Bulletin 252 - Guatemala #3 - motmots, night birds and other non-passerines

I actually managed to photo 4 motmot species which is more than 25% of all the species. The 16" Blue-diademed Motmot (Momotus lessonii) has a blue edge to the crown. The pair here show the typical raquet tail. Motmots swing their tails side to side like a metronome. The left bird has his tail way to the left.

Blue-diademed Motmot

The 14" Turquoise-browed Motmot (Eumomota superciliosa) has the longest bare shaft on the tail of any of the motmots.

Turquiose-browed Motmot

The 2 smallest motmots lack the raquet tails. The 10" Blue-throated Motmot (Aspatha gularis) is greenish with a blue throat and long tail.

Blue-throated Motmot

The 7" Tody Motmot (Hylomanes momotula) is brownish with a rufous cap and black mask.

Tody Motmot

I got 2 owls on the trip. The 14" Mottled Owl (Strix virgata) has dark eyes, and dark brown streaking.

Mottled Owl

His cousin, the 16" Fulvous Owl (Strix fulvescens) is lighter with a pale facial disk and rufous streaking.

Fulvous Owl

I also got a photo of a 9" Mexican Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus arizonae). This typical nightjar is brown with a pale collar. This is probably a female as males have white corners on the tail.

Mexican Whip-poor-will

The only new diurnal raptor was a favorite, the 20" Laughing Falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans). As its name suggests this bird feeds on snakes. It has brown back, wings and tail with the rest of the body cream except for a backwards brown mask on the head.

Laughing Falcon

The local cracid is the 21" White-bellied Chachalaca (Ortalis leucogastra). It is brown with a white belly.

White-bellied Chachalaca

We also found several parrots. The 9" Pacific Parakeet (Psittacara strenua) is all green but may have a few red spots on the neck.

Pacific Parakeet

The 9" Orange-fronted Parakeet (Eupsittula canicularis) is green with an orange forehead. He also has a prominent yellow eye ring

Orange-fronted Parakeet

The last parrot is the 13" Yellow-naped Parrot (Amazona auropalliata). This green parrot has yellow across the back of the neck and red patches in the wings.

Yellow-naped Parrot

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2016 David McDonald

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