Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Itatiaia, RJ, Brazil • November 2009

Bird name: Rufous Collared Sparrow
Latin: Zonotrichia capensis
Other: Tico-tico (Br) • Chingolo, Chincol, Cachilo, Copetón, Pichitanca (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • New World Sparrows
Range: South and Central America, Panama western highlands
Similar:

The Rufous-collared Sparrow is found throughout South and Central America, often near human habitation.

These birds in Itatiaia would feed at dawn on the great numbers of insects that collected around the hotel lights at night. With the aid of the geckos and a few other birds the whole compound was cleaned up by about 7.30!

Adults Rufous-collared Sparrows have a characteristic rufous collar, whereas juveniles lack this and have streaked underparts.

Seen frequently in Itatiaia, Ubatuba and Mostardas. In Panama, only seen in Chiriqui highlands in the west (lowest photo on next page).

Below, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Brazil


Below, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Brazil

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Chestnut Capped Brush Finch
Latin: Arremon brunneinucha
Other: was Buarremon • Rascadorcito gorricastaño (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • Brush Finches
Range: Mexico, via Panama, Colombia, to Ecuador, Peru
Similar:

A horde of Chestnut-capped Brush Finches immediately appeared when the guide put out some seed for them in the forests above Los Quetzales. I had seen one before briefly with juvenile (photo further below) in El Valle, but the prospect of a good meal was all these birds needed to overcome their otherwise shy nature.

Adult Chestnut-capped Brush Finches are great-looking birds with a chestnut crown bordered by a thin yellow stripe, black face with white spots, white throat bordered by black line below, grey chest, white belly, greenish back and grey tail.

Below, Chestnut-Capped Brush Finch, Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010
More photos...

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

Bird name: White Naped Brush Finch
Latin: Atlapetes albinucha
Other: Yellow-throated Brush Finch, Atlapetes gutturalis, is conspecific - Atlapetes barbiamarillo, Comepuntas (Es) • Atlapetes corona blanquirrayada (Mex)
Family: Emberizidae • Brush Finches
Range: Mexico to western Panama, Colombia
Similar:

The White-naped Brush Finch is also known in Panama as the Yellow-throated Brush Finch, and now considered conspecific by the IOC.

In Panama the White-naped Brush Finch has a yellow throat, white crest, white underside and dark upperparts. Seen here around the Lago Volcan.More photos...

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

Bird name: Large Footed Finch
Latin: Pezopetes capitalis
Other: Pata Larga (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • New World Sparrows, Brush Finches
Range: Costa Rica, western Panama
Similar:

I think the above photo is a juvenile Large-footed Finch and the lowest photo is a blurry shot probably of an adult seen at the same time.

We saw these above Cerro Punta in the Chiriqui mountains - higher than 2000 metres.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Sooty Capped Bush Tanager
Latin: Chlorospingus pileatus
Other: Frutero copetón (Es)
Family: Emberizidae • Bush Tanagers
Range: Costa Rica, western Panama
Similar:

In Panama, the Sooty-Capped Bush Tanager is found only in the western highlands. This individual was seen above 2000m.

The Sooty-Capped Bush Tanager is identified by the large white stripe above the eye, white throat, yellow body, and otherwise sooty head.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Common Bush Tanager
Latin: Chlorospingus ophthalmicus
Other: Tangarita oftálmica, Tangara de monte orejuda, Clorospingo comun (Es) • C. flavopectus
Family: Emberizidae • Bush Tanagers
Range: SW Mexico to N Argentina,
Similar:

I saw the Common Bush Tanager in several locations in Panama, above in El Valle, below at the Finca Dracula in Cerro Punta. In Panama, recognisable by the large white patch behind the eye.

But in Ecuador, Common Bush Tanagers do not have this white post-ocular mark.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, 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 • Do not copy without permission • Brazil, Panama

Bird name: Green Honeycreeper
Latin: Chlorophanes spiza
Other: Mielero verde (Es) • Saí-verde (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Honeycreepers
Range: Mexico to Brazil
Similar:

The Green Honeycreeper is a fairly common visitor to Jonas’ fruit feeders in Brazil. The male, above, has a distinctively shaped black hood on a turquoise body. The female, directly below, is leaf green. Both have yellow lower half of bill and red irises.

A juvenile male is pictured further below, showing a mixture of male and female plumage.

The lowest photo, taken in Panama on the observation deck of the Canopy Tower hotel, shows a female on a Cecropia with darker olive wing markings than the Brazilian birds I saw.

Below, a female Green Honeycreeper, Brazil.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Shining Honeycreeper
Latin: Cyanerpes lucidus
Other: Mielero dorsiazul (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Honeycreepers
Range: Mexico to Colombia
Similar: Red-legged Honeycreeper

Just a record shot of this Shining Honeycreeper seen in Panama! NB yellow legs.

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Brazil, November 2009

Bird name: Blue Dacnis
Latin: Dacnis cayana
Other: Turquoise Honeycreeper • Saí azul (Br) • Dacnis azul, mielero turquesa (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Dacnises
Range: Nicaragua to Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil
Similar:

The Blue Dacnis is a widespread tanager found in much of South and Central America, including nearly all of Brazil. It will visit fruit feeders and sometimes even tries nectar feeders. Also seen on Cecropia from observation deck of Canopy Tower in Panama.

The Blue Dacnis has pink legs, and a black wedge-shaped mask. Plumage is electric blue in the male (above) with black on back, wings and black bill. The female (below) has a green body and blue head.

The lowest photo shows a bird which may be a very young Blue Dacnis, but shows little of the usual colouration.

Below, female Blue Dacnis.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, May 2010

Bird name: Scarlet Thighed Dacnis
Latin: Dacnis venusta
Other: Mielero de muslos rojos, dacnis negriazul (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Dacnises
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador
Similar:

The male Scarlet-thighed Dacnis has black underparts, which join up to black eye mask. It is bright blue above and has red thighs but these can be difficult to see. The female Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, directly below, is pale creamy beige below. Both have red irises.

There are a couple of photos below of birds showing some light on the belly and some black on throat and chest, probably immature males.

Seen fairly regularly on outings in El Valle and again at Finca Hartmann, in fairly open sunny locations with fruiting trees.

Below, female Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, Panama
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Bay Headed Tanager
Latin: Tangara gyrola
Other: Tángara cabeciroja (Es) • Saíra-de-cabeça-castanha (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil through N, W Amazonia
Similar:

More bright colours. The Bay-headed Tanager has a chestnut head, light blue underparts and green upperparts. The female is similar to the male but duller.

There are variations in race. In Para, Brazil, Bay headed-Tanagers had more yellow on neck and shoulders (pic below). In Mindo, Ecuador, they had much yellow on wing (pic below).

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 • Brazil, November 2009

Bird name: Blue Black Grassquit
Latin: Volatinia jacarina
Other: Tiziu (Br) • Mochuelo (Es), Negrillo, Comesebo
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Seedeaters, Grassquits
Range: Widespread Latin America
Similar:

The Blue-black Grassquit adult male is entirely a dark blue-black colour. The eclipse or juvenile is more mottled (see photos). The female is brown with a streaked chest.

The Blue-black Grassquit is found throughout Brazil and much of South America, often in the same sort of habitat as the Double-collared Seedeater. Also seen in Panama.

Below, female or juvenile Blue-black Grassquit, Para, Brazil.

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.
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 • 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 • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Golden Hooded Tanager
Latin: Tangara larvata
Other: Tangara capuchidorada, tangara cabecipinta (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: S Mexico to Ecuador
Similar:

The Golden Hooded Tanager was one of the first birds I saw in Panama in Cerro Azul, then more frequently in El Valle.

The golden hood makes this bird pretty unmistakeable. Good-looking bird!

Also seen at the Silanche Reserve in northwest Ecuador - western slope.

Below: Golden-hooded Tanager, Panama
More photos...

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

Bird name: Dusky Faced Tanager
Latin: Mitrospingus cassinii
Other: Tangara carinegruzca (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador
Similar:

A blurry record shot of a Dusky-faced Tanager in El Valle, Panama.

And another blurry record from Silanche Reserve, Ecuador.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Summit Gardens, Panama • April 2010

Bird name: Harpy Eagle
Latin: Harpia harpyja
Other: Aguila harpía (Es) • Harpia (Br)
Family: Accipitridae • Eagles, Birds of Prey
Range: Central America and tropical South America to Brazil
Similar:

The top pics are of a captive Harpy Eagle eating at the Summit Gardens zoo - further below there are a couple of pics of a wild bird in Brazil, sent in by Paula.

The Harpy Eagle is the largest and most powerful raptor in the Americas, with much larger talons than a Golden Eagle. Somehow, close up it didn’t look quite as big as I had expected. A rare bird, classed as Near Threatened, it is being reintroduced in several locations, including Soberania National Park in Panama.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Para, Brazil • Sep 2011

Bird name: Grey Headed Kite
Latin: Leptodon cayanensis
Other: Gray-headed Kite (US) • Milano cabecigrís (Es) • Gavião-de-cabeça-cinza (Br)
Family: Accipitridae • Kites, Birds of Prey
Range: Mexico to northern Argentina, incl Panama, Brazil
Similar:

The Grey-Headed Kite has a pale grey head with white body contrasting with dark wings and barred flight feathers. Two narrow white bands on tail (a third sometimes visible). Bill bluish.

Also seen in the mountains of Valle de Anton in central Panama.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Pantanal, Brazil, August 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Green Kingfisher
Latin: Chloroceryle americana
Other: Martín pescador verde (Es) • Martim-pescador-pequeno (Br)
Family: Alcedinidae • Kingfishers
Range: SW USA to N Argentina
Similar: Amazon Kingfisher

The male Green Kingfisher (above) has a white neck, rufous chest, green head and back, white-spotted black wings and white underneath. The female (below) lacks the rufous colouring.

A smaller bird than the Amazon Kingfisher. Seen regularly in the Pantanal on the banks of the Rio Claro, at Curicaca Lodge, for example. Also Ecuador in the Oriente and Panama in the Canal Zone.

A presumed female Green Kingfisher at Pousada Curicaca.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Great Jacamar
Latin: Jacamerops aureus
Other: Jacamará, jacamará grande (Es) • Jacamaraçu (Br)
Family: Galbulidae • Jacamars
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, NW Ecuador, Amazonia
Similar:

This Great Jacamar was somehow difficult to see, despite its vivid colours, as it sat motionless on an overhanging branch. Not a very common bird in Panama, we only saw one, here on the Pipeline Rd.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Pantanal, Brazil, August.

Bird name: Grey Necked Wood Rail
Latin: Aramides cajanea
Other: Gray-necked Wood-rail • Saracura-três-potes (Br) • Chiricote (Es), Rascón cuello gris, Chilacoa colinegra
Family: Rallidae • Rails
Range: Mexico to Argentina, incl Brazil etc.
Similar:

Grey-necked Wood-Rails were one of the most frequently seen birds in the Pantanal in August - always in or near water. The riverbanks around Curicaca Lodge usually produced one or two, often near jacarés, and once beside a capuchin monkey which was drinking from the river.

Grey-necked Wood-rails are medium-sized colourful birds with red legs, rufous underparts, grey neck, yellow-green bill and red irises. The grey neck is diagnostic. They are found throughout Central America and South America east of the Andes.

Below, close-up of a Grey-necked Wood Rail, Pantanal, Brazil, August.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Turkey Vulture
Latin: Cathartes aura
Other: Urubu-de-cabeça-vermelha (Br) • Turkey Buzzard (US) • John Crow (Caribbean) • Aura común (Es)
Family: Cathartidae • New World Vultures
Range: Americas: Canada to Argentina, incl Panama, Ecuador, Brazil etc.
Similar: Black Vulture, Lesser Yellow Headed Vulture, Comparison

In Panama, there is only one other similar vulture with a thick white trailing band on the wing, the Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, which has a yellowish, not pink, head.

Turkey Vultures can quickly be distinguished from other birds of prey at a distance by their V-shaped wings when gliding. The key fieldmark for differentiating them from other vultures is the well defined light underside of wings. Also they have pink heads.

Cathartes aura ruficollis, the indigenous Panamanian vultures pictured above and further below have light marks on the back of the neck. Large numbers of migrating Turkey Vultures can also be seen in Panama at the right time of the year.

Turkey Vultures were less common than Black-headed Vultures by the coast and in Itatiaia NP. There I saw them on three occasions, singly or in pairs, very high up or low in the forest.
In the Pantanal they were seen regularly in August 2011, but not as frequently as the Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture.

