Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Ecuador, 2011.

Bird name: Masked Trogon
Latin: Trogon personatus
Other:
Family: Trogonidae • Trogons
Range: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, SC Venezuela
Similar:

Masked Trogons were seen in many locations in Ecuador - Mindo, Milpe, Mindo Lindo, Bellavista, Guango, San Isidro.

Males are green, black and red with white marks. Females are brown and red. Many more examples in “more photos”.


More photos...

Copyright: TC/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Ecuador, 2010.

Bird name: Choco Trogon
Latin: Trogon comptus
Other: White-eyed Trogon
Family: Trogonidae • Trogons
Range: W Colombia, NW Ecuador
Similar: Ecuadorian Trogon

Wonderful shot of a Choco Trogon by Tom. I missed this one in Mindo. Note white iris, no eye-ring or white breast-band.

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

Bird name: White Tailed Trogon
Latin: Trogon chionurus
Other:
Family: Trogonidae • Trogons
Range: Panama to W Ecuador

The White-Tailed Trogon is now considered a separate species from T. viridis. Both male and female White-Tailed Trogons have pale blue eye rings and predominantly white tails (unlike all other Panamanian yellow bellied trogons). The female has slate grey upperparts while the male is bluish-black. Both have yellow bellies.

We saw several in Central Panama, including one from the observation deck of the Canopy Tower. Also seen in Ecuador at the Rio Silanche Reserve (see “more photos” below).
More photos...

© Tom C - monacoeye • All rights reserved • Napo, Ecuador, 2010.

Bird name: Dusky Headed Parakeet
Latin: Aratinga weddellii
Other: Weddell's Conure, Dusky-headed Conure (Pets) • Lorita pico negro (Es)
Family: Psittacidae - Parrots, Parakeets
Range: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru to Bolivia, W Amazonia
Similar:

Thanks to Tom for this great shot of a hundred-odd Dusky-headed Parakeets at a clay lick on the Rio Napo in eastern Ecuador. The parrots ingest the mineral-rich clay as a dietary supplement.
More photos...

Copyright: TC/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Napo, Ecuador, 2010.

Bird name: Yellow Crowned Amazon
Latin: Amazona ochrocephala
Other: Yellow-crowned Parrot • Loro real amazónico (Es) • Papagaio-campeiro (Br)
Family: Psittacidae - Parrots, Amazons
Range: Mexico to N Brazil & E Peru
Similar: Yellow-naped Amazon

Thanks also to Tom for this photo of a group of Yellow-crowned Amazons, beside the Rio Napo in eastern Ecuador.

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Blue Headed Parrot
Latin: Pionus menstruus
Other: Blue-headed Pionus (Pet) • Loro cabeciazul (Es) • Maitaca-de-cabeça-azul (Br)
Family: Psittacidae - Parrots
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, to Brazil
Similar:

The Blue-headed Parrot below was seen at Finca Hartmann in the Chiriqui province of western Panama in May.

The Blue-headed Parrot has a distinctive blue head, with small patch of red at base of bill and on chest, difficult to see in the field. Otherwise green with reddish under tail.

More seen in the Upper Napo region of the Amazon Basin in Ecuador below in “more photos”.

Below, a Blue-headed Parrot at Finca Hartmann, Panama, March 2010.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Black headed Parrot
Latin: Pionites melanocephalus
Other: Caique de cabeza negra (Es) • Marianinha-de-cabeça-preta (Br)
Family: Psittacidae - Parrots
Range: N Amazonia: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyanas, Peru, Venezuela.
Similar:

A shot of a captive Black-headed Parrot. In the wild, found in northern Amazonia.

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Mindo, February 2011.

Bird name: Bronze winged Parrot
Latin: Pionus chalcopterus
Other: Loro negro (Es) • Maitaca-asa-de-bronze (Br)
Family: Psittacidae - Parrots
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador to NW Peru
Similar:

Bronze-winged Parrots were quite conspicuous at the Rio Silanche and Milpe Reserves in northwest Ecuador.

Bronze-winged Parrots are predominantly dusky blue, have yellow bills, bronze on the wings, red and blue under the tail, white eye-rings and white throats.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Mindo, February 2011.

