Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Pale Naped Brush Finch
Latin: Atlapetes pallidinucha
Other: Matorralero Nuquipálido (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • Brush Finches
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Similar:

Pale-naped Brush Finch at Guango Lodge. It’s a high altitude Brush-finch, with yellow-orange above bill fading into white streak as pictured.

Below, Pale-naped Brush Finch, Ecuador, March.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Yanacocha, Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Rufous Naped Brush Finch
Latin: Atlapetes latinuchus
Other: Yellow-breasted Brush Finch (SACC) • Matorralero de pecho amarillo (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • Brush Finches
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Similar: Pale-naped Brush Finch, Choco/Tricolored Brush Finch

The Brush Finches are in a state of taxonomic flux, but for this entry I’m following IOC v2.11 Jan 2012 taxonomy, which corresponds to Ridgely & Greenfield, Birds of Ecuador, 2001, and does not include the Bolivian Brush Finch.

These photos were taken on the Yanacocha trail at 3500m, near Quito in northwestern Ecuador - a bit higher than the range suggested in Birds of Ecuador: 3200m.

I don’t think there’s much point spending too much time on the ID/name of these birds as they will doubtless change names again.

Typically though Rufous-nape Brush-finch should have a rufous nape, black mask, dark grey upperparts, yellow underparts going greyish near the legs.

Below, presumed Rufous-naped Brush Finch, Yanacocha, March.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecoruta, Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: White Winged Brush Finch
Latin: Atlapetes leucopterus
Other: Matorralero aliblanco (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • Brush Finches
Range: Ecuador, Peru
Similar: Pale-naped Brush Finch, Tricolored Brush Finch

I saw the White-winged Brush Finch on a couple of occasions, both in the same general region northwest of Quito, once on the Ecoruta and once at Angel Paz’s reserve. Both times there was a Crimson-mantled Woodpecker nearby. Ridgely places White-winged Brush Finch at between 1600 and 2600m on the western slope in Ecuador.

The White-winged Brush Finch has whitish underparts, grey upperparts with prominent white wing bar, dark head, rufous head stripe and dark malar stripe, though there are various subspecies, some much whiter, especially in the south.

Below, White-winged Brush Finch, Ecoruta, March, 2011.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Guango Lodge, Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Slaty Brush Finch
Latin: Atlapetes schistaceus
Other: Matorralero pizarroso (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • Brush Finches
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Similar: Bay-crowned Brush Finch

Ridgely says the Slaty Brush Finch is the only Brush Finch with whitish-grey underparts on the eastern slope, so these birds must be Slaty Brush Finch then. They occur at high altitude, between 2500 and 3400 m - I saw them at 2800 at Guango Lodge on the eastern slope in Ecuador.

The White-winged Brush Finch has whitish-grey underparts, a white wing bar, dark head, rufous head stripe, dark malar stripe, and light patch above the bill.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Santa Lucia Reserve, Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Choco Brush Finch
Latin: Atlapetes crassus
Other: Tricolored Brush Finch (SACC) • Matorralero tricolor (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • Brush Finches
Range: Colombia, Ecuador
Similar: Tricolored Finch, Rufous-naped Brush Finch, Pale-naped Finch

Well, I was going to upload this photo as a record shot of a Tricolored Finch in the cloudforest, but I see that the IOC currently has Choco Brush Finch in Ecuador, and Tricolored Brush Finch in Peru, so I guess that the former is this bird.

Ridgely has “Tricolored Brush Finch” as occurring between 600 and 1800m on the northwest slope - I saw the bird above at about 1800m at the Santa Lucia Reserve, north of Quito.

I saw similar birds at Yanacocha but rejected them as Choco/Tricolored because at 3700m that should be out of range.

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Chestnut Capped Brush Finch
Latin: Arremon brunneinucha
Other: was Buarremon • Rascadorcito gorricastaño (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • Brush Finches
Range: Mexico, via Panama, Colombia, to Ecuador, Peru
Similar:

A horde of Chestnut-capped Brush Finches immediately appeared when the guide put out some seed for them in the forests above Los Quetzales. I had seen one before briefly with juvenile (photo further below) in El Valle, but the prospect of a good meal was all these birds needed to overcome their otherwise shy nature.

Adult Chestnut-capped Brush Finches are great-looking birds with a chestnut crown bordered by a thin yellow stripe, black face with white spots, white throat bordered by black line below, grey chest, white belly, greenish back and grey tail.

Below, Chestnut-Capped Brush Finch, Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: White Naped Brush Finch
Latin: Atlapetes albinucha
Other: Yellow-throated Brush Finch, Atlapetes gutturalis, is conspecific - Atlapetes barbiamarillo, Comepuntas (Es) • Atlapetes corona blanquirrayada (Mex)
Family: Emberizidae • Brush Finches
Range: Mexico to western Panama, Colombia
Similar:

The White-naped Brush Finch is also known in Panama as the Yellow-throated Brush Finch, and now considered conspecific by the IOC.

In Panama the White-naped Brush Finch has a yellow throat, white crest, white underside and dark upperparts. Seen here around the Lago Volcan.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Large Footed Finch
Latin: Pezopetes capitalis
Other: Pata Larga (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • New World Sparrows, Brush Finches
Range: Costa Rica, western Panama
Similar:

I think the above photo is a juvenile Large-footed Finch and the lowest photo is a blurry shot probably of an adult seen at the same time.

We saw these above Cerro Punta in the Chiriqui mountains - higher than 2000 metres.More photos...

Copyright monacoeye • Pantanal, Brazil • August 2011

Bird name: Red Crested Cardinal
Latin: Paroaria coronata
Other: Cardeal-de-topete-vermelho (Br) • Cardenal de cresta roja, Cardenal copete rojo (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • Cardinals
Range: Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay
Similar:


The Red-crested Cardinal is found in the southern South American countries, including Rio Grande do Sul and the Pantanal.

Unmistakable in its range by its red crest, white front and grey back. Much less common than the Yellow-billed Cardinal.

Below, Red-crested Cardinal, Pantanal, Brazil • August 2011
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Pantanal, Brazil, 2011

Bird name: Yellow Billed Cardinal
Latin: Paroaria capitata
Other: Cardenilla, cardenal sin copete (Es) • Cavalaria (Br)
Family: Emberizidae • Cardinals
Range: Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina
Similar:

I saw great numbers of Yellow-billed Cardinals at Pouso Alegre lodge in the Pantanal, where they would come to feed on grain for the animals. They have orange bills, adults have red heads and juveniles pale or blotchy heads - many examples below. Also seen elsewhere in the Pantanal.

Below, Yellow-billed Cardinals with Saffron Finches, Bay-headed Cowbirds etc


Below, two ages of juvenile Yellow-billed Cardinals.
More photos...

Copyright monacoeye • Amazonia, Brazil • September 2011

Bird name: Red Capped Cardinal
Latin: Paroaria gularis
Other: Cardeal-da-amazônia (Br) • Cardenal bandera alemana, cardenal pantanero, cardenal gorrirrojo (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • Cardinals
Range: Amazonia - Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyanas, Peru, Bolivia, Trinidad
Similar:

A fleeting shot of a Red-capped Cardinal from a moving boat!

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Mirador Rio Branco, Ecuador, 2011

Bird name: Yellow Throated Bush Tanager
Latin: Chlorospingus flavigularis
Other: Montero gorgiamarillo, Clorospingo goliamarillo (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • Bush Tanagers
Range: Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar:

I saw the Yellow-throated Bush-tanager several times around the Milpe Reserve region - including the cheap and excellent Mirador Rio Branco, which I would recommend to anyone visiting the area.

Yellow-throated Bush-tanagers have a yellow hood and upperparts, grey lores and light underparts, pale irises.

Below, the Yellow-throated Bush-tanager at Mirador Rio Branco, Ecuador
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Sooty Capped Bush Tanager
Latin: Chlorospingus pileatus
Other: Frutero copetón (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • Bush Tanagers
Range: Costa Rica, western Panama
Similar:

In Panama, the Sooty-Capped Bush Tanager is found only in the western highlands. This individual was seen above 2000m.

