They are here to stay!

And that is for sure!  I'm talking about the Carib Grackles.  For some reason, this species colonized Panama unnoticed more than one and a half year ago from Colombia, where it showed an explosive expansion of its natural range.  In fact, the first record was mere 40 kms to the east of Panama City.  

Back then, I noticed this rather small adult male grackle with a huge group of normal-sized Great-tailed Grackle... nothing rare, just unusual... until I heard it!  This small grackle had a different voice!

Carib Grackle.  Finca Bayano, Panama.  August 15th, 2017

I hurried to take photos of this grackle, and managed some (like the one above)... but soon concluded that it had to be some dwarf or anomalous individual or something like that.  After all, there were no previous records in eastern Panama of this conspicuous species, which I already knew from South America.  But for some reason, I did not erase those photos.  Just a few weeks later, while birding some fields close to the town of Chepo with some fellow birders including Venicio "Beny" Wilson and Rolando Jordan, I noticed again these small grackles accompanying normal-looking Great-tailed Grackles... but this time there were no doubts... those were Carib Grackles!

Carib Grackles.  Near Chepo, Panama.  September 9th, 2017

Since then, the grackles were recorded in several hotspots to the east of the first records and into Darien province.  In fact, there are some regular spots where the birds are almost guaranteed, like the river near the town of Torti in eastern Panama province.  There have been reports of juveniles birds there, although we have not yet found a nest so far.  I went to this site in my way back from Finca Los Lagos after my twitch for the Bare-faced Ibis.  As soon as I got there, I noticed the Carib Grackles at the bank of the river.  They were vocalizing and I managed photos and sound recordings this time, that I included in my eBird checklist for the site.

Carib Grackles. Torti, Panama. February 3rd, 2019

Carib Grackle. Torti, Panama. February 3rd, 2019

Its similarity to the ubiquitous Great-tailed Grackles certainly had something to do with its "sorpresive" colonization... simply no one cared to check the grackles before!  Several reports have been of birds in association with Great-tailed Grackles, and almost all the birds have been found associated with water.  I wonder how far will they reach into western Panama, but something seems sure... they are here to stay!