© GW - monacoeye • All rights reserved • Brazil, Aug 2011

Bird name: White-banded Swallow
Latin: Atticora fasciata
Other: Golondrina fajiblanca (Es) • peitoril, andorinha-de-cinta-branca, andorinha-de-faixa-branca (Br), Hirondelle à ceinture blanche (Fr)
Family: Hirundinidae • Swallows & Martins
Range: Amazonia: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyanas, Peru, Venezuela
Similar:

The White-banded Swallow was a typical swallow found on and near small tributaries of the Amazon. I saw them in Ecuador and Brazil. Easy to recognise - all dark with white band on underside.

Below, White-banded Swallows, Rio Azul Lodge, Brazil, 2011


Below, White-banded Swallow in flight, Liana Lodge, Ecuador, Mar 2011
More photos...

© GW - monacoeye • All rights reserved • Brazil, Aug 2011

Bird name: White-winged Swallow
Latin: Tachycineta albiventer
Other: Golondrina aliblanca (Es) • (Br), Hirondelle à ailes blanches (Fr)
Family: Hirundinidae • Swallows & Martins
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, to Brazil, N Argentina
Similar: Tree Swallow

I saw the White-winged Swallow in the same places as the White-banded Swallow, even sharing the same perches: Upper Napo in Ecuador and Parà in Brazil. All white underside, with white rump and some white on wings.

Below, White-winged Swallow in flight, Liana Lodge, Ecuador, Mar 2011


Below, White-winged Swallow perched with White-banded Swallows, Ecuador, Mar 2011
More photos...

© GW - monacoeye.com, all rights reserved. Gambia, Feb 2013

Bird name: Osprey
Latin: Pandion haliaetus
Other: Aguila pescadora, halieto (Es), Aguia-pesqueira (Pt), Balbuzard pêcheur (Fr), Falco pescatore (It), Fischadler (De)
Family: Pandionidae • Osprey
Range: Worldwide, especially tropics, coastlines and Canada, Russia, China.
Similar:

Ospreys have long thin wings and a distinctive zorro eye mask. They are white underneath with brown marks on wings, upperside is brown. Ospreys eat fish almost exclusively.

I saw a couple of Ospreys in the Valle de Anton area. One in the town itself and one higher in the mountains, both near water.

Seen again in Napo, Ecuador. Migrating on the Cote d’Azur, France in September.

I saw Ospreys frequently in the south of Gambia, March, and on the coastal area. They fly out to sea, catch a large fish, then fly back inland - several kilometres sometimes - to a perch where they eat their meal.

The bird pictured above was a ringed bird (tag NW), seen about an hour south of Janjanbureh on the River Gambia.

Below, Pied Crow harasses Osprey for fish, Tujereng Woods, Gambia, March 2013


Below, Osprey takes a bath in a quarry, Gambia, March 2013


Below, Osprey in flight, Panama, April
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 • Amazonia, Brazil, 2011 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Yellow Tufted Woodpecker
Latin: Melanerpes cruentatus
Other: Es: Carpintero Penachiamarillo; Br: bendito, pica-pau-de-barriga-vermelha
Family: Picidae • Woodpeckers
Range: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela
Similar:

A generally unmistakeable, small, mostly black woodpecker with bright yellow “spectacles” and nape (male). Each time I saw them in the Amazon regions of Ecuador and Brazil, there were several, very visible on dead trees in exposed flooded areas. But a little far for detailed photos. Pretty sure they had nested in one of the dead trees.

Below, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Pará, Brazil, 2011
More photos...

© monacoeye • Pantanal, Brazil, 2011 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Little Woodpecker
Latin: Veniliornis passerinus
Other: Es: carpintero chico, carpinterito oliváceo, carpintero oliva chico, carpintero ribereño; Br: Picapauzinho-anão
Family: Picidae • Woodpeckers
Range: E of Andes: Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Guyanas, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, N Argentina
Similar: Red-stained Woodpecker

The Little Woodpecker should have a red cap and nape, light supercilium and darker cheek, with a few yellow spots on the wing, slightly indistinct barring below, olive upper parts.

The lowest photos, in a mixed flock on a river island in the Upper Napo region of Ecuador, show a bird without a red nape, which doesn’t fit this description, but still looks more like a Little Woodpecker than any other similar woodpecker, such as Red-stained Woodpecker, so I’ve included it on this page.

Below, Little Woodpecker, Pouso Alegre, Pantanal, 2011.
More photos...

© monacoeye • Para, Brazil, 2011 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Crimson Crested Woodpecker
Latin: Campephilus melanoleucos
Other: Br: Pica-pau-de-topete-vermelho • Es: picamaderos barbinegro, carpintero marcial • Fr: Pic de Malherbe
Family: Picidae • Woodpeckers
Range: Panama to northern Argentina
Similar: Lineated Woodpecker

The Crimson-crested Woodpecker is a large woodpecker, similar-looking to the Lineated Woodpecker. One main difference is that the two white stripes on its back are narrow and converge in a v, unlike those of the Lineated Woodpecker which are widely spaced.

