Bulletin 219 - Costa Rica #2 - Wrens and Guans

I really enjoy wrens, Yes, they are mostly LBJs (little brown jobs) but they always seen so active and industrious. The forest wrens of the tropics are fiendishly difficult to even see, let alone photograph. So I was really pleased that my guides were able to find a number for me. In all wrens, the sexes are similar unless noted.

The first day, on the way from San Jose to La Selva, we found this 4" Ochraceous Wren (Troglodytes ochraceous) in the vines coiled around a tree as we were looking at some tanagers in the trees. It was pure luck as I just saw the movement and got a photo of the bird at eye level.

Ochraceous Wren

The next day at La Selva, there were a pair of Band-backed Wrens (Campylorhynchus zonatus) nesting in some bromeliads on a tree trunk just outside the dining hall. The 7" bird is the same genus and similar to the Cactus Wren in the southwestern USA. Notice that their proximity to all the researchers has them both banded.

Band-backed Wren pair

At La Selva, in the woods, we found a Black-throated Wren (Pheugopedius atrogularis). This 6" wren is all dark brown except for the black throat.

Black-throated Wren

The last wren at La Selva was this 5" Stripe-breasted Wren (Cantorchilus thoracicus).It has a brown back and streaked face, throat and breast.

Stripe-breasted Wren

At Savegre Lodge in the mountains, a pair of Gray-breasted Wood-wrens (Henicorhina leucophrys) were making a home.This 4" wren has a dark brown back, gray breast and streaked face.

Gray-breasted Wood-wren

We had to to the paramo (scrub above the tree line at 11,000 feet elevation) to find the 4" Timberline Wren (Thyrochilus browni).The dots on the wings and white edging of the primaries are diagnostic.

Timberline Wren

The last one was the common 4" House Wren (Troglodytes aedon). This bird is a permanent resident throughout Costa Rica except on the paramo.

House Wren

The Cracidae family of birds is a New World family of large chicken-like game birds including chachalacas, guans and the most intriguing, curassows. These birds are hard to find except where protected from hunting in sanctuaries, national parks etc.

I had seen the Black Guan (Chamaepetes unicolor) on my first trip to Costs Rica in 1994 on the first morning of the trip. I definitely wanted to see it and get a photo this time. It is a resident of the mountains and IDed by blue facial skin, red legs and all black body. We found a pair on the first day as we drove over the mountains from San Jose to La Selva on the Caribbean lowlands.

Black Guan

At La Selva, they had lots of 35" Crested Guans (Penelope purpurascens) and we saw several every day. I like the genus name of this bird. It is all brown with a crest and red skin on throat.

Crested Guan

The last is the 36" Great Curassow (Crax rubra). I remember this bird well from my first birding trip to the tropics to Belize in 1993. The male is all black with a white belly, and a yellow knob on his face and a curly punk rock crest. The female is brown but we didn't see her. This bird was also seen at La Selva.

Great Curassow - male

A close-up of his head shows the curly crest feathers and the peculiar yellow knob.

Great Curassow - male

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2015 David McDonald

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Bulletin 189 - winter birds

The Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) is a winter visitor to Anahuac NWR. The gray face and rufous wings ID this 5.75" sparrow.

Swamp Sparrow

This Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) posed in the early morning sunlight to give a beautiful reflection.

Pied-billed Grebe

Anahuac NWR hosts thousands of wintering Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens). I noticed the juvenile plumaged birds for the first time. They have brownish heads and necks and gray backs and wings.

Snow Goose - juvenile light phase

Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) are also winter visitors to Anahuac, but I cannot recall seeing them before. One other birder posted that he saw several at the refuge, and then I found about 12-15. I guess I just missed them for 20 years! They are 15" long and have stiff tails, that they often carry upright. The non-breeding males have a dark cap, white cheek and brown body.

Ruddy Duck - male non-breeding

The females are similar, but have a dark stripe across the face. She has her tail upright as well, an important field mark for this species.



Ruddy Duck - female

I also found a Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) at Anahuac, again my first time to see one in Texas. I looked at the Anahuac list and they are listed as common in winter. I guess my vision is improving with age? The reddish-brown head, white body and forehead sloping down to the bill ID this duck.



Canvasback

I watched a pair of Neotropic Cormorants (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) fishing at Anahuac and they each caught a catfish. This one struggled to move the fish around to be able to swallow it, but here he is with the fish in position to swallow it head first.



Neotropic Cormorant

A birder is northwest Houston had an Eastern Towhee in his yard that he posted on Texbirds. I have never seen this bird, despite looking extensively in Maine, Michigan and Florida with guides. I went to his house twice and waited for a total of 6 hours..still no luck.

However, I did photo some other birds at his feeders. Here is a Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum). They are normally pretty shy, and I have never seen one on a feeder before. The rufous body, curved bill, streaked breast and bright yellow eye are the field marks.

Brown Thrasher

There was also a House Wren (Troglodytes aedon). This small (4.75") plain brown wren is a winter resident here. This is my best photo ever of this species.

House Wren

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2014 David McDonald

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