ITINERARY
March 27th: Leaving Ocana and our travelling companions who were not doing this portion of the trip we drove the new “Ruta del Sol” to the fashionable Rodadero Beach in Santa Marta and arrived in time for a sea food lunch by the lapping topaz blue Caribbean sea. A late afternoon excursion to Vale to see the endemic Chestnut-winged Chachalaca was successful. Night at our beachside hotel.
March 28th: Morning birding near Barranquilla and at the Isla Salamanca reserve at Los Cocos. Lunch on the way to Riohacha and a late afternoon stop near Pericos and Cari-Cari. Night Riohacha.
March 29th: To Los Flamencos National Park, spending the morning birding the lagoons at Camarones and the desert scrub. Lunch at the pleasant hotel in Minca, with several species of hummingbirds visiting the feeders. Drive to El Dorado lodge at 1950 meters.
March 30th – 31st: Two full days birding the Santa Marta Mountains, including the San Lorenzo Ridge at 2600 meters, “La Y”, Giles trail and Palo Alto. 1600-2000 meters.
April 1st: In the morning we birded the San Lorenzo Biological Station at 2250 meters via the El Dorado Lodge at 1950 meters then birding the way down to Minca via Cerro Kennedy, Cincinati and “La Ye” at 1500 meters. Night in Minca.
April 2nd: Last morning birding around Minca at 650 meters, and then drive to Santa Marta airport, and fly to Bogota and International connections.
SPECIES LIST
SCREAMERS
Northern Screamer - Chauna chavaria: 2 seen near Barranquilla.
DUCKS AND GEESE
Black-bellied Whistling-duck - Dendrocygna autumnalis: 4 seen near Barranquilla.
White-cheeked Pintail – Anas bahamensis: 1 found near Barranquilla.
Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors: Boreal migrant to Colombia seen near Barranquilla.
Northern Shoveler – Anas clypeata - 2 near Barranquilla – not common in Colombia.
GUANS
Sickle-winged Guan – Chamaepetes goudotti: Good looks in the Santa Marta mountains. Named for Justin-Marie Goudott – French Zoologist in Colombia 1822-1843.
Band-tailed Guan – Penelope argyrotis; Heard daily and 3 seen at Santa Marta.
Chestnut-winged Chachalaca – Ortalis garrula: 15+ seen near Santa Marta. Range Restricted.
Rufous-vented Chachalaca – Ortalis ruficauda: 2 at Los Flamencos NP.
NEW WORLD QUAIL
Crested Bobwhite - Colinus cristatus: two large groups of 10+ seen.
Black-fronted Wood-quail - Odontophorus atrifrons: Heard daily and two seen at the El Dorado compost heap! VULNERABLE, Range Restricted.
FLAMINGOS
American Flamingo – Phoenicopterus ruber: 4 at the well-named Los Flamencos reserve!!
FRIGATEBIRDS
Magnificent Frigatebird – Fregata magnificens: a few on Caribbean coast.
CORMORANTS
Neotropic Cormorant – Phalacrocorax brasilianus: seen here and there.
PELICANS
Brown Pelican – Pelecanus occidentalis: Common.
HERONS & EGRETS
Striated Heron - Butorides striatus: One only on Isla Salamanca.
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis: Common and widespread.
Great Blue Heron – Ardea herodias: 1 seen near Barranquilla and one the following day.
Cocoi Heron - Ardea cocoi: 5+ near Barranquilla.
Great Egret - Ardea albus: We saw small numbers at several wetland sites. Now usually placed in the genus Ardea.
Tricolored Heron – Egretta tricolor: 25+ near Barranquilla.
Reddish Egret – Egretta rufescens: At Los Flamencos NP.
Snowy Egret - Egretta thula: common.
Little Blue Heron – Egretta caerulea: regular sightings, especially along the Carribean coast.
IBIS
Bare-faced Ibis - Phimosus infuscatus: Common on the drive from Ocana.
