Panama Blog No. 5

 Panama Blog No. 5 This will continue with our report on a birding trip to Panama in 2008.

Little Tinamou Crypturellus semi Fourteen subspecies. Only seen along the Pipeline Road in the Canopy Tower area, with just two seen on one date. Common in forest borders, second-growth woodland and scrubby areas. Range: Southern Mexico, to northern Bolivia and southern Brazil.

Male Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria Five Subspecies Just recorded on two days with a total of three birds seen in the Canopy Lodge area. Common locally in open country with scattered trees, gardens and in lighter woodland in lowlands. Range: Western U.S.A., to Venezuela and northern Peru.

Male Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus Four subspecies. Pairs were seen on three dates and were seen at both locations. Fairly common in forest borders, second-growth woodlandand clearings with large trees in more humid areas, but it is very rarely seen in the interior forests. Range: Mexico to northern Argentina, Paraguay and south eastern Brazil.

Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis Seven subspecies. We found two roosting during the day near Canopy Tower. Lcally fairly common in lowlands on Pacific slope. Range: Southwestern U.S.A to northern Bolivia and southern Brazil. Northern breeders winter from Mexico to Colombia.

Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla . We found three feeding near the Panama Canal on an afternoon trip to this area. Common transient on both coasts. Range breeds in high arctic, winters in southern South America. mostly east of the Andes.

Keel-billed Toucan Ramphastos sulfuratus Two subspecies. Almost seen daily at both locations with a total of fifty six birds with a daily maximum of 20 seen in the Canopy Tower area. Common in forest, second growth woodland, and borders in lowlands and lower foothills to about 900m. Range: Eastern Mexico, to northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.

Male Jet Antbird - Cercomacra nigricans. Only seen on two dates with just three individuals along the Pipeline Road probably at the ant-swarm. Uncommon and rather local in thickets and undergrowth in shrubby clearings and woodland borders in lowlandson Pacific slope. Range: Western Panama to western Ecuador and extreme northern Brazil. 

House Wren  Troglodytes aedon Thirty subspecies. Recorded on eight dates chiefly at the Canopy Lodge area but only odd birds seen at the Canopy Tower area. Common in open country, clearings and around habitations. Range: North America to Tierra del Fuego, Lesser Antilles. Formerly two species were recognised Southern House Wren the form in Panama and Northern house Wren.

Male Grey-headed Tanager - Eucometis penicillata  Seven subspecies Recorded on five dates with a total of 12 individuals seen all in the Canopy Tower area. Uncommon in undergrowth in humid second-growth woodland and forests in lowlands. Range: Sloutheastern Mexico to Bolivia and southern Brazil.

Grey-headed Chachalaca Ortalis cinereiceps We recorded it on seven dates in both of the locations with a total of 27 birds seen with a daily maximum of seven. Fairly common in second-growth woodland and boarders and in shrubby clearing in more humid lowlands on both slopes. Usually seen in small groups of birds. Range: Honduras to extreme northwestern Colombia.

Gray Hawk Buteo nitidus Just two seen on one date along the Pipeline Road. Uncommon in open or semiopen areas with scattered trees in lighter usually deciduous woodland and clearings. More numerious in the Pacific region. Usually seen perched fairly low in trees or poles etc. Range: Extreme southwestern U.S.A. to northern Argentina and southern Brazil.

Grey-capped Flycatcher Myiozetetes granadensis We just saw this species on one date with four individuals seen in the Tower area. Locally fairly common in shrubby areas and clearings usually near water. Range: Honduras to northern Bolivia and western Brazil.

Grey-breasted Martin Progne chalybea Three subspecies Good numbers recorded virtually daily at both locations with a daily maximum of 500. Very common to locally abundant in flocks that gather after breeding season. in the lowlands. Range: Mexico to central Argentina. 

Female Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana Five Subspecies. A total of four were recorded on three dates and were seen at both locations ie Canopy Lodge area and Canopy Tower area. Common along streams and rivers and along shores of lakes, also found in mangroves and locally on rocky coasts. Range: Extreme southwestern U.S.A., to Northern Chile and central Argentina.