In Panama, in April, the Turkey Vulture was more common than the American Black Vulture, and frequently seen in most non-urban locations. The observation deck of the Canopy Tower is a good place to get views of them soaring across the top of the forest.

Below: Turkey Vulture showing light underside of wing feathers, Pantanal, Brazil, August.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Keel Billed Toucan
Latin: Ramphastos sulfuratus
Other: Tucán pico iris (Es)
Family: Ramphastidae • Toucans
Range: E Mexico to NW Venezuela
Similar:

We saw the Keel-billed Toucan quite frequently in the Canal Zone of Panama. We could see at least one, usually a pair or group, most days from the Canopy Tower itself, though often at some distance.

Unmistakeable by its beautiful lime green, raspberry, orange and sky blue bill, and yellow throat. 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
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Gamboa, Panama • 25 April 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Striated Heron
Latin: Butorides striata
Other: Mangrove Heron, Little Heron • Garcita azulada (Es) • Socozinho (Br)
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 not shy, standing on a pier by the Chagres River in Panama, after a big storm. In the Brazilian Pantanal in August, however, 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.

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

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.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Lagoa do Peixe, Brazil • Nov 2009

Bird name: Roadside Hawk
Latin: Buteo magnirostris
Other: Gavião-carijó (Br) • Gavilán pollero (Es), Aguilucho de ala rojiza, Taguato común
Family: Accipitridae • Hawks, Birds of Prey
Range: Latin America, Mexico to Argentina, incl Brazil
Similar:

The Roadside Hawk has a dark head with pale irises and usually pale barred chest and underwings. Topside of wings are dark, with a rufous wing patch on primaries. This rufous patch, usually just visible on perched birds, is diagnostic for Roadside Hawk.

The Roadside Hawk is typically the most frequently seen bird of prey when birding in Latin America, so it is a good bird to learn to identify.

Tail has thick brown and white horizontal stripes. Bill base is yellowish with dark tip and perhaps some light blue in the middle.

There are several subspecies and morphs, where dark brown is replaced by grey. Upper chest can be dark (Panama) or vertically striped (Brazil).

In the Pantanal in August I saw Roadside Hawks on most days - near roads, rivers and in forest. Near Mindo, Ecuador, in April, it was also the most common and visible bird of prey.

Below, Roadside Hawk mobbed in El Valle, Panama, May 2010. Dark throat and chest.


Below, a pair of Roadside Hawks in Mindo, Ecuador, April 2011. Yellow irises, orange ceres, grey throat and chest, rufous primaries just visible in perched birds. Thin white barring lines on underside.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Pied Puffbird
Latin: Notharchus tectus
Other: Buco Pinto (Es) • Macuru-pintado (Br)
Family: Bucconidae • Puffbirds
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador through Amazonia to Brazil
Similar:

Many thanks to Tom for the great photo above of a Pied Puffbird, in Ecuador. With white spotting to crown, and larger black band.

In Panama, the Pied Puffbird has a narrow black collar and white-tipped tail, differentiating it from other Notarchus Puffirds. More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Santa Lucia, Ecuador, March.

Bird name: Slate Throated Whitestart
Latin: Myioborus miniatus
Other: Slate-throated Redstart • Candelita goliplomiza (Es) • Mariquita-cinza (Br)
Family: Parulidae • New World Warblers, Whitestarts
Range: Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Guianas, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina.
Similar: Parulas, Euphonias

One of the most widespread and frequently-seen passerines in Ecuador in March at mid-altitude - fast-moving but will perch nearby. Seen on the slope up to Santa Lucia, Mirador Rio Blanco, Paz de las Aves and Milpe, but the best views were at San Isidro (above). Often found in mixed flocks.

In Panama, I only saw them in the eastern Chiriqui province, where they are known by the old name of Slate-throated Redstart. They did not live close to huts like the Collared Whitestart, so were seen less frequently.

The Slate-throated Whitestart is yellow below, slate above, extending over head and throat (unlike the Parulas in Panama). Longish tail with white outer feathers distinguishes it from Euphonias. Small rufous crest is sometimes difficult to see. One fanned its tail frequently (photo below).



Directly above and below, Slate-throated Whitestarts, Chiriqui, Panama, May. © monacoeye
More photos...

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...

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 • Silanche, Ecuador, Feb 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Purple Throated Fruitcrow
Latin: Querula purpurata
Other: Querula gorgimorada (Es)
Family: Cotingidae • Cotingas, Manakins, Fruitcrows
Range: Southern Nicaragua to Amazonia. Inc. Panama, Ecuador.
Similar:

Above a male Purple-throated Fruitcrow, extending the purple ruff on its neck after calling, in the Rio Silanche Reserve in northwest Ecuador. Females are all black (see “more photos”), only males have the purple throat. Not in the crow family, but related to Cotingas. More photos...

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

Bird name: Grey Breasted Wood Wren
Latin: Henicorhina leucophrys
Other: Gray Breasted Wood Wren (US) • Sotterey Montes Pechigris (Es)
Family: Troglodytidae • Wrens
Range: Mexico to northern Bolivia
Similar: White-breasted Wood-wren

There were several Grey-breasted Wood Wrens in this location in Chiriqui, Panama, and with some patience, we eventually coaxed them out of the gloom of the canopy, for long enough to be visible enough for a photo. As with other wrens, they have an attractive clear song.

The Grey-breasted Wood Wren is similar to the White-breasted Wood Wren, with dark cap and prominent white stripe above eye. The main difference is a grey chest instead of a white chest.

Also seen and heard in NW Ecuador.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Black Faced Grosbeak
Latin: Caryothraustes poliogaster
Other: Picogrueso carinegro (Es)
Family: Cardinalidae • Grosbeaks
Range: South Mexico to Panama
Similar:

The Black-faced Grosbeak is yellowish below, with greenish upperparts and black face. Seen here in El Valle.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Mostardas, Brazil, November.

Bird name: Blue and White Swallow
Latin: Notiochelidon cyanoleuca
Other: Golondrina barranquera (Es) • Andorinha-pequena-de-casa (Br)
Family: Hirundinidae • Swallows
Range: Widespread South America, also Panama
Similar:

The Blue-and-White Swallow is a small swallow, with dark, blue-black and brown upperparts and white below except for under tail. NB dark rump.

The Blue-and-White Swallow seems one of the most widespread swallows in Latin America, seen frequently in Brazil, in Mostardas and Itatiaia, and then again in the highlands of Panama.

Below, a Blue-and-white Swallow in the Chiriqui highlands, Panama, May.
More photos...

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, April 2010

Bird name: Palm Tanager
Latin: Thraupis palmarum
Other: Sanhaçu-do-coqueiro (Br) • Tangara (Es), Azulejo de palmeras
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Guatemala to Paraguay & S Brazil
Similar: Olive-green, Sayaca Tanager (Brazil), Plain Tanager (Panama)

The Palm Tanager is one of the duller looking tanagers, in Brazil mostly uniform olive-green, with lighter patches on wing and darker tips, head lighter and greener, with only a black iris and bill which stand out.

In Panama, at least one pair roosted in the eves of the Canopy Tower. The Panama Palm Tanager (above) has brown wing tips and tail and is far less uniform and green than its Brazilian counterpart (lowest photo, next page). On close examination there was an almost purplish sheen to some of the back and chest of the birds in Panama.

In Brazil, the Olive-green tanager is yellower below, with distinct upper and lower halves, and fluffier. The Sayaca Tanager is obviously blue, not green, but from below in some lights, when both are pale can look similar - the same goes for Golden-chevroned Tanager, which can also look similar from below.

The Palm Tanager is fairly common throughout most of the northern half of South America and extending into Central America and the Caribbean. Found near houses as well as other areas.

Directly below, a Palm Tanager in Panama.


Below, a Palm Tanager in Ubatuba, Brazil, Nov 2009. Brazilian Palm Tanagers were a uniform greenish colour and lacked the brown wing of the Panama variety.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Iguaçu, Brazil 2006

Bird name: Giant Cowbird
Latin: Molothrus oryzivorus
Other: Iraúna-grande (Br)
Family: Icteridae • Cowbirds
Range: S Mexico through N South America
Similar: Great Tailed Grackle

The Giant Cowbird is a brood parasitic icterid, laying its eggs in the nests of oropendolas and caciques. It is found from Central America to the northwestern half of South America and to a lesser extent the southern part of Brazil.

The Giant Cowbird is a large bird (40 cm) - it looks a bit similar to the Great-tailed Grackle in Panama, but the latter has a much thinner bill. The adult male is larger and shiny blue-black, the female browner and smaller. Irises can be red or yellow, depending on regional differences, also in some regions males tend to have red irises and females yellow irises.

Great-tailed Grackles have thinner bills.

Below, a Giant Cowbird in the Canal zone of Central Panama, 2010
More photos...

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

Bird name: Bronzed Cowbird
Latin: Molothrus aeneus
Other:
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!

More photos...

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

Bird name: Great Tailed Grackle
Latin: Quiscalus mexicanus
Other:
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.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Chestnut Headed Oropendola
Latin: Psarocolius wagleri
Other:
Family: Icteridae • Oropendolas
Range: Mexico to Ecuador
Similar:

I saw a tree full of pendulous Chestnut-headed Oropendola nest on my first day in Cerro Azul. A wonderful sight. And individual birds were not infrequent on forest walks. Pictured above attending a fruit feeder in Canopy Lodge. They make noises like water glooping in a cave! Fantastic blue iris.


More photos...

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

Bird name: Yellow Rumped Cacique
Latin: Cacicus cela
Other:
Family: Icteridae • Caciques
Range: Panama to SE South America
Similar:

Yellow rumped Caciques! With nest-building below.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Scarlet Rumped Cacique
Latin: Cacicus microrhynchus
Other: Split from C. uropygialis
Family: Icteridae • Caciques
Range: Honduras to Panama
Similar:

Scarlet Rumped Cacique spotted from the observation deck of the Canopy Tower.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Yellow Tailed Oriole
Latin: Icterus mesomelas
Other:
Family: Icteridae • New World Orioles
Range: Mexico to Peru
Similar: Yellow-backed Oriole

The Yellow-tailed Oriole. NB 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:
Family: Icteridae • New World Orioles
Range: S Mexico to Venezuela
Similar: Yellow-billed Oriole

A blurry Yellow-backed Oriole in Gamboa.More photos...

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

Bird name: Yellow Billed Cacique
Latin: Amblycercus holosericeus
Other:
Family: Icteridae • Caciques
Range: Mexico to N Bolivia
Similar:

Somewhere in there was a Yellow-billed Cacique - a black bird with yellow bill. But just a record shot…

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

Bird name: Crested Oropendola
Latin: Psarocolius decumanus
Other: japu-preto (Br)
Family: Icteridae • Oropendolas
Range: N, SC, South America, also Panama
Similar: Chestnut-headed Oropendola

This was very likely a Crested Oropendola - a predominantly black bird with yellow bill. But just a record shot.

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

Bird name: Yellow Thighed Finch
Latin: Pselliophorus tibialis
Other:
Family: Emberizidae • New World Sparrows
Range: Costa Rica, western Panama
Similar: Yellow-Green Finch, Slaty Finch

The adult Yellow-thighed Finch is generally instantly recognisable with its yellow thigh pompom, black head and grey body, although the juvenile may have no yellow thigh. Also can be difficult to see in the rain.

These Yellow-thighed Finches came to eat seed in the mountains above Los Quezales.More photos...

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

Bird name: Slaty Flowerpiercer
Latin: Diglossa plumbea
Other:
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Flowerpiercers
Range: Costa Rica and western Panama
Similar:

The Slaty Flowerpiercer has a uniquely shaped bill adapted to its special method of feeding. The lower half of the bill is upturned and the upper bill has a small downturned hook at the tip. Slaty Flowerpiercers use this to puncture the base of flowers and access the nectar.

The male is a small dark grey bird and the female brownish. If you can see the bill there can be no doubt as to the identification in Panama. Slaty Flowerpiercers were common among the garden flowers of Los Quetzales lodge.


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.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Slaty Finch
Latin: Haplospiza rustica
Other: Gorrión pizarra (Es), Pizarra, Pinzón pizarroso (Mex)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Seedeaters
Range: S Mexico to Venezuela, Bolivia
Similar:

The Slaty Finch is a little shy but I saw it coming to eat seed a couple of times near Cerro Punta, once at the Finca Dracula orchid farm seed feeder below and once when we put out some seed at Los Quetzales cabin number 8. The guide said that Slaty Finches were usually difficult to see.

