Birding Trip Report

8-11 April & 5-12 May 2008

All text & photos by Benjamin G. Freeman



INTRODUCTION
I spent a total of ten days at the ProAves reserve RNA Arrierito Antioqueño. This reserve is designed to protect the recently-described and range-restricted endemic, Chestnut-capped Piha. There are new comfortable cabins at the reserve; access is by car (or public bus) from the large city of Medellín (4.5 h drive). Visits must be arranged in advance by EcoTurs Colombia, who organize visits to the bird reserves of ProAves and birding tours in Colombia (www.ecotours.com.co).

There are currently two good trails through the forest, where most of the good birds can be found. Several more trails are in the process of being built, and should be completed by early 2009. In addition, the road is largely traffic-free and passes several patches of forest and a small lagoon, which is a good place to search for rails.

The new lodge with four comfortable double rooms each with private bathroom, has been constructed next to the existing farmhouse where excellent meals are provided.


THE BIRDS
I found a total of 164 species during my stay, including eight Colombian endemics and many more range-restricted or generally scarce species. A complete list can be found at the end of this report.

Endemics: Colombian (or Speckled) Chachalaca, Chestnut Wood-Quail, White-mantled Barbet, Parker's Antbird, Stiles' Tapaculo, Chestnut-capped Piha, Multicolored Tanager and Red-bellied Grackle. The endemic Black-and-gold Tanager has also been found at this site; one of the new trails will provide access to their preferred habitat.

Other birds of interest at the reserve include Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Russet-crowned Crake, Blackish Rail, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Blue-fronted Parrotlet, Lanceolated Monklet, Brown-billed Scythebill, Uniform Antshrike, Chestnut-crowned Gnateater, Yellow-browed Shrike-Vireo, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Sooty-headed Wren and Purplish-mantled & Scrub Tanagers. In addition, Pavonine Cuckoo has been regularly found along one trail.


BIRD LIST

I have estimated abundances based on my stay at the reserve; abundances may be different at other times of the year. Common birds are seen in numbers daily, Fairly Common species can usually be found daily, Uncommon species take more time or a bit of luck, and Rare birds were species I only saw or heard once during my stay. For some taxa, such as wood-quails, rails, antpittas and tapaculos, abundance estimates refer to vocalizing birds.

