Birds and flyies in San Casa - Copán

Transcription

1 HONDURAS: COPAN February 20 25, 2010 LEADERS: KEVIN ZIMMER & YOBANI PERAZA COMPILED BY: KEVIN ZIMMER VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TX

2 TOUR REPORT HONDURAS: COPAN February 20 25, 2010 By Kevin Zimmer Our inaugural Copán tour provided a wonderful mix of easy birding and fascinating archaeology/anthropology, made even more special by the gracious hospitality of Flavia Cueva and the entire Hacienda San Lucas staff. Starting from San Pedro Sula, we were off to a rousing start with our first stop at the El Puente archaeological site. Here, amidst some of the southernmost known Mayan ruins, we were treated to our first encounters with that quintessentially Mayan bird Xukpi, the Turquoise-browed Motmot. We also enjoyed a wide range of other species, many of them Neotropical migrant warblers, orioles, and buntings that would soon be on the way north to North America to breed. We arrived at the lovely Hacienda San Lucas in time for a typically delicious lunch, and then settled into our rooms. In the latter part of the afternoon we walked the lodge trails, where we encountered both Turquoise-browed and Blue-crowned motmots, lots of noisy White-throated Magpie-Jays and Black-headed Saltators, a Worm-eating Warbler, and an incredibly cooperative Rusty Sparrow among others. The next day dawned bright and beautiful, and we headed to the main archaeological site of Copán. The early morning was spent birding, which eventually yielded to a masterfully guided tour of the ruins (thanks Fito & Yobani!), which are some of the most beautifully intricate I have seen anywhere in the Mayan realm. This was followed by a nicely catered picnic lunch at the ruins, which in turn was followed by a fascinating visit to the sculpture museum and photo gallery exhibit, all of which added additional perspective and insight into the Mayan civilization and its subsequent rediscovery. After a fairly full day of archaeology, we returned our focus on the following day to birds, as we worked our way up the La Laguna-San Francisco road. This road provides an excellent elevational transect that begins in dry scrub with Rufous-naped Wrens, Barred Antshrikes, and Rusty Sparrows; ascends through pine-oak woodlands with Grace s Warblers, Olive Warblers, and Greater Pewees; and ends up in humid, broad-leaf forest inhabited by Brown-backed Solitaires and Slate-throated Redstarts. Birding highlights came in dizzying procession along here, beginning with a bare tree full of Spotbreasted, Streak-backed, and Altamira orioles, all for perfect comparison. A comical pair of Barred Antshrikes and a noisy family of Rufous-naped Wrens competed for our attention, and the pygmy-owl tape succeeded in pulling in a number of wintering migrants. Farther up, in the pines, we enjoyed point-blank studies of responsive Yellow-backed Orioles, as well as a huge flock (20+ birds) of range-restricted Bushy-crested Jays, leap-frogging their way through the forest. High-pitched calls overhead drew our attention to a circling pair of small raptors that proved to be White-breasted Hawks, the highland Central American counterpart of our Sharp-shinned Hawk (and still often treated as a distinctive subspecies of that bird). A stop at some mistletoe-infested trees at the borders of a coffee finca produced a tree full of colorful Elegant Euphonias, the males of which made such an impression that they were later voted Favorite Bird of the Trip. My personal highlight came higher up, when a tiny hummingbird perched on a bare snag proved to be an adult male Sparklingtailed Hummingbird, one of the sharpest-looking of Central American hummers, and one that is not

