10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2012

On a recent filming trip to Colombia with Aderman (my notorious/nefarious videographer), Birding Tours Colombia and Richard Crossley, I was fortunate enough to see some of this death-wish behavior first-hand. Torrent Ducks share their habitat in Colombia with another striking and highly unusual species, the White-capped Dipper.

Ducks 267

Ducks Colombia South America Squirrels 267

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2014

How else can I describe two days at Cerro Montezuma in Colombia. Cerro Montezuma or Montezuma Peak lies within Tatama National Park in Colombia’s Western Cordillera. Trips Cerro Montezuma Choco Region Colombia South America' Your mind gets blown. Xeno-canto has a helpful map.)

Colombia 268

Colombia South America Birds America 268

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 13, 2011

Yesterday I posted a blog about the mystery hummingbird located in Rogitama, Colombia. I am pleased to share some photographs of the bird that was captured by a team of Colombian ornithologists for DNA analysis.

Colombia 251

Colombia Research Birds 251

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2011

Whist filming three TV shows for ProExport Colombia , we received the news that the bird had been rediscovered and I prolonged my trip for a few days to try and film the mysterious bird, whist the rest of the crew, including Richard Crossley (who, besides being the author of the Crossley Guide , happens to be a REALLY good table-tennis player!)

Colombia 258

Colombia Family 2011 Species 258

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2012

This week I find myself writing about Colombia again. Woodpeckers are phenomenally well-represented in Colombia and the country holds anything from 42 to 44 of the world’s woodpecker species, depending on which list you follow. This post relates to a delightful Colombian endemic called the Grayish Piculet. www.youtube.com/watch?v=89MHMMP7PfY

Colombia 197

Colombia Woodpeckers South America Asia 197

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2014

I made exactly this mistake when I was in Colombia this summer, yet the most shameful part was that the hazard wasn’t technically wild. Trips Colombia cows danger South America' We’ve all heard stories of unfortunate birding encounters with perilous flora, fauna, and even terrain.

Cows 218

Cows Colombia South America Livestock 218

10,000 Birds

MAY 21, 2015

The onset of the competitive spirit came the evening of May 9th as many watched the number of species per country switching places between Colombia, Brazil and Peru. Colombia and Brazil hold the world’s largest bird list and lots of passionate birders. Teams in northern Peru reported Golden-crowned Tanagers.

2015 248

2015 Peru Colombia Brazil 248

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2021

Whilst Guyana doesn’t boast the number of species of larger countries like Peru, Brazil and Colombia, one needs to consider the size difference between these countries. Whilst Colombia might have a bird-list slightly more than double that of Guyana’s, consider the fact that it is more than 5 times larger.

Guyana 279

Guyana Otters South America Colombia 279

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2013

Then, they keep flying south overland to western Colombia. At some point in western Colombia the kites will fly over the Andes at a point where the Andes are not as high. Kites generally fly to Cuba and then over the ocean to arrive in the Yucatan Peninsula or areas further south.

Florida 261

Florida Cuba Colombia 2004 261

10,000 Birds

APRIL 21, 2021

There, you can take your pick from a wide array of Flowerpiercers ; they may be Chestnut- or Gray-bellied ; be White-sided , Black-throated , Golden-eyed , Scaled , Masked , or Moustached ; be Bluish , Indigo , Rusty , Glossy , or Black ; or hail from Venezuela or Mérida (Colombia, that is). One is even Greater. I would love to meet them all.

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica South America Venezuela North America 264

10,000 Birds

APRIL 25, 2019

15%: Colombia, New Guinea (irrespective of the part/country). Colombia was praised for its “amazing people, topography and biodiversity”. Here are the results: 3 per cent of respondents (in no particular order): Trinidad and Tobago, Chile, Tanzania, Madagascar. 4%: Mexico, West Papua (Indonesia), New Zealand, South Africa, Kenya.

Papua New Guinea 214

Papua New Guinea America Costa Rica Sri Lanka 214

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2014

The sun shines on Colombia’s brilliant coffee-growing regions and abundant avifauna. I just returned from a brief but exciting trip to Colombia and will take this weekend to catch my breath. The first weekend of August signals a psychological shift in temperate countries north of the equator. How about you?

