Thirteenth official Audubon Christmas Bird Count at
Volcán Atitlán (GMAV) 2019
organized by CAYAYA BIRDING
Compiled by Knut Eisermann and Claudia Avendaño,
CAYAYA BIRDING, January 2020
The 13th Christmas Bird Count at Atitlán Volcano took place on 14 December 2019. A total of 28 observers in 11 groups (plus 3 observers on feeding stations) counted birds in Reserva Natural Privada Los Tarrales, Finca San Jerónimo Miramar, Reserva Natural Privada Los Andes, in the municipal forest of Santiago Atitlán near Mirador Rey Tepepul, on Atitlán volcano, on Tolimán volcano, and in the bays of Santiago Atitlán and of San Lucas Tolimán at Lake Atitlán. Weather conditions were favorable, with clear to cloudy skies throughout the day, no to little wind, and no rain.
A total of 5272 birds of 283 species were recorded, 10 more species were observed during the count week. The most abundant species during this Christmas Bird Count with at least 50 detected individuals were (in descending order of abundance): Great-tailed Grackle, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Tennessee Warbler, American Coot, Black Vulture, White-collared Swift, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Bronzed Cowbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Blue-winged Teal, Vaux's Swift, Gray Silky-flycatcher, Yellow-winged Tanager, Clay-colored Thrush, Highland Guan, Black-headed Saltator, Wilson's Warbler, Common Gallinule, Baltimore Oriole, Turkey Vulture, Violet-green Swallow, and Crested Guan.
Noteworthy observations included Chestnut-sided Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, and Hooded Warbler (count week), which in Guatemala winter mainly in the Atlantic slope lowlands, but are rare/uncommon in the Pacific slope lowlands and foothills where this CBC is located. Species recorded for the first time during the Atitlán Volcano Christmas Bird Count included Northern Harrier, White-throated Flycatcher, and Ash-throated Flycatcher. Noteworthy were also 24 Horned Guans. Highest numbers for the first 13 CBC at Atitlán Volcano were recorded for Blue-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Crested Guan, Highland Guan, Spotted Wood-Quail, Brown Pelican, Black Hawk-Eagle, Gray Hawk, Inca Dove, Whiskered Screech-Owl, Mottled Owl, Chestnut-collared Swift, Green-breasted Mango, Green-throated Mountain-gem, Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem, Slender Sheartail, Berylline Hummingbird, Resplendent Quetzal, Tody Motmot, Belted Kingfisher, Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, Greenish Elaenia, Paltry Tyrannulet, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Yellow-olive Flycatcher, Belted Flycatcher, Tufted Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Long-tailed Manakin, Masked Tityra, Brown-capped Vireo, Lesser Greenlet, White-throated Magpie-Jay, Violet-green Swallow, Bank Swallow, Bushtit, Band-backed Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Spotted Nightingale-Thrush, Rufous-collared Robin, Blue-and-white Mockingbird, Gray Silky-Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, Rufous-capped Warbler, Blue-gray Tanager, Black-headed Saltator, Grayish Saltator, Rusty Sparrow, White-naped Brushfinch, Summer Tanager, Indigo Bunting, Bronzed Cowbird, Yellow-throated Euphonia, Black-headed Siskin, and Lesser Goldfinch.
Many of the endemics of the northern Central American highlands were recorded during the count day, including Horned Guan, Highland Guan, Fulvous Owl, Northern (Guatemalan) Pygmy-Owl, Azure-rumped Tanager, Blue-throated Motmot, Belted Flycatcher, 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 2019 count were the globally threatened Horned Guan, Highland Guan, Yellow-naped Parrot, Pink-headed Warbler, and Azure-rumped Tanager.
It follows a list of species and numbers of individuals recorded during the 13th Christmas Bird Count at Atitlán Volcano (Nomenclature according to AOU 1998 and supplements, most recent update AOS 2019). Species recorded during the count week are marked with (cw).
