Experiencing "Un Poco del Chocó": the Endemics

As mentioned in the previous entry, I went to Ecuador in mid-December with my friend Rafael Luck and visited the private reserve Un Poco del Chocó in the northwest.  Our hosts did their best for showing us the rich birdlife around the property... and we got many special species, including some Chocó endemic species and subspecies. Many of these were quite common, and some even regular member of the mixed flocks seen daily crossing the garden.  That is the case of the Ochre-breasted Tanager.

Ochre-breasted Tanager

This species is closely related to both Carmiol's and Lemon-spectacled Tanagers, which we know well in Panama.  The lack of prominent field marks is probably its best field mark.  They were important members of the mixed flocks around the garden.  One or two individuals of the next species were constant too with the mixed flocks.

Chocó Warbler

Yes, Chocó Warbler.  Some authorities consider this form conespecific with the Golden-bellied Warbler of the eastern Andes from central to southern Peru, but there are some differences in plumage (the all-yellow supercilium as you can see in the photo) and song.  Another common species (although not in mixed flocks) was the Chocó Tyrannulet.

Chocó Tyrannulet

Typical for Zimmerius tyrannulets, this one stayed high in the canopy and was, thus, difficult to photograph.  This species used to be considered conespecific with the widespread Golden-faced Tyrannulet (and other forms), but song analysis and genetic works proved that it deserved the recognition as full species.  Another species that we found high in the canopy reluctant to show well was the Chocó Trogon.

male Chocó Trogon

This male is easily identified based on his white iris and green & red underparts without white pectoral band.  The "official" name of this taxa is Blue-tailed Trogon, but that name is already in use for a species in Asia and there is no other trogon species restricted to the Chocó bioregion.  We also saw inside the forest Esmeraldas Antbird, Dusky Chlorsopingus and Pallid Dove; all of them more or less restricted to the Chocó.  Along Las Tolas road, we saw/heard Chocó Toucan, Toucan-Barbet, Black-chinned Mountain-Tanagers, Glistening-green Tanager and the pacifica subspecies of Maroon-tailed Parakeet... all of them also restricted to the Chocó.

Maroon-tailed Parakeet (ssp. pacifica)

Maroon-tailed Parakeet (nominate ssp. melanura)

I put these two photos together to point out the differences between these two taxa.  As you can see, the main cis-Andean population (in this case a member of the nominate subspecies, melanura, from Guaviare in Colombia) has conspicuous white eyering and black front, both lacking in pacifica (sometimes known as Chocó Parakeet).

Jan & Rafael looking for endemics!

It is always nice to get lifers... but Chocó endemics... well, that's just great!  Stay tuned to know what else we saw along Las Tolas road in my next entry!

More habitats, more birds

Canoeing along the Caño Negro creek is not the only way to reach the Laguna Negra... you can drive to some touristic cabins at the shores of the lagoon, passing through more degraded habitat, cultivated fields and gallery forests.  That's why we decided to walk that route during our second day of birding in the department of Guaviare (Colombia), with Rafael Cortes, Mauricio Rueda and our guides Derly Blandon and Luis Fernando Galindez.   The cultivated fields were full of birds, including many Bare-faced Ibis, Little Blue, Cocoi and Capped Herons, Great Egrets a Limpkin and a very attractive Whistling Heron.

The road we followed runs along a gallery forest bordering the Caño Negro creek, and we saw some interesting species like Amazonian Streaked-Antwren, our third species of jacamar for the site (a pair of White-chinned Jacamar), many Cobalt-winged Parakeets and a noisy Black Caracara.  Its cries reminded me those of the Yellow-headed Caracara in Panamá.

The combination of habitats was so extraordinaire that we saw five vultures species during the walk (that also happened the day we saw Harpy Eagles in eastern Venezuela), including these Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures (adult on top, immature below in the first picture) and Turkey Vulture of, perhaps, the resident subspecies considering its pale nape (of course, the others birds seen were Greater Yellow-headed, King and Black Vultures).

An interesting fact: we didn't only saw both Black-tailed and Black-crowned Tityras... we saw both of them excavating nests in different sites along the trek!  Also saw Cinnamon Attila, Bare-necked Fruitcrow and a pair of Gilded Barbets.

Once at the touristic cabins, we had some cokes and rest a little... the heat was barely bearable.  While comfortable seated, we enjoyed some birds around: both Ruddy and Blue Ground-Doves, more White-winged Swallows, Black-capped Donacobius, Shiny Cowbirds, and a familiar bird for me in the form of of a Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet calling constantly.

We returned to Playa Guio, watching mostly the same birds we had in the morning, plus hearing the call of a Green-backed Trogon.  To be honest, it sounded to me exactly like our White-tailed Trogons back in Panama, despite the differences in voice were part of the arguments to separate these two species (we saw later a pair close to our cabins).

As soon as we crossed the Caño Negro creek, a flock of Maroon-tailed Parakeets landed over a palm tree and stayed for a couple of minutes, allowing great views and photographic opportunities.  Notice the flash of color in the closed wing... very evident at flight.

Great way to spend most part of the day... after a late lunch we decided to stay around our cabin in a wait-and-see fashion... and it worked!