 

Male Green Honeykeeper

Female Green Honeykeeper

Green Honeykeeper Chlorophanes spiza Seven subspecies. We recorded in on ten days with a total of sixteen birds seen at both locations. Fairly common in canopy and borders of forests and second-growth woodland in more humid lowlands and ranges upto about 900m. Range: Southeastern Mexico to northern Bolivia and southern Brazil.

Greater Ani Crotophaga major We recorded it on three dates with a total of eleven birds and these were all seen in Canopy Tower area. Fairly common in thickets and trees along larger rivers and lakes and swamps. Range: Central Panama to Boliva, northern Argentina and southern Brazil.

Great-tailed Grackle Cassidix mexicanus Recorded in good numbers most days and chiefly seen at the Canopy Tower area with a daily maximum of 150. Locally common to abundant along shorelines and in town and cities. Range: Southwestern U.S.A. to northwestern Venezuela and northwestern Peru.

Female Great Antshrike Taraba major Ten subspecies Just the female was our only sighting on this trip and was seen at the Canopy Tower area. Uncommon in dense undergrowth and tangled thickets in clearings. Range: Southeastern Mexico to northern Argentina and Uruguay.

Great Jacamars Jacamerops aurea Four subspecies Just a pair were seen on one day along the Pipeline Road, Canopy Tower area, and proved to be one of the highlights of our trip. Uncommon in humid forests and mature second-growth woodland in lowlands and lower foothills. Widespread in forested parts of the Canal area. Range: Costa Rica to northern Bolivia and central Brazil.

Golden hooded Tanager Tangara lavata Four subspecies We recorded this on eight dates with a total of twentytwo birds and we saw them at both locations with a daily maximum of  ten from the Canopy Lodge area. Fairly common in clearings, second-growth woodlandand forest boarders in lowlands. Range:Southeastern Mexico to western Ecuador.

Golden-crowned Spadebill Platyrinchus coronatus Three subspecies. Just a single bird seen along the Pipeline Road. Excellent!! Uncommon in lower growth of humid forests in lowlands ranging up to 1050 m. More numerious around the Canal area and fairly common along the Pipeline Road. Range: Honduras to Peru and Amazonian Brazil. Superb find Terry well done.

Male Golden collared Manakin Pipra erythrocephala Four subspecies. We recorded this Manakin on seven days with a total of twelve birds. Seen in both locations, but never more than three on a day. Common in undergrowth of borders of humid forests, second-growth woodlandand in dense regenerating clearings in lowlands and lower foothills. and recorded sparingly upto 450m. Range: Western Panama to Western Colombia.

Male Fulvous-Vented Euphonia Euphonia fulvicrissa Three subspecies. We just recorded it on three dates with a total of six birds  and were all seen in the Canopy Tower area. Fairly common in shrubby growth and lower trees in forest boarders up to about 900m. Range: Centraal Panama to northwestern Ecuador.

 

Female Dot-winged Antwren Microrhopias quixensis Ten subspecies. We recorded it on six dates with a total of thirteen birds all along the Pipeline Road. Fairly common in humid forest and second-growth woodland and borders in lowlands and recorded up to 1050m. Range: Southeastern Mexico to Boliva and Amazonian Brazil.

Female Fasciated Antshrike Cymbilaimus lineatareasus Three subspecies. Recorded on five dates with a total of ten birds. Just two seen in the Canopy Lodge area and eight seen in the Canopy Tower area. Uncommon in dense viny tangles at borders of humid forests and in second-growth woodland in lowlands. usually below 600 m. Range: South eastern Honduras to northern Bolivia and Amazonian Brazil.

Double-toothed Kite - Harpagus bidentatus Two subspecies. Just a single bird seen along the Pipeline Road. Fairly common in forest, second-growth woodlandand borders in more humid lowlands. Widespread in the Canal area. and along the Pipeline road. Range: Southern Mexico to Bolivia and southern Brazil. 

We will continue with this trip on Blog 6.