopygus. Heard only.
Black-billed Mountain-Toucan – Andigena nigrirostris: 4 at Chingaza National Park and others seen well elsewhere.
Collared Araçari - Pteroglossus torquatus: a few seen in and around RNA El Paujil.
PICIDAE
Olivaceous Piculet - Picumnus olivaceus : One at RNA Paujil and one above San Vicente.
Greyish Piculet – Picumnus granadensis: 1 seen very well in a park in Manizales – fantastic! ENDEMIC.
Acorn Woodpecker - Melanerpes formicivorus : 1 seen. A species heavily associated with Oak forest (Quercus) which only extends as far south as Colombia in South America, hence, so does the Woodpecker!
Beautiful Woodpecker - Melanerpes pulcher. 2 seen really well at la Victoria. A Colombian endemic. The SACC says “The Colombian taxon pulcher was considered a separate species from Central American Melanerpes chrysauchen by Cory (1919), Eisenmann (1955), and Stiles & Skutch (1989); however, Peters (1948) treated them as conspecific, and that treatment has been followed by most subsequent authors (e.g., Meyer de Schauensee 1979, Short 1982, Hilty & Brown 1986, Winkler et al. 1995, AOU 1998, Winkler & Christie 2002, Dickinson 2003). Wetmore (1968) provided rationale for treating pulcher as a separate species, as noted by Meyer de Schauensee. ENDEMIC.
Red-crowned Woodpecker – Melanerpes rubricapillus: Common and conspicuous.
Smoky-brown Woodpecker – Venilornis fumigatus: At Chingaza, Otun Quimbaya and Rio Blanco.
Yellow–vented Woodpecker – Venilornis dingus: One near Alto Las Ventanas.
Red-rumped Woodpecker - Venilornis kirkii: two seen. Named for captain James T Kirk of the Starship Enterprise.
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker – Colaptes rivolii. Seen on two occasions well. Yet another Frenchman! Named for the impressive sounding Francois Victor Massena Prince d’Essling and Duc de Rivoli (1795- 1863). An ornithologist and collector.
Spot-breasted Woodpecker – Colpates puntigula: One at RNA Paujil.
Cinnamon Woodpecker – Celeus loricatus: Great looks at one at RNA Paujil.
Lineated Woodpecker - Dryocopus lineatus; several sightings.
Powerful Woodpecker – Campephilus pollens: One seen at “la M” From the Latin Pollare – “to be strong”.
Crimson-crested Woodpecker - Campephilus melanoleucos: At RNA Paujil.
FALCONIDAE
Laughing Falcon - Herpetotheres cachinnans: some good views in total 4.
Collared Forest-falcon - Micrastur semitorquatus. Heard only.
Barred Forest-falcon - Micrastur ruficollis. Heard only.
Crested Caracara - Caracara cheriway: 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: Scattered sightings.
PSITTACIDAE
Rufous-fronted Parakeet – Bolborhynchus ferrigineifrons: Well we went to a tip-off spot where surpringly we saw two flocks probably the same group of around 25. An extremely hard to find species and endemic. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Orange-chinned Parakeet - Brotogeris jugularis: common.
Blue-headed Parrot - Pionus menstruus: A few at El Palamar, and seen daily at El Paujil.
Bronze-winged Parrot – Pionus chalcopterus: Good looks at the Otun Quimbaya Reserve.
Red-lored Amazon - Amazona automnalis: Common at RNA El Paujil.
Yellow-crowned Amazon - Amazona ochrocephala: Four at RNA El Paujil.
Orange-winged Amazon - Amazona amazonica: a few seen at RNA El Paujil.
Scaly-naped Amazon – Amazona merceneria. 2 at the Rio Blanco Reserve.
Brown-breasted (Flame-winged) Parakeet – Pyrhura calliptera: Spectacular in flight. We saw around 27 in total at two different loctaions. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Blue-and-yellow Macaw - Ara ararauna: Excellent views on several occasions at RNA Paujil.
Chestnut-fronted Macaw - Ara severus: Seen daily at RNA El Paujil.
Yellow-eared Parrot – Ognorhynchus icterotis: At Alto Las Ventanas we saw around 21. 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. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Scarlet-fronted Parakeet Aratinga wagleri. Species in this genus, as well as Leptosittaca and those in Pyrrhura, often go by the name ‘conure’. At Otun Quimbaya.
Golden-plumed Parakeet – Leptosittaca branickii. Heard only, at the Rio Blanco Reserve ENDANGERED.
Spectacled Parrotlet – Forpus conpicillatus. Almost a Colombian endemic. Seen on a few occasions. Range Restricted.
THAMNOPHILIDAE
Great Antshrike- Taraba major: One above San Vicente.
Black-crested Antshrike – Sakesphorus canadiensis: One on the exit fro RNA Paujil. Sakephorus is Greek meaning “Shield-bearing” referring to the black shield-like breast patches of this genus.
Bar-crested Antshrike Thamnophilus multistriatus: Great views of 2 at Otun Quimbaya and others heard. A near-endemic, generally replacing the Barred Antshrike, at higher elevations. Outside Colombia it is only known from the Venezuelan side of the Sierra de Perijá, so it’s a de facto endemic. Range Restricted.
Barred Antshrike- Thamnophilus doliatus: 6+ seen on the Laguna del Hato road.
Black Antshrike - Thamnophilus nigriceps: Wow great views of a pair on consecutive days at RNA El Paujil. Range Restricted.
Uniform Antshrike Thamnophilus unicolor. The subspecies in Colombia is grandior. Good looks at the Piha and Cerulea Reserves.
Black-capped (Western Slaty)-Antshrike Thamnophilus atrinucha: Seen at La Victoria along the Laguna del Hato road and at RNA El Paujil.
Recurve-billed Bushbird - Clytoctantes alixii: very nice – a most wanted bird – a family of 4 seen very well at the ProAves reserve, the well named RNA Recurve-billed Bushbird, near Ocaña. Bird of the trip for many. ENDANGERED, Range Restricted.
Plain Antvireo – Dysithamnus mentalis: 1 male at the Piha reserve.
Slaty Antwren Myrmotherula schisticolor. A pair seen at RNA Arrierito.
Yellow-breasted Antwren - Herpsilochmus axillaris: 1 seen on the trail at the Piha Reserve.
Northern White-fringed Antwren - Formicivora grisea intermedia: Seen several days. Ridgely & Tudor (1994) and Zimmer & Isler (2003) suggested that Formicivora grisea may consist of more than one species. Hilty (2003) described major vocal differences between intermedia and grisea in Venezuela and treated them as separate species.
Streak-headed Antbird – Drymophila striaticeps: 2 seen at rio Blanco. Isler et al. (2012) proposed that the broadly defined Drymophila caudata consists of four species: (1) klagesi, with aristeguietana; (2) hellmayri; (3) nominate caudata; and (4) striaticeps, with occidentalis, peruviana, and boliviana.
Klage’s Antbird – Drymophila klagesi: we made a special effort for this at the Bushbird reserve and had great looks – one of the last birds of the trip. Range Restricted.
Parker’s Antbird - Cercomacra parkeri: Recently described: Graves (1997). Good looks at around 6 at the Piha reserve, and then heard at RNA Cerulean Warbler. One of the birds named for our late friend and neo-tropical birding pioneer, Ted Parker. Theodore A parker lll (1953-1993) US Field Ornithologist with unparalleled knowledge of Neotropical Birds was tragically killed in a plane crash in Ecuador. ENDEMIC.
