by Gunnar Engblom December 27, 2012 5

North Peru bird bestiary

Long-whiskered Owlet Xenoglaux loweryi. Photo: Alex Durand

More birds – North Peru

Photographer Max Waugh, who was with us on the Marvelous Spatuletail Display Tour in January 2012, actually sent me a bunch of pictures from North Peru, apart from the Marvelous Spatuletail shots I posted in the last blogpost. Additionally, Alex Durand came back from two North Peru trips practically in a row with loads of great shots. So just to remind you (hint, hint) of 17 good reasons to sign up for a North Peru trip, here is a North Peru Bird bestiary.

Sparkling Violetear Colibri coruscans

Although, the Sparkling Violetear is very common through-out the Andes, it is a magnificent and very photogenic hummer. Photo: Max Waugh.

Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan Andigena hypoglauca

Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan is a spectacular bird. We usually find it near Leimebamba.

Marañon Crescentchest Melanopareia maranonica

Crescentchests belongs to the Tapaculo family. They are very colorful. The Marañon Crescentchest is practically endemic to Peru, although it has recently been found across the Ecuadorian border at Zumba. It differs from Elegant Crescentchest of the West slope, which we also see on the North Peru trips, by prominent white markings in the wing and richer orange below.
Photo: Alex Durand.

West Peruvian Screech Owl Megascops roboratus pacificus

The Peruvian Screech-owl Otus roboratus consists of two subspecies roboratus of the Marañon valley and pacificus in woodlands on the Peruvian and Ecuadoran west slope of the Andes. Here is pacifcus, which is much smaller than roboratus, photographed at Chaparri Eco Lodge by Alex Durand.

Tumbes Tyrant Tumbesia salvini

Tumbes Tyrant is a pretty and active little tyrant closely related to Chat-tyrants. It is endemic to the Tumbesian region and has only recently been recorded in Ecuador on the boarder to Peru. We often see it at Chaparri or the White-winged Guan site called Quebrada Frejolillo. Photo: Alex Durand.

Emerald Toucanet Aulacorhynchus prasinus

Emerald Toucanet is sometimes regarded as 7 species The form in Peru belongs to Black-throated Toucanet Aulacorhynchus (prasinus) atrogularis. Photo by Max Waugh.

Purple-throated Sunangel Heliangelus viola.

Purple-throated Sunangel is another lovely hummingbird from North Peru. Perhaps it is easiest to see in Leimebamba at the feeders of KentiKafé. But it can also be seen around Pomacochas. Photo: Max Waugh.

Golden-tailed Sapphire Chrysuronia oenone.

This beautiful Golden-tailed Sapphire is photographed at Wakanqui near Moyobamba. Up to 18 species of Hummingbirds visit the feeders. It is truly spectacular. Photo: Max Waugh.

Ecuadorian Piculet Picumnis sclateri.

Piculets are diminutive small woodpeckers. And they are cute! North Peru has 3 species which are regularly seen, but sometimes hard to photograph. Alex Durand manage to photograph all three. Here is the Ecuadorian Piculet which we usually see at the White-winged Guan spot near Olmos.

Speckle-chested Piculet Picumnis steindachneri

The Speckle-chested Piculet has a very small range. It is endemic to Amazonas and San Martin departments in Peru. It is often seen at Afluentes near Abra Patricia, but it seems even more common along the Utcubamba river between Pedro Ruiz and Leimebamba. Here are photos of both male and female. Photos: Alex Durand.

Lafresnaye’s Piculet Picumnis lafresnayi

Lafresnaye’s Piculet can be found near Tarapoto. It is a lowland piculet and is quite common in the northern Amazon. Photo: Alex Durand.

Golden-headed Quetzal Pharomachrus auriceps

Some non-birders find it a bit surprising that there are Quetzals also in South America. They are just not Resplendent like in Costa Rica. There are three species in Peru. Two in the highlands and one in the lowland. Of the highland ones, the Golden-headed Quetzal is the most common. Photo: Max Waugh.

White-necked Jacobin Florisuga melivora.

White-necked Jacobin is a quite common Hummingbird in many parts of South America. It is nonetheless still a splendid species. This shot was taken at Wakanqui near Moyobamba. Photo: Max Waugh.

Pale-billed Antpitta Grallaria carrikeri.

Pale-billed Antpitta is perhaps one of the most enigmatic Antpittas in Peru. It used to be very difficult. Now however it is staked out above on Rio Chido headland near San Lorenzo – not far from Pomacochas. It lives in dense Chusquea bamboo patches. Photo: Alex Durand.

Lulu’s Tody-Flycatcher Poecilotriccus luluae

Beautiful little bird endemic to the dense scrub around Abra Patricia. It takes some time and patience to see it, but it responds well to playback. It is also known as Johnson’s Tody-Flycatcher. Photo: Max Waugh

Long-whiskered Owlet Xenoglaux loweryi.

Perhaps the most spectacular and the most enigmatic of all South American Owls. This was a bird which after its discovery in the seventies was not seen in the field by birders until 2007. Now it is regularly seen at the Owlet Lodge at Abra Patricia. Photo: Alex Durand.

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Happy New Year!

Gunnar Engblom

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by Gunnar Engblom December 20, 2012 2

Marvelous Spatuletail is displaying right now.

Rainy season

Although, the rainy season has started in South East Peru, and current reports of mudslides along the Manu road, the North stands out as an excellent alternative when Manu is off. So doesn’t it rain in North Peru as well during this time of year? Well, yes it does. But since the Andes are less tall here and you have a tarmac road which you can go up or down dropping 1200 elevation meters in less than an hour it gives good options to bird where it is not raining.

The increased bird activity between rain also makes up for some humidity. This is on the east slope in the North. Towards the desert habitat in the Marañon valley and the west slope the increased humidity and sometimes rain in showers or as garrua will turn the desert green by next month. Again bird activity will explode. Birds such as Ochre-bellied Dove and Black-and-White Tanager which are very difficult in the dry season are now singing from everywhere, making them much easier to see.

On the Lima coast in Central Peru, it is sunny this time of year, and visitors are greeted by its best season when they arrive to Peru. It is a good idea to add a few days of birding in Lima – just because it is NICE.

But best of all. This time of year – November to April is the time of year the male Marvelous Spatuletail leks. I thought I’d share with you the marvelous (sic!) photos Max Waugh took last year with us on our 9 day Marvelous Spatuletail display tour. We shall run this tour again on January 15.

In the end of January we run a short new trip of only 5 days which also secure the Spatuletail. In February, we run a comfortable North Peru trip that includes Chaparri, expandable with a short extension to Cajamarca. These together give full coverage of North Peru and the Marañon. In March and April other tours to North Peru are in production (ask us at kolibriexp@gmail.com).

Nuff talking,… check these photos and awe… Also check this video from BBC. If you like to go with Max on a photo-safari, check out his upcoming photosafari – workshops in Costa Rica.