ITINERARY
February 22nd. Fly from Bogota to Santa Marta and after arrival we drove to Las Tinajas road and then for lunch at Las Acasias restaurant where we got great views of Keel-billed Toucan and after lunch to Las Gaviotas road and then onto Riohacha with stop at The Ebanal tollgte (peaje). Night at Riohacha. Department of Guajira.
February 23rd. Morning to Los Flamengos Reserve where we had Jose as our local guide and after mid-morning we drove to Minca where we had lunch on our way to El Dorado Lodge. Early afternoon arrival to El Dorado Lodge and enjoyed the hummingbird feeders the rest of the afternoon. Night at El Dorado Lodge. Department of Magdalena.
February 24th. All morning up to Cuchilla San Lorenzo at the El Dorado Reserve where we got some of the Santa Marta specialties at that elevation and then walked back down slowly toward El Dorado Lodge for a Little late lunch and free the rest of the afternoon. Night at El Dorado Lodge. Department of Magdalena.
February 25th. In the morning part of the group went back up the road for the Santa Marta Antpitta with very successful results, having a very good view of one individual feeding on the roadside, and after that we continued up the road a little bit more from where we started to walk down until the Lodge. After lunch we headed down the road toward Minca with a stop at Las Moras store and walked down a little bit and then continued with the vehicle to Minca. Overnight at Minca – Department of Magdalena.
February 26th. Minca to the Santa Marta airport for the early flight to Bogota and connection for flying home – END OF THE TOUR.
SPECIES LIST
TINAMIDAE
Little Tinamou - Crypturellus soui: 1 seen by some people at Los Flamencos.
CRACIDAE
Sickle-winged Guan – Chamaepetes goudotti: 2 seen at El Dorado Reserve.
Band-tailed Guan – Penelope argyrotis: Common at El Dorado Lodge.
Rufous-vented Chachalaca - Ortalis ruficauda: Good views of 5 at the Ebanal toll on our travel day to Riohacha.
ODONTOPHORIDAE
Black-fronted Wood-Quail - Odontophorus atrifrons: Seen on two different occasions at the compost site of El Dorado Lodge. Range Restricted.
Crested Bobwhite - Colinus cristatus: Nice views of 4 at the Ebanal toll and 3 more at Los Flamengos.
CICONIIDAE
Wood Stork – Mycteria americana: 1 seen in flight at Los Flamengos.
FREGATIDAE
Magnificent Frigatebird – Fregata magnificens: 10+ seen at Los Flamengos.
PHALACROCORACIDEA
Neotropic Cormorant – Phalacocorax brasilianus: 2 at Los Flamengos.
PELECANIDAE
Brown Pelican – Pelecanus occidentalis: 20+ off shore at Santa Marta and 1 more at Los Flamengos.
ARDEIDAE
Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis: Common and widespread.
Great Blue Heron – Ardea Herodias: 1 fly-over at Los Flamengos.
Great Egret - Ardea albus: We saw small numbers at several wetland sites.
Capped Heron - Pilherodius pileatus: 1 fly-over seen from the El Ebanal toll on our travel day to Riohacha.
Reddish Egret - Egretta rufescens: 1 seen at Los Flamengos.
Snowy Egret - Egretta thula: A few here and there.
Little Blue Heron – 1 seen at Los Flamengos.
THRESKIORNITHIDAE
White Ibis - Eudocimus albus: 1 seen at Los Flamengos.
Roseate Spoonbill – Platalea ajaja: 2 at Los Flamengos.
CATHARTIDAE
Turkey Vulture - Common. Cathartes aura: Jaramillo (2003) suggested that the resident tropical subspecies ruficollis and the southern subspecies group (jota and "falklandica") might merit recognition as separate species from the northern Cathartes aura group.
Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus: Common.
PANDIONIDAE
Western Osprey - Pandion haliaetus: Seen at Los Flamengos and last one at Santa Marta airport. 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: 1 seen at Santa Marta.
Hook-billed Kite – Chondrohierax uncinatus: 1 seen by Thom on our travel day to El Dorado Lodge.
Black-and-chestnut Eagle - Spizaetus isidori: 1 seen by Steve and I above El Dorado Lodge. Named for Isidore Geoffroy Sanint-Hilaire French zoologist ( 1805-1861) VULNERABLE.
Solitary Eagle - Buteogallus solitarius: 1 seen at San Lorenzo ridge above El Dorado Lodge.
Bicolored Hawk – Accipiter bicolor: 1 seen by some participants at El Dorado Reserve.