Jet Antbird – Cercomacra nigricans: Around 5 seen along the Lahuna del Hato road.
Bare-crowned Antbird - Gymnocichla nudiceps: excellent views of a pair after the rain at RNA El Paujil. Stunner!
Chestnut-backed Antbird - Myrmeciza exsul: A pair seen at RNA El Paujil and commonly heard.
White-bellied Antbird – Myrmeciza longipes: 1 seen exceptionally well along the Laguna del Hato Road.
Magdalena Antbird - Myrmeciza palliata: Seen above the town of La Victoria at a stake out and great look since you were in the bushes with it! Formerly treated as a subspecies of M. laemosticta –Dull-mantled Antbird, but Chaves et al. (2010) presented evidence that palliata should be ranked as a separate species. ENDEMIC.
Bicolored Antbird – Gymnopithys bicolor: 2 seen at RNA Paujil at a small antswarm. 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). Genetic data (Brumfield et al. 2007) indicate that leucaspis (White-cheeked Antbird) east of the Andes is actually the sister to G. rufigula, not to bicolor. SACC proposal passed to treat bicolor as separate species.
GRALLARIDAE
Undulated Antpitta – Grallaria squamigera. Heard only, at Alto las Ventanas.
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta - Grallaria ruficapilla: Photographed at the worm feeder at Rio Blanco, heard elsewhere –maybe 4.
Moustached Antpitta – Grallaria alleni. Heard only, at Otun Quimbaya. Range Restricted.
Bicolored Antpitta – Grallaria rufocinerea: Great looks at this endemic at Rio Blanco. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Chestnut-naped Antpitta – Grallaria nuchalis. Heard only, at Alto los Ventanas and at Rio Blanco.
White-bellied Antpitta - Grallaria hypoleuca : Seen at RNA Cerulean Warbler.
Yellow-breasted Antpitta – Grallaria flavotincta: Good looks at at Las Tangaras.
Rufous Antpitta – Grallaria rufula rufula: One of an undescrbied form seen at Chingaza and heard also at Alto Las Ventanas. Keep track of where you see your Rufous Antpittas – they will be split.
Western Tawny Antpitta – Grallaria alticola. Heard only, at Chingaza NP.
Tawny Antpitta – Grallaria quitensis: At Los Nevados very tame and great looks. Named for the city of Quito which in turn is named for the Quitu indians.
Brown-banded Antpitta – Grallaria milleri: 2 came to the worm feeders at Rio Blanco – fantastic! ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Slate-crowned Antpitta – Grallaricula nana: 2 at the worm feeders at Rio Blanco was very nice indeed!
RHINOCRYPTIDAE
Ocellated Tapaculo – Acropternis orthonyx: All of us saw it at La M. What a bird!
Ash-colored Tapaculo - Myornis senilis. Heard only.
Blackish Tapaculo – Scytalopus latrans latrans: Seen well above Jardin.
White-crowned Tapaculo – Scytalopus atratus nigricans: At RNA Arrierito.
Magdalena Tapaculo - Scytalopus rodriguezi: Well it took us a few tries but we all got great views of this recently described endemic at RNA Cerulea. Named for Jose Vicente Rodriguez Colombian ornithologist, conservationist and collector who died in 2005. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Stile’s Tapaculo – Scytalopus stilesi. One of the “hard to see" group but we saw one well. Named for Dr. Gary Stiles US ornithologist still doing research in Colombia. ENDEMIC.
Spillman’s Tapaculo – Scytalopus spillmani: One of the more tricky Tapaculos to see but we managed a brief sighting above Jardin.
Pale-bellied Tapaculo – Scytalopus griseicollis. One of the ‘easy” Tapaculos seen well at Chingaza. ENDEMIC.
Paramo Tapaculo - Scytalopus opacus: Tapaculo in a pocket! 1 seen very well at the Termales de Ruiz hotel. 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.
Narino Tapaculo – Scytalopus vicinior: One seen well at Las Tangaras. Range Restricted.
“Alto Pisones” Tapaculo – Scytalopus Sp. Nov: Good looks of of this yet to be described Tapaculo at Las Tangaras. ENDEMIC.
FURNARIIDAE
Tyrranine Woodcreeper - Dendrocincla tyrannina: 2 seen really well at Alto Las Ventanas and Rio Blanco.
Plain-brown Woodcreeper - Dendrocincla fuliginosa: Three seen at RNA El Paujil.
Strong-billed Woodcreeper - Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus: A pair at the Cerulean warbler Reserve.
Northern Barred Woodcreeper – Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae: 2 at a small antswarm at the Paujil reserve.
Wedge-billed Woodcreper - Glyphorynchus spirurus: One at RNA Paujil – was not on our list.
Straight–billed Woodcreeper – Dendroplex picus: Common at RNA Paujil. Xiphorhynchus picus and X. kienerii (Zimmer’s Woodcreeper) were formerly (e.g., Cory & Hellmayr 1925, Zimmer 1934c, Pinto 1937, Phelps & Phelps 1950a) treated in a separate genus, Dendroplex, but this was merged into Xiphorhynchus by Peters (1951). Wetmore (1972), however, maintained Dendroplex as a separate genus based not only on bill shape but also on (unstated) cranial characters. Aleixo et al. (2007) summarized rationale for validity of Dendroplex and for its usage for these two species. SACC proposal passed to resurrect Dendroplex for these two species.
Cocoa Woodcreeper – Xiphorynchus susurrans: One near San Vicente. The SACC says -The relationships among taxa included in Xiphorhynchus susurrans and X. guttatus (Buff-throated Woodcreeper) are complex and need much additional work. Xiphorhynchus susurrans was formerly (e.g., Zimmer 1934d, Phelps & Phelps 1950a, Peters 1951, Meyer de Schauensee 1970) considered conspecific with X. guttatus, but Willis (1983) provided evidence that it should be treated as a separate species; this treatment was followed by Ridgely & Tudor (1994) and AOU (1998); they constitute a superspecies. Xiphorhynchus susurrans had previously been treated as a species by Cory & Hellmayr (1925), who also treated the subspecies polystictus (= sororius) as a separate species; this was considered conspecific with X. guttatus by Zimmer (1934d) and Peters (1951). However, Aleixo (2002) found that treating X. susurrans at the species level makes Xiphorhynchus guttatus paraphyletic with respect to Amazonian guttatoides group (Lafraneye’s Woodcreeper) of western and southwestern Amazonia (guttatoides, dorbignyianus, eytoni, and vicinalis) and eastern Amazonian guttatus group (guttatus, polystictus, and provisionally connectens). Marantz et al. (2003) also emphasized that the current assignment of subspecies to either X. susurrans or X. guttatus does not correspond to the boundaries in vocalizations. Furthermore, the eytoni subspecies group was formerly (e.g., Todd 1948, Meyer de Schauensee 1966, 1970) considered a separate species ("Dusky-billed Woodcreeper") from X. guttatus; here it is treated as subspecies of guttatus following Cory & Hellmayr (1925), Zimmer (1934d), Pinto (1937), Peters (1951), and Ridgely & Tudor (1994), but Marantz et al. (2003) noted that this group differed in vocalizations from other taxa included in X. guttatus. Restall (2007) gives this taxon full species rank as does the IOC.
