Christmas Bird Count: Atitlan Volcano 2009
Compilers: Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño
The third edition of the Christmas Bird Count at Atitlán volcano took place on 16 December 2009. A total of 34 observers in nine groups counted birds in Reserva Natural Privada Los Andes, Reserva Natural Privada Los Tarrales, Finca San Jerónimo Miramar, Fincas Santo Tomás Perdido & Santa Teresa, and in the Santiago and Tolimán bays of lake Atitlán. Weather conditions were favorable with a clear night and a sunny day. Soft rain was falling only in the southernmost part of the count circle in the afternoon.
A total of 4872 birds of 233 species was recorded. In addition, five more species were observed during the count week. Four species were recorded by all groups, which are Ruby-throated Hummingbird, White-tipped Dove, Wilson's Warbler, and Baltimore Oriole.
The most abundant species during this Christmas Bird Count with more than 100 detected individuals were Vaux's Swift, American Coot, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Great-tailed Grackle, Tennessee Warbler, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, White-collared Swift, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, and Pacific Parakeet. The most abundant Nearctic-Neotropical migratory landbirds with more than 25 detected individuals were Tennessee Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Western Kingbird, Baltimore Oriole, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Townsend's Warbler.
Many of the endemics of the North Central American Highlands were again recorded, such as Highland Guan, Rufous Sabrewing, Green-throated Mountain-gem, Wine-throated Hummingbird, Blue-throated Motmot, Bushy-crested Jay, Black-throated Jay, Black-capped Swallow, Rufous-browed Wren, Rufous-collared Thrush, Pink-headed Warbler, and Azure-rumped Tanager. Horned Guan was observed in the count week.
Noteworthy was a Black-bellied Whistling-Duck which was moving among Blue-winged Teals and American Coots at Lake Atitlán. The whistling-duck occurs mainly in the lowlands. The observed bird may have been a straying individual from the Pacific lowlands, which are only 60 km away. But it cannot be ruled out that this individual was an escaped bird from one of the villages at Lake Atitlán. Also a single Willet at Lake Atitlán was noteworthy, as this shorebird is usually restricted to coastal areas. Olive-sided Flycatcher is mainly a transient bird in Guatemala and wintering birds are rare (Eisermann & Avendaño 2007). An photographed individual in Los Tarrales was therefore noteworthy.
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 2009 count (incl. count week) were two globally Endangered species (Horned Guan, Azure-rumped Tanager), and two Vulnerable species (Highland Guan, Pink-headed Warbler).
It follows a list of species and numbers of individuals recorded during the third Christmas Bird Count at Atitlán Volcano (Nomenclature according to AOU 1998 and supplements, most recent update AOU 2009). Species recorded during the count week are marked with (cw).
- ANATIDAE
- Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis 1
- Blue-winged Teal Anas discors 6
- CRACIDAE
- White-bellied Chachalaca Ortalis leucogastra 4
- Crested Guan Penelope purpurascens 25
- Highland Guan Penelopina nigra 44
- Horned Guan Oreophasis derbianus (cw)
- ODONTOPHORIDAE
- Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge Dendrortyx leucophrys 2
- Spotted Wood-Quail Odontophorus guttatus 11
- Singing Quail Dactylortyx thoracicus 6
- ARDEIDAE
- Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 11
- Great Egret Ardea alba 23
- Snowy Egret Egretta thula 6
- Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor 5
- Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 19
- Green Heron Butorides virescens 18
- CATHARTIDAE
- Black Vulture Coragyps atratus 70
- Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura 22
- King Vulture Sarcoramphus papa 4
- ACCIPITRIDAE
- Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus 1
- Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii 2
- Roadside Hawk Buteo magnirostris 5
- Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus 1
- Gray Hawk Buteo nitidus 5
- Short-tailed Hawk Buteo brachyurus 5
- Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 3
- Black Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus tyrannus 2
- Ornate Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus ornatus 2
- FALCONIDAE
- Barred Forest-Falcon Micrastur ruficollis (cw)
- Collared Forest-Falcon Micrastur semitorquatus 2
- Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway 1
- Laughing Falcon Herpetotheres cachinnans 4
