Argentina 6
We continue our birding trip report to the Atlantic rain forest in Argentina in 1995. Once again all the photographs were taken by ourselves with my old trusted non-digital Nikon camera.
Three views of the Condor Valley near Cafayate.
Drive from Cafayate towards the Andes
Golden-collared Macaw - Ara auricollis
Golden-collared Macaw in the Calilegua National Park.
Main population occurs in the Pantanal of Brazil and Northern Argentina, but also present in other South American countries. On our trip a pair of these fine Macaws were located feeding in a fruiting tree along the main track at lower elevation in Calilegua NP on the 17th. They were watched using their feet to hold the fruit whilst feeding, as shown in our second photograph. One of the highlights of the trip.
Burrowing Parrot - Cyanoliseus patagonus
Burrowing Parrots near Cafayate.
Widespread in the N and C Andes C sierras and Patagonia. Nests in communally in cliff burrows.
Seen at the sandy soil area around Cafayate with ten on the 22nd and fifty on the 23rd. Impressive, tame and very noisy.
Monk Parakeet - Myiopsitta monachus
Monk Parakeets in the early morning at Runta Rasa marsh.
Monk Parakeet at Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve.
On our trip it was common along the coast and also seen in chaco near JVG. Seen on 7 days with a daily maximum of 50 seen on the 12th.
Maroon-(Reddish-)bellied Parakeet - Pyrrhura frontalis chiripepe
Maroon Bellied Parrot at Iguazu National Park.
Found from S.E Brazil to N.E.Argentina including E. Paraguay and Uruguay. We recorded it on 4 days in the Iguazu NP but never in excess of ten a day.
Scaly-headed Parrot - Pionus maximiliani melanobelpharus
Scaly Headed Parrots at Iguazu National Park.
Four subspecies. Found in a wide range of wooded habitats in E. Brazil, C and E Bolivia and Paraguay and N. Argentina. We recorded it on eight days with up to thirty a day seen at Calilegua and fifteen of the melanobelpharus race at at Iguazu NP.
Dark-billed Cuckoo - Coccyzus melacoryphus
Dark-billed Cuckoo at Palomites
Present in Argentina between Oct to May in the N lowlands and foothills. We recorded it on our trip with one seen at Attalaya on the 13th, ten seen in the Palomites area on the 18th, six seen in chaco on the 19th, fifteen seen in chaco at JVG on the 20th and six on the 21st and finally 1 seen near Salta on the 23rd. A stunning Cuckoo.
Greater Ani - Crotophaga major
Greater Ani at Iguazu National Park.
It breeds from Panama and Trindad through tropical S. America to N. Argentina. We recorded it with a party of ten were seen at Iguazu NP on the 2nd and one there on the 3rd.
Guira Cuckoo - Guira guira
Guira Cuckoos with a Toco Toucan at Iguazu National Park.
Guira Cuckoos at Iguazu National Park.
Widespread in lowlands and the Andean foothills south to N Patagonia. We recorded it virtually daily being common in various habitats. A daily maximum of 12 seen on the 11th and 12th.
Squirrel Cuckoo - Piaya cayana mogenseni / macroura
Squirrel Cuckoo at Iguazu National Park.
Thirteen subspecies. Generally found in wooded habitats from NW Mexico to N. Argentina and Uruguay and Trindad. We recorded it on 7 days with mogenseni race seen at Calilegua and macroura race at Iguazu NP with a daily maximum of 6 seen on the 28th.
Burrowing Owl - Athene cunicularia
Burrowing Owl in the chaco at JVG
During our trip two were seen at Attalaya on the 13th, three at Abra Pampa on the 15th, three seen at JVG on the 20th and four there on the 21st and three on the 22nd.
White-sided Hillstar - Oreotrochilus leucopleurus
White-sided Hillstar near Abra Pampa.
Black-throated Trogon - Trogon rufus chrysochloros
Black-throated Trogan taken against the light at Iguazu.
A male showed extremely well at Iguazu National Park.
Blue-crowned Trogon - Trogon curucui behni
Black-crowned Trogan
Young male Blue Crowned Trogon at Calilegua National Park.
Spot-backed Puffbird - Nystalus maculatus striatipectus
Spot Backed Puffbird on the drive to JVG
A single bird was seen at Palomites on the 18th with six seen on the 19th chiefly on the drive to JVG and ten were seen on the drive from JVG on the 21st. The species seemed to prefer more dry scrub areas close to chaco often along roadsides rather that in true chaco habitat.
Golden-breasted Woodpecker - Colaptes melanolaimus
Golden Breasted Woodpecker in Punt Rasa wood.
Two were seen in the Punta Rasa wood on the 12th and one was seen in the San Lorenzo forest on the 24th.
Scimitar-billed Woodcreeper - Drymornis bridgesii
Scimitar Billed Woodcreeper in the evening light on the dirt road at JVG
A highlight of the trip was one found feeding on the dirt road leading through chaco on the 19th. It allowed close approach. We were surprised to find another three in chaco at JVG on the 20th and one in the same area on the 21st.
Puna Miner - Geositta punensis
Puna Miner in the heat haze near Humahuaca.
Around fifty were seen on the drive up from Humahuaca through the Andes and around Lago Pozuelos but only eight were seen on the return drive on the 16th.
We now headed off to Salta for a flight to Buenos Aires and then a second flight to Iguazu to spend 5 days in the National Park.