The Slaty Finch is an all-grey bird found in the highlands.More photos...

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

Bird name: Yellow Faced Grassquit
Latin: Tiaris olivaceus
Other: Semillerito cariamarillo, Tomeguín de la tierra, viudito (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Seedeaters, Grassquits
Range: Greater Antilles, E Mexico to Venezuela
Similar:

The male Yellow-faced Grassquit is quickly recognised by its distinctive face pattern, which almost resembles a nuclear hazard sign when viewed face on, with three yellow marks - two above the eyes and one below the chin. The female, directly below, is greyer with only a hint of the same pattern.

We saw Yellow-faced Grassquits frequently in Panama, in diverse habitats.


More photos...

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

Bird name: Tropical Mockingbird
Latin: Mimus gilvus
Other: Sinsonte, cenzontle tropical (Es) • Sabiá-da-praia (Br)
Family: Mimidae • Mockingbirds
Range: S Mexico to El Salvador, N, E South America

The Tropical Mockingbird which is endemic west of El Salvador and east of Colombia, was apparently introduced to Panama - I saw them at the Ammo Dump and in Chiriqui.

Light grey underneath with dark eye stripe and light iris.More photos...

Copyright: TC/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Panama, El Valle, May 2010

Bird name: Lesser Goldfinch
Latin: Carduelis psaltria
Other: Dark-backed Goldfinch
Family: Fringillidae • Finches
Range: W USA to Peru
Similar:

The male Lesser Goldfinch in Panama has a dark cap and upperparts, with white mark on wing, and bright yellow underparts and throat. The female is a different shade of yellow below, white marks on darker wings and olive nape. Pinkish yellow bill. Bird pictured directly below may be juvenile because of the black marks on face - not sure. I found these tricky to ID. Thanks to Tom for the photo above.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Yellow Bellied Siskin
Latin: Carduelis xanthogastra
Other:
Family: Fringillidae • Finches, Siskins
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil. Bolivia
Similar:

The male Yellow-bellied Siskin is quite easy to identify - a dark hood reaching down to chest, bright yellow underparts, dark upperparts with a yellow patch on wing. This one was seen at the Finca Hartmann coffee farm in Chiriqui.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Panama, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Variable Seedeater
Latin: Sporophila corvina
Other: Split from S. americana • Semillerito aurito (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers, Seedeaters
Range: E Mexico to Peru
Similar: Female Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Lesser Seed-Finch

The Variable Seedeaters was seen in many locations in Panama. The male, above, is black with white underparts and white collar. The female, below, is buffy with dark bill, but ID should probably be treated with caution.

Below, probable female Variable Seedeater.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Blue Black Grosbeak
Latin: Cyanocompsa cyanoides
Other: Picogrueso negro (Es)
Family: Cardinalidae • Grosbeaks
Range: SE Mexico to Ecuador & W Amazonia
Similar:

An adult Blue-black Grosbeak feeding a brown juvenile below.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Black Striped Sparrow
Latin: Arremonops conirostris
Other:
Family: Emberizidae • New World Sparrows
Range: Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, N Brazil
Similar:

The Black-striped Sparrow has a grey head with black stripes, light grey underparts and yellowish green upperparts. Great song which speeds up.More photos...

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

Bird name: Buff Throated Saltator
Latin: Saltator maximus
Other: Trinca-ferro, Tempera-viola (Br) • Saltator gorjileonado (Br)
Family: Cardinalidae • Saltators
Range: Widespread Latin America
Similar:

The Buff-throated Saltator has a characteristic buff throat patch bordered by a thick band of black.

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, El Valle, May 2010

Bird name: Hepatic Tanager
Latin: Piranga hepatica
Other:
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers - now Cardinalidae
Range: W USA to Central America, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama
Similar: Female White-lined Tanager, Olive Tanager

The female Hepatic Tanager is yellow and male, below, is red - greyish around eye. I relied on the guide for identification of these.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Cherrie's Tanager
Latin: Ramphocelus costaricensis
Other: Scarlet-rumped Tanager • Tangara grupirroja (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: W Costa Rica, W Panama?
Similar: Passerini’s Tanager

These Cherrie’s Tanagers were seen in Chiriqui, western Panama. The male is black with a bright red rump and female is yellowish underneath with orange chest and rump and olive brown wings and tail.

They were often referred to as Scarlet-rumped Tanagers (the old name) which also includes Passerini’s Tanager.


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, Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Flame Colored Tanager
Latin: Piranga bidentata
Other: Flame-coloured Tanager (UK) • Quitrique de espalda rayada (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers - now Cardinalidae
Range: W Mexico to Panama
Similar: White-winged Tanager

My taxi driver in Cerro Punta, who quickly got the bird-watching bug, spotted the above Flame-colored Tanager on the windowsill of a house we were passing. I was a little nervous walking into a stranger’s front garden and my prevarication probably missed me a really good shot.

The male Flame-colored Tanager is a fantastically bright orange-red bird. The female is yellow not red, but still has the white wingbars. Both male and female have a dark shadow behind the eye - this area is darker in the similar White-winged Tanager.More photos...

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

Bird name: White Shouldered Tanager
Latin: Tachyphonus luctuosus
Other:
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Amazonia
Similar: Grey Headed Tanager

Pictured here are male White-shouldered Tanagers, which are black with white shoulders. Females have grey heads, yellow underparts and olive upperparts. We saw these at the top of the Metropolitan Park in Panama City.More photos...

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

Bird name: Grey Headed Tanager
Latin: Eucometis penicillata
Other: Gray-headed Tanager (US) • Tangara cabecigrís (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: SE Mexico to SC Brazil & N Paraguay
Similar: Female White-shouldered Tanager

The Grey-headed Tanager has a grey head and bright yellow underparts. Olive green above. This one was seen on Pipeline Road.

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

Bird name: White Lined Tanager
Latin: Tachyphonus rufus
Other:
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Costa Rica, Panama to NE Argentina
Similar: Cinnamon Becard, White-shouldered Tanager

We saw the White-lined Tanager on the Pipeline Road and in El Valle.

The male White-lined Tanager, above, is predominantly black with white usually only visible under wings in flight - just a hint visible on the edge of the closed wing. The female, below, is ruddy brown above, cinnamon below.

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, El Valle, May 2010

Bird name: Red Crowned Ant Tanager
Latin: Habia rubica
Other: Tangara rojisucia rúbica, Tangara hormiguera coronirroja (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Widespread Latin America
Similar: Red-throated Ant Tanager

This pair of Red-crowned Ant Tanager visited the fruit feeder at Canopy Lodge, Panama, in April.

The male Red-crowned Ant Tanager is chestnut coloured with a red crown barely visible in the above photo. The female, below, is olive green. There are several olive-green tanagers, so it helped that they arrived together. Both male and females should have a dark line around their crests, which will distinguish them from the similar Red-throated Ant Tanager, but I relied on the guide’s identification for these.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Black and Yellow Tanager
Latin: Chrysothlypis chrysomelas
Other:
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Costa Rica and Panama
Similar: Red-throated Ant Tanager

A possible Black-and-yellow Tanager seen in Chiriqui…

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

Bird name: White Throated Thrush
Latin: Turdus assimilis
Other:
Family: Turdidae • Thrushes
Range: Widespread Middle America
Similar:

Just a blurry record shot of the White-throated Thrush in Panama.More photos...

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

Bird name: Rosy Thrush Tanager
Latin: Rhodinocichla rosea
Other: Tangara pechirrosada, Tangara cuitlacoche (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: W Mexico to Venezuela
Similar:

These Rosy-thrush Tanagers were difficult to photograph - distant and in dark forest.

The male Rosy-thrush Tanager, above, is a superb shade of crimson underneath and black above, the female is more orange below. Both have a white stripe above the eye.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Tawny Crested Tanager
Latin: Tachyphonus delatrii
Other:
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador
Similar: Male White-shouldered Tanager

Record shots of the Tawny-crested Tanager, female above, male below. The female is dark brown and the male is black with orange crest.

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

Bird name: Silver Throated Tanager
Latin: Tangara icterocephala
Other: Tangara garganta de plata (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador
Similar:

The Silver-throated Tanager is another beautiful tanager. Quite a small bird, and I didn’t see that many of them until I arrived at Los Quetzales in the Chiriqui western highlands of Panama, where they were attracted by the red berries of this fruiting tree.

The Silver-throated Tanager is mostly yellow with green and black markings on back, and distinctive whitish throat, which can look pale turquoise with flash. Throat bordered above with black line.

Also seen at El Monte Lodge, Mindo, northwest Ecuador.

Below, Silver-throated Tanager feeding on berries, Chiriqui, Panama, May.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Speckled Tanager
Latin: Tangara guttata
Other:
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Costa Rica to N, NW Brazil
Similar:

The Speckled Tanager is a great looking tanager, but stayed in the shade when we saw it at Finca Hartmann in western Panama, so the colours are a little muted in the photo.

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Panama, Canopy Tower, Apr 2010

Bird name: Scarlet Tanager
Latin: Piranga olivacea
Other: Tángara rojinegra migratoria (Es)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers - now Cardinalidae
Range: Breeds in North America, migrates to western Amazonia
Similar:

We saw this Scarlet Tanager from the observation tower of the Canopy Tower in central Panama. Presumably migrating, in late April. The female is yellow olive.More photos...

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

Bird name: Plain Colored Tanager
Latin: Tangara inornata
Other: Plain-coloured Tanager (UK) •
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, northern Colombia
Similar: Palm Tanager

The Plain-colored Tanager is aptly named. It is a small tanager with not much in the way of colour except for a small patch of bright blue on each shoulder - which helps differentiate it from the Palm Tanager, which is also larger. They regularly visited the fruiting Cecropia tree beside the Canopy Tower.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Thick Billed Euphonia
Latin: Euphonia laniirostris
Other:
Family: Fringillidae • Finches, Euphonias
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Bolivia, Amazonia
Similar: Yellow-throated Euphonia

The Thick-billed Euphonia is the feeder bird at the Canopy Lodge in El Valle, Panama. Literally dozens fly in, of all ages.

The male Thick-billed Euphonia is all yellow underneath and dark blue-black above, with yellow forecrown.

The female, directly below, is dull yellow green. A juvenile male, lowest photo, shows half way stage between female/juvenile plumage and adult male. White marks in the wings of adults can only be seen in flight (photo below).

A pair pictured below were collecting moss and spiderwebs to build a nest.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Golden Browed Chlorophonia
Latin: Chlorophonia callophrys
Other:
Family: Fringillidae • Finches, Chlorophonias
Range: Costa Rica and western Panama highlands
Similar:

A superbly coloured Golden-browed Chlorophonia seen in the Chiriqui highlands of western Panama.

An adult male is pictured above with yellow chest and stripe above eye, pale blue crest and neck, black mark near neck. The rest bright green.

Directly below, perhaps a juvenile feeding on a fruit, predominantly green with only a hint of the adult markings.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Spot Crowned Euphonia
Latin: Euphonia imitans
Other:
Family: Fringillidae • Finches, Euphonias
Range: SW Costa Rica and Pacific W Panama (W Chiriqui)
Similar: Yellow Crowned Euphonia

Pictured is a female Spot-crowned Euphonia seen in Finca Hartmann in Chiriqui, Panama. She is identified by tawny cap and belly. The male is more difficult to ID - similar to the Yellow-crowned Euphonia but with spotting on crown.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Tawny Capped Euphonia
Latin: Euphonia anneae
Other:
Family: Fringillidae • Finches, Euphonias
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, northwestern Colombia
Similar:

The Tawny-capped Euphonia is the only euphonia in its range with large tawny cap. We saw them a couple of time in El Valle, one with lemon yellow underparts and the other with a more orange colour below.More photos...

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

Bird name: Yellow Crowned Euphonia
Latin: Euphonia luteicapilla
Other:
Family: Fringillidae • Finches, Euphonias
Range: Nicaragua, Costa Rica to eastern Panama
Similar: Spot Crowned Euphonia

A record shot of the Yellow-crowned Euphonia in central Panama. Looks like the Thick-billed Euphonia but with black throat and neck. Female, below, is yellow and olive.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Elegant Euphonia
Latin: Euphonia elegantissima
Other: Blue-hooded Euphonia • Eufonia gorriazul (Es)
Family: Fringillidae • Finches, Euphonias
Range: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, W Panama.
Similar:

I couldn’t coax this Elegant Euphonia further out from its tangle of branches near Lago Volcan in western Panama.