The Sooty-Capped Bush Tanager is identified by the large white stripe above the eye, white throat, yellow body, and otherwise sooty head.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Common Bush Tanager
Latin: Chlorospingus ophthalmicus
Other: Tangarita oftálmica, Tangara de monte orejuda, Clorospingo comun (Es) • C. flavopectus
Family: Emberizidae • Bush Tanagers
Range: SW Mexico to N Argentina,
Similar:

I saw the Common Bush Tanager in several locations in Panama, above in El Valle, below at the Finca Dracula in Cerro Punta. In Panama, recognisable by the large white patch behind the eye.

But in Ecuador, Common Bush Tanagers do not have this white post-ocular mark.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Santa Lucia Reserve, Ecuador, 2011

Bird name: Dusky Bush Tanager
Latin: Chlorospingus semifuscus
Other: Clorospingo oscuro (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • Bush Tanagers
Range: Colombia, Ecuador
Similar:

Although the Dusky Bush-tanager was common at the Santa Lucia Reserve, like most Bush-tanagers it was not easy to photograph. A guide told me that in the morning it is easy to see as it chatters continually, but does not stop moving. Later in the day it is quiet and doesn’t move so much, but is difficult to see because it’s so camouflaged in the trees.

Dusky Bush-tanagers have greyish hoods, olive upperparts, grey underparts, pale irises, dark bill.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Guango Lodge, Ecuador, 2011

Bird name: Grey Hooded Bush Tanager
Latin: Cnemoscopus rubrirostris
Other: Montero piquirrojo (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar:

Just a record shot of a Grey-hooded Bush-Tanager in Ecuador. One of only two Bush-tanagers still in the Thraupidae family.

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Chapada das Guimaraes, August 2011

Bird name: Red Pileated Finch
Latin: Coryphospingus cucullatus
Other: Red-crested Finch • Brasita (Es) • Tico-tico-rei (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers etc
Range: Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Guyanas, Brazil, Uruguay
Similar:

The dry scrubland, known as cerrado, on the Chapada das Guimaraes plateau was a good place to see the Red-pileated Finch in late August. I saw them just after dawn on a couple of occasions.

The male Red Pileated Finch (or Red-crested Finch) is bright red, with white eye-ring and darker wings and tail. The large crest was not raised in display when I saw them. The female (below) is duller but still has the white eye-ring.

Below, female Red Pileated Finch, Chapada das Guimaraes, Brazil
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Gamboa, May 2010

Bird name: Lemon Rumped Tanager
Latin: Ramphocelus icteronotus
Other: Flame-rumped Tanager • Tangara lomilimón (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Panama, Colombia, Ecuador
Similar:

Lemon-rumped Tanagers hybridize with Flame-rumped Tanagers, and so are often lumped together. But for the purposes of this entry, if the rump is yellow, not red, the bird is called Lemon-rumped, even though the birds in Panama were often referred to as Flame-rumped Tanagers by the guides.

Females, in particular, were not uncommon in Gamboa and El Valle. Lemon-rumped Tanagers were also seen frequently in Ecuador, especially around Mindo - only in the west.

The Lemon-rumped Tanager male is black with a very bright lemon rump. The female is yellow below and brown above - a slightly washed out look with light throat, and pale wingbar visible. Both have light bluish-white bills with dark tip.

Below, female Lemon-rumped Tanager, Panama


Below, male Lemon-rumped Tanager, Ecuador, 2011
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, May 2010

Bird name: Red Legged Honeycreeper
Latin: Cyanerpes cyaneus
Other: Mielero dorsioscuro, Mielero patirrojo (Es) • Saíra-beija-flor, saí-azul-de-pernas-vermelhas (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Honeycreepers
Range: Mexico to Brazil
Similar:

The Red-legged Honeycreeper was a typical fruit feeder bird in Canopy Lodge, El Valle, Panama, and also seen in forest outskirts.

The male (above) has bright red legs, electric blue cap, sometimes crested, black eye mask, and the rest intense blue. The female, directly below, is greenish with reddish legs.

Below, female Red-legged Honeycreeper, Panama
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Rio Azul Lodge, Brazil, 2011.

Bird name: Purple Honeycreeper
Latin: Cyanerpes caeruleus
Other: Certiola de patas amarillas, tucuso morado, mielero cerúleo (Es) • Saí-de-perna-amarela (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Honeycreepers
Range: Amazonia - Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Guyanas, Venezuela, Trinidad
Similar:

Record shots of male Purple Honeycreepers. The bright yellow legs are diagnostic.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Rio Azul Lodge, Brazil, 2011.

Bird name: Short Billed Honeycreeper
Latin: Cyanerpes nitidus
Other: Mielero mielero piquicorto, mielero pico de tuna, copeicillo pico corto (Es) • Saí-de-bico-curto (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Honeycreepers
Range: Amazonia - Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Guyanas, Venezuela
Similar:

A record shot of a couple of Short Billed Honeycreepers which were in a mixed flock with a Yellow-bellied Dacnis. The male is blue and black, the female pale with yellow-green

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Brazil, Panama

Bird name: Green Honeycreeper
Latin: Chlorophanes spiza
Other: Mielero verde (Es) • Saí-verde (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Honeycreepers
Range: Mexico to Brazil
Similar:

The Green Honeycreeper is a fairly common visitor to Jonas’ fruit feeders in Brazil. The male, above, has a distinctively shaped black hood on a turquoise body. The female, directly below, is leaf green. Both have yellow lower half of bill and red irises.

A juvenile male is pictured further below, showing a mixture of male and female plumage.

The lowest photo, taken in Panama on the observation deck of the Canopy Tower hotel, shows a female on a Cecropia with darker olive wing markings than the Brazilian birds I saw.

Below, a female Green Honeycreeper, Brazil.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Panama, April 2010

Bird name: Shining Honeycreeper
Latin: Cyanerpes lucidus
Other: Mielero dorsiazul (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Honeycreepers
Range: Mexico to Colombia
Similar: Red-legged Honeycreeper

Just a record shot of this Shining Honeycreeper seen in Panama! NB yellow legs.

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Brazil, November 2009

Bird name: Blue Dacnis
Latin: Dacnis cayana
Other: Turquoise Honeycreeper • Saí azul (Br) • Dacnis azul, mielero turquesa (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Dacnises
Range: Nicaragua to Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil
Similar:

The Blue Dacnis is a widespread tanager found in much of South and Central America, including nearly all of Brazil. It will visit fruit feeders and sometimes even tries nectar feeders. Also seen on Cecropia from observation deck of Canopy Tower in Panama.

The Blue Dacnis has pink legs, and a black wedge-shaped mask. Plumage is electric blue in the male (above) with black on back, wings and black bill. The female (below) has a green body and blue head.

The lowest photo shows a bird which may be a very young Blue Dacnis, but shows little of the usual colouration.

Below, female Blue Dacnis.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, May 2010

Bird name: Scarlet Thighed Dacnis
Latin: Dacnis venusta
Other: Mielero de muslos rojos, dacnis negriazul (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Dacnises
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador
Similar:

The male Scarlet-thighed Dacnis has black underparts, which join up to black eye mask. It is bright blue above and has red thighs but these can be difficult to see. The female Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, directly below, is pale creamy beige below. Both have red irises.

There are a couple of photos below of birds showing some light on the belly and some black on throat and chest, probably immature males.

Seen fairly regularly on outings in El Valle and again at Finca Hartmann, in fairly open sunny locations with fruiting trees.

Below, female Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, Panama
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Rio azul , Brazil, 2011

Bird name: Yellow Bellied Dacnis
Latin: Dacnis flaviventer
Other: Saí-amarela (Br) • Dacnis ventriamarillo (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Dacnises
Range: Amazonia - Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela
Similar:

Record shots of Yellow-bellied Dacnis, seen in Pará, Brazil, September. Yellow and black with red irises.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, February 2011

Bird name: Golden Naped Tanager
Latin: Tangara ruficervix
Other: Tángara nuquidorada (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar: Metallic-green Tanager

The Golden-naped Tanager was seen at the Santa Lucia Reserve and in the highlands of Mindo, Ecuador.