Broad-winged Hawk – Buteo platypterus: A boreal migrant – seen twice around La Guajira.
Short-tailed Hawk – Buteo brachyurus: One seen on our travel day to El Dorado Lodge.
Zone-tailed Hawk - Buteo albonotatus: 1 seen at El Dorado Lodge.
CHARADRIIDAE
Southern Lapwing - Vanellus chilensis: 3 seen at Los Flamengos.
HAEMATOPODIDAE
American Oystercatcher - Haematopus palliatus: 1 seen at Los Flamengos National Park.
BURHINIDAE
Double-striped Thick-Knee - Burhinus bistriatus: Wonderful views of 2 (seen twice) at El Ebanal toll on our travel day to Riohacha.
SCOLOPACIDAE
Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus: 1 seen at Los Flamengos.
Spotted Sandpiper – Actitis macularia: 1 at Los Flamengos.
Greater Yellowlegs – Tringa melanoleuca: 3 at Los Flamengos.
Lesser Yellowlegs – Tringa flavipes: Also seen at Los Flamengos.
Willet - Tringa semipalmata: 2 seen at Los Flamengos.
LARIDAE
Laughing Gull - Leucophaeus atricilla: 20+ seen at Los Flamengos.
Large-billed Tern – Phaetusa simplex: 2 at Los Flamengos.
Sandwich Tern - Thalasseus sandvicensis: 10+ at Los Flamengos. The SACC says Thalasseus eurygnathus ("Cayenne Tern") is here considered conspecific with sandvicensis following most recent treatments (e.g., Blake 1977); it is often considered a separate species (e.g., Ridgway 1919, Peters 1934, Hellmayr & Conover 1948b, Meyer de Schauensee 1970, Ridgely et al 2001).
Royal Tern - Thalasseus maximus: Also seen at Los Flamengos, about 10.
Forster’s Tern – Sterna forsteri: Rare accidental Caribbean – 1 identified by Tom at Los Flamengos NP.
COLUMBIDAE
Bare-eyed Pigeon – Patagioenas corensis: Great views of 3 at El Ebanal toll on our travel day to Riohacha.
Band-tailed Pigeon - Patagioenas fasciata: Fairly common – seen by Steve and Tom at El Dorado Reserve.
White-tipped Dove - Leptotila verreauxi: Pretty common at many localities.
Lined Quail-Dove - Geotrygon linearis: This shy Dove was seen by Steve and Tom at El Dorado Lodge.
Common Ground-Dove - Columbina passerine: 2 seen at Los Flamengos.
Ruddy Ground-Dove - Columbina talpacoti: Numerous and widespread in open country.
Scaled Dove - Columbina squammata: 1 seen at El Ebanal toll and another one at Los Flamengos.
Blue Ground-Dove - Claravis pretiosa: A male one seen briefly at Las Gaviotas road- pretiosa means costly or precious.
CUCULIDAE
Squirrel Cuckoo - Piaya cayana: Great views of 2 at Las Tinajas road.
Smooth-billed Ani - Crotophaga ani: 5+ at El Ebanal toll on our travel day to Riohacha.
Groove-billed Ani - Crotophaga sulcirostris: 4 at Los Flamengos.
STRIGIDAE
Santa Marta Screech Owl – Megascops sp.nov: Heard only at El Dorado Lodge. ENDEMIC.
Spectacled Owl – Pulsatrix perspicillata: Heard only, below El Dorado Lodge.
Black-and-White Owl – Ciccaba nigrolineata: great views of 1 roosting at Minca.
TROCHILIDAE
White-necked Jacobin - Florisuga mellivora: Common at the feeders of Minca Hotel where we stopped for lunch and one more at the Hotel Sierra Sound at Minca the last day.
Long-billed Hermit - Phaethornis longirostris: 1 seen at the feeders of Las Moras store below El Dorado Lodge on our travel day to Minca.
Brown Violetear - Colibri delphinae: Quite common at El Dorado Lodge.
Green Violetear – Colibri thalassinus: Very common at El Dorado Lodge.
Sparkling Violetear – Colibri coruscans: About 3 seen at El Dorado Lodge.
Black-throated Mango - Anthracothorax nigricollis: 2 females seen at Las Tinajas road.
Santa Marta Tyrian Metaltail - Metallura tyrianthina districta: 2 seen at San Lorenzo ridge above El Dorado Lodge. Range Restricted.