The Elegant Euphonia is the only euphonia in its range with pale blue hood, black face, yellow-orange below, dark upperparts. In Panama, only found in western highlands.

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

Bird name: Collared Whitestart
Latin: Myioborus torquatus
Other: Collared Redstart
Family: Parulidae • New World Warblers
Range: Costa Rica and Western Panama highlands
Similar:

In Panama found mostly in the western highlands above 1800m. The Collared Whitestart (more commonly known as Collared Redstart) is very colourful in the dark forest, and can be found near habitations.

The adult is unmistakable with yellow face and underside, dark above with dark neck, and raised rufous crest. Fast moving, so difficult to photograph in that respect, but not particularly shy either.

The above adult was one of two returning to feed an adorable chick, below, which lacks most of the yellow colouring. An endearing bird!

More photos...

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

Bird name: Black Cheeked Warbler
Latin: Basileuterus melanogenys
Other:
Family: Parulidae • New World Warblers
Range: Costa Rica and Western Panama
Similar:

The Black-cheeked Warbler seems to have a feisty expression. We only saw one a couple of times in the high forest above Los Quetzales.

Black-cheeked Warblers are pale off-white below, light throat, with black face and white stripe above eye, a small rufous crown and white mark on wing. The rest dull olive brown.More photos...

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

Bird name: Rufous Capped Warbler
Latin: Basileuterus rufifrons
Other:
Family: Parulidae • New World Warblers
Range: Mexico to Panama
Similar:

The Rufous Capped Warbler has a rufous cap, white stripe above eye, black around eye, then more rufous and white below eye. Yellow underparts, olive green above.

Seen on most outings to the mountains of El Valle and once in Chiriqui.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Tropical Parula
Latin: Parula pitiayumi
Other: Chipe azul olivo tropical (Es)
Family: Parulidae • New World Warblers
Range: Widespread Latin America, also S Texas
Similar: Flame Throated Warbler, Thick-billed Euphonia

The Tropical Parula is yellow below and dark above. Similar colour scheme to the Thick-billed Euphonia but lacks the yellow head patch, and completely different bill.

Only seen once in Panama, at Lago Volcan in Chiriqui.More photos...

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

Bird name: Flame Throated Warbler
Latin: Parula gutturalis
Other:
Family: Parulidae • New World Warblers
Range: Costa Rica and Western Panama highlands
Similar:

The Flame-throated Warbler is similar to its relative the Tropical Parula but white extends further up the belly, leaving only chest and neck orange-yellow.

I only saw the Flame-throated Warbler in the high mountain forest areas above Los Quetzales.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.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Buff Rumped Warbler
Latin: Phaeothlypis fulvicauda
Other:
Family: Parulidae • New World Warblers
Range: Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia
Similar:

We saw this Buff-rumped Warbler on the Finca Hartmann in Chiriqui, western Panama. It was not far from a stream and scurried along the ground ahead of us as we approached, pausing on mounds. The guide said that they were not very common.More photos...

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.

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
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 • Panama, May 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Clay Colored Thrush
Latin: Turdus grayi
Other: Clay-coloured Thrush (UK), Clay-colored Robin (US), Yigüirro (Es)
Family: Turdidae • Thrushes
Range: South Texas to Northern Colombia including Panama, Costa Rica etc

The Clay-colored Thrush is the national bird of Costa Rica. It is common in Panama, including around habitations, and one of the most frequently seen birds. A typical garden or park bird.

The Clay-colored Thrush is generally brown and differentiated from other similar thrushes by its red irises and light bill.More photos...

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

Bird name: Mountain Thrush
Latin: Turdus plebejus
Other:
Family: Turdidae • Thrushes
Range: Southern Mexico to western Panama

I only saw these Mountain Thrushes in the high mountain forest in western Panama, where they were not uncommon but neither were they very approachable, generally flying soon after making eye-contact.

The above picture is a subadult. Mountain thrushes are generally brown with lighter underparts. Dark eyes and bill. Attractive song. Where I was, their habitat didn’t overlap with the Clay-colored Thrush.More photos...

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

Bird name: Ruddy Capped Nightingale Thrush
Latin: Catharus frantzii
Other:
Family: Turdidae • Thrushes
Range: Central Mexico to Western Panama

The Ruddy Capped Nightingale Thrush is a small mountain thrush, one of the more frequently seen birds in the forested mountains above Los Quetzales in Panama, and has an attractive song.

Ruddy brownish, which extends over cap, lighter underneath.More photos...

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

Bird name: Black Faced Solitaire
Latin: Myadestes melanops
Other:
Family: Turdidae • Thrushes
Range: Mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama

The high mountain forests above Los Quetzales in Chiriqui resound to the entrancing, mystical sounds of the Black-faced Solitaire. Listening to recordings on the internet doesn’t do the song justice (eg here), because the frequencies can’t be captured with recording equipment and mp3.

The closest description I could give would be an aeolian harp or someone playing “wine glasses” by rubbing a wet finger around the rims of half-filled glasses. It is a high-pitched sound which carries, but also rich with deep tones. This ethereal song transforms the forest into a place of mystery - the first time I heard it I couldn’t believe that a bird could be the origin.

Although its song is often heard, I only saw a Black-faced Solitaire once. It is differentiated from other thrushes by its orange bill and legs, with dark iris and no orange eye-ring. It is dark grey with some white on wing and black face. Pictured below is a tree-trunk in which it was making a nest.More photos...

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

Bird name: Long Tailed Silky Flycatcher
Latin: Ptilogonys caudatus
Other:
Family: Ptilogonatidae • Silky Flycatchers
Range: Mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama

The Long-tailed Silky Flycatcher was relatively easy to spot near habitations in the Chiriqui highlands, but generally kept its distance, settling in the top branches of tall trees. They were always in pairs, the male having a greyer chest.

The Long-tailed Silky Flycatcher is instantly recognisable by its crest and long tail. Now placed in a small family of its own.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Black and Yellow Phainoptila
Latin: Phainoptila melanoxantha
Other: Black-and-yellow Silky-Flycatcher
Family: Turdidae • Thrushes
Range: Mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama

The more common name for the Black-and-yellow Phainoptila was Black-and-yellow Silky-Flycatcher but Phainoptila is the name adopted by the IOC.

I only saw this one Black-and-yellow Phainoptila in Chiriqui, so considerably less numerous that its relative the Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Yellow-winged Vireo
Latin: Vireo carmioli
Other:
Family: Vireonidae • Vireos
Range: Costa Rica and western Panama

An endearingly curious small bird, the Yellow-winged Vireo can only be found in the western highlands of Panama and in Costa Rica.

Two yellow wing-bars, pale yellow under eye, broad supercilium, pale yellow underneath.More photos...

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

Bird name: Tropical Gnatcatcher
Latin: Polioptila plumbea
Other:
Family: Polioptilidae • Gnatcatchers
Range: South Mexico to Peru and northeast Brazil

A few views of Tropical Gnatcatchers from Panama. These individuals have black markings near the bill and chin, unlike the illustrations in Ridgely and Gwynne which have a white face. Otherwise Tropical Gnatcatchers are generally white below and dark above, with a black line behind eye meeting black cap.

These are small fast moving birds, working the branches of large trees.More photos...

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

Bird name: Long Billed Gnatwren
Latin: Ramphocaenus melanurus
Other:
Family: Polioptilidae • Gnatcatchers
Range: Southeast Mexico through Amazonia

There’s no mistaking the Long-billed Gnatwren, which has a very long bill and mostly buffy underparts. It also has a long thin tail, which is often cocked, like other gnatcatchers.

Not that easy to see. We spotted this one in Metropolitan Park in Panama City.More photos...

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

Bird name: Yellow Green Vireo
Latin: Vireo flavoviridis
Other:
Family: Vireonidae • Vireos
Range: Widespread Middle America, also S Texas

The Yellow-Green Vireo in Panama, seen here in El Valle.More photos...

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

Bird name: Brown Capped Vireo
Latin: Vireo leucophrys
Other:
Family: Vireonidae • Vireos
Range: Mexico to N Bolivia

The Brown-capped Vireo has a thin pointed bill and brown cap. I saw this one in the forest above the Los Quetzales lodge in Chiriqui, Panama. In Panama, the Brown-capped Vireo only found in the western highlands.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: Rufous Breasted Wren
Latin: Pheugopedius rutilus
Other: Thryothorus rutilus
Family: Troglodytidae • Wrens
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela
Similar:

I saw the Rufous Breasted Wren several times in Panama, but as with most other wrens he was very difficult to photograph.

The bird pictured above was singly clearly and merrily at the Logo de Volcan in Chiriqui, and approached when I mimicked his calls, but moved quickly in dense foliage.

The Rufous-breasted Wren is identified by its orangey-cinnamon underparts and black and white speckled throat.More photos...

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

Bird name: Bay Wren
Latin: Cantorchilus nigricapillus
Other:
Family: Troglodytidae • Wrens
Range: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador
Similar:


We got a brief glimpse of this Bay Wren in El Valle in Panama. The Bay Wren is fairly easy to differentiate from other wrens in Panama by its black facial markings, including thin black malar stripe. Chestnut underparts.

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

Bird name: White Breasted Wood Wren
Latin: Henicorhina leucosticta
Other:
Family: Troglodytidae • Wrens
Range: Mexico to Peru & northern Brazil
Similar:

There are dozens of photography sites out there which specialise in hummingbirds, but I’ve never seen a photographer who specialises in wren photography! Wrens are fascinating birds, but more often heard than seen. They are often only a few yards away from forest paths, and yet so well hidden that they remain unseen.

This White-breasted Wood Wren was seen on Plantation Rd near Canopy Tower in Panama, but didn’t provide much of a photo opportunity.

The White-breasted Wood Wren is differentiated from the similar Grey-breasted Wood Wren by its mostly white underparts.

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

Bird name: Ochraceous Wren
Latin: Troglodytes ochraceus
Other:
Family: Troglodytidae • Wrens
Range: Costa Rica, Panama
Similar:

Just a brief and blurry glimpse of this Ochraceous Wren in El Valle, Panama. Brownish.

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 • Panama, April 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Northern Waterthrush
Latin: Seiurus noveboracensis
Other:
Family: Parulidae • New World Warblers
Range: Canada, north USA migrating to south USA and Central America

Just a record shot of this migrant Northern Waterthrush in Panama.

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

Bird name: Green Shrike Vireo
Latin: Vireolanius pulchellus
Other:
Family: Vireonidae • Vireos
Range: SE Mexico to Panama

Just a record shot of a Green Shrike-Vireo spotted from the observation deck of the Canopy Tower in central Panama. Note the vivid green plumage.

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

Bird name: Red Capped Manakin
Latin: Dixiphia mentalis
Other: Pipra mentalis
Family: Pipridae • Manakins
Range: SE Mexico to W Ecuador

The Red-capped Manakin males above were shuffling along their branch, “doing the moonwalk”, as part of their courtship in order to be selected by a female. Adult males have red heads, white irises, yellow thighs, and black bodies.

Females Red-capped Manakins are predominantly olive-green - one presumed below in “more photos”.More photos...

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

Bird name: Lance Tailed Manakin
Latin: Chiroxiphia lanceolata
Other:
Family: Pipridae • Manakins
Range: SW Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, N Venezuela

The Lance-tailed Manakin adult male has a red cap, bright blue shoulders and orange legs - the rest black. The individual above is a subadult male seen in El Valle de Anton in Panama.

Below (in more photos) a glimpse of an adult male Lance-tailed Manakin. Females are greenish, with orange legs and also have the long central tail feathers.

Seen in El Valle, Panama.More photos...

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

Bird name: Blue Crowned Manakin
Latin: Lepidothrix coronata
Other:
Family: Pipridae • Manakins
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, NW Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil

I only saw female Blue-crowned Manakins in Panama. They are distinguished from other female manakins by their bright green colour. Other female manakins tend to be olive green.More photos...

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

Bird name: White Ruffed Manakin
Latin: Corapipo altera
Other:
Family: Pipridae • Manakins
Range: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama

Just a glimpse of a female White-ruffed Manakin at the Finca Hartmann in Chiriqui, western Panama. They are greenish mostly with a whitish-grey throat area. Males are glossy blue black all over with a strongly demarcated white throat.

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

Bird name: Golden Collared Manakin
Latin: Manacus vitellinus
Other:
Family: Pipridae • Manakins
Range: Western Panama to western Colombia

The female Golden-collared Manakin above was seen in El Valle de Anton in Panama. A very poor shot of the male below with his beautiful golden yellow collar. The male manakins dart around a lot in their leks, whereas the females tend to be far more stationary, and are thus much easier to photograph.