Olive-backed Woodcreeper – Xiphorynchus triangularis: 5 at the Tangaras Reserve.
Brown-billed Scythebill – Campylorhamphus pusillus: Two days at the Cerulean Warbler Reserve.
Streak-headed Woodcreeper – Lepidocolaptes souleyetii: Several individuals seen throughout the trip in drier habitat.
Montane Woodcreeper – Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger: Several sightings in the high cloud forest.
Streaked Xenops - Xenops rutilans: The form found in the Central and Western Andes is heterurus. We saw 2.
Plain Xenops Xenops minutus: Three sightings.
Streaked Tuftedcheek – Pseudocolpates boissonneautii: 2 at Chingaza NP seen well and 1 at Las Tangaras. Superb furnarids.
Buffy Tuftedcheek – Pseudocolpates lawrenci At least 1 of this Choco endemic at Las Tangaras. Named for George Newbold Lawrence, US businessman collector and naturalist. Range Restricted.
Caribbean Hornero – Furnarius longirostris. On the way to RNA Paujil. The IOC says Furnarius longirostris is split from F. leucopus (Pale-legged Hornero) (Ridgely & Greenfield 2001; Hilty 2003); SACC needs analysis.
Stout-billed Cinclodes – Cinclodes excelsior: Great looks of 10+ plus on the access road to 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.
Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner - Philydor rufum: Several at the piha reserve.
Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner – Anabacerthia variegaticeps One at Las Tangaras. Range Restricted.
Montane Foliage-gleaner - Anabacerthia striaticollis: A few seen at several locations in the higher cloud forest.
Lineated Foliage-gleaner – Syndactyla subalaris: 3 seen at Las Tangaras.
Striped Treehunter – Thripadectes holostictus: one seen at Alto Las Ventanas.
Streak-capped Treehunter - Thripadectes virgaticeps: One at the Cerulean warbler Reserve on the Lengerke trail.
Flammulated Treehunter – Thripadectes flammulatus. Heard only. Close at Rio Blanco.
Uniform Treehunter – Thripadectes ignobilis: 1 along the trail at Las Tangaras. Range Restricted.
Western Woodhaunter – Hyloctistes virgatus: One at the Piha Reserve.
Spotted Barbtail Premnoplex brunnescens: 2 at Otun Quimbaya.
Fulvous-dotted Treerunner - Margarornis stellatus: One at Las Tangaras. Range Restricted.
Pearled Treerunner – Margarornis squamiger: Common component of mixed Cloud Forest flocks.
Andean Tit-spinetail - Leptasthenura andicola: we saw 4+ of the nominate andicola race at Los Nevados.
Many-striped Canastero – Asthenes flammulata: Two seen very well at Los Nevados.
White-chinned Thistletail – Asthenes fuliginosa: 4 seen well at Los Nevados.
Red-faced Spinetail – Cranioleuca erythrops: Pairs seen on 3 consecutive days.
Yellow-chinned Spinetail - Certhiaxis cinnamomea: one seen well the way to El Paujil.
Silvery-throated Spinetail – Synallaxis subpudica: 3 seen well on the way back from Chingaza NP. ENDEMIC.
Azara’s Spinetail - Synallaxis azarae: Fairly commonly heard and a few seen. Pip-Squeak!!
Pale-breasted Spinetail - Synallaxis albescens: seen well on the way to RNA Paujil.
Rufous Spinetail – Synallaxis unirufa: seen at Alto Las Ventanas and La M.
Slaty Spinetail – Synallaxis brechyura: 1 seen well above Libano.
Stripe-breasted Spinetail - Synallaxis cinammomea: 3 at the RNA Recurvebill Bushbird.
TYRANNIDAE
Sooty-headed Tyrannulet - Phyllomyias griseiceps: 2 seen well at RNA Paujil.
Black-capped Tyrannulet - Phyllomyias nigrocapillus: 2 seen at different locations.
Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet - Phyllomyias uropygialis: one seen well on the way back from Chingaza NP.
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet - Tyrannulus elatus: commonly heard and 1 seen “free beer”.
Yellow-bellied Elaenia Elaenia flavogaster: Common in open country.
Brown-capped Tyrannulet - Ornithion brunneicapillus: seen nest building at La Victoria.
Southern Beardless-tyrannulet - Camptostoma obsoletum: A few but not common.
White-throated Tyrannulet Mecocerculus leucophrys: We saw this species at Chingaza and Alto Las Ventanas.
White-banded Tyrannulet - Mecocerculus sticopterus: 4 at Chingaza.
White-tailed Tyrannulet – Mecocerculus poecilocercus: 2 at Rio Blanco.
Yellow Tyrannulet - Capsiempis flaveola: 2 at El Paujil.
Golden-faced Tyrannulet - Zimmerius chrysops: Seen at various localities. 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.
Choco Tyrannulet – Zimmerius albigularis. These were the ones seen at las Tangaras. A split from the above species recognised by the IOC and SACC. Ridgely & Greenfield (2001), Krabbe & Nielsson (2003), and Fitzpatrick (2004) also noted that the taxon albigularis from w. Ecuador and sw. Colombia might be a species distinct from Zimmerius chrysops. Rheindt et al. (2008b) found that albigularis is actually the sister taxon to Zimmerius vilissimus. SACC proposal passed to elevate albigularis to species rank. Range Restricted.
Variagated Bristle-Tyrant – Phylloscartes poecilotis: One above Libano.
Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant – Phylloscartes opthamicus: Seen at Otun Quimbaya. SACC keeps bristle tyrants in Phylloscartes but needs proposal to update to Pogonotriccus (Fitzpatrick 2004) IOC uses Pogonotriccus.
Antioquia Bristle-Tyrant – Phylloscartes lanyoni: wow one in full dawn song at la Victoria but it was too dark to get a good view – a shape only. ENDEMIC.
Streak-necked Flycatcher – Mionectes striaticollis: one at the Piha Reserve.
Olive-striped Flycatcher – Mionectes olivcaeous: 2 at Las Tangaras.
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher - Mionectes oleaginea: 2 seen at RNA El Paujil.
Slaty-capped Flycatcher – Leptopogon amaurocephalus: Common in the higher cloud forest.
Sepia-capped Flycatcher Leptopogon amaurocephalus: Fairly common at El Paujil.
Northern Scrub Flycatcher – Sublugatus arenarum: one near Manizales.
Ornate Flycatcher – Myiotriccus ornatus: 8 seen at RNA Arrierito, six at Las Tangaras, and a few more at Cerulean Warbler reserve.
Southern Bentbill - Oncostoma olivaceum: excellent views at El Paujil.
Scale-crested Pygmy-tyrant - Lophotriccus pileatus: A few seen throughout.
Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant - Atalotriccus pilaris: One seen in dry woodland as we were looking for Antioquia Wren.
Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant Hemmitriccus margaritaceiventer: 4 on the Laguna El Hato road.
Black-throated Tody-Tyrant – Hemitriccus granadensis: 2 at La M.
Rufous-headed Pygmy-tyrant - Pseudotriccus ruficeps: One seen at Alto las Ventanasnas Rio Blanco – a stunning bird!
