ITINERARY
April 14th: Early start at Lima airport. We headed to the Santa Eulalia valley where we spent the whole day birding scrub. Then we headed to San Mateo where we spent the night to acclimate for the next day.
April 15th: San Mateo to the Marcapomacocha road for high altitude birding. Later, driving towards Concepcion where we spent the night.
April 16th: Day trip to the Pariahuanca Road. The Huaytapallana pass at 4597m, at the base of the Pariahuanca snow peak. We continued down along the road until the small town of Pariahuanca. We returned to our country hotel in Concepcion.
April 17th: Leaving Conception along the “Satipo” Road to Apalla. We started very early and we stopped for Millpo Tapaculo on the way. Lunch near Puente Carrizales and overnight at the community house in Apalla.
April 18th: A full day in the Satipo road cloud forest.
April 19th: Apalla to Oxapampa. Early start took us to Satipo and later to Villa Rica. Then we birded coffee plantations, later the Bosque Shollet. Then to Ulcumano Lodge in Oxapampa for overnight.
April 20th: Ulcumano Lodge to Junín. A landslide obligated us to head back to Oxapampa and use the road to Junín through Villa Rica. We left Lawrence in Tarma and continued to Junín (Chinchaycocha) at 4100 m, where we spent the night.
April 21st: Morning on the Junín Lake for Junín Rail & Grebe. Then we headed to Huánuco, with a stop for the endemic Rufous-backed Inca Finch. Overnight at Gran Hotel Huánuco.
April 22nd: Huánuco to Carpish tunnel (2704 m) and later, Paty trail (2503 m). Early afternoon departure to Huánuco because of the rain. Overnight at Gran Hotel Huánuco.
April 23rd: Huánuco to Bosque Unchog. Full day at Unchog. Misty and rainy, but we managed to get all the specialties we went for.
April 24th: Since we had cleaned up all the Unchog birds, we decided to go to Cordillera Divisoria for birding. The heavy and continuous rain made us head back to Tingo Maria, where we birded along the Huallaga river. Later in the afternoon we paid another visit to Paty trail. Overnight at Gran Hotel Huanuco.
April 25th: Huánuco – Huaráz and Carhuaz via La Union (4896 m - highest point). We stopped for several hours due to road workings. Night at Carhuaz.
April 26th: Carhuaz to Huascaran National Park. We birded on the upper part of the Langanuco Lake, surrounded by beautiful snow peaks. Later we moved to the Polylepis forest at higher altitude. Late afternoon return to Carhuaz where we spent the night.
April 27th: In the morning we birded Pueblo Libre in xerophytic habitat, where we searched for the undescribed form of Pale-tailed Canastero. Then we started back to Lima, with a brief stop at Paraiso Lagoons. End of the trip.
SPECIES LIST
TINAMIDAE
Little Tinamou - Crypturellus soui. Heard only, at Huallaga river near Tingo Maria.
Brown Tinamou - Crypturellus obsoletus. Heard only, at Paty trail and Apalla.
Ornate Tinamou – Nothoprocta ornata. One individual seen near the Huaytapallana pass.
Andean Tinamou - Nothoprocta pentlandii. Very common at Santa Eulalia Valley. Many individuals heard.
ANATIDAE
Andean Duck - Oxyura ferruginea. This bird was seen at several high-altitude lakes. The SACC says “Andean populations of Ruddy Duck (O. jamaicensis) have often (e.g., Hellmayr & Conover 1948a, Siegfried 1976, Sibley & Ahlquist 1990, AOU 1998, Ridgely et al. 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). Siegfried (1976) and Livezey (1995) considered ferruginea to be more closely related to O. vittata than to O. jamaicensis, but McCracken & Sorenson (2005) showed that this is incorrect.” Go and chew that one over! In short it is split from O. jamaicensis (Ridgely & Greenfield 2001; Jaramillo 2003. All authorities now recognize this split.
Andean Goose - Oressochen melanoptera. Very common. Seen at many places, like Junin Lake and Huascaran national Park. Genetic data (mtDNA only; Bulgarella et al. 2014) suggest that Neochen jubata (Orinoco Goose) is the sister species to Chloephaga melanoptera (Andean Goose, and thus is likely embedded in Chloephaga as currently circumscribed.
Torrent Duck - Merganetta armata. Several seen on white water creeks.
Crested Duck - Lophonetta specularioides. Seen on many occasions. The SACC says “Lophonetta specularioides is often (e.g., Hellmayr & Conover 1948a, Johnsgard 1979) placed in Anas, but see Johnson & Sorenson (1999) for return to monotypic Lophonetta, as in Meyer de Schauensee (1970) and BLake (1977).”
Yellow-billed Teal - Anas flavirostris. Common. Seen in high elevations lakes and rivers. This is now a split form Andean Teal – Anas andium (Ridgely et al 2001, Hilty 2003, and SACC). Birds we saw belong to the altiplano form oxyptera, differing from nominate flavirostris of southern South America in size and coloration. The two might best be considered species. Jaramillo (2003) suggested that the subspecies oxyptera may also deserve recognition as a separate species from A. flavirostris. The SACC suggest a change of the English name to Yellow-billed Teal and this has been followed by the IOC.
Yellow-billed Pintail - Anas georgica. Several seen at Junin Lake.
White-cheeked Pintail - Anas bahamensis. Several seen at Paraiso on our last day on our way to Lima.
Puna Teal - Spatula puna. Common. Seen on high elevations Lakes.
Cinnamon Teal - Spatula cyanoptera. Several seen at Paraiso on our last day on our way to Lima.
CRACIDAE
Andean Guan - Penelope montagnii. Seen around Apaya / Calabaza. Penelope is the name of the wife of Ulysses, King of Ithaca, but why this name was bestowed on this genus of Neotropical guans is unknown.
Speckled Chachalaca – Ortalis guttata. Common. Seen around Oxapampa and Satipo.
PHOENICOPTERIDAE
Chilean Flamingo - Phoenicopterus chilensis. A few seen at the Junín Lake (Chinchaycocha is the correct quechua name for this Lake) and at Paraiso lagoons.
PODICIPEDIDAE
White-tufted Grebe - Rollandia rolland. Several seen at Junín Lake. Named for Master Gunner Rolland of the French Corvette L’Uranie which circumnavigated the globe 1817-1820.
Great Grebe – Podiceps major. Several seen at Laguna Paraiso.
Northern Silvery Grebe - Podiceps junensis. Good looks at this Grebe on Junín Lake, providing good comparison opportunities with the next species. It was carrying chicks on the back. The species here is the northern and high- elevation juninensis, which in plumage is closer to Junín Grebe than to the southern, nominate race. Fjeldså & Krabbe (1990) and Jaramillo (2003) suggested that the northern Andean subspecies, juninensis, might merit recognition as a separate species from Podiceps occipitalis. The gene tree in Ogawa et al. (2015) is consistent with treating juninensis as a separate species.