Both sexes have orange legs, the female Lance-tailed Manakin is differentiated by longer central tail feathers.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Bright Rumped Attila
Latin: Attila spadiceus
Other: Polymorphic Attila
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: West Mexico through Amazonia, E Brazil

This Bright-rumped Attila was seen in the Metropolitan Park in Panama City.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 • Chiriqui, Panama • May 2010

Bird name: Barred Becard
Latin: Pachyramphus versicolor
Other:
Family: Tityridae • Becards
Range: Costa Rica and western Panama, then Colombia, NW Bolivia and NW Venezuela

The Barred Becard male, above, is black and white with yellow on face and throat. The female, below, has a slate grey cap, brown on wings, and barred yellow underparts.

I saw these individuals in the highland forests of Chiriqui in western Panama.

More photos...

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

Bird name: White Winged Becard
Latin: Pachyramphus polychopterus
Other:
Family: Tityridae • Becards
Range: Guatemala to Uruguay

The adult male White-winged Becard is light underneath with black and white on wings, black top of head, tail and back. The female is browner with yellow underneath.

These White-winged Becards were seen 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 • Canopy Tower, Panama • April 2010

Bird name: Blue Cotinga
Latin: Cotinga nattererii
Other:
Family: Cotingidae • Cotingas
Range: Central Panama through Colombia to nw Ecuador and w Venezuela.

Do you see that tiny blue spot right in the centre of the photo? Standing on the crest of a pale green tree? Trust me it is there, and it is a beautiful Blue Cotinga. See below for the proof!

I would never have seen him, but our eagle-eyed guide spotted him from the observation roof of the Canopy Tower, in central Panama, and we had a good view through his scope.

The female Blue Cotinga is brown and rather dove-like.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Bran Colored Flycatcher
Latin: Myiophobus fasciatus
Other: Bran-Coloured Flycatcher • Filipe (Br)
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Costa Rica to Argentina

The Bran-coloured Flycatcher has a brown head and cape, darker lower down the wings where two wingbars are visible. Underneath, the chest and upper belly is streaked.

Above, seen in El Valle, Panama. Lowest photo (in “more photos”) is from Ubatuba in Brazil, showing more streaking on the chest and stronger markings.More photos...

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

Bird name: Mountain Elaenia
Latin: Elaenia frantzii
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Elaenias
Range: Guatemala to Venezuela

The Mountain Elaenia was the most common flycatcher around the Los Quetzales lodge in Chiriqui. Birds often came to feed on berries of fruiting trees beside the hotel. Also seen elsewhere in Chiriqui.


More photos...

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

Bird name: Yellowish Flycatcher
Latin: Empidonax flavescens
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Southeast Mexico to western Panama highlands

The Yellowish Flycatcher is identifiable by its prominent eye-ring. It is yellowish below and has two wing bars. This individual was low in the canopy and not too wary - typical for the Yellowish Flycatcher - so I could focus.

In Panama found only in the western highlands.More photos...

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 • Do not copy without permission • Chiriqui, May 2010

Bird name: Black Phoebe
Latin: Sayornis nigricans
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Southwest USA to northwest Argentina. Panama highlands.
Similar: Dark Pewee

The Black Phoebe is dark with white belly, and often found near streams. Seen here near the river at the Los Quetzales lodge and up the road at Cerro Punta.More photos...

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

Bird name: Panamanian Flycatcher
Latin: Myiarchus panamensis
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela

The Panamanian Flycatcher was one of the more common flycatchers in many locations in Panama.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Forest Elaenia
Latin: Myiopagis gaimardii
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Elaenias
Range: Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Guianas, Bolivia, Brazil.

We saw this Forest Elaenia on Pipeline Road in central Panama.More photos...

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

Bird name: Dusky Capped Flycatcher
Latin: Myiarchus tuberculifer
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Flycatchers
Range: USA, Arizona, Texas, to Argentina

The Dusky Capped Flycatcher has a light grey throat area, dark cap and yellow underneath. This individual was seen in the highlands of El Valle de Anton in Panama.More photos...

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

Bird name: Lesser Elaenia
Latin: Elaenia chiriquensis
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Elaenias
Range: Costa Rica to Argentina

I saw the above Lesser Elaenia in central Panama, in Cerro Azul. Then another in El Valle.More photos...

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

Bird name: Common Tody Flycatcher
Latin: Todirostrum cinereum
Other: Black-fronted Tody-Flycatcher • Espatulilla Común (Es) • Ferreirinho (Br)
Family: Tyrannidae • Tody Flycatchers
Range: Mexico to Brazil

The Common Tody Flycatcher doesn’t mind nesting in bushes in gardens and near houses, and was easy to see in Panama.

The Common Tody Flycatcher is a small bird, yellow below and black above with pale iris with broad bill. It makes a pendulous nest with side entrance. This nest was in a small tree beside a hotel forecourt.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Chiriqui & El Valle May 2010

Bird name: Northern Tufted Flycatcher
Latin: Mitrephanes phaeocercus
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Mexico to Ecuador, highlands

I saw these Northern Tufted Flycatchers in Panama in the Chiriqui highlands and in Valle de Anton in Panama. One deep in the forest, the other in open country above the path.

The El Valle bird seemed yellower and the Chiriqui bird, below in “more photos”, more pinkish. The main identifying feature for this small flycatcher is its prominent raised tuft.More photos...

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

Bird name: Brownish Twistwing
Latin: Cnipodectes subbrunneus
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Panama, Colombia, Ecuado, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil

We saw this Brownish Twistwing briefly on the Pipeline Road, in Panama. Chocolate brown, lighter underneath.More photos...

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

Bird name: Southern Beardless Tyrannulet
Latin: Camptostoma obsoletum
Other: Risadinha (Br)
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrannulets
Range: Costa Rica to Brazil, Argentina

The Southern Beardless-tyrannulet is found throughout Brazil and much of Latin America.

Above, a Southern Beardless-tyrannulet from Panama, with yellowish belly and olive-green back.

Below, in “more photos”, from southern Brazil - greyer underparts and less yellow-green.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • El Valle May 2010

Bird name: Brown Capped Tyrannulet
Latin: Ornithion brunneicapillus
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

The Brown-capped Tyrannulet has a brown cap and white supercilium which runs round the front of its head. Yellow underparts, olive green upperparts.More photos...

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

Bird name: Sulphur Bellied Flycatcher
Latin: Myiodynastes luteiventris
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Arizona to Costa Rica, migrating to Colombia to Brazil, via Panama etc.
Similar: Streaked Flycatcher

The Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher looks very similar to the Streaked Flycatcher, which is much more common in Panama.

The Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher is differentiated by a yellower belly and dark malar stripe which forms a black chinstrap below the bill. Feathers under the tail are not streaked.

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Chiriqui & El Valle May 2010

Bird name: Southern Bentbill
Latin: Oncostoma olivaceum
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Panama and Colombia
Similar: Northern Bentbill

The Southern Bentbill is an odd looking bird, with an unusually large, thick, curved bill, as its name suggests.

The Southern Bentbill has yellow-olive underparts and lives in central and eastern panama, while the Northern Bentbill has a greyish throat and lives in western Panama.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Chiriqui & El Valle May 2010

Bird name: Black Capped Pygmy Tyrant
Latin: Myiornis atricapillus
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador

The Black-capped Pygmy Tyrant really is a tiny bird. In fact the smallest passerine in Panama. It has almost no tail, a black cap, white around eye, light underneath, and yellowish upperparts.

We saw this Black-Capped Pygmy Tyrant on the Pipeline Road in central Panama.

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

Bird name: White Throated Spadebill
Latin: Platyrinchus mystaceus
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Costa Rica, Panama to Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil

This White-throated Spadebill had made its nest right beside the path, in the forked stem of young tree. The canopy was very dark and wet, even at midday.

The White-throated Spadebill is differentiated from other Spadebills in Panama by its white throat. A very small bird. Seen in the highlands of El Valle.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • El Valle May 2010

Bird name: Pale Eyed Pygmy Tyrant
Latin: Atalotriccus pilaris
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil

Another record shot of a small bird in an unhelpful pose! The Pale-eyed Pygmy Tyrant has pale irises, light underparts, faint streaking on chest, quite a long thin bill.

We saw this Pale-Eyed Pygmy Tyrant in El Valle de Anton in west-central Panama.

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Chiriqui & El Valle May 2010

Bird name: Ochre Bellied Flycatcher
Latin: Mionectes oleagineus
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Mexico to Brazil

A couple of record shots an Ochre-bellied Flycatcher in Panama, recognisable by its ochre belly.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • El Valle May 2010

Bird name: Olive Striped Flycatcher
Latin: Mionectes olivaceus
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela.

Just a record shot of this Olive-striped Flycatcher seen in the El Valle highlands in Panama.

The Olive-striped Flycatcher has streaked underparts, with a quite long thin bill and conspicuous white spot behind the eye.

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Chiriqui & El Valle May 2010

Bird name: Piratic Flycatcher
Latin: Mitrephanes phaeocercus
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Mexico to Argentina, Brazil

We saw Piratic Flycatchers fairly often in Panama, but they were often in tall trees and moved off fairly quickly. They have streaked chests, and dark mask, but are much smaller than the Streaked Flycatcher, with short bills.

They take the nests of Orependolas, Caciques, Panamanian Flycatchers etc. driving away the original inhabitants.More photos...

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

Bird name: Golden Crowned Spadebill
Latin: Platyrinchus coronatus
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Nicaragua to Brazil

Just one brief view of this Golden-crowned Spadebill. It is a very small bird, with hardly any tail, but a wide bill. Black vertical bands on the face below the eye and chestnut cap.

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

Bird name: Black Headed Tody Flycatcher
Latin: Todirostrum nigriceps
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tody Flycatchers
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.

Just a record shot of the Black-headed Tody Flycatcher in Panama. It is a tiny bird, which likes to stay at the top of tall trees so very difficult to photograph!

The Black-headed Tody Flycatcher is yellow below, dark above but with white throat.

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

Bird name: Boat Billed Flycatcher
Latin: Megarynchus pitangua
Other: Neinei (Br)
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Mexico to Brazil
Similar: Great Kiskadee

The Boat-billed Flycatcher is similar to the Great Kiskadee but has a larger, wider bill and is not so rufous. The Boat-billed Flycatcher has an olive tone to its upperparts.More photos...

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

Bird name: Eastern Wood Pewee
Latin: Contopus virens
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Breeds in North America, migrates to South America.

The Eastern Wood-pewee has two wing bars, is light underneath and has a long wingtips. Seen here in Central Panama in late April, migrating northwards presumably.

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: Eastern Kingbird
Latin: Tyrannus tyrannus
Other:
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: North America, migrating to South America, via Panama etc

These Eastern Kingbirds were migrating northwards when we saw them in central Panama in April. More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Brazil, Nov 09 - Panama, Dec 10

Bird name: Social Flycatcher
Latin: Myiozetetes similis
Other: Vermilion-crowned Flycatcher • Bentevizinho-de-penacho-vermelho (Br)
Family: Tyrannidae • Tyrant Flycatchers
Range: Mexico to northeast Argentina

The Social Flycatcher is a bit smaller and slighter than the superficially similar Great Kiskadee. The Social Flycatcher has a more curved culmen (top part of bill) and smaller bill. The white band does not complete all the way round its head.

The Social Flycatcher can be found in much of Latin America and most of Brazil. The lowest photo in “more photos” is from Panama. 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 • Semaphore Hill, Panama, April 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Black Breasted Puffbird
Latin: Notharchus pectoralis
Other:
Family: Bucconidae • Puffbirds
Range: Panama, Colmbia, NW Ecuador

This Black-breasted Puffbird was seen here on Semaphore Hill, the approach road to the Canopy Tower, sitting patiently on a bough overlooking the road. He was still there when I left.

Black-breasted Puffbirds have a broad black band across the chest which connects up to the eye, and white throat, differentiating them from other similar Puffbirds.More photos...

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

Bird name: White Whiskered Puffbird
Latin: Malacoptila panamensis
Other: Buco bigotiblanco (Es)
Family: Bucconidae • Puffbirds
Range: SE Mexico through to Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, W Ecuador
Similar:

We saw a couple of White-whiskered Puffbirds while in Panama. They don’t move around much so are relatively easy to photograph.

These were on Semaphore Hill, near Canopy Tower, and Pipeline Road in the canal zone of central Panama.

