March 26th 2014

MANU EXPEDITIONS BIRDING
TOURS
[email protected]
www.Birding-In-Peru.com
A TRIP REPORT FOR A BIRDING TRIP TO
THE COLOMBIAN ANDES
March 1st – March 26th 2014
Leader: Fabrice Schmitt
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow – Fabrice Schmitt
This scope of this trip was to target some of the most endangered Colombia endemics and range
restricted species which are fortunately protected in fragmented forest patches thanks to the
efforts of ProAves and the Colombian National Parks and watershed reserves Colombia – one of
the three most diverse countries for birds on the planet along with Peru & Brazil. North of
Ecuador the Andes branches into 3 distinct mountain chains, separated by the Cauca and
Magdalena valleys, each with its endemic avifauna. The Santa Marta mountains rise, it seems,
straight out of the Carribean and is a spectacular mountain range with a hatful of localized
endemics. Mention of Colombia conjures images of Emeralds, Coffee, Vallenato music, Guerillas
and Cocaine and indeed like many developing countries Colombia is in flux. We made no excuse
for concentrating on endemics in the Colombian Andes, though on the route we took we did not
ignore anything that popped up in front of us. This trip report is based on visits to reserves that
protect the last remaining forests and habitats of some of the most endangered birds in the
world. It was a pleasure to have so many boreal migrants around in fresh summer plumage. We
recorded 56 true Colombian endemics and 25 near endemics some impossible to see in
neighboring countries, many endangered, some critically and around 660 species in total
including 13 species of Tapaculo and 15 Antpittas. We experienced the warmth of the Colombia
people, varied landscapes, tarditional local food and « surprise » juices!, and experienced
driving skills from our driver Yovanni. Local Park guards were helpfull at all Proaves and other
reserves.
The Agenda
March 1st. Arrival in Bogota East slope Central Cordillera. 2625 Meters. Department of
Cundinamarca.
March 2nd: Birding all day at the Chingaza National Park at 3000 metres above Nuevo Mundo.
Brief stop at the Guasca gravel pits. Night in Bogota. East slope Central Andes. Department of
Cundinamarca.
March 3rd: 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. Department of
Antioquia. West slope Central Cordillera.
March 4th: Full day at the reserve walking a trail up the ridge in the morning, 1700-1800 meters
and in the lodge garden in the end of the afternoon. Night at the RNA Arrierito Antioqueno.
Department of Antioquia. West slope Central Cordillera.
March 5th: Birding below the Piha reserve in the morning and then drive to Medellin 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. Department of Choco.
March 6th: All morning at the Las Tangaras Reserve birding a nice wide trail uphill through the
forest. Brief stop at some not to active Hummingbid feeders and then birding the lodge garden.
March 7th: Birding La M at 2700 meters elevation all morning, and after a pic-nic lunch drive to
Jardin.
March 8th: Morning at the Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve at Alto las Ventanas 2700 – 2600 meters.
Department of Antioquia, East slope of the Western Cordillera, and afternoon drive to the Otun
Quimbaya Reserve for the night, 1800 meters, Department of Risaralda. West slope of the
Central Cordillera.
March 9th Morning at the Otun Quimbaya NP, near La Suiza, 1900 meters, Department of
Risaralda. West slope of the Central Cordillera. In the afternoon - drive Manizales. Department
of Risaralda. Night in Manizales.
March 10th Full day birding in the Rio Blanco reserve 2500-2600 meters. West slope Central
Andes. Department of Risaralda. Night in Manizales.
March 11th 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. Department of Tolima.
March 12th Morning birding above El Libano at La Tigrera, Central Cordillera East slope and
afternoon birding at Finca El Palmar in the Magdalena Valley. Drive to Mariquita for the night.
Department of Tolima.
March 13th Early Drive and morning birding near La Victoria at the Bellavista Watershed
Reserve, Central Cordillera East slope, Deaprtament of Caldas and drive to Puerto Pinzon and on
to Reserva Natural de Aves (RNA) El Paujil, Serranía de las Quinchas, Department of Boyaca.
West slope of the Western Cordillera. 200 meters
March 14th and 15th Reserva Natural de Aves (RNA) El Paujil, Serrania de las Quinchas.
Department of Boyacu/Santander. 200 meters.
March 16th Some birding on the way, but mostly drive from El Paujil to Reserva natural de Aves
(RNA) Reinita Cielo Azul (Cerulean Warbler Reserve), Department of Santander, 1300 meters.
Lunch along the way. Department of Norte Santander.
March 17th Reserva Natural de Aves Reinita Cielo Azul (Cerulean Warbler Reserve) all day, 13001800 metrs, west slope of the eastern Cordillera. We walked to the slippery 150-year old
Lengerke trail and spend the whole day here with a packed lunch. Late afternoon birding near
the lodge. Department of Norte Santander.
March 18th Some birding in the grounds of the lodge and the nearby coffee plantations above
San Vicente. Drive from San Vicente to Ocaña. West slope of the Eastern Cordillera. Night Ocaña.
1200 meters Hotel Plaza Real. Department of Norte Santander.
March 19th Reserva natural de Aves (RNA) Hormiguero (Recurve-billed Bushbird Reserve), 15001700 meters. Night Ocaña. Department of Norte Santander.
March 20st Bob and Diane drove to the Bucaramangua airport to fly to Bogota and then
international conection. The rest of the team drove to Santa Marta for a 6 days extension.
On the way to Santa Marta, we stopped at Cuatro Vientos. Night Rodadero at the Hotel La
Sierra. Department of Magdalena.
March 21st: Early start for Tayrona NP. And then drive to the Guajira peninsula and Los
Flamencos National park, spending the afternoon birding near Pericos. Night in Riohacha,
Department of La Guajira.
March 22nd: To Los Flamencos National Park, spending the morning birding near Pericos and the
lagoons at Camarones. Lunch at the pleasant hotel in Minca, with several species of
hummingbirds visiting the feeders. Drive to El Dorado lodge 1900 meters. Department of
Magdalena.
March 23rd and 24th Two full days birding the Santa Marta Mountains. 1600-2000 meters,
Department of Magdalena.
March 25th: birding the way down to Minca. Night in Minca.
March 26th Drive to Santa Marta airport with some birding stops above Minca, and fly to Bogota
and International conections.
THE KEY
Species which were heard but not seen are indicated by the symbol *
RED = IUCN RED LIST CATEGORY
IOC = International Ornithological Congress
SACC = South American Classification Committee
RNA = Reserva Natural de Aves (Pro-Aves Reserves)
E = Colombian Endemic
RR = Range Restricted
THE BIRDS
TINAMIDAE
Highland Tinamou - Nothocercus Bonaparte: One seen at the RNA Cerulean Warbler, crossing the
trail.
Great Tinamou – Tinamus major*
Grey Tinamou – Tinamus tao*: Heard from El Dorado lodge
Little Tinamou - Crypturellus soui*: Heard at RNA El Paujil.
ANHIMIDAE
Northern Screamer - Chauna chavaria: Good views on the way to RNA El Paujil, but also at the
wetlands on the roadside on the way to RNA Cerulean Warbler.
ANATIDAE
White-faced Whistling-duck - Dendrocygna viduata
Black-bellied Whistling-duck - Dendrocygna autumnalis
Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors: Boreal migrant to Colombia seen at the Guasca Gravel Pits and at
Parque La Florida.
Andean Teal – Anas andium – seen on our first day near Nuevo Mundo and at Los Nevados del
Ruiz. The SACC says “Hellmayr & Conover (1948a) and many earlier classifications treated andium
as a separate species from A. flavirostris- Speckled Teal. Following <find first author to lump>,
many authors, from Meyer de Schauensee (1970) to Dickinson (2003), have treated andium as a
subspecies of A. flavirostris. Anas andium was considered a separate species from Anas flavirostris
by Ridgely et al. (2001), and this was followed by Hilty (2003). SACC proposal passed to recognize
andium as separate species”
Andean Duck – Oxyura ferruginea: 50+ at Parque La Florida and 2 on the pond at Los Nevados.
Most of the birds seen around Bogotá were boreal migrants (males with white face), and the ones
seen at Los Nevados belong to the “AndeanDuck” group. The SACC says “Andean populations 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” Cited as
“Andean Duck “by the IOC.
Torrent Duck – Merganetta armata: a nice pair seen at Otun Quimbaya
CRACIDAE
RR Chestnut-winged Chachalaca – Ortalis garrula: 20+ seen near Santa Marta
Rufous-vented Chachalaca – Ortalis ruficauda: 5 at Los Flamencos NP
E Colombian Chachalaca - Ortalis columbiana: 2+ at the feeders in the yard at the Piha Reserve,
common at RNA Paujil
E Cauca Guan – Penelope perspicax: Around 6 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
Band-tailed Guan - Penelope argyrotis: good views in the Sierra Nevada
Andean Guan – Penelope montagnii: 1 at Rio Blanco
Wattled Guan – Aburria aburria: A pleasent visual surprise as one of these large and hard to see
Guans was seen perched and close at the Piha Reserve
Sickle-winged Guan – Chamaepetes goudotti: Several good looks at this smallish Guan.
E Blue-billed Currassow - Crax alberti: A female came to the feeder at Paujil reserve. Paujil means
curassow, and the RNA El Paujil is definitely well named!! CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
ODONTOPHORIDAE
Crested Bobwhite - Colinus cristatus: a few seen at Los Flamencos
Black-fronted Wood-quail - Odontophorus atrifrons: coming daily at the El Dorado feeders
Chestnut Wood-quail – Odontophorus hyperythrus: excellent views at the Piha RNA feeders
E Gorgeted Wood-quail – Odontophorus strophium*: only heard at the Reinita RNA, despite a
long wait at the feeders…
PODICIPEDIDAE
Least Grebe – Tachybaptus dominicus: 2 at La Florida
Pied-billed Grebe – Podilymbus podiceps: 2 at La Florida
PHOENICOPTERIDAE
American Flamingo – Phoenicopterus ruber: 50+ at the well named Los Flamencos reserve!!
FREGATIDAE
Magnificent Frigatebird – Fregata magnificens: a few on Caribbean coast.
PHALACROCORACIDAE
Neotropic Cormorant – Phalacrocorax brasilianus: 500+ at Los Flamencos reserva
ANHINGIDAE
Anhinga - Anhinga anhinga: 2 during our driving day towards Reinita RNA
ARDEIDAE
Capped Heron - Pilherodius pileatus: 1 on the way to RNA El Paujil
Cocoi Heron - Ardea cocoi
Great Egret - Ardea albus: We saw small numbers at several wetland sites.
Reddish Egret – Egretta rufescens: a few at Los Flamencos NP
Tricolored Heron – Egretta tricolor: 2 at Los Flamencos NP
Little Blue Heron – Egretta caerulea
Snowy Egret - Egretta thula
Striated Heron - Butorides striatus: Small numbers seen at several wetland areas.
