City black birds

Driving around Panama City (after leaving Gloriela at the airport... she is in Mexico now) gave me some unexpected photographic opportunities, but also I realized that we have many all-black coloured birds in the city. Right at the parking lot of the airport (and perhaps elsewhere in Panama), the Great-tailed Grackles were feeding at the grass, looking for small insects and doing grackles stuff, harassing other smaller, all-black birds (Blue-black Grassquits). A curious young male (still with some brown feathers, dull yellow eyes and molting tail) got very close to me... surely he wanted a close-up photo, and I didn't denied it. The grackles were not the only black birds at the parking lot. In fact, other icterid was the most common one: Shiny Cowbird. A huge flock of more or less 50 birds, most of them adult males, were also at the grass and the fence, very close to the people and the cars. Is the first time I see so many cowbirds in the same place. I suppose that they are doing well considering the big number of individuals, or simply this is a favorite place for them, which is close to some pastures with cattle. Like many icterids, the females are duller, coloured in brown with streaks at the underparts. They are brood parasites of other songbirds, specially flycatchers, which are common too. In other places they are a big problem, reducing the populations of beloved songbirds, but that is not the case in Panama... yet. Anyway, they are expanding their range into the distribution of the ecological similar Bronzed Cowbird and now is not uncommon to see both species at the same sites (around Panama City, Cocle foothills, western Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui highlands, etc...). A third species of these parasites, the Giant Cowbird, is uncommon around the city, but I have seen it at the Summit Gardens, in the way to Gamboa where they laid their eggs at oropendola's hanging-nests. After leaving the airport, I passed through Costa del Este in my way to our apartment, detecting immediately the Smooth-billed Anis at their usual sites (the Groove-billed Ani is very uncommon here)... but what caught my attention was a group of six all-black birds with guttural calls flying from tree to tree in the middle of the main avenue... a flock of Greater Anis! This is the first time I see this species in Costa del Este, and they were not related with water at all. They can be confused with Great-tailed Grackles with a careless observation (similar size with long tail, bright yellow eyes), but note the completely different bill and different behavior (and vocalizations). So it is official, all three anis' species can be found at Costa del Este. The last black bird of this post is the only one called that way, and (ironically) the only one that is not completely black! A Red-breasted Blackbird (file photo) was perched conspicuosly behind the Parque Industrial when I left Costa del Este through the Corridor South highway. A bit of colour to this black-birds gallery!

Grackles, changos or talingos? Myths and truths

If you visit Panama, probably one of the very first birds you will see will be a Great-tailed Grackle (certainly only second after a Black Vulture). Like many other grackles species, the Great-tailed is an aggressive and very adaptable bird that triumphs in man-made habitats... like our cities. Many of the citizens that does not ignore them, despice them arguing that they are evil and will readily kill any other bird if necessary or only for fun. The truth is that these social birds are real survivors, a complete success of nature that simply knew how to take advantage of us and our food sources. Here in Panama many myths exist about these birds, some with true basis, many others without it.

M. Those birds are talingos. Despite there is not such a thing like a consensus of common names in spanish, the truth is that our grandpas readily recognize the differences among anis (the true talingo) and grackles, which they call changos. Probably the confusion arose by the similarity in color (despite the anis are dull-black, not glossy-black like the males grackles) and the careless observations of the first citizens that named the grackles.

M. They were introduced to Panama during the construction of the canal to control the insects. Panama is part of the natural range of these birds, which extends from southern United States to northwest Peru. In any case, these birds are omnivorous and most of their diet (60%) consist of vegetal matter, not insects. Definitively, they became abundant in and around Panama City (and other cities) in the same way the city became bigger, offering more food sources to the grackles and are naturally expanding their range northward into the United States since the 1960s.

M. They are crows, or at least related to them. The grackles have nothing to do with crows or its relatives the jays. They belong to the Icteridae family, which also includes the more colourful meadowlarks, oropendolas and orioles, but also many other species of blackbirds. Again, the completely black plumage of the adult male brought confusion.

M. The black birds are changos (or talingos), and the brown ones accompanying them are cascas. Casca is the common name of other common bird in the city: the Clay-colored Thrush. Since many citizens recognize the changos as complete black birds, then the obvious conclusion is that the brown ones must be other thing. The truth is that grackles exhibit sexual dimorphism... males and females are not alike. The female is essentially smaller, with dark-brown back and buffy-brown eyebrow and underparts. The juveniles are like the females.

M. The changos (grackles) finished with the talingos (anis). This is a common myth among our grandpas. Both, grackles and anis, are pretty common in their respective habitats. The problem is that most citizens do not often visit the correct habitat for anis, because is not longer found close to the city. Many others simply don't know how to tell apart an ani from a grackle.

M. The changos call the rain. This is due to people trying to explain the bill-up courting display of the males, which usually occurs during the rainy season in Panama and elsewhere, so it is not infrequent to see rain just after seeing this display... or any other!

M. Grackles are cold-blood murderers. The truth is that the grackles do kill smaller birds or other animals, but only to get a meal or to eliminate competition (as in feeders, for example). Is a natural behavior and part of the reason why they are so successful. They are not "mean birds" or "murderers". If you are having problems with grackles at your feeders try to use a tube feeder with short perches or sue feeders requiring birds to cling upside-down. This will discourage the grackles to feed in them. Do not offer food in wide and open platforms or on the ground.

M. They are fearless birds that will not hesitate to attack you without warning. They do are fearless... when protecting their youngs. If you are attacked by grackles, then probably you ignored the signs that were indicating that you was approaching a nest with young birds, like alarm calls and screamings.

So, next time you see one of these birds, try to appreciate how well-adapted and smart are them, its shiny plumage and its social skills. If you know any other myth about these birds let me know in the comments.

This post has been submitted to Bird Photography Weekly # 101.

Penonome pics

Our vacations are almost over, and we spent great part of it at our home in Penonome, Cocle province in central Panama. Now, we are in the city again, but I took some photos of common birds, wildlife and landscapes along the roads and rivers (specially the Zarati river, which we visited at least in four different sites) that I want to share.

Penonome is very hot, considering that we are in the middle of the dry season, and the trees and other plants are blooming or having fruits, allowing the wildlife (specially birds) to feed their youngs. This is the case of the House Wrens and the Blue-gray Tanagers that nest by the roof of our neighbors... always busy looking a fresh meal for their youngs.The great variety of flowers that the people keep in their gardens attract many hummingbirds, including the Garden Emeralds (a female in the picture).Also, it is time for lot of singing... and the most perseverant singers are the Clay-colored Thrushes and the Rufous-browed Peppershrikes. They even sing in the hottest part of the day!Even the all-black birds shine in these bright days, like the Great-tailed Grackles and the Bronzed Cowbirds. No matter their abundance... they look simply great with a suitable light.The insects also enjoy this time of sun... including the pair of damselflies I found in the shores of the Zarati river.Well, these were good vacations, I hope you enjoyed the pics... now, back to the real life!