White Ibis – Eudocimus albus: 8+ at Salamanca and Los Flamencos NP, including several hybrids with the following “species”.
Scarlet Ibis – Eudocimus ruber: Just 1 “pure” one. 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.
Glossy Ibis – Plegadis falcinellus: 2 seen near Barranquilla.
Roseate Spoonbill – Platalea ajaja: 1 at Los Flamencos NP.
NEW WORLD VULTURES
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.
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture – Cathartes burrovianus: a few seen in the lowlands on the drive from Ocana and at Barranquilla.
OSPREYS
Osprey - Pandion haliaetus: One at Los Flemencos. Pandion was a god in Greek mythology who had two tragic daughters Philomela and Procne who were transformed into a Nightingale and a Swallow.
KITES, HAWKS & EAGLES
Black-collared Hawk – Busarellus nigricollis: Seen on two consecutive days on the Caribbean coast.
Snail Kite – Rostrhamus sociabilis: 10+ seen near Barranquilla.
Plumbeous Kite – Ictinia plumbea: a few in the Santa Marta Mountains.
Crane Hawk – Geranospiza caerulascens: 1 seen in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Common Black-hawk – Buteogallus anthracinus: 3 seen near Barranquilla.
Roadside Hawk - Rupornis magnirostris: Numerous and widespread in small numbers.
Harris’s Hawk – Parabuteo unicinctus: 2 seen near Riohacha.
LIMPKIN
Limpkin – Aramus guarauna: near Barranquilla.
RAILS, CRAKES AND COOTS
Common Gallinule – Gallinula galeata: 50+ near Barranquilla. The new world populations are now considered a separate species from the Old World populations Common Moorhen - Gallinula chlorops.
Purple Gallinule – Gallinula melanops: seen on Isla Salamanca.
PLOVERS
Southern Lapwing - Vanellus chilensis: Fairly widespread in small numbers on the coast.
OYSTERCATCHERS
American Oystercatcher – Haematopus palliatus. 2 at Los Flamencos.
STILTS
Black-necked Stilt – Himantopus mexicanus: a few near Barranquilla.
THICK-KNEES
Double-striped Thick-knee – Burhinus bistriatus: great looks and photos of one on the drive from Ocana.
SANDPIPERS AND SNIPES
Spotted Sandpiper – Actitis macularia: several sightings of that boreal migrant.
Greater Yellowlegs – Tringa melanoleuca: at Los Flamencos reserve.
Solitary Sandpiper – Tringa solitaria: several sightings of that boreal migrant.
Willet – Tringa semipalmata: 6 at Los Flamencos.
Semi-palmated Sandpiper – Calidris pusilla: several sightings of that boreal migrant.
Least Sandpiper – Calidris minutilla: a few near Los Flamencos.
JACANAS
Wattled Jacana - Jacana jacana: common on ponds; the very black hypomelaena subspecies here.
GULLS & TERNS
Sandwich Tern – Thalasseus sandvichensis: at Los Flamencos NP. Thalasseus eurygnathus ("Cayenne Tern") is here considered conspecific with sandvicensis following most recent treatments (e.g., Blake 1977); it is often considered a separate species (e.g., Ridgway 1919, Peters 1934, Hellmayr & Conover 1948b, Meyer de Schauensee 1970, Ridgely et al 2001). Field observations from the Virgin Islands are consistent with non-assortative mating (Hayes 2004), and the two are extremely similar genetically (Efe et al. 2009). Populations of eurygnathus breeding in southern South America may deserve separate taxonomic treatment from Caribbean populations (Voous 1968, Escalante 1973). Efe et al. (2009) found some evidence that New World populations (T. s. acuflavidus and T. s. eurygnathus) might be more closely related to T. elegans than to Old World (nominate) T. s. sandvicensis, but this was based on small sample sizes and limited geographic sampling, and was treated as inadequate evidence by Chesser et al. (2013).