Bird name: Red billed Parrot
Latin: Pionus sordidus
Other: Loro sórdido (Es)
Family: Psittacidae - Parrots
Range: Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador
Similar:

I saw these Red-billed Parrots at various locations in and around Mindo, Ecuador. They are the only parrots with reddish bills in Ecuador, they also have blue around the throat and red in the tail, which is short. The rest is green.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • San Isidro, March 2011

Bird name: White Capped Parrot
Latin: Pionus seniloides
Other:
Family: Psittacidae - Parrots
Range: W Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, NW Peru
Similar: Speckle-faced Parrot

Just couldn’t get a good view of this White-capped Parrot at San Isidro, Ecuador… Sometimes split taxonomically.

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Mercantour, France • May 2011

Bird name: European Honey Buzzard
Latin: Pernis apivorus
Other: Bondrée Apivore (Fr) • Wespenbussard (De) • Wespendief (Nl) • Falco pecchiaiolo occidentale (It) • Halcón abejero (Es) • Tartaranhão-apívoro (Pt) • Bivråk (Sv)
Family: Accipitridae • Honey Buzzards, Birds of Prey
Range: Breeding - most of Europe, Russia. Migrates to sub-Saharan Africa.
Similar: Common Buzzard

The European Honey Buzzard, although not closely related to the Common Buzzard, does look rather similar to it. The main difference is a longer tail (equal to the width of wings) and neck, and a pigeon-like head.

Pictured above and below is a female I saw in the Mercantour in May.

Unlike adults, juveniles (see “more photos”) have vertical, not horizontal, lines on the belly, and dark, not yellow, irises. They also have wider secondaries, yellow ceres and more barring in the wings.

The adult male pictured in “more photos” below has much white on the underside, but there are also dark morphs.

Another good identification mark for Honey Buzzards is the two dark bands near the underside base of the tail. They also tend to have more of an angle in the wing than Common Buzzards.

Honey Buzzards feed wasps to their young. They are believed to have a deterrent against wasp stings - hence their name.

Hundreds of Honey Buzzards fly down the coast past Monaco towards Spain and Africa every September - a magnificent sight.

Directly below, an adult female European Honey Buzzard, Mercantour, France, May.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Cueva de los Tayos, Ecuador, Feb 2011 • Do not copy

Bird name: Oilbird
Latin: Steatornis caripensis
Other: Guácharo, tayo (Es) • Pássaro-do-petróleo, guácharo (Br)
Family: Steatornithidae • Oilbird
Range: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Trinidad, Venezuela, Guyana, etc
Similar:

The Oilbird, although related to the nightjar, differs sufficiently to be placed in its own family, the Steatornithidae.

Oilbirds are fascinating birds, living in caves and dark gorges, and usually only exiting to feed at night on the fruits of oil palms and laurels. They navigate with echolocation and make loud clicking noises.

These birds were perched around the steep sides of a pitch-black, narrow, high-walled gully that cut into the mountain, near the Cueva de los Tayos in the Andes, in northern Ecuador. I had to stand in the middle of a small stream with the water flowing over my boots to take these photos - without flash, in order not to disturb the birds. In addition, we didn’t speak or move much, keeping a respectful distance behind a barrier, and only stayed a few minutes.

The day I visited in February, the main caves were inaccessible, as it had rained heavily, but this back-up location still had many oilbirds. Occasionally, one would move from one position on the wet rock walls to another, with great screeching and flapping of wings. But for the most part all the birds remained put, hardly moving, including one perched on a vine, pictured above, in a shaft of light.

More photos...

Copyright: TC/monacoeye • Ecuador, 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Band Winged Nightjar
Latin: Caprimulgus longirostris
Other: Bacurau-da-telha (Br)
Family: Caprimulgidae • Nightjars
Range: much of South America, including Ecuador, but not Amazonia and similar habitats.
Similar:

Many thanks to Tom for this photo of a Band-winged Nightjar.

Copyright: TC/monacoeye • Ecuador, 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Ladder Tailed Nightjar
Latin: Hydropsalis climacocerca
Other: Acurana (Br)
Family: Caprimulgidae • Nightjars
Range: Amazonia, including Ecuador, Brazil, etc
Similar: Scissor-tailed Nightjar

Many thanks to Tom for this nice photo of a Ladder-tailed Nightjar - a bird I missed while I was in Ecuador.

These are the books I have used, in conjunction with websites and local guides, to identify bird photos on this site.

Australia

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, by Graham Pizzey & Frank Knight, 2007 (8th ed), HarperCollinsPublishers
ISBN-13: 978-0207199356

An excellent fieldguide, relaxing to consult. Some may think it’s too spread out, but I’d definitely pack it on a trip to Oz.