The Golden-naped Tanager is a generally blue bird, with black mask, cream belly and crissum, and small light patch on back of head.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • San Isidro, Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Black Capped Tanager
Latin: Tangara heinei
Other: Tangara gorrinegra (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Similar:

The adult male Black-capped Tanager, pictured above, has the typical black cap, bright blue body and green collar. The one I saw below was more grey and black than blue. The female (record shot further below) is green and yellow.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Bay Headed Tanager
Latin: Tangara gyrola
Other: Tángara cabeciroja (Es) • Saíra-de-cabeça-castanha (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil through N, W Amazonia
Similar:

More bright colours. The Bay-headed Tanager has a chestnut head, light blue underparts and green upperparts. The female is similar to the male but duller.

There are variations in race. In Para, Brazil, Bay headed-Tanagers had more yellow on neck and shoulders (pic below). In Mindo, Ecuador, they had much yellow on wing (pic below).

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Itatiaia November 2009

Bird name: Chestnut Bellied Euphonia
Latin: Euphonia pectoralis
Other: Ferro-velho (Br) • Fruterito alcalde, tieté, tangará alcalde (Es)
Family: Fringillidae • Finches, Euphonias
Range: Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay
Similar:

The Chestnut-bellied Euphonia is very beautifully coloured, with a royal blue coat, yellow shoulder and rust-coloured underparts. The female (further below) is greenish on top with an indistinct blue cap and only a small patch of chestnut underneath near the tail.

The Chestnut-bellied Euphonia was not common at the feeders in Itatiaia and seemed only to appear when all other tourists had left. It lives in southeastern South America, mostly in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

Also seen at Serra dos Tucanos Lodge.

Below, male Chestnut-bellied Euphonia at Ypê, Itatiaia, Brazil


Below, male Chestnut-bellied Euphonia at Serra dos Tucanos, Brazil
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Chestnut Bellied Seedeater
Latin: Sporophila castaneiventris
Other: Espiguero de vientre castaño, buchicastaño (Es) • Caboclinho-de-peito-castanho (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Seedeaters
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Guyanas, Brazil
Similar:

A record shot of Chestnut-bellied Seedeater near Tena, Ecuador. This one seemed to only have partial rufous underparts - mostly on throat and crissum - but others on the internet have much more extensive colouring - maybe different subspecies? Female brown. In Ecuador, only found in the Eastern lowlands.

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Tena, Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Chestnut Bellied Seed Finch
Latin: Oryzoborus angolensis
Other: Split from Lesser Seed-Finch • Semillero sabanero, arrocero buchicastaño, cacagüero, tawa tawa, curió (Es) • Curió (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Seed-finches
Range: East of Andes - Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil etc
Similar: Female Thick-billed Seed-finch

The male Chestnut-Bellied Seed-Finch has a large bill, chestnut belly, and is otherwise black with a white mark on wing. All the individuals I saw in eastern Ecuador were similar to the bird pictured above, with a mottled aspect to the chestnut underparts.

The female is brown. The photo below is probably one, based on bill shape.

The Chestnut-Bellied Seed-Finch used to be grouped with the Thick-billed Seed-finch as the Lesser Seed-Finch.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Ammo Ponds, April 2010

Bird name: Thick Billed Seed Finch
Latin: Oryzoborus funereus
Other: Split from O. angolensis, was Lesser Seed Finch • Semillerito piquigrueso (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Seed-finches
Range: SE Mexico to W Ecuador
Similar:

The Thick-billed Seed Finch (a.k.a. Lesser Seed Finch) has a large bill, is all black with a white mark on wing.

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Plain Colored Seedeater
Latin: Catamenia inornata
Other: Plain-coloured Seedeater (UK) • Semillero sencillo (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Seedeaters
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina
Similar: Catamenia seedeaters

I saw these Plain-colored Seedeaters at around 3000 metres altitude in Ecuador.

The male (above) Plain-colored Seedeater is greyish with orange bill and rufous crissum (under base of tail). The female (below) is streaked and brownish.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Brazil, November 2009

Bird name: Blue Black Grassquit
Latin: Volatinia jacarina
Other: Tiziu (Br) • Mochuelo (Es), Negrillo, Comesebo
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Seedeaters, Grassquits
Range: Widespread Latin America
Similar:

The Blue-black Grassquit adult male is entirely a dark blue-black colour. The eclipse or juvenile is more mottled (see photos). The female is brown with a streaked chest.

The Blue-black Grassquit is found throughout Brazil and much of South America, often in the same sort of habitat as the Double-collared Seedeater. Also seen in Panama.

Below, female or juvenile Blue-black Grassquit, Para, Brazil.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Yellow Bellied Seedeater
Latin: Sporophila nigricollis
Other: Espiguero capuchino, espiguero vientriamarillo, espiguero corbatita amarillo (Es) • Papa-capim-capuchinho, Baiano (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Seedeaters
Range: Costa Rica, Panama to Bolivia, Brazil
Similar: Female Variable Seedeater

The male Yellow-bellied Seedeater above, seen at Finca Hartmann, is pale, but there is considerable individual variation in the amount of yellow on the belly. Pictured below, a Yellow-bellied Seedeater from Mindo, Ecuador, which is more yellow. Male Yellow-bellied Seedeaters are easy enough to identify by their dark hood.

The presumed female Yellow-bellied Seedeater, directly below, looks much like the female Variable Seedeater, so ID should be treated with caution.

Below, presumed female Yellow-bellied Seedeater, W. Panama.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Ammo Ponds, April 2010

Bird name: Ruddy Breasted Seedeater
Latin: Sporophila minuta
Other: Semillerito pechicanelo, Espiguero menudo (Es) • Caboclinho-lindo (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Seedeaters
Range: SW Mexico through N South America
Similar:

A Ruddy-breasted Seedeater in Panama.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Lagoa do Peixe • November 2009

Bird name: Saffron Finch
Latin: Sicalis flaveola
Other: Canário-da-terra-verdadeiro (Br) • Canario de tejado (Es), Jilguero dorado
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Finches
Range: South America, Caribbean
Similar:

The Saffron Finch is now classed with the Tanagers (Thraupidae) rather than the Buntings (Emberizidae).

The male is distinguished by a bright yellow front and orange/saffron glow above and sometimes below the face - there are various races.

The race pictured above is probably subspecies pelzelni, from location. Females and juveniles are hard to distinguish - they lack most of the yellow colouring and therefore look similar to other females. I’m going here on the striped chest as a distinguishing feature, but treat my IDs with caution.

As you can see below, the Saffron Finch takes advantage of the Rufous Hornero’s great nest-building abilities. Rufous Hornero’s typically build a new nest every year, so there are plenty of empty ones to be squatted.

The Saffron Finch is found throughout much of South America and the Caribbean, often near farm land.

Below, adult Saffron Finch, Pantanal, August.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • San Isidro Lodge, Ecuador, March 2011.

Bird name: Black Eared Hemispingus
Latin: Hemispingus melanotis
Other: Hemispingo orejinegro (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Hemispingus
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar: Bush-tanagers, Fawn-breasted Tanager

The Black-eared Hemispingus is another fast-moving, small tanager that is easily missed. Although pointed out to me quite a few times by the guide, I struggled to get any photos at all, until finally I saw a pair, foraging on relatively open ground, around some bamboo - a typical habitat. Wags tail left to right.

The Black-eared Hemispingus lives between 2200 and 3000m. Seen here at San Isidro Lodge, which is about 2300m.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Regua, Brazil, September 2011

Bird name: Hooded Tanager
Latin: Nemosia pileata
Other: Cachaquito gigante, trinadora pechiblanca, frutero cabeza negra, f. de coronita (Es) • Saíra-de-chapéu-preto (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Brazil to Venezuela and neighbours.
Similar:

I saw Hooded Tanagers quite frequently in mixed flocks around the lake at Regua in September.

The male Hooded Tanager (above) is black above, white below, with yellow irises, white lores, orange legs. The female (below) is grey and white, sometimes with orange colouring on chest etc.

At first sight Hooded Tanagers didn’t look like typical tanagers as they’re quite small with pointy bills.

