Tenth official Audubon Christmas Bird Count: Atitlan Volcano (GMAV) 2016
organized by CAYAYA BIRDING
Compiled by Knut Eisermann and Claudia Avendaño, CAYAYA BIRDING, January 2017
The 10th Christmas Bird Count at Atitlán Volcano took place on 18 December 2016. A total of 28 observers in 7 groups counted birds in Reserva Natural Privada Los Tarrales, Finca San Jerónimo Miramar, in the municipal forest of Santiago Atitlán near Mirador Rey Tepepul, and in the bay of Santiago Atitlán of Lake Atitlán. Weather conditions were favorable, with clear to cloudy sky, without rain.
A total of 3461 birds of 252 species were recorded, 19 more species were observed during the count week. The most abundant species during this Christmas Bird Count with more than 50 detected individuals were (in descending order of abundance): American Coot, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Great-tailed Grackle, White-collared Swift, Tennessee Warbler, Vaux's Swift, Pacific Parakeet, Mexican Violetear, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Great Egret, and Melodious Blackbird.
Most noteworthy records included a Gray-headed Kite, Blue Seedeater, Unspotted Saw-whet Owl, and Least Bittern. Gray-headed Kite, Least Bitterm, Hutton's Vireo, and Yellow-throated Warbler were the first records for the Atitlán Christmas Bird Count.
Many of the endemics of the northern Central American highlands were recorded during the count day, including Highland Guan, Fulvous Owl, Azure-rumped Tanager, Blue-throated Motmot, Rufous Sabrewing, Green-throated Mountain-gem, Rufous-browed Wren, Black-capped Swallow, Black-throated Jay, Rufous-collared Thrush, and Black-capped Siskin.
Atitlán volcano is part of the Atitlán Important Bird Area (IBA GT015) and this Christmas Bird Count helps to monitor bird populations in this IBA. Among the species of conservation concern recorded during the 2016 count were the globally Endangered species Azure-rumped Tanager, and two Vulnerable species (Highland Guan and Pink-headed Warbler).
It follows a list of species and numbers of individuals recorded during the 10th Christmas Bird Count at Atitlán Volcano (Nomenclature according to AOU 1998 and supplements, most recent update AOU 2016). Species recorded during the count week are marked with (cw).
- Anatidae
- American Wigeon Anas americana 4
- Blue-winged Teal Anas discors 38
- Redhead Aythya americana cw
- Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris cw
- Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis cw
- Cracidae
- White-bellied Chachalaca Ortalis leucogastra 43
- Crested Guan Penelope purpurascens 8
- Highland Guan Penelopina nigra 24
- Odontophoridae
- Singing Quail Dactylortyx thoracicus 4
- Spotted Wood-Quail Odontophorus guttatus 14
- Podicipedidae
- Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps cw
- Columbidae
- Red-billed Pigeon Patagioenas flavirostris 30
- Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata 25
- Inca Dove Columbina inca 10
- Columbidae
- Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina cw
- Ruddy Ground-Dove Columbina talpacoti 4
- White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi 15
- White-faced Quail-Dove Zentrygon albifacies 1
- White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica 7
- Cuculidae
- Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana 4
- Striped Cuckoo Tapera naevia cw
- Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris 28
- Caprimulgidae
- Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis 7
- Common Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis 19
- Mexican Whip-poor-will Antrostomus arizonae 6
- Apodidae
- Chestnut-collared Swift Streptoprocne rutila 20
- White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris 100
- Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi 89
- Apodidae
- Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift Panyptila cayennensis cw
- Trochilidae
- White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora cw
- Mexican Violetear Colibri thalassinus 64
- Green-breasted Mango Anthracothorax prevostii 3
- Magnificent Hummingbird Eugenes fulgens 7
- Long-billed Starthroat Heliomaster longirostris 5
- Green-throated Mountain-gem Lampornis viridipallens 13
- Amethyst-throated Hummingbird Lampornis amethystinus 1
- Garnet-throated Hummingbird Lamprolaima rhami 1
- Slender Sheartail Doricha enicura cw
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris 44
- Emerald-chinned Hummingbird Abeillia abeillei 21
- Rufous Sabrewing Campylopterus rufus 6
- Violet Sabrewing Campylopterus hemileucurus 9
- White-bellied Emerald Amazilia candida 7
- Azure-crowned Hummingbird Amazilia cyanocephala 2
- Berylline Hummingbird Amazilia beryllina 7
- Blue-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia cyanura 10
- Cinnamon Hummingbird Amazilia rutila 4
- Blue-throated Goldentail Hylocharis eliciae 11
- White-eared Hummingbird Hylocharis leucotis 1
- Rallidae
- Sora Porzana carolina cw
- Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinicus 5
- Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata 21
- American Coot Fulica americana 294
- Scolopacidae
- Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius 3
- Ardeidae
- Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis 1
- Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 4
- Great Egret Ardea alba 58
- Snowy Egret Egretta thula 3
- Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea 2
- Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor 1
- Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 6
- Green Heron Butorides virescens 20
- Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 1
- Cathartidae
- Black Vulture Coragyps atratus 40
- Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura 25