Brazil

A Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil, by Ber van Perlo, 2009, Oxford
ISBN-13: 978 019530155 7

Took me a while to get used to the white space and sketchiness, but now that I have, I really like this book.

Guio de Campo Avis Brasilis, Avifauna Brasileira, the Avis Brasilis Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil (2 vols), by Tomas Sigrist, 2009, Avis Brasilis
ISBN-13: 978 856012007 9

At first I thought the illustrations were better than van Perlo, but now I think it’s better in some areas and worse in others. The maps are good, but overall I prefer van Perlo.

Ecuador

The Birds of Ecuador, Vol II - Field Guide, by Robert Ridgely and Paul Greenfield, 2001, Cornell
ISBN-13: 978 080148721 7

A nice book, pleasant to use, a tour de force and good for desktop identifications. It’s a shame descriptions are not on facing pages, and bird order is odd at times. Didn’t pack it - too heavy.

Panama

A Guide to the Birds of Panama, with Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras, by Robert Ridgely and John Gwynne, 1989 (2nd ed), Princeton
ISBN-13: 978 069102512 4

Good in 1989, but now dated. Get the new Angehr and Dean, 2010, instead.

Europe

Collins Bird Guide, Killian Mullarney, Lars Svensson, Dan Zetterström, Peter Grant, 1999, HarperCollins
Collins Bird Guide 2nd Ed, Killian Mullarney, Lars Svensson, Dan Zetterström, 2009, HarperCollins
ISBN-13: 978 000726726 2

One of the best fieldguides out there. Truly excellent illustrations and portable to boot. The maps in the 2nd ed are significantly more accurate than the first.

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland, May 2011

Bird name: European Golden Plover
Latin: Pluvialis apricaria
Other: Pluvier doré (Fr) • Goldregenpfeifer (De) • Chorlito dorado común (Es) • Piviere dorato (It) • Goudplevier (Nl) • Ljungpipare (Sv) • Tarambola-dourada (Pt)
Family: Charadriidae • Plovers & Lapwing, Waders
Range: Breeds Iceland, UK, Scandinavia, Russia etc, winters further south.
Similar: Pacific Golden Plover, American Golden Plover

A lovely shot above of a European Golden Plover in breeding plumage in Iceland, early May.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Alpes Maritimes • March 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Red Breasted Merganser
Latin: Mergus serrator
Other: Harle huppé (Fr) • Mittelsäger (De) • Serreta mediana (Es) • Длинноносый крохаль (Ru) • Småskrake (Sw)
Family: Anatidae • Ducks, Mergansers
Range: Iceland, Northern Eurasia and America, winters on coasts of China, US, Europe
Similar: Common Merganser

This is the second consecutive year I have seen Red-breasted Mergansers fishing in exactly the same spot in March in the sea off the coast near Cannes.

This area is not marked on the Collins distribution map, but Red-breasted Mergansers are known to winter further east and west on the Mediterranean coast, before flying north to their summer breeding grounds.

Females, juveniles and eclipses can be identified by their thin red bill, striped face, short punky haircut, diffuse neck line, and black line running through white speculum on open wing (see below), the latter differentiating them from Goosanders in flight.

Above juveniles or females. Below, an adult male Red Breasted Merganser, with red irises, dark head, white collar, and dark wings with white patch with black lines.

Below, a male Red-breasted Mergansers off the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland, in May.
More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: Gadwall
Latin: Anas strepera
Other: Canard Chipeau (Fr) • Schnatterente (De) • Anade friso (Es) • Canapiglia (It) • Krakeend (Nl) • Snatterand (Sv) • Frisada (Pt)
Family: Anatidae • Ducks
Range:
Similar: Mallard (female)

A couple of very nice shots of Gadwalls in Iceland near Reykjavik in May, sent in by Alexia.

Pictured above, a male Gadwall, fine lines on side and white speculum. In flight (see “more photos”) a chestnut patch is visible on the wing. The female, directly below, is similar to a female Mallard, but with more orange on the bill.