Royal Tern – Thalasseus maximus: at Los Flamencos NP and on Caribbean coast.
PIGEONS & DOVES
Scaled Pigeon – Patagioenas speciosa: Fairly common in the lower Santa Marta Mountains.
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.
Eared Dove - Zenaida auriculata: Common.
White-tipped Dove: Leptotila verreauxi: Seen daily. Named for Jukes-Pierre Verreaux; French natural History dealer and collector.
Lined Quail-Dove - Geotrygon linearis: Several of this shy Dove were seen by all in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Common Ground-dove – Columbina passerina: 2 seen.
Ruddy Ground-Dove - Columbina talpacoti: Numerous and widespread in open country.
Scaled Dove – Columbina squammata: Common in the driest areas.
White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi: Pretty common at many localities.
CUCKOOS
Dwarf Cuckoo – Coccyzus pumilus: Good looks on the drive from Ocana. Range Restricted.
Squirrel Cuckoo - Piaya cayana: Several encounters during the tour.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – Coccyzus americanus: 1 seen on the drive from Ocana.
Groove-billed Ani – Crotophaga sulcirostris. Seen in the driest areas.
Striped Cuckoo – Tapera naevia. Heard only.
OWLS
Santa Marta Screech-owl – Megascops sp. nov.: At El Dorado lodge after some effort!! CRITICALLY ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Mottled Owl - Ciccaba virgata: 1 in the Santa Marta Mountains.
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl – Glaucidium brasilianum. Heard only.
NIGHTJARS
Band-winged Nightjar - Systurellura longirostris: 4 near El Dorado Lodge.
SWIFTS
Chestnut-collared Swift - Streptoprocne rutila: 10+.
White-collared Swift - Streptoprocne zonaris: Several sightings of groups 20+.
HUMMINGBIRDS
White-necked Jacobin - Florisuga mellivora: several sightings and most abundant at the Minca hotel feeders.
Rufous-breasted Hermit - Glaucis aeneus: Two seen at Minca.
Pale-bellied Hermit - Phaethornis anthophilus: Best views at the Minca Hotel feeders.
Brown Violetear - Colibri delphinae: Daily in the Santa Marta Mountains.
Green Violetear - Colibri thalassinus: Dominating the feeders and flowering bushes in the Sierra Nevada.
Santa Marta Blossomcrown – Anthocephala berlepschi: 1 seen on two days in the Sierra Nevada – now a Santa Marta endemic. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Santa Marta Tyrian Metaltail – Metallura tyrianthina districta: Common in the Sierra Nevada. 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. Range Restricted.
White-tailed Starfrontlet – Coeligena phalerata: A pair seen daily at El Dorado. ENDEMIC.
Mountain Velvetbreast – Lafresnaya lafresnayi: 2 seen on the San Lorenzo ridge in the Sierra Nevada.
Santa Marta Woodstar – Chaetocercus astreans: One female of this hard to see endemic seen. ENDEMIC.
Red-billed Emerald Chlorostilbon gibsoni: A few were noted, in the Santa Marta area 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 in the Magdalena Valley, Colombia. SACC proposal passed to follow species limits proposed by Stiles (1996). So the ones you see in the Amazon are Blue-tailed Emeralds. Range Restricted.
Coppery Emerald – Chlorostilbon russatus: Good view at Minca. Range Restricted.
Lazuline Sabrewing – Campylopterus falcatus: One at El Dorado. Lazuline – a light shade of blue.
Crowned Woodnymph - Thalurania colombica: Common in the Sierra Nevada. 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.
Buffy Hummingbird - Leucippus fallax: One seen near Camerones. Range Restricted.
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird - Amazilia tzacatl: Commonly seen in small numbers.
Steely-vented Hummingbird – Saucerottia saucerottei. Common at feeders at the Minca Hotel.
Sapphire-throated Hummingbird – Lepiodpyga coeruleogularis: One at least at a flowering tree on Isla Salamanca – hard to see localized bird. Range Restricted.