Junín Grebe - Podiceps taczanowskii. Seen at Junin Lake (almost at the center). It was carrying chicks on its back. The species is named after Wladyslaw Taczanowski, a 19th century Polish Ornithologist who wrote Ornithologie du Pérou (he has several species and subspecies named after him). Junín Grebe is confined to Lake Junín in the highlands of Junín, west-central Peru. You need a boat to see this bird. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
COLUMBIDAE
Spot-winged Pigeon - Patagioenas maculosa. Common on the highlands.
Band-tailed Pigeon - Patagioenas fasciata. Common at high elevation montane forests. A widespread species, ranging from British Columbia (Canada) down into northern Argentina, though the southern races crissalis, roraimae and albilinea (= the one we saw) are sometimes regarded as a separate species, White-necked Pigeon C. albilinea. Also note that recent research has shown that the genus Columba is paraphyletic, with New World taxa being more closely related to Streptopelia than to Old World Columba pigeons. This is consistent with differences between New World and Old-World Columba in terms of morphology, serology and behavior. The suggestion was made to place all New World forms in the genus Patagioenas, and the AOU recently adopted this change.
Eared Dove - Zenaida auriculata. Fairly common on the coast in open areas.
West Peruvian Dove - Zenaida meloda. This is a fairly common dove from the coast, but we had it in Satipo. That Satipo population is for sure feral. The melancholic song is very different from that of the White-winged Dove (Z. asiatica), from which it has been split.
White-tipped Dove – Leptotila verreauxi. Seen at Tingo Maria surroundings.
Croaking Ground-Dove Columbina cruziana. Seen on Huanuco surroundings.
Ruddy Ground-Dove - Columbina talpacoti. Seen at Tingo Maria surroundings.
Black-winged Ground Dove – Metriopelia melanoptera. Fairly common at Santa Eulalia valley.
CUCULIDAE
Groove-billed Ani – Crotophaga sulicirostris. Seen by PK in the outskirts of Huanuco.
Squirrel Cuckoo – Piaya cayana. A few seen on the eastern humid forest. Three seen together near Tingo Maria.
CAPRIMULGIDAE
Lyre-tailed Nightjar - Uropsalis lyra. Heard only, at Apalla.
Ocellated Poorwill - Nyctiphrynus ocellatus. Heard only, at Ulcumano ecolodge.
APODIDAE
White-collared Swift – Streptoprocne zonaris. A group of 80 seen at Santa Eulalia.
Andean Swift - Aeronautes andecolus. Views of several on the Puente Austisha, in the Santa Eulalia valley.
TROCHILIDAE
Lesser Violetear - Colibri cyanotus. Common around Apaya. The English common name for Colibri thalassinus used to be Green Violetear; now it is Mexican Violetear. The form from southern Middle America south that was split off now becomes Colibri cyanotus, Lesser Violetear.
Sparkling Violetear - Colibri coruscans. Quite common at Santa Eulalia Valley near Huachupampa.
Amethyst-throated Sunangel - Heliangelus amethysticollis. A few seen at Carpish.
Bronze-tailed Comet - Polyonymus caroli. Three seen in the Santa Eulalia Valley. A localized endemic. ENDEMIC.
Andean Hillstar - Oreotrochilus estella. One seen in the Huascaran National Park catching insects on a creek.
Black-breasted Hillstar - Oreotrochilus melanogaster. A pair seen at Lake Junín, at our local guide’s (Cesar) garden. ENDEMIC.
Green-tailed Trainbearer - Lesbia nuna. One seen on the higher parts of the Llanganuco Lake.
Long-tailed Sylph - Aglaiocercus kingii. One seen at Ulcumano ecolodge.
Olivaceous Thornbill - Chalcostigma olivaceum. Good views of two individuals at Marcapomacocha. Range Restricted.
Blue-mantled Thornbill - Chalcostigma stanleyi. A few seen on the higher parts of the Llanganuco Lake, amongst Polylepis.
Coppery Metaltail - Metallura theresiae. Fairly common at Bosque Unchog. Here the nominate race, named after Princess Therese of Bavaria (1850-1925). ENDEMIC.
Fire-throated Metaltail – Metallura eupogon. One seen near the town of Comas, at the same site where we got Millpo tapaculo. Greek – Eu = Good. Pogon = Beard. ENDEMIC.
Black Metaltail – Metallura phoebe. Fairly common. Seen at Santa Eulalia and Huascaran National Park. Range Restricted.
Tyrian Metaltail – Metallura tyrianthina. Fairly common at high elevation on the east side of the Andes. Named after the color Tyrian purple.
Shining Sunbeam – Aglaeactis cupripennis. Common. Seen on several days at Apalla and Huascaran National Park.
Bronzy Inca – Coeligena coeligena. One seen at Ulcumano ecolodge.
Collared Inca – Coeligena torquata. Seen on several days at Apalla.
Great Sapphirewing – Pterophanes cyanopterus. Seen on Apalla.
Chestnut-breasted Coronet – Boissonneaua matthewsii. Seen on Apalla and Unchog.
Giant Hummingbird – Patagona gigas. The largest hummer on earth. First seen at Santa Eulalia and then throughout the trip, at high elevations.
Purple-collared Woodstar – Myrtis fanny. Great views at Santa Eulalia.
Peruvian Sheartail – Thaumastura cora. Nice views of a full-tailed male at Santa Eulalia. Range Restricted.
Oasis Hummingbird – Rhodopis vesper. Common at Santa Eulalia Valley. Range Restricted.
White-bellied Woodstar - Chaetocercus mulsant. Seen near Oxapampa.
White-bellied Hummingbird – Amazilia chionogaster. Several seen.
RALLIDAE
Plumbeous Rail - Pardirallus sanguinolentus. Several seen at Junin Lake and also several heard at Paraiso.
Black (Junin) Rail – Laterallus jaimacensisi tuerosi. Great views of this species at Junin Lake thanks to our local guide Cesar. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Common Gallinule -Gallinula galeatus. Fairly common bird in high andes and coastal Lakes. Note that this species is a recent split from Common Moorhen of the old world (Gallinula chlorops) on the basis of morphological, genetic, and vocal differences (Groenenberg et al. 2008).
Slate-colored Coot Fulica ardesiaca. Common at Junin Lake and other highland Lakes.
Giant Coot - Fulica gigantea. Two near Ticlio pass on the second day of the trip and on the highland Lakes between Huanuco and Huaraz.
CHARADRIIDAE
Diademed Sandpiper-Plover - Phegornis mitchellii. Wonderful views of 3 individuals at Marcapomacocha bogs.
Semipalmated Plover - Charadrius semipalmatus. One seen in flight at Paraiso.
Andean Lapwing -Vanellus resplendens. Fairly common on gassy areas at high elevations. Seen at least on three days.
HAEMATOPODIDAE
American Oystercatcher - Haematopus palliatus. Several seen on the beach at Paraiso.
Blackish Oystercatcher - Haematopus ater. A pair seen on the rocky beach at Paraiso.