3 often seen. We returned to this road in the late afternoon, and were rewarded with close looks at a lovely Emerald Toucanet, a target bird that had essentially eluded us in the morning. The next day saw us once again in higher elevation pine forest along the Miramundo road where, in addition to more White-breasted Hawks, we enjoyed nice looks at Black-headed Siskin, Greater Pewee, Hepatic Tanager, and other typical pine woodland birds, along with a seemingly out-of-place Green Jay. Working our way up to the Miramundo Coffee Finca, we scored nice scope views of the distinctive Guatemalan Flickers, lots of Acorn Woodpeckers and White-collared Swifts, and yet another Emerald Toucanet, before settling in for a nice barbecue lunch and a tour of the coffee operation. In the afternoon, we concluded our visit to Copán with an excursion to the Las Sepulturas archaeological site where, once again, we alternated between Mayan ruins and Turquoise-browed Motmots, mobs of wintering warblers, and noisy Red-crowned Ant-Tanagers. It was a most enjoyable few days of birding and archaeology, and a perfect complement to our Pico Bonito trip, which was to follow. Again, special thanks to Flavia, Argi, and the rest of the Hacienda San Lucas staff, and to Yobani and Fito for helping to navigate us through the complexities of Mayan history. Itinerary: 2/20 - arrive in San Pedro Sula 2/21 - Drive from San Pedro Sula to town of Copán Ruins, with major morning stop at El Puente archaeological site; lunch at Hacienda San Lucas, with late afternoon birding on the lodge grounds. 2/22 - breakfast at 0700, with morning birding and archaeology tour at the main archaeological site of Copán; catered lunch at the ruins; afternoon spent at the Sculpture Museum and the photo exhibit, with time for shopping and exploring in town. 2/23 - breakfast at 0500, with entire morning spent birding the La Laguna-San Francisco road (to elevation of 1250 m); back to town for lunch and break; late afternoon back on the lower & middle La Laguna-San Francisco road. 2/24 - breakfast at 0500, with entire morning spent birding the Miramundo road; barbecue lunch at Miramundo Coffee Finca, followed by a tour of the coffee operation; late afternoon birding & archaeology at Las Sepulturas archaeological site. 2/ departure for San Pedro Sula, arriving at airport by 1000 hours; some folks heading home from here, while others continued on to The Lodge at Pico Bonito. Favorite Bird of the Trip (as voted by the group): Key: 1. Elegant Euphonia 2. Turquoise-browed Motmot & Barred Antshrike (tied) 3. Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird CO = Copán Ruins (including both the main archaeological site & Las Sepulturas) EP = El Puente archaeological site LL = La Laguna-San Francisco Road

4 MM = Miramundo Highlands SL = Hacienda San Lucas * = heard only Birds: CRACIDAE: Plain Chachalaca (Ortalis vetula) - SL, CO* ARDEIDAE: Great Egret (Ardea alba) - SPS to CO, CO, LL, Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) - SPS to CO, CO Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) - daily CATHARTIDAE: Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) - daily Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) - daily ACCIPITRIDAE: White-breasted Hawk (Accipiter striatus chionogaster) - LL, MM (Nice looks at soaring, calling birds. This distinctive taxon is still treated by most authorities as being conspecific with the Sharpshinned Hawk of North America, but an eventual split seems likely.) Common Black-Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) - SL, LL Roadside Hawk (Buteo magnirostris) - LL Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) - MM FALCONIDAE: Caracarinae Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) - SPS to CO, LL, MM Falconinae Laughing Falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans)* - SL* American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) - SPS to CO SCOLOPACIDAE: Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) - CO

5 COLUMBIDAE: Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) - SPS, CO Red-billed Pigeon (Patagioenas flavirostris) - LL, MM White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) - daily Inca Dove (Columbina inca)* - EP*, LL* Ruddy Ground-Dove (Columbina talpacoti) - EP, LL, MM White-tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi) - daily PSITTACIDAE: Red-throated Parakeet (Aratinga [holochlora] rubritorques) - LL, CO (This is yet another taxon that is treated by some authorities as a distinct species, but which is currently considered a subspecies of the wider ranging Green Parakeet by the A.O.U. checklist committees.) Olive-throated Parakeet (Aratinga nana) - CO White-fronted Parrot (Amazona albifrons) - CO CUCULIDAE: Cuculinae Squirrel Cuckoo (Piaya cayana) - EP, LL*, CO* Crotophaginae Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) - daily STRIGIDAE: Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) - daily APODIDAE: Cypseloidinae White-collared Swift (Streptoprocne zonaris) - LL, MM Chaeturinae Vaux s Swift (Chaetua vauxi) - LL TROCHILIDAE: Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii) - EP