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis: Common and widespread
Black-crowned Night Heron – Nycticorax nycticorax: 10 at the Guasca Gravel Pits
Rufescent Tiger-heron - Tigrisoma lineatum: a few in the wetlands on the way to RNA El Paujil
THRESKIORNITHIDAE
Green Ibis – Mesembrinibis cayennensis: 1 at RNA El Paujil
Bare-faced Ibis - Phimosus infuscatus: Common.
White Ibis – Eudocimus albus: 50+ at Los Flamencos NP, including several hybrids with the
following “species”.
Scarlet Ibis – Eudocimus ruber: Around 5 “pure” ones
Eudocimus albus and E. ruber have similar displays, interbreed to a limited degree, and are
interfertile, but nonetheless mate assortatively in Venezuela, with the overwhelming majority of
breeding birds phenotypically "pure" rather than intermediate (Ramos & Busto 1983, 1985, 1987);
they constitute a superspecies (Mayr & Short 1970, Steinbacher 1979, Sibley & Monroe 1990).
They were considered conspecific by Hancock et al. (1992) because of the frequent interbreeding
Roseate Spoonbill – Platalea ajaja: 2 at Los Flamencos NP
CATHARTIDAE
Turkey Vulture - 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
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture – Cathartes burrovianus: a few
King Vulture - Sarcoramphus papa: excellent views on a few birds feeding on a dead cow, on the
way out from RNA El Paujil
PANDIONIDAE
Osprey - Pandion haliaetus: a few
ACCIPITRIDAE
Swallow-tailed Kite - Elanoides forficatus: 2 at RNA El Paujil
White-tailed Kite - Elanus leucurus: 2 during the drive from Medellin towards RNA El Paujil
Pearl Kite – Gampsonyx swainsonii: a few seen during our drives
Plumbeous Kite – Ictinia plumbea: 1 above Minca
Plain-breasted Hawk – Accipiter ventralis: seen daily in the Sierra Nevada
Savanna Hawk - Buteogallus meridionalis: a few in the lowland wetlands
Harri’s Hawk – Parabuteo unicinctus: just one!
Roadside Hawk - Rupornis magnirostris: Numerous and widespread in small numbers.
Gray-lined Hawk – Buteo nitida: seen on 4 different days
Broad-winged Hawk – Buteo platypterus: Quite common throughout the tour. A boreal migrant
Short-tailed Hawk – Buteo brachyurus: a few
Zone-tailed Hawk – Buteo albonotatus: 1 the last day, during our drive to the Santa Marta airport.
Black-chested Buzzard-eagle – Geranoaetus melanoleucus: 3 at Los Nevados del Ruiz.
Black Hawk-eagle – Spizaetus tyrannus: best views at RNA El Paujil
RALLIDAE
Russet-crowned Crake - Amaurolimnas viridis*: common by voice at RNA El Paujil
White-throated Crake - Laterallus albigularis: excellent view on the way to RNA El Paujil
E Bogotá Rail - Rallus semiplumbeus: A handsome endemic. 1 seen well at the Guascar Gravel Pits
and 5+ 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
Grey-necked Wood-rail - Aramides cajanea: heard daily at El Paujil, and 1 seen.
Sora – Porzana carolina: 4 at La Florida
Purple Gallinule – Porphyrio martinica: a few here and there
Common Gallinule – Gallinula galeata: At Parque La Florida and Guascar Gravel Pits. The new
world populations are now considered a separate species from the Old World populations
Common Moorhen - Gallinula chlorops
Spot-flanked Gallinule – Gallinula melanops: 5 seen at Parque La Florida and 2 at the Guascar
Gravel Pits on our first days birding. The Bogotá plains hold an isolated population a long way from
others of this species.
American Coot – Fulica Americana: Fairly common at Parque La Florida.
CHARADRIIDAE
Southern Lapwing - Vanellus chilensis: Fairly widespread in small numbers.
HAEMATOPODIDAE
Black-necked Stilt – Himantopus mexicanus: 2 at La Florida
BURHINIDAE
Double-striped Thick-knee – Burhinus bistriatus: 5 at Cuatro Vientos, on the way to Santa Marta
JACANIDAE
Wattled Jacana - Jacana jacana: common on ponds; the very black hypomelaena subspecies here.
SCOLOPACIDAE
Noble Snipe - Gallinago nobilis – a few seen at the Guascar Gravel Pits and La Florida
Greater Yellowlegs – Tringa melanoleuca: 10+ at La Florida
Solitary Sandpiper – Tringa solitaria: several sightings of that boreal migrant
Spotted Sandpiper – Actitis macularia: several sightings of that boreal migrant
Least Sandpiper – Calidris minutilla: 3 at La Florida
LARIDAE
Lesser Black-backed Gull – Larus fuscus: 1 ad at Los Flamencos NP
(American) Herring Gull – Larus (smithsonianus) argentatus: 1 imm. at Los Flamencos NP
Laughing Gull – Leucophaeus atricilla: 50+ at Los Flamencos NP
Gull-billed Tern – Gelochelidon nilotica: At least 1 at Los Flamencos NP
Royal Tern – Thalasseus maximus: at Los Flamencos NP
Sandwich (Cabot’s) Tern – Thalasseus (acuflavidus) sandvicensis: at Los Flamencos NP
Common Tern – Sterna hirundo: 50+ at Los Flamencos NP
Large-billed Tern – Phaetusa simplex: 25+ on the shore of the Magdalena river
Yellow-billed Tern – Sternula superciliaris: 1 on the way towards RNA Reinita Azul.
RHYNCOPIDAE
Black Skimmer – Rynchops niger: 30+ on the shore of the Magdalena river
COLUMBIDAE
Scaled Pigeon – Patagioenas speciosa: 2 above Minca.
Bare-eyed Pigeon – Patagioenas corensis: common at Los Flamencos NP
Band-tailed Pigeon - Patagioenas fasciata: Fairly common and widespread with many good views
of perched birds. 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 behaviour. The suggestion was made to place all New World forms in
the genus Patagioenas, and the AOU recently adopted this change in its latest checklist
supplement. One of the most widespread New World birds, ranging from Alaska to Argentina.
Here the Neotropical form albilinea, which has been regarded by some authors as a full species.
Pale-vented Pigeon - Patagioenas cayennensis: seen at El Paujil
Ruddy Pigeon – Patagioenas subvinacea: Commonly heard and a few seen
Eared Dove - Zenaida auriculata: Common.
Common Ground-dove – Columbina passerina: relatively common
Ruddy Ground-Dove - Columbina talpacoti: Numerous and widespread in open country.
Scaled Dove – Columbina squammata: common in the driest area.
Blue Ground-dove – Claravis pretiosa: 1 on the way to RNA El Paujil
White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi: Pretty common at many localities.
Gray-chested Dove – Leptotila cassini*: at RNA El Paujil
E Tolima Dove – Leptotila conover*. Recently re-discovered, and named after H.B. Conoveri US
ornithologist and author. ENDANGERED
Lined Quail-Dove - Geotrygon linearis: This shy Dove was seen by all at the feeders in the forest at
RNA Cerulean Warbler.
CUCULIDAE
RR Dwarf Cuckoo – Coccyzus pumilus: Fantastic looks at El Palmar
Squirrel Cuckoo - Piaya cayana: Several encounters during the tour.
Greater Ani - Crotophaga major: common at RNA El Paujil with 150+ seen per day!
Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani: The common Ani of the trip.
Groove-billed Ani – Crotophaga sulcirostris. Seen in the driest areas
Striped Cuckoo - Tapera naevia*
STRIGIDAE
Tropical Screech Owl – Megascops choliba: Well seen in the garden of RNA El Paujil.
E Santa Marta Screech-owl – Megascops sp. nov.: excellent views at El Dorado lodge!!
RR Colombian Screech Owl – Megascops colombianus. Great close up looks pre dawn at Otun
Quimbaya
White-throated Screech-owl – Megascops albogularis: 2 seen very well at the Rio Blanco reserve.
Mottled Owl - Strix virgata*: heard at several location
Cloud-forest Pygmy-owl – Glaucidium nubicola*: at RNA Las Tangaras.
CAPRIMULGIDAE
Common Pauraque - Nyctidromus albicollis: Seen at several locations.
Band-winged Nightjar - Caprimulgus longirostris: 3 seen on the drive to the San Lorenzo ridge in
the Sierra Nevada.
Lyre-tailed Nightjar – Uropsalis lyra: 2 on the way to Las Tangaras.
APODIDAE
Chestnut-collared Swift - Chaetura lemosi: seen on 3 different days
White-collared Swift - Streptoprocne zonaris several sightings of groups
Band-rumped Swift – Chaetura spinicaudus: 50+ at RNA El Paujil
Short-tailed Swift – Chaetura brachyura: a few at RNA El Paujil
White-tipped Swift - Aeronautes montivagus: 50+ at RNA Cerulean Warbler.
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift – Panyptila cayennensis: 2 near Ocaña
TROCHILIDAE
White-tipped Sicklebill - Eutoxeres aquila: One seen perched and singing at the Piha Reserve
Rufous-breasted Hermit - Glaucis aeneus: 2 at the feeders at RNA Paujil and at Minca
Stripe-throated Hermit - Phaethornis striigularis: excellent views at the lek at RNA El Paujil
Pale-bellied Hermit - Phaethornis anthophilus: 2 birds visiting the feeders at RNA El Paujil
Green Hermit - Phaethornis guy: come to the feeders at RNA Cerulean Warbler
Tawny-bellied Hermit – Phaethornis syrmatophorus: 1 at Las Tangaras
Long-billed Hermit – Phaethornis longirostris: at the feeders at Minca
Green-fronted Lancebill - Doryfera ludovicea: at the Piha Reserve
White-necked Jacobin - Florisuga mellivora: common at the feeders at RNA El Paujil and Minca
Brown Violetear - Colibri delphinae: 1 at the feeders at RNA Cerulean Warbler and El Dorado.
Green Violetear - Colibri thalassinus: dominating the feeders and flowering bushes in the Sierra
Nevada.
Sparkling Violetear -Colibri coruscans
Black-throated Mango - Anthracothorax nigricollis: daily at the feeders at RNA El Paujil, Cerulean
Warbler and Minca
Violet-headed Hummingbird – Klais guimeti: 1 at the RNA Bushbird
Western Emerald – Chlorostilbon melanorhynchus: nice views at the feeders at Las Tangaras.
RR Red-billed Emerald Chlorostilbon gibsoni: A few were noted near Libano, at El Paujil, Cerulean
Warbler reserves and Minca. 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 a super-species with recently described olivaresi. Sibley & Monroe (1990)
considered C. mellisugus to form a 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 Amazona are Blue-tailed Emeralds.