- King Vulture Sarcoramphus papa 1
- Pandionidae
- Osprey Pandion haliaetus 1
- Accipitridae
- Gray-headed Kite Leptodon cayanensis 1
- Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus 3
- Great Black Hawk Buteogallus urubitinga 2
- Roadside Hawk Rupornis magnirostris cw
- White Hawk Pseudastur albicollis 1
- Gray Hawk Buteo plagiatus 5
- Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus 4
- Short-tailed Hawk Buteo brachyurus 3
- Zone-tailed Hawk Buteo albonotatus cw
- Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 2
- Black Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus tyrannus 3
- Ornate Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus ornatus 2
- Strigidae
- Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus 2
- Northern Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium gnoma 1
- Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium brasilianum 8
- Mottled Owl Ciccaba virgata 14
- Black-and-white Owl Ciccaba nigrolineata 5
- Fulvous Owl Strix fulvescens 4
- Stygian Owl Asio stygius 1
- Unspotted Saw-whet Owl Aegolius ridgwayi 2
- Trogonidae
- Gartered Trogon Trogon caligatus 1
- Mountain Trogon Trogon mexicanus 4
- Collared Trogon Trogon collaris 7
- Resplendent Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno 2
- Momotidae
- Tody Motmot Hylomanes momotula 7
- Blue-throated Motmot Aspatha gularis 13
- Lesson's Motmot Momotus lessonii 12
- Turquoise-browed Motmot Eumomota superciliosa 1
- Alcedinidae
- Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon 2
- Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana 3
- Ramphastidae
- Emerald Toucanet Aulacorhynchus prasinus 10
- Collared Aracari Pteroglossus torquatus 6
- Picidae
- Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus 1
- Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons 21
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius cw
- Smoky-brown Woodpecker Picoides fumigatus 3
- Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus 4
- Golden-olive Woodpecker Colaptes rubiginosus 20
- Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 2
- Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus 5
- Pale-billed Woodpecker Campephilus guatemalensis 1
- Falconidae
- Laughing Falcon Herpetotheres cachinnans 9
- Collared Forest-Falcon Micrastur semitorquatus 1
- Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway cw
- American Kestrel Falco sparverius 3
- American Kestrel Falco sparverius cw
- Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis 4
- Psittacidae
- Orange-fronted Parakeet Eupsittula canicularis 28
- Pacific Parakeet Psittacara strenuus 72
- Barred Parakeet Bolborhynchus lineola 7
- Orange-chinned Parakeet Brotogeris jugularis 61
- Yellow-naped Parrot Amazona auropalliata 35
- Thamnophilidae
- Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus 11
- Furnariidae
- Tawny-throated Leaftosser Sclerurus mexicanus 4
- Ruddy Woodcreeper Dendrocincla homochroa 1
- Ivory-billed Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus flavigaster 3
- Spotted Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus erythropygius 1
- Spot-crowned Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes affinis 8
- Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner Anabacerthia variegaticeps 3
- Ruddy Foliage-gleaner Clibanornis rubiginosus 2
- Rufous-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis erythrothorax 2
- Tyrannidae
- Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma imberbe 3
- Greenish Elaenia Myiopagis viridicata 10
- Yellow-bellied Elaenia Elaenia flavogaster 3
- Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Mionectes oleagineus 1
- Paltry Tyrannulet Zimmerius vilissimus 30
- Northern Bentbill Oncostoma cinereigulare 4
- Common Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum cinereum 10
- Eye-ringed Flatbill Rhynchocyclus brevirostris 1
- Yellow-olive Flycatcher Tolmomyias sulphurescens 6
- Stub-tailed Spadebill Platyrinchus cancrominus 1
- Tufted Flycatcher Mitrephanes phaeocercus 2
- Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi 1
- Greater Pewee Contopus pertinax 8
- Tropical Pewee Contopus cinereus 7
- Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris 8
- Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii cw
- Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus 15
- Hammond's Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii 1
- Yellowish Flycatcher Empidonax flavescens 2
- Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans 6
- Dusky-capped Flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer 12
- Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus 1
- Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus 5
- Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus 5
- Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua 12
- Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis 14
- Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus 19
- Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis 48
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus 8
- Tityridae
- Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata 11
- Rose-throated Becard Pachyramphus aglaiae 6
- Pipridae
- Long-tailed Manakin Chiroxiphia linearis 19
- Vireonidae
- Rufous-browed Peppershrike Cyclarhis gujanensis 6
- Green Shrike-Vireo Vireolanius pulchellus 2
- Lesser Greenlet Pachysylvia decurtata 2
- Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni 1
- Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons 5
- Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius 7
- Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeus cw
- Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus 13
- Brown-capped Vireo Vireo leucophrys 1
- Corvidae
- White-throated Magpie-Jay Calocitta formosa 22
