Xenornis

Last week Moyo Rodriguez and I (Venicio Wilson) guided a couple of dutch birdwatchers, Yvonne and Atze, into eastern Panama. We had and incredible luck finding birds we had not seen yet in the previous months of development of a new Canopy Tower tour to the Darien lowlands. Orange-breasted Falcon was seen near the ‘Mirador’ in Nusagandi, Guna Yala. A pair was spoted by the group and Moyo noticed the large size of the bird. Once we stopped the car we heard clearly the falcons' calling and realized the call was nothing similar to a Bat Falcon, which are much more common. After playing the Orange-breasted Falcon call the female flew some 40-50 meters above us allowing us to see her breast band! Later we saw the same couple perched and I made some crummy pictures that I still like to share with you. Nusagandi produced some great birds such as White-thighed Swallow , Rufous Piha, Crested Guan, Black-and-Yellow, Dusky-faced and Sulphur-rumped Tanagers . During our second day we b...

During a recent Advantage Tours birding trip in Central and Eastern Panama along with Bruce Cohen and Dale Dillavou, we had some interesting observations. On April 7th, while birding at the San Francisco Reserve near Tortí, we managed to record a few noteworthy hummingbirds like the Band-tailed Barbthroat, Blue-throated Goldentai l , Scaly-breasted Hummingbird, and Long-billed Starthroat. Walking along the forest edge we found Red-rumped Woodpecker, Spot-breasted Woodpecker , Sulphur-rumped Tanager and a flock of Dusky-faced Tanagers by the steam. Also a year-bird for me: a Red-billed Scythebill . Additionally, we noticed a pair of Orange-crowned Orioles nesting under a Banana leaf. Other interesting sightings were Black Antshrike , Bare-crowned Antbirds, Sooty-headed Tyrannulet , and no fewer than 5 different individuals of Royal Flycatcher, including a displaying female. Five species of puffbird were recorded: Pied, Black-breasted, White-whiskered, and Barred, as well as White-f...

After being in El Real last month, I decided to do some birding in the highlands of eastern Panama, specifically above Rancho Plástico, with Alex Guevara and Ramiro Duque. Our expedition started on September 15th arriving at Rancho Frío late in the afternoon. The following day in the morning Slate-throated Gnatcatchers, Purple Honeycreepers, Scarlet-browed Tanagers, and Western Sirystes were moving around the station. During our hike to Rancho Plástico the same day, Wing-banded Antbirds gave us some great views and a Yellow- browed Shrike Vireo was heard in the distance. In the afternoon at a lookout close to Rancho Plástico, Great Green Macaws and Red-and-green Macaws were flying around, and at dusk a group of Tawny-faced Quails were singing close to our tent. On September 17th we headed further up from our camp site where we saw Black-crowned Antpittas, Immaculate Antbirds, and Dull-mantled Antbirds. A single Green Manakin landed very close to us. In a mixed flock we encountered Red...

During my last trip to Darién on August 4th to 7th, specifically at El Real, I saw the Large-billed Seed-Finch and the Yellow-hooded Blackbird around the airstrip. Both were singing. On the way to the airstrip there are a few patches of heliconia where I saw a female Ruby Topaz for three days in a row. The best fieldmark was its tail, bronzy in the middle tail feathers and rufous on the outer tail feathers with a dark subterminal band and white tips. It was kind of grayish underneath and bronzy on top. I noticed during the third day of observation that she raised her crown feathers and spread her tail and was perched around 3 m above ground. I heard several Gray-breasted Crakes with their peculiar call of 4 notes, te-te-te-te, along the airstrip. Other interesting birds I saw every single day were Spectacled Parrotlet, Agami Heron, immature, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Gray Elaenia, Black Oropendola, Yellow-backed Tanager, Red-billed Scythebill, and a Golden-green Woodpecker was hear...

Advantage Tours' Euclides Campos sent in five months worth of notable bird reports: January 7, 2008: Euclides Campos and Dimas Alfonso spotted a Red-tailed hawk on the way to Chucantí [at the border between the provinces of Panamá and Darién] around 400m above sea level. We saw the bird perched on the top of a dead snag 25 m away, from where it flew off and started circling overhead. The red tail and dark mark along the leading edge of the underwing, the patagium mark were conspicuous. It is not the first time that I, Euclides, have seen a Red tailed hawk in Chucantí; I saw one last year. January 18: Yellow-breasted Flycatcher on on the road to Revesa (the turnoff of this road is located at the town of Río Iglesia, on the way to Puerto Quimba, Metetí.) I have also seen this flycatcher at the town of Kintin town (7 km from Setegantí, Darién in 2007.) [Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, a recent addition to Panama's—and A.O.U. North America's—birdlist, has only recently been repo...