Bronze –Olive Pygmy-Tyrant – Pseudotriccus pelzelini: A pair at Las Tangaras. Named for August Edler von Pelzeln, Austrian ornithologist and collector 1825-1891.
Rufous-crowned Tody-tyrant – Pseudotriccus ruficeps: Such a cool bird -3 seen at Rio Blanco.
Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher - Poecilotriccus sylvia: excellent view of one at RNA El Paujil after some effort. Latin – Sylvia = woodland sprite.
Common Tody-Flycatcher - Todirostrum cinereum: Small numbers seen at various locations.
Yellow–throated Spadebill - Platyrinchus flavigularis. Heard only at Lengerke trail at RNA Reinita.
Flavescent Flyctacher – Myiophobus flavicans: One at RNA Cerulea.
Handsome Flyctacher – Myiophobus pulcher: common at the Piha reserve.
Bran-colored Flycatcher – Myiophobus fasciatus: Two above San Vicente.
Cinnamon Flycatcher Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea: Regularly encountered in the Andes (pyrrhoptera).
Black-billed Flycatcher - Aphanotriccus audax: One at El Paujil and others heard. NEAR THREATENED, Range Restricted.
Alder Flycatcher – Empidonax alnorum: At least one above Libano.
Eastern Wood Pewee – Contopus virens: One at La Victoria.
Tropical Peewee - Contopus cinereus: One or two here and there.
Black Phoebe - Sayornis nigricans: A bird of streams and rivers that was frequently seen sitting on bridges.
Vermilion Flycatcher - Pyrocephalus rubinus: Small numbers seen at a number of sites. A stunning bird.
Pied Water-Tyrant - Fluvicola pica: a few on the way to El Paujil.
White-headed Marsh-tyrant - Arundinicola leucocephala: 8 on the way to El Paujil.
Crowned Chat-Tyrant – Ochthoeca frontalis: One at Rio Blanco – nice!
Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant – Ochthoeca cinnamomeiventris – One responded to playback at Rio Blanco. García-Moreno et al. (1998) suggested that the plumage and genetic differences between subspecies groups north and south of the Marañon should be recognized at the species level, with Ochthoeca thoracica the name for the southern species (Maroon-belted Chat-tyrant). Ridgely & Tudor (1994) reported that there are also vocal differences that would support this split. Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) and Hilty (2003) further recognized Venezuelan nigrita (Blackish Chat-tyrant) as a separate species from O. cinnamomeiventris, as done by Cory & Hellmayr (1927). IOC splits SACC does not but ask for proposal.
Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant – Ochthoeca rufipectoralis: 2 at Chingaza NP.
Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant – Ochthoeca fumicolor: Seen at Los Nevados and Chingaza National Parks.
Long-tailed Tyrant – Colonia colonus: Seen at Las Tangaras.
Cattle Tyrant - Machetornis rixosa: Just the one on the way to RNA Paujil.
Piratic Flycatcher - Legatus leucophaius: Two at Laguna el Hato.
Rusty-margined Flycatcher Myiozetetes cayanensis: Numerous and widespread at lower elevations.
Social Flycatcher - Myiozetetes similis: Common at El Paujil.
Great Kiskadee - Pitangus sulphuratus: A widespread bird of open areas, even found right in the centre of towns.
Lesser Kiskadee – Pitangus lector: Uncoomon near water at RNA El Paujil.
Golden-crowned Flycatcher - Myiodynastes chrysocephalus. One at the Piha reserve and one at the Bushbird Reserve.
Streaked Flycatcher - Myiodynastes maculatus: A few.
Boat-billed Flycatcher - Megarynchus pitangua: at El Paujil. A very interesting post by Nathan Pieplow on xenocanto presents differences in vocalizations for three populations of Boat-billed Flycatcher: South American, Central American, Tumbes area. Three cryptic species??
Tropical Kingbird - Tyrannus melancholicus. TK! Common throughout seen every day of the trip.
Fork-tailed Flycatcher – Tyrannus savanna: A few on the drives in open country.
Dusky-capped Flycatcher - Myiarchus tuberculifer: As usual, the plaintive call was heard more often than the bird.
Panama Flycatcher - Myiarchus panamensis: One for sure at El Paujil.
Apical Flycatcher – Myiarchus apicalis: 2 seen near Salgar. An endemic of dry environments. ENDEMIC.
Pale-edged Flycatcher – Myiarchus cephalotes: Two at the Piha Reserve.
Brown-crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus tyrannulus: Seen at El Paujil and in open country.
COTINGIDAE
Green and Black Fruiteater - Pipreola riefferii: 3 at Rio Blanco and 2 at Alto Las Ventanas. Range Restricted.
Orange-breasted Fruiteater - Pipreola jucunda: Two at Las Tangaras were seen very well indeed – stunning birds! Range Restricted.
Golden-breasted Fruiteater- Pipreola aureopectus. Heard only.
Red-crested Cotinga – Ampelion rubrocristatus: Two at Alto Las Ventanas.
Olivaceous Piha – Snowornis cryptolophus: Nice looks at Las tangaras of three birds.
Chestnut-capped Piha – Lipaugus weberi: Fantastic views of a bird in response to playback at the RNA Arrierito Antioqueno (the name of the Piha in Spanish). Only described to science in 2001. Robert Giles donated funds for the accommodations at the reserve for guests. The chestnut on the crown can be hard to see but we got eye-level views. It is called “Arrierito”, which means muleteer or muleskinner in Spanish, because its call resembles the whistles used by the muleteers in Colombia to encourage their animals to get a move on! ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Olivaceous Piha – Snowornis cryptolophus: Nice looks at Las tangaras of three birds.
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow – Pyroderus scutatus: Common at Otun Quimbaya with 43 seen.
PIPRIDAE
Golden-winged Manakin – Masius chrysopterus: Good looks of females of this funny Manakin at three locations.
White-bibbed Manakin - Corapipo leucorrhoa; One male at La Victoria. Range Restricted.
White-bearded Manakin Manacus manacus: A big lek with 20+ males at El Paujil.
White-crowned Manakin – Pipra pipra. Females at the Piha Reserve.
Western Striped Manakin – Machaeropterus striolatus: One male at La Victoria.
TITYRIDAE
In this classification, the genera Tityra through Phibalura were formerly placed tentatively in the Cotingidae, following Prum et al. (2000). They had formerly been scattered among the Tyrannidae, Cotingidae, and Pipridae. Prum and Lanyon (1989) and Sibley & Ahlquist (1990) found that Tityra, Schiffornis, and Pachyramphus formed a distinct group, separate from the rest of the Tyrannidae; Sibley & Ahlquist (1990) proposed that they were most closely related to core Tyrannidae than to other tyrannoid families such as the Cotingidae or Pipridae. More recent genetic data (Johansson et al. 2002, Chesser 2004, Barber & Rice 2007) confirm that the genera Tityra through at least Pachyramphus form a monophyletic group, but Chesser (2004) found that this group is more closely related to the Pipridae than to the Cotingidae or Tyrannidae. SACC proposal passed to remove from Cotingidae (and place as Incertae Sedis or as separate family, Tityridae). Barber & Rice (2007) not only confirmed the monophyly of the group but also proposed elevation to family rank. SACC proposal passed to recognize Tityridae. Within this group, Barber & Rice (2007) found genetic evidence for two major groups: (a) Laniisoma, Laniocera, and Schiffornis, and (b) Iodopleura, Tityra, Xenopsaris, and Pachyramphus.
