© monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ubatuba November 2009

Bird name: Smooth Billed Ani
Latin: Crotophaga ani
Other: Ani de pico liso (Es), Anu-preto (Br), Glattschnabelani (De)
Family: Cuculidae - Cuckoos, Anis
Range: Florida to Argentina
Similar: Greater Ani

No mistaking the Smooth-billed Ani with its prehistoric profile. Found in most of South and Central America excluding Chile and the southern tip. A gregarious bird in the cuckoo family, often found near humans and farms.

The Smooth-billed Ani has dark eyes, unlike the Greater Ani. It can also use communal nests with many females laying eggs in one large nest.

Below: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Gamboa, Panama, April 2010

Above: Ubatuba November 2009 More photos...

© monacoeye All rights reserved. Gamboa, 27 April 2010

Bird name: Orange Chinned Parakeet
Latin: Brotogeris jugularis
Other: Tovi Parakeet • Periquito de Tovi (Es), catalnica
Family: Psittacidae - Parrots, Parakeets
Range: Mexico to Colombia
Similar:

We saw Orange-chinned Parakeets quite regularly around Gamboa and in the canal zone in central Panama. This pair were very affectionate, nuzzling and interlocking beaks (passing food?).

Orange-chinned Parakeets have a diagnostic orange spot under their bill and a short tail. Otherwise they are mostly light green, with yellow underwing coverts (seen in flight), orange-brown shoulder, and some bluish feathers at back of wing.

More photos...

Copyright monacoeye • Itatiaia November 2009

Bird name: Shiny Cowbird
Latin: Molothrus bonariensis
Other: Vira-bosta (Br) • Tordo (Es), Tordo común, Tordo renegrido
Family: Icteridae • Cowbirds
Range: SE USA though C South America, Brazil etc
Similar: Bronzed Cowbird, Screaming Cowbird, Chopi Blackbird

The Shiny Cowbird is one of a few entirely black birds to be found in Brazil. The photo above is a presumed female - the adult male (below) is deep blue-black and shiny.

The Shiny Cowbird’s range covers much of Latin America and has recently extended into Chile and Florida.

It’s usually seen in groups but not always. It tends to walk around on the ground and looks more relaxed than the male Ruby-crowned Tanager. The Chopi Blackbird has a more peaked head and has a grooved bill.

The Shiny Cowbird, not beloved by many birders, is a brood parasite, like the European Cuckoo, laying its eggs in the nests of other birds, and in some cases endangering host species survival.

Below, the bird on the right looks like a male Shiny Cowbird, Pantanal, Aug 2011
More photos...

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

Bird name: Yellow Rumped Cacique
Latin: Cacicus cela
Other: Xexéu (Br), japi, japim
Family: Icteridae • Caciques
Range: Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Amazonia, Brazil, Peru etc
Similar: Northern Mountain Cacique, Golden-winged Cacique

Yellow-rumped Caciques tend to build a colony of nests beside an active wasp nest (picture below).

Yellow-rumped Caciques were common in central Panama (top pics). Also frequently seen in Pantanal, Brazil (lower pics). Again at Chapada das Guimaraes. Also in Ecuadorian Amazonia (lowest record pics).

Panama

Below, Yellow-rumped Cacique displaying, central Panama, May 2010


Below, beautiful Yellow-rumped Cacique, central Panama, May 2010
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Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Panama, May 2010

Bird name: Bronzed Cowbird
Latin: Molothrus aeneus
Other: Vaquero de ojos rojos (Es)
Family: Icteridae • Cowbirds
Range: SW USA to Panama
Similar: Shiny Cowbird

The male Bronzed Cowbird is dark with a big ruff, the female is lighter.

Bronzed Cowbirds should have bright red irises - none of these photo show this feature which makes me think they may not be Bronzed Cowbirds!

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

Bird name: Great Tailed Grackle
Latin: Quiscalus mexicanus
Other: Mexican Grackle • Quiscal, zanate (Es)
Family: Icteridae • Grackles
Range: S USA through W, N South America
Similar: Giant Cowbird

The Great-tailed Grackle is seen fairly in Panama frequently, around habitations, roadsides, fields etc.