RR Coppery Emerald – Chlorostilbon russatus: a female after a long search above Minca, on our
last morning.
RR Short-tailed Emerald - Chlorostilbon poortmani: 1 at the RNA Recurvebill
Crowned Woodnymph - Thalurania colombica: common
Thalurania colombica and T. fannyi (Green-crowned Woodnymph) 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 fanny and colombica as conspecific.
Violet-bellied Hummingbird – Damophila julie: 1 seen briefly at the feeders at RNA El Paujil
Shinning-green Hummingbird – Lepidopyga goudoti: 5 seen near Santa Marta
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird - Amazilia tzacatl: Commonly seen in small numbers throughout the
tour.
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: a few seen at RNA El Paujil
Steely-vented Hummingbird – Saucerottia saucerottei. Common at feeders at the Piha reserve
and Minca.
E Indigo-capped Hummingbird - Amazilia cyanifrons: seen daily at the feeders at RNA Cerulean
Warbler.
E Blossomcrown – Anthocephala floriceps: 2 males seen in the Sierra Nevada VULNERABLE
White-vented Plumeleteer - Chalybura buffonii: Common at several locations.
Speckled Hummingbird -Adelomyia melanogenys: One at the Rio Blanco Reserve and 2 at the
forest feeders at RNA Cerulean Warbler.
Fawn-breasted Brilliant – Heliodoxa rubinoides: 5 at RNA Reinita azul and one unusually at Las
Tangaras.
Empress Brilliant – Heliodoxa imperatrix: 10 at the feeders at Las Tangaras.
Green-crowned Brilliant - Heliodoxa jacula: Common at the feeders at RNA Arrierito and Cerulean
Warbler
Buff-tailed Coronet – Boissoinneaua falvescens: The owner of the feeders at the Rio Blanco
reserve, and a 1 more at Cerulean Warbler.
RR Velvet-purple Coronet – Boissoinneaua jardini : around 20 at the feeders at Las Tangaras
Shining Sunbeam – Aglaeactis cupripennis: 5 at Los Nevados del Ruiz.
Mountain Velvetbreast – Lafresnaya lafresnayi: 2 at the feeders at Jardin.
Great Sapphirewing – Pterophanes cyanopterus: One at the Chingaza National Park. The world’s
second largest Hummer.
Bronzy Inca - Coeligena coeligena: One at RNA El Paujil.
RR Brown Inca – Coeligena wilsoni: 1 at RNA Las Tangaras.
E Black Inca - Coeligena prunellei: 10+ at the feeders at RNA Cerulean Warbler VULNERABLE
Collared Inca – Coeligena torquata: Common above Jardin and at the Rio Blanco feeders
White-tailed Starfrontlet – Coeligena phalerata: a pair seen daily at the feeders at El Dorado.
E Blue-fronted Starfrontlet – Coeligena helinthea One seen above Nuevo Mundo at Chingaza NP
Sword-billed Hummingbird – Ensifera ensifera: 1 at the feeders above Jardin.
Tourmeline Sunangel – Heliangelus exortis: 20 at Alto de Ventanas and few elsewhere
Amethyst-throated (Longuemare’s) Sunangel – Heliangelus (clarisse) amethysiticollis: 2 seen
at Chingaza National Park. Called Longuemare’s Sunangel by Restall, it is considered conspecific
with Amethyst-throated Sunangel H.amethysticollis (SACC 2004)
Glowing Puffleg – Eriocnemis vestita: 2+ at Chingaza National Park.
RR Coppery-bellied Puffleg – Eriocnemis cupreoventris: 2 at the Chingaza NP.
RR Golden-breasted Puffleg – Eriocnemis mosquera: 1 on the access road to Los Nevados
National Park. A range restricted species also occurring in Ecuador. Named after Colombian
dictator General Tomas Cipriano de Mosquera who ruled in the late 1800s
Greenish Puffleg – Haplopaedia aureliae: Fairly common at RNA Arrierito. 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).
Purple-bibbed Whitetip – Urosticte benjamini: 1 at RNA Las Tangaras.
Booted Racket-tail - Ocreatus underwoodii: 5+ at RNA Cerulean Warbler and a few other
locations.
Tyrian Metaltail - Metallura tyrianthina: We saw the reddish-tailed nominate race at Chingaza
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.
Santa Marta Tyrian Metaltail – Metallura tyrianthina districta: common in the Sierra Mevada
Virdian Metlatail - Metalllura williami 2-3 seen well on the access road to Los Nevados National
Park
RR Bearded Helmetcrest – Oxypogon guerinii: Also shared with Venezuela. Seen at Los Nevados
National Park. Oxypogon is Greek meaning “pointed beard”
Long-tailed Sylph – Aglaiocercus kingi: At the feeders at the Rio Blanco Reserve
RR Violet-tailed Sylph – Aglaiocercus at least 5 at Las Tangaras
RR Purple-throated Woodstar – Calliphlox mitchelli This was the species coming into the feeders
in the yard at the piha reserve in female and eclipse male plumage.
White-bellied Woodstar – Chaetocercus mulsant: Nice looks at El Libano
TROGONIDAE
White-tailed Trogon – Trogon chionurus: at few seen well at RNA El Paujil
Gartered Trogon - Trogon caligatus: 1 the last day, above Minca
Collared Trogon - Trogon collaris . Great looks at Otun Quimbaya.
Masked Trogon - Trogon personatus: A highland version of the former – we saw a few
RR White-tipped Quetzal – Pharomachrus fulgidus: nice views in the Sierra Nevada
Golden-headed Quetzal – Pharomachrus auricepa One seen at RNA Las Tangaras
Crested Quetzal – Pharomachrus antisianus: 2 seen well at RNA Las Tangaras.
ALCEDINIDAE
Ringed Kingfisher - Megaceryle torquata: Small numbers at various wetlands. Note that these big
species are now treated as a distinct genus, the Megaceryle.
Amazon Kingfisher - Chloroceryle amazona: 2 on the way to RNA El Paujil.
Green Kingfisher – Chloroceryle americana: a few seen at RNA El Paujil
MOMOTIDAE
Andean Motmot - Momotus aequatorialis: Conspicuous at Otun Quimbaya and RNA Arrierito. The
SACC says - All Momotus were treated as a single species in most recent classifications since Peters
(1945), but see Stiles (2009) for rationale for recognizing five species, four of which occur in South
America. SACC proposal passed to revise species limits. The subspecies aequatorialis, venezuelae,
subrufescens, microstephanus, and argenticinctus were all formerly (e.g., Ridgway 1914, Cory
1919) considered separate species from M. momota, as were two Middle American taxa. Chapman
(1923) recognized four species in South America: M. subrufescens (including "venezuelae") of the
Caribbean rim of northern South America, M. bahamensis of Trinidad, M. aequatorialis of the
Andes, and M. momota (including microstephanus) of the rest of South America, including
argenticinctus of western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Peters (1945) considered them all
conspecific, and this was followed by Meyer de Schauensee (1970) and AOU (1983, 1998). Fjeldså
& Krabbe (1990) proposed that the Andean form aequatorialis was a separate species from M.
momota, and this was followed by Ridgely & Greenfield (2001), Dickinson (2003), and Schulenberg
et al. (2007), thus returning to the classification of Cory (1919) and Chapman (1923, 1926).
However, no formal analysis had ever been published, and the published evidence in support of
treating aequatorialis as a species-level taxon is weak. SACC proposal passed for treating
aequatorialis as conspecific with M. momota. The latter decision was reversed, however, by the
more recent proposal to revise species limits based on new data.
Distributions of the forms of the “Momotus momota” complex treated in this study: From northwest to southeast, LE
= lessonii; CO = conexus; RE = reconditus; SU = subrufescens; OL = olivaresi; SP = spatha; OS = osgoodi; BA =
bahamensis; AQ = aequatorialis; AR = argenticinctus; MI = microstephanus; MO = momota. Note the high degree of
geographical replacement among taxa; only conexus, reconditus and subrufescens overlap appreciably (and olivaresi is
indistinguishable from subrufescens).
So there are now 6 recognized species (one is not treated in the mentioned paper and map)
Momotus coeruliceps Blue-crowned Motmot – NE and Central Mexico
Momotus lessoni Blue-diademed Motmot – South Mexico to Central Panama
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.
Whooping Motmot - Momotus subrufescens: See above. This one was seen at lower elevations at
El Palmar.
Rufous Motmot - Baryphthengus martii: at RNA El Paujil
GALBULIDAE
Rufous-tailed Jacamar – Galbula ruficauda: excellent views near Santa Marta and in Tayrona NP
BUCCONIDAE
Black-breasted Puffbird – Notharchus pectoralis: excellent view at RNA El Paujil.
White-necked Puffbird – Notharchus hyperrhynchos: 2 seen close at Tayrona NP
Pied Puffbird - Notharchus tectus: 1 on the way to RNA El Paujil.
Barred Puffbird - Nystalus radiatus: Excellent view at El Palmar
Russet-throated Puffbird – Hypnelus ruficolis: some excellent views in the driest areas.
Russet-throated Puffbird – Fabrice Schmitt
White-whiskered Puffbird - Malacoptila panamensis: Nice view at RNA El Paujil.
Moustached Puffbird – Malocoptila myesticalis: seen on 3 different occasions during the trip.
Lanceolated Monklet - Mictomomacha lanceolata
Superb view at RNA El Paujil – a hard to see most wanted species!
CAPITONIDAE
E White-mantled Barbet Capito hypoleucus: Excellent looks of one 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
Red-headed Barbet – Eubucco bourcierii: 2 Seen at RNA Arrierito – a stunning species.
SEMINORTITHIDAE
RR Toucan Barbet Semnornis ramphastinus
Stunning views of 2 at Las Tangaras
RAMPHASTIDAE
Keel-billed Toucan – Ramphastos sulfuratus: excellent views above Minca
RR Citron-throated Toucan – Ramphastos citrolaemus: Heard commonly and two seen at Serrania
de los Quinches. Contacted daily at RNA El Paujil. The SACC says - Cory (1919) and Meyer de
Schauensee (1966, 1970) considered R. culminatus ("Yellow-ridged Toucan") and R. citrolaemus
("Citron-throated Toucan") as separate species from Ramphastos vitellinus. Haffer (1974) treated
these as a subspecies of R. vitellinus, and this treatment, actually a partial return to the
classification of Pinto (1937) and Peters (1948), has been followed by most subsequent authors
e.g. Restall 2007 (but not Sibley & Monroe 1990, Hilty 2003).
E Santa Marta (Emerald) Toucanet – Aulacorhynchus lautus: seen daily in the Sierra Nevada. See
following species.