SCOLOPACIDAE
Puna Snipe - Gallinago andina. Seen on the Marcapomacocha bogs. The SACC says “Species limits in New World Gallinago have been fluid and controversial, and not based on explicit analyses. Many authors (e.g., Peters 1934, Pinto 1938, and Hellmayr & Conover 1948b) have considered paraguaiae, magellanica, and andina to be conspecific. Additionally, Gallinago paraguaiae was considered conspecific with G. [gallinago] delicata by Phelps & Phelps (1958a), Meyer de Schauensee (1970), and BLake (1970). Fjeldså and Krabbe (1990) placed magellanica with paraguaiae, making this species G. magellanica. Any arrangement of species limits in these taxa is based largely on anecdotal data, and this group is badly in need of formal study, especially given that differences in displays and vocalizations among paraguaiae, magellanica, and andina have been reported (Jaramillo 2003).
Greater Yellowlegs -Tringa melanoleuca. Three seen at Laguna Paraiso.
Wilson's Phalarope - Phalaropus tricolor. Surprisingly, three swimming at the middle of Junin Lake while looking for Junin Grebes.
Baird's Sandpiper - Calidris bairdii. A group seen at Marcapomacocha bogs. Also on the Lake on our way to Apalla.
THINOCORIDAE
Gray-breasted Seedsnipe - Thinocorus orbignyianus. First seen at Marcapomacocha bogs. Then, we had great views on the Lake on our way to Apalla.
LARIDAE
Belcher’s Gull - Larus belcheri. Fairly common on sandy beaches. We saw it at Paraiso. Larus belcheri and L. atlanticus were formerly (e.g., Meyer de Schauensee 1970, BLake 1977) considered conspecific, but Devillers (1977) provided rationale for treatment as separate species, and this treatment has been followed by most authors, e.g., Sibley & Monroe (1990), Burger & Gochfeld (1996), and AOU (1998); they form a superspecies (Sibley & Monroe 1990). Named for Sir Edward Belcher British naval explore of the pacific coast of America 1825-1828.
Kelp Gull - Larus dominicanus
Fairly common on sandy beaches. We saw it at Paraiso. For those of you visiting southern Africa - note that the subspecies found along the coast there has now been proposed to be a different species, the Cape Gull L. vetula.
Grey-hooded Gull - Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus. Seen at Paraiso. The genetic data of Crochet et al. (1999) and Pons et al. (2005) indicate that Larus as currently constituted is polyphyletic, and that resurrection of Chroicocephalus for a group of species that includes L. cirrocephalus, L. serranus, L. ridibundus, and L. maculipennis is necessary to maintain Larus as monophyletic; this would represent a partial return to the classification of Ridgway (1919), which also included L. pipixcan and L. atricilla in Chroicocephalus.
Andean Gull - Chroicocephalus serranus. Very common at high elevations. Called Kellwa in native Quechua.
Gray Gull - Leucophaeus modestus. Fairly common on sandy beaches. We saw it at Paraiso.
Franklin's Gull - Leucophaeus pipixcan. Fairly common on Peruvian coast during summer time. We saw a few thousands, dressing pinkish-colored beasts, and ready to migrate, at Paraiso.
Elegant Tern - Thalasseus elegans. Fairly common on Peruvian coast during summer time. Seen at Paraiso.
SULIDAE
Peruvian Booby - Sula variegata. Seen at Paraiso, flying on the shore.
PHALACROCORACIDAE
Neotropic Cormorant - Phalacrocorax brasilianus. Seen at Paraiso.
PELECANIDAE
Peruvian Pelican - Pelecanus thagus. Seen at Paraiso.
ARDEIDAE
Snowy Egret - Egretta thula. A few seen at Paraiso. ‘Thula’ is an Araucano (Chilean) Indian name for the Black-necked Swan, erroneously given to the Snowy Egret!
Great Egret - Ardea alba. A few seen at Paraiso.
Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis. Very common, seen on different occasions. It only colonized the Americas from the Old World in the 20th century, one of the most striking examples of avian range expansions in historic times. Largely a terrestrial feeder, reports of stomach contents have shown that grasshoppers are their main prey item.
Fasciated Tiger-Heron- Tigrisoma fasciatum. One seen on the river on our way to Villa Rica.
Black-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax. Seen on Junin Lake.
THRESKIORNITHIDAE
Puna Ibis - Plegadis ridgwayi. Fairly common on high elevation Lakes and bogs. Noticeably common at Junin Lake. Also on the coast – this species has only become a regular visitor to the coast in the last 20 years.
Andean Ibis - Theristictus branickii. Several encounters on grassy areas on our way to Mantaro valley and to Apalla. Sibley & Monroe (1990) considered branickii as separate species (Andean Ibis) from melanopis (Black-faced Ibis); anecdotal observations (Vizcarra 2009) suggest that the two taxa segregate where they occur sympatrically during nonbreeding season. Del Hoyo & Collar (2014) treated branickii as a separate species.
CATHARTIDAE
Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus. Seen on the coast. After the opinions of a few 19th century taxonomists were long ignored, recent genetic studies have indicated that New World vultures are modified storks and don’t belong with the raptors; an excellent example of convergent evolution.
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura. Seen on several localities. Birds here belong to resident forms, and what is currently known as the wide-ranging Turkey Vulture may consist of more than one biological species.
Andean Condor - Vultur gryphus. One male seen at Santa Eulalia.
ACCIPITRIDAE
Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle - Geranoaetus melanoleucus. One seen at the Santa Eulalia valley.
Variable Hawk - Geranoaetus polyosoma. Several seen during the trip. Buteo polyosoma includes B. poecilochrous, (Puna Hawk) currently recognized by some but which SACC treats as conspecific. The form seen in the inter-montane valleys and Lomas de Lachay was polyosoma and the big broad winged birds in the High Andes were poecilochrous, (Puna Hawk). Cabot & de Vries (2003, 2004, 2010) presented additional data that support their recognition as separate species.
Roadside Hawk - Rupornis magnirostris. Common around Satipo and Oxapampa.
Cinereous Harrier – Circus cinereus. One seen at Junin Lake.
Solitary Eagle - Buteogallus solitarius. Espectacular! At Bosque de Shollet.
STRIGIDAE
Rufous-banded Owl - Ciccaba albitarsus. “Technically” seen at Apalla.
Peruvian Pygmy-owl - Glaucidium peruanum. One seen leaving Huanuco.
Yungas Pygmy-owl - Glaucidium bolivianum. Heard only, at Apalla.
Cloud Forest Screech Owl – Megascops marshalli. Heard only. Despite much effort, we had no views of this owl.
TROGONIDAE
Masked Trogon - Trogon personatus. Seen several times in montane forest.
GALBULIDAE
Bluish-fronted Jacamar - Galbula cyanescens. Great views of two individuals near Tingo Maria.
RAMPHASTIDAE
Blue-banded Toucanet – Aulacorhynchus coerelencintus. One individual seen in Apalla.
Chestnut-eared Aracari - Pteroglossus castanotis. Heard only, a couple of times.
PICIDAE
Ocellated Piculet - Picumnus dorbygnianus. A pair seen above Villa Rica.
Lafresnaye's Piculet - Picumnus lafresnayi. Seen near Tingo Maria.
Little Woodpecker - Dryobates passerinus. Seen near Tingo Maria.