- Tinamidae
- Thicket Tinamou Crypturellus cinnamomeus 1
- Anatidae
- Blue-winged Teal Spatula discors 97
- Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris 16
- Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis 17
- Cracidae
- White-bellied Chachalaca Ortalis leucogastra 41
- Crested Guan Penelope purpurascens 50
- Highland Guan Penelopina nigra 59
- Horned Guan Oreophasis derbianus 24
- Odontophoridae
- Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge Dendrortyx leucophrys 1
- Singing Quail Dactylortyx thoracicus 17
- Spotted Wood-Quail Odontophorus guttatus 33
- Podicipedidae
- Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus (cw)
- Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps 1
- Columbidae
- Rock Pigeon Columba livia 5
- Red-billed Pigeon Patagioenas flavirostris 17
- Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata 42
- Inca Dove Columbina inca 31
- Common Ground Dove Columbina passerina 2
- Ruddy Ground Dove Columbina talpacoti 3
- White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi 22
- White-faced Quail-Dove Zentrygon albifacies 12
- White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica 6
- Cuculidae
- Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris 18
- Striped Cuckoo Tapera naevia (cw)
- Lesser Roadrunner Geococcyx velox 1
- Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana 14
- Caprimulgidae
- Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis 11
- Common Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis 26
- Mexican Whip-poor-will Antrostomus arizonae 5
- Nyctibiidae
- Northern Potoo Nyctibius jamaicensis 1
- Apodidae
- Chestnut-collared Swift Streptoprocne rutila 22
- White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris 102
- Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi 77
- unidentified swift 2
- Trochilidae
- White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora 2
- Mexican Violetear Colibri thalassinus 34
- Green-breasted Mango Anthracothorax prevostii 9
- Black-crested Coquette Lophornis helenae 1
- Rivoli's Hummingbird Eugenes fulgens 9
- Long-billed Starthroat Heliomaster longirostris 10
- Green-throated Mountain-gem Lampornis viridipallens 19
- Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem Lampornis amethystinus 15
- Garnet-throated Hummingbird Lamprolaima rhami 3
- Slender Sheartail Doricha enicura 2
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris 98
- Wine-throated Hummingbird Atthis ellioti 14
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus 4
- Canivet's Emerald Chlorostilbon canivetii 1
- Emerald-chinned Hummingbird Abeillia abeillei 23
- Rufous Sabrewing Campylopterus rufus 12
- Violet Sabrewing Campylopterus hemileucurus 10
- White-bellied Emerald Amazilia candida 9
- Azure-crowned Hummingbird Amazilia cyanocephala 5
- Berylline Hummingbird Amazilia beryllina 20
- Blue-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia cyanura 29
- Cinnamon Hummingbird Amazilia rutila 15
- Blue-throated Goldentail Hylocharis eliciae 20
- White-eared Hummingbird Hylocharis leucotis 5
- Rallidae
- Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinicus 2
- Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata 55
- American Coot Fulica americana 154
- Scolopacidae
- Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius 4
- Pelecanidae
- Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis 8
- Ardeidae
- Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 9
- Great Egret Ardea alba 36
- Snowy Egret Egretta thula 5
- Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea 6
- Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor 4
- Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 3
- Green Heron Butorides virescens 29
- Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 1
- Cathartidae
- Black Vulture Coragyps atratus 122
- Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura 52
- King Vulture Sarcoramphus papa 2
- Accipitridae
- Black Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus tyrannus 4
- Ornate Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus ornatus 2
- Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius 1
- Common Black Hawk Buteogallus anthracinus 1
- Great Black Hawk Buteogallus urubitinga 1
- Roadside Hawk Rupornis magnirostris 2
- White Hawk Pseudastur albicollis 1
- Gray Hawk Buteo plagiatus 16
- Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus 4
- Short-tailed Hawk Buteo brachyurus 5
- Zone-tailed Hawk Buteo albonotatus 1
- Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 1
- Tytonidae
- Barn Owl Tyto alba (cw)
- Strigidae
- Whiskered Screech-Owl Megascops trichopsis 19
- Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus 1
- Northern (Guatemalan) Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium gnoma cobanense 2
- Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium brasilianum 9
- Mottled Owl Ciccaba virgata 23
- Black-and-white Owl Ciccaba nigrolineata 5
- Fulvous Owl Strix fulvescens 1
- Unspotted Saw-whet Owl Aegolius ridgwayi 1
- Trogonidae
- Gartered Trogon Trogon caligatus 12
- Mountain Trogon Trogon mexicanus 10
- Collared Trogon Trogon collaris 14
- Resplendent Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno 7
- Momotidae
- Tody Motmot Hylomanes momotula 13
- Blue-throated Motmot Aspatha gularis 19
- Lesson's Motmot Momotus lessonii 19
- Turquoise-browed Motmot Eumomota superciliosa (cw)
- Alcedinidae
- Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon 5
- Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana 1
- Ramphastidae
- Northern Emerald-Toucanet Aulacorhynchus prasinus 35
- Collared Aracari Pteroglossus torquatus 17
- Picidae
- Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons 32
- Hairy Woodpecker Dryobates villosus 5
- Smoky-brown Woodpecker Dryobates fumigatus 4
- Golden-olive Woodpecker Colaptes rubiginosus 26
- Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 4
- Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus 2
- Pale-billed Woodpecker Campephilus guatemalensis 1
- Falconidae
- Laughing Falcon Herpetotheres cachinnans 11
- Barred Forest-Falcon Micrastur ruficollis 1
- Collared Forest-Falcon Micrastur semitorquatus 5
- Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway 1
- American Kestrel Falco sparverius 1
- Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis 3
- Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 1
- Psittacidae
- Orange-fronted Parakeet Eupsittula canicularis 23
- Pacific Parakeet Psittacara strenuus 42
- Barred Parakeet Bolborhynchus lineola 13
- Orange-chinned Parakeet Brotogeris jugularis 24
- Yellow-naped Parrot Amazona auropalliata 32
- Thamnophilidae
- Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus 14
- Grallariidae
- Scaled Antpitta Grallaria guatimalensis (cw)
- Furnariidae
- Tawny-throated Leaftosser Sclerurus mexicanus 3
- Ivory-billed Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus flavigaster 15
- Spotted Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus erythropygius 2
- Spot-crowned Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes affinis 9
- Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner Anabacerthia variegaticeps 3
- Ruddy Foliage-gleaner Clibanornis rubiginosus 8
- Rufous-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis erythrothorax 5
- Pipridae
- Long-tailed Manakin Chiroxiphia linearis 37
- Tityridae
- Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata 28
- Gray-collared Becard Pachyramphus major 3
- Rose-throated Becard Pachyramphus aglaiae 7
- Tyrannidae
- Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Mionectes oleagineus 1
- Northern Bentbill Oncostoma cinereigulare 5
- Common Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum cinereum 19
- Eye-ringed Flatbill Rhynchocyclus brevirostris 2
- Yellow-olive Flycatcher Tolmomyias sulphurescens 9
- Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma imberbe 2
- Greenish Elaenia Myiopagis viridicata 11
- Yellow-bellied Elaenia Elaenia flavogaster 2
- Mountain Elaenia Elaenia frantzii 1
- Paltry Tyrannulet Zimmerius vilissimus 36
- Dusky-capped Flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer 34
- Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens 1
- Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus 1
- Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus 5
- Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus 5
- Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua 24
- Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis 29
- Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus 18
- Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis 22
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus 6
- Belted Flycatcher Xenotriccus callizonus 2
- Tufted Flycatcher Mitrephanes phaeocercus 6
- Greater Pewee Contopus pertinax 18
- Tropical Pewee Contopus cinereus 15
- Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris 8
- White-throated Flycatcher Empidonax albigularis 1
- Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus 17
- Hammond's Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii 1
- Yellowish Flycatcher Empidonax flavescens 2
- Empidonax sp. 1
- Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans 11
- Vireonidae
- Rufous-browed Peppershrike Cyclarhis gujanensis 16
- Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo Vireolanius melitophrys (cw)
- Green Shrike-Vireo Vireolanius pulchellus 6
- Lesser Greenlet Pachysylvia decurtata 11
- Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni 1
- Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons 8
- Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius 11
- Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeus 1
- Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus 1
- Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus 8
- Brown-capped Vireo Vireo leucophrys 7
- Corvidae
- Black-throated Jay Cyanolyca pumilo 2
- White-throated Magpie-Jay Calocitta formosa 43
- Bushy-crested Jay Cyanocorax melanocyaneus 49
- Hirundinidae
- Bank Swallow Riparia riparia 38
- Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina 52
- Black-capped Swallow Atticora pileata 13
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis 101
- Gray-breasted Martin Progne chalybea 2
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 45
- Aegithalidae
- Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus 16
- Troglodytidae
- House Wren Troglodytes aedon 13
- Rufous-browed Wren Troglodytes rufociliatus 11
- Band-backed Wren Campylorhynchus zonatus 21
- Rufous-naped Wren Campylorhynchus rufinucha 26
- Spot-breasted Wren Pheugopedius maculipectus 25
- Rufous-and-white Wren Thryophilus rufalbus 6
- Cabanis's Wren Cantorchilus modestus 14
- White-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucosticta 8
- Gray-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys 25