White-throated (Emerald) Toucanet -Aulacorhynchus albivitta: Seen at Las Tangaras, Rio Blanco
and near Libano –griseogularis (The Grey-throated Toucanet) The SACC says - Ridgely & Greenfield
(2001) suggested that Aulacorhynchus prasinus (Emerald Toucanet) 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. Navarro et al. (2001) say Patterns of variation support
recognition of four species in Mesoamerica: A. wagleri in western Mexico, A. prasinus in eastern
Mexico and northern Central America, A. caeruleogularis in Costa Rica and western Panama, and
A. cognatus in eastern Panama, as well as several additional forms (A. lautus - Santa Marta
Mountains, A. albivitta - Andes of Colombia and Ecuador and A. nigrogularis –Peru and North
Bolivia) in South America. The IOC presents Grey-throated and White–throated as splits, citing,
Puebla-Olivares et al. 2008 and if accepted the former would become a Colombian endemic. IOU
splits, SACC does not.
Crimson-rumped Toucanet -Aulacorhynchus haematopygus Seen at the Piha Reserve. Also heard
at RNA Cerulean Warbler
Black- billed Mountain-Toucan – Andigena nigrirostris Great looks of a pair at Chingaza National
Park
PICIDAE
Olivaceous Piculet – Picumnus olivaceus: excellent views at RNA El Paujil and on a few other
occasions.
E Greyish Piculet – Picumnus granadensis: 1 seen very well at Bolombolo.
RR Chestnut Piculet – Picumnus cinnamomeus: excellent views at Los Flamencos NP.
Acorn Woodpecker – Melanerpes formicivorus: 2 seen during one of our drive.
Beautiful Woodpecker- Phil Yates
E Beautiful Woodpecker - Melanerpes pulcher – 2 seen really well at RNA El Paujil. 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
(1966), but this has not been followed by most subsequent authors.
Red-crowned Woodpecker – Melanerpes rubricapillus: Common.
Smoky-brown Woodpecker – Venilornis fumigatus: Great looks at the Piha reserve.
Yellow-vented Woodpecker – Venilornis dingus: One at the Las Tangaras reserve. Colombia is the
easiest place to see this species.
Red-rumped Woodpecker – Venilornis kirkii: One at RNA El Paujil. Named after James T. Kirk,
captain of the Starship Enterprise.
Golden-olive Woodpecker – Piculus rubiginosus: A couple of sightings of individuals at different
locations
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker – Colaptes rivolii: fantastic views at Rio Blanco reserve.
Spot-breasted Woodpecker – Colaptes punctigula: 1 seen on the way to RNA El Paujil.
Cinnamon Woodpecker – Celeus loricatus: beautiful species seen well at RNA El Paujil
Lineated Woodpecker – Dryocopus lineatus.
Powerful Woodpecker – Campephilus pollens: 2 on our first day at Chingaza NP.
Crimson-crested Woodpecker - Campephilus melanoleucos: wonderful daily view of a female
coming in the garden at RNA El Paujil, and a few other sightings during the trip.
FALCONIDAE
Northern 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 Crested Caracara, while
another form, the extinct Guadalupe Caracara C. lutosus, of Guadalupe Island, Mexico, has also
been given its untimely species status. The SACC says “Caracara cheriway and C. plancus were
formerly considered conspecific (e.g., Hellmayr & Conover 1949, Phelps & Phelps 1958a),
sometimes also including C. lutosus of Guadalupe Island (e.g., Meyer de Schauensee 1970,
Stresemann and Amadon 1979), but the ranges of cheriway and plancus are nearly parapatric with
no sign of intergradation, contrary to earlier interpretations (see Banks REF); they constitute a
superspecies. The three forms had previously been considered separate species by REFS, Pinto
(1938), and Friedmann (1950).”
Yellow-headed Caracara - Milvago chimachima: Another widespread open country raptor that
was seen regularly in small numbers.
Laughing Falcon - Herpetotheres cachinnans: some good views
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius: Scattered sightings.
Bat Falcon – Falco rufigularis: 2 sightings
PSITTACIDAE
Blue-and-yellow Macaw - Ara ararauna: Excellent views at RNA El Paujil
Chestnut-fronted Macaw - Ara severus: seen daily at RNA El Paujil
Scarlet-fronted Parakeet Pssiticara wagleri Excellent views in the Sierra Nevada, where they use
the nest box buildt for the Santa Marta Parakeet!!
Brown-throated Parakeet – Eupsittula pertinax: common around Santa Marta
Golden-plumed Parakeet – Leptosittaca branickii Fantastic looks at a few perched birds at the Rio
Blanco Reserve ENDANGERED
Santa Marta Parakeet
E Santa Marta Parakeet – Pyrrhura viridicata: excellent views at the San Lorenzo ridge, including
close perched birds. ENDANGERED
E Flame-winged Parakeet – Pyrhura calliptera: Spectacular in flight. We saw a flock of 20 above
Nuevo Mundo at Chingaza National Park. Sometimes called Brown-breasted Parakeet.
VULNERABLE
Green-rumped Parrotlet – Forpus passerines: a few at Los Flamencos NP.
RR Spectacled Parrotlet – Forpus conpicillatus. Almost a Colombian endemic. Seen on several
occasions.
Orange-chinned Parakeet - Brotogeris jugularis: common
E Yellow-eared Parrot – Ognorhynchus icterotis: A few heard at Las Tamgaras Reserve and
excellent looks at 4 perched birds and 10 more flying at Alto Las Ventanas. Historically known from
Ecuador it now seems to be extirpated there so is a de facto Colombian endemic. This species is
Critically Endangered because the known range (especially the nesting area) is extremely small.
Suitable habitat is severely fragmented throughout its historical range and continues to be lost and
degraded. Conservation action by Pro Aves is addressing some of the key issues but the future of
this species remains extremely uncertain. World population is estimated at 144 individuals by
Birdlife so we saw almost a quarter of the world’s population in that one flock! Note however
Proaves are finding other undocumented populations. ENDANGERED.
Blue-headed Parrot - Pionus menstruus: A few
Red-billed Parrot – Pionus sordidus: 10+ in the Sierra Nevada.
Speckle-faced Parrot - Pionus tumultuosus: a group of 15 seen at RNA Cerulean Warbler
Bronze-winged Parrot – Pionus chalcopterus: A group of 10 in flight at the Otun Quimbaya
Reserve.
Red-lored Parrot - Amazona automnalis: 2 seen at RNA El Paujil
Yellow-crowned Parrot - Amazona ochrocephala: seen at Puerto Pinzon near RNA El Paujil
Orange-winged Parrot - Amazona amazonica: a few seen at RNA El Paujil
Scaly-naped Parrot – Amazonas mercenaria: a few seen at La M and in the Sierra Nevada.
THAMNOPHILIDAE
Black-crested Antshrike – Sakesphorus canadensis: common in the driest areas
Barred Antshrike – Thamnophilus doliatus: excellent views at El Palmar
RR Bar-crested Antshrike Thamnophilus multistriatus: Great views of a 2 in the RNA Arrierito
lodge garden. A near-endemic, generally replacing the Barred Antshrike, at higher elevations.
Outside Colombia it’s only known from the Venezuelan side of the Sierra de Perijá, so it’s a de
facto endemic.
RR Black-backed Antshrike – Thamnophilus melanotus: excellent views at Minca
Black Antshrike - Thamnophilus nigriceps: Very cooperative bird at RNA El Paujil!!
Uniform Antshrike Thamnophilus unicolor. The subspecies in Colombia is grandior. Goodlooks at
the Piha Reserve and Las Tangaras
Western Slaty-Antshrie Thamnophilus atrinucha: Seen well above La Victoria
RR Recurve-billed Bushbird - Clytoctantes alixii: The best view ever at the well named RNA
Recurve-billed Bushbird, near Ocaña!! A pair coming close to us and showing us how they use their
massive bill to open dead bamboo!! ENDANGERED
Recurve-billed Bushbird- Trevor Ellery
Plain Antvireo – Dysithamnus mentalis: A male at the Piha reserve, and 2 more near Ocaña.
Slaty Antwren Myrmotherula schisticolor: 2 at Las Tangaras
Northern White-fringed Antwren – Formicivora intermedia: well seen on the way to El Paujil, and
great looks in the Guajira peninsula.
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. Distribution of the Drymophila caudata complex. Symbols
represent records of occurrence of the four species defined: circles = D. klagesi, crosses = D.
hellmayri, squares = D. caudata, triangles = D. striaticeps.
Streak-headed Antbird – Drymophila striaticeps*: at Las Tangaras and Rio Blanco.
RR Klage’s Antbird – Drymophila klagesi: 2 seen near Ocaña. See following species.
E Santa Marta Antbird – Drymophila hellmayri: well seen above Minca.
Rufous-rumped Antwren – Ternura callinota*: at Las Tangaras.
E Parker’s Antbird - Cercomacra parkeri: Recently described: Graves (1997). Good looks at a pair
at the Piha reserve. One of the birds named for our late friend and neo-tropical birding pioneer,
Ted Parker.
Jet Antbird – Cercomagra nigricans: stunning views at El Palmar!!
Bare-crowned Antbird - Gymnocichla nudiceps: excellent view at RNA El Paujil an an army-ant
swarm!!
Chestnut-backed Antbird - Myrmeciza exsul: several excellent sightings at RNA El Paujil.
White-bellied Antbird – Myrmeciza longipes: 1 good view at Finca El Palmar
RR Magdalena Antbird – Myrmeciza palliata: stunning view at RNA Arrierito!!
Formerly treated as a subspecies of Dull-mantled Antbird M. laemosticta, but Chaves et al. (2010)
presented evidence that palliata should be ranked as a separate species. SACC proposal passed
to elevate palliata to species rank.
Magdalena Antbird – Fabrice Schmitt
Bicolored Antbird – Gymnopithys bicolor: 3 at an army-ant swarm at RNA El Paujil. Note this
species has now become two species. Gymnopithys bicolor is split from Gymnopithys leucaspis and
retians the name Bicolored Antbird. Gymnopithys leucaspis becomes White – cheeked Antbird.
SACC says: Willis (1967) suggested that trans-Andean bicolor subspecies group deserved separate
species, and this was followed by Wetmore (1972), Hilty & Brown (1986), and Sibley & Monroe
(1990), returning to the species limits of Cory & Hellmayr (1924). See Hackett (1993) for continued
treatment of bicolor as conspecific with G. leucaspis, as outlined by Zimmer (1937a). However,
genetic data (Brumfield et al. 2007) indicate that leucaspis is actually the sister to G. rufigula, not
to bicolor. SACC proposal passed to treat biocolor as separate species. Gymnopithys
leucaspis, G. bicolor, and G. rufigula form a superspecies (Zimmer & Isler 2003).
CONOPHAGIDAE
Chestnut-crowned Gnateater – Conophaga castaniceps: A fantastic view at RNA Arrierito: a male
came very close to us, perched for a while just a few meters from us!!
GRALLARIDAE
Undulated Antpitta – Grallaria squamigera: 2 seen briefly at Rio Blanco reserve.