- American Kestrel Falco sparverius 6
- Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis 1
- Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 1
- RALLIDAE
- Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 2
- American Coot Fulica americana 298
- SCOLOPACIDAE
- Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius 6
- Willet Tringa semipalmata 1
- LARIDAE
- Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla 4
- COLUMBIDAE
- Red-billed Pigeon Patagioenas flavirostris 54
- Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata 3
- White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica 5
- Inca Dove Columbina inca 5
- Ruddy Ground-Dove Columbina talpacoti 6
- White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi 80
- White-faced Quail-Dove Geotrygon albifacies 11
- Ruddy Quail-Dove Geotrygon montana 1
- PSITTACIDAE
- Pacific Parakeet Aratinga strenua 111
- Orange-fronted Parakeet Aratinga canicularis 4
- Barred Parakeet Bolborhynchus lineola 19
- Orange-chinned Parakeet Brotogeris jugularis 9
- White-fronted Parrot Amazona albifrons 2
- Yellow-naped Parrot Amazona auropalliata 9
- CUCULIDAE
- Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana 9
- Striped Cuckoo Tapera naevia (cw)
- Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris 2
- STRIGIDAE
- Spectacled Owl Pulsatrix perspicillata 1
- Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium brasilianum 2
- Mottled Owl Ciccaba virgata 17
- Black-and-white Owl Ciccaba nigrolineata 6
- CAPRIMULGIDAE
- Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis 22
- Common Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis 12
- Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus 1
- APODIDAE
- Chestnut-collared Swift Streptoprocne rutila 3
- White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris 140
- Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi 500
- TROCHILIDAE
- Rufous Sabrewing Campylopterus rufus 21
- Violet Sabrewing Campylopterus hemileucurus 5
- Green Violetear Colibri thalassinus 10
- Emerald-chinned Hummingbird Abeillia abeillei 26
- Blue-throated Goldentail Hylocharis eliciae 47
- White-eared Hummingbird Hylocharis leucotis 3
- White-bellied Emerald Amazilia candida 7
- Azure-crowned Hummingbird Amazilia cyanocephala 9
- Berylline Hummingbird Amazilia beryllina 8
- Blue-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia cyanura 38
- Cinnamon Hummingbird Amazilia rutila 7
- Green-throated Mountain-gem Lampornis viridipallens 11
- Magnificent Hummingbird Eugenes fulgens 12
- Long-billed Starthroat Heliomaster longirostris 2
- Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird Tilmatura dupontii 1
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris 168
- Wine-throated Hummingbird Atthis ellioti 1
- TROGONIDAE
- Violaceous Trogon Trogon violaceus 14
- Mountain Trogon Trogon mexicanus 1
- Collared Trogon Trogon collaris 29
- Resplendent Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno 3
- MOMOTIDAE
- Tody Motmot Hylomanes momotula 4
- Blue-throated Motmot Aspatha gularis 13
- Blue-crowned Motmot Momotus momota 24
- ALCEDINIDAE
- Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon 1
- Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana 1
- RAMPHASTIDAE
- Emerald Toucanet Aulacorhynchus prasinus 22
- Collared Aracari Pteroglossus torquatus 18
- PICIDAE
- Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus 2
- Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons 33
- Smoky-brown Woodpecker Veniliornis fumigatus 6
- Golden-olive Woodpecker Colaptes rubiginosus 22
- Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus 2
- Pale-billed Woodpecker Campephilus guatemalensis 2
- FURNARIIDAE
- Rufous-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis erythrothorax 5
- Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner Anabacerthia variegaticeps 6
- Ruddy Foliage-gleaner Automolus rubiginosus 4
- Tawny-throated Leaftosser Sclerurus mexicanus 2
- Ivory-billed Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus flavigaster 10
- Spotted Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus erythropygius 3
- Spot-crowned Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes affinis 4
- THAMNOPHILIDAE
- Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus 19
- TYRANNIDAE
- Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma imberbe 11
- Greenish Elaenia Myiopagis viridicata 8
- Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Mionectes oleagineus 3
- Paltry Tyrannulet Zimmerius vilissimus 28
- Common Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum cinereum 18
- Eye-ringed Flatbill Rhynchocyclus brevirostris 2
- Yellow-olive Flycatcher Tolmomyias sulphurescens 7