Colombian endemics are listed in bold


ENGLISH NAME
Abundance




Highland Tinamou
u

Little Tinamou
u

Speckled "Colombian" Chachalaca
c

Wattled Guan
u

Chestnut Wood-Quail
fc

Turkey Vulture
c

(American) Black Vulture
c

King Vulture
fc

Swallow-tailed Kite
fc

Mississippi Kite
u

Plain-breasted Hawk
u

Barred Hawk
fc

Roadside Hawk
fc

Black Hawk-Eagle
u

Ornate Hawk-Eagle fc

Peregrine Falcon
r

Russet-crowned Crake fc

White-throated Crake
fc

Blackish Rail
fc

Band-tailed Pigeon
c

Ruddy Pigeon
c

Eared Dove
c

Blue-fronted Parrotlet fc

Squirrel Cuckoo
fc

Smooth-billed Ani
c

Striped Cuckoo
c

Tropical Screech-Owl
c

Lyre-tailed Nightjar fc

Chestnut-collared Swift
fc

White-collared Swift
fc

Gray-rumped Swift
fc

White-tipped Sicklebill
u

Green Hermit
fc

Tawny-bellied Hermit
u

Blue-tailed Emerald
fc

Purple-crowned Woodnymph
fc

Andean Emerald
fc

Steely-vented Hummingbird
c

Green-crowned Brilliant
fc

Greenish Puffleg
fc

Booted Racket-tail
fc

Collared Trogon
fc

Highland Motmot
fc

Lanceolated Monklet u

Green Kingfisher
r

White-mantled Barbet
fc

Red-headed Barbet
fc

Crimson-rumped Toucanet
fc

Olivaceous Piculet
u

Smoky-brown Woodpecker
fc

Golden-olive Woodpecker
fc

Slaty Spinetail
fc

Azara's Spinetail
c

Red-faced Spinetail
u

Spotted Barbtail
fc

Lineated Foliage-gleaner
fc

Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner
fc

Streak-capped Treehunter
u

Plain Xenops
u

Streaked Xenops
fc

Strong-billed Woodcreeper
u

Olive-backed Woodcreeper
fc

Brown-billed Scythebill fc

Uniform Antshrike
fc

Plain Antvireo
fc

Slaty Antwren
fc

Parker's Antbird
fc

White-bellied Antpitta
u

Chestnut-crowned Gnateater fc

White-crowned Tapaculo
c

Stiles's Tapaculo
fc

Yellow-bellied Elaenia
c

Lesser Elaenia
r

Mountain Elaenia
u

Golden-faced Tyrannulet
c

Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant
fc

Rufous-browed Tyrannulet fc

Streak-necked Flycatcher
u

Slaty-capped Flycatcher
fc

Ornate Flycatcher
fc

Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant
fc

Common Tody-Flycatcher
c

White-throated Spadebill
u

Cinnamon Flycatcher
u

Tropical Pewee
u

Black Phoebe
fc

Rusty-margined Flycatcher
c

Golden-crowned Flycatcher
c

Streaked Flycatcher
r

Tropical Kingbird
c

Dusky-capped Flycatcher
c

Pale-edged Flycatcher
u

Golden-breasted Fruiteater
fc

Chestnut-capped Piha
fc/u

Golden-winged Manakin
u

White-crowned Manakin
u

White-winged Becard
fc

Wing-barred Manakin
u

Yellow-browed Shrike-Vireo u

Red-eyed Vireo
u

Rufous-naped Greenlet fc

Green Jay
fc

Gray-breasted Martin
r

Blue-and-white Swallow
c

White-thighed Swallow
c

Southern Rough-winged Swallow
c

House Wren
c

Sooty-headed Wren fc

Gray-breasted Wood-Wren
c

Chestnut-breasted Wren
r

Andean Solitaire
fc

Swainson's Thrush
fc

Pale-eyed Thrush
fc

Great Thrush
fc

Black-billed Thrush
c

Pale-vented Thrush
u

Tropical Mockingbird
c

Black-faced Tanager
fc

Crimson-backed Tanager
c

Blue-gray Tanager
c

Palm Tanager
c

Lemon-rumped Tanager
c

Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager
fc

Purplish-mantled Tanager fc

Multicolored Tanager
u

Golden Tanager
c

Speckled Tanager
fc

Bay-headed Tanager
fc

Scrub Tanager c

Blue-necked Tanager
fc

Beryl-spangled Tanager
fc

Black-capped Tanager
fc

Green Honeycreeper
r

Guira Tanager
u

Rusty Flowerpiercer
r

Bluish Flowerpiercer
u

Bananaquit
c

Yellow-faced Grassquit
c

Blue-black Grassquit
fc

Rufous-collared Sparrow
c

Yellow-bellied Seedeater
c

Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch
fc

White-naped Brush-Finch
fc

Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager
c

Summer Tanager
fc

White-winged Tanager
fc

Rose-breasted Grosbeak
fc

Buff-throated Saltator
c

Black-winged Saltator
fc

Blue-black Grosbeak
fc

Tennessee Warbler
u

Tropical Parula
c

Blackburnian Warbler
c

Canada Warbler
fc

Slate-throated Whitestart
c

Three-striped Warbler
c

Buff-rumped Warbler
r

Russet-backed Oropendola
fc

Red-bellied Grackle
fc

Shiny Cowbird
fc

Yellow-bellied Siskin
fc

Lesser Goldfinch
c

Thick-billed Euphonia
u

Orange-bellied Euphonia
fc

Blue-naped Chlorophonia
u




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Red-bellied Grackles at nest


A Lanceolated Monklet was a bit of a surprise


Purplish-mantled Tanagers are quite common


Blue-fronted Parrotlet near nest


Brown-billed Scythebill




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