Bulletin 391 - Colombia 2021 #8 - Antbirds Part 2 and Antpittas

 I finally made it back to Colombia for my second visit and again used the guide services of Pablo Florez. I went with my friend Martin Jackson. We visited Inirida on the Orinoco, Santa Marta of course, Guajira Peninsula on the Caribbean coast, and a couple of National Parks around Bogota.

The 6" Santa Marta Antbird (Drymophilia hellmayri) is endemic to those mountains. It has brown wings and a black and white streaked throat. The sexes are very similar. It was formerly one of 4 species called Long-tailed Antbird.

Santa Marta Antbird

The 4.5" female Black-chinned Antbird (Hypocnemoides melanopogon) is a gray bird with a white throat and faint black streaks. The male has a black throat. Their habitat of flooded forest foraging just above the water line is diagnostic. We had a pair about 10 meters away in deep shadow just before dusk. It was too dark to get a photo, but just as we were about to leave in the boat, the female flew and landed in the open right beside the boat!

Black-chinned Antbird - female

The beautiful male 6" White-bellied Antbird (Myrmeciza longipes) is 'unlike any other' and an easy ID. This bird is the easiest antbird I have ever photographed. He came to within 2 meters, in the open, and sang continuously.

White-bellied Antbird

The 4.75" female Dot-backed Antbird (Hylophylax punctatus) has a black face, white chin, and white dot on lower back. The male is similar but with a black chin. Their habitat is like the Black-chinned Antbird - flooded forest - but they forage 1-4 meters above the water surface.

Dot-backed Antbird

The 5" male Southern White-fringed Antwren (Formicivora grisea) is an easy ID. he is brown above and black below with a white line between them. It was recently split into Northern and Southern species

Southern White-fringed Antwren - male

Antpittas are a closely related family to antbirds - and usually even more difficult to see and photograph. But in the past 20 years, it was discovered that they can be trained to come to a feeder enticed by worms. I photographed 3 species on the trip and saw a 4th one.

The 7" Santa Marta Antpitta (Grallaria bangsi) came to a feeding station at a research site in the Santa Marta range. It is endemic to those mountains.

Santa Marta Antpitta

The 6.5" Tawny Antpitta (Grallaria quitensis) is a resident high in the mountains and on the paramo. It often comes in the open as this one did - on the road.

Tawny Antpitta

The one that we saw but I wasn't able to photograph was the Rufous Antpitta in the Santa Marta range. This species of antpitta was split into 14 different species in July 2021! This one is now the Sierra Nevada Antpitta.

I put the different bird/mammal families in single folders for easy viewing

I have photos of 29 of the 238 species of antbirds

I have photos of 10 of the 69 species of antpittas

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald

dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2021 David McDonald

To have these trip reports sent to your email, please email me at the above address and ask to subscribe.

Bulletin 390 - Colombia 2021 #7 - Parrots

 I finally made it back to Colombia for my second visit and again used the guide services of Pablo Florez. I went with my friend Martin Jackson. We visited Inirida on the Orinoco, Santa Marta of course, Guajira Peninsula on the Caribbean coast, and a couple of National Parks around Bogota.

Parrots are favorites of birders and non-birders alike due to their bright colors, popularity as cage birds and they can be trained to talk. Colombia as you know has more species of birds than any other country. There are 56 species of parrots in Colombia. I photographed a dozen and we saw one or two more. The 5" Green-rumped Parrotlet (Forpus passerinus) is s sparrow-sized green parrot with a touch of blue in his wings.

Green-rumped Parrotlet

Parakeets are parrots with long pointed tails. The 15" Blue-crowned Parakeet (Thectocercus acuticaudatus) is a green parakeet with a large white eye ring and a blue forehead.

Blue-crowned Parakeet

The 9" Flame-winged Parakeet (Pyrrhura callipterra) is a Colombian endemic species. It is green with a brown ruffle around the neck and large yellow wing patches visible in flight. It is also known as the Brown-breasted Parakeet. This bird is listed as vulnerable and declining.

Flame-winged Parakeet

Here is another photo.

Flame-winged Parakeet

Unfortunately, we missed the rare endemic Santa Marta Parakeet.

Parrots usually have shorter square tails. The 9" Black-headed Parrot (Pionites melanocephalus) is a black and white and green and yellow parrot. It is an easy ID.

Black-headed Parrot

The 11" Blue-headed Parrot (Pionus menstruus) is also an easy ID. I have seen it multiple times.

Blue-headed Parrot

Amazons are the largest New World parrots except for the macaws. The 13" Orange-winged Amazon (Amazona amazonica) is all green with a few orange flight feathers.

Orange-winged Amazon

The 16" Southern Mealy Amazon (Amazona farinosa). It is green with some red flight feathers.

Southern Mealy Amazon

The largest are the macaws. The 18" Chestnut-fronted Macaw (Ara severus) is a colorful macaw with a brown forehead. This my best photo of this species.

Chestnut-fronted Macaw

Lastly, the 36" Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) is a huge stunning bird.

Scarlet Macaw

I put the different bird/mammal families in single folders for easy viewing

I have photos of 44 of the 177 species of New World and African Parrots

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald

dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2021 David McDonald

To have these trip reports sent to your email, please email me at the above address and ask to subscribe.