Bulletin 320 - Guatemala #6 - Jays, swallows, sparrows

I went for a third visit to Guatemala in May. Once again, I used the wonderful local guide Knut Eisermann of Cayaya Birding. On this visit, we went to different locations to see new species.

I got photos of 4 different species of jays on the trip, 2 of which were life birds for me. The 16" Brown Jay (Psilorhinus morio) is a dark brown jay with light belly. The adult has a black bill and I had photographed it in south Texas where it is an vagrant. But the juvenile has a yellow bill and I got a photo of a juvie.

Brown Jay - juvenile

The 12" Bushy-crested Jay (Cyanocorax melanocyaneus) I had photos before, but got better pics on this trip. It has a black head and royal blue body and yellow eye. The crest is usually held flat so not visible.

Bushy-crested Jay

The 13.5" Unicolored Jay (Aphelocoma unicolor) is a dark blue bird with a darker face.

Unicolored Jay

The smallest is the 11" Azure-hooded Jay (Cyanolyca cucullata). He is a deep purplish blue with a turquoise hat. 

Azure-hooded Jay

I also got photos of 3 species of sparrows, 2 of which were lifers. The one I saw previously was the 7" Rusty Sparrow (Aimophila rufescens). He is rufous on the back and cap and had a gray face.

Rusty Sparrow

The 6" Green-backed Sparrow (Arremonops chloronotus) is very similar to the Olive Sparrow in south Texas. It has a greenish back, and gray face with some stripes.

Green-backed Sparrow

The last is the 7.5" White-eared Ground Sparrow (Melozone leucotis). It is easily IDed by the distinctive facial pattern.

White-eared Ground Sparrow

Swallows are a delight to watch as they are magnificent flyers taking insects on the wing. However to photograph them, they need to land and perch. The 5" Black-capped Swallow (Notiochelidon pileata) has a restricted range in the mountains from southern Mexico to El Salvador. It had a black head and back and light underparts. It was a lifer. Here is a group at the top of a dead tree.

Black-capped Swallow

The 5.5" Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) is a common bird in North America. However this is the rigdwayi subspecies in the Yucatan and adjacent Belize and Guatemala. It is 10% larger, has white spots above bill, black undertail coverts and a forked tail. It also nests on cliffs. All these differentiate it from the other subspecies of the bird. It is listed as a possible future split to be called Ridgway's Swallow.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow - ridgwayi ssp

I have the different bird families in single folders for easy viewing

I have photos of 37 of the 130 species of crows and jays

I have photos of 67 of the 136 species of New World sparrows

I have photos of 15 of the 88 species of swallows

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2018 David McDonald

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Bulletin 253 - Guatemala #4 - Finches, Jays and others

I got photos of 4 finches. The male 4.5" Black-headed Siskin (Carduelis notata) looks like our American Goldfinch except the head is all black. It is endemic from Mexico to Nicaragua 

Black-headed Siskin - male

The Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria) occurs here in the USA as well. Here is a male taking a bath. he is all black above and yellow below.

Lesser Goldfinch - male

The fruit eating euphonias are beautiful. The 4.25" male Yellow-throated Euphonia (Euphonia hirundinacea) is navy blue above and all yellow below.

Yellow-throated Euphonia - male

Chlorophonias are similar but green. The 5" Blue-crowned Chlorophonia (Chlorophonia occipitalis) is bright green on head and back, with yellow underparts and a blue patch on top of his head. He also has a dark bar across the chest separating the green from the yellow. I have now seen several species of chlorophonias and I am always amazed at their beauty.

Blue-crowned Chlorophonia - male

I got photos of 3 neat jays. The first is call the 13" Bushy-crested Jay (Cyanocorax melanocyaneus). The crest is usually held flat so it doesn't show. The adults have black heads and throats and the rest is bright blue. The yellow eye is prominent.

Bushy-crested Jay

The 12" Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) is well known to North American birders as it is widespread in the mountains of the west. It has a huge bushy crest. Its range extends through Mexico into Guatemala, but the local birds really don't resemble the NA birds, as it has a much shorter crest that is usually kept flat.

Steller's Jay

The last is the amazing 20" White-throated Magpie-Jay (Callocitta formasa) This bird is blue above, white on head and below with a black collar. His crest feathers arch forward.

White-throated Magpie-Jay

I had a photo of the 9" Spot-breasted Oriole (Icterus pectoralis) before, but it was in Miami where there are a number of escaped cage birds. This is the first from the normal range. The male is an orange and black oriole with spots on the breast.

Spot-breasted Oriole

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2016 David McDonald

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