The male Great-tailed Grackle is black with yellow irises and a long tail. The female is smaller and brown with dark line around eye.

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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 • 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 • 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 • Pantanal, 28 April 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Rufescent Tiger Heron
Latin: Tigrisoma lineatum
Other: Avetigre colorada (Es), Hocó colorado • Socó-boi (Br)
Family: Ardeidae • Herons
Range: Mexico to Uruguay
Similar: Fasciated Tiger Heron juvenile

Adult Rufescent Tiger Herons have wonderful finely barred greyish wings and rufous head and neck with white stripes down neck, yellow lores and yellow or orange irises. They are not too shy so relatively easy to observe.

Juvenile Rufescent Tiger Herons are really stunning, with coarse barring - like a tiger. Pictured above, one which has caught an insect.

In the Pantanal in August, Rufescent Tiger Herons are abundant by the drying bodies of water, and frequently seen in ditches, on river banks and near ponds and lakes.

Below: An Adult Rufescent Tiger Heron on a mound, Pantanal, Brazil, Aug 2011
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Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Crimson Backed Tanager
Latin: Ramphocelus dimidiatus
Other:
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Panama, Colombia, Venezuela
Similar: Ant tanagers

The Crimson-backed Tanager was one of the most common tanagers in central Panama - seen at feeders, around houses and fairly open forested areas.

Crimson-backed Tanagers are basically red birds with dark wings, but as there are quite a few red tanagers, with similar names, they can be surprisingly difficult to ID to the uninitiated.

Males have a characteristic partly white lower bill, whereas females’ bills are fairly uniform dark. Females are on the whole duller and browner.

More photos...

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

Bird name: American Yellow Warbler
Latin: Dendroica aestiva
Other: Dendroica petechia • Yellow Warbler • Canario del manglar (Es)
Family: Parulidae • New World Warblers
Range: Widespread N America to Mexico - migrates to Amazonia
Similar:

I guess this was a migrant American Yellow Warbler seen at the Ammo Ponds in Central Panama. American Yellow Warbler is the new IOC species name for the northern type of the Mangrove Warbler complex.
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Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Ammo Dump, Panama, April 2010

Bird name: Short Tailed Swift
Latin: Chaetura brachyura
Other: Vencejo rabón (Es)
Family: Apodidae • Swifts
Range: Panama through Amazonia

Short-tailed Swifts seemed to be the most common sort in Panama. Identifiable by their apparent lack of tail.

There were one or two other types of swift pointed out at times - Costa Rican Swift, Band-rumped Swift, and the more easily identified White-collared Swift, which I had already seen in Brazil - but the photos are so distant and ambiguous that I’ll wait for a better opportunity before adding those entries to the site.

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

Bird name: Plain Wren
Latin: Cantorchilus modestus
Other:
Family: Troglodytidae • Wrens
Range: Southern Mexico to Central Panama
Similar:

A male and female Plain Wren, according to the guide, though I couldn’t tell you which was which. I think these are differentiated from the other similar wrens by the relatively faint barring on wings and tail.

We saw Plain Wrens several times near the Ammo Dump in the Canal zone of central Panama. But often only a fleeting glimpse. Often heard.More photos...

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

Bird name: Masked Tityra
Latin: Tityra semifasciata
Other: Titira enmascarado (Es), Puerquito
Family: Tityridae • Tityras
Range: Mexico to Southern Amazonia

We saw these Masked Tityras at the Ammo Ponds in central Panama. Above looks like a female and below (in “more photos”) possibly a juvenile or female? Adult males have white backs and crowns - no brown.More photos...

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

Bird name: Black Crowned Tityra
Latin: Tityra inquisitor
Other: Eastern Mexico to northeast Argentina
Family: Tityridae • Tityras
Range:

The Black-Crowned Tityras lack the red ocular skin and bill colouring of the Masked Tityra. Male Black-Crowned Tityras (above) are largely black and white, with black head above the eye. Directly below (in “more photos”), I think, is a female with chestnut sides to head.

These Black-Crowned Tityras were also seen at the Ammo Ponds in central Panama.More photos...