They have conspicuous white whiskers around the bill, red irises, and a streaked underparts and tawny chest. The lower half of the bill is light yellowish green.

See comments below for an individual in Silanche, NW Ecuador.More photos...

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

Bird name: Spot Crowned Antvireo
Latin: Dysithamnus puncticeps
Other:
Family: Thamnophilidae • Antbirds
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, NW Ecuador

A female Spot-crowned Antvireo, seen here in El Valle de Anton in Panama.

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

Bird name: Dot Winged Antwren
Latin: Microrhopias quixensis
Other: Velvety Antwren
Family: Thamnophilidae • Antbirds
Range: Panama, S Mexico to S Amazonia

The Dot-winged Antwren was probably the easiest to see of the Antwrens in Panama, as they will appear beside forest paths in fairly open understory. These were all seen beside the Pipeline Road in central Panama.

But they are still very hard to photograph as they move around at a frenetic pace in tangled branches. Photos below show them collecting nesting material and a spider.

The female, above, is the colourful one with rufous underparts and the rest dark except for white dots and white band on the wings and white tips to tail feathers. The male has the same white markings, but is otherwise completely black.

Both are very beautiful birds to look at, one of my favourites from Panama - still hope one day to get some really sharp shots!

More photos...

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

Bird name: Dusky Antbird
Latin: Cercomacra tyrannina
Other:
Family: Thamnophilidae • Antbirds
Range: SE Mexico through Panama to N Amazonia

This was almost certainly a female Dusky Antbird, seen beside Semaphore Hill, the approach road to Canopy Tower in Panama.

The male, which is all grey, with some white on the wing edges, was nearby in the undergrowth. The female is orange rufous underneath and brown above. Quite a long bill.More photos...

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

Bird name: Fasciated Antshrike
Latin: Cymbilaimus lineatus
Other:
Family: Thamnophilidae • Antbirds
Range: Panama, SE Honduras through Amazonia

We had a quick look of this male Fasciated Antshrike, on the Pipeline Road in central Panama.

It is narrowly barred throughout with a large overbite and red irises. More photos...

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

Bird name: White Flanked Antwren
Latin: Myrmotherula axillaris
Other: Choquinha-de-flancos-brancos (Br)
Family: Thamnophilidae • Antbirds
Range: Panama, SE Honduras through Amazonia

The White-flanked Antwren looks somewhat similar to the Dot-winged Antwren but has lacks the broad white band on the wings and has an additional white patch on its flank.

It has a large range from Honduras to Brazil, seen here on the Plantation Road near the Canopy Lodge in central Panama.

Lovely bird! More photos...

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

Bird name: Western Slaty Antshrike
Latin: Thamnophilus atrinucha
Other: Split from Slaty Antshrike, T. punctatus
Family: Thamnophilidae • Antbirds
Range: S Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, NW Venezuela, NW Peru

The male Western Slaty Antshrike is dark grey with white wing and tail markings, and the female is brown with similar white markings.

I saw them on a couple of occasions in central Panama on Pipeline Road and Plantation Road.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Streak Chested Antpitta
Latin: Hylopezus perspicillatus
Other: Spectacled Antpitta • Tororoi Pechirrayado (Es)
Family: Grallariidae • Antpittas
Range: Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, N Ecuador

This Streak-chested Antpitta was walking around on the dark forest floor near Pipeline Road in Central Panama.

It has no tail to speak of, a light eye ring, and strong, widely-spaced streaks on chest down flanks.More photos...

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

Bird name: Spotted Antbird
Latin: Hylophylax naevioides
Other:
Family: Thamnophilidae • Antbirds
Range: Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, W Ecuador

The Spotted Antbird is a small bird with a richly marked plumage and light chest.

As with all antbirds, fast moving and difficult to photograph in the dense forest undergrowth. We saw them in the forest understory near Pipeline Road and Plantation Road in central Panama.More photos...

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

Bird name: Slaty Antwren
Latin: Myrmotherula schisticolor
Other:
Family: Thamnophilidae • Antbirds
Range: Panama, SE Mexico to N Venezuela & Peru

Just a record shot of this fast-moving Slaty Antwren in El Valle de Anton in Panama.

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

Bird name: Chestnut Backed Antbird
Latin: Myrmeciza exsul
Other:
Family: Thamnophilidae • Antbirds
Range: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, W Ecuador

Just a record shot of this Chestnut-backed Antbird, seen on the Pipeline Road in Panama. Dark with blue eyering.More photos...

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

Bird name: Checker Throated Antwren
Latin: Epinecrophylla fulviventris
Other: Fulvous-bellied Antwren
Family: Thamnophilidae • Antbirds
Range: SE Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, W Ecuador

Just a fleeting glimpse of this Checker-throated Antwren on the Pipeline Road in the Panama canal zone.More photos...

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

Bird name: Ruddy Treerunner
Latin: Margarornis rubiginosus
Other:
Family: Furnariidae • Ovenbirds
Range: Costa Rica and western Panama highlands

A very cute-looking young Ruddy Treerunner, above, which was following its parent around, hopping from tree trunk to tree trunk in the dark montane rainforest in the Volcan Baru National Park in Chiriqui, above Guadalupe, in Panama. It wasn’t quite as speedy as its parent though, allowing me to focus for once!

The adult is rufous with white supercilium. In the large ovenbird family, which includes woodcreepers and spinetails.

Not very common, and in Panama only found in the western highlands.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Brown Billed Scythebill
Latin: Campylorhamphus pusillus
Other:
Family: Furnariidae • Scythebills
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, N Peru, Venezuela, Guyana

Scythebills are like woodcreepers with very long curved bills. This Brown Billed Scythebill was in a dark, leafy part of the forest near El Valle de Anton, so we had real difficulty seeing him and even more difficulty photographing him, but he is known for being rather rare and elusive so we were pleased to have made the sighting. Great looking bird.More photos...

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

Bird name: Red Faced Spinetail
Latin: Cranioleuca erythrops
Other:
Family: Furnariidae • Spinetails
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, W Ecuador

In Panama, the Red-faced Spinetail is only found in the western and eastern highlands. This individual was seen in the mountains in Volcan Baru National Park, in Chiriqui, western Panama. Identifiable by rufous head, wings and tail with greyish shoulders, throat and underparts. He wasn’t shy and seemed genuinely curious and territorial. He must have been nest-building near the path we were walking on, near the forest border.More photos...

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

Bird name: Plain Xenops
Latin: Xenops minutus
Other:
Family: Furnariidae • Xenops
Range: S Mexico, Central America, Panama, to Amazonia, SE South America

Just recognisable as a Plain Xenops, from the characteristic upturned bill. Light supercilium and white malar streak. Spotted on a very misty day, from the top of the Canopy Tower observatory in central Panama.

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

Bird name: Streak Headed Woodcreeper
Latin: Lepidocolaptes souleyetii
Other:
Family: Furnariidae • Woodcreepers
Range: Panama, S Mexico to Guyana & NW Peru

We saw Streak-headed Woodcreepers at Finca Hartmann in western Panama. They were easy to see, not overly shy, at the edge of open ground on low trunks, and let me approach for photos. Streaked head and neck and underparts. Light bill.More photos...

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

Bird name: Cocoa Woodcreeper
Latin: Xiphorhynchus susurrans
Other: Formerly ssp of Buff-throated Woodcreeper, X. guttatus
Family: Furnariidae • Woodcreepers
Range: Panama, E Guatemala to N Venezuela

The Cocoa Woodcreeper was the woodcreeper most frequently encountered in Panama. Head and neck are streaked, but not belly. Bill long and dark.More photos...

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

Bird name: Plain Brown Woodcreeper
Latin: Dendrocincla fuliginosa
Other:
Family: Furnariidae • Woodcreepers
Range: Panama, SE Honduras to Amazonia, E Brazil

We saw Plain Brown Woodcreeper on Plantation Road, not far from Canopy Tower, in the Canal zone of central Panama. Really just plain brown, with few markings.More photos...

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

Bird name: Spot Crowned Woodcreeper
Latin: Lepidocolaptes affinis
Other:
Family: Furnariidae • Woodcreepers
Range: E Mexico to western Panama

The Spot-crowned Woodcreeper looks similar to the Streak-headed Woodcreeper but lives at a higher altitude. These were seen above 2000 metres in the Chiriqui mountains of western Panama, which is the easternmost part of their range.More photos...

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

Bird name: Spotted Woodcreeper
Latin: Xiphorhynchus erythropygius
Other:
Family: Furnariidae • Woodcreepers
Range: Panama, S Mexico to SW Ecuador

Spotted Woodcreeper has spots, not streaks, underneath and on head and neck, light throat, not much marking on back of head. Seen here in El Valle de Anton, in west central Panama.More photos...

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

Bird name: Chestnut Mandibled Toucan
Latin: Ramphastos swainsonii
Other: Tucán de pico castaño, Tucán de Swainson (Es) • split from R. ambiguus
Family: Ramphastidae • Toucans
Range: Southest Honduras to western Ecuador
Similar: Choco Toucan (Ecuador and Colombia)

I saw just one Chestnut-mandibled Toucan while in Panama and this was it. It was with a group of other toucans near the Chagres River in the Canal zone of central Panama. Stunning.More photos...

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

Bird name: Blue Throated Toucanet
Latin: Aulacorhynchus caeruleogularis
Other: Split from A. prasinus, Emerald Toucanet
Family: Ramphastidae • Toucans, Toucanets
Range: Costa Rica to W Panama
Similar:

A beautiful bird to see first thing in the morning as you step out of the car in the highlands of El Valle de Anton in Panama. The only green toucan in Panama. Has blue throat.More photos...

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

Bird name: Fiery Billed Aracari
Latin: Pteroglossus frantzii
Other: Arasarí piquinaranja (Es)
Family: Ramphastidae • Toucans, Aracaris
Range: Costa Rica, Panama
Similar: Collared Aracari

The Fiery-billed Aracari is found in the west of Panama and in Costa Rica. These were perched atop a tall tree when we arrived at the Finca Hartmann (a lovely bird-friendly coffee farm - well worth buying a couple of bags of coffee to take home with you while you’re there).

The Fiery-billed Aracari looks similar to the Collared Aracari but the upper bill is all red and orange.More photos...

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

Bird name: Collared Aracari
Latin: Pteroglossus torquatus
Other: Tucancillo collarejo (Es) • Arasarí acollarado (Br)
Family: Ramphastidae • Toucans, Aracaris
Range: Mexico to Venezuela
Similar:

The Collared Aracari was not at all rare at the Canopy Tower. In fact one could usually be seen every morning at the crack of dawn or just before, feeding at the cecropias and other fruiting trees that surround the hotel. But the conditions never seemed very good for photography.

Upper mandible mostly light off-white with black tip, lower mandible black.More photos...

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

Bird name: Red Crowned Woodpecker
Latin: Melanerpes rubricapillus
Other: Carpintero habado (Es)
Family: Picidae • Woodpecker
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia to NW Venezuela

The Red-Crowned Woodpecker was the most visible of the woodpecker family on my visit to Panama in April. They came to fruit feeders at Canopy Lodge, were seen at Ammo Ponds in the Canal Zone and also in the Chiriqui highlands.

The male (directly below) has a red cap, the female (above) only has some pale red at the back of the head. Otherwise barred back and wings, the rest buffish. Indentifiable in Panama by pale cheeks.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Acorn Woodpecker
Latin: Melanerpes formicivorus
Other: Carpintero centroamericano, Carpintero cara negra (Es)
Family: Picidae • Woodpecker
Range: NW USA, Central America to western Panama, Colombia

These Acorn Woodpeckers, seen in Panama, were very charismatic - they would all disappear into their hollow trunk in the blink of an eye, and then reappear just as quickly.

Acorn Woodpeckers have red caps, black backs, pale yellow faces with black-ringed eyes and bills, pale yellow irises. Female only nape red apparently (these would then be mostly males?) Underparts, chest especially, black and white vertical streaks.

In Panama, only found in the western highlands of Chiriqui.More photos...

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

Bird name: Lineated Woodpecker
Latin: Dryocopus lineatus
Other: Pica-pau-de-banda-branca (Br)
Family: Picidae • Woodpecker
Range: Widespread Latin America

The Lineated Woodpecker is found throughout most of South and Central America north of Argentina, including all of Brazil. Most of these were seen in Panama.

The Lineated Woodpecker has a red crest, and white face stripe which extends down neck, - red malar stripe on male, on female (above) dark - dark chest, horizontally barred belly in Brazilian race, darker belly in Panama.