- Bushy-crested Jay Cyanocorax melanocyaneus 25
- Steller's Jay Cyanocitta stelleri 2
- Hirundinidae
- Gray-breasted Martin Progne chalybea 3
- Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina 10
- Black-capped Swallow Atticora pileata 6
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis 34
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 8
- Troglodytidae
- House Wren Troglodytes aedon 12
- Rufous-browed Wren Troglodytes rufociliatus 7
- Band-backed Wren Campylorhynchus zonatus 20
- Rufous-naped Wren Campylorhynchus rufinucha 16
- Spot-breasted Wren Pheugopedius maculipectus 15
- Rufous-and-white Wren Thryophilus rufalbus 6
- Cabanis's Wren Cantorchilus modestus 21
- White-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucosticta 9
- Gray-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys 19
- Polioptilidae
- Long-billed Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus 3
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea 1
- Turdidae
- Brown-backed Solitaire Myadestes occidentalis 47
- Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush Catharus aurantiirostris 5
- Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush Catharus frantzii 7
- Spotted Nightingale-Thrush Catharus dryas 2
- Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus 11
- Black Thrush Turdus infuscatus 1
- Clay-colored Thrush Turdus grayi 28
- White-throated Thrush Turdus assimilis 16
- Rufous-collared Robin Turdus rufitorques 2
- Mimidae
- Blue-and-white Mockingbird Melanotis hypoleucus 4
- Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus 4
- Ptiliogonatidae
- Gray Silky-flycatcher Ptiliogonys cinereus 11
- Peucedramidae
- Olive Warbler Peucedramus taeniatus 2
- Passeridae
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus 2
- Fringillidae
- Scrub Euphonia Euphonia affinis 6
- Yellow-throated Euphonia Euphonia hirundinacea 21
- Elegant Euphonia Euphonia elegantissima 15
- Blue-crowned Chlorophonia Chlorophonia occipitalis 20
- Black-capped Siskin Spinus atriceps 3
- Black-headed Siskin Spinus notatus 2
- Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria 17
- Hooded Grosbeak Coccothraustes abeillei 12
- Parulidae
- Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla 5
- Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum 5
- Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla cw
- Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora cyanoptera 1
- Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia 21
- Crescent-chested Warbler Oreothlypis superciliosa 1
- Tennessee Warbler Oreothlypis peregrina 91
- Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla 2
- Gray-crowned Yellowthroat Geothlypis poliocephala 1
- MacGillivray's Warbler Geothlypis tolmiei 7
- Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas 1
- Hooded Warbler Setophaga citrina cw
- American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla 2
- Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia 14
- Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia 10
- Yellow-throated Warbler Setophaga dominica 2
- Townsend's Warbler Setophaga townsendi 35
- Black-throated Green Warbler Setophaga virens 2
- Rufous-capped Warbler Basileuterus rufifrons 12
- Golden-browed Warbler Basileuterus belli 5
- Golden-crowned Warbler Basileuterus culicivorus 17
- Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla 46
- Pink-headed Warbler Cardellina versicolor 1
- Slate-throated Redstart Myioborus miniatus 20
- Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens 2
- Thraupidae
- Blue-gray Tanager Thraupis episcopus 11
- Yellow-winged Tanager Thraupis abbas 26
- Azure-rumped Tanager Tangara cabanisi 39
- Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer Diglossa baritula 2
- Blue-black Grassquit Volatinia jacarina 4
- Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus 166
- Yellow-faced Grassquit Tiaris olivaceus 2
- White-collared Seedeater Sporophila torqueola 29
- Black-headed Saltator Saltator atriceps 32
- Grayish Saltator Saltator coerulescens 5
- Emberizidae
- Chestnut-capped Brushfinch Arremon brunneinucha 10
- White-naped Brushfinch Atlapetes albinucha 4
- White-eared Ground-Sparrow Melozone leucotis 14
- Prevost's Ground-Sparrow Melozone biarcuata 11
- Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis 4
- Common Chlorospingus Chlorospingus flavopectus 20
- Cardinalidae
- Summer Tanager Piranga rubra 10
- Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana 12
- Flame-colored Tanager Piranga bidentata 3
- White-winged Tanager Piranga leucoptera 27
- Red-crowned Ant-Tanager Habia rubica 2
- Red-throated Ant-Tanager Habia fuscicauda 2
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus 9
- Blue Seedeater Amaurospiza concolor 1
- Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea 2
- Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea 12
- Painted Bunting Passerina ciris 13
- Icteridae
- Melodious Blackbird Dives dives 58
- Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 118
- Black-vented Oriole Icterus wagleri 1
- Bar-winged Oriole Icterus maculialatus 4
- Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius 19
- Spot-breasted Oriole Icterus pectoralis 3
- Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis 3
- Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula 36
- Yellow-billed Cacique Amblycercus holosericeus 6
References
AOU (1998) The American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. 7th edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.
AOU (2016) Fifty-seventh supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union check-list of North American birds. Auk 133: 544-560.
To see results of all Christmas Bird Counts throughout the Americas visit http://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count.