TROGONS
White-tipped Quetzal – Pharomachrus fulgidus: Nice views in the Sierra Nevada. Range Restricted.
KINGFISHERS
Ringed Kingfisher - Megaceryle torquata: 2 on Isla Salamanca. Note that these big species are now treated as a distinct genus, the Megaceryle.
Amazon Kingfisher - Chloroceryle amazona: 1 near Barranquilla.
Green Kingfisher – Chloroceryle americana: 2 seen at Los Flamencos.
MOTMOTS
Whooping Motmot - Momotus subrufescens: 4 were seen at lower elevations around Minca.
JACAMARS
Rufous-tailed Jacamar – Galbula ruficauda: Excellent views on the Guajira and heard near Minca.
PUFFBIRDS
Russet-throated Puffbird – Hypnelus ruficolis: Some excellent views of several in the driest areas.
Moustached Puffbird – Malacoptila mystacalis: A pair in the Santa Marta Mountains.
TOUCANS
Keel-billed Toucan – Ramphastos sulfuratus: Excellent views above Minca.
Santa Marta (Emerald) Toucanet – Aulacorhynchus lautus: Seen daily in the Sierra Nevada. See following species. 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. ENDEMIC.
Groove-billed Toucanet – Aulacorhynchus sulcatus: Good views in the Sierra Nevada.
WOODEPCKERS
Scaled Piculet – Picumnus squamulatus: One near Minca.
Chestnut Piculet – Picumnus cinnamomeus: Stunning views at Los Flamencos NP. Range Restricted.
Red-crowned Woodpecker – Melanerpes rubricapillus: Common.
Red-rumped Woodpecker – Venilornis kirkii: 2 in the Isla Salamanca mangroves. Named after James T. Kirk, captain of the Starship Enterprise.
Golden-olive Woodpecker – Piculus rubiginosus: A couple of sightings of individuals in the Santa Marta Mountains.
Spot-breasted Woodpecker – Colaptes punctigula: Excellent views near Barranquilla.
Lineated Woodpecker – Dryocopus lineatus.: Just one in the mountains.
Crimson-crested Woodpecker - Campephilus melanoleucos: 3 at lower elevations of the SM Mountains.
FALCONS
Laughing Falcon - Herpetotheres cachinnans: One only on the Guajira Peninsular.
Yellow-headed Caracara - Milvago chimachima: Another widespread open country raptor that was seen regularly in small numbers.
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius: Seen on the drive from Ocana.
Aplomado Falcon – Falco femoralis: One seen on the Guajira peninsula.
PARROTS
Orange-chinned Parakeet - Brotogeris jugularis: Common at lower elevations.
Red-billed Parrot – Pionus sordidus: 20+ in the Sierra Nevada.
Scaly-naped Amazon– Amazonas mercenaria: 2 in the Sierra Nevada.
Green-rumped Parrotlet – Forpus passerines: 10+ near Cari Cari and 10+ at Los Flamencos NP.
Santa Marta Parakeet – Pyrrhura viridicata: 4 seen on the San Lorenzo ridge. ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Brown-throated Parakeet – Eupsittula pertinax: Common along the coast.
Scarlet-fronted Parakeet – Psittacara wagleri: Common in the Santa Marta Mountains. Named for Johann Georg Wagler, German herpetologist 1800-1832.
ANTBIRDS
Black-crested Antshrike – Sakesphorus canadensis: Common in the driest areas at lower elevations. Not found in Canada!
Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus: Great views of 2. Range Restricted.
Black-backed Antshrike – Thamnophilus melanotus: Excellent views at Minca our last morning!! Range Restricted.
Northern White-fringed Antwren – Formicivora intermedia: Great looks in the Guajira peninsula and on the drive from Ocana. Ridgely & Tudor (1994) and Zimmer & Isler (2003) suggested that Formicivora grisea may consist of more than one species. Hilty (2003) described major vocal differences between intermedia and grisea in Venezuela and treated them as separate species.