Below, female Hooded Tanager, Regua, September.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Guango Lodge, Ecuador, March 2011.

Bird name: Capped Conebill
Latin: Conirostrum albifrons
Other: Picocono coronado (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Conebills
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar: Flowerpiercers, Bush-tanagers

The Capped Conebill is a small bird. Males are all blue, mostly dark blue, with bright blue highlights on the cap, shoulder etc. Females olive and blue-grey. Easily overlooked. In Ecuador found at 2000 - 2800m - seen here at Guango Lodge, 2700m.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Guango Lodge, Ecuador, March 2011.

Bird name: Blue Backed Conebill
Latin: Conirostrum sitticolor
Other: Picocono dorsiazul (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Conebills
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar:

The Blue-backed Conebill is a small, attractive bird - I was frustrated not to get better shots. It’s a high altitude conebill, living above 2500m - these were seen near Guango Lodge, at 2800 m on the eastern slope in Ecuador.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Brazil, 2011

Bird name: Chestnut Vented Conebill
Latin: Conirostrum speciosum
Other: Figuinha-de-rabo-castanho (Br) • Picocono culicastaño (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Conebills
Range: South America, incl Brazil etc
Similar:

A couple of distant shots of Chestnut-vented Conebills. In certain areas, like the Regua ponds, they can be quite common, but they don’t stand out and I probably missed them often in mixed flocks with Hooded Tanagers etc. They are small fast moving and I was unable to get a good picture.

The chestnut vent under the tail is a good indicator for this bird.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Serra dos Tucanos, September 2011

Bird name: Red Eyed Vireo
Latin: Vireo olivaceus
Other: Vireo ojirrojo (Es) • Juruviara (Br)
Family: Vireonidae • Vireos
Range: Canada through Amazonia, South America
Similar:

The Red Eyed Vireo has a red iris, thin black stripe above white supercilium, light underparts, yellowy green upperparts.

There are resident North American and South American populations, both migrating. A South-American resident group is called Chivi Vireo - birds have brown eyes and yellow vent.

The Chivi Vireo pictured above was seen at Serra dos Tucanos Lodge near Rio in September. Red-eyed Vireos are seen in many forests of South America, many for example in Oriente, Ecuador, in March. We saw a migrant Red-eyed Vireo at the Finca Hartmann in western Panama, in May (further below).More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • France

Bird name: Sardinian Warbler
Latin: Sylvia melanocephala
Other: Fauvette Mélanocéphale (Fr) • Curruca cabecinegra (Es) • Occhiocotto (It) • Toutinegra-de-cabeça-preta (Pt)
Family: Sylviidae • Warblers
Range: Mediterranean rim: France, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, N Africa etc
Similar: Blackcap, other warblers

The Sardinian Warbler is resident in the south of France all year round. Fairly widespread - even seen in Monaco.

The bright red eye-ring is the key distinguishing mark. Males (above) have well-defined black caps which extend below the eye and females (below) are browner and duller.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Itatiaia, Ubatuba • November 2009

Bird name: Golden Chevroned Tanager
Latin: Thraupis ornata
Other: Sanhaçu-de-encontro-amarelo (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Brazil: principally Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo
Similar:

The Golden-chevroned Tanager can look a little grey and muddy, depending on the individual, the angle and the light. Females and juveniles are certainly duller than adult males. Some are good-looking, bright and colourful birds.

The Golden-chevroned Tanager is basically a blue bird with a little yellow patch, or golden chevron, on the wing. It’s the only bird in the region with such a mark, so easy to identify. Females are paler than males, especially underneath. Some individuals have dusky lores, but others not so much.

The Golden-chevroned Tanager is endemic to a fairly small strip of the southeast coast of Brazil but is one of the most common tanagers around, so not hard to find.

Below, Golden-chevroned Tanager, Brazil
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved: Brazil November 2009

Bird name: Ruby Crowned Tanager
Latin: Tachyphonus coronatus
Other: Tiê-preto (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina
Similar: Shiny Cowbird, White-lined Tanager

The male Ruby-crowned Tanager is all black and thus not dissimilar in aspect to the Shiny Cowbird and others. It can show a little white on the shoulder (see below). Occasionally you can spot the small red crest, but usually this is not visible.

It’s more nervy in behaviour than the aforementioned cowbird and more likely to be seen taking turns at a fruit feeder with a female, and other tanagers, than walking around calmly on the ground or collecting in groups.

The female is light brown with streaked chest and neck. The lower half of bills of both seem to show an indication of the white patch which is characteristic of many tanagers, such as the Brazilian Tanager.

Below, adult female Ruby-Crowned Tanager visits fruit feeders, shows streaked chest
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Brazil November 2009

Bird name: Brazilian Tanager
Latin: Ramphocelus bresilius
Other: Tiê-sangue (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Brazil: Paraiba to Santa Catarina
Similar:

The male Brazilian Tanager is a very intense red. The above photo has 100% magenta saturation in Photoshop.

The male also has bright white patches on its lower bill which is otherwise black, and dark wings and tail. The female (below) is brown with a buff underside and red patch on rump and dark bill. The immature male (see further below) is like the female but with bright patches of red, especially on face, and white patch on black bill.

The female has no streaking on its chest, unlike the female Ruby-crowned Tanager. The former is also darker above than the latter. Both male and female Brazilian Tanagers have a slight overbite, where the upper bill is a bit longer than the lower.

The Brazilian Tanager is endemic to the southeast coast of Brazil, where it is fairly easy to find, and very easy to spot.

Below, adult female Brazilian Tanager.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Silanche, Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Scarlet Browed Tanager
Latin: Heterospingus xanthopygius
Other: Tangara cejiescarlata (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Panama, Colombia, Ecuador.
Similar:

Difficult to see in this record shot, but the Scarlet-browed Tanager is mostly dark with red streak behind eye, red iris, yellow rump and should-streak. Female lacks head streak.

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Para, Brazil, September 2011

Bird name: Silver Beaked Tanager
Latin: Ramphocelus carbo
Other: Sangre de toro apagado, toche negro (Es) • Tie-sangue (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyanas, Peru, Paraguay
Similar: Female Guira Tanager

The Silver-beaked Tanager is quite common over its range. It seemed to be the default tanager approaching Tena and into the Upper Napo region of Ecuador. Also the most common tanager in the Pantanal in August, where it was often seen beside rivers and in fruiting trees. Also seen in Parà.

The male Silver-beaked Tanager (above) is easy to identify - dark red with bright lower bill. It can look black in weak light.

Females (below) are browner - but still reddish - with less contrast on the bill. They look similar to female Brazilian Tanagers, but fortunately the two ranges do not overlap.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Regua, Brazil, September 2011

Bird name: Yellow Backed Tanager
Latin: Hemithraupis flavicollis
Other: Pintasilgo de buche dorado (Es) • Saíra-galega (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyanas, Peru,
Similar: Female Guira Tanager

The male Yellow-backed Tanager (above) is a small tanager, black above, white below, with yellow throat, rump and lower face up to bill. The female (below) is plainer, yellow below and olive above.

Regua in September seemed a good place to see this bird - they visit the feeders and were frequently seen in mixed flocks near the lake.

There are quite a few subspecies, with slighty different colouring.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Scarlet and White Tanager
Latin: Chrysothlypis salmoni
Other: Tángara escarlatiblanca (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Colombia, Ecuador
Similar: Hepatic Tanager, Summer Tanager

Another unconfirmed record shot - this time of a possible Scarlet-and-white Tanager at the Mirador Rio Blanco in northwest Ecuador. Scarlet-and-white Tanagers do look similar to this - red body with black edging to wings and white belly - but from this angle Summer Tanager or Hepatic Tanager are also both possible.

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Plushcap
Latin: Catamblyrhynchus diadema
Other: Cabecipeludo (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Similar:

A couple of record shots of a Plushcap I saw on the Ecoruta northwest of Quito.

