© GW - monacoeye • Gamboa, Panama • 25 April 2010 • All rights reserved.

Bird name: Striated Heron
Latin: Butorides striata
Other: Green-backed Heron (Helm). Mangrove Heron, Little Heron. Garcita azulada (Es), Socozinho (Br), Héron strié (Fr)
Family: Ardeidae • Herons
Range: Tropics worldwide
Similar: Green Heron

The adult Striated Heron has a black cap and a pinkish grey throat, with white stripes. It has light markings on its sides which are diagnostic - each dark feather tip has a light surround - and yellow irises. The Striated Heron was formerly grouped with the Green Heron as the Green-backed Heron.

The adult Striated Heron above was standing on a pier by the Chagres River in Panama after a big storm. In the Brazilian Pantanal in August, Striated Herons, though quite numerous, often retreated quickly when seen.

The juvenile, pictured directly below, is browner and more mottled than the adult, and has its own distinctive wing markings which form parallel lines near the wing edge. It was seen by the river edge.

Also seen in the Gambia (see comments section).

Below: Juvenile Striated Heron in the Pantanal, Brazil, Aug 2011
More photos...

© monacoeye • All rights reserved • Chagres River, Panama, May 2010

Bird name: Spotted Sandpiper
Latin: Actitis macularius
Other: Maçarico-maculado (Pt) • Maçarico-pintado (Br) • Playero manchado (Es), andarríos maculado
Family: Scolopacidae • Sandpipers
Range: North, Central and South America
Similar:

The Spotted Sandpiper in breeding plumage seen here has attractive black spots on a white belly and brown upperside. Yellowish legs, orange bill with black tip. Seen by rivers in central and western Panama in May. More photos...

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

Bird name: Greater Ani
Latin: Crotophaga major
Other: garrapatero (Es), Ani des palétuviers (Fr), anu-coroca (Br), Riesenani (De)
Family: Cuculidae - Cuckoos, Anis
Range: Panama to Argentina
Similar: Smooth-billed Ani

The Greater Ani lays eggs in a communal nest. It is quite a bit larger than the Smooth-billed Ani and has distinctive pale irises. We saw them several times on visits to Gamboa in the canal area of central Panama.

Also seen in Ecuador, Napo.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
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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: Yellow Tailed Oriole
Latin: Icterus mesomelas
Other: Turpial de cola amarilla (Es)
Family: Icteridae • New World Orioles
Range: Mexico to Peru, Venezuela
Similar: Yellow-backed Oriole

The Yellow-tailed Oriole. Yellow on underside of tail diagnostic.More photos...

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

Bird name: Yellow Backed Oriole
Latin: Icterus chrysater
Other: Turpial toche, bolsero dorso dorado (Es)
Family: Icteridae • New World Orioles
Range: S Mexico to Panama, Colombia, Venezuela
Similar: Yellow-tailed Oriole

A record shot of Yellow-backed Oriole in Gamboa. Note the black underside of tail, which differentiates it from the Yellow-tailed Oriole.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, 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.
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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 • Pantanal, Brazil, Aug 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Little Blue Heron
Latin: Egretta caerulea
Other: Garceta azul (Es), garza azul • Garça-azul (Br)
Family: Ardeidae • Herons
Range: Texas to Uruguay
Similar: Snowy Egret

The adult Little Blue Heron is an unmistakeable intense blue colour, with a touch of purple around the neck. Seen above at Rio Clarinho Lodge in the Pantanal - the only place I saw this bird. Much rarer than other similar sized herons and egrets.

Pictured below is a juvenile Little Blue Heron. Before gaining his blue-grey adult plumage, he could be mistaken for a Snowy Egret, as he is mostly white. This one was seen by the Chagres River in central Panama.

Below, juvenile Little Blue Heron, Gamboa, Panama, April 2010.
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Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Chagres River, April 2010

Bird name: Mangrove Swallow
Latin: Tachycineta albilinea
Other:
Family: Hirundinidae • Swallows
Range: Widespread Middle America, incl Panama
Similar:

The Mangrove Swallow is a small swallow, identified in Panama by its white underparts and white facial marks in front of the eyes. It also has a white rump. The rest is dark brown or glossy blue black.

These Mangrove Swallows were beside the Chagres River in Gamboa.


More photos...

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

Bird name: Streaked Saltator
Latin: Saltator striatipectus
Other:
Family: Cardinalidae • Saltators
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Similar: Streaked Flycatcher

The Streaked Saltator has similar colouring to the Streaked Flycatcher, but, of course, a completely different shaped bill.
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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, May 2010

Bird name: Blue Grey Tanager
Latin: Thraupis episcopus
Other: Blue-Gray Tanager (US) • Tangara azulada, azulejo de jardín (Es), sanhaço-da-amazônia (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: S Mexico to Bolivia, Amazonia
Similar: Palm Tanager

The Blue-grey Tanager is one of the most common and omnipresent garden tanagers in Panama. It is pale grey with blue on wings tail and back. The shade of blue varies from cobalt to turquoise. Seen from below the Blue-gray Tanager can look very white, like other Thraupis tanagers.More photos...