Santa Marta Antbird – Drymophila hellmayri: 2 seen well seen above Minca. 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. SACC proposal passed to recognize four species. ENDEMIC.
ANTPITTAS
Santa Marta Antpitta – Grallaria bangsi: Seen in the Sierra Nevada on 3 days. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Santa Marta Rufous Antpitta – Grallaria rufula spatiator: Excellent views in the Sierra Nevada. Keep track of where you see your Rufous Antpittas – they will be split. ENDEMIC.
Rusty-breasted Antpitta – Grallaricula ferrugineipectus: 1 seen others heard.
TAPACULOS
Santa Marta Tapaculo – Scytalopus sanctaemartae: One seen in the lower forest of the Sierra Nevada!! ENDEMIC.
Brown-rumped Tapaculo – Scytalopus latebricola: One seen on the San Lorenzo Ridge in the Sierra Nevada. ENDEMIC.
OVENBIRDS & WOODCREEPERS
Gray-throated Leaftosser – Sclerurus albigularis: One seen in the Mountains.
Strong-billed Woodcreeper Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus: At least 5 seen.
Straight –billed Woodcreeper – Dendroplex picus: Common at lower elevations.
Cocoa Woodcreeper – Xiphorynchus susurrans. Heard only. 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.
Montane Woodcreeper – Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger: Seen on 3 consecutive days.
Streaked Xenops - Xenops rutilans: One near Minca.
Caribbean (Pale-legged) Hornero – Furnarius leucopus: Good views on the Guajira peninsula.
Montane Foliage-gleaner - Anabacerthia striaticollis: Well seen in the Sierra Nevada.
Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner – Automolus rufipectus: Excellent views above Minca. ENDEMIC.
Flammulated Treehunter – Thripadectes flammulatus: 2 seen on the San Lorenzo Ridge.
Santa Marta Spotted Barbtail – Premnornis brunnescens colopratus: 1 seen. There is a paper on Spotted Barbtails that shows that the Santa Marta population split off over 3 million years ago, with suggestions that with more research it should be split. ENDEMIC.
Streak-capped Spinetail – Cranioleuca hellmayri: Good views in the Sierra Nevada. Named for Carl Eduard Hellmayr US/German ornithologist 1878-1944. ENDEMIC.
Yellow-chinned Spinetail - Certhiaxis cinnamomea: Common in ponds near Barranquilla.
Rusty-headed Spinetail – Synallaxis fuscorufa: Common in the Sierra Nevada, but not that easy to see... VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
White-whiskered Spinetail – Synallaxis candei: Common near Pericos and at Los Flamencos NP – a striking Spinetail. Range Restricted.
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS
Sooty-headed Tyrannulet - Phyllomyias griseiceps: One near Minca.
Black-capped Tyrannulet - Phyllomyias nigrocapillus: Excellent views in the Sierra Nevada of one.
Plumbeous-crowned Tyrannulet – Phyllomyias plumbeiceps: 2+ seen well at Otun Quimbaya.
Forest Elaenia – Myiopagis gaimardii – One near Minca.
Yellow-bellied Elaenia - Elaenia flavogaster: Common in open country.
Mountain Elaenia - Elaenia frantzii: A few in the Sierra Nevada. The species was named after Alexander von Frantzius, a nineteenth century German collector in Brazil and Costa Rica.
Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet - Camptostoma obsoletum: Seen near Minca.
White-throated Tyrannulet Mecocerculus leucophrys: We saw this species in the Sierra Nevada.
Olive-striped Flycatcher – Mionectes olivcaeous: A few sightings in the Sierra Nevada.
Northern Scrub-flycatcher – Sublegatus arenarum: Relatively common in the dry shrubs of the Guajira peninsula.
Slender-billed Inezia – Inezia tenuirostris: Common at Los Flamencos. Range Restricted.
Pale-tipped Inezia – Inezia caudate: One at Los Flamencos.
Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant – Atalotriccus pilaris: Excellent views around Minca.
Black-throated Tody-tyrant – Hemitriccus granadensis: 2 in the Sierra Nevada.
Yellow-breasted Flycatcher – Tolmomyias flvaiventris: Seen on the Guajira the aurulentus race.
Cinnamon Flycatcher Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea: Regularly encountered in the Santa Marta Mountains we saw the endemic and much brighter assimilis.
Olive-sided Flyctacher – Contopus cooperi: One of this boreal migrant in the Santa Marta Mountains.
Eastern Wood-peewee – Contopus virens: Regular sightings during the trip.
Tropical Pewee – Contopus cinereus: A few seen above Minca.
Vermilion Flycatcher - Pyrocephalus rubinus: Small numbers seen at a number of sites.
Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant – Myiotheretes pernix: Excellent views of 1 bird in the Sierra Nevada!! ENDANGERED ENDEMIC.
Pied Water-Tyrant - Fluvicola pica: Several seen near Barranquilla and at Los Flamencos NP.
White-headed Marsh-tyrant - Arundinicola leucocephala: Seen near Barranquilla and Isla Salamanca.
Yellow-bellied Chat-tyrant – Ochtoeca diadema: One seen in the Sierra Nevada.
Cattle Tyrant - Machetornis rixosa: A few sightings on the Guajira Peninsular.
Piratic Flycatcher - Legatus leucophaius: One only.
Rusty-margined Flycatcher Myiozetetes cayanensis: Numerous and widespread at lower elevations.
Social Flycatcher - Myiozetetes similis: Only seen once during the trip near Minca.
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 in the Sierra Nevada.
Streaked Flycatcher - Myiodynastes maculatus: 3 seen.
Boat-billed Flycatcher - Megarynchus pitangua: above Minca.
Tropical Kingbird - Tyrannus melancholicus. Common throughout.
Fork-tailed Flycatcher – Tyrannus savanna: One on the drive from Ocana in open country.
Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus : 2 of this boreal migrant seen at lower elevations.
Gray Kingbird – Tyrannus dominicensis: 1 seen on Day 3.
Dusky-capped Flycatcher - Myiarchus tuberculifer. Heard only.
Panama Flycatcher - Myiarchus panamensis: Common in the dry habitat around Santa Marta.
Bright-rumped (Flammulated) Attila - Attila (flamulatus) spadiceus. Heard only.
COTINGAS
Golden-breasted Fruiteater – Pipreola aureopectus: 2 pairs on different days in the Sierra Nevada.
MANAKINS
Lance-tailed Mankin – Chirioxiphia lanceolata: One near Minca.
White-bearded Manakin Manacus manacus: a few seen near Minca.
TITYRAS
In this classification, the genera Tityra through Phibalura were formerly placed tentatively in the Cotingidae, following Prum et al. (2000).
Masked Tityra – Tityra semifasciata: seen in the Sierra Nevada.
Cinnamon Becard - Pachyramphus cinnamomeus: One near Minca.
VIREOS & GREENLETS
Brown-capped Vireo – Vireo leucophrys: Seen daily in the mountains.
Golden-fronted Greenlet – Pachysylvia aurantiifrons; 2 seen near Minca. Note change of genus.
JAYS
Black-chested Jay - Cyanocorax affinis: Common.
SWALLOWS & MARTINS
Blue-and-white Swallow Pygochelidon cyanoleuca: Widespread in small numbers.
Southern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis: Common at lower elevations.
Gray-breasted Martin - Progne chalybea: A few.
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica: Common sightings in the lowlands heading North.
WRENS
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, is 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).
Band-backed Wren – Campylorhynchus zonatus: 3 seen notably near Barranquilla.
Stripe-backed Wren – Campylorhynchus nuchalis: 10+ near Barranquilla.
Bicolored Wren - Campylorhynchus griseus: Repeated excellent views.