6 Salvin s Emerald (Chlorostilbon [canivetii] salvini) - LL (Treated by some as a distinct species; by others as a subspecies of Canivet s Emerald.) Azure-crowned Hummingbird (Amazilia cyanocephala) - LL, MM Cinnamon Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) - EP, SL, CO, LL Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird (Tilmatura dupontii) - LL (A perched adult male at the top of the La Laguna road was the trip highlight for your leader a real stunner!) TROGONIDAE: Collared Trogon (Trogon collaris) - SL, LL, MM* MOMOTIDAE: Blue-crowned Motmot (Momotus momota) - SL, CO, MM* Turquoise-browed Motmot (Eumomota superciliosa) - EP, SL, CO, LL* ALCEDINIDAE: Amazon Kingfisher (Chloroceryle amazona) - CO BUCCONIDAE: White-necked Puffbird (Notharchus hyperrhynchus) - SL RAMPHASTIDAE: Emerald Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus) - LL, MM Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus) - SL PICIDAE: Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) - LL, MM Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) - EP, SL, CO, LL, MM Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) - CO Golden-olive Woodpecker (Colaptes rubiginosus) - LL Guatemalan Flicker (Colaptes [auratus] mexicanoides) - MM (Nice scope studies of a pair. Currently treated by the AOU as a subspecies of the Northern Flicker, but they are quite different in plumage, and seemingly somewhat different vocally.) Lineated Woodpecker (Dryocopus lineatus)* - SL* FURNARIIDAE: DENDROCOLAPTINAE Ivory-billed Woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus flavigaster) - SL, LL

7 THAMNOPHILIDAE: Barred Antshrike (Thamnophilus doliatus) - LL TYRANNIDAE: Elaeniinae Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet (Camptostoma imberbe) - EP*, LL Yellow-bellied Elaenia (Elaenia flavogaster) - EP Ochre-bellied Flycatcher (Mionectes oleagineus) - SL, CO Platyrinchinae Yellow-olive Flycatcher (Tolmomyias sulphurescens cinereiceps)* - EP*, CO*, MM* Fluvicolinae Greater Pewee (Contopus pertinax) - MM Tropical Pewee (Contopus cinereus) - EP Wood-pewee sp.? (Contopus sp.) - EP (This bird had distinctly longer primary projection than the Tropical Pewee that we saw in the same spot, indicating that it was either an Eastern or Western woodpewee. Most individuals of the two species are doubtfully separable in the field, except by voice.) Hammond s Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondi) - EP Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) - EP, SL, LL Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) - SL*, CO Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) - EP Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) - CO Tyranninae Dusky-capped Flycatcher (Myiarchus tuberculifer) - SL, CO, LL*, MM Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) - EP Brown-crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus tyrannulus) - EP, LL* Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) - EP, SL, CO, LL, MM Boat-billed Flycatcher (Megarhynchus pitangua) - EP, CO, LL* Social Flycatcher (Myiozetetes similis) - EP, CO Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) - EP, LL, CO TITYRIDAE: Rose-throated Becard (Pachyramphus aglaiae) - CO, MM Masked Tityra (Tityra semifasciata) - EP, SL, CO, LL, MM VIREONIDAE:

8 White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) - LL Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) - EP Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) - EP, LL, CO Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) - CO Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) - EP, LL Lesser Greenlet (Hylophilus decurtatus) - CO Rufous-browed Peppershrike (Cyclarhis gujanensis) - EP*, SL*, CO, LL CORVIDAE: White-throated Magpie-Jay (Calocitta formosa) - SL, CO, LL (Seen daily right on the hotel grounds!) Green Jay (Cyanocorax yncas) - MM Brown Jay (Cyanocorax morio) - EP, LL, MM Bushy-crested Jay (Cyanocorax melanocyaneus) - LL, MM (A restricted-range specialty.) HIRUNDINIDAE: Gray-breasted Martin (Progne chalybea) - CO Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) - EP TROGLODYTIDAE: Rufous-naped Wren (Campylorhyncus rufinucha) - SL*, CO*, LL Spot-breasted Wren (Thryothorus maculipectus)* - EP*, LL* Plain Wren (Thryothorus modestus) - SL, LL, MM, CO House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) - EP, LL, MM White-breasted Wood-Wren (Henicorhina leucosticta)* - LL* TURDIDAE: Brown-backed Solitaire (Myadestes occidentalis) - LL Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush (Catharus aurantiirostris)* - MM* Clay-colored Thrush (Turdus grayi) - EP, CO, LL, MM, SL MIMIDAE: Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) - MM PARULIDAE: Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora pinus) - LL Tennessee Warbler (Vermivora peregrina) - LL Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia) - EP, SL, CO Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica magnolia) - EP, SL, CO, LL, MM (The most common of our many migrant warblers.) Black-throated Green Warbler (Dendroica virens) - CO, LL, MM

9 Grace s Warbler (Dendroica graciae) - LL, MM Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) - SL, CO, LL, MM American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) - EP, CO, LL (Singles on each of four days.) Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum) - SL Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) - CO Kentucky Warbler (Oporornis formosus) - CO Wilson s Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla) - SL, CO, LL, MM Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina) - EP, CO Slate-throated Redstart (Myioborus miniatus) - LL Rufous-capped Warbler (Basileuterus rufifrons) - SL, CO, LL THRAUPIDAE: Common Bush-Tanager (Chlorospingus ophthalmicus) - LL Blue-gray Tanager (Thraupis episcopus) - EP Yellow-winged Tanager (Thraupis abbas) - CO, MM GENUS INCERTAE SEDIS Grayish Saltator (Saltator coerulescens) - LL Black-headed Saltator (Saltator atriceps) - SL, CO, LL, MM EMBERIZIDAE: Blue-black Grassquit (Volatinia jacarina) - EP, LL White-collared Seedeater (Sporophila torqueola) - EP (50+), LL White-naped Brush-Finch (Atlapetes albinucha) - LL Rusty Sparrow (Aimophila rufescens) - SL, LL, MM (Fabulous close studies!) CARDINALIDAE: Hepatic Tanager (Piranga flava) - MM Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) - EP, CO Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) - LL, MM Red-throated Ant-Tanager (Habia fuscicauda) - CO, LL* Red-crowned Ant-Tanager (Habia rubica) - CO (1 male at Las Sepulturas) Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) - EP (2 females) Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) - EP, LL ICTERIDAE: Melodious Blackbird (Dives dives) - daily Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) - daily Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) - EP (1 female) Yellow-backed Oriole (Icterus chrysater) - LL, MM* Streak-backed Oriole (Icterus pustulatus) - CO, LL Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis) - EP, CO, LL, MM

10 Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) - CO Spot-breasted Oriole (Icterus pectoralis) - LL (Fabulous comparisons with Streak-backed Orioles in the same tree!) Montezuma Oropendola (Psarocolius montezuma) - daily FRINGILLIDAE: Euphoniinae Scrub Euphonia (Euphonia affinis) - EP, CO* Yellow-throated Euphonia (Euphonia hirundinacea) - CO Elegant Euphonia (Euphonia elegantissima) - LL (8+; Amazing views of multiple birds.) Carduelinae Black-headed Siskin (Spinus notata) - MM Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) - EP PASSERIDAE House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) - SPS to SL