Black-necked Woodpecker - Colaptes atricollis. Seen at Santa Eulalia and heard at Pueblo Libre. ENDEMIC.
Andean Flicker - Colaptes rupicola. Common. Seen several times on puna grassland.
Lineated Woodpecker – Dryocopus lineatus. Heard only, near Tingo Maria.
FALCONIDAE
Mountain Caracara - Phalcoboenus megalopterus. Seen on several opportunities. Common in the Andes.
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius. Another common bird.
Aplomado falcon – Falco femoralis. One seen on our way from Huaraz to Lima.
PSITTACIDAE
Black-winged Parrot - Hapalopsittaca melanotis. Several flocks seen in flight at Bosque de Shollet. Range Restricted.
Speckle-faced Parrot - Pionus tumultuosus. A group seen feeding at Cecropia fruits at Apalla.
Scaly-naped Parrot - Amazona mercenarius. Several flocks seen in flight at high elevation montane forest.
THAMNOPHILIDAE
Variable Antshrike - Thamnophilus caerulescens. One seen at Ulcumano Lodge.
Great Antshrike - Taraba major. A pair seen near Tingo Maria.
Stripe-chested Antwren - Myrmotherula longicauda. Good response to playback of this little antwren near Tingo Maria.
Creamy-bellied Antwren – Herpsilochmus motacilloides. Good views of this Peruvian endemic just above Villa Rica in the coffee plantations. ENDEMIC.
Streak-headed Antbird - Drymophila straticeps. Heard only, on several opportunities. The article in Condor “AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH TO SPECIES-LEVEL SYSTEMATICS REVEALS THE DEPTH OF DIVERSIFICATION IN AN ANDEAN THAMNOPHILID, THE LONG-TAILED ANTBIRD” By Morton L. Isler, Andrés M. Cuervo, and Gustavo A, Bravo, and Robb T. Brumfield In part says “we propose the following taxonomic positions and English names for members of the complex. Regarding the English names, we have rejected the inclusion of “long-tailed” in the names, as proposed by Cory and Hellmayr (1924), because the names would become too cumbersome.
GRALLARIIDAE
Undulated Antpitta - Grallaria squamigera. Heard only, at Bosque Unchog.
Stripe-headed Antpitta - Grallaria andicola andicola. Seen twice. First time heading to Apalla, at puna scrub. Later, at puna scrub near the Cruz at Bosque Unchog. The southern subspecies punensis was formerly (e.g., Cory & Hellmayr 1924) considered a separate species from Grallaria andicolus, but Peters (1951) treated them as conspecific; Krabbe & Schulenberg (2003a) noted that vocal differences suggest that punensis should be treated as a separate species.
Bay Antpitta - Grallaria capitalis. One seen at Ulcumano lodge. Later Seen at the Carpish tunnel. ENDEMIC.
Rufous (North Peruvian) Antpitta - Grallaria rufula obscura. Great views of the endemic obscura subspecies at Bosque Unchog. The ‘Rufous Antpitta’ complex will fall apart into a number of species. ENDEMIC.
Chestnut Antpitta - Grallaria blakei. Seen at the Carpish tunnel. ENDEMIC.
RHINOCRYPTIDAE
Large-footed Tapaculo - Scytalopus macropus. One individual seen at the trail above the Carpish tunnel. ENDEMIC.
Rufous-vented Tapaculo- Scytalopus femoralis. Heard only, on several opportunities. ENDEMIC.
“Millpo” Tapaculo - Scytalopus sp. nov. Several heard and finally one seen on our way to Satipo, after Comas village. The bird responded well to playback, and allowed photographs. This Tapaculo has been known for over 25 years and was collected near Millpo in Pasco department. It is mentioned in Birds of the High Andes by Fjeldså and Krabbe. ENDEMIC.
Junin Tapaculo - Scytalopus gettyae. Close views of one individual on the road to Andamarca. Only described in June 2013. The new species is named gettyae after Caroline Marie Getty in honor of her long-term dedication to nature preservation. She has devoted significant time and effort to conservation, serving on boards for numerous organizations, including the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). ENDEMIC.
Neblina Tapaculo - Scytalopus altirostris. At Bosque Unchog. ENDEMIC.
Ancash Tapaculo - Scytalopus affinis. One seen at Huascaran National Park. Responded well to playback. This bird has a very small range in the Cordillera Blanca in Ancash. ENDEMIC.
Tschudi’s Tapaculo - Scytalopus acutirostris. Seen near the Puente Carrizales, on the Satipo road. ENDEMIC.
FURNARIIDAE
Common Miner - Geositta cunicularia. One seen at Junin Lake in Junín department. Race juninensis.
Coastal Miner - Geositta peruviana. One seen at the entrance to Paraiso lagoons. The genus name literally means ‘nuthatch of the earth’. ENDEMIC.
Dark-winged Miner - Geositta saxicolina. Three individuals seen at Marcapomacha. ENDEMIC.
Slender-billed Miner - Geositta tenuirostris. Two individuals at Marcapomacocha.
Montane Woodcreeper - Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger. Common on montane forest. Seen at Apalla and Ulcumano lodge.
Olive-backed Woodcreeper - Xiphorhynchus triangularis. Seen at Apalla.
Streaked Tuftedcheek - Pseudocolaptes boissonneautii. Well seen at Apalla. boissonneautii: In honor of Auguste Boissonneau (1802-1883) French ornithologist, natural history dealer, ocularist.
Streaked Xenops – Xenops rutilans. Several seen below Villa Rica on coffee plantations.
Wren-like Rushbird - Phleocryptes melanops. Seen at Junin Lake.
Striated Earthcreeper - Geocerthia serrana. Seen on several opportunities among Polylepis above Llanganuco Lake. ENDEMIC.
Buff-breasted Earthcreeper - Upucerthia validirostris. Seen at Junin Lake. Although the jelskii subspecies group (Plain-breasted Earthcreeper) has been considered separate species from U. validirostris in most recent classifications (e.g., Meyer de Schauensee 1970, Ridgely & Tudor 1994, Sibley & Monroe 1990), evidence for their treatment as such is weak (Remsen 2003). Earlier classifications treated them as conspecific (e.g., Cory & Hellmayr 1925, Peters 1951). A report of sympatry in southern Bolivia (Cabot 1990) is based on a misidentification (Remsen 2003). Genetic data (Chesser et al. 2007, Fjeldsa et al. 2007) confirm that they are sister taxa but weakly differentiated (Derryberry et al. 2011). Areta & Pearman (2009, 2013) found no differences in their voices. Areta & Pearman (2013) proposed that they be treated as conspecific. SACC proposal passed to treat them as conspecific. SACC proposal passed to use the English name Buff- breasted Earthcreeper for broadly defined U. validirostris.
Cream-winged Cinclodes - Cinclodes albiventris. The most common Cinclodes of the Andes. This is a recent split from Cinclodes fuscus Bar-winged Cinclodes. This species, which now doesn’t exist, was split into Buff-winged Cinclodes C. fuscus, Cream-winged Cinclodes C. albiventris & Chestnut-winged Cinclodes C. albidiventris. (Sanin et al 2009, SACC).