The Plushcap is an unusual bird, at one taxonomical extreme of the Thraupidae family. It lives at high altitude, between 1600 and 3500m, has stiff crown feathers and usually lives near Chusquea bamboo.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, May 2010

Bird name: Summer Tanager
Latin: Piranga rubra
Other: Tángara roja migratoria (Es) • Sanhaçu-vermelho, sanhaçu-verão (Pt)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers - now Cardinalidae
Range: USA, Mexico, Central America, N South America, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil
Similar: Hepatic Tanager

Summer Tanagers look very similar to Hepatic Tanagers, so the identity of two birds pictured here should be treated with caution.

The bird above is identified as a migrant male Summer Tanager on location - it was seen at San Isidro Lodge (2300m) in March. San Isidro doesn’t list Hepatic as occuring there. Otherwise it might have been taken for a Hepatic Tanager, since it has a dark bill, slightly greyish lores and a carmine, not orange, tint to the bright red hue.

The bird below was, I believe, a migrant male Summer Tanager at the Milpe Reserve, 1600m?, in northwest Ecuador. It has the characteristic pale bill of the Summer Tanager, pale lores and slightly orange-red hue.

Female Summer Tanagers are olive-yellow.

Below, presumed male Summer Tanager, Milpe, Ecuador, March 2011.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Golden Hooded Tanager
Latin: Tangara larvata
Other: Tangara capuchidorada, tangara cabecipinta (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: S Mexico to Ecuador
Similar:

The Golden Hooded Tanager was one of the first birds I saw in Panama in Cerro Azul, then more frequently in El Valle.

The golden hood makes this bird pretty unmistakeable. Good-looking bird!

Also seen at the Silanche Reserve in northwest Ecuador - western slope.

Below: Golden-hooded Tanager, Panama
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Itatiaia, RJ • November 2009

Bird name: Magpie Tanager
Latin: Cissopis leverianus
Other: Moriche blanco, frutero overo, tangará urraca (Es) • Tietinga (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Widespread South America
Similar:

There’s no mistaking the Magpie Tanager, with its strong black and white markings, which are reminiscent of the European Magpie, its large size, long tail and bright yellow irises. Its distribution is split into two parts, one comprising southeastern Brazil.

Also seen in Ecuador near Tena and the eastern lowlands.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Itatiaia November 2009

Bird name: Black Goggled Tanager
Latin: Trichothraupis melanops
Other: Frutero de anteojos negros, frutero corona amarilla (Es) • Tiê-de-topete (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina - Peru, Bolivia
Similar:

The Black-goggled Tanager has yellowish buff underparts, dark brown-black upperside, especially black around the eyes, yellow crest sometimes visible. The female has less pronounced markings. Lives in southern half of Brazil and neighbouring countries.

Below, probably female Black-googled Tanager
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ubatuba • November 2009

Bird name: Red Necked Tanager
Latin: Tangara cyanocephala
Other: Saíra-militar (Br) • Tángara de cuello rojo (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina
Similar:

The Red-necked Tanager is easy to identify in the adult form by its red neck. It also has a blue cap, green body, with some yellow on wing and black on back and on face around bill. The female, directly below, has less yellow on wing, less black on back and a duller, more orangey neck.

The juvenile Red-necked Tanager, seen above feeding from an adult male, and more examples below in “more photos”, is predominantly green with tell-tale flecks of adult colour, such as red neck and blue cap, with black face.

The Red-necked Tanager is endemic to the south-east Atlantic Rainforest corridor in Brazil, with another pocket in the north-east of the country, with a paler blue head and blue fleck on tail.

Below, female Red-necked Tanager
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Brazil 2011

Bird name: Swallow Tanager
Latin: Tersina viridis
Other: Azulejo golondrina, tángara golondrina, tersina/frutero golondrina (Es) • Saí-andorinha (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Panama to Argentina, incl Brazil
Similar:

The male Swallow Tanager is distinguishable by its barred flank, black mask, bright blue colour (above). Females are green and yellow (see below).

The Swallow Tanager can be found throughout much of Brazil and neighbouring countries. This group were seen north of Rio in open country.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Guango Lodge, Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Blue and Black Tanager
Latin: Tangara vassorii
Other: Tangara azulinegra (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar: Masked Flowerpiercer

The Blue-and-black Tanager is found at quite high altitudes, generally above 2000m. I saw these birds at Guango Lodge on the eastern slope of the Andes in Ecuador at about 2700m.

No other tanager like it in Ecuador, but similar colours to the Masked Flowerpiercer, which has a very different bill.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Milpe Reserve, Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Rufous Throated Tanager
Latin: Tangara rufigula
Other: Tangara golirrufa (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Colombia, Ecuador
Similar: Beryl-spangled Tanager

A record shot of a Rufous-throated Tanager in Milpe; you can just make out the rufous throat in the photo. Found on the western slope in northern Ecuador.

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Rio Azul Lodge, Brazil 2011

Bird name: Red Shouldered Tanager
Latin: Tachyphonus phoenicius
Other: Frutero de hombros rojos (Es) • Tem-tem-de-dragona-vermelha (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Amazonia - Brazil around Para state, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyanas
Similar: White-lined Tanager, Ruby-crowned Tanager

The male Red-shouldered Tanager is an entirely black bird - the red shoulder is generally not visible. This bird was identified on range - the only one of several similar black tanagers to inhabit this area of southern Para. The female is quite different - light underparts.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Milpe, Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Guira Tanager
Latin: Hemithraupis guira
Other: Pintasilgo de buche negro, güira (Es) • Saíra-de-papo-preto (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Brazil to Venezuela and neighbours
Similar: Female with Yellow-backed Tanager

The Guira Tanager is apparently widespread throughout South America in lowland and degraded forest. I’ve only seen them a couple of times - in Ecuador in Mindo and at Milpe.

The adult male Guira Tanager has a yellow pointed bill, brown or black mask, orange throat, whitish underparts, olive upperparts, orange rump. The female lacks the orange and black markings.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Milpe, Ecuador, March 2011

Bird name: Ochre Breasted Tanager
Latin: Chlorothraupis stolzmanni
Other: Tangara pechiocrácea (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Colombia, Ecuador western slope
Similar: Dusky Bush Tanager, other female tanagers

The Ochre-breasted Tanager is fairly nondescript, and can be difficult to identify. It has a heavy, dark bill and generally ochre colouring elsewhere, slightly warmer colours below and darker above, and grey irises.

See below for same bird without flash.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Serra dos Tucanos, Brazil • 2011

Bird name: Azure Shouldered Tanager
Latin: Tangara cyanoptera
Other: Sanhaçu-de-encontro-azul (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: SE Brazil - Atlantic forest
Similar: Sayaca Tanager

The Azure-shouldered Tanager is very similar to the Sayaca Tanager, but in practice quite easy to differentiate. It has dusky lores (Sayaca doesn’t) and a bright blue shoulder mark. There is no overlap with Blue-grey Tanager.

Serra dos Tucanos Lodge north of Rio was a good place to see the Azure-shouldered Tanager - it visits the fruit feeders.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador • 2011

Bird name: Flame Faced Tanager
Latin: Tangara parzudakii
Other: Tangara cariflama (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Similar:

I saw Flame-faced Tanagers on several occasions at the Santa Lucia Reserve, Ecuador, but there often in deep mist. Clearer views at the Milpe Reserve, where they also visited the feeders.

On the eastern slope, also seen at San Isidro, where the nominal subspecies Tangara parzudakii parzudakii is found, which is more brightly coloured - record shot further below.

Above and directly below, the western subspecies Tangara parzudakii lunigera which has less colour in the cheeks.

Below, a Flame-faced Tanager feeding at the Santa Lucia Reserve in northern Ecuador.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Brazil • 2011

Bird name: Black Faced Tanager
Latin: Schistochlamys melanopis
Other: Sanhaçu-de-coleira (Br) • Frutero cara negra, chovy estero, pizarrita sabanera (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyanas, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay
Similar:

The Black-faced Tanager lives in dry habitats - savanna, cerrado etc. These were seen in Chapada das Guimaraes.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador • 2011

Bird name: Blue Necked Tanager
Latin: Tangara cyanicollis
Other: Tangara capuchiazul (Es) • Saíra-de-cabeça-azul (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Brazil, Ecuador, …
Similar:

Blue-necked Tanagers have bright blue heads, with black mask, dark bodies, and orange on shoulder. Underfeathers are actually blue and green but in normal lighting the body looks blackish.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Para, Brazil, September

Bird name: Flame Crested Tanager
Latin: Tachyphonus cristatus
Other: Tiê-galo (Br) • Frutero de cresta rojiza, parlotero crestado, tangara crestiflama (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyanas, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia
Similar:

The Flame-crested Tanager showing its main markings: a red crest, generally black body and buff patch on chin. Also white shoulder. Female is brownish.