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta - Grallaria ruficapilla: Photographed at the worm feeder at Rio
Blanco, heard elsewhere
RR Moustached Antpitta – Grallaria alleni*: Heard at Otun Quimbaya.
E Santa Marta Antpitta – Grallaria bangsi: 1 at the feeders at El Dorado lodge. VULNERABLE
E Bicolored Antpitta – Grallaria rufocinerea*: at Rio Blanco VULNERABLE
Chestnut-naped Antpitta – Grallaria nuchalis*: at Rio Blanco.
White-bellied Antpitta - Grallaria hypoleuca: several try at RNA Cerulean Warbler, where 1 just
flew across the trail…
RR Yellow-breasted Antpitta – Grallaria flavotincta: glimpsed by part of the group, and many
heard!
Rufous Antpitta – Grallaria rufula rufula*: Seen well at Chingaza and then seen well above Jardin
and La M (unnamed subspecies for now put in nominate rufula) and this may well be split off as a
Colombian Western Andean endemic. If you look at the map you will see it’s an isolated
population. Kep track of where you see your Rufous Antpittas – they will be split.
E Santa Marta Rufous Antpitta – Grallaria rufula spatiator: excellent views in the Sierra Nevada.
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.
E Brown-banded Antpitta – Grallaria milleri: 2 came to the worm feeders at Rio Blanco –
fantastic! ENDANGERED
Ochre-breasted Antpitta - Grallaricula flavirostris*: at Las Tangaras.
Slate-crowned Antpitta – Grallaricula nana: One at the worm feeders at Rio Blanco was very nice
indeed!
RHINOCRYPTIDAE
Ash-colored Tapaculo – Myornis senilis*: at Rio Blanco.
Blackish Tapaculo – Scytalopus latrans latrans: Seen well above Jardin.
E Santa Marta Tapaculo – Scytalopus sanctaemartae: excellent views in the Sierra Nevada!!
White-crowned Tapaculo – Scytalopus atratus nigricans*. Above El Libano. Scytalopus atratus
(with confusus and nigricans) was formerly (e.g., Zimmer 1939x, Peters 1951, Meyer de
Schauensee 1970) considered conspecific with S. femoralis; for treatment as a separate species
from S. femoralis based on differences in voice, see Krabbe & Schulenberg (1997); it had
previously been considered a separate species by Cory & Hellmayr (1924). Keep track of which
subspecies you see – there are surely several species in this group based on vocal differences.
E Upper Magdalena Tapaculo - Scytalopus rodriguezi: good views at RNA Reinita!! Endangered
E Stile’s Tapaculo – Scytalopus stilesi: well seen at RNA Arrierito
Spillman’s Tapaculo – Scytalopus spillmani: One of the more tricky Tapaculos to see, but we had
good views at La M.
E Brown-rumped Tapaculo – Scytalopus latebricola: good views in the Sierra Nevada, even for the
one who did not climb the hill!!
E Pale-belliedTapaculo – Scytalopus griseicollis. One of the ‘easy” Tapaculos seen well at
Chingaza.
Paramo Tapaculo - Scytalopus opacus: 1 seen on the access road to Los Nevados National Park.
This species has been recently split into Paramo and Paramillo (S. canus) Tapaculos with the latter
becoming a Colombian endemic restricted to the Western Cordillera in the north.
RR Nariño Tapaculo – Scytalopus vicinior*: at Las Tangaras
E “Alto Pisones” Tapaculo – Scytalopus Sp. nov: Good looks on that yet to be described Tapaculo
at Las Tangaras
Ocellated Tapaculo – Acropternis orthonyx*: Phew!!
FURNARIIDAE
Gray-throated Leaftosser – Sclerurus albigularis: good views in the Sierra Nevada
Tyrannine Woodcreeper - Dendrocincla tyrannina: one seen well at Rio Blanco.
Plain-brown Woodcreeper - Dendrocincla fuliginosa: Good views at RNA El Paujil.
Olivaceous Woodcreeper – Sittasomus griseicapillus: one seen well at RNA Arrierito.
Wedge-billed Woodcreper - Glyphorynchus spirurus: Two seen at the Piha Reserve and 1 more at
RNA El Paujil.
Strong-billed Woodcreeper - Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus heard above Nuevo Mundo on
the first day and then one at Otun Quimbaya and also seen in the Sierra Nevada.
Straight –billed Woodcreeper – Dendroplex picus: Common. 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: seen very well at RNA Recurvebill near Ocaña.
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 – Xiphorhynchus triangularis: a few sightings
Streak-headed Woodcreeper – Lepidocolaptes souleyetii: a few good views.
Montane Woodcreeper – Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger: Best views at Rio Blanco. Lepidocolaptes
lacrymiger was formerly (e.g., Peters 1951, Meyer de Schauensee 1970, AOU 1983, 1998, Sibley &
Monroe 1990) considered conspecific with Middle American L. affinis (Spot-crowned
Woodcreeper), but recent treatments (e.g., Ridgely & Tudor 1994, Hilty 2003) usually follow Cory
& Hellmayr (1925), Zimmer (1934c), and Phelps & Phelps (1950a) in treating them as separate
species. Their vocalizations differ strongly, although a formal analysis has not been published; they
constitute a superspecies.
Streaked Xenops - Xenops rutilans: The form found in the Central and Western Andes is
heterurus. We saw one at RNA Arrierito
Spotted Barbtail – Premnornis brunnescens: 1 seen briefly at RNA Arrierito, and a few more
heards
Carribean (Pale-legged) Hornero – Furnarius leucopus: good views on the Guajira peninsula.
Stout-billed Cinclodes – Cinclodes excelsior: Great looks 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.”
Montane Foliage-gleaner - Anabacerthia striaticollis: well seen in the Sierra Nevada.
RR Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner – Anabacerthia variegaticeps One at Las Tangaras
Lineated Foliage-gleaner – Syndactyla subalaris: At RNA Arrierito.
Flammulated Treehunter – Thripadectes flammulatus: very good views in the Sierra Nevada
RR Uniform Treehunter – Thripadectes ignobilis: One along the trail at Las Tangaras
Ruddy Foliage-gleaner – Automolus rubiginosus: 1 seen at the Piha reserve.
Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner
E Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner – Automolus rufipectus: excellent views above Minca.
RR Star-chested Treerunner Margarornis stellatus Choco endemic and great looks at 5-6 at Las
Tangaras
Pearled Treerunner – Margarornis squamiger: Good looks at this splendid montane species at
Alto las Ventanas and Rio Blanco
Streaked Tuftedcheek – Pseudocolpates boissonneautii: 3 at Rio Blanco. Superb furnarids.
Andean Tit-Spinetail – Leptasthenura andicola: good views at Los Nevados del Ruiz.
Many-striped Canastero – Asthenes flammulata: excellent views of the local “rusty-headed”
subspecies.
White-chinned Thistletail – Schizoeaca fuliginosa: good views at Los Nevados del Ruiz.
Red-faced Spinetail – Cranioleuca erythrops: Fairly common and seen at few locations usually
with canopy flocks
E Streak-capped Spinetail – Cranioleuca hellmayri: good views in the Sierra Nevada.
Yellow-chinned Spinetail - Certhiaxis cinnamomea: common in ponds on the way to El Paujil
E Silvery-throated Spinetail - Synallaxis subpudica: 2 of this endemic dull tailed Spinetail were
seen very well at Parque La Florida.
Azara’s Spinetail - Synallaxis azarae: Fairly commonly heard and a few seen. Pip-Squeak!!
Pale-breasted Spinetail - Synallaxis albescens: seen well on a few occasions.
Rufous Spinetail – Synallaxis unirufa: good views at La M and above Jardin.
E Rusty-headed Spinetail – Synallaxis fuscorufa: common in the Sierra Nevada, but not that easy
to see… VULNERABLE
Slaty Spinetail – Synallaxis brechyura: 1 seen well at El Libano, and a few more heard.
RR White-whiskered Spinetail – Synallaxis candei: common at Los Flamencos NP
Stripe-breasted Spinetail - Synallaxis cinammomea: 5+ at the RNA Recurvebill Bushbird.
Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper – Lochmias nematura: well spotted Karen!!! 1 above El Libano.
TYRANNIDAE
Sooty-headed Tyrannulet - Phyllomyias griseiceps: fairly common in the coffee plantation above
San Vicente and at RNA El Paujil
Black-capped Tyrannulet - Phyllomyias nigrocapillus: excellent close views at Chingaza NP.
Ashy-headed Tyrannulet – Phyllomyias cinereiceps*: at Las Tangaras
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet - Tyrannulus elatus: in the lodge garden at El Paujil
Yellow-bellied Elaenia Elaenia flavogaster: Common in open country
Mountain Elaenia - Elaenia frantzii: A few. The species was named after Alexander von Frantzius,
a nineteenth century German collector in Brazil and Costa Rica.
Brown-capped Tyrannulet – Ornithion brunneicapillus: good close views at RNA El Paujil.
Southern Beardless-tyrannulet - Camptostoma obsoletum: 2 at El Paujil
White-throated Tyrannulet Mecocerculus leucophrys: We saw this species at Chingaza
White-banded Tyrannulet - Mecocerculus sticopterus: An Individual at Chingaza.
White-tailed Tyrannulet – Mecocerculus poecilocercus : 2 above Jardin
Torrent Tyrannulet – Serphophaga cinerea: 2 at Otun Quimbaya.
Yellow Tyrannulet - Capsiempis flaveola: 2 in the bamboo at El Paujil
Venezuelan Tyrannulet – Zimmerius improbus: one seen building his nest above Minca.
Sibley & Monroe (1990) and Ridgely & Tudor (1994), followed by Hilty (2003) and Fitzpatrick
(2004), considered the South American improbus group of subspecies to be a separate species
from Paltry Tyrannulet Zimmerius vilissimus. SACC proposal to treat improbus as a separate
species did not pass. Traylor (1982) suspected that the subspecies parvus, from Honduras to NW
Colombia, should also be considered a separate species. Rheindt et al. (in press) found additional
genetic and vocal support for treating improbus (with tamae) as a separate species as well as
petersi and extralimital parvus. SACC proposal needed.
Golden-faced Tyrannulet - Zimmerius chrysops: Seen at various localities. Variation in Goldenfaced 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. 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 (2003)
RR Choco Tyrannulet – Zimmerius albigularis. 3 seen at las Tangaras. A split from the above
species ecognised 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.
Streak-necked Flycatcher - Mionectes striaticollis. One at Rio Blanco
Olive-striped Flycatcher – Mionectes olivcaeous: a few sightings
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher - Mionectes oleaginea: the most common mionectes on that trip.
Slaty-capped Flycatcher – Leptopogon amaurocephalus: Common in the higher cloud forest.
