Xenornis

On Sunday, December 30, Canopy Family guide Eliecer Rodríguez along with John Coons’ Field Guides group discovered a Russet-throated Puffbird at the Tortí River. News of this latest addition to the Panama list spread like wildfire, and that same same afternoon Jan Axel Cubilla and Rolando Jordán drove out and found it again: And on the morning of December 31, Rosabel and Karl Kaufmann and Delicia, Camilo and Darién Montañez drove out and found it again: As the crow flies, this is a range expansion of about 175 km to the west of the species usual range along the Colombian sores of the Gulf of Atrato, and the first record for North America. Since puffbirds are not known for being active fliers, it's very possible the bird will stay put for a while, and that the species will be found at other spots further east, so go get it!

During a recent assignment with visiting birders between July 15-28th, 2008, Advantage Tour's Euclides "Kilo" Campos reports some interesting bird sightings: While birding some patches of forest around Tortí, eastern Panama Province, they saw Black-crowned Antpitta, Western Syristes, White-eared conebill, White-ringed Flycatcher, Tawny-crowned Greenlet, Great Jacamar, Spot-crowned Barbet (Darien race), Yellow-green tyrannulet, Ocellated Antbird, Red-billed Scythebill, Pacific (Streaked) Antwren, Barred Puffbird, and Brown-chested Martin. Later around Burbayar and Nusagandi they recorded, among others, Sapayoa, Striped-cheeked Woodpecker, Dull-mantled Antbird, Slate-throated Gnatcatcher, Plumbeous Hawk, and Crimson-bellied woodpecker. While birding around Cerro Azul they saw Purplish-backed Quail-Dove, Blue-and-gold Tanager, Black-eared Wood-Quail, Tacarcuna Bush-Tanager, Schiffornis of the foothills form and heard Russet-crowned Quail-Dove. Along Pipeline Road they fou...