White-tailed Starfrontlet - Coeligena phalerata: A female seen by Ken at El Dorado Lodge. ENDEMIC.
Mountain Velvetbreast - Lafresnaya lafresnaya: a female seen at San Lorenzo ridge above El Dorado Lodge. 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”.
Red-billed Emerald - Chlorostilbon gibsoni: 2 seen at Las Tinajas road and 3 more at Los Flamengos. Range Restricted. 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 [are they breeding?] 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.
Coppery Emerald - Chlorostilbon russatus: 1 seen at Los Flamengos. Range Restricted.
Santa Marta Sabrewing - Campylopterus phainopeplus: A female one seen at San Lorenzo ridge above El Dorado Lodge by some of the group. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
White-vented Plumeleteer - Chalybura buffonii: 2 at Minca Hotel and 2 more at Sierra Sound Hotel. 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 – very common at El Dorado Lodge. 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.
Buffy Hummingbird - Leucippus fallax: Good views of 1 at Los Flamengos. Range Restricted.
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird - Amazilia tzacatl: 2 seen at Minca Hotel at lunch time when we stopped for lunch on our travel day to El Dorado Lodge.
Shining-green Hummingbird - Lepidopyga goudoti: A female seen at Los Flamengos.
TROGONIDAE
White-tipped Quetzal – Pharomachrus fulgidus: Very good views of 4 at El Dorado Lodge. Range Restricted.
Masked Trogon - Trogon personatus: Seen twice at El Dorado Lodge.
ALCEDINIDAE
Ringed Kingfisher - Megaceryle torquata. 1 seen in flight at Las Tinajas road. Note that these big species are now treated as a distinct genus, the Megaceryle.
GALBULIDAE
Rufous-tailed Jacamar - Galbula ruficauda: Very good views of 2 at Las Tinajas road and 1 more at Las Gaviotas road and 1 more at Los Flamengos.
BUCCONIDAE
White-necked Puffbird - Notharchus hyperrhynchus: 1 seen very well at Las Tinajas road.
Russet-throated Puffbird - Hypnelus ruficollis: 2 seen at Las Tinajas road and one more at Los Flamengos.
RAMPHASTIDAE
Keel-billed Toucan - Ramphastos sulfuratus: 2 seen at Las Acacias restaurant on our travel day to Riohacha and 2 more at Minca Hotel and 1 more at Sierra Sound Hotel.
Santa Marta (Emerald) Toucanet - Aulacorhynchus (prasinus) lautus: Quite commonly seen at El Dorado Reserve. ENDEMIC.
PICIDAE
Chestnut Piculet - Picumnus cinnamomeus: Great view of 2 at Los Flamengos. Range Restricted.
Red-crowned Woodpecker – Melanerpes rubricapillus: Common and conspicuous.
Golden-olive Woodpecker - Colaptes rubiginosus: 1 female seen at Las Gaviotas road and 2 more seen at El Dorado Lodge by Steve.
Lineated Woodpecker - Dryocopus lineatus: 1 seen at Las Gaviotas restaurant.
Crimson-crested Woodpecker - Campephilus melanoleucos: A female one seen on our stop at Las Moras store on our travel day to Minca from El Dorado Lodge.
FALCONIDAE
Laughing Falcon - Herpetotheres cachinnans: Heard only, at Las Gaviotas road.
Crested Caracara - Caracara cheriway: Common throughout the tour: Formerly placed in the genus Polyborus but this species has been switched to the genus Caracara. Note also that the former species known as Crested Caracara, has been split into three species with those ranging north of north-west Peru and the Amazon River (i.e. Colombia) and as far as the USA, according to the IOC, retain the name Northern Crested Caracara C. cheriway, the birds from Southern Peru to the tip of South America, Tierra del Fuego, are referable to the species Caracara plancus Southern Caracara, while another form, the extinct Guadalupe Caracara C. lutosus, of Guadalupe Island, Mexico, has also been given its untimely species status.
Yellow-headed Caracara - Milvago chimachima: 3 seen on our travel day to Riohacha from Santa Marta.
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius: 1 seen on our travel day to El Dorado Lodge.
Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus: 1 seen on our travel day to El Dorado Lodge.
Merlin – Falco columbarius: 1 seen on our travel day to the airport in Santa Marta.
PSITTACIDAE
Orange-chinned Parakeet - Brotogeris jugularis: 10+ at Las Tinajas.
Red-billed Parrot – Pionus sordidus: Every day at El Dorado Reserve.
Blue-headed Parrot - Pionus menstruus: Seen on two different days around Santa Marta.