White-winged Cinclodes - Cinclodes atacamensis. Seen at the Pariahuanca road, near the pass.
White-bellied Cinclodes - Cinclodes palliatus. Two individuals seen at Marcapomacocha. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Montane Foliage-gleaner - Anabacerthia striaticollis. Seen above Villa Rica, among coffee plantations.
Rufous-backed Treehunter - Thripadectes scrutator. One seen at Ulcumano ecolodge.
Buff-browed Foliage-gleaner - Syndactyla rufosuperciliata. One seen at Ulcumano lodge.
Pearled Treerunner - Margarornis squamiger. Numerous encounters in high-elevation mixed flocks (peruvianus).
Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail - Leptasthenura pileata. We saw this Peruvian endemic bird at Santa Eulalia first, later at Huascaran National Park. ENDEMIC.
Streaked Tit-spinetail - Leptasthenura striata. A pair seen at Huascaran National Park. Range Restricted.
Tawny Tit-Spinetail - Leptasthenura yanacensis. A pair seen at Polylepis forest Huascaran National Park. Range Restricted.
Streak-fronted (Mantaro) Thornbird - Phacellodomus (sp.nov) striaticeps. We saw two individuals bellow Chilifruta near Pariahuanca in the Mantaro drainage. ENDEMIC.
White-chinned Thistletail - Asthenes fuliginosa plengei. Two individuals well seen and photographed at Bosque Unchog. Birds here belong to the endemic race plengei, one of two subspecies found south of the Marañon. With Mouse-coloured Thistletail S. griseomurina squeezed in between the range of these and the nominate further north, more than one species may be involved. Genetic work has indicated that the genus Schizoeaca shouldbe merged with Asthenes. Range Restricted.
Eye-ringed Thistletail - Asthenes palpebralis. A pair seen above Puente Carrizales along the Satipo road. A Peruvian endemic with just a small range in Junín department. Southward it is replaced by Vilcabamba Thistletail S. vilcabambae. ENDEMIC.
Canyon Canastero - Asthenes pudibunda. Seen at Santa Eulalia valley and at Huascaran National Park. Range Restricted.
Pale-tailed Canastero - Asthenes huancavelicae sp.nov. We saw this bird near Pueblo Libre, on dry scrub. Birds here belong to an un-described, highly localized and cinnamon-tailed race. Note that Pale-tailed Canastero, Dark-winged Canastero A. arequipae and Rusty-vented Canastero A. dorbignyi were all lumped together as Creamy-breasted Canastero A. dorbignyi at some stage. While there seems to be variation in both plumage and vocalizations in this complex, a thorough taxonomic analysis of all these forms is badly needed. Asthenes huancavelicae is split from A. dorbignyi (Fjeldså & Krabbe (1990, Ridgely & Tudor 1994); SACC needs analysis to reconsider VULNERABLE.
Line-fronted Canastero - Asthenes urubambensis. Heard only, at Bosque Unchog. Almost an endemic. Range Restricted.
Line-cheeked Spinetail – Cranioleuca antisiensis. Seen at Santa Eulalia valley and at Huascaran National Park. In the latter, great views and photographs. Evidence for the Baron’s (or Southern Line-cheeked) Spinetail vs. Line- cheeked (or Northern Line-cheeked) Spinetail C. antisiensis split as proposed in e.g. Ridgely & Tudor has always seemed to be exceptionally weak. The closest populations, geographically, of C. antisiensis and C. baroni are more similar to one another than they are to other subspecies within their respective ‘species’, and drawing a line between these two is arbitrary so the two have now been lumped.
Creamy-crested Spinetail - Cranioleuca albicapilla. Good views near the town of Comas, on the way to Apalla. Peruvian endemic, here of the nominate race above Chilifruta. Unlike Synallaxis spinetails, members of this genus are typically arboreal, often favoring vine tangles in mid-storey and subcanopy. ENDEMIC.
Marcapata Spinetail - Cranioleuca marcapatae weskeii. Two well seen at the road to Andamarca, above Apalla. Dan Lane pointed out that these birds were practically identical to weskei race of Marcapata Spinetail in Cusco and Barry Walker has seen intermediates in the southern Vilcabamba Mountains. More analysis needed here. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Plain-crowned Spinetail - Synallaxis gujanensis. Heard only, above Villa Rica.
Dark-breasted Spinetail - Synallaxis albigularis. Seen near Tingo Maria, along the Huallaga river.
Azara’s Spinetail – Synallaxis azarae. Common. Seen/heard on several opportunities. Named for the Spaniard Brigadier General Felix Manuel de Azara (1742-1821) who commanded the Paraguayan/Brazilian frontier.
Rufous Spinetail - Synallaxis unirufa. Seen at Andamarca road in Chusquea bamboo.
TYRANNIDAE
Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet - Camptostoma obsoletum. Seen at Pueblo Libre.
White-throated Tyrannulet - Mecocerculus leucophrys. Common on montane forest at high elevations. Seen on several days. Here of the race brunneomarginatus.
White-banded Tyrannulet - Mecocerculus stictopterus. Fairly common in mixed flocks in the Carpish tunnel and some at the Paty trail.
Pied-crested Tit-Tyrant - Anairetes reguloides. Very good views at Santa Eulalia. Range Restricted.
Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant - Anairetes flavirostris. Seen several times along the trip.
Tufted Tit-Tyrant - Anairetes parulus. Several encounters with this species in montane scrub.
Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant - Uromyias agraphia. Two individuals seen at the Carpish tunnel. ENDEMIC.
Mouse-colored Tyrannulet - Phaeomyias murina. The wagae subspecies seen near Tingo Maria.
Sierran Elaenia - Elaenia pallatangae. Common at montane forest. Seen several times.
White-crested Elaenia – Elaenia albiceps. Seen at Santa Eulalia, later on Apalla. Also, the subspecies modesta was clearly seen at Pueblo Libre.
Streak-necked Flycatcher - Mionectes striaticollis. Several encounters with this flycatcher. Flycatchers in this genus are unusual in being frugivorous rather than insectivorous. Hence, like many Cotingas and Manakins, they also have lek systems.
McConnell's Flycatcher - Mionectes macconnelli. One above Villa Rica.
Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet - Phylloscartes ventralis. Good views at Ulcumano lodge.
Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulet - Phylloscartes Parkeri. One pair seen above Villa Rica. Range Restricted.
Ashy-headed Tyrannulet - Phyllomyias cinereiceps. One pair seen above Villa Rica.
Sepia-capped Flycatcher - Leptopogon amaurocephalus. Heard only, near Tingo Maria.
Peruvian Tyrannulet - Zimmerius viridiflavus. Common. Several individuals seen for example, at the Paty trail. The genus is named in honor of John Zimmer (1889-1957), a US ornithologist who (among other works) wrote the monumental Studies of Peruvian Birds (1931). ENDEMIC.
Many-colored Rush Tyrant - Tachuris rubrigastra. Seen among the reeds on Junin Lake.
