Michael´s Third Year

[michael-ibk]

540/C233.) Large-Footed Finch (Pezopetes capitalis) / Großfuß-Buschammer

 

San Gerardo, 26/7. Not as common as its yellow-thighed cousin to which it is closely related. The large feet are used to scratch for seeds and insects on the forest floor, although the birds also pluck small fruits.

 

[michael-ibk]

541/C234.) Orange-Billed Sparrow (Arremon aurantiirostris) / Goldschnabel-Buschammer

 

Rancho Naturalista, 25/7. A forest inhabitant, seeing them in the open like that is quite rare, they tend to stay inside.

 

[michael-ibk]

542/C235.) Black-Striped Sparrow (Arremonops conirostris) / Pananmaammer

 

Manzanillo, 21/7, and Rancho Naturalista, 25/7. Quite a common bird found in lowlands and foothills. Not conspicuous, unless singing, as the species generally remains on or close to the ground, usually in pairs, and is typically rather shy.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

543/C236.) White-Naped Brushfinch (Atlaptetes albinucha) / Weißnacken-Buschammer

 

San Gerardo, 27/7. The only sighting of this bird. White-naped Brush-finches are found in subtropical to temperate elevations (ranging from Mexico to Colombia), from 1200 to 3100 m in elevation.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

544/C237.) Sooty-Capped Bush Tanager (Chlorospingus canigularis) / Weißnacken-Buschammer

 

San Gerardo, 27/7. Formerly known as the Sooty-Capped Chlorosphingus and now it´s a Tanager even though it´s a Finch. Bird names, again, best not to try to make sense of it. To make it even more confusing they were Chlorosphingi when they were placed in the Tanager family. Now that they are Finches of course they are called Tanagers.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

545/C238.) Rufous-Collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) / Morgenammer

 

Arenal, 16/7, and San Gerardo, 26/7. One of the most common birds, found in essentially all nonforest habitats, including fields, gardens and even downtown San José.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

Next group - "Cardinalidae", ie. Grosbeaks, Buntings & Allies.

 

546.) Blue-Black Grosbeak (Cyanocompsa cynoides) / Stahlbischof

 

Bosque del Cabo, 1/8. Neither blue nor black? This is the female of course. Another bird very similar to the Variable Seedeater and assorted species but much bigger.

 

[michael-ibk]

547/C240.) Red-Throated Ant-Tanager (Habia fuscicauda) / Rotkehl-Ameisentangare

 

Sarapiqui, 19/7. Favours very dense vegetation. Pairs or groups of 3 and up to 8 individuals defend territories year-round. Red-throats move slowly through the understory foraging on insects and fruit. 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

548/C241.) Hepatic Tanager (Piranga flava) / Nordzinnobertangare

 

Arenal, 17/7. The only sighting, a female here. There is a bunch of (Ant-)Tanagers where the female looks pretty much the same - here the very heavy bill is the crucial fieldmark.

 

[michael-ibk]

549/C242.) Flame-Coloured Tanager (Piranga bidentata) / Bluttangare

 

San Gerardo, 26/7 & 27/7. Very common in the highlands. So why are all these Tanagers here in the Grosbeaks section and not with the others? "Cardinalidae" have substantial beaks and show strong sexual dimorphism, the same is true for these birds which is why they have been reassigned to this family.

 

 

Male

 

 

Female

[michael-ibk]

Almost there - Blackbirds and Orioles now.

 

550/C234.) Red-Breasted Blackbird (Sturnella militaris) / Rotbruststärling

 

Bosque del Cabo, 31/7. Seen in good numbers on a meadow near Bosque but nowhere else.

 

[michael-ibk]

551/C244.) Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) / Lerchenstärling

 

Bosque del Cabo, 31/7. In the same meadow as the RW Blackbird. A very widespread bird, from Canada to Brazil. Apparently named a Lark because of the superficial similarity with Africa´s Longclaws. But it´s not really a Lark type of bird, this rather is a case of convergent evolution.

 

Edited October 8, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

552/C245.) Melodious Blackbird (Dives dives) / Trauerstärling

 

Alahuela, 15/7. Seen the very first morning in the garden and assumed it would be a common bird. But no, very few sightings afterwards. A newcomer to Costa Rica, first recorded there in 1987, now it is widespread.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

553/C246.) Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus) / Rotaugen-Kuhstärling

 

Arenal, 16/7. Told apart from all the other all-black birds by their red iris. Females are brood parasites on a variety of passerine species.

 

[michael-ibk]

554/C247.) Great-Tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) / Dohlengrackel

 

Manuel Antonio, 3/8. An abundant species seen all over the country. Hundreds of noisy individuals roost communally.

 

[michael-ibk]

555/C248.) Black-Cowled Oriole (Icterus prosthemelas) / Gelbschultertrupial

 

Sarapiqui, 19/7. A couple of sightings.Seems to expand to the Pacific side now where it has not been known to occur.

 

[michael-ibk]

556/C249.) Scarlet-Rumped Cacique (Cacicus uropygialis) / Süd-Scharlachbürzelkassike

 

Manzanillo, 22/7. I remember Cacique species from the Pantanal where they occur in huge numbers. But in Costa Rica this was the only sighting. They are not flock birds here but mostly occur in pairs.

 

[michael-ibk]

557/C250.) Montezuma Oropendola (Psarocolius montezuma) / Montezumastirnvogel

 

Arenal, 16/7. One more species looking like right out from a cartoon. Noisy and frequent feeder guests but not easy to get in a more natural setting. Montezuma Oropendola nests colonially, often in isolated large trees; such a setting makes the clusters large, hanging, basket-like nests even more conspicuous.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

558/C251.) Chestnut-Headed Oropendola (Psarocolius wagleri) / Rotkopf-Stirnvogel

 

Sarapiqui, 19/7. Much rarer than its Montezuma cousin, I remember two sightings only.

 

[michael-ibk]

Yippie-Yeah-Yo, the last family - Euphonias.

 

559/C252.) Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) / Mexikozeisig

 

San Gerardo, 27/7. An uncommon bird, our guide was excited to see it. My personal excitement level would have been much greater had it not been about an km away.

 

[michael-ibk]

560/C253.) Yellow-Bellied Siskin (Spinus xanthogastrus) / Gelbbauchzeisig

 

San Gerardo, 27/7. The book says it´s uncommon but we saw plenty of them in the highlands. The population in Costa Rica is completely isolated from the others in the Andes.

 

[michael-ibk]

561/C254.) Olive-Backed Euphonia (Euphonia gouldi) / Olivrückenorganist

 

Sarapiqui, 19/7. This Euphonia is confined to the Caribbean slope of Middle America, from southeast Mexico south to western Panama, and is mainly found in the interior of forested areas below 600 m.

 

 

Male

 

 

Female

[michael-ibk]

562/C255.) Tawny-Capped Euphonia (Euphonnia anneae) / Braunscheitelorganist

 

Arenal, 16/7. The only sighting of this bird. A mostly Central American species, just about reaching the Southern Continent in North-West Colombia.

 

[michael-ibk]

563/C256.) Yellow-Crowned Euphonia (Euphonia luteicapilla) / Gelbscheitelorganist

 

Bosque del Cabo, 31/7. Found in ... ah what the hell, I´ve run out of things to say about birds and just want to get this over with.

 

[Tdgraves]

Magnificent photography throughout, despite the low light levels - remind me what equipment you are using @michael-ibk