Bulletin 321 - Guatemala #7 - Hummingbirds, Toucan, Swift, Trogon, Mammals

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 diferent locations to see new species.

There were several hummingbirds photographed on the trip including 2 new species. The 4.5" male Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii) is all dark green with a reddish tail and median black stripe on underparts.

Green-breasted Mango - male

The 5" female Purple-crowned Fairy (Heliothryx barroti) is a large flash hummer with snow white underparts and green above. The male is similar except he has a purple crown.

Purple-crowned Fairy - female

The 6" female Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus) is green above and white below. The male is dark purple and both have a mostly white tail.

Violet Sabrewing - female

The 4.5" Green-throated Mountaingem (Lampornis viridipallens) is a green backed hummer with a speckled green throat. He also has the vertical white stripe behind his eye typical of this genus.

Green-throated Mountaingem

The next 2 species are the new ones. The 5" Wedge-tailed Sabrewing (Campylopterus pampa) is a drab hummer green above and grayish below. There is also a purple crown and a white spot behind the eye. The sexes are similar

Wedge-tailed Sabrewing

The last is the 3.5" White-bellied Emerald (Amazilia candida). This small hummer is green above, light below and the reddish bill typical of the amazilia genus.

White-bellied Emerald

The 14" Emerald Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus) is a small green toucan with rusty tail and a yellow upper mandible.

Emerald Toucanet

The 11" male Collared Trogon (Trogon collaris) has a green back, head and breast and red belly with a white collar across his chest.

Collared Trogon - male

Lastly, swifts are a family of birds that I have few photos as they never perch. But my guide showed me the settings to use to photo them in flight. Here is the 8.5" White-collared Swift (Streptoprocne zonaris). He is brown with a white collar.

White-collared Swift

I got a couple of mammals as well. Here is the Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). It has a range from southern Canada to northern South America. This fox was being fed daily at one of the lodges we stayed at.

Gray Fox

And of course a funny monkey photo. Here is a Central American Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) running along a path. It has an alternate name Geoffroy's Spider Monkey

Central American Spider Monkey

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

I have photos of 125 of the 348 species of hummingbirds

I have photos of 15 of the 47 species of toucans

I have photos of 14 of the 43 species of trogons


I have photos of 3 of the 108 species of swifts

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2018 David McDonald

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Bulletin 227 - Costa Rica #7 - Trogons, Toucans and others

Trogons are a small (43 species) worldwide tropical family of colorful medium sized forest birds. 2 species occur in Southeast Arizona. 10 species can be found in Costa Rica.

The male Black-throated Trogon (Trogon rufus) is a 9" green headed bird with a black throat and yellow breast and bill. The long square tail is finely barred black and white. The eye ring is blue. The female (not shown) is duller with a brown head.

Black-throated Trogon - male

The 10" male Collared Trogon (Trogon collaris) has a dark green head, the belly is red and it has a white collar.

Collared Trogon - male

The female has a brown head and back.

Collared Trogon - female

The 12" male Slaty-tailed Trogon (Trogon massena) has a green head, red belly, orange-red bill and plain gray tail.

Slaty-tailed Trogon - male

Quetzals are 6 members of the trogon family with more elaborate plumages. The   male Resplendant Quetzal (Pharomacrus mocinno) is a 14" trogon with 4 very long tail feathers (up to 30"). This bird is considered by many to be the most beautiful bird in the world. It was sacred to the Mayans and is the national bird of Guatemala and their currency is called the quetzal. It has a green head and back, bushy crest, red belly and yellow beak. Notice also the green feathers that cover the wings.

Resplendant Quetzal - male

And a frontal view.

Resplendant Quetzal - male

The female has a gray belly and lacks the crest and long tail feathers.

Resplendant Quetzal - female

The toucans are a neotropical family of birds familiar to everyone because of their large colorful beaks. The sexes are similar. The Black-mandibled Toucan (Ramphastos ambiguus) is a 22" toucan with bicolored bill (yellow and dark brown). This bird flew to this bare tree at dawn each morning at La Selva, and played the role of a rooster to get everyone up.

Black-mandibled Toucan

Aracaris are smaller toucans with more pointed bills. the 16" Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus) has a whitish upper mandible, yellow belly and a band across it.

Collared Aracari

Toucanets, as the name suggests, are smaller toucans. The 12" Blue-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus caeruleogularis) is green bodied with a brown head, a bicolored bill and blue throat.

Blue-throated Toucanet

Jacamars are another small (18 species) neotropical family of birds. They have long pointed bills and look like large hummingbirds. The 9" Rufous-tailed Jacamar (Galbula ruficauda) is green with rufous belly and undertail and a very long black bill. This is a male. The female is duller with a beige rather than white throat.

Rufous-tailed Jacamar - male

Puffbirds are another small (37 species) neotropical family of mostly black and white or brown and white birds. They eat insects and small reptiles or amphibians. The 6" Pied Puffbird (Notharcus tectus) has a black head and body, white underparts and a black band across the breast. These birds sit quietly are are very difficult to find.

Pied Puffbird

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2015 David McDonald

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