White-bellied Pygmy-Tyrant - Myiornis albiventris. One pair seen above Villa Rica.
Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant - Lophotriccus pileatus. Heard only, at Ulcumano lodge.
Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant - Pseudotriccus ruficeps. Seen at Apalla first, later on Carpish.
Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant - Euscarthmus meloryphus. Heard only, at Pueblo Libre.
Common Tody-Flycatcher - Todirostrum cinereum. Seen near Tingo Maria.
Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher - Todirostrum chrysocrotaphum. Seen near Tingo Maria.
Yellow-olive Flycatcher - Tolmomyias sulphurescens. Seen near Tingo Maria.
Cinnamon Flycatcher - Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea. Fairly common along the Paty trail and at the Carpish tunnel (nominate).
Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher - Nephelomyias ochraceiventris. Well seen despite the fog, at Bosque Unchog.
Smoke-colored Pewee - Contopus fumigatus. Common at humid forest. Seen many times.
Black Phoebe - Sayornis nigricans. One seen at Satipo Road on the river.
Vermilion Flycatcher - Pyrocephalus obscurus. Seen at Pueblo Libre. The Galapagos subspecies nanus and dubius were each treated as a separate species from Pyrocephalus rubinus by Ridgway (1907). The obscurus subspecies group of coastal Peru was also treated/proposed as a separate species by Ridgway (1907). Based on voice, behavior, and genetics, Carmi et al. (2016) proposed the Pyrocephalus rubinus is best treated as four species, including both Galapagos subspecies.
Andean Negrito - Lessonia oreas. A few seen at Junin Lake.
White-winged Black-Tyrant - Knipolegus aterrimus. One seen above Pariahuanca town.
Puna Ground-Tyrant - Muscisaxicola juninensis. Several seen at Marcapomacocha.
Cinereous Ground-Tyrant - Muscisaxicola cinereus. One seen at the end of the trail we walked early in the morning.
Taczanowski’s Ground-Tyrant - Muscisaxicola grisea. Seen at Marcapomacocha.
White-fronted Ground-Tyrant - Muscisaxicola albifrons. Fairly common at Marcapomacocha.
Ochre-naped Ground-Tyrant - Muscisaxicola flavinucha. Several individuals seen at Marcapomacocha.
Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant - Agriornis montana. Seen on three different days. First near the Huaytapallana pass, later on Junin and Huascaran.
Rufous-webbed Tyrant - Polioxolmis rufipennis. Seen at the Huascaran National Park. Formerly either placed in Myiotheretes or Xolmis, but the new monotypic genus Polioxolmis was proposed for this species in the mid-eighties.
Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant - Ochthoeca rufipectoralis. Common. Seen on several opportiunities.
Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant - Ochthoeca fumicolor. Seen at Apalla road and also at Bosque unchog. brunneifrons, more than one species possibly being involved (cf. Ridgely & Tudor, Vol. II).
D’Orbigny’s Chat-Tyrant - Ochthoeca oenanthoides. Seen below Huaytapallana pass and at Huascaran National Park. Alcide d’Orbigny was a 19th century French naturalist and collector who spent over half a decade in South America.
White-browed Chat-Tyrant - Ochthoeca leucophrys. Fairly common. Seen on several sites.
Dusky-capped Flycatcher - Myiarchus tuberculifer. Seen at Carpish tunnel.
Short-crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus ferox. Seen near Tingo Maria.
Pale-edged Flycatcher - Myiarchus cephalotes. Seen at Ulcumano ecolodge.
Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus. Very common. Seen on several sites.
COTINGIDAE
Barred Fruiteater - Pipreola arcuata. One seen at the Paty trail.
Masked Fruiteater - Pipreola pulchra. Great looks of a pair at Ulcumano Lodge. ENDEMIC.
Bay-vented Cotinga - Doliornis sclateri. Good views at Bosque Unchog, despite the fog. A Bosque Unchog speciality. Named for British ornithologist and collector Philip Lutley Sclater (1829-1913) who has several birds named after him. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Red-crested Cotinga - Ampelion rubrocristata. Several seen along the Parihuanca road.
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow - Pyroderus scutatus. Nice surprise. A pair very well seen and photographed at Bosque Shollet.
TITYRIDAE
Barred Becard - Pachyramphus versicolor. Seen at Ulcumano lodge.
White-winged Becard - Pachyramphus polychopterus. Seen above Villa Rica.
VIREONIDAE
Rufous-browed Peppershrike – Cyclarhis gujanensis. Seen several times through the trip.
Olivaceous Greenlet - Hylophilus olivaceus. Seen on the Apalla road.
Brown-capped Vireo – Vireo leucophrys. Seen at Apalla road.
Chivi Vireo - Vireo chivi. Seen several times through the trip.
CORVIIDAE
White-collared Jay - Cyanolyca viridicyana. Seen at Apalla, on the road to Andamarca. Range Restricted.
Violaceous Jay - Cyanacorax violaceous. Heard only, near Ting Maria.
Green Jay – Cyanocorax yncas. Several at Ulcumano lodge.
HIRUNDINIDAE
Blue-and-white Swallow - Pygochelidod cyanoleuca. The most common swallow. Seen many times along the trip.
Brown-bellied Swallow - Orchelidon murina. Fairly common on highlands. Seen on several days.
Andean Swallow - Orochelidon andecola. Seen at Marcapomacocha, flying almost at ground level.
Southern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx ruficollis. We found this one along the Huiallaga river, near Tingo Maria.
White-banded Swallow – Atticora fasciata. A few seen from Satipo to Villa Rica.
TROGLODYTIDAE
Scaly-breasted Wren - Microcerculus marginatus. Heard only, near Tingo Maria.
House Wren - Troglodytes aedon. Fairly common. Seen & heard many times along the trip.
Mountain Wren- Troglodytes solstitialis. Seen several times in montane forest.
Junín Wren - Cistothorus graminicola. Heard only, at Bosque Unchog. The race graminicola, one of the South American subspecies that seem to be quite different from the North American stellaris group. Robbins & Nyári (2014) found that Cistothorus platensis was paraphyletic with respect to the other two, and they 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. ENDEMIC.
Fasciated Wren - Campylorhynchus fasciatus. Heard only, at Huanuco outskirts, on dry forest.
Peruvian Wren - Cinnycerthia peruana. Great looks at the Carpish Tunnel. ENDEMIC.
‘Mantaro Wren’ - Pheugopedius sp. nov. Good views of this Pheugopedius wren in Chusquea bamboo on the higher slopes above the Rio Mantaro drainage, along the Pariahuanca road. The spotting below is reminiscent of that found on the under parts of some races of the geographically quite remote Plain-tailed Wren P. euophrys but the voice is quite different from the latter (especially compared to the southernmost race schulenbergi), and moreover our birds had some faint barring on the tail. The song is not unlike that of Inca Wren T. eisenmanni (so far only known to occur farther south, in the Vilcanota and Vilcabamba mountains on both sides of the Urubamba valley) but the latter has plain underparts and is found in an area separated from where we were by the deep Apurimac Valley, a major biogeographic barrier. So, for now I tentatively regard this taxon as a new species to science, though collection of specimens, detailed comparisons and preferably also genetic analysis are needed to really determine the taxonomic status of this new form. Note the genus change the SACC says “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)”. ENDEMIC.