The Flame-crested Tanager lives in two distinct populations, one on the southeast coast of Brazil - at Regua, for example - the other further northwest - eg at Rio Azul Lodge.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Brazil • 2011

Bird name: Green and Gold Tanager
Latin: Tangara schrankii
Other: Tangará carinegra, tangara verdidorada (Es) • Saíra-ouro (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Amazonia - Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Similar:

I only glimpsed Green-and-gold Tanagers a couple of times, at the Rio Azul Lodge, in Para, Brazil.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador • 2011

Bird name: Grey and Gold Tanager
Latin: Tangara palmeri
Other: Gray-and-gold Tanager (US) • Tangara doradigris (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Panama, Colombia, Ecuador
Similar:

A grey-and-gold Tanager from a difficult angle. I only saw this bird at Silanche Reserve in Ecuador, in the northwest of the country.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador • 2011

Bird name: Beryl Spangled Tanager
Latin: Tangara nigroviridis
Other: Tangara mariposa (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar:

Probably the most frequently seen of all tanagers on my recent trip to Ecuador - often in mixed flocks, but very difficult to photograph - it’s small and fast moving and keeps its distance.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador • 2011

Bird name: Metallic Green Tanager
Latin: Tangara labradorides
Other: Tangara verdimetallica (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Colombia, Ecuador, …
Similar:

Metallic-green Tanager was another frequently glimpsed tanager, hard to photograph. Found mid-altitude in the northwest of Ecuador.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Brazil • 2011

Bird name: Fulvous Crested Tanager
Latin: Tachyphonus surinamus
Other: Tem-tem-de-topete-ferrgíneo (Br) • Tangara crestifulva (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Amazonia - Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyanas, Peru, Venezuela
Similar:

A couple of record shots of the Fulvous-crested Tanager at Rio Azul Lodge. A blackish tanager with brown patches on shoulders and sides.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Panama, El Valle, May 2010

Bird name: Dusky Faced Tanager
Latin: Mitrospingus cassinii
Other: Tangara carinegruzca (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador
Similar:

A blurry record shot of a Dusky-faced Tanager in El Valle, Panama.

And another blurry record from Silanche Reserve, Ecuador.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Itatiaia, Ubatuba • November 2009

Bird name: Green Headed Tanager
Latin: Tangara seledon
Other: Saíra-sete-cores (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Southeast Brazil - Atlantic Rainforest
Similar: Seven-colored Tanager

The colourful Green Headed Tanager is a frequent visitor to bird tables in the Atlantic Rainforest (Mata Atlantica) region.

Although the Green-headed Tanager is called Saíra-sete-cores in Portuguese, the English-named “Seven Colored Tanager” is a different bird found in the northeast of Brazil:Tangara fastuosa - Pintor-verdadeiro.

The immature Green Headed Tanager, pictured further below, is predominantly yellow and green.

Below, Green-headed Tanager, Serra dos Tucanos.


Below, juvenile Green Headed Tanager, is predominantly yellow and green.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, March.

Bird name: Saffron Crowned Tanager
Latin: Tangara xanthocephala
Other: Tángara coronada (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar: Golden-eared Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager

Another very beautiful design on the Saffron-crowned Tanager, which lives in montane forests from 1200 to 2400m. I saw these birds at the San Isidro Lodge on the east slope of the Andes, in Ecuador.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Brazil, March.

Bird name: Shrike Like Tanager
Latin: Neothraupis fasciata
Other: White-banded Tanager (old) • Cigarra-do-tempo (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: NE Paraguay, NE Bolivia, Brazil cerrado
Similar: White-rumped Tanager, Black-faced Tanager

The Shrike-like Tanager adult (below) is grey and white with black face. White wing band. Juveniles (above and further below) are browner. Shrike-like Tanagers were one of the most common tanagers in the very dry cerrado, which was drier than the Sahara when I visited, at Chapada das Guimaraes.

Below, an adult Shrike-like Tanager in Chapada das Guimaraes, Brazil, August.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, March.

Bird name: Grass Green Tanager
Latin: Chlorornis riefferii
Other: Clorornis patirrojo, tángara hierba verde, tángara verdirroja, tángara carirroja (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar:

Incredibly intense green on the Grass Green Tanager. Contrasted with red face, bill, legs and crissum - a stunning colour scheme. I saw these in cloud forest near Bellavista and San Isidro in Ecuador. These large tanagers live at high altitudes in the Andes - 1500 to 3300m. I saw birds in the middle of that range.

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Mato Gross, Brazil, March.

Bird name: White Rumped Tanager
Latin: Cypsnagra hirundinacea
Other: Bandoleta (Es)(Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Brazil, Bolivia, Suriname, Panama
Similar: Shrike-like Tanager juvenile

The White-rumped Tanager was seen on several occasions in cerrado at Chapada das Guimaraes, Brazil.

The adult (above) White-rumped Tanager has a dark orange throat, is light below, dark above, with two white wing marks and white rump. The juvenile (below) is browner, with lighter throat and more colour.

Eats insects mostly.

Below, juvenile White Rumped Tanager, Chapada das Guimaraes, Brazil
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, March.

Bird name: Golden Tanager
Latin: Tangara arthus
Other: Tángara dorada (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar: Blackburnian Warbler (if glimpsed)

The Golden Tanager is not uncommon in Ecuador in mid-altitude montane habitats. Seen in most locations, usually at least one in a mixed flock. Very easy to see - a bright light in cloud forest canopy. But Golden Tanagers are small and fast moving, and often stick to tree tops, so getting a good photo was not easy. Unmistakeable markings - usually the only other possibility for an orange flash is Blackburnian Warbler (which has a black head)

Below, Golden Tanager in Mindo, Ecuador.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Yanacocha, Ecuador, March.

Bird name: Golden Crowned Tanager
Latin: Iridosornis rufivertex
Other: Frutero cabecidorado (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Similar:

Intense colours in this high-altitude Golden Crowned Tanager (usually 2500-3300m), which I saw on the Yanacocha trail (3500m). Great bird - the only one of its kind I saw in Ecuador.

Below, Golden Crowned Tanager - Yanacocha, Ecuador
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Serra dos Tucanos Lodge, September

Bird name: Fawn Breasted Tanager
Latin: Pipraeidea melanonota
Other: Saíra viúva (Br) • Tangara pechianteada (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay; and SE S America
Similar:

The Fawn-breasted Tanager is buff or orange below with blue upper half and red irises. Found in the Andes and in montane habitats in southern Brazil and bordering countries.

I saw Fawn-breasted Tanagers in Mindo and San Isidro Lodge in Ecuador and at Serra dos Tucanos Lodge in Brazil.

The male Fawn-breasted Tanager has deeper colours than the female and the Brazilian Fawn-breasted Tanager (above, male) apparently had richer colours than the Ecuadorian birds (below).

Below, Fawn Breasted Tanager, Ecuador, March.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Serra dos Tucanos Lodge, September

Bird name: Burnished Buff Tanager
Latin: Tangara cayana
Other: Saíra amarela (Br) • Tangara cayana, pechinegro (Es) • Rufous-crowned Tanager
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Guianas, Venezuela, E Colombia, Paraguay, NE Argentina, Brazil
Similar:

The Burnished Buff Tanager male has a buff body, with black markings below and on face, and turquoise wings. The female (see next page) has less black.

The Burnished Buff Tanager is found in Brazil, to some extent neighbouring countries, and there is a separate population in northern South America. The subspecies in SE Brazil, where these photos were taken, is Tangara cayana flava.

Very subtle colours.