Black-crowned Tityra - Tityra inquisitor: 2 seen at RNA El Paujil. The ancients gave the name Tityri to the satyrs and other raucous companions of Pan and Bacchus, so referring to the noisy aggressive behavior of the Tityras.
Barred Becard – Pachyramphus versicolor: 2 at Las Tangaras.
Cinnamon Becard - Pachyramphus cinnamomeus: Common at El Paujil.
White-winged Becard – Pachyramphus polychopterus: Fairly common, several being seen.
One-colored Becard – Pachyramphus homocrhous: only one male seen.
INCETAE SEDIS
Wing-barred Piprites - Piprites chloris: 2 seen well at the Piha Reserve.
VIREONIDAE
Rufous-browed Peppershrike - Cyclarhis gujanensis. On the Laguna del Hato road.
Black-billed Peppershrike – Cyclarhis nigrisrostris: One seen well at Rio Blanco.
Yellow-browed Shrike-Vireo - Vireolanius eximius: very vocal and in the end we all got great views above San Vicente – a classy bird! Range Restricted.
Yellow-throated Vireo - Vireo flavifrons: 1 in the coffee plantation above San Vicente and one above Libano.
Red-eyed (Chivi) Vireo - Vireo (chivi) olivaceus: Some classifications (e.g., Pinto 1944) have considered the South American chivi group as a separate species ("Chivi Vireo") from V. olivaceus, or as conspecific with V. flavoviridis (Hamilton 1962), but see Hellmayr (1935), Zimmer (1941d), Eisenmann 1962a, Johnson & Zink (1985), and Ridgely & Tudor (1989). Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) suggested, however, that more than one species may be involved within the South American chivi group.
Yellow-green Vireo – Vireo flavoviridis: one at least near Manizales.
Rufous-naped Greenlet - Hylophilus semibrunneus: A good year for this species with 4 seen at different locations. Almost a Colombian endemic but gets into Venezuela. Range Restricted.
Scrub Greenlet - Hylophilus flavipes: A few seen here and there.
CORVIDAE
Black-collared Jay - Cyanolyca armillata: Around 5 seen at Rio Blanco. Range Restricted.
Beautiful Jay -Cyanolyca pulchra: A noisy individual on the trail at Las Tangaras.
Black-chested Jay - Cyanocorax affinis: Common at RNA El Paujil and other places.
Inca Jay Cyanocorax yncas: A most handsome bird. Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) and Hilty (2003) treated Middle American populations as a separate species, C. luxosus ("Green Jay") from South American C. yncas ("Inca Jay"), but no data presented; they were formerly (e.g., REFS) considered separate species.
HIRUNDINIDAE
Blue-and-white Swallow -Pygochelidon cyanoleuca: Widespread in small numbers.
Brown-bellied Swallow - pygochelidon murina: At Bogotá and Chingaza.
Southern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis: Common at lower elevations.
Brown-chested Martin - Progne tapera: Seen in the Puerto Boyaca area.
Gray-breasted Martin – Progne chalybea: a few in the Magdelena Valley.
Barn Swallow – Hirundo rustica: a few migrating flocks in the Magdalena valley.
Cliff Swallow – Petrocehlidon pyrrhinota: 4 with Barn Swallows in the Magdalena Valley.
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 solstitiatus: Two seen well at the Rio Blanco reserve.
Sedge (Paramo) Wren – Cistothoru (aequatorialis) platensis: Heard at Chingaza and 4 on the paramo 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.
Apolinars Wren – Cistothorus apolinari: Great looks of a pair at Parque La Florida. This species has a very small population and range. It is thought to be declining rapidly, owing to loss and degradation of its severely fragmented habitat. All sub-populations are suspected to be extremely small, and some have been extirpated over the last few decades. This combination of factors result in its classification as Endangered. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Bicolored Wren - Campylorhynchus griseus: Excellent views at the Cerulean Warbler RNA.
White-headed Wren – Campylorhynchus albobunneus: 3 called in at Las Tangaras. Range Restricted.
Sooty-headed Wren – Pheugopedius spadix; 1 responsive bird at RNA Arrierito and heard at La Victoria. Almost a Colombian endemic but gets into Eastern Panama. 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). SACC proposal pending to redistribute South American "Thryothorus" into three genera did not pass. Range Restricted.
Black-bellied Wren - Pheugopedius fasciatoventris: Great looks at El Paujil finally, and heard at La Victoria.
Whiskered Wren - Pheugopedius mystacalis: good views above Libano.
Niceforo’s Wren - Thryophilus leucopogon: 2 birds at the nest in the coffee plantation above San Vicente. Named for Father Niciforo Maria, Colombian missionary and herpetologist in the early 1900’s. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Antioquia Wren - Thryophilus senai: Fantastic looks! Found after a bit of a search near Salgar. This species was discovered in March 2010 in the vicinity of the Cauca River in Antioquia, Colombia and described as new species in 2012. The epithet commemorates the late Marco Antonio Serna Díaz (1936- 1991), a Colombian naturalist from San Vicente Ferrer, Antioquia. ENDEMIC.
Buff-breasted Wren – Cantorchilus leucotis: One seen well on the Laguna El hato road and heard elsewhere.
Rufous Wren – Cinnecerthia unirufa. Heard only.
Sharpe’s Wren - Cinnycerthia olivascens: Nice looks of noisy family groups.
White-breasted Wood-wren - Henicorhina leucosticte. Heard only.
Grey-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys: Regularly heard at higher elevations with a number of good views. We saw the nominate leucophrys, but the ones at the Piha Reserve still puzzle me?
Munchique Wood-Wen - Henicorhina negreti: 2 called in at La M and show they did. Named for the Munchique National Park where this taxon was first noted. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Chestnut-breasted Wren - Cyphorhinus thoracicus. Heard only. Wow the song in Colombia is something else! At Otun Quimbaya.
POLIOPTIDAE
Long-billed Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus. Heard only.
Tropical Gnatcatcher – Polioptila plummbea: not common only 2 seen.
DONACOBIIDAE
Black-capped Donacobius – Donacobius atricapilla: on the way out of El Paujil.
TURDIDAE
Andean Solitaire Myadestes ralloides: Seen on two occasions.
Swainson’s Thrush – Catharus ustulatus: Common La Victoria and Libano.
Black Solitaire Entomodestes coracinus. Another Choco endemic played hide and seek with us along the trail at Las Tangaras but we all got looks. Range Restricted.
Yellow-legged Thrush - Turdus flavipes: good views at Recurve-billed Bushbird reserve.
Great Thrush Turdus fuscater: Ubiquitous at higher elevations. We saw quindio (endemic) in the Central and Western Andes.
Glossy-black Thrush - Turdus serranus: Just one.
Chestnut-bellied Thrush – Turdus fulviventris: 3 at the Bushbird reserve. Quite sneaky for such a big thrush.
Pale-breasted Thrush - Turdus leucomelas: Relatively common during the latter half of the trip.
Black-billed Thrush - Turdus ignobilis: Fairly common in the lowlands and in the garden at Cerulean Warbler lodge.
Clay-colored Thrush - Turdus grayi: 1 at the Bushbird Reserve.