Rufous-breasted Wren – Pheugopedius rutilus: Nice views above Minca!
Rufous-and-white Wren – Thryophilus rufalbus: Only one seen near Minca!!
Buff-breasted Wren – Cantorchilus leucotis: Common in the Santa Marta mountains.
Santa Marta Wood-Wren Henicorhina anachoreta: Regularly heard at higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada with a number of good views. A paper is in press splitting the anachoreta (upper elevation) Gray-breasted Wood-Wren from the following species (after the paper that provided the genetic and vocal analysis). ENDEMIC.
Bang’s Wood Wren – Henicorhina bangsi: This is a different vocal type at lower elevations in the Sierra Nevada. This and the former are treated as separate species in the Birds of Colombia book by McMullen and Donegan but SACC waits paper publication and treats then as subspecies of Gray-breasted Wood-Wren. ENDEMIC.
GNATCATCHERS
Long-billed Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus: Excellent views near Minca.
Tropical Gnatcatcher – Polioptila plumbea: Common on the Guajira peninsula. Todd & Carriker many years ago split plumbiceps of the Guajira from bilineata so keep track of this.
THRUSHES
Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush – Catharus arantiirostris: 2 seen.
Slaty-backed Nightingale –Thrush – Catharus fuscater: Seen on two consecutive days.
Yellow-legged Thrush - Turdus flavipes: Good views in the Sierra Nevada.
Great Thrush Turdus fuscater cacozelus: Ubiquitous at higher elevations. We saw the cacozelus race (a very pale subspecies that is also endemic) in the Santa Marta Mountains.
Black-hooded Thrush – Turdus olivater: Nice views in the Sierra Nevada.
Pale-breasted Thrush - Turdus leucomelas: Relatively common.
White-necked Thrush - Turdus albicollis: 1 in the Sierra Nevada.
MOCKINGBIRDS
Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus: A common open country species.
TANAGERS & ALLIES
White-lined Tanager – Tachyphonus rufus: Two seen above Minca.
Crimson-backed Tanager - Ramphocelus dimidiatus: A widespread tanager of open and secondary habitats.
Black-cheeked Mountain-Tanager – Anisognathus melanogenys: 6+ on the San Lorenzo ridge in the Sierra Nevada on two separate days. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
Blue-gray Tanager - Thraupis episcopus: Numerous and widespread. The scientific name is derived from the ‘episcopal blue’ plumage.
Glaucous Tanager Thraupis glaucocolpa : 2 on the Guajira Peninsular.
Blue-capped Tanager Thraupis cyanocephala: 4 seen in total.
Black-capped Tanager - Tangara heinei: A few seen at various sites.
Black-headed Tanager - Tangara cyanoptera: 3 seen in the Sierra Nevada on two separate days.
Santa Marta Bay-headed Tanager Tangara gyrola: We saw the odd toddii subspecies in the Sierra Nevada. 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.
Swallow Tanager – Tersina viridis: Several good looks in the Sierra Nevada.
Bicolored Conebill – Coniristrin bicolor – 4 in the Salamanca mangroves at Los Cocos.
White-sided Flowerpiercer - Diglossa albilatera: Perhaps the most common and widespread of the flowerpiercers. Here the nominate race.
Rusty Flowerpiercer – Diglossa sittoides: Good views in the Sierra Nevada.
Plushcap – Catamblyrhynchus diadema: 1 seen in a mixed species flock in the Sierra Nevada by Michelle.
Blue-black Grassquit - Volatinia jacarina: Common.
Yellow-bellied Seedeater - Sporophila nigricollis: Common.
Paramo (Santa Marta) Seedeater – Catamenia (oreophila) homochroa. Heard only.
Pileated Finch - Corrphospingus pileatus: A few along the coast.
Bananaquit – Coereba flaveola: Uncommon.
Dull-colored Grassquit – Tiaris obscurus: 20+ above Minca.
Black-faced Grassquit – Tiaris bicolor: One on the Guajira peninsula.
