JFC's Birding: Panama 2008 Blog No. 6

Panama 2008 Blog No. 6 will be our final blog on Panama.

We now continue with our trip to Panama by myself and Terry. All the photographs were taken by ourselves.

Crimson-crested Woodpecker Campephilus melanoleucos Three subspecies. We recorded it on seven dates with a total of thirteen birds all at the Canopy Tower area. Stunning bird and views. Fairly common in forest, second-growth woodland and borders in lowlands on both slopes. Range: Western Panama to northern Argentina and southeastern Brazil.

Male Crimson-backed Tanager Pamphocelus dimidiatus Four subspecies. Good numbers recorded at both locations with a daily maximum of thirty. In total we recorded 77 birds during our stay at both sites with a daily maximum of thirty on our change over day from the Canopy Lodge to Canopy Tower.Common in gardens, scrub, shrubby areas, and clearings. Range: western Panama to Columbia and western Venezuela.

displaying

Male Crested Oropendola Psarocolius decumanus Just three seen which was on a visit to the Panama Canal area. One of the birds was displaying, as shown in the top picture. Uncommon in canopy and borders of forest and woodland and in clearings with large trees. Rather scarce and local in most of Panama. Range: Western Panama to Bolivia, northern Argentina and south eastern Brazil.

Common Tody Flycatcher Todirostrum cinereum Just seen on six dates with seven birds seen. Common in clearings, shrubby areas, woodland borders, and gardens on both slopes to about 1500m. Range: Southeastern Mexico to Boliva and southeastern Brazil.

Common Bush Tanager Chlorospingus ophthamicus Twentysix subspecies. Just seen on three dates in the Canopy Lodge area with a total of twenty birds seen with a daily maximum of ten birds. Common to locally abundant in canopy and borders of humid forests and shrubby clearings. Range Central Mexico to Western Panama, Colombia and northern Venezuela to northwestern Argentina.

Collared Aracari Pteroglossus torquatus Three subspecies. We recorded them at both sites on nine dates with a total of thirtytwo birds seen with a daily maximum of seven. Common in forest, second-growth woodland and borders in lowlands and foothills. to about 900m. Range: Southern Mexico to northwestern Venezuela and western Ecuador.

Cocca Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus susurrans Eight subspecies. We recorded it on seven dates at both locations with a total of thirteen birds seen. This specie has recently been split from the Buff-throated Woodcreeper. Very common and widespread in the lowlands. Range: Guatemala to northern Bolivia and Amazonian and southeastern Brazil. (As this species has recently been split I have had to use the details under Buff-throated Woodcreeper).

Clay-coloured Robin Turdus grayi Nine subspecies. We recorded it virtually daily at both sites, although it appeared commoner in the Canopy Lodge area. In total we saw 90 birds with daily maximums of 30 and 20 both from the Canopy Lodge area. Very common in clearings gardens, lighter woodlands and open areas. In Panama it replaces the American Robin. Range: Central Mexico to northern Colombia.

Cinnamon Becard Pachyramphus cinnamomeus Four subspecies. We only recorded two on one day at the Canopy Tower area. Fairly common but somewhat local in woodland and forest boarders and clearings with scattered trees, to about 750m. Range: Southeastern Mexico to northwestern Venezuela and western Ecuador.

Chestnut-mandibled Toucan Ramphastos swainsonii. Just recorded it on three dates with five birds seen all in the Canopy Tower area. Fairly common to locally in more remote regions. common in forest and forest boarders in lowlands and foothills to about 900m. Range: Honduras to western Ecuador.

Brown Pelicans Pelecanus occidentalis. Five subspecies. On our journey to the Canopy Lodge we past a coastal area and up to 300 were seen. We also saw 10 in the Canopy Tower area. Abundant along Pacific coast especially in Panama Bay. Range: Coasts of southeastern and western U.S.A. to the Guianas and extrme northeastern Brazil and northern Peru.

Broad-billed Motmot Electron platyrhynchum Six Subspecies. We saw them on four dates with seven birds involved, with three seen at the Canopy Lodge area and four at the Canopy Tower area. Fairly common in forest and second-growth woodland in lowlands. Range: Honduras to Boliva and central Brazil.

Emerald Toucanet Aulacorhynchus prasinus Four subspecies Recorded on three dates with five birds seen from Canopy Tower lodge area. Common in humid montane forest, forest boarders and clearings.

Range: Central Mewxico to western Venezuela and southern Peru.

Blue and Grey Tanager Thraupis episcopus Fourteen subspecies. We recorded this Tanager virtually daily with a total of 98 birds seen at both locations with a daily maximum of 30. Abundant in gardens, shrubby clearings, second-growth woodland up to 1800m.in western highlands. One of the most familiar Panama birds. Range: Eastern Mexico to the Guianas, Brazil and northern Bolivia.

Male Blue Dacnis Dacnis cayana Eight subspecies. Just recorded on five dates with eleven birds seen in the Canopy Tower area. Common in second-growth woodland, forest boarders and clearings with scattered trees in more humid lowlands. Range: Southern Honduras to eastern Bolivia, northeastern Argentina and southern Brazil.

