Bulletin 403 - Colombia 2021 #20 - Sparrows and other songbirds

 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.

In the USA we think of sparrows as LBJs (little brown jobs) that can be difficult to ID. However in the tropics there are a number of members of this family called brushfinches that are quite attractive,

In the Sanata Marta range we saw two endemic species at different elevations. The 7" Sierra Nevada Brushfinch (Arremon basilicus) occurs at a lower elevation. It is brown with a black head and white throat. 

Sierra Nevada Brushfinch

At the higher elevation is the 7" Santa Marta Brushfinch (Atlapetes melanocephalus). Is has a gray back, yellow breast, black head and a gray ear patch.

Santa Marta Brushfinch

The 7" Slaty Brushfinch (Atlapetes schistaceus) is gray overall - darker on the back and he has a rufous crown.

 Slaty Brushfinch

The 6" Tocuyo Sparrow (Arremonops tocuyensis) is a non-descript little bird that is confined to the extreme northeast Colombia and adjacent Venezuela. The book says it can be difficult to locate, but we found it.

Tocuyo Sparrow

The most beautiful sparrow of the trip was the 6" Golden-winged Sparrow (Arremon schlegeli). It reminded me of a fat Golden-winged Warbler - but with a yellow bill.

Golden-winged Sparrow

There are many flycatchers and most are kind of drab or similar looking. I will select 2 interesting ones. The first is the black and white 5" Pied Water Tyrant (Fluvicola pica).

Pied Water Tyrant

The second is the Santa Marta endemic 8" Santa Marta Bush Tyrant (Myiotheretes pernix). It is plain colored - but interesting as only occurs high in that mountain range and is difficult to see up close, but he flew to within 15 yards of us, without using the tape.

Santa Marta Bush Tyrant

Similarly, the funarids are a huge family of mostly brown birds. So I will just show 3 interesting ones. The first is the Orinoco Softtail (Thripophaga cherriei). It is a brown bird with light streaking on the face and breast. There is a distinctive rufous throat. It is interesting as it is listed as a Venezuelan endemic and has only been found in Colombia in the last few years.

Orinoco Softtail

The second is another Santa Marta endemic, the 7.5" Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner (Clibanornis rufipectus). Foliage-gleaners as a group are always difficult to see well and even harder to photograph. This one was no exception. He stayed hidden for 15 minutes as we tried to get him into the open. Finally the guide walked further along the trail and I stayed behind and then out he popped into the open.

Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner

Spinetails are another nemesis bird for me to photograph. But the 6" White-whiskered Spinetail (Synallaxis candei) lives in the dry scrubby forest in extreme northeast Colombia.. He is also the most colorful funarid I have seen. The ID is easy.

White-whiskered Spinetail

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

I have photos of 74 of the 137 species of New World Sparrows

I have photos of 132 of the 437 species of Tyrant Flycatchers

I have photos of 40 of the 315 species of funarids

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald

dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2022 David McDonald

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