Sepia-capped Flycatcher - Leptopogon amaurocephalus: two seen at El Paujil
Northern Scrub-flycatcher – Sublegatus arenarum: relatively common in the dry shrubs of the
Guajira peninsula.
RR Slender-billed Inezia – Inezia tenuirostris: common at Los Flamencos.
Slender-billed Inezia – Phil Yates
Southern Bentbill - Oncostoma olivaceum: excellent views at El Paujil.
Ornate Flycatcher – Myiotriccus ornatus: common on that trip
a
Scale-crested Pygmy-tyrant - Lophotriccus pileatus: a few… different by voice and habitat from
the ones seen in Peru…
Pale-eyed Pygmy-tyrant – Atalotriccus pilaris: excellent views around Minca.
Pearly-vented Tody-tyrant – Hemitriccus margaritaceiventer: stunning views at Los Flamencos.
Rufous-headed Pygmy-tyrant – Pseudotriccus ruficeps*: above Jardin
Bronze-olive Pygmy-tyrant – Pseudotriccus pelzeni: 1 seen well at Las Tangaras.
Rufous-crowned Tody-tyrant – Poecilotriccus ruficeps: good views at Rio Blanco.
Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher - Poecilotriccus sylvia: excellent view at RNA El Paujil.
Common Tody-Flycatcher - Todirostrum cinereum: Small numbers seen at various locations.
Black-headed Tody-flycatcher – Todirostrum nigriceps: nice view on the way to El Paujil!
Olivaceous Flatbill – Rhynchocyclus olivaceus: superbe views at RNA El Paujil.
Yellow-olive Tolmomyias – Tolmomyias sulphurescens: seen in the coffee plantation near San
Vicente.
Handsome Flycatcher – Myiophobus pulcher: Pleasently common at Las tangaras with at leats 5
seen.
Cinnamon Flycatcher Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea: Regularly encountered in the Andes
(pyrrhoptera), and in the Santa Marta Mountains we saw the endemic and much brighter assimilis.
RR Black-billed Flycatcher - Aphanotriccus audax: really common at El Paujil, with a few contacted
daily. Near-threatened
Olive-sided Flycatcher – Contopus cooperi: good views in the Sierra Nevada. VULNERABLE
Smoke-colored Pewee – Contopus fumigatus: regular sightings
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.
Streak-throated Bush-tyrant – Myiotheretes striaticollis: seen well above Jardin and Los Nevados
del Ruiz.
E Santa Marta Bush-tyrant – Myiotheretes pernix: excellent views on a pair in the Sierra Nevada!!
ENDANGERED
Smoky Bush-tyrant – Myiotheretes fumigatus: excellent views at La M.
Pied Water-Tyrant - Fluvicola pica: a few on the way to El Paujil
White-headed Marsh-tyrant - Arundinicola leucocephala: 5+ on the way to El Paujil
Yellow-bellied Chat-tyrant – Ochtoeca diadema: 2 seen above Jardin
Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant – Ochthoeca cinnamomeiventris: good views at La M.
Rufous-breasted Chat-tyrant – Ochtoeca rufipectoralis: 2 at Chingaza NP
Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant – Ochthoeca fumicolor: Seen at Los Nevados and Chingaza National
Parks.
Long-tailed Tyrant – Colonia colonus: just one seen on the way to RNA Caerulean Warbler.
Cattle Tyrant - Machetornis rixosa: regular sightings
Piratic Flycatcher - Legatus leucophaius: common
Rusty-margined Flycatcher Myiozetetes cayanensis: Numerous and widespread at lower
elevations.
Social Flycatcher - Myiozetetes similis: only seen during one of our drive
Great Kiskadee - Pitangus sulphuratus: A widespread bird of open areas, even found right in the
centre of towns.
Golden-crowned Flycatcher – Myiodynastes chrysocephalus: a few seen during the trip, even in
the Sierra Nevada.
Streaked Flycatcher - Myiodynastes maculatus: regular sightings.
Boat-billed Flycatcher - Megarynchus pitangua: above Minca
A very interesting post by Nathan Pieplow on xenocanto http://www.xenocanto.org/features.php?action=view&blognr=65 present differences in vocilizations for three
populations of Boat-billed Flycatcher: South American, Central American, Tumbes area. Three
cryptic species??
Tropical Kingbird - Tyrannus melancholicus. Common throughout
Fork-tailed Flycatcher – Tyrannus savanna: A few on the drives in open country.
Gray Kingbird – Tyrannus dominicensis: 2 seen at Los Flamencos NP.
Dusky-capped Flycatcher - Myiarchus tuberculifer: As usual, the plaintive call was heard more
often than the bird was seen-but see it we did!
Panama Flycatcher - Myiarchus panamensis: a few daily at El Paujil
E Apical Flycatcher – Myiarchus apicalis: Seen at Bolombolo. An endemic of dry environments.
Pale-edged Flycatcher – Myiarchus cephalotes: Common at the Piha Reserve.
Brown-crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus tyrannulus: daily at El Paujil and also found on the Guajira
peninsula.
Bright-rumped (Flammulated) Attila - Attila (flamulatus) spadiceus*: at El Paujil
COTINGIDAE
Red-crested Cotinga – Ampelion rubrocristatus: one at Los Nevados NP
RR Green and Black Fruiteater - Pipreola riefferii: a few sightings
Barred Fruiteater – Pipreola arcuata: 2 seen at La M.
Orange-breasted Fruiteater – Pipreola jucunda: 1 seen well at Las Tangaras
Golden-breasted Fruiteater – Pipreola aureopectus: good views in the Sierra Nevada.
E Chestnut-capped Piha – Lipaugus weberi: Excellent views of 2 birds 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. Another seen the
following day hjover-gleaning for melastome fruits in the understory! The chestnut on the crown
can be hard to see. ENDANGERED
Chestnut-capped Piha – Fabrice Schmitt
Dusky Piha – Lipaugus fuscocinereous*: at Rio Blanco
Olivaceous Piha – Snowornis cryptolophus: Nice looks at Las Tangaras
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow – Pyroderus scutatus: Common at Otun Quimbaya with 30+ seen.
PIPRIDAE
RR Yellow-headed Manakin – Chloropipo flavicapilla: 1 seen briefly at El Libano
Golden-winged Manakin – Masius chrysopterus: Good looks of a male at Las Tangaras and a pair
at Cerulean Warbler RNA
White-bearded Manakin Manacus manacus: A male at La Victoria, and a big lek with 30+ males at
El Paujil
Western Striped Manakin - Machaeropterus striolatus: One heard at la Victoria and one seen well
at El Paujil. The SACC says “Snow (2004) considered the Amazonian striolatus subspecies group to
be a separate species from Machaeropterus regulus of SE Brazil”. Restall (2007) does not follow
this split but Volume 9 of handbook of Birds of the World does. If you follow the split Eastern
Striped Manakin Machaeropterus regulus is restricted to SE Brazil so all the Colombia Ecuador and
Peruvian ones are Western Striped Manakin Machaeropterus striolatus
Lance-tailed Manakin – Chiroxipha lanceolata: at Tayrona NP
Wing-barred Piprites - Piprites chloris*: heard at Cerulean Warbler RNA
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: seen on the way to El Paujil
Masked Tityra – Tityra semifasciata: seen at Minca
Rufous-winged Schiffornis – Schiffornis stenorhyncha: hard work to see that one!!! At RNA El
Paujil
Barred Becard – Pachyramphus versicolor: great views at La M
Cinereous Becard – Pachyramphus rufus: one at RNA Arrierito
Cinnamon Becard - Pachyramphus cinnamomeus: common at El Paujil where building his nest in
the lodge garden
White-winged Becard – Pachyramphus polychopterus*
Black-and-white Becard – Pachyramphus albogriseus*
One-colored Becard – Pachyramphus homocrhous: a young male at El Palmar
VIREONIDAE
Rufous-browed Peppershrike – Cyclarhis gujanensis: good views at Los Flamencos NP.
Black-billed Peppershrike – Cyclarhis nigrisrostris: excellent views at Las Tangaras.
Yellow-browed Shrike-Vireo – Vireolanius eximius: Wonderful view of a wonderful bird!! Above
San Vicente.
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.
Brown-capped Vireo - Vireo leucophrys*
RR Choco Vireo – Vireo masteri: Great bird to see and see it we did along the trail at Las Tangaras!
RR Rufous-naped Greenlet - Hylophilus semibrunneus: Good views at the Piha reserve and at
Bolombolo. Almost a Colombian endemic but gets into Venezuela.
Scrub Greenlet - Hylophilus flavipes: 2 at El Palmar
CORVIDAE
RR Black-collared Jay - Cyanolyca armillata: Good views at Chingaza NP and Rio Blanco
Black-chested Jay - Cyanocorax affinis: common
Beautiful Jay – Cyanolyca pulchra*: at Las Tangaras
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
White-winged Swallow - Tachycineta albiventer: on the way to El Paujil
Brown-chested Martin – Progne tapera: a few
Gray-breasted Martin - Progne chalybea: Reasonably numerous at lower elevations.
Brown-bellied Swallow - Notiochelidon murina: At Bogotá, Chingaza and Los Nevados del Ruiz.
Blue-and-white Swallow -Notiochelidon cyanoleuca: Widespread in small numbers
Pale-footed Swallow – Orochelidon flavipes: 5+ seen at La M with breeding behavior; not known
to be here!
Southern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis: Common at lower elevations.
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica: a few on the way to San Vicente
Cliff Swallow – Hirundo pyrrhonota: 1 on the way to El Paujil
DONACOBIIDAE
Black-capped Donacobius – Donacobius atricapilla: on the way to El Paujil
TROGLODYTIDAE
Southern Nightingale-Wren: Microcerculus marginatus* Now its official name according to the
IOU.
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 Wren – Cistothoru platensis: 10+ on the paramo at Los Nevados National Park The SACC
says “Two distinctive major subspecies groups, Andean and south-temperate platensis and
lowland polyglottus, intergrade in southeastern South America (Traylor 1988). The North American
stellaris group may warrant species rank from Cistothorus platensis (e.g., see Meyer de
Schauensee 1966, Ridgely & Tudor 1989).”
Bicolored Wren - Campylorhynchus griseus: repeated excellent views
RR White-headed Wren Campylorhynchus albobrunneus: A large and handsome, gregarious wren
– we saw 3 at Las Tangaras.
RR Sooty-headed Wren – Pheugopedius spadix; 1 responsive bird at RNA Arrierito. 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.
Black-bellied Wren - Pheugopedius fasciatoventris: Great looks at El Paujil, and heard El Palmar
Whiskered Wren - Pheugopedius mystacalis: good views at the Recurve-billed Bushbird reserve.
Rufous-breasted Wren – Pheugopedius rutilus: nice views above Minca!
Speckle-breasted Wren – Pheugopedius sclateri*: at Bolombolo.