Spectacled Thrush Turdus nudigenis: At least three-one at the Bushbird Reserve. Ridgely & Tudor (1989) considered the subspecies maculirostris (Ecuadorian Thrush) a separate species from Turdus nudigenis, and this was followed by Sibley & Monroe (1990), Clement (2000), Ridgely et al. (2001), Collar (2005), and Restall et al. (2006). Recent genetic data (Voelker et al. 2007, Nylander 2008) indicate that maculirostris may not be the sister taxon to T. nudigenis. SACC proposal passed to elevate maculirostris to species rank.
MIMIDAE
Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus: A common open country species.
THRAUPIDAE
White-capped Tanager - Sericossypha albocristata: one seen well at La M. One! They are normally in noisy family parties.
Rufous-crested Tanager - Creurgops verticalis; 2 at Alto Las Ventanas.
Black-capped Hemispingus – Hemispingus atropileus: Small groups at Las Tangaras and Alto las Ventanas. Hemispingus is Greek and means half a spingus – a spingus being a Finch so referring to their small size.
Superciliaried Hemispingus – Hemispingus superciliaris: 2 seen in the mixed flock at Chingaza NP and 2 at Rio Blanco.
Oleaginous Hemispingus – Hemispingus frontalis: 3 seen at La M. Oleaginous = Oily.
Black-eared Hemispingus - Hemispingus melanotis: 2 seen at Rio Blanco. We saw the nominate form. The SACC says: Genetic data (Garcia-Moreno et al. 2001, Garcia-Moreno & Fjeldsa 2003) indicate that the distinctive taxon piurae (Piura Hemispingus), currently treated as a subspecies of H. melanotis (e.g., Meyer de Schauensee 1970), is more distant from the latter than is H. frontalis, and that piurae is basal to frontalis + melanotis; these analyses, however, are based on only ca. 300 base-pairs of mtDNA. Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) treated piurae as a separate species from H. melanotis based on plumage and vocal differences. SACC proposal to recognize piurae as a species did not pass. Hilty (2011) also treated piurae as a separate species. Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) and Hilty (2011) further recognized the subspecies ochraceus (Western Hemispingus) as a separate species based on plumage differences. Proposal needed.
Black-headed Hemispingus – Hemispingus verticalis: 3 at La M.
Grey-hooded Bush Tanager – Cnemoscopus rubrirostris: We saw birds of the nominate form that do have pink bills at Rio Blanco and Otun Quimbaya. 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.
Gray-headed Tanager – Eucometes penicillata: One at La Victoria. Penicillata = Latin brush referring to crest –literally Penis-tail.
White-shouldered Tanager - Tachyphonus luctuosus: Around 10 at RNA El Paujil.
White-lined Tanager – Tachyphonus rufus: A pair above San Vicente.
Crimson-backed Tanager - Ramphocelus dimidiatus: A widespread tanager of open and secondary habitats.
Lemon-rumped Tanager Ramphocelus ictronotus: Common at RNA Arrierito and in the garden lodge at Cerulean Warbler reserve. 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.
Flame-rumped Tanager - Ramphocelus flammigerus: Seen at Las Tangaras and near Jardin. See the preceding species for the taxonomic status of this near endemic. Range Restricted.
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.
Black and Gold Tanager Bangsia melanochlamys: Quite common at the Las Tangaras Reserve with great looks of 8+ birds. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Grass-Green Tanager – Chroronis reifferi: 3 at rio Blanco.
Hooded Mountain Tanager – Buthraupis Montana: 1 at Chingaza. A large showy Tanager.
Lacrimose Mountain Tanager – Anisognathus lacrymosus: At La M and Rio Blanco.
Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager – Anisognathus igniventris: Always a great bird – 8+ seen at Chingaza on our first day and then again at Los Nevados.
Black-chinned Mountain Tanager – Anisognathus notabilis. Common at RNA Las Tangaras. Range Restricted.
Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus somptuosus: At Rio Blanco, the Piha Reserve and Cerulean Warbler reserve.
Buff-breasted Mountain Tanager – Dubusia taeniata: One seen La M and one at Rio Blanco.
Purplish-mantled Tanager – Iridosornis porphyrocephalus. A near endemic creeping into NW Ecuador. Seen at RNA Arrierito and Las Tangaras. NEAR THREATENED, Range Restricted.
Golden-crowned Tanager - Iridosornis rufivertex. One in a mixed flock at Chingaza National Park.
Multicolored Tanager - Chlorochrysa nitidissima: Great looks at a male at Otun Quimbaya. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Glistening-green Tanager – Chlorochrysa phoenicotis: At least 4 at Las Tangaras. Range Restricted.
Plain-colored Tanager – Tangara inornata: a few at El Paujil and above San Vicente.
Golden Tanager -Tangara arthus: A stunning montane species that we saw at a number of sites.
Silver-throated Tanager – Tangara icterocephala: 10+ at Las Tangaras.
Saffron-crowned Tanager - Tangara xanthocephala: 4+ at Las Tangaras and the Piha Reserve.
Rufous-throated Tanager – Tangara rufigula – 1 seen at Las Tangaras. Range Restricted.
Speckled Tanager – Tangara guttata: Several sighting of the bogotensis race at the Recurve-billed Bushbird reserve. Also at Las Tangaras (tolimae).
Bay-headed Tanager Tangara gyrola: We saw the turquoise bellied deleticia in the Andes, 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.
Burnished-buff Tanager - Tangara cayana: Several at the feeders near the Recurve-billed Bushbird reserve.
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. Range Restricted.
Blue-necked Tanager Tangara cyanicollis: Common and widespread but nonetheless striking.
Beryl-spangled Tanager - Tangara nigroviridis: Common at RNA Arrierito and Rio Blanco.
Blue and Black Tanager – Tangara vassorii: Fairly common at Alto las Ventanas and Rio Blanco.
Black-capped Tanager - Tangara heinei: A few seen at various sites notably on the feeders at the Piha Reserve.
Black-headed Tanager - Tangara cyanoptera: 8 including at the feeders near the Recurve-billed Bushbird reserve.
Swallow Tanager- Tersina viridis: Common at RNA Paujil.
Yellow-tufted (Black-faced) Dacnis – Dacnis (lineata) egreria; A few notably at La Victoria. Ridgely & Tudor (1989) pointed out the trans-Andean egregia group may deserve species rank. Ridgely et al. (2001) considered egregia a species separate from lineata based on plumage differences and disjunct range. SACC proposal to recognize Dacnis egregia as a separate species did not pass because of insufficient published data.
Turquoise Dacnis - Dacnis hartlaubi: Aboiut 6 seen in the lodge garden at Cerulean Warbler reserve. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Blue Dacnis - Dacnis cayana: 2 at Las Tangaras.
Red-legged Honeycreeper – Cyanerpes cyaneus: Two at RNA Paujil.
Green Honeycreeper – Chlorophanes spiza: Fairly common at RNA Paujil.
Guira Tanager - Hemithraupis guira: 1 at RNA El Paujil and 2 above San Vicente.
Yellow-backed Tanager - Hemithraupis flavicollis: 3 or so at El Paujil.
Scarlet-and-white Tanager - Chrysothlypis salmoni: A pair the Piha reserve was a pleasant surprise! Range Restricted.