Scaly-naped Amazon – Amazona mercenerius: 2 above El Dorado Lodge.
Green-rumped Parrotlet – Forpus passerinus: 50+ at El Ebanal toll and 3 more at Los Flamengos.
Brown-throated Parakeet - Eupsittula pertinax: Common at Los Flamengos but also seen at Las Tinajas road on our travel day to Riohacha.
Military Macaw – Ara militaris – 2 pairs seen in flght at Las Tinajas road. VULNERABLE.
Scarlet-fronted Parakeet - Psittacara wagleri: 20+ seen from Minca Hotel and 2 at San Lorenzo ridge above El Dorado Lodge.
THAMNOPHILIDAE
Black-crested Antshrike – Sakesphorus canadiensis: Male and female seen at Los Flamengos. Sakephorus is Greek meaning “Shield-bearing” referring to the black shield like breast patches of this genus.
Barred Antshrike- Thamnophilus doliatus: 2 seen at Las Gaviotas road.
White-fringed Antwren - Formicivora grisea: 2 pairs seen well at Los Flamengos.
GRALLARIDAE
Santa Marta Antpitta – Grallaria bangsi: Very good view of 1 above El Dorado Lodge. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
RHINOCRYPTIDAE
Santa Marta Tapaculo – Scytalopus sanctaemartae: 1 seen at the San Lorenzo ridge. ENDEMIC.
Brown-rumped Tapaculo - Scytalopus latebricola: Heard only, at El Dorado Reserve. ENDEMIC.
FURNARIIDAE
Strong-billed Woodcreeper - Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus: 1 seen well at San Lorenzo ridge.
Straight–billed Woodcreeper – Dendroplex picus: 2 seen at Las Tinajas and 2 at Los Flamengos. 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.
Montane Woodcreeper – Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger: 1 seen at El Dorado Lodge.
Pale-legged Hornero - Furnarius leucopus: 1 seen at Los Flamengos.
Montane Foliage-gleaner - Anabacerthia striaticollis: 4 seen at El Dorado Reserve.
Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner - Automolus rufipectus: Very good view of one on our stop at Las Moras store on our travel day to Minca from El Dorado Lodge. ENDEMIC.
Streak-capped Spinetail - Cranioleuca hellmayri: 1 seen at San Lorenzo ridge. ENDEMIC.
White-whiskered Spinetail – Synallaxis candei: 3 seen very well at Los Flamengos. Range Restricted.
Rusty-headed Spinetail – Synallaxis fuscorufa: 2 seen on two consecutive days above El Dorado Lodge. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
TYRANNIDAE
Forest Elaenia - Myiopagis gaimardii: 1 seen at Las Gaviotas road on our travel day to Riohacha.
Mountain Elaenia - Elaenia frantzii: 1 seen above El Dorado Lodge.
Sierran Elaenia - Elaenia pallatangae: 2 seen at San Lorenzo ridge.
Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet - Camptostoma obsoletum: 1 seen at Las Tinajas road.
White-tailed Tyrannulet – Mecocerculus poecilocercus: 2 at Rio Blanco.
White-throated Tyrannulet - Mecocerculus leucophrys: 4 seen at San Lorenzo ridge above El Dorado Lodge.
Olive-striped Flycatcher – Mionectes olivcaeous: 2 seen above El Dorado Lodge.
Northern Scrub Flycatcher - Sublegatus arenarum: 2 seen at Los Flamengos.
Slender-billed Inezia - Inezia tenuirostris: Very good view of 1 at Los Flamengos. Range Restricted.
Pearly-vented Tody-tyrant – Hemitriccus margaritaceiventer: 1 seen at Los Flamengos.
Black-fronted Tody-Flycatcher - Hemitriccus granadensis: Twice seen above El Dorado Lodge.
Cinnamon Flycatcher - Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea: 2 seen below Las Moras store on our travel day to Minca from El Dorado Lodge.
Vermilion Flycatcher - Pyrocephalus rubinus: 2 seen at El Ebanal toll on our travel day to Riohacha. A stunning bird.
Yellow-bellied Chat-tyrant - Ochthoeca diadema: Two seen at San Lorenzo ridge.
Cattle Tyrant - Machetornis rixosa: 3 at El Ebanal toll and 2 more at Los Flamengos.
Social Flycatcher - Myiozetetes similis: 1 at Las Tinajas road on our travel day to Riohacha.
Great Kiskadee - Pitangus sulphuratus: A widespread bird of open areas, even found right in the center of towns.