- Polioptilidae
- Long-billed Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus 6
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea 7
- Turdidae
- Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis 13
- Brown-backed Solitaire Myadestes occidentalis 43
- Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush Catharus aurantiirostris 10
- Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush Catharus frantzii 7
- Spotted Nightingale-Thrush Catharus dryas 8
- Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus 9
- Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina (cw)
- Black Thrush Turdus infuscatus 5
- Mountain Thrush Turdus plebejus 1
- Clay-colored Thrush Turdus grayi 65
- White-throated Thrush Turdus assimilis 24
- Rufous-collared Robin Turdus rufitorques 37
- Mimidae
- Blue-and-white Mockingbird Melanotis hypoleucus 12
- Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus 6
- Ptiliogonatidae
- Gray Silky-flycatcher Ptiliogonys cinereus 70
- Peucedramidae
- Olive Warbler Peucedramus taeniatus 2
- Passeridae
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus (cw)
- Fringillidae
- Blue-crowned Chlorophonia Chlorophonia occipitalis 22
- Scrub Euphonia Euphonia affinis 14
- Yellow-throated Euphonia Euphonia hirundinacea 38
- Elegant Euphonia Euphonia elegantissima 21
- Hooded Grosbeak Coccothraustes abeillei 10
- Black-capped Siskin Spinus atriceps 5
- Black-headed Siskin Spinus notatus 19
- Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria 33
- Passerellidae
- Common Chlorospingus Chlorospingus flavopectus 9
- Chestnut-capped Brushfinch Arremon brunneinucha 6
- Yellow-eyed Junco Junco phaeonotus 2
- Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis 5
- White-eared Ground-Sparrow Melozone leucotis 16
- White-faced Ground-Sparrow Melozone biarcuata 8
- Rusty Sparrow Aimophila rufescens 4
- Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus 1
- White-naped Brushfinch Atlapetes albinucha 5
- Icteriidae
- Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens 3
- Icteridae
- Yellow-billed Cacique Amblycercus holosericeus 9
- Black-vented Oriole Icterus wagleri 2
- Bar-winged Oriole Icterus maculialatus 1
- Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius 12
- Spot-breasted Oriole Icterus pectoralis 6
- Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis 7
- Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula 55
- Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus 100
- Melodious Blackbird Dives dives 32
- Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 382
- Parulidae
- Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla 6
- Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum 4
- Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla 1
- Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis 1
- Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera (cw)
- Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia 20
- Crescent-chested Warbler Oreothlypis superciliosa 1
- Tennessee Warbler Leiothlypis peregrina 158
- Nashville Warbler Leiothlypis ruficapilla 4
- MacGillivray's Warbler Geothlypis tolmiei 2
- Kentucky Warbler Geothlypis formosa 1
- Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas 3
- Hooded Warbler Setophaga citrina (cw)
- Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia 12
- Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia 14
- Chestnut-sided Warbler Setophaga pensylvanica 1
- (Audubon's) Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata auduboni 7
- Townsend's Warbler Setophaga townsendi 38
- Hermit Warbler Setophaga occidentalis 1
- Black-throated Green Warbler Setophaga virens 12
- Fan-tailed Warbler Basileuterus lachrymosus 1
- Rufous-capped Warbler Basileuterus rufifrons 24
- Golden-browed Warbler Basileuterus belli 8
- Golden-crowned Warbler Basileuterus culicivorus 21
- Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla 58
- Pink-headed Warbler Cardellina versicolor 1
- Slate-throated Redstart Myioborus miniatus 19
- Cardinalidae
- Summer Tanager Piranga rubra 27
- Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana 17
- Flame-colored Tanager Piranga bidentata 2
- White-winged Tanager Piranga leucoptera 15
- Red-throated Ant-Tanager Habia fuscicauda 4
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus 19
- Blue Seedeater Amaurospiza concolor 2
- Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea 1
- Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea 34
- Painted Bunting Passerina ciris 7
- Thraupidae
- Azure-rumped Tanager Poecilostreptus cabanisi 39
- Blue-gray Tanager Thraupis episcopus 29
- Yellow-winged Tanager Thraupis abbas 66
- Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer Diglossa baritula 5
- Blue-black Grassquit Volatinia jacarina 1
- Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus 184
- Yellow-faced Grassquit Tiaris olivaceus 1
- Morelet's Seedeater Sporophila morelleti 17
- Black-headed Saltator Saltator atriceps 59
- Grayish Saltator Saltator coerulescens 24
References
AOU (1998) The American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. 7th edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.
AOS (2019) Sixtieth supplement to the American Ornithological Society's check-list of North American birds. Auk 136: DOI: 10.1093/auk/ukz042.
To see results of all Christmas Bird Counts throughout the Americas visit http://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count.