The Crimson-crested Woodpecker male (further below) has a mostly red head, with a black and white “badge” on the ear coverts. The female (above and below) has a broad white stripe on face and black forehead. Throat black, underside swirly stripes.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Pantanal, August 2012 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Crested Oropendola
Latin: Psarocolius decumanus
Other: Japu-preto (Br) • Oropéndola crestada, conoto yapú, conoto negro (Es)
Family: Icteridae • Oropendolas
Range: Panama to northern Argentina, incl Brazil, Ecuador etc
Similar: Chestnut-headed Oropendola, Band-tailed Oropendola

The Crested Oropendola is the most common Oropendola, often seen at feeders in the Pantanal, Brazil; huge numbers seen returning to roost each evening in the Upper Napo region of eastern Ecuador (photo below); also seen as far west as Chiriqui, Panama (photo lowest) - it is currently expanding northwest into Honduras etc.

The Crested Oropendola has a pale yellow bill, bright blue irises, black body with long yellow undertail feathers, which extend past the 2 black central feathers, and chestnut vent and rump.

Charismatic birds which make wonderful noises and calls and a spectacular display (pic below).

Brazil

Below, Crested Oropendola at fruit feeder, Curicaca Lodge, Pantanal, Aug 2011


Below, presumed juvenile Crested Oropendola (dark iris), Curicaca Lodge, Pantanal, Aug 2011


Below, Crested Oropendola displaying at Rio Clarinho tower, Pantanal, Aug 2011
More photos...

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

Bird name: Russet Backed Oropendola
Latin: Psarocolius angustifrons
Other: Oropéndola dorsirrojiza (Es)
Family: Icteridae • Oropendolas
Range: Andes, incl Ecuador, and Venezuelan coast
Similar:

The Russet-backed Oropendola is the only Oropendola in the Ecuadorian Andes, which makes identification easier there. There are several subspecies, the eastern race has a dark bill, generally, whereas other morphs (south and west) have light bills.

All birds pictured on this page, except the lowest, were taken at the same lodge, San Isidro, on the eastern slope, but even at this one location there appears to be variability in bill colour and plumage (see below). You can get very good views of this bird at San Isidro Lodge.

There were also large numbers Russet-backed Oropendolas seen returning to roost each evening in the Upper Napo region of eastern Ecuador (photo below), I think mixed with Crested Oropendolas; I certainly identified some of each species in the flocks containing many hundreds of birds.

The eastern Russet-backed Oropendola, pictured here, is a dark bird with an olive head, variable bill colour, olive - brownish body and long yellow undertail feathers.


Ecuador

Below, Russet-backed Oropendola at San Isidro Lodge, Ecuador, March 2011
More photos...

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

Bird name: Green Oropendola
Latin: Psarocolius viridis
Other: Oropéndola dorsirrojiza (Es)
Family: Icteridae • Oropendolas
Range: Amazonia: Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyanas.
Similar: Olive Oropendola

These were the only views I had of Green Oropendolas - on a small island river in the Upper Napo region of Ecuador. They are identifiable by a pink tip to their light bills. Otherwise mostly olive with long yellow tails and chestnut rump and vent.

Ecuador

Below, Green Oropendola in Upper Napo, Ecuador, March 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
More photos...

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

Bird name: Oriole Blackbird
Latin: Gymnomystax mexicanus
Other: Maicero (Es) • Iratauá-grande (Br)
Family: Icteridae • New World Orioles, New World Blackbirds
Range: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela.
Similar:

There are two populations for the Oriole Blackbird: one stretching along the Amazon from Brazil to Ecuador; the other from northern Venezuela into Colombia. I saw this individual in Ecuadorian Amazonia perched on a stump mid river.

An unmissable bird.More photos...

Copyright monacoeye • Amazonia, Brazil, August.

Bird name: Black Caracara
Latin: Daptrius ater
Other: Gavião-de-anta (Br) • Caracara negro (Es), chupacacao negro, cacao negro
Family: Falconidae • Falcons, Caracaras
Range: Amazonia: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela.
Similar:

I saw Black Caracaras in Amazonia in Brazil and Ecuador. Adults are black birds with red-orange face masks, juveniles have a yellow face. Unmistakeable. Like other caracaras, often in groups.

Below, a perched Black Caracara in Para, Brazil, August.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Napo, Ecuador, February 2011

Bird name: Black Billed Thrush
Latin: Turdus ignobilis
Other: Zorzal piquinegro (Es) • (Br)
Family: Turdidae • Thrushes
Range: N, W Amazonia: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Similar:

The Black-billed Thrush has a light underside with beige chest. This was the only one I saw in Ecuador, though I heard it regularly around the lodge.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Liana Lodge, Ecuador 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: A passing likeness to some orioles

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

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 • 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 • 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 • 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...