Blue-crowned Motmot Momotus momota We only recorded it on four dates with six seen at the Canopy Lodge area and on three dates at the Canopy Tower area with four birds being seen. Fairly common in forest and second-growth woodland in lowlands and lower foothills.and gallery woodland and clearings.Range: Eastern Mexico, to northern Argentina and southern Brazil.

Female Blue Continga Continga nattererii We recorded it on three dates with four birrds seen including 3 males but these were in the distance and only the female was close enough for photography. All the records were seen from the Canopy Tower area although they were some distance from the Tower. Uncommon in canopy and borders of humid forests and taller second-growth woodland. Range: Central Panama to northwestern Venezuela and northwestern Ecuador.

Male Blue-chested Hummingbird Amazilia amabilis We recorded this hummingbird on nine days with a total of 23 birds although seen at both locations the majority were seen at the Canopy Tower area. Uncommon in lower growth of forest borders, second-growth woodland and clearings in lowlands. Range: Eastern Nicaragua to western Ecuador.

Blue and White Swallow Notiochelidon cyanoleuca Three subspecies. We just saw this specie on one date and ten birds were present. These were seen in the Canopy Lodge area. Common in open areas and around habitations. The migratory race has been recorded as an irregular visitor to central and eastern Panama. Range: Costa Rica to central Panama.

Black Vultures Coragyps atratus feeding on a dead animal. Recorded daily and on some days large numbers were seen with a daily maximum of 1,000 and were present at both locations. Abundant in more or less inhabited and open country. Range: Central U.S.A., to central Chile and southern Argentina.

Black Vulture and Zone-tailed Hawk soaring around together.

Male Black-throated Trogan Trogon rufus Six subspecies. We recorded it on 4 days with a total of seven birds with two seen in the Canopy Lodge area and five in the Canopy Tower area. Fairly common in forest and mature second-growth woodland in more humid lowlands. Range: Honduras to eastern Peru, Paraguay, northeastern Argentina and southern Brazil.

Black Striped Sparrow Arremomops conirostris Seven subspecies. We recorded it on five dates with a total of six birds with five being seen in the Canopy Lodge area and only one in the Canopy Tower area. Common in shrubby clearings, woodland borders and thickets in lowlands to about 1650 m. Usually seen singly or in pairs. Range: Honduras to Venezuela, extreme northern Brazil and western Ecuador.

Black striped Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus lachrymostus Three subspecies. Just seen on two dates with two seen on both days, all sightings were made in the Canopy Tower area. Fairly common in humid forests and forest borders in lowlands and foothills up to 1050m. Range: Nicaragua to northwestern Ecuador.

Black-headed Saltator Saltator atriceps Six subspecies.We just recorded four on one date in the Canopy Tower area.

Black-chested Jay Cyanocorax affinis Three subspecies. Recorded on seven dates with a total of eighteen birds and were seen in both locations. Locally uncommon to fairly common in forest and borders, second--growth woodlands. Range: Costa Rica to northern Colombia and Venezuela.

Male Black-cheeked Woodpecker Melanerpes pucherani We just recorded this Woodpecker on three dates totalling six birds all of which were seen in the Canopy Tower area. Common in forest, forest borders, and second-growth woodlands in lowlands. Range: Southern Mexico to western Ecuador.

Black-breasted Puffbird Notharchus pectoralis We just recorded this species on three dates with a total of five birds all of which were seen in the Canopy Tower area. Fairly common in humid forest and forest boarders in lowlands. Range: Central Panama to northwestern Ecuador.

Bicoloured Antbird Gymnopithys leucapis Two subspecies. Recorded on two dates with nineteen birds were seen including fifteen on one date and were only seen in the Canopy Tower area. Uncommon in undergrowth of humid forests in lowlands. More numerious in the Canal area. and along the Pipeline Road. Range: Honduras to Northern Peru and northern Brazil.

Bay Wren Thryothorus nigricapillus Seven subspecies Recorded on four dates with six birds seen, and birds were seen at both locations. Common in rank undergrowth near streams and roadsides. Range: Nicaragua to western Ecuador.

Male

Female

Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus Twelve subspecies. We recorded it on four dates with a total of seven birds seen, and they were seen at both locations. Fairly common in dense thickets and lower growth of woodland borders, overgrown clearings, gardens and hedgerows. Range: Eastern Mexico, to Bolivia, northern Argentina and southern Brazil.

Barred Woodcreeper Dendrocolaptes certhia Three subspecies. Now split into three seperate species.

We just recorded it on three dates with five birds seen all in the Canopy Tower area.Rare to uncommon in humid forests and tall second-growth woodland. Range: Sloutheastern Mexico, to Boliva and central Brazil.

Male Anhinga Anhinga anhinga Two subspecies. Recorded on five dates with a total of nine birds seen.

Uncommon around fresh water marshes, ponds, lakes and wooded rivers. in lowlands. Range: Southeastern U.S.A., to bolivia, northern Argentina and uruguay, Cuba and Granda.

This now completes the bird summary, but have now included some of the animals etc which we also saw on this trip.