Grey-breasted Wood-Wren - Henicorhina leucophrys. Common along the Paty trail and at the Carpish tunnel.
Chestnut-breasted Wren - Cyphorhinus thoracicus. Heard only, at Carpish tunnel.
CINCLIDAE
White-capped Dipper - Cinclus leucocephalus. A few seen on the Pariahuanca road and below Bosque de Shollet.
TURDIDAE
Andean Solitaire - Myadestes ralloides. One seen at Ulcumano Lodge. Heard on several opportunities.
Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush - Catharus fuscater. Common. Heard several times on montane forest.
White-eared Solitaire - Entomodestes lecotis. Great looks on Paty trail.
Black-billed Thrush - Turdus ignobilis. We had this one near Tingo Maria.
Chiguanco Thrush - Turdus chiguanco. Common and widespread, mainly in dry areas. Note that a detailed study of the Chiguanco/Great Thrush complex is needed to determine exactly how many species-level taxa exist.
Great Thrush - Turdus fuscater. Another common thrush in the cloud forests, favoring humid situations.
Glossy-black Thrush - Turdus serranus. One seen at Ulcumano lodge walking on the ground.
MOTACILLIDAE
Short-billed (Puna) Pipit - Anthus furcatus brevirostris. One seen at Junin Lake. Van Els & Norambuena (2018) proposed that the subspecies brevirostris of the Andes be treated as a separate species from lowland nominate furcatusbased on voice and genetic distance.
Peruvian Pipit - Anthus peruvianus. Seen on Paraiso, on grassy areas. This is a recent split from Yellowish Pipit (A. lutescens) acoording to Van Els & Norambuena (2018). Range Restricted.
THRAUPIDAE
White-capped Tanager - Sericossypha albocristata. Heard only, at Bosque de Shollet.
Drab Hemispingus - Pseudospingus xanthophthalmus. Good views of this one at Bosque Unchog.
Black-eared Hemispingus - Sphenopsis melanotis. Seen at Apalla, in a mixed species flock.
White-browed Hemispingus – Kleinothraupis auricularis. Seen at Apalla, in a mixed species flock. Later at Bosque Unchog. A Peruvian endemic recently split from Black-capped Hemispingus H. atropileus (though the new Peru field guide does not follow this split). The SACC says “The subspecies auricularis is at least as distinct genetically and morphologically, and should presumably given equal taxonomic rank (García-Moreno et al. 2001, García-Moreno & Fjeldså 2003). Hemispingus auricularis is split from H. atropileus (García-Moreno & Fjeldså 2003); SACC needs proposal.
Oleaginous Hemispingus – Sphenopsis frontalis. First seen at Apalla, later seen at Ulcumano Lodge, where was very common.
Superciliaried Hemispingus – Thlypopsis superciliaris. First seen at Apalla, later seen at Unchog. Here of the gray race insignis.
Rufous-browed Hemispingus – Poospiza rufosuperciliaris. Fantastic views of this Peruvian endemic at Bosque Unchog. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Rufous-chested Tanager - Thlypopsis ornata. Seen at Santa Eulalia Valley.
Brown-flanked Tanager - Thlypopsis pectoralis. Seen at the Carpish tunnel. ENDEMIC.
Plain-tailed Warbling-Finch - Microspingus alticola. A group of three seen at Huascaran National Park. A lovely Peruvian endemic, which has been given ‘Endangered’ status by Birdlife International. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Pardusco - Nephelornis oneilli. We saw this one two times at Bosque Unchog. Named after Dr. John O’Neill, ornithologist and artist who designed many of LSU’s expeditions to Peru which resulted in well over a dozen species new to science that were described in the last few decades. John is also one of the authors and artists of the Peru field guide. ENDEMIC.
Yellow-crested Tanager - Tachyphonus rufiventer. Seen near Tingo Maria.
Golden-backed Mountain-Tanager - Cnemathraupis aureodorsalis. Superb views of this Peruvian endemic at Bosquie de Unchog. After looking for hours, we finally got it, eye level. Probably the hardest Unchog specialty to see. Sibley & Monroe (1990) considered Buthraupis eximia and B. aureodorsalis to form a superspecies. Sedano & Burns (2010) confirmed that they are sister species but also found that they are sister to Chlorornis riefferii. SACC proposal passed to remove from Buthraupis and to resurrect the genus Cnemathraupis for them. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Grass-green Tanager - Chlorornis riefferii. Seen at Apalla and Unchog.
Lacrimose Mountain Tanager - Anisognathus lacrymosus. Seen at Apalla and Unchog.
Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager - Anisognathus igniventris. Fairly common. Seen several times. Here of the subspecies ignicrissus.
Blue-winged Mountain Tanager – Anisognathus somptuosus. Four individuals seen at Paty trail.
Chestnut-bellied Mountain-Tanager - Dubusia castaneoventris. One seen at Paty trail. Range Restricted.
Golden-collared Tanager - Iridosornis jelskii. Seen at Bosque Unchog.
Yellow-scarfed Tanager - Iridosornis reinhardti. Seen first at Ulcumano lodge, later at Bosque Unchog. This beautiful Peruvian endemic is name after Danish ornithologist Johannes Theodore Reinhardt (1816-1882). ENDEMIC.
Blue-grey Tanager - Thraupis episcopus. Common on the humid lowlands. Seen between Satipo and Oxapampa.
Palm Tanager - Thraupis palmarum. Seen near Tingo Maria.
Blue-capped Tanager - Thraupis cyanocephala. Seen in several sites (Apalla, for example) of cloud forest.
Blue-and-yellow Tanager - Pipraeidea bonariensis. Seen at Santa Eulalia valley, and later above Huanuco, on our way to Huaraz. Named after Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital. The southernmost ranging tanager.
Fawn-breasted Tanager - Pipraeidea melanonota. Seen at Apalla.
Silvery Tanager - Tangara viridicollis. Seen at Ulcumano lodge.
Blue-necked Tanager - Tangara cyanicollis. Seen at Apalla and near Tingo Maria.
Bay-headed Tanager - Tangara gyrola. Seen above Villa Rica.
Masked Tanager - Tangara nigrocincta. Seen near Tingo Maria.
Blue-and-black Tanager - Tangara vassorii. Seen many times at humid forest.
Paradise Tanager - Tangara chilensis. Seen near Tingo Maria and Divisoria.
Saffron-crowned Tanager - Tangara xanthocephala. Seen at Apalla and at Ulcumano Lodge.
Flame-faced Tanager - Tangara parzudakii. Good views at Apalla and Carpish tunnel in mixed flocks.
Beryl-spangled Tanager - Tangara nigroviridis. Seen at Ulcumano lodge in mixed species flocks and also along the Paty trail.
Tit-like Dacnis - Xenodacnis parina. Ridiculously abundant at Huascaran National Park, in mixed Polylepis/Gynoxis woodland. Some countings exceed the 50 individuals for 1 hour walk.