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

Bird name: Lesser Kiskadee
Latin: Philohydor lictor
Other: Pitangus lictor • Bem-te-vizinho (Br)
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Panama to Brazil
Similar: Social Flycatcher, Rusty-Margined Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee

These Lesser Kiskadees were seen together alighting on narrow branches above a shady brook at the Ammo Ponds in central Panama. They are usually seen in pairs and near water.

They look very similar to the Rusty Margined Flycatcher, but have longer more pointed bills than the latter.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Rusty Margined Flycatcher
Latin: Myiozetetes cayanensis
Other: Bentevizinho-de-asa-ferrugínea (Br)
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia,Venezuela, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Brazil
Similar: Social Flycatcher, Lesser Kiskadee, Great Kiskadee

The Rusty-margined Flycatcher has slight rufous edging to the wing. Often near water. Seen here near Ammo Ponds, in the canal zone of central Panama.

They look very similar to some other flycatchers, such as the Social Flycatcher, so I’m relying on the guide’s ID for these.More photos...

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

Bird name: Barred Antshrike
Latin: Thamnophilus doliatus
Other:
Family: Thamnophilidae • Antbirds
Range: Panama

The Barred Antshrike has a very distinctive, quizzical look, barred head and body, dark above, light below, with a large crest, pale yellow irises, and slight overbite.

We only saw males, which are black and white. Females are rufous above, buffy below, with rufous crest, and black and white face.

The Barred Antshrike is one of the most easily seen antbirds. We saw these individuals around Gamboa in the canal zone of Central Panama, at the Ammo Dump and near the Gamboa Rainforest Resort.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • 23-28 April 2010, Ammo Ponds, Panama

Bird name: Pale Vented Pigeon
Latin: Patagioenas cayennensis
Other: Columba cayennensis
Family: Columbidae • Pigeons
Range: Southern Mexico to northern Argentina

These Pale-vented Pigeons were seen on telephone wires most times we visited the Ammo Ponds in the Canal Zone of central Panama.

The Panamanian subspecies is Patagioenas cayennensis palidicrissa. It has a whitish vent and underside of tail, greyish-blue band below eye around neck neck, otherwise pinkish-rufous.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lagoa do Peixe • November 2009

Bird name: White Tipped Dove
Latin: Leptotila verreauxi
Other: Juriti-pupu (Br)
Family: Columbidae • Pigeons
Range: Southern Texas to Argentina

This Brazilian White-tipped Dove, above, has a black bill, grey crown and upper mantle and a little purple shading behind the eye. White tipped tail feathers seen in flight.

White-tipped Doves are present throughout most of Brazil and South and Central America. Often seen on lawns. Not uncommon in central Panama. About the same size as a city pigeon.

The Panamanian White-tipped Dove, Leptotila v. verreauxi, below, has distinctive blue orbital skin around the eyes with pale red irises.

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Panama • 27 April 2010
More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Ammo Dump, Panama, 23 April 2010

Bird name: Sora
Latin: Porzana carolina
Other:
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Crakes
Range: North, Central, South America

A couple of record shots of Soras, seen at the Ammo Dump in central Panama.More photos...

© monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ammo Ponds, Panama • 28 April 2010

Bird name: White Throated Crake
Latin: Laterallus albigularis
Other:
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Crakes
Range: Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador.
Similar:

The White-throated Crake is not the easiest of birds to see as it tends to stay hidden in swamps, moving around within dense grasses.

After a while we managed to catch sight of this family, however, in the Ammo Ponds, in the canal zone of central Panama. The White-throated Crake adults are rufous with black and white barred belly and green bill, whereas juveniles have darker plumage and pinkish bill. One of the adults had a light throat.


More photos...

© monacoeye • All rights reserved • Gamboa, Panama • April 2010

Bird name: Green Heron
Latin: Butorides virescens
Other: Green-backed Heron • Garcita verde (Es)
Family: Ardeidae • Herons
Range: North and Central America
SImilar:

The Green Heron is a small dark heron with black cap and rufous neck with white line down throat. Some greenish sheen on dark feathers. Yellow or orange legs.

These Panama birds had mostly yellow ceres and yellow or orange irises. Seen in the Chagres River, a few feet away from a Caiman - apparently not a threat - and in the Chiriqui highlands.More photos...