Below, male Burnished Buff Tanager - with flash, Serra do Tucanos Lodge, Brazil


Below, male Burnished Buff Tanager - ssp flava, Ubatuba.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, March

Bird name: Blue Winged Mountain Tanager
Latin: Anisognathus somptuosus
Other: Tángara primavera, cachaquito primavera, tangara montana aliazul (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar: Black-chinned Mountain-tanager

Blue-winged Mountain Tanagers could be seen at various places near Mindo, as well at San Isidro Lodge.

Blue-winged Mountain Tanagers have more blue on wings than Black-chinned Mountain-tanagers and have black backs, vs olive shoulders for the latter. They have a large yellow stripe on their head.

Below, Blue-winged Mountain-tanager, Mindo.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, March

Bird name: Black Chinned Mountain Tanager
Latin: Anisognathus notabilis
Other: tangara montana barbinegra (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Colombia, Ecuador
Similar: Blue-winged Mountain-tanager

Black-chinned Mountain-tanagers could be seen alongside Blue-winged Mountain-tanagers at the Paz de las Aves feeders.

Black-chinned Mountain-tanagers have less blue on the wing than Blue-winged, more black below the chin and olive top of back vs black back for Blue-winged.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, March

Bird name: Scarlet Bellied Mountain Tanager
Latin: Anisognathus igniventris
Other: Tangara montana ventriescarlata (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar:

The Scarlet Bellied Mountain Tanager is a very eye-catching bird - I only saw one pair at Yanacocha at 3500m, feeding on the berries below. Their range descends to 1500m.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Serra dos Tucanos Lodge, September

Bird name: Hooded Mountain Tanager
Latin: Buthraupis montana
Other: Tangara montaña encapuchada (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar:

I saw this Hooded Mountain-tanager near the Bellavista Lodge grounds in Ecuador. Found at quite high altitudes - 2000 to 3200 m. Also seen at San Isidro Lodge on the eastern slope of the Andes.

The Hooded Mountain-tanager has red irises and a black head. A large tanager.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Summit Gardens, Panama • April 2010

Bird name: Harpy Eagle
Latin: Harpia harpyja
Other: Aguila harpía (Es) • Harpia (Br)
Family: Accipitridae • Eagles, Birds of Prey
Range: Central America and tropical South America to Brazil
Similar:

The top pics are of a captive Harpy Eagle eating at the Summit Gardens zoo - further below there are a couple of pics of a wild bird in Brazil, sent in by Paula.

The Harpy Eagle is the largest and most powerful raptor in the Americas, with much larger talons than a Golden Eagle. Somehow, close up it didn’t look quite as big as I had expected. A rare bird, classed as Near Threatened, it is being reintroduced in several locations, including Soberania National Park in Panama.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • All rights reserved • Kinshasai

Bird name: Palm Nut Vulture
Latin: Gypohierax angolensis
Other: Vulturine Fish Eagle
Family: Accipitridae • Old World Vultures, Birds of Prey
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa
Similar: African Fish Eagle

The Palm-nut Vulture feeds mainly on the fruit of the oil-palm supplemented with crabs, molluscs, locusts, and fish. It is found in sub-Saharan.

The Palm-nut Vulture is not shy, and can be seen in hotel gardens, as above. Thanks to Alexia for this shot from Kinshasa. This bird is not an adult - the yellow facial skin of the juvenile turns red in the adult.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Rio de Janeiro • Sep 2011

Bird name: White Tailed Hawk
Latin: Buteo albicaudatus
Other: Gavião-de-rabo-branco (Br) • Gavilán coliblanco, aguilucho alas largas (Es)
Family: Accipitridae • Hawks, Birds of Prey
Range: Americas: Texas to Argentina
Similar: Red-backed Hawk

We saw this pair of White-tailed Hawks attending chicks in a nest, in northern Rio de Janerio state. One was a light morph (above), the other a dark morph (below).More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Lagoa do Peixe, RS • November 2009

Bird name: Savanna Hawk
Latin: Buteogallus meridionalis
Other: Heterospizias meridionalis • Gavião-caboclo (Br) • Gavilán cangrejero colorado, Busardo sabanero (Es)
Family: Accipitridae • Hawks, Birds of Prey
Range: Panama to Argentina, incl Brazil
Similar:

The Savanna Hawk is a handsome bird, in tones of sienna and grey, with a light head and dark band running along the back of wings. The back is dark grey, with some grey extending into the upperside of the wings. The wings and body seen from below are mostly uniform finely-barred light rufous and grey, with dark fingertips.

The tail has one thick white band bordered by dark bands of brown, with some white at the tip. The Savannah Hawk has distinctive rufous “trousers”, yellow legs and yellow bill base with black tip.

Seen here on farmland, the Savannah Hawk is present throughout most of Brazil and is present in South America from Panama to Argentina. Seen frequently in the Pantanal in August.

Below: Savanna Hawk watching road, Pantanal, 2011


Below, Savanna Hawk flying low over field with wings swept back, S Brazil.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye

Bird name: Harris Hawk
Latin: Parabuteo unicinctus
Other: Busardo de Harris (Es) • Gavião-asa-de-telha (Br)
Family: Accipitridae • Hawks, Birds of Prey
Range: SW USA through Latin America to Argentina, S Brazil, Chile
Similar:

A Harris Hawk at a French falconry show.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ecuador, 2011

Bird name: Broad Winged Hawk
Latin: Buteo platypterus
Other: Gavião-de-asa-largo (Br) • Aguila aliancha, gavilán aliancho (Es)
Family: Accipitridae • Hawks, Birds of Prey
Range: USA through Latin America, E Brazil
Similar:

A Broad-winged Hawk, beside the road, in the mountains in eastern Ecuador.

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Para, Brazil • Sep 2011

Bird name: Grey Headed Kite
Latin: Leptodon cayanensis
Other: Gray-headed Kite (US) • Milano cabecigrís (Es) • Gavião-de-cabeça-cinza (Br)
Family: Accipitridae • Kites, Birds of Prey
Range: Mexico to northern Argentina, incl Panama, Brazil
Similar:

The Grey-Headed Kite has a pale grey head with white body contrasting with dark wings and barred flight feathers. Two narrow white bands on tail (a third sometimes visible). Bill bluish.

Also seen in the mountains of Valle de Anton in central Panama.More photos...

Copyright: TC/monacoeye • Tanzania • All rights reserved

Bird name: African Hawk Eagle
Latin: Aquila spilogaster
Other: Aigle fascié (Fr)
Family: Accipitridae • Eagles, Birds of Prey
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa, ex Congo basin
Similar:

An African Hawk-Eagle in Tanzania. Thanks to Tom C. for photo.

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Pantanal Aug 2011

Bird name: Great Black Hawk
Latin: Buteogallus urubitinga
Other: Gavião-preto (Br) • Gavilán cangrejero grande, urubitinga (Es)
Family: Accipitridae • Hawks, Birds of Prey
Range: Mexico to Southern Brazil
Similar: Common Black Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Snail Kite

I saw this Great Black Hawk on the Transpantaneira in the Pantanal. All black except for white tail band, massive bill.

Copyright: TC/monacoeye • Tanzania

Bird name: Martial Eagle
Latin: Polemaetus bellicosus
Other: Aigle martial (Fr)
Family: Accipitridae • Eagles, Birds of Prey
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa
Similar:

The Martial Eagle in Tanzania, sent in by Tom. Below, feeding chicks in nest.More photos...

Copyright: TC/monacoeye • Tanzania

Bird name: Eastern Chanting Goshawk
Latin: Melierax poliopterus
Other: Pale Chanting Goshawk • Autour à ailes grises (Fr)
Family: Accipitridae • Chanting Goshawks, Birds of Prey
Range: East Africa
Similar:

An Eastern Chanting Goshawk sent in by Tom from Tanzania. Juvenile ?

Copyright: TC/monacoeye • Tanzania

Bird name: Dark Chanting Goshawk
Latin: Melierax metabates
Other: Autour sombre (Fr)
Family: Accipitridae • Chanting Goshawks, Birds of Prey
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa (not Congo basin), Morocco, Yemen etc
Similar:

And two Dark Chanting Goshawks from Tom in Tanzania.More photos...