- Stub-tailed Spadebill Platyrinchus cancrominus 2
- Tufted Flycatcher Mitrephanes phaeocercus 3
- Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi 1
- Greater Pewee Contopus pertinax 19
- Tropical Pewee Contopus cinereus 20
- Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris 4
- Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus 15
- Hammond's Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii 1
- Yellowish Flycatcher Empidonax flavescens 3
- Empidonax sp. 1
- Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans 2
- Dusky-capped Flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer 22
- Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus 11
- Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus (cw)
- Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua 24
- Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis 48
- Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus 30
- Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis 58
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus 4
- Gray-collared Becard Pachyramphus major 1
- Rose-throated Becard Pachyramphus aglaiae 6
- Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata 19
- PIPRIDAE
- Long-tailed Manakin Chiroxiphia linearis 33
- VIREONIDAE
- Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons 10
- Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius 2
- Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus 10
- Vireo sp. 1
- Lesser Greenlet Hylophilus decurtatus 7
- Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo Vireolanius melitophrys 1
- Green Shrike-Vireo Vireolanius pulchellus 4
- Rufous-browed Peppershrike Cyclarhis gujanensis 13
- CORVIDAE
- White-throated Magpie-Jay Calocitta formosa 32
- Bushy-crested Jay Cyanocorax melanocyaneus 61
- Black-throated Jay Cyanolyca pumilo 2
- HIRUNDINIDAE
- Gray-breasted Martin Progne chalybea 27
- Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina 1
- Black-capped Swallow Notiochelidon pileata 48
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis 129
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 81
- TROGLODYTIDAE
- Band-backed Wren Campylorhynchus zonatus 17
- Rufous-naped Wren Campylorhynchus rufinucha 12
- Spot-breasted Wren Thryothorus maculipectus 32
- Rufous-and-white Wren Thryothorus rufalbus 8
- Plain Wren Thryothorus modestus 25
- House Wren Troglodytes aedon 7
- Rufous-browed Wren Troglodytes rufociliatus 3
- White-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucosticta 6
- Gray-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys 9
- SYLVIIDAE
- Long-billed Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus 11
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea 3
- TURDIDAE
- Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis 7
- Brown-backed Solitaire Myadestes occidentalis 52
- Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush Catharus aurantiirostris 17
- Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush Catharus frantzii 4
- Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus 17
- Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus 1
- Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina 5
- Black Thrush Turdus infuscatus 1
- Clay-colored Thrush Turdus grayi 37
- White-throated Thrush Turdus assimilis 33
- Rufous-collared Robin Turdus rufitorques 1
- MIMIDAE
- Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis 2
- Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus 2
- Blue-and-white Mockingbird Melanotis hypoleucus 1
- PTILOGONATIDAE
- Gray Silky-flycatcher Ptilogonys cinereus 8
- PARULIDAE
- Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora pinus 1
- Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera (cw)
- Tennessee Warbler Vermivora peregrina 179
- Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla 5
- Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia 5
- Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica 1
- Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia 12
- Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens 10
- Townsend's Warbler Dendroica townsendi 27
- Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia 22
- American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla 3
- Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum 1
- Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla 3
- MacGillivray's Warbler Oporornis tolmiei 2
- Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas 1
- Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla 59
- Pink-headed Warbler Ergaticus versicolor 1
- Slate-throated Redstart Myioborus miniatus 25
- Golden-crowned Warbler Basileuterus culicivorus 20
- Rufous-capped Warbler Basileuterus rufifrons 13
- Golden-browed