Bulletin 318 - Guatemala 2018 #4 - Flycatchers

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 get new species.

Tyrant flycatchers are the largest family of birds with 435 species all in the New World, so wherever you go in the Americas, you will see many different species. This trip was no exception.

The 5" White-throated Flycatcher (Empidonax albigularis) is the last of the 15 species of empid flycatchers. I have now photographed them all. Empids are IDed by the eye ring and wing bars. They are best IDed by voice and that is why I always have a guide to show me the birds.

White-throated Flycatcher

The 6.5" Eye-ringed Flatbill (Rhynchocyclus brevirostris) is a drab olive flycatcher with an eye ring and broad based bill.

Eye-ringed Flatbill

The 3.5" Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet (Ornithion semiflavum) is a tiny yellow bellied bird with a long white eye stripe.

Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet

The 5" Ochre-bellied Flycatcher (Mionectes oleagineus) is an olive backed small flycatcher with buffy underparts.

Ochre-bellied Flycatcher

The 8" Bright-rumped Attila (Attila spadiceus) is a rufous flycather with a bright yellow rump. It has a range from Mexico to Brazil.

Bright-rumped Attila

The 5" Belted Flycatcher (Xenotriccus callizonus) was the hardest of the flycatchers to date to photograph. It is a very rare secretive bird with a range from Chiapas in southern Mexico to El Salvador. We found a pair one afternoon and despite 1 hour trying, they never come out of the brush. The next day we went back and had success. This is a cute gray headed flycatcher with a wispy crest and brown chest band.

Belted Flycatcher

And a side view shows 2 beige wing bars.

Belted Flycatcher

The 5" Sepia-capped Flycatcher (Leptopogon amaurocephalus) is an olive backed and yellow underside flycatcher with brown cap.

Sepia-capped Flycatcher

Lastly are 2 in the same genus. The 8.5" Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) is a common bird in eastern North America. We had them nesting in a bird house when I was growing up in Ontario. It is one of few bird songs I recognize since I remember it from childhood. They are brown backed with a gray or pale chest and bright yellow belly.

Great Crested Flycatcher

The 7.5" Yucatan Flycatcher (Myiarchus yucatanensis) is similar but paler overall.

Yucatan Flycatcher

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

I have photos of 121 of the 435 species of tyrant flycatchers

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2018 David McDonald

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Bulletin 265 - Costa Rica 2016 #9 - wrens, flycatchers and others

The tropical wrens are unlike our North American wrens in our yards. Most are very secretive and generally heard rather than seen well, so it was a treat to get some photos of a few new species.And although they are essentially all brown and white, it is the joy of the pursuit and getting a good photo that makes them exciting for me. There are 22 species of wrens in Costa Rica vs only 9 in North America!

The 4" White-breasted Wood-Wren (Henicorhina leucosticta) resides in the lower elevations from the coast to 5900" on the Pacific slope. It is IDed by the brown back, white eye stripe and white throat and breast.

White-breasted Wood-Wren

The 5" Riverside Wren (Cantorchilus semibadius) is endemic to SW Costa Rica and western Panama. It has a brown back and fine black and white barred underparts.

Riverside Wren

Flycatchers are the largest bird family with 431 species all in the New World, so one always sees several species on a trip. Here are a few of the more interesting ones. The 7" Nutting's Flycatcher (Myiarchus nuttingi) is an occasional vagrant to the USA. For those of you who read The Big Year or saw the movie, it starts out in Nogales AZ on New Years Day with several birders looking for a Nutting's Flycatcher.

Nutting's Flycatcher

I had an opportunity to visit the refuge that was the homestead of Alexander Skutch who authored the first 'Birds of Costa Rica" in 1989. The 5" Ochre-bellied Flycatcher (Mionectes oleagineus) was seen there. It is olive with an ochre belly.

Ochre-bellied Flycatcher

There are 7 species of Flycatchers of the genus Attila. The 8" Bright-rumped Attila (Attila spadiceus) is the only one in Central America, the rest being in South America. This was my second one of this genus to photograph. It is rather dull olive, but has a long hooked beak.

Bright-rumped Attila

The tiny 3" Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant (Myiornis atriacapillus) was good to get off the bucket list. These diminutive flycatchers can be devilish to photograph.

Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant

The stunning 7" male Turquoise Cotinga (Cotinga ridgwayi) was a treat to find high in a bare tree. He is turquoise with a purple throat and belly. It is endemic to Costa Rica and western Panama.

Turquoise Cotinga - male

The 7" Rose-throated Becard (Pachyramphus aglaiae) is an occasional visitor to south Texas. Interestingly, the southern races of the birds here in Costa Rica do not have the rose throat. The female shown here is brown with a gray cap. This is the best photo I have had of this species.

Rose-throated Becard - female

The 4" Tawny-crowned Greenlet (Hylophilus ochraceiceps) is a member of the vireo family. 

Tawny-crowned Greenlet

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.