Copyright: TC/monacoeye • Tanzania

Bird name: Long Crested Eagle
Latin: Lophaetus occipitalis
Other: Aigle huppard (Fr)
Family: Accipitridae • Eagles, Birds of Prey
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa - non arid zones
Similar:

A Long-crested Eagle in Tanzania. Thanks to Tom again for the photo.

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Ecuador • March

Bird name: Plumbeous Kite
Latin: Ictinia plumbea
Other: Sovi, gavião-sauveiro (Br) • Milano plomizo (Es)
Family: Accipitridae • Kites, Birds of Prey
Range: Latin America: Mexico to Argentina, incl Ecuador
Similar:

A Plumbeous Kite flying through the trees in Ecuador, March. Note rufous wing tips and banded tail. Also seen at Floresta Amazonica in Alta Floresta, Brazil.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Lagoa do Peixe • November 2009

Bird name: Pearl Kite
Latin: Gampsonyx swainsonii
Other: Gaviãozinho, cauré, cricri (Br) • (Es)
Family: Accipitridae • Kites, Birds of Prey
Range: Panama, Colombia, Venezuela to Bolivia, Argentina
Similar:

Quick view of a Pearl Kite in eastern Ecuador. The smallest of raptors in the Americas. Note peachy cheeks and black line down neck.

Copyright: TC/monacoeye • Tanzania • All rights reserved

Bird name: Augur Buzzard
Latin: Buteo augur
Other: Buse augure (Fr)
Family: Accipitridae • Buzzards, Birds of Prey
Range: Ethiopia to Angola, Namibia, incl Tanzania
Similar:

An Augur Buzzard from Tanzania - thanks to Tom for this nice shot.

Copyright: TC/monacoeye • Tanzania

Bird name: African Harrier Hawk
Latin: Polyboroides typus
Other: Gymnogène d'Afrique (Fr)
Family: Accipitridae • Hawks, Harriers, Birds of Prey
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa
Similar:

Likely an African Harrier-Hawk, sent in by Tom from Tanzania.

Copyright: monacoeye • Guango Lodge, Ecuador, February • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Chestnut Breasted Coronet
Latin: Boissonneaua matthewsii
Other: Esmeralda andina, Diamante de pico largo, coronita pechicastaña (Es)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Andes; Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Similar:

The beautiful Chestnut Breasted Coronet, seen at Guango Lodge - a good place to see it.

The Chestnut Breasted Coronet lives at quite high altitudes - I didn’t see it below 2000m - but not as high as Yanacocha.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Mindo Lindo, Ecuador, February • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Velvet Purple Coronet
Latin: Boissonneaua jardini
Other: Coronita Aterciopelada, Colibrí sietecolores (Es)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Andes; Colombia, Ecuador
Similar:

The Velvet Purple Coronet is a very striking bird with superb deep purple plumage. The head and chest can often look black. In Ecuador found northwest of Quito, in mid-altitude forest - seen here at Mindo Lindo Lodge, for example.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Mindo, Ecuador, February • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Buff Tailed Coronet
Latin: Boissonneaua flavescens
Other: Colibrí colihabano, chupasavia, coronita colianteada (Es)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Andes; Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela
Similar:

Buff Tailed Coronet is buff under the tail, has white puffy thighs, otherwise mostly green. Also some buff on shoulders and white post-ocular spot.

850m to 2000m altitude; usually above 1400m. Seen at Paz de las Aves, Bellavista Lodge and Guango Lodge.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Yanacocha, Ecuador, February • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Buff Winged Starfrontlet
Latin: Coeligena lutetiae
Other: Frentiestrella alianteada (Es)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Andes; Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Similar:

Buff-winged Starfrontlets are one of the easiest hummingbirds to recognise - they are the only hummingbirds in Ecuador with buff-coloured “epaulets”.

Male Buff-winged Starfrontlets have purple throats (below), distinguishing them from females, which have buff throats.

These are high-altitude hummers - I saw them on the Yanacocha trail at 3500m.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • San Isidro Lodge, Ecuador, February • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Long Tailed Sylph
Latin: Aglaiocercus kingii
Other: Silfo de King, Silfo colilargo, Colibrí coludo azul, Cometa verdiazul (Es)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Andes; Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar: Violet Tailed Sylph


Long-tailed Sylphs at in Ecuador. Only males have the very long tails. Females have chestnut bellies and short tails. Seen at Guango and San Isidro Lodges - the latter is a good place to see them. 1600m - 2600m.

Not much overlap with Violet-tailed Sylph (only on west slope) fortunately.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Mindo, Ecuador, February • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Andean Emerald
Latin: Amazilia franciae
Other: Esmeralda andina, Diamante de pico largo (Es)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Andes; Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Similar:

The Andean Emerald, pictured here in Mindo, Ecuador. White below with green crown. It lives in the cloud forest from 1000 to 2000 metres.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Camargue Jan 2012

Bird name: Meadow Pipit
Latin: Anthus pratensis
Other: Pipit farlouse (Fr), Pipit des prés • Wiesenpieper (De) • Bisbita pratense (Es) • Pispola (It) • Graspieper (Nl) • Ängspiplärka (Sv) • Petinha-dos-prados (Pt)
Family: Motacillidae • Pipits
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa
Similar: Water Pipit

Meadow Pipits seem fairly common on remote beaches on the South coast of France.

I saw dozens in the Camargue in January - every few yards along some beaches - with White Wagtails.

Difficult to differentiate the various types of Pipit, so treat ID with caution, but I understand the Meadow Pipit is the only one locally likely to inhabit beaches.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Camargue, France • January 2012 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Common Buzzard
Latin: Buteo buteo
Other: Buse Variable (Fr) • Mäusebussard (De) • ratonero común (Es) • poiana comune (It) • Buizerd (Nl) • Ormvråk (Sv) • Águia-de-asa-redonda (Pt)
Family: Accipitridae • Buzzards, Birds of Prey
Range: Europe, Asia
Similar: Honey Buzzard, Rough-legged Buzzard

The Camargue has many Common Buzzards in the winter - most of these photos were taken there. Adults are usually rich brown with light marks under wings, especially near tips, as pictured.

They’re often perched on lamp-posts or trees overlooking the road. Also seen near Monaco all year round.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Camargue, France • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Western Marsh Harrier
Latin: Circus aeruginosus
Other: Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Marsh Harrier • Busard des Roseaux (Fr) • Rohrweihe (De) • Aguilucho lagunero (Es) • Falco di palude (It) • Bruine kiekendief (Nl) • Brun kärrhök (Sv) • Tartaranhão-ruivo-dos-pauis (Pt)
Family: Accipitridae • Harriers, Birds of Prey
Range: Eurasia, India, Central Africa
Similar: Male Hen Harrier

Marsh Harriers can be seen in the Camargue all year round and many fly east-west past Monaco on autumn migration in September.

The adult male Marsh Harrier (above) is fairly easy to recognise. From below it has black wing tips, white wings, brown body and head.

Females are quite variable and thus more difficult to recognise - they typically have brown body and coverts and darkish wing tips (see directly below). Dark mark through eye.

Juveniles (lowest photo) are very dark with whitish head. Heads of adults are often very light, but, in my experience, not quite as light as pictured in some book illustrations.

Below, presumed female Marsh Harrier, Camargue, January 2012.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Camargue, Jan 2012

Bird name: Hen Harrier
Latin: Circus cyaneus
Other: Northern Harrier (US, IOC) • Busard Saint-Martin (Fr) • Kornweihe (De) • Aguilucho pálido, Gavilán rastrero (Es) • Albanella reale (It) • Blauwe kiekendief (Nl) • Blå kärrhök (Sv) • Tartaranhão-azulado (Pt)
Family: Accipitridae • Harriers, Birds of Prey
Range: Europe, Asia
Similar: Male Marsh Harrier

Record shots of a female Hen Harrier seen in January in the Camargue, flying low over salt marshes.

The IOC name is Northern Harrier, which also describes the US subspecies; Hen Harrier, Circus cyaneus cyaneus, is the name used in the UK and describes only the Eurasian bird.

Note white band on rump - a good indicator.