White-eared Conebill – Conirostrum leucogenys: Three seen above san Vicente.
Blue-backed Conebill – Conirostrum sitticolor: 3 seen.
Capped Conebill – Conirostrum albifrons: Fairly common at Rio Blanco.
Rufous-browed Conebill – Conirsotrum rufum: One of the first birds of the trip at Chingaza where we saw 8 and one of the best of the trip – quite a little gem and it responded to playback splendidly. ENDEMIC.
Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer Diglossa gloriosissima: We found 1 at La M where we had discovered it a couple of years ago. After 40 years without any records this species has been rediscovered, with records from several new locations. It has a very small known range, within which habitat loss is continuing, and is therefore listed as Endangered, but if it is found to be more widespread and proves to be tolerant of some habitat degradation it is likely to become eligible for downlisting. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Glossy Flowerpiercer – Diglossa lafresnayi: At Los Nevados.
Black Flowerpiercer – Diglossa humeralis: we deabated this but this was the one we saw at Chingaza.
White-sided Flowerpiercer - Diglossa albilatera: Perhaps the most common and widespread of the flowerpiercers. Here the nominate race.
Indigo Flowerpiercer – Diglossa indigotica. One at Las Tangaras. Range Restricted.
Bluish Flowerpiercer – Diglossa caerulascens: One at La M.
Masked Flowerpiercer – Diglossa cyanea: Common at Chingaza, Alto las Ventanas and Rio Blanco.
Plushcap Catamblyrhynchus diadema: 2 – at Alto las Ventanas and at Rio Blanco.
Plumbeous Sierra Finch - Phrygilus unicolor: 15+ at Chingaza NP and the Los Nevados park road.
Grassland Yellow-Finch - Sicalis luteola: 8+ On the Laguna El Hato road.
Saffron Finch - Sicalis flaveola: Common.
Blue-black Grassquit - Volatinia jacarina: Common.
Slate-colored Seedeater - Sporophila schistacea: One at above san Vicente de Chucuri.
Yellow-bellied Seedeater - Sporophila nigricollis: Common.
Ruddy-breasted Seedeater - Sporophila minuta: Fairly common in the lowlands.
Thick-billed seed-Finch - Sporophila funereus: 1 El Paujil. From the Latin – oruza = rice, borus = devouring thus Rice Devourer or Rice Eater.
Large-billed Seed-Finch - Sporophila crassirostris: 31 along the Laguna del Hato road.
Plain-colored Seedeater – Catamenia inornata: 2 at Nevado del Ruiz Park.
Pileated finch – Coryhospingus pileatus – on the laguna El Hato Road.
Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola: As usual, common and widespread.
Yellow-faced Grassquit - Tiaris olivacea: Small numbers above Libano and San Vicente
INCERTAE SEDIS
Buff-throated Saltator - Saltator maximus: Fairly common.
Grayish Saltator – Saltator coerulescens: Two seen.
Black-winged Saltator - Saltator atripennis: Common at Otun Quimbaya and at the feeder at the Piha reserve. One of the nicer Saltators.
Streaked Saltator Saltator striatipectus: Fairly common.
Masked Saltator - Saltator cinctus: A pair at Rio Blanco. A very diffciult bird to see this being one of two places where it is regular, the other being in Peru.
EMBERIZIDAE
Tanager Finch- Oreothraupis arremonops: Wow great looks at 4 in the mist at Alto Las Ventanas VULNERABLE, Range Restricted.
Dusky Chlorospingus – Chlorospingus semifuscus: Common at RNA Las Tangaras. Genetic data (REFS, Burns et al. 2002, 2003) indicate the genus Chlorospingus is not a member of the Thraupidae, but (Klicka et al. 2007) a member of the Emberizidae. SACC proposal passed to transfer to Emberizidae. Barker et al. (2013) further confirmed the placement of the genus with the New World sparrows. Frank Pitelka (in Tordoff 1954a) long ago noted the emberizine-like behavior of Chlorospingus. SACC proposal passed to change English names of the species in the genus from Bush-Tanager to Chlorospingus.
Yellow-throated Chlorospingus– Chlorospingus flavigularis: Common at RNA Arrierito.
Black-striped Sparrow - Arremonops conirostris: 1 seen well near Salgar. Nice song!
Olive Finch– Arremon castaneiceps: Good looks for some at this pretty Sparrow at RNA Tangaras.
Chestnut-capped Brushfinch Arremon brunneinucha: At RNA Arrierito and Las Tangaras.
Black-headed Brushfinch – Arremon atricapillus: Nice looks at a responsive pair above Libano. The relationships among the forms assigned to the atricapillus and torquatus groups are controversial, with virtually no relevant data available. Wetmore et al. (1984), Paynter (1970a), and Remsen & Graves (1995) treated the atricapillus group as conspecific with B. torquatus largely because of the intermediate phenotypes shown by subspecies such as tacarcunae and costaricensis. Hellmayr (1938), Meyer de Schauensee (1966), Sibley & Monroe (1990), and Ridgely & Tudor (1989) treated them as two species because of the close geographical approach of nominate atricapillus and B. t. assimilis without signs of gene flow. Donegan et al. (2007) found B. [t.] atricapillus and B. [t.] assimilis to replace one another elevationally in the East Andes of Colombia (Santander and Boyacá departments), without any evidence of hybridization, suggesting that treatment of this complex within a single species is not supportable. Sibley& Monroe (1990) considered B. torquatus and B. atricapillus, along with Middle American B. virenticeps, to form a superspecies. Buarremon virenticeps was considered conspecific with B. torquatus by Paynter (1970a) and Wetmore et al. (1984), but was treated as a separate species by Paynter (1978), AOU (1983, 1998), and Ridgely & Tudor (1989). Cadena & Cuervo’s (2010) analysis of voice, plumage, and genetics in the group indicates that as many as eight species should be recognized in this complex. Range Restricted.
Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis: Numerous at higher elevations.
White-naped (Yellow-throated) Brushfinch – Atlapetes (gutteralis) albinucha: Several above Libano at La Tigrilla, some of the gutturalis form. A pretty bird seen at Otun Quimbaya and RNA Arrierito. The SACC says- Paynter (1964) provided rationale for merging the Atlapetes gutturalis group into A. albinucha White-naped Brush-Finch; and this treatment was followed by Paynter (1970a), AOU (1998), and Dickinson (2003) but not by Restall (2007). The two certainly look very different but the IOC says Yellow-throated Brushfinch Atlapetes gutturalis intergrades and is conspecific with White-naped Brushfinch A. albinucha.
Yellow-headed Brushfinch – Atlapetes flaviceps: 4 seen in the early morning above Libano. An extremely localized endemic in real danger. Formerly (e.g., Meyer de Schauensee 1970, Hilty & Brown 1986, Dickinson 2003) known as "Olive-headed Brush-Finch". Called"Yellow-headed Brush-Finch" in BirdLife International (2000). SACC proposal passed to change English name to the latter because the historical name is inaccurate and misleading. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Choco Brushfinch – Atlapetes crassus: at least two at Las Tangaras – recent split from Tricolored Brush-Finch A. tricolor which becomes a Peruvian endemic. Range Restricted.
Mustached Brushfinch - Atlapetes albofrenatus: very good views of 2 at the Recurve-billed Bushbird reserve. We saw the albofrenatus race. Range Restricted.