Bay Wren - Pheugopedius nigricapillus: at El Libano
E Niceforo’s Wren - Pheugopedius leucopogon: excellent views on 2 birds in the coffee plantation
above San Vicente CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Rufous-and-white Wren – Thryophilus rufalbus: great views above Minca!!
E Antioquia Wren – Thryophilus serbai: a recently described species, seen well at Bolombolo.
Buff-breasted Wren – Cantorchilus leucotis: common in Tayrona NP.
Rufous Wren – Cinnecerthia unirufa: at Rio Blanco
White-breasted Wood-wren - Henicorhina leucosticta: good views at El Paujil
Grey-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys: Regularly heard at higher elevations with a
number of good views.
E Munchique Wood-wren – Henicorhina negreti: excellent views at La M.
Chestnut-breasted Wren - Cyphorhinus thoracicus: Wow the song in Colombia is something else!
Great looks at Otun Quimbaya.
POLIOPTIDAE
Long-billed Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus: One finally showed well at the Piha reserve,
and another one at Minca.
Tropical Gnatcatcher – Polioptila plumbea: seen on several occasions. Todd & Carriker many
years ago split plumbiceps of the Guajira from bilineata so keep track of this
MIMIDAE
Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus: A common open country species.
CINCLIDAE
White-capped Dipper – Cinclus leucocephalus: seen on 4 different occasions.
Black Solitaire – Fabrice Schmitt
TURDIDAE
Andean Solitaire Myadestes ralloide: a few heard but one seen well!!
RR Black Solitaire Entomodestes coracinus. Another Choco endemic payed hide and seek with us
along the trail at Las Tangaras but we all got good looks!!
Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush – Catharus fuscater: quite good views at the Recurve-billed
Bushbird RNA
Slaty-backed Nightingale-thrush – Catharus fuscater: 1 seen in the El Dorado lodge garden
Swainson ’s Thrush – Catharus ustulatus: regular sightings
Yellow-legged Thrush - Turdus flavipes: good view at Recurve-billed Bushbird reserve and in the
Sierra Nevada
Great Thrush Turdus fuscater: Ubiquitous at higher elevations. We saw quindio (endemic) in the
Central and Western Andes, and cacozelus (a very pale subspecies that is also endemic) in the
Santa Marta Mountains.
Black-hooded Thrush – Turdus olivater: nice views in the Sierra Nevada
Chestnut-bellied Thrush – Turdus fulviventris: 2 seen at the RNA Recurvebill Bushbird.
Pale-breasted Thrush - Turdus leucomelas: Relatively common.
Black-billed Thrush - Turdus ignobilis: Fairly common in the lowlands and in the garden at
Cerulean Warbler lodge.
Pale-vented Thrush – Turdus obsoletus: 2 at Otum Quimbaya
Spectacled Thrush – Turdus nudigens: 1 near Ocaña
White-necked Thrush - Turdus albicollis: 2 at the Recurve-billed Bushbird reserve and 1 more in
the Sierra Nevada
THRAUPIDAE
White-capped Tanager – Sericossypha albocristata*
Black-capped Hemispingus – Hemispingus atropileus: Seen on four different days. Hemispingus is
Greek and means half a spingus – a spingus being a Finch so referring to their small size.
Superciliaried Hemispingus – Hemispingus superciliaris: 10+ at Rio Blanco
Oleaginous Hemispingus – Hemispingus frontalis: 10+ at Rio Blanco
Black-eared Hemispingus – Hemispingus melanotis: good views at Rio Blanco
Black-headed Hemispingus – Hemispingus verticalis: 1 seen on our first day at Chingaza
Grey-hooded Bush Tanager – Cnemoscopus rubrirostris: 15+ of the nominate form that do have
pink bills at Rio Blanco. 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 – Eucometis penicillata: 3 on the way out of RNA Reinita Azul
White-shouldered Tanager - Tachyphonus luctuosus: seen daily at El Paujil
White-lined Tanager – Tachyphonus rufus: a few sightings especially around Minca
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.
RR Flame-rumped Tanager - Ramphocelus flammigerus: Seen at the beginning of our trip. See the
preceding species for the taxonomic status of this near endemic.
Blue-gray Tanager - Thraupis episcopus: Numerous and widespread. The scientific name is derived
from the ‘episcopal blue’ plumage.
Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum: Common and widespread.
Blue-capped Tanager Thraupis cyanocephala: A few seen at different locations.
E Black-and-gold Tanager – Bangsia melanochlamys: one spotted kilometers away by Barbara at
RNA Arrierito!!! And seen good views of 10+ at Las Tangaras. VULNERABLE
E Gold-ringed Tanager – Bangsia aureocincta*: painfull…. Calling but never came in the open…
ENDANGERED
Hooded Mountain Tanager – Buthraupis Montana: 2 at Alto Las Ventanas and at La M – a large
showy Tanager
E Santa Marta Mountain-Tanager – Anisognathus melanogenys: 10+ on the San Lorenzo ridge in
the Sierra Nevada VULNERABLE
Lacrimose Mountain Tanager – Anisognathus lacrymosus: 2 at Alto las Ventanas and at La M
Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager – Anisognathus igniventris: Always a great bird – 2-3 seen at
Chingaza on our first day and then again at Los Nevados
RR Black-chinned Mountain Tanager – Anisognathus notabilis Common at RNA Las Tangaras.
Santa Marta Mountain-Tanager – Jim Watt
Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus somptuosus: At Rio Blanco, the Piha Reserve and
Cerulean Warbler reserve.
Grass-green Tanager – Chlorornis rieferii: Seen on 3 diiferent occasions.
Buff-breasted Mountain Tanager – Dubusia taeniata: several sighting of that great tanager!!
RR Purplish-mantled Tanager – Iridosornis porphyrocephalus. A near endemic creeping into NW
Ecuador. At RNA Arrierito 2 recorded and 5+ at Las Tangaras. NEAR THREATENED
E Multicolored Tanager – Chlorochrysa nitidissima: excellent views at the Piha reserve and at
Otun Quimbaya. VULNERABLE
Glistening-green Tanager – Chlorochrysa phoenicotis: 5 at Las Tangaras
Plain-colored Tanager – Tangara inornata: 2 at El Hato road, and 1 on the way out RNA Reinita
azul
Golden Tanager -Tangara arthus: A stunning montane species that we saw at a number of sites.
Saffron-crowned Tanager - Tangara xanthocephala: 2 at Las Tangaras
Speckled Tanager – Tangara guttata: Several sighting of the bogotensis race at the Piha Reserve
and Recurve-billed Bushbird reserve
Purplish-mantled Tanager – Daniel Uribe
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.
RR Scrub Tanager - Tangara vitriolina: Another species which prefers second growth. One of the
most numerous and widespread tanagers in Colombia’s valleys and on the adjacent slopes, but
outside the country it is a localized specialty in northern Ecuador.
Metallic-green Tanager – Tangara labradorides: 3 at RNA Reinita
Blue-necked Tanager Tangara cyanicollis: Common and widespread but nonetheless striking.
Golden-hooded Tanager - Tangara larvata: seen daily at El Paujil
Beryl-spangled Tanager - Tangara nigroviridis: Common at RNA Arrierito and Rio Blanco.
Black-capped Tanager - Tangara heinei: A few seen at various sites.
Black-headed Tanager - Tangara cyanoptera: 2 at the feeders near the Recurve-billed Bushbird
reserve and near Minca
Blue and Black Tanager – Tangara vassorii: Fairly common at Alto las Ventanas and Rio Blanco
Swallow Tanager – Tersina viridis: several good looks in the Sierra Nevada
Rusty Flowerpiercer – Diglossa sittoides: good views in the Sierra Nevada
Glossy Flowerpiercer – Diglossa lafresnayi: 1 at Chingaza NP
Black Flowerpiercer – Diglossa humeralis: seen at Chingaza and in the Sierra Nevada.
White-sided Flowerpiercer - Diglossa albilatera: Perhaps the most common and widespread of
the flowerpiercers. Here the nominate race.
RR Indigo Flowerpiercer – Diglossa indigotica: wonderful bird seen at Piha reserve and Las
Tangaras
Masked Flowerpiercer – Diglossa cyanea: Common at Alto las Ventanas and Rio Blanco
Plushcap – Catamblyrhynchus diadema: 1 seen well at Rio Blanco
Guira Tanager - Hemithraupis guira: just 1 seen during the all trip
Yellow-backed Tanager - Hemithraupis flavicollis: 5 at El Paujil
E White-eared Conebill - Conirostrum leucogenys: seen briefly on the way to San Vicente.
Capped Conebill – Conirostrum albifrons: Fairly common at Rio Blanco.
E Rufous-browed Conebill – Conirsotrum rufum: One of the first birds of the trip at Chingaza and
one of the best of the trip – quite a little gem!!
Yellow-tufted (Black-faced) Dacnis – Dacnis lineata egregia: 1 seen at El Palmar
E Turquoise Dacnis - Dacnis hartlaubi: a group of 3 in the lodge garden at Cerulean Warbler
reserve. VULNERABLE
Blue Dacnis – Dacnis cayana: a few
Golden-collared Honeycreeper – Iridophanes pulcherririmus: good views on male and female at
Las Tangaras
Grassland Yellow-finch – Sicalis luteola: 5 at La Florida
Saffron Finch - Sicalis flaveola: Common
Blue-black Grassquit - Volatinia jacarina: Common.
Yellow-bellied Seedeater - Sporophila nigricollis: Common.
Turquoise Dacnis – Fabrice Schmitt
Grassland Yellow-finch – Sicalis luteola: 5 at La Florida
Saffron Finch - Sicalis flaveola: Common
Blue-black Grassquit - Volatinia jacarina: Common.
Yellow-bellied Seedeater - Sporophila nigricollis: Common.
Ruddy-breasted Seedeater - Sporophila minuta: good view on the way to El Paujil
Thick-billed seed-Finch - Oryzoborus funereus: 1 at El Paujil
Large-billed Seed-finch – Oryzoborus crassirostris: a pair on the way to El Paujil
Band-tailed Seedeater – Catamenia analis: 5 at Parque La Florida
Plain-colored Seedeater – Catamenia inornata: 10+ at Los Nevados del Ruiz
Paramo (Santa Marta) Seedeater – Catamenia (oreophila) homochroa: 5+ seen on the San
Lorenzo ridge in the Sierra Nevada
Bananaquit – Coereba flaveola: for sure we enjoyed waching that nice little guy!!
Yellow-faced Grassquit - Tiaris olivacea: Small numbers above Libano and San Vicente
Pileated Finch – Coryhospingus pileatus: good views at Los Flamencos NP
INCERTAE SEDIS
Rosy Thrush-Tanager – Rhodinocichla rosea: fantastic view above Minca!!
Buff-throated Saltator - Saltator maximus: Fairly common
Grayish Saltator – Saltator coerulescens: Common.