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

Bird name: Red Throated Ant Tanager
Latin: Habia fuscicauda
Other: Tangara rojisucia fuscicauda, Tangara hormiguera gorjirroja (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Mexico to Colombia
Similar: Red Crowned Ant Tanager

The male Red-throated Ant Tanager is red-brown with brighter red throat and red crown. The female, below, is olive-brown with brighter yellow throat and yellow crown. I relied on the guide’s ID for these.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Common Gallinule
Latin: Gallinula galeata
Other: Common Gallinule (US) • Polla Gris (Es), Polla de Agua • Galinha-d'água (Pt)
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Gallinules
Range: North America, South America, Hawaii

The IOC has adopted the split of Common Gallinule of Western Hemisphere from the Common Moorhen on the basis of morphological, genetic, and vocal differences (Groenenberg et al 2008, SACC).

So following the IOC naming system, these birds from Panama and Brazil pictured are therefore Common Gallinules, Gallinula galeata, and not Common Moorhens, which are restricted to Europe, Asia and Africa. If I had known at the time I might have got some better photos…

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

Bird name: Grey Headed Chachalaca
Latin: Ortalis cinereiceps
Other: Guacharaca de cabeza gris (Es)
Family: Cracidae • Chachalacas
Range: Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, N Colombia
Similar: Plain Chachalaca

I always seemed to be battling the light when I saw Grey-headed Chachalacas in Panama. They were not that uncommon - I saw a pair walking ten feet in front of my cabin door at the Canopy Lodge at dusk, and on further investigation noticed them several other days lurking in the dense branches surrounding the hotel. We also saw a large group of them crashing through the trees at Gamboa Rainforest Centre.

They look similar to Plain Chachalacas, which I understand in Panama replace Grey-headed on the north Caribbean slope. Grey-headed Chachalacas have more chestnut colouring on the wing.More photos...

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 • Itatiaia, Brazil, November 2009

Bird name: House Wren
Latin: Troglodytes aedon
Other: Corruíra-de-casa (Br) • Curucucha (Es) • Troglodytes aedon musculus
Family: Troglodytidae • Wrens
Range: Widespread Americas
Similar:

The House Wren is found throughout the Americas. The musculus subspecies pictured above is called the Southern House Wren, and sometimes viewed as a separate species.

The House Wren is a great garden bird, with an attractive song. It is not shy and much easier to see than its European counterpart. I saw it in most habitats I visited in Brazil.

Still easily observed in central Panama (lowest two photos), around the hotels, but seemed to be a little less confiding than in Brazil.




Below, photo from Panama.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Buff Breasted Wren
Latin: Cantorchilus leucotis
Other:
Family: Troglodytidae • Wrens
Range: Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Guianas, Brazil
Similar:

The Buff-Breasted Wren looks similar to the Plain Wren but has buffier chest and stronger markings on the wings.

They were seen or heard several times around the Gamboa Rainforest Resort but it was nigh on impossible to get a photo as they hid in reeds.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 • Gamboa, Panama • April 2010

Bird name: Cinnamon Becard
Latin: Pachyramphus cinnamomeus
Other:
Family: Tityridae • Becards
Range: Southeast Mexico to northwest Ecuador

We saw this Cinnamon Becard near the Gamboa Rainforest Resort.

Both male and female Cinnamon Becards are cinnamon all over, pale underneath and pale supraloral.

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

Bird name: Yellow Bellied Elaenia
Latin: Elaenia flavogaster
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Elaenias
Range: Southern Mexico to Argentina

The Yellow-bellied Elaenia is distinguished by a shock of unkempt hair, or crest, which always seems raised.

Yellow-bellied Elaenias were seen several times, near the Chagres River and Gamboa Rainforest Resort, in Summit Gardens, and El Valle in Cocle Province, Panama.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 • Chagres, Panama, April 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Great Antshrike
Latin: Taraba major
Other: Choró-boi (Br)
Family: Thamnophilidae • Antbirds
Range: Panama, E Mexico to N Argentina

The photo above pretty well sums up the typical view of many antbirds in Panama!

We couldn’t entice this male Great Antshrike out of his dense thicket, but he was easily recognisable by the bright red iris, white underparts and black upperparts.

The female is rufous not black.

We saw this individual in the canal zone of central Panama, near the Gamboa Rainforest Resort.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Panama, 24-30 April 2010

Bird name: Red Lored Amazon
Latin: Amazona autumnalis
Other: Red Lored Parrot • Loro cariamarillo (Es) • Papagaio-diadema (Br)
Family: Psittacidae • Parrots
Range: Mexico to Ecuador, then Brazil

This pair of Red-lored Amazons were seen at some distance from the Canopy Tower, others also flying overhead in the canal zone, in central Panama. Probably the most common large parrot in the area.

The Red-lored Amazon (or Red-lored Parrot) has red lores a pale blue cap and white eye-ring. Otherwise green with yellowish outer tail feathers, a patch of red at the back of each wing, and dark fringing to wings.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...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Gamboa, Panama • 29 April 2010

Bird name: Crane Hawk
Latin: Geranospiza caerulescens
Other: Gavilán patilargo (Es) • Gavião-pernilongo (Br)
Family: Accipitridae • Hawks, Birds of Prey
Range: Central America to South America

The Crane Hawk is slate grey on upperside, with black face and bill, long red legs and two thick white bands on tail. Red irises, possibly here. This individual was seen on the old Gamboa Road, in central Panama, but against the light unfortunately.
More photos...