INCERTAE SEDIS
Rosy Thrush-Tanager – Rhodinocichla rosea. Heard only.
Buff-throated Saltator - Saltator maximus: Fairly common.
Grayish Saltator – Saltator coerulescens: Common.
Orinocan Saltator – Saltator orenocensis: Nice views at Los Flamencos and Cari Cari.
Streaked Saltator Saltator striatipectus: Fairly common.
NEW WORLD SPARROWS & ALLIES
Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis: Numerous at higher elevations.
Tocuyo Sparrow – Arremonops tocuyensis: 1 seen near Cari Cari. Range Restricted.
Golden-winged Sparrow – Arremon schlegeli: excellent views of that beautiful sparrow above Minca.
Sierra Nevada Brush-Finch – Arremon basilicus: seen in the El Dorado lodge garden. ENDEMIC.
Santa Marta Brush-Finch – Atlapetes melanocephalus: very common in the Sierra Nevada. ENDEMIC.
CARDINAL GROSBEAKS
Summer Tanager – Piranga rubra: One seen.
Scarlet Tanager – Piranga olivacea: One seen.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - Pheuctitus ludovicianus: Pleasantly common.
Vermillion Cardinal – Cardinalis phoeniculus: excellent views at Los Flamencos NP.
Blue-black Grosbeak – Cyanocompsa cyanoides. Heard only.
NEW WORLD WARBLERS
Black and White Warbler – Mniotilta varia : 2 seen.
Prothonotary Warbler – Protonotaria citrea: 2 in the Mangroves at Los Cocos were late stayers. Pronotory – a Byzantine sect notary that wore golden-yellow robes.
Tennessee Warbler – Leiothylypis peregrine: A total of 3 seen in the Sierra Nevada.
American Redstart – Setophaga ruticilla: Around 3 seen.
Blackburnian Warbler – Setophaga fusca: Regularly recorded– a very pretty bird.
American Yellow Warbler – Setophaga aestiva: This North American Migrant was seen on 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.
Santa Marta Warbler – Myiothypis basilicus: 2 seen on the San Lorenzo ridge in the Sierra Nevada. VULNERABLE ENDEMIC.
White-lored Warbler – Myiothlypis conspicillatus: Seen daily in the Sierra Nevada. ENDEMIC.
Rufous-capped Warbler - Basileuterus rufifrons delatterii: Recorded 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).
Slate-throated Whitestart - Myioborus miniatus: A common, widespread and delightful resident of the montane forests.
Yellow-crowned Whitestart – Myioborus flavivertex: good views on the San Lorenzo ridge in the Sierra Nevada. ENDEMIC.
OROPENDOLAS, ORIOLES & BLACKBIRDS
Crested Oropendola - Psarocolius decumanus: Common.
Yellow-backed Oriole – Icterus chrysater: Seen on two days in the mountains.
Yellow Oriole – Icterus nigrogularis: A few seen in the Guajira peninsula.
Bronzed Cowbird – Molothorus armenti: Well seen near Barranquilla: The isolated subspecies armenti of northern Colombia was formerly (e.g., Hellmayr 1937, Meyer de Schauensee 1966, 1970, AOU 1983) treated as a separate species ("Bronze-brown Cowbird") from Molothrus aeneus, but see Dugand & Eisenmann (1983). Fraga (2011) treated it as a separate species. ENDEMIC.
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 and on the Guajira peninsula. A spreading species in Colombia!!
FINCHES & EUPHONIAS
Andean Siskin – Sporaga spinescens: 2 seen.
Trinidad Euphonia – Euphonia trinitatis: a few in the Guajira peninsula.
Thick-billed Euphonia - Euphonia laniirostris. Common.
Blue-naped Chlorophonia - Chlorophonia cyanea: fantastic views in the Sierra Nevada.
OLD WORLD SPARROWS
House Sparrow – Passer domesticus: only seen at Riohacha...not a easy one in Colombia!!