The Lineated Woodpecker has two white vertical bands on its back - the Crimson Crested Woodpecker has narrow bands which meet in “v”.More photos...

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

Bird name: Crimson Crested Woodpecker
Latin: Campephilus melanoleucos
Other: Pica-pau-de-topete-vermelho (Br)
Family: Picidae • Woodpecker
Range: Panama to northern Argentina

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 (directly below in more photos) has a mostly red head, with a black and white “badge” on the ear coverts. The female (above) has a broad white stripe on face and black crown. Bill is black, back black, underside swirly stripes.

We saw these in the Canal zone of Central Panama.More photos...

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

Bird name: Hairy Woodpecker
Latin: Picoides villosus
Other:
Family: Picidae • Woodpecker
Range: Widespread North America, Middle America to Panama.

In Panama, the Hairy Woodpecker is only found in the western highlands. It was not uncommon in the cloud forest above Los Quetzales Lodge in April but only seen feeding high in the trees.

They are mostly black with one white stripe down centre of back. They have white stripes above and below the eye and on nape, males have some red on nape or top of head. They are buffish underneath.More photos...

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

Bird name: Black Cheeked Woodpecker
Latin: Melanerpes pucherani
Other:
Family: Picidae • Woodpecker
Range: S Mexico to W Ecuador

I had a brief view of this male Black-cheeked Woodpecker in the Canal Zone in central Panama. The male has a red cap with black band running down from eye to neck and cream coloured face and throat. Small white spot above eye. Blackish back with some white spots or bars. Belly lightly barred. Female only nape is red.More photos...

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

Bird name: Cinnamon Woodpecker
Latin: Celeus loricatus
Other:
Family: Picidae • Woodpecker
Range: SE Guatemala, Nicaragua, Coast Rica, Panama, Colombia, SW Ecuador

Just a record shot of the Cinnamon Woodpecker. I blame the camera…More photos...

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

Bird name: American Pygmy Kingfisher
Latin: Chloroceryle aenea
Other: Martín pescador americano chico (Es) • Martim-pescador-anão (Br)
Family: Alcedinidae • Kingfishers
Range: S Mexico to N Argentina
Similar:

This male American Pygmy Kingfisher (above right) caught a fish and then flew up from a lower a branch and presented it to the female (above left).

The female has a dark band across the chest, the male has a white patch on the lower belly. Otherwise both are rufous below and dark blue-green above.More photos...

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

Bird name: Whooping Motmot
Latin: Momotus subrufescens
Other: Blue-Crowned Motmot • Momotus momota
Family: Momotidae • Motmots
Range: E Panama, N Colombia, N Venezuela, SE Ecuador, NW Peru
Similar:

The Whooping Motmot is the new name for the Blue-Crowned Motmot seen in Central Panama and southeast to Peru.

It has an electric blue crown, is cinnamon underneath and has green-blue upper parts.

As with other Motmots, it wags its tail back and forth like a metronome, perhaps when it sees a predator.

The penultimate parts of its two long tail feathers fall off over time, creating the two signature racquets.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Blue Diademed Motmot
Latin: Momotus lessoni
Other: Blue-Crowned Motmot • Momotus momota
Family: Momotidae • Motmots
Range: S Mexico to W Panama
Similar:

I’ve given this the relatively new IOC name of Blue-diademed Motmot, but most know this as the Blue Crowned Motmot - its former name before splitting. This complex are all readily identifiable by their distinctive blue crown, but within the complex the birds are separated mostly geographically. This one is found from Western Panama to Southern Mexico. Seen here in Chiriqui.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Tody Motmot
Latin: Hylomanes momotula
Other:
Family: Momotidae • Motmots
Range: S Mexico to Panama to NW Colombia
Similar:

The Tody Motmot is the smallest of the Motmots and the least similar to the others. These were difficult to photograph hidden deep in the dark forest canopy.More photos...

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

Bird name: Broad Billed Motmot
Latin: Electron platyrhynchum
Other: Momoto piquiancho (Es)
Family: Momotidae • Motmots
Range: E Honduras to Panama to SW Ecuador, W Amazonia
Similar: Rufous Motmot

The green on the lower belly of the Broad-billed Motmot rises up higher than on the Rufous Motmot. A greenish chin is sometimes visible. Otherwise similar, cinnamon head and chest, darker green-blue wings, black mask, and spot on chest.

Also seen in Mindo and Silanche in NW Ecuador.More photos...

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

Bird name: Rufous Motmot
Latin: Baryphthengus martii
Other: Momoto rufo (Es)
Family: Momotidae • Motmots
Range: E Honduras to Panama to SW Ecuador, W Amazonia
Similar: Broad-billed Motmot

The Rufous Motmot is larger than the similar Broad Billed Motmot and less green below. Black mask, cinnamon head, chest and belly. The rest is emerald green-blue. Black spot on chest.

Also seen in Mindo and Silanche in NW Ecuador.More photos...

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

Bird name: Resplendent Quetzal
Latin: Pharomachrus mocinno
Other: Quetzal or Quetzal mesoamericano (Es)
Family: Trogonidae • Trogons and Quetzals
Range: S Mexico to W Panama, montane cloud forest

The Resplendent Quetzal is a spectacular bird with superb iridescent colours and, in the male, long tail feathers. I saw these birds in May in Chiriqui, Western Panama, in the hills above Los Quetzales Lodge. Quetzales are fruit eaters, so can sometimes be found in groups feeding in certain fruiting trees.

The male has a superb red belly, white tail, long green tail feathers and upper parts, with yellow bill and green crest. The female is duller and lacks the long tail feathers and crest.

Classified Near-Threatened on the IUCN Red List, Respendent Quetzals are not always that easy to find in Panama - they are most common in the western Chiriqui highlands. They nest in tree holes.

The males are very beautiful in flight, their tails undulating through the air like snakes. The Resplendent Quetzal is the largest bird in the trogon family, the national bird of Mexico, and a sacred bird in Mayan culture.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Black Throated Trogon
Latin: Trogon rufus
Other: Surucuá amarillo (Es) • Surucuá-de-barriga-amarela (Br)
Family: Trogonidae • Trogons
Range: Panama, Honduras to Ecuador, Amazonia, N Argentina

Both male and female Black Throated Trogons have a blue eyering - the female has an outer white ring. Both sexes have a yellow belly and striped tail with two or three thick white bands. Males have green upperparts, black face, light grey shoulder and yellow bill. Females have brown head and chest and dark bill.

We saw several in central Panama, in Soberania National Park, Pipeline Road, Plantation Road and in the Metropolitan Park - so this was probably the most common type of Trogon we encountered.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Black Tailed Trogon
Latin: Trogon melanurus
Other:
Family: Trogonidae • Trogons
Range: Panama to Venezuela, Amazonia

Here is a female Black-tailed Trogon seen in on the Pipeline Road in central Panama. Note predominantly dark tail, red belly, greyish upperparts, and yellow lower bill.

Bill colour differentiates Black-tailed Trogons from Slaty-Tailed Trogons, which have red bills.

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

Bird name: Slaty Tailed Trogon
Latin: Trogon massena
Other: Trogón grande (Es)
Family: Trogonidae • Trogons
Range: SE Mexico to NE Ecuador

The Slaty Tailed Trogon is identifiable by its orange-red bill and red belly with dark tail.

Males (above) have greenish head and top parts and red eye-ring, while females are slate grey. Males have light grey shoulders and upper wings. The female (directly below) tends to have a darkish upper bill and reddish lower bill. Bill and eye-ring colour is the best way to differentiate Slaty-tailed Trogons from Black-tailed Trogons.

We saw several in Soberania National Park, including on Pipeline Rd and from the observation deck of the Canopy Tower.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Collared Trogon
Latin: Trogon collaris
Other: T. aurantiiventris
Family: Trogonidae • Trogons
Range: E Mexico through Amazonia, SE Brazil

Pictured here is the Orange Bellied Trogon, which is an orange-bellied colour morph of the Collared Trogon. The Orange-bellied Trogon was previously considered a separate species T. aurantiiventris, found in Costa Rica and Western Panama.

The more typical Collared Trogon has a red belly. Males have green head, white chest line and striped tail. Females have brown head white chest line and mostly white tail.More photos...

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

Bird name: Gartered Trogon
Latin: Trogon caligatus
Other: T. violaceus, Northern Violaceous Trogon
Family: Trogonidae • Trogons
Range: E Mexico to NW South America

When I saw this bird earlier this year it was identified as a Violaceous Trogon, but since then this northern type has been split from Violaceous Trogon into a new species called Gartered Trogon. I.e. Trogon caligatus is split from Trogon violaceus, the latter is only found in Amazonia.

Gartered Trogon males have a yellow eye-ring, orange yellow belly, deep bluish head, barred tail with two or three large white bands. Females (above) have a slate grey head and chest and black central tail feathers on an otherwise barred tail. Bill not yellow.More photos...

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

Bird name: Orange Bellied Trogon
Latin: Trogon aurantiiventris
Other: Collared Trogon • T. aurantiirostris in Ridgely fieldguide
Family: Trogonidae • Trogons
Range: Costa Rica to Central Panama

Orange-Bellied Trogon is now recognised as a colour morph of Collared Trogon - see Collared Trogon for more details.More photos...

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

Bird name: Violet Sabrewing
Latin: Campylopterus hemileucurus
Other:
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Southern Mexico to western Panama.

The Violet Sabrewing is a spectacular large hummingbird seen regularly in the Chiriqui highlands of western Panama, for example at the Los Quetzales Hotel feeders in May.

The male Violet Sabrewing is predominantly violet with green shoulders and terminal white outer tail feathers. It has a long curved bill, white spot behind eye, and is pretty unmistakeable in Panama.

The female (see below) is greenish above, whitish below, with purple throat only, but the same white in tail feathers as the male and white spot behind eye.More photos...

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

Bird name: Green Violetear
Latin: Colibri thalassinus
Other:
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Mexico to western Panama. Also Venezuela and Bolivia.

The Green Violetear is a good looking hummingbird, dark green with a very characteristic violet ear patch, which is easy to see and easy to remember! Thanks Green Violetear! The female is similar but smaller than the male with a violet band on the chest. The tail has a broad, diffuse, violet subterminal band. The tail is otherwise a sort of emerald colour below.

The Green Violet-ear is fairly common in the western highlands of Chiriqui state in western Panama and was seen regularly at the Los Quetzales Hotel feeders in May.More photos...

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

Bird name: Stripe Tailed Hummingbird
Latin: Eupherusa eximia
Other:
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Northeastern Mexico to western Panama.

The Stripe-tailed Hummingbird is identifiable by the copper wing patches below the shoulder. Otherwise mostly green, with bluish tail with white edges. Small white patch behind eye.

White-tailed Hummingbird and Blue-capped Hummingbird are sometimes considered subspecies of this species.More photos...

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

Bird name: White Tailed Emerald
Latin: Elvira chionura
Other:
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Southwest Costa Rica to central Panama.

Not much in the way of distinguishing features for the White-Tailed Emerald. These photos, taken in Chiriqui, have been identified as probably female White Tailed Emeralds, but I’m not certain. The male is mostly green with white bordered tail - like Stripe Tailed Hummingbird but without the copper epaulettes. The female is whitish below, sometimes flecked with green.More photos...

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

Bird name: Scintillant Hummingbird
Latin: Selasphorus scintilla
Other: Colibrí scintilla (Es)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Costa Rica and western Chiriqui highlands in Panama.

Great little hummer this one, quite easy to see around Los Quetzales in the Chiriqui highlands of western Panama. The Scintillant Hummingbird above is either female or juvenile. Adult males, which flash a bright orange gorget, were less common - below in “more photos” is a record picture. The tail of the Scintillant Hummingbird has a rufous edge.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Magnificent Hummingbird
Latin: Eugenes fulgens
Other: Colibrí Magnífico (Es)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Texas to western Panama

The male Magnificent Hummingbird has a wonderful bright iridescent purple cap and emerald throat combination, when seen in the right light, with white post ocular spot and the rest green mostly.

This female (lowest photo in “more photos”) is dull underneath with some purple on throat, and similar postocular spot. Seen here in the western Chiriqui highlands of Panama.

More photos...

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

Bird name: White Throated Mountain Gem
Latin: Lampornis castaneoventris
Other:
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Western Panama (Grey-tailed Mountain-gem in Costa Rica)

The female White-throated Mountain Gem, below, is the looker in this pair. She has a lovely buff-orange colour underneath, with a similar black eye stripe to the male, and white postocular stripe, the is rest mostly greenish. The male, above, has a white throat , green chest, greyish belly and prominent black eye stripe with bluish tail.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Fiery Throated Hummingbird
Latin: Panterpe insignis
Other: Colibrí Insigne (Es)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Costa Rica and high western mountains of Panama.