Black-winged Saltator - Saltator atripennis: Common at Otun Quimbaya and heard at the Piha
reserve. One of the nicer Saltators.
Orinocan Saltator – Saltator orenocensis: nice views at Los Flamencos
Streaked Saltator Saltator striatipectus: Fairly common throughout the tour.
Masked Saltator – Saltator cinctus: 2 birds seen very well at Rio Blanco!!! A very rare Saltator all
over his range!
EMBERIZIDAE
Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis: Numerous at higher elevations.
RR Tocuyo Sparrow – Arremonops tocuyensis: 5 seen near Los Flomencos NP
Orange-billed Sparrow – Arremon aurantiirostris*: at El Paujil NP
Golden-winged Sparrow – Arremon schlegeli: excellent views of that beautiful sparrow above
Minca
Olive Finch – Arremon castaneiceps: 1 at Las Tangaras
Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch Arremon brunneinucha: At RNA Arrierito, Otun Quimbaya, Libano
and Cerulean Warbler
E Sierra Nevada Brush-Finch – Arremon basilicus: seen in the El Dorado lodge garden
Grey-browed Brush-Finch – Arremon assimilis: 1 at the Rio Blanco Reserve coming into the
Antpitta worm feeders.
RR Black-headed Brush-Finch – Arremon atricapillus: good views after a long try at El Libano
RR Tanager Finch – Oreothraupis arremonops: superbe view on 2 birds at La M VULNERABLE
Tanager Finch – Phil Yates
RR Mustached Brush-Finch - Atlapetes albofrenatus: very good views at the Recurve-billed
Bushbird reserve. We saw the albofrenatus race.
Yellow-throated (White-naped) Brush-Finch – Atlapetes (albinucha) gutteralis: Seen on several
occasions. 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 Brush Finch Atlapetes gutturalis intergrades and is
conspecific with White-naped Brush Finch A. albinucha
E Santa Marta Brush-Finch – Atlapetes melanocephalus: very common in the Sierra Nevada
E Yellow-headed Brush-Finch – Atlapetes flaviceps: 2 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 BrushFinch" in BirdLife International (2000). SACC proposal passed to change English name to the latter
because the historical name is inaccurate and misleading. ENDANGERED
RR Choco Brush Finch – Atlapetes crassus: at least 3 at Las Tangaras – recent split from Tricolored
Brush-Finch A. tricolor
Pale-naped Brush-Finch – Atlapetes pallidinucha: Around 3 at Los Nevados del Ruiz.
Slaty Brush-Finch – Atlapetes schistaceus: seen at Chingaza, above Jardin ant at Rio Blanco.
Dusky Chlorospingus – Chlorospingus semifuscus: Common at RNA Las Tangaras
Ashy-throated Chlorospingus – Chlorospingus canigularis: 3+ seen at Cerulean Warbler reserve.
CARDINALIDAE
Tooth-billed (Hepatic) Tanager – Piranga (flava) lutea: several sightings all over the trip.
Summer Tanager – Piranga rubra: Common in a variety of plumages.
Scarlet Tanager – Piranga olivacea: 3 or 4 thruout the tour.
E Sooty Ant-Tanager - Habia gutturalis: A superb Nechí endemic. We saw 2 at La Victoria building
a nest. 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 1001,100m. 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 (foragriculture), and clearance of its favored foothills has been near total since the 1950s.
NEAR THRATENED
E Crested Ant-Tanager – Habia cristata: contacted on 4 different occasions, but only one good
sighting, finally…, above El Libano!!
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - Pheuctitus ludovicianus: several sightings, including a few males in
bright breeding plumage.
Vermillion Cardinal – Cardinalis phoeniculus: excellent views at Los Flamencos NP
Blue-black Grosbeak – Cyanocompsa cyanoides: seen at Tayrona NP and near Minca
PARULIDAE
Northern Waterthrush – Parkesea noveboracensis: seen on 3 different occasions
Black-and-white Warbler – Mniotilta varia: a few
Tennessee Warbler – Vermivora peregrina: relatively common
Mourning Warbler – Geothlypis Philadelphia: 1 seen above El Libano
American Redstart – Setophaga ruticilla: at least 4 different birds
Tropical Parula – Parula pitiayumi: A few.
American Yellow Warbler – Dendroica aestiva: This North American Migrant was seen at a few
occasions. The SACC says: Many authors suspect that the breeding populations of Dendroica
petechia in South America may represent one or more separate species from North American
wintering populations, but species limits in the "Yellow Warbler' complex are controversial (Klein
and Brown 1994). Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) used a two-species classification, with North
American wintering populations as one species, D. aestiva ("Yellow Warbler") and tropical resident
populations as another, D. petechia ("Mangrove Warbler"). A three-species classification, as used
by Hilty (2003), would separate the tropical populations into two species: mainly Pacific coastal
populations, D. erithachorides ("Mangrove Warbler"), and Caribbean D. petechia ("Golden
Warbler"). Olson (1980) noted that the South American populations on the Pacific coast show a
gradation of characters between the erithachorides and petechia groups. SACC proposal to split
petechia into two or more species did not pass due to insufficient published data. The IOC differs
however and splits the birds into North American Yellow Warbler and Mangrove Warbler.
Bay-breasted Warbler - Dendroica castanea: a few seen at El Paujil and in the coffee plantation
above San Vicente
Blackburnian Warbler – Dendroica fusca: Regularly recorded throughout the tour – a very pretty
bird.
Buff-rumped Warbler Basileuterus fulvicauda: A few near Libano, La Victoria and El Paujil
Citrine Warbler – Basiluterus luteoviridis richardsoni: We saw 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: 2 at Chingaza and 2 more at Rio Blanco
RR Gray-throated Warbler - Basileuterus cinereicollis: good views on our visit to the Recurvebilled Bushbird.
E White-lored Warbler – Myiothlypis conspicillatus: contacted daily in the Sierra Nevada
Russet-crowned Warbler – Basileuterus coronatus: 3 at Rio Blanco
Golden-crowned warbler – Basileuterus culicivorus: 2 at Bolombolo
Rufous-capped Warbler - Basileuterus rufifrons delatterii: Contacted several times, but best views
above Minca!! 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 at RNA Arrierito.
E Santa Marta Warbler – Basileuterus basilicus: a few seen well on the San Lorenzo ridge in the
Sierra Nevada VULNERABLE
Santa Marta Warbler
Canada Warbler – Wilsonia canadensis: Common
Slate-throated Whitestart - Myioborus miniatus: A common, widespread and delightful resident
of the montane forests.
RR Golden-fronted Whitestart – Myioborus ornatus: We saw the chrysops race at varios
locations– a very pretty bird.
E Yellow-crowned Whitestart – Myioborus flavivertex: good views on the San Lorenzo ridge in the
Sierra Nevada
ICTERIDAE
Russet-backed Oropendola Zarhynchus angustifrons: Fairly common
Crested Oropendola - Psarocolius decumanus: common
Subtropical Cacique – Cacicus uropygialis: 5 at the RNA Cerulean Warbler
Yellow-rumped Cacique – Cacicus cela: a few
Yellow-billed Cacique – Amblycercus holosericeus: heard at Rio Blanco and one more seen in the
Sierra Nevada
Yellow-tailed Oriole – Icterus mesomelas: 1 seen above San Vicente
Orange-crowned Oriole – Icterus auricapillus: 1 at RNA El Paujil
Yellow-backed Oriole Icterus chrysater: An attractive bird with a beautiful song that we saw on
two occasions
Yellow Oriole – Icterus nigrogularis: a few seen in the Guajira peninsula
E Red-bellied Grackle – Hypopyrrhus pyrohpogaste: A total of 3 seen very well at RNA Arrierito- a
very striking species and very localized. ENDANGERED
Yellow-hooded Blackbird – Chrysmus icterocephalus: Common at Parque La Florida.
Giant Cowbird – Molothorus oryzivorus: A few of this brood parasite
Shiny Cowbird – Molothorus bonariensis: Common
Great-tailed Grackle – Quiscalus mexicanus: fairly common in the Guajira peninsula.
Carib Grackle - Quiscalus lugubris: a few seen during our drives to San Vicente and to Ocaña. A
spreading species in Colombia!!
Red-breasted Blackbird - Sturnella militaris: a few when driving to San Vicente
Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna A few at the Guascar Gravel Pits on our first day
FRINGILLIDAE
Andean Siskin – Sporaga spinescens: 10 at Parque La Florida
Hooded Siskin – Sporaga magallenica: just 2
Yellow-bellied Siskin – Sporaga xanthogastra: seen a few times.
Lesser Goldfinch - Carduelis psaltria: A few seen
E Velvet-fronted Euphonia – Euphonia concinna: A few seen well at Finca El Palmar.
Trinidad Euphonia – Euphonia trinitatis: a few in the Guajira peninsula
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
Fulvous-vented Euphonia - Euphonia fulvicrissa: several seen daily at El Paujil
Blue-naped Chlorophonia - Chlorophonia cyanea: fantastic views in the Sierra Nevada
Yellow-collared Chlorophonia – Chlorophonia flavirostris: one of the most beautiful bird of the
trip!! 3 seen at Las Tangaras
Yellow-collared Chlorophonia – Fabrice Schmitt
MAMMALS
Neotropical Red-tailed Squirrel – Sciurus granatensis: A few at several localities.
E Andean Squirrel - Sciurus pucheranii: An endemic! Seen at RNA Arrierito
E Santander Dwarf Squirrel – Mermoceculus santanderensis: Named for the department of
Santander, this was seen at RNA El Paujil and is an endemic.
Western Dwarf Squirrel – Mercoceculus mimulus: seen at Otum Quimbaya and Rio Blanco
RR Cotton-top Tamarin - Sanguinus Oedipus – At Tayona NP.
Colombian White-faced Capuchin - Cebus capuchinus: 15+ at El Paujil
E Variegated Spider Monkey - Ateles hybridus: a group of 3 at El Paujil. A recent split from the
White-bellied Spider Monkey (Ateles belzebuth). CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Colombian Red Howler Monkey - Alouatta seniculus: in the Sierra Nevada
Andean White-eared Opossum – Didelphis pernigra: seen on the way to La M, and above Jardin
Central American Agouti – Dasyprocta punctata: seen at El Paujil
Puma – Puma concolor: Leader Only… one running on the trail at RNA Cerulean Warbler!!
Crab-eating Fox – Cerdocyon thous: a young one seen on the way to La M, and another one
coming in the garden of the ranger house at Rio Blanco.
Long-tailed Weasel – Mustella frenata: 1 seen in the Sierra Nevada
Tayra – Eira Barbara: excellent view at RNA El Paujil
Crab-eating Racoon – Procyon cancrivorus: 1 at RNA El Paujil
REPTILES
Green Iguana Iguana iguana : a few
Basiliscus sp.: several sightings at El Paujil