AOU changes

Exciting as it sounds, the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) recently published the 51st supplement of its Checklist. The changes do not affect the total number of species for Panama, but there are lots of changes, both in English and Latin names. Also, there are lots of other taxonomic issues, involving new families and orders. Some changes were already made by the South American Classification Committee (SACC), but I suppose that we will have to wait for the AOU NACC to adopt some other changes, like the splitting of the Blue-crowned Motmot complex, new genera in the Troglodytidae (Wrens), etc... I'll be listing only those changes that directly affect Panama.

Only two changes in English names: 1) the Violaceous Trogon is split into two species, the form occurring in Panama is the Gartered Trogon, Trogon caligatus (notice that its Latin name also changed) 2) The hyphen in Crowned Slaty-Flycatcher was removed, becoming Crowned Slaty Flycatcher ( a recent addition to Panama and North America's lists).

Many changes in Latin names: 1) the White-tailed Trogon is now Trogon chionurus (Trogon viridis -the Green-backed Trogon- is extra-limital) 2) the Brown Jay is now a monotypic species: Psilorhinus morio (a juvenile in the photo) 3) the Blue-winged Warbler becomes Vermivora cyanoptera 4) the Tennessee Warbler becomes Oreothlypis peregrina (formerly in Vermivora) 5) the Flame-throated Warbler becomes Oreothlypis gutturalis (formerly in Parula) 6) both waterthrushes are now in the new genus Parkesia

Other changes of interest: 1) the Osprey recovers its status as monotypic familily, the Pandionidae 2) the Prong-billed Barbet, and the extra-limital Toucan-Barbet, conform the new Semnornithidae 3) all the Lipaugus pihas are officially cotingas (anticipated by Ridgely) 4) the Capitonidae (split from Ramphastidae) only includes New World barbets 5) other two new families arise: the Polioptilidae (gnatwrens & gnatcatchers, split from the Old World Sylviidae) and the Donacobiidae (Donacobius) 6) new orders are: Accipitriformes (kites, hawks & eagles), Eurypygiformes (Sunbittern and extra-limital Kagu), Phaethontiformes (tropicbirds, Red-billed Tropicbird in the photo) and Suliformes (boobies, cormorants, frigatebirds and anhinga) 7) the Pelecaniformes now include the herons, ibises and spoonbills (formerly in Ciconiiformes)

Well, now is time to update my lists!

Bocas' Lowlands

Saturday's evening and Sunday's morning found us bidwatching the Two Tanks Road in Chiriqui Grande, Central Bocas del Toro. Earlier, on saturday, the conditions of the Pipeline road after the Fortuna dam prevented us from birding the usual spots in the Bocas' foothills. Several landslides were partially blocking the road (and I couldn't find the entrance to the Verrugosa trail) and some streams overflew on the way, making difficult to stop in the usual sites (for example, Willie Mazu). Anyway, this part of the country form a part of the Central American Caribbean Slope EBA and has its own special birds. We stayed at the former Bull Pension (now, Hospedaje La Amistad) and birded only the first part of the road, since the last part of the dike road has been used as a dumping site. Although the activity was low, it was constant, with common species showing up and even some surprises (for me). The first birds sighted were the Brown Jays, easily detected by their loud calls, followed by the huge Montezuma Oropendolas. Common birds were Passerini's, Golden-hooded and White-lined Tanagers, Band-backed Wren, Olive-backed Euphonia, Groove-billed and Greater Anis, Blue-headed and White-crowned Parrots and Pale-vented Pigeons. A little bird working the bushes along the road turned out to be a male Pacific Antwren, a long desired lifer for me! Not much later, a quick search to the sky produced a group of ten or more Gray-rumped Swifts, my second lifer of the day! They flew against the forested hill, allowing me prolonged views of the pale rump and throat. The second day we found almost the same species (except the antwren), plus a Laughing Falcon and a Green Ibis that flew directly to us! We were hurried to return over de Continental Divide in order to visit Las Lajas beach (Panama must be the only place where you plan a beach trip to the Pacific Ocean standing on the Caribbean coast). After all, two lifers is pretty good if you're not twitching.