Golden-crowned Flycatcher - Myiodynastes chrysocephalus: Seen twice at El Dorado lodge.
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher - Myiodynastes lutriventris: 2 seen at Las Gaviotas road.
Boat-billed Flycatcher - Megarynchus pitangua: 1 seen at Las Moras store on our travel day to Minca from El Dorado Lodge.
Tropical Kingbird - Tyrannus melancholicus. TK! Common throughout, seen every day of the trip.
Fork-tailed Flycatcher – Tyrannus savanna: 2 seen at El Ebanal toll on our travel day to Riohacha.
Gray Kingbird - Tyrannus dominicensis: 3 seen at El Ebanal road and 1 more at Los Flamengo.
Dusky-capped Flycatcher - Myiarchus tuberculifer: Heard only, below El Dorado Lodge.
Brown-crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus tyrannulus: 1 seen at Las Tinajas road and 1 more at Los Flamengos.
COTINGIDAE
Golden-breasted Fruiteater - Pipreola aureopectus: 2 seen above El Dorado Lodge on two consecutive days, indeed – stunning birds!
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.
Masked Tityra – Tityra semifasciata: 1 seen below El Dorado Lodge
VIREONIDAE
Rufous-browed Peppershrike - Cyclarhis gujanensis: 1 seen at Los Flamengos.
Philadelphia Vireo – Vireo philadelphicus: 1 seen above El Dorado Lodge – seen with Steve and Tom.
CORVIDAE
Black-chested Jay - Cyanocorax affinis: Common at El Dorado Lodge.
HIRUNDINIDAE
Blue-and-white Swallow -Pygochelidon cyanoleuca: Common at El Dorado Reserve.
Southern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx ruficollis: Common at lower elevations – 5 seen at Las Tinajas road.
Gray-breasted Martin – Progne chalybea: 1 seen on our travel day to Riohacha.
Barn Swallow – Hirundo rustica: 20+ at Los Flamengos.
TROGLODYTIDAE
Bicolored Wren - Campylorhynchus griseus: Excellent views at Las Tinajas road on our travel day to Riohacha.
Hermit Wood-Wren - Henicorhina anachoreta: 2 seen above El Dorado Lodge. A recent splt from Gray-breasted Wood-Wren. The SACC says: Henicorhina leucophrys may consist of more than one species; see Ridgely & Tudor (1989) and Kroodsma & Brewer (2005). Cadena et al. (2015) found that H. l. bangsi and H. l. anachoreta are elevationally parapatric in the Santa Marta Mountains. SACC proposal passed to treat anachoreta as a separate species. SACC proposal pending on English name. ENDEMIC.
POLIOPTIDAE
Tropical Gnatcatcher – Polioptila plummbea: 6 at Los Flamengos.
TURDIDAE
Slaty-backed Nightingale Thrush - Catharus fuscater: 1 seen very well twice above El Dorado Lodge.
Pale-eyed Thrush - Turdus leucops: 1 seen from the restaurant of Minca Hotel.
Yellow-legged Thrush - Turdus flavipes: Nice view of 2 males below El Dorado Lodge.
Clay-colored Thrush - Turdus grayi: 1 seen at Las Tinajas road on our travel day to Riohacha.
Great Thrush - Turdus fuscater: Common at higher elevations – 1 seen at San Lorenzo ridge.
MIMIDAE
Tropical Mockingbird - Mimus gilvus: A common open country species – seen at Las Tinajas road and at Los Flamengos.
THRAUPIDAE
Santa Marta Mountain-Tanager – Anisognathus melanogenys: Very good views at San Lorenzo ridge above El Dorado Reserve. ENDEMIC.
Crimson-backed Tanager - Ramphocelus dimidiatus: 5 seen at Las Tinajas road and 2 more on our travel day to El Dorado Lodge.
Blue-gray Tanager - Thraupis episcopus: A few seen at El Ebanal toll on our travel day to Riohacha. 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 El Dorado Reserve.
Black-capped Tanager - Tangara heinei: Seen on two consecutive days above El Dorado Lodge.
Santa Marta Bay-headed Tanager - Tangara gyrola toddi: 4 in total seen above El Dorado Lodge.
Swallow Tanager- Tersina viridis: 2 seen below Las Moras store on our travel day to Minca from El Dorado Lodge.
White-sided Flowerpiercer - Diglossa albilatera: Seen every day at El Dorado Lodge.