Below, a female Gadwall near Reykjavik, Iceland, in May.
More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: Eurasian Oystercatcher
Latin: Haematopus ostralegus
Other: Oystercatcher (UK) • Huitrier Pie (Fr) • Austernfischer (De) • Ostrero común euroasiático (Es) • Beccaccia di mare (It) • Scholekster (Nl) • Strandskata (Sv) • Ostraceiro-europeu (Pt)
Family: Haematopodidae • Oystercatchers
Range: Eurasian and African coasts, central Asia
Similar:

A nice shot of a Eurasian Oystercatcher on the Reykjanes Peninsular in Iceland from Alexia. In more photos one flying by the Black Sea, on the Romania and Ukraine border.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: Black Legged Kittiwake
Latin: Rissa tridactyla
Other: Kittiwake (UK) • Mouette tridactyle (Fr) • Dreizehenmöwe (De) • Drieteenmeeuw (Nl) • Gaviota tridáctila (Es) • Tretåig mås (Sv)
Family: Laridae • Gulls
Range: Iceland, UK, North Pacific, North Atlantic.
Similar:

A colony of Kittiwakes perched on cliffs in Iceland. Kittiwakes are small gulls with yellowish-green bills.

More photos...

Photos copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: Common Eider
Latin: Somateria mollissima
Other: Eiderente (De) • Eidereend (Nl) • Ejder (Sv)
Family: Anatidae • Ducks, Eiders
Range: Iceland, Northern Europe, north Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
Similar: King Eider

The Common Eider is an attractive duck, apparently common around Reykjavik in May. Characterised by a thick bill, with “nail” at end.

The female is mottled brown, so quite different from the male in colour.





Below, a female Common Eider.
More photos...

Photos copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: Northern Fulmar
Latin: Fulmarus glacialis
Other: Fulmar • Fulmar boréal (Fr) • Eissturmvogel (De) • Noordse stormvogel (Nl) • Stormfågel (Sv)
Family: Procellariidae • Petrels, Fulmars
Range: Iceland, Northern Europe, north Pacific, Arctic Circle.
Similar:

Thanks again to Alexia for this beautiful shot of a Fulmar near the Reykjanes Peninsular in Iceland.

Despite appearances, Fulmars are unrelated to gulls, but are in the tubenose or petrel group, which is largely pelagic, and characterised by a naricorn, or nasal passage attached above the bill.More photos...

Photos copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2010

Bird name: Northern Gannet
Latin: Morus bassanus
Other: Gannet • Fou de Bassan (Fr) • Basstölpel (De) • Alcatraz común (Es) • Sula bassana (It) • Jan-van-gent (Nl) • Havssula (Sv) • Ganso-patola (Pt)
Family: Sulidae • Boobies, Gannets
Range: Breeds in Iceland, UK, Ireland, Canada, Norway, range North Atlantic mostly.
Similar:

Superb flight shots of Gannets in Iceland, May 2010, near Reykjanes Peninsular, sent in by Alexia.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Iceland, May 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Brant Goose
Latin: Branta bernicla
Other: Brent Goose • Bernache cravant (Fr) • Ringelgans (De) • Rotgans (Nl) • Prutgås (Sv)
Family: Anatidae • Geese
Range: Widespread North America, Eurasia, Iceland
Similar:

The Brant Goose, or Brent Goose, is a small dark goose found mostly in northern climes.

Below, a group of Brant Geese with a Common Eider behind.
More photos...

Photos copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2010

Bird name: Great Black Backed Gull
Latin: Larus marinus
Other: GBBG • Goéland marin (Fr) • Mantelmöwe (De) • Gavión atlántico (Es) • Grote mantelmeeuw (Nl) • Havstrut (Sv) • Alcatraz-comum (Pt)
Family: Laridae • Gulls
Range: Iceland, Northern Europe, Canada, north Atlantic coasts.
Similar: Lesser Black-backed Gull

This Great Black-Backed Gull was also seen in Reykjavik in May. Pale pinkish legs, darker wings, heavier bill, larger size than Lesser Black-backed Gull. The GBBG is the largest of all gulls, with a 1.6 m wingspan.

See “more photos” for comparisons with other gulls.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: Whooper Swan
Latin: Cygnus cygnus
Other: Cygne chanteur (Fr) • Singschwan (De) • Cigno selvatico (It) • Wilde zwaan (Nl) • Sångsvan (Sv)
Family: Anatidae • Swans
Range: Iceland, Northern Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, east Asia.
Similar:

Whooper Swans in Reykjavik.