Colombia 162

Colombia Psychology 2014 Birds 162

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 19, 2011

It is a very small antpitta that lives in Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela and Bolivia. This antpitta is found in southern Ecuador (near Peru) and curiously also inside the Puluahua Crater which is my residence near Quito in northern Ecuador.

Ecuador 199

Ecuador Bolivia Venezuela Peru 199

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2021

Actively birding in Costa Rica as well as Nicaragua and Panama as well as the USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. Organization committee for the Arenal Annual Bird Count. Volunteer reviewer for eBird in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica Experiments Experience Nicaragua 264

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2014

For once, I was pleased to see our omnipresent local Ring-billed Gulls this weekend, since I realized I didn’t see a single larid while in Colombia. At least the birds seem to appreciate the clement weather! Corey greatly enjoyed his weekend in the beautiful Catskill Mountains of upstate New York with family and friends.

Colombia 188

Colombia 2014 New York Birds 188

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2014

Thanks to my new best friends at Proexport Colombia, I’ll be birding this weekend in the birdiest country on Earth. Being a resident in an ecosystem certainly has its advantages, as does being a breeder (sometimes), but, every once in a while, you should visit someplace where you’re considered an exotic! How about you?

Colombia 176

Colombia Breeders 2014 Birds 176

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2013

The AWAS, as well as the Choco Endemics, reside both in Ecuador and Colombia. One of the truly amazing areas for these endemic birds is a road that leads to remote towns where the AWA indigenous people live. Unfortunately their culture and well being is threaten by the traffic of drugs, mining, and logging interest.

Ecuador 190

Ecuador Colombia Protection Birds 190

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 26, 2013

Also known as Black-backed Bush Finch is only found in the montane forests of Ecuador and Colombia. Black-backed Bush Tanager. The only place where I can see it regularly is the on the eastern side of the Cayambe Coca Reserve.

Ecuador 156

Ecuador Colombia Birds 156

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

Later come photos of American Redstarts, Black and White Warblers and Swainson’s Thrushes from Colombia a sign these birds started to show up in that country. It was fun to see that folks in Colombia had some kind of migratory bird photo challenge where they would try to outdo on better and better shots of Neotropical migrant birds.

South America 162

South America Colombia Peru Chile 162

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 24, 2024

Black-tailed Trogon ( Trogon melanurus) Mainly a species of the Amazonian lowlands (two other disjunct populations exist from central Panama to northern Colombia and in western Ecuador and northwestern Peru) they are heard more often than seen as they tend to remain well above the ground, favoring the forest canopy to subcanopy.

Ecuador 229

Ecuador Colombia Panama Peru 229

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 5, 2019

While Colombia may have almost 2000 bird species, it is a huge country with, still, complicated long-distance travel logistics. The Species per Square Mile Approach. On the other hand, small countries with relatively long bird lists offer higher species densities per square mile.

Equatorial Guinea 246

Equatorial Guinea Gambia Species Rwanda 246

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2023

Being a very restricted-range species ( found only locally in NE Ecuador along the Rio Napo and its tributaries but with possible sightings in neighbouring Brazil and Colombia) and low-denstiy (confined to black-water drainages) its habits poorly known. Finally the species was complete.

Solomon Islands 246

Solomon Islands Ecuador Colombia Brazil 246

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 15, 2013

The species is being re-introduced in Colombia and Ecuador where the condors are either locally extinct or persist in very low numbers. Populations of Andean condors have experienced a steady decline in the last three decades. It is estimated that only a few thousand birds remain in the wild.

Livestock 207

Livestock Chile Colombia Ecuador 207

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2013

The world has three waxwing species: the Cedar Waxwing ( Bombycilla cedrorum ), breeding in North America and wintering as far south as the Caribbean islands and northern Colombia; the Holarctic Bohemian Waxwing ( Bombycilla garrulus ); and the east Asian Japanese Waxwing ( Bombycilla japonica ).

Saudi Arabia 252

Saudi Arabia 2008 Indonesia Colombia 252

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 22, 2012

This bird, of the Turdus family, can be found on the western slopes of Ecuador and Colombia. Another great reason to visit the 23 de Junio besides the Long-wattled Umbrellabird is the Black Solitare ( Entomodestes coracinus ).