Buff-throated Saltator - Saltator maximus: Fairly common – seen at Las Tinajas road and at Minca restaurant.
Grayish Saltator – Saltator coerulescens: 1 seen on our travel day to Riohacha.
Orinocan Saltator - Saltator orenocensis: Great view of 1 that responded to play-back at Los Flamengos.
Streaked Saltator - Saltator striatipectus: 1 seen at Minca Hotel restaurant.
Paramo (Santa Marta) Seedeater - Catamenia (oreophila) homochroa: A male one seen at San Lorenzo ridge.
Slate-colored Seedeater – Sporophila schistacea: A male seen at Las Acasias restaurant on our lunch stop on our travel day to Riohacha.
Pileated Finch - Coryphospingus pileatus: 5 seen very well at Los Flamengos.
Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola: As usual, common and widespread.
Black-faced Grassquit - Tiaris bicolor: 2 pairs seen at Los Flamengos.
EMBERIZIDAE
Rufous-collared Sparrow - Zonotrichia capensis: Numerous at higher elevations.
Tocuyo Sparrow - Arremonops tocuyensis: A brief view of 1 at Los Flamengos after some effort by our local guide Luis. Range Restricted.
Golden-winged Sparrow - Arremon schlegeli: A very good view of 1 at Minca Hotel restaurant.
Sierra Nevada Brush-Finch - Arremon basilicus: Seen on two consecutive days at El Dorado Lodge by different participants. ENDEMIC.
Santa Marta Brush-Finch - Atlapetes melanocephalus: Very common at El Dorado Lodge. ENDEMIC.
CARDINALIDAE
Summer Tanager – Piranga rubra: 1 seen from the vehicle on our travel day to El Dorado Lodge.
Golden-bellied Grosbeak- Pheucticus chrysogaster: Good view of 2 individuals at San Lorenzo ridge.
Vermilion Cardinal - Cardinalis phoeniceus: Fantastic views of 2 pairs seen at Los Flamengos.
PARULIDAE
Louisiana Waterthrush- Parkesia motacilla: Uncommon boreal migrant – 1 seen on the river from the Sierra Sound Hotel.
Black and White Warbler – Mniiotilta varia: 2 seen below El Dorado Lodge.
Tennessee Warbler – Vermivora peregrina: Seen every day at El Dorado Reserve.
American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla: 1 seen on our travel day to El Dorado Lodge and 1 more seen by Linda and Tom at El Dorado Lodge.
Blackburnian Warbler – Setophaga fusca: Regularly recorded throughout the tour – a very pretty bird.
Santa Marta Warbler - Myiothlypis basilica: 1 seen above El Dorado Lodge – VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
White-lored Warbler - Myiothlypis conspicillata: Seen on two consecutive days above El Dorado Lodge. ENDEMIC.
Rufous-capped Warbler - Basileuterus rufifrons: 1 seen at Minca on our way up to El Dorado Lodge.
Slate-throated Whitestart - Myioborus miniatus: Seen on two consecutive days at El Dorado Lodge.
Yellow-crowned Whitestart - Myioborus flavivertex: 6 in total seen on two consecutive days at El Dorado Reserve. ENDEMIC.
Magnolia Warbler – Setophaga magnolia: 1 seen at Minca on our way up to El Dorado Lodge.
Black-throated Blue-Warbler – Setophaga caerulescens: A female seen by Ken at El Dorado Reserve.
ICTERIDAE
Crested Oropendola - Psarocolius decumanus: Seen every day at El Dorado Lodge.
Orange-crowned Warbler - Icterus auricapillus: 2 seen well at Las Tinajas road and 1 more at Sierra Sound Hotel grounds.
Yellow Oriole – Icterus nigrogularis: Seen at Las Tinajas road and at Los Flamengos.
Shiny Cowbird – Molothorus bonariensis: 5+ seen at Las Acasias restaurant on our travel day to Riohacha.
Carib Grackle - Quiscalus lugubris: Quite common throughout the tour. This species is spreading south at a fast rate and has reached Bogota where it parasites House Sparrows.
Great-tailed Grackle - Quiscalus mexicanus: Seen commonly at Los Flamengos but also at Las Acasias restaurant on our travel day to Riohacha.
FRINGILLIDAE
Thick-billed Euphonia - Euphonia laniirostris: 1 seen at Las Tinajas road and 1 more on our travel day to El Dorado Lodge.
Blue-naped Chlorophonia - Chlorophonia cyanea: El Dorado Lodge is the best place to see this bird that I ever seen before.