More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Iceland, May 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Black-tailed Godwit
Latin: Limosa limosa
Other: Barge à queue noire (Fr) • aguja colinegra (Es) • pittima reale (It) • Grutto (Nl) • Rödspov (Sv) • Maçarico-de-bico-direito (Pt)
Family: Scolopacidae • Waders, Godwits
Range: Widespread Eurasia - Africa, Asia, Australasia, Iceland
Similar: Bar-tailed Godwit
Status: Near-threatened (IUCN 3.1)

A gorgeous photo of a Black-tailed Godwit in Iceland sent in by Alexia.

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Iceland, May 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Rock Ptarmigan
Latin: Lagopus muta
Other: Snow Chicken, Partridge (US) • Alpenschneehuhn (De) • Fjällripa (Sv) • Pernice bianca (It) • perdiz nival (Es)
Family: Phasianidae • Pheasants, Grouse, Ptarmigans
Range: Japan, Canada, Scotland, Iceland, Scandinavia, Alps, Greenland etc
Similar: Willow Grouse

Here the Ptarmigan is changing from its white winter plumage, to its mottled brown breeding plumage. A time when it is particularly vulnerable to the Gyr Falcon, as the white plumage is very visible against the stones.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Iceland, May 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Iceland Gull
Latin: Larus glaucoides
Other: Kumlien’s Gull ? (US) • Polarmöwe (De) • Kleine burgemeester (Nl) • Vitvingad trut (Sv)
Family: Laridae • Gulls
Range: N Atlantic Ocean coast, Greenland, Iceland, UK, Scandinavia
Similar: Glaucous Gull

In Iceland, in May, the Iceland Gull is far more common than the rare Glaucous Gull, apparently. A large gull, taking four years to maturity. In most plumages it is a very light-coloured gull.

See “more photos”, for comparison with Great Black-Backed Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls.

Below, from left to right, Iceland Gull, juvenile Herring Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Iceland, May 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Common Redpoll
Latin: Carduelis flammea
Other: Sizerin flammé (Fr) • pardillo sizerín (Es) • Birkenzeisig (De) • organetti (It) • barmsijs (Nl) • Gråsiska (Sv) •
Family: Fringillidae • Finches, Redpolls
Range: N Eurasia, North America, Iceland
Similar: Arctic Redpoll

The Redpoll is another northern bird, in the finch family. This is the Icelandic Redpoll subspecies, seen near Rejkyavik in May.

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Iceland, May 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Redwing
Latin: Turdus iliacus
Other: Grive mauvis (Fr) • Rotdrossel (De) • koperwiek (Nl) • Rödvingetrast (Sv)
Family: Turdidae • Thrushes
Range: C, W Eurasia - to N Africa, Iceland
Similar:

Pictured is an Icelandic bird, but not I’m certain if that means it is the Turdus iliacus coburni subspecies, which is usually darker.

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Iceland, May 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Common Snipe
Latin: Gallinago gallinago
Other: Bécassine des marais (Fr) • Bekassine (De) • Agachadiza común (Es) • Beccaccino (It) • Watersnip (Nl) • Enkelbeckasin (Sv) • Narceja-comum (Pt)
Family: Scolopacidae • Waders, Snipes
Range: Widespread Eurasia - S Europe, Africa, Asia, Iceland
Similar: Wilson’s Snipe

The Common Snipe was photographed in Iceland, so presumably subspecies Gallinago gallinago faeroeensis.

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Iceland, May 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Long-tailed Duck
Latin: Clangula hyemalis
Other: Harelde kakawi (Fr) • Eisente (De) • IJseend (Nl) • Alfågel (Sv)
Family: Anatidae • Ducks
Range: Siberia to N Canada - N Atlantic, N Pacific
Similar:

A passing shot of a couple of Long-tailed Ducks in Iceland. You can just see the long tail on the left-hand bird. And the characteristic white back of head and neck.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Iceland, May 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Parasitic Jaeger
Latin: Stercorarius parasiticus
Other: Arctic Skua • Labbe parasite (Fr) • Schmarotzerraubmöwe (De) • págalo parásito (Es) • labbo (It) • kleine jager (Nl) • Kustlabb (Sv) • Moleiro-parasítico (Pt)
Family: Stercorariidae • Skuas, Jaegers
Range: Iceland, N North America, Eurasia - Southern oceans
Similar: Long-tailed Skua

The Parasitic Jaeger, or Actic Skua, seen here over land in Iceland, and identified by the long tail feathers.