The fantastic fiery throat isn’t showing on this bird, but the characteristic dark blue back and white postocular spot can be seen. High mountains.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Chiriqui, Panama, 4 May 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Volcano Hummingbird
Latin: Selasphorus flammula
Other: Colibrí volcán (Es)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Costa Rica and Chiriqui, Panama

This seems likely to be a Volcano Hummingbird although not much colour showing. The gorget is typically purple-grey-green. Seen near the Boquete trail.

Copyright: monacoeye • El Valle, Panama, 4 May 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Stripe Throated Hermit
Latin: Phaethornis striigularis
Other: Ex. Little Hermit P. longuemareus
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Mexico to Ecuador and Venezuela

The Stripe-throated Hermit is the smallest of the Panamanian Hermits. It has a relatively short tail, which is often dipped when hovering to feed. It is brownish with zorro mask and more rufous above tail.

This one was seen in the El Valle de Anton region of Panama.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Canopy Tower, Panama, April 2010 • Do not copy.

Bird name: Long Billed Hermit
Latin: Phaethornis longirostris
Other: Ex Long-tailed Hermit P. superciliosus
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Mexico to Ecuador and Venezuela

The Long-billed Hermit is brownish with light stripes above and below the eye. Two long white tail feathers, the rest of the tail is brown with a dark band and light fringing.
More photos...

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

Bird name: Green Fronted Lancebill
Latin: Doryfera ludovicae
Other:
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador Bolivia and Venezuela

The Green-fronted Lancebill is not that easy to find. This one was perched above a deep-cut river in a dark, damp forest in the western highlands of Panama.

The Green-fronted Lancebill has a very long straight bill, is dull greenish mostly and greyish underneath. It has a small white spot behind the eye.

Below, in “more photos”, a Lancebill nest in the eves of a house.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Folha Seca, Brazil, 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Black Throated Mango
Latin: Anthracothorax nigricollis
Other: Mango de Garganta Negra (Es) • Beija-flor-de-veste-preta (Br)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Panama to Brazil

The Black-throated Mango female, below, is easily recognised by its black-on-white stripe which runs down from neck to tail. The male has a blue throat, with emerald border. Both have a purplish tail feathers.

The immature has rufous colouring around the face and throat, “see more photos” for one at the Canopy Tower in Panama.


More photos...

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

Bird name: White Tipped Sicklebill
Latin: Eutoxeres aquila
Other:
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

This White-tipped Sicklebill was seen near the Canopy Lodge in Panama. Not that easy to get a good view of this small bird feeding, though it is a regular visitor to heliconia. But it was easy to recognise here resting, by its extremely curved bill.

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

Bird name: Rufous Tailed Hummingbird
Latin: Amazilia tzacatl
Other: Amazilia de Cola Rufa (Es)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Mexico to Ecuador and Venezuela

The Rufous Tailed Hummingbird was perhaps the most widespread hummingbird seen on my trip to Panama. Similar to the Snowy-bellied Hummingbird, but only the tail is rufous, not the back. And only the lower part of the underside is white or grey. Underside of bill is mostly pinkish red.More photos...

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

Bird name: White Vented Plumeleteer
Latin: Chalybura buffonii
Other:
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru

The White-vented Plumeleteer is a good-looking large hummingbird. The male is mostly green with a deep blue tail feathers and fluffy white vent feathers.

The female is a bit more difficult to identify - I think the bottom photo in “more photos” is one.

These were seen in the Canopy Tower and Valle de Anton in central Panama.


More photos...

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

Bird name: Purple Crowned Fairy
Latin: Heliothryx barroti
Other:
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Mexico to Ecuador

Record shots of a very nice looking hummingbird, the Purple Crowned Fairy. Both male and female have pure white underneath, making them relatively easy to identify. The male has a bright violet forecrown, black eye stripe and bright green neck. The female has a green forecrown. The immature (see “more photos”) Purple-crowned Fairy has grey spotting to throat.

Seen here near the Canopy Tower in central Panama.More photos...

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

Bird name: Violet Bellied Hummingbird
Latin: Damophila julie
Other:
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

The male Violet-bellied Hummingbird, seen near the feeders at the Canopy Tower, is a real beauty with a bright indigo or violet belly and green head.

The female Violet-bellied Hummingbird is white underneath. The one below needs confirming.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Blue Chested Hummingbird
Latin: Amazilia amabilis
Other:
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador

The Blue-chested Hummingbird is weakly coloured - the male has a bluish chest area and the female (directly below) is greyer underneath.

More photos...

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

Bird name: Garden Emerald
Latin: Chlorostilbon assimilis
Other:
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Costa Rica, Panama

Probably a male Garden Emerald.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Canopy Tower, Panama, April 2010

Bird name: White Necked Jacobin
Latin: Florisuga mellivora
Other: Beija-flor-azul-de-rabo-branco (Br)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Mexico to Brazil

The White-necked Jacobin is an attractive hummingbird, a frequent visitor to the feeders at the Canopy Tower, in central Panama, when I visited in April.

The male is easily identifiable by its white back-of-neck, deep-blue head and neck, well-defined white belly and tail feathers, which are tipped dark. Back is green.

Females (below) are more tricky with a scaled neck and chest - the feathers are bordered white - white vent and diagnostic blue-and-white crissum (under tail).

Some individuals had some white on the back, maybe moulting?


More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Panama, 1 May 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Violet Headed Hummingbird
Latin: Klais guimeti
Other: Colibrí cabeza violeta (Es)
Family: Trochilidae • Hummingbirds
Range: Honduras to Bolivia

The male Violet-headed Hummingbird, seen above at the Canopy Lodge in El Valle, Panama, is identifiable by its violet head and bright white spot behind eye. The female, below, also has the white spot, but has greyish underparts and is otherwise mostly greenish with bluish forehead.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Lagoa do Peixe, Brasil • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Neotropic Cormorant
Latin: Phalacrocorax brasilianus
Other: Olivaceous Cormorant • Biguá (Br) • Cormorán Neotropical (Es)
Family: Phalacrocoracidae • Cormorants
Range: Southern USA to southern South America

The Neotropic Cormorant is widespread in the American tropics and sub-tropics. The photo above was taken in Lagoa do Peixe in southern Brazil, Phalacrocorax brasilianus brasilianus, the photo below was taken in Panama City, where there are large colonies of Neotropic Cormorants along the Pacific coastline.

Directly below, birds on the Pacific coast of Panama, near Panama City, where there are large colonies.

Copyright: monacoeye • Panama City, Panama, May 2010 • Do not copy without permission
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • El Valle, Panama, 3 May 2010

Bird name: Striped Cuckoo
Latin: Tapera naevia
Other: Saci (Br) • Crespín (Es), cuco rayado, trespiés
Family: Cuculidae • Cuckoos
Range: Mexico to Argentina

The Striped Cuckoo is a brownish bird, light underneath, with white stripe running above eye, rufous crest sometimes raised and long tail.

This individual was attracted by a call, and perched nearby in the open, in El Valle, central Panama.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Metropolitan Park, Panama, 8 May 2010

Bird name: Squirrel Cuckoo
Latin: Piaya cayana
Other: Alma-de-gato (Br)
Family: Cuculidae • Cuckoos
Range: Mexico to Brazil

The Squirrel Cuckoo in Panama, Piaya cayana thermophila, has a pinkish-brown head and neck, grey chest and belly. Otherwise it is mostly rufous, with conspicuous white ends to very long tail feathers, which are dark underneath. It has red irises, and eye rings and bill are dirty yellow. Seen in central Panama and Chiriqui.

More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Pipeline Road, Panama, 24 April 2010

Bird name: Pheasant Cuckoo
Latin: Dromococcyx phasianellus
Other: Saci-faisão (Br)
Family: Cuculidae • Cuckoos
Range: Mexico to Argentina

Little more than record shots of this hard-to-see bird, the Pheasant Cuckoo, which was calling in very dark forest undergrowth, near the Pipeline Road, in central Panama.

Like the Striped Cuckoo, the Pheasant Cuckoo has a white line above the eye, but more of a pronounced rufous crest, and a voluminous fanned tail - tail feathers are white-tipped.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Ubatuba November 2009

Bird name: Smooth Billed Ani
Latin: Crotophaga ani
Other: Ani de pico liso (Es) • Anu-preto (Br)
Family: Cuculidae • Anis
Range: Florida to Argentina

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

Above: Ubatuba November 2009 More photos...

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

Bird name: Greater Ani
Latin: Crotophaga major
Other: garrapatero (Es)
Family: Cuculidae • Cuckoos
Range: Panama to Argentina

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.More photos...

Pipeline Road Panama, 24 April 2010

Bird name: Rufous Vented Ground Cuckoo
Latin: Neomorphus geoffroyi
Other: Jacu-estalo (Br)
Family: Cuculidae • Cuckoos
Range: Nicaragua to Brazil

Since the Rufous-Vented Ground-Cuckoo is such a rarely seen bird, I’ll break my rule and add an entry even though I don’t have a photo (if anyone out there has one I’d love to post one here - send to monacoeye@gmail.com).

We were lucky enough to encounter a pair calling across the Pipeline Road in central Panama. With complete beginner’s luck, I called out the female inadvertently by clapping my hands, thinking I had heard a manakin! I got a very brief glimpse of the bird before it retreated into the undergrowth, but didn’t take a photo…

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Chiriqui, Panama, 8 May 2010

Bird name: Sulphur Winged Parakeet
Latin: Pyrrhura hoffmanni
Other: Hoffmann's Conure • Perico de Hoffman (Es)
Family: Psittacidae • Parrots
Range: Costa Rica highlands and western Panama

We observed a sizeable group of Sulphur-winged Parakeets feeding on this fruiting tree on Finca Hartmann in western Panama. The guide noted we were lucky to get such good views of a relatively timid bird.

The Sulphur-winged Parakeet is mostly green with a red cheek, white eye ring and some yellow around head and wings. It has a light coloured bill, and reddish under long tail.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Semaphore Hill, Panama, 26-30 April 2010

Bird name: Mealy Amazon
Latin: Amazona farinosa
Other: Mealy Parrot • Loro Harinoso Amazonico (Es) • Papagaio-moleiro (Br)
Family: Psittacidae • Parrots
Range: Tropical Central and South America

We saw Mealy Amazons near Canopy Tower, on Semaphore Hill, in central Panama.

Mealy Amazons (or Mealy Parrots) are large forest-dwelling parrots which are mostly green, with white eye ring, some red on wings. Darker, greyer, bluish? cap and yellower tail feathers. Sometimes with a light or yellow patch on darker bill.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Gamboa, 27 April 2010

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

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 • 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...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Panama, 8 May 2010

Bird name: Finsch's Parakeet
Latin: Aratinga finschi
Other: Crimson-fronted Parakeet • Finsch's Conure • Perico frentirrojo (Es)
Family: Psittacidae • Parrots
Range: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, western Panama

These Finsch’s Parakeets, or Crimson-faced Parakeets, as they are known locally, flew overhead at Finca Hartmann, in the western highlands of Panama.

Finsch’s Parakeets have red forehead and red markings around the “elbow” region, differentiating them from Red-lored Amazons. Otherwise mostly green, with underside of flight feathers olive-green.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Semaphore Hill, 30 April 2010

Bird name: Grey Chested Dove
Latin: Leptotila cassinii
Other: Gray-chested Dove
Family: Columbidae • Doves
Range: Southern Mexico to northern Colombia

The Grey-chested Dove is a forest bird, usually seen on the ground walking away, or on a low bough. Not very common. This subspecies, seen in central Panama, is Columbina talpacoti rufipennis - in the west there is a more rufous race.

The Grey-chested Dove has pinkish lores and orbital skin. Tail feathers have narrow white tips. It is pale grey to light underneath, with darker chest. Pale irises (supposed to be yellow).

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Chiriqui, Panama, 7 May 2010

Bird name: Mourning Dove
Latin: Zenaida macroura
Other: Huilota (Es)
Family: Columbidae • Doves
Range: North America to central Panama

The Panamanian subspecies, pictured here, is Zenaida macroura marginella. A pale dove with pinkish head and blue orbital skin and a few dark spots on wings. Pointed tail. The Mourning Dove is very widespread in the US.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...