Ecuador 148

Ecuador Colombia Humane Family 148

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 16, 2019

The Prong-billed Barbet is in the Semnornithidae, a family shared with the Toucan Barbet of western Colombia and Ecuador. This species can be seen in any middle elevation rainforest in Costa Rica, it also visits fruit feeders at Cinchona, Bosque Tolomuco, and Vista del Valle. The female Red-headed Barbet is beautiful in her own subtle way. .

Costa Rica 201

Costa Rica Colombia Ecuador South America 201

10,000 Birds

JULY 19, 2011

This bird is a Choco endemic found only in northwest Ecuador and southwest Colombia. Most manakins are a mixture of Fred Astaire, Tweety Bird and Mozart in that they have the admirable talents of dance, adorable plush-toy cuteness and music that combine to produce some of the most staggering mating displays in the bird world.

Ecuador 252

Ecuador Colombia Research Birds 252

10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2011

On one list, it is the 27th country with the most number of different bird species.

Myanmar 150

Myanmar Bolivia 2011 Venezuela 150

10,000 Birds

JULY 19, 2014

It is common on freshwater in the lowlands and can be found above 7000 feet in Colombia. If you are familiar with the Argentinian version of the Spot-flanked Gallinule, your opinion would be valued. . eBird gives a slightly skewed notion of the Spot-flanked Gallinule’s distribution.

Argentina 160

Argentina Colombia South America America 160

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2012

A tiny country filled with biodiversity which can be easily reached in a short drive… Well, maybe that is a little exaggeration but in comparison to other countries like Colombia, Peru and the giant Brazil, our Ecuador seems tiny.

Ecuador 217

Ecuador Colombia Brazil Peru 217

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 18, 2012

Sword-billed Hummingbird , Colombia Bills come in all shapes and sizes. But how birds use these different senses, like the diversity in bill size and shape, varies almost as much from species to species. The longest bird bill relative to body-size.

Mammals 256

Mammals Mozambique Birds Colombia 256

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014

A vagrant from northern Colombia isn’t out of the question but we are still waiting for that local mega to happen. However, don’t count on glassing one in Costa Rica because no one has claimed this fancy duck in-country for decades (and there aren’t too many places to look for them).

Costa Rica 260

Costa Rica Species Panama Falcons 260

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

I’m sure this rule is as true in Borneo, Colombia, central Africa, or even Central Park, as it is in Mexico. A few places, such as the world-famous Tufted Jay Reserve in the mountains of Sinaloa state, are always questionable. Good local guides are important for more reasons than just finding the best birds. And Paso Ancho?

Mexico 192

Mexico Colombia Africa Experience 192

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 27, 2016

In the past, V4B has published stories about avian field work in Colombia , counting shorebirds along the Florida coast, and so much more (over 200 in all!). All gifts are tax deductible and will be matched 1:1 by the Blackstone Ranch Institute. Click here to give now.

Indonesia 144

Indonesia Colombia Campaign Florida 144

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 14, 2013

Chapman was a pioneer of the Neotropics, publishing various surveys of the birdlife of countries like Colombia and Ecuador. But among those who already know Chapman as the progenitor of one of birding culture’s most cherished traditions, few might be aware of other facets of his fascinating ornithological career.

Costa Rica 174

Costa Rica Colombia Colorado Ecuador 174

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2014

These included Sunbird (United Kingdom), Birding Ecotours (South Africa), Aviatur (Colombia), and two teams from the USA; FieldGuides and Surbound Expeditions. This Birding Rally’s competitors were companies that specialize in birding and nature tours. Our team was composed of Adam Kent, Tim Towles, a local guide, and myself.

Peru 224

Peru United Kingdom Birds South Africa 224

4 The Love Of Animals

MARCH 16, 2012

The Colombia Omni-Dry with Omni-Wick EVAP. It’s every cat’s worst nightmare! Luckily this tiny cat has a secret weapon. Sure would come in handy in our mountains (I want one for our dog, and for me)! The video is cute and funny, enjoy!

Cats 100

Cats Colombia Dogs 100