Slaty Brush-Finch – Atlapetes schistaceus: The nominate race was seen above Jardin and at Otun Quimbaya.
CARDINALIDAE
Highland (Hepatic) Tanager – Piranga (flava) lutea: seen at Las Tangaras.
Summer Tanager – Piranga rubra: Common in a variety of plumages.
Scarlet Tanager – Piranga olivacea: 4 throughout the tour.
White-winged Tanager - Piranga leucoptera; One at the Piha Reserve.
Sooty Ant-Tanager - Habia gutturalis: A superb Nechí endemic. We saw 4 at La Victoria. It has a restricted range within north-west Colombia, where it occurs in the upper Sinú valley at the north end of the West Andes, and east along the north base of the Andes to the middle Magdalena valley. Despite a report that it may benefit from forest destruction, it is now adjudged rare in (often streamside) undergrowth in tall secondary and patchy woodland at 100-1,100m. It is highly insectivorous, with pairs or small family groups following swarms of army ants or joining mixed-species flocks. Suitable habitat within its range is unprotected and relatively reduced. The middle and lower Magdalena valley has been extensively deforested since the 19th century (for agriculture), and clearance of its favored foothills has been near total since the 1950s. NEAR THREATENED ENDEMIC.
Crested Ant-Tanager – Habia cristata: 5 apparently uninterested in playback at Otun Quimbaya. Great looks at this endemic. ENDEMIC.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak- Pheucticus ludovicianus: Pleasently common on its way north.
PARULIDAE
Nothern Waterthrush- Parkesea noveboracencis: one in the rain on the trail at RNA Paujil. The genus is named for pioneer US Ornithogist Theodore (Ted) Parker.
Black and White Warbler – Mniiotilta varia: Cool bird! Pleasantly frequent throughout the tour.
Tennessee Warbler – Vermivora peregrina: two at the banana feeder at RNA Piha!.
Mourning Warbler – Oporornis agilis: One above San Vicente.
American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla: 2 in the coffee plantation above San Vicente and 2 near Libano.
Cerulean Warbler – Dendroica cerulea: One at the piha Resrva and one above Libano. VULNERABLE.
American Yellow Warbler – Dendroica aestiva: This North American Migrant was seen near Puerto Boyacu. 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.
Blackpoll Warbler – Setophaga striata: One at the Piha Reserve.
Bay-breasted Warbler - Setophaga castanea: Pleasantly common in a variety of plumages.
Blackburnian Warbler – Setophaga fusca: Regularly recorded throughout the tour – a very pretty bird.
Buff-rumped Warbler Myiothlypis fulvicauda: A few near Libano, La Victoria and El Paujil.
Citrine Warbler – Myiothlypis luteoviridis richardsoni: Seen at a few localities including the different looking richardsoni race at Alto las Ventanas. This subspecies richardsoni of western Colombia was formerly (e.g. Hellmayr 1935) treated as a separate species – Richardson’s Warbler.
Black-crested Warbler – Myiothlypis nigrocristatus: 4 at Rio Blanco.
Gray-throated Warbler - Myiothlypis cinereicollis: very good views at the Bushbird reserve. Range Restricted.
Russet-crowned Warbler – Myiothlypis coronatus: 3 at Rio Blanco.
Golden-crowned Warbler – Basileuterus culicivora: seen on two occasions.
Rufous-capped Warbler - Basileuterus rufifrons delatterii: 2 above San Vicente and at libano. The delatrii group of subspecies, from Guatemala south to northwestern South America, was formerly (e.g., Hellmayr 1935) treated as separate species from the Basileuterus rufifrons of (mainly) Mexico, but they evidently intergrade in Guatemala and Honduras (Monroe 1968, AOU 1983).
Three-striped Warbler - Basileuterus tristriatus: Common.
Canada Warbler – Cardellina canadensis: Common.
Slate-throated Whitestart - Myioborus miniatus: A common, widespread and delightful resident of the montane forests.
Golden-fronted Whitestart – Myioborus ornatus: We saw the chrysops and ornatus races at various locations– a very pretty bird. ENDEMIC.
ICTERIDAE
Russet-backed Oropendola Zarhynchus angustifrons: Fairly common.
Crested Oropendola - Psarocolius decumanus: Just one near San Vicente.
Northern Mountain Cacique - Cacicus leucoramphus: At La M. Cacicus leucoramphus is split from C. chrysonotus (Southern Mountain Cacique) (Jaramillo & Burke 1999; Ridgely & Greenfield 2001; Hilty 2003); The SACC says -The northern (leucoramphus) and southern (chrysonotus) groups of subspecies were treated as separate species by Blake (1968b), but most classifications have treated them as a single species (e.g., Hellmayr 1937, Meyer de Schauensee 1966, 1970, Ridgely & Tudor 1989, Fjeldså & Krabbe 1990; and usually as Cacicus leucoramphus, an error, because chrysonotus has priority) because specimens near the contact zone show some signs of gene flow (Hellmayr 1937, Bond 1953). However, see Jaramillo & Burke (1999) for possible reasons for ranking them as species; This was followed by Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) and Hilty (2003) but not Restall (2007). So if you have seen Mountain Cacique in southern Peru or Bolivia – this is a different species now.
Subtropical Cacique – Cacicus uropygialis: 6 at RNA Cerulea where they were very vocal.
Yellow-rumped Cacique – Cacicus celea: one on the way out from RNA Paujil.
Yellow-billed Cacique – Amblycercus holosericeus: one at Rio Blanco.
Yellow Oriole – Icterus nigrogularis: Three on the way to RNA Paujil.
Mountain Grackle – Macroagelaius subalaris. Heard only. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Red-bellied Grackle – Hypopyrrhus pyrohpogaste: Two seen very well at RNA Arrierito and 2 or 3 at La Romero. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Yellow-hooded Blackbird – Chrysmus icterocephalus: Common at Parque La Florida and near RNA Paujil.
Giant Cowbird – Molothorus oryzivorus: A few of this brood parasite throughout.
Shiny Cowbird – Molothorus bonariensis: Common.
Carib Grackle - Quiscalus lugubris: a few seen during our drives to San Vicente and to Ocaña. This species is spreading south at a fast rate and has reached Bogota where it parasites House Sparrows.
Red-breasted Meadowlark - Sturnella militaris: Fairly common on drives.
Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna. A few at the Guascar Gravel Pits and Parque La Florida. This is an isolated population.
FRINGILLIDAE
Andean Siskin – Sporaga spinescens: Fairly common.
Yellow-bellied Siskin – Sporaga xanthrogaster: A few on 4 different days.
Velvet-fronted Euphonia – Euphonia concinna: Several seen well on the Laguna el Hato road. ENDEMIC.
Orange-bellied Euphonia - Euphonia xanthogaster: A few throughout the tour and like most races, the birds we saw (oressinoma), are actually yellow-bellied. A species conspicuously absent from the, (impoverished) Santa Marta Mountains.
Thick-billed Euphonia - Euphonia laniirostris. Common.
Golden-rumped Euphonia - Euphonia cyanocephala: in the coffee plantation above San Vicente.
Fulvous-vented Euphonia - Euphonia fulvicrissa: At least 1 seen at Las Tangaras.
Blue-naped Chlorophonia - Chlorophonia cyanea: 2 seen near Manizales.