Blue Dacnis – Dacnis cayana. A pair seen above Villa Rica.
Guira Tanager - Hemithraupis guira. A pair seen above Villa Rica.
Cinereous Conebill - Conirostrum cinereum. Fairly common on our trip. We saw two races, the coastal littorale and nominate.
Blue-backed Conebill - Conirostrum sitticolor. Seen several times at high altitude humid forests in mixed species flocks.
Capped Conebill - Conirostrum albifrons. Seen several times at high altitude humid forests in mixed species flocks.
Giant Conebill - Conirostrum binghami. Close views of a family group at Llanganuco Lake, inside the Huscaran National Park. Though at present the Giant Conebill is only regarded as near-threatened, its numbers must have dwindled considerably as the amount of Polylepis forest must have declined tremendously over the last few centuries, and this habitat is nowadays highly fragmented.
Moustached Flowerpiercer - Diglossa mystacalis. Seen several times at high elevation forests. Flowerpiercers are nectar thieves, as their name suggests piercing the flowers at their base without performing any pollination duties.
Black-throated Flowerpiercer - Diglossa brunneiventris. By far the most common flowerpiercer of the trip. Seen at many opportunities.
Masked Flowerpiercer - Diglossopis cyanea. Seen many times. Very common at Apalla.
Bluish Flowerpiercer – Diglossa caerulescens. Seen at Ulcumano Lodge.
Rusty Flowerpiercer – Diglossa sittoides. One seen at Santa Eulalia valley.
Peruvian Sierra-Finch - Phrygilus punensis. Seen at Marcapomacocha, around Junin Lake and also at Huascaran National Park. Here of the race chloronotus. Named for the town of Puno on Titicaca Lake.
Mourning Sierra-Finch - Phrygilus fruticeti. Very common and vocal at Santa Eulaia valley.
Band-tailed Sierra-Finch - Phrygilus alaudinus. Very vocal and skylarking at Pueblo Libre.
Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch - Geospizopsis plebejus. A very common bird at high elevations.
Plumbeous Sierra-Finch – Geospizopsis unicolor. Fairly common at very high elevations (Marcapomacocha, Junin and Huascaran). Here of the race inca.
White-winged Diuca-Finch - Diuca speculifera. Several individuals seen at Marcapomacocha.
Slaty Finch - Spodiornis rusticus. Glimpses of this skulker at Bosque de Shollet.
Great Inca-Finch - Incaspiza pulchra. Very nice views of one singing individual at Santa Eulaia valley. ENDEMIC.
Rufous-backed Inca-Finch - Incaspiza personata. One individual seen on our stop above Huanuco city. ENDEMIC.
Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola. Seen a couple of times in lowland forest.
Gray-hooded Bush Tanager - Cnemoscopus rubrirostris. Good view of this one at Apalla.
Blue-black Grassquit - Volatinia jacarina. Seen several times near Tingo Maria.
Bright-rumped Yellow-Finch - Sicalis uropygialis. Seen at high elevations sites, such as Marcapomacocha, around Junín Lake and also at Huascaran National Park. Here of the race sharpei.
Greenish Yellow-Finch - Sicalis olivascens. Seen at the Santa Eulalia valley and later at Junin Lake.
Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch - Sporophila angolensis. An adult and a begging juvenile seen near Tingo Maria.
Yellow-bellied Seedeater - Sporophila nigricollis. One seen on our stop above Huanuco city, looking for Rufous-backed Inca-Finch.
Black and White Seedeater - Sporophila luctuosa. Common above Apalla. Several singing males.
Band-tailed Seedeater - Catamenia analis. Common at scrub on the highlands.
Plain-colored Seedeater - Catamenia inornata. Common at scrub on the highlands.
Grayish Saltator - Saltator coerulescens. Seen near Tingo Maria.
Golden-billed Saltator - Saltator aurantiirostris. Common on montane scrub at high elevations. Here of the race albociliaris.
EMBERIZIDAE
Yellow-browed Sparrow - Ammodramus aurifrons. Seen near Tingo Maria.
Gray-browed Brushfinch - Arremon assimilis. Good views at Carpish tunnel.
Rufous-collared Sparrow - Zonotrichia capensis. No words needed here.
Tricolored Brushfinch - Atlapetes tricolor. Superb views at Bosque de Shollet. Note that the widely disjunctive race crassus (found on the western slope of the Andes in Ecuador and Colombia) has been split off as a different species, the Choco Brush-Finch. ENDEMIC.
Slaty Brushfinch - Atlapetes schistaceus. We had this one on the road to Andamarca. Here of the race taczanowskii.
Rusty-bellied Brushfinch - Atlapetes nationi. Well seen at Santa Eulalia Valley.
Rufous-eared Brushfinch - Atlapetes rufigenis. Very good views at Quebrada Llanganuco in Huascaran National Park. ENDEMIC.
Black-spectacled Brushfinch - Atlapetes melanopsis. Two individuals seen above Chillifruta. Originally described as A. melanops, this species is a Peru and Mantaro valley endemic. It was only recently discovered and described by Fjeldsa & Valqui. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Common Chlorospingus - Chlorospingus opthalmicus. Common in the montane forest at Apalla.
CARDINALIDAE
Hepatic Tanager – Piranga flava. One seen above Villa Rica, among coffee plantations.
Golden Grosbeak - Pheucticus chrysogaster. One seen on our stop above Huanuco city, looking for Rufous-backed Inca-Finch.
PARULIDAE
Blackpoll Warbler - Setophaga striata. Superb views of a male along the Huallaga river near Tingo maria.
Tropical Parula - Setophaga pitiayumi. Seen above Villa Rica.
Blackburnian Warbler - Setophaga fusca. Seen above Villa Rica.
Citrine Warbler - Myiothylpis luteoviridis. Seen along the Apalla road and at Bosque Unchog. Here the race striaticeps.
Russet-crowned Warbler - Myiothlypis coronatus. Several seen at Ulcumano lodge.
Spectacled (Redstart) Whitestart - Myioborus melanocephalus. Fairly common along the trip. Here the black-capped nominate race.
ICTERIDAE
Russet-backed Oropendola - Psarocolius angustifrons. Common near Tingo Maria.
Mountain Cacique - Cacicus chrysonotus. Brief encounter with this bird above Apalla.
Yellow-rumped Cacique – Cacicus cela. Common near Tingo Maria.
Peruvian Meadowlark – Sturnella bellicosa. Heard only, at Pueblo Libre.
Scrub Blackbird - Dives warszewiczi. Seen in the Santa Eulalia Valley.
FRINGILLIDAE
Yellow-rumped Siskin – Spinus uropygialis. One seen at Ondores town.
Hooded Siskin - Spinus magellanicus. Fairly common. Seen on several days of the trip.
Black Siskin - Spinus atrata. Seen at Marcapomacocha and also at Ondores, by the Junin Lake.
Thick-billed Euphonia – Euphonia laniirostris. A couple seen above Villa Rica.
PASSERIDAE
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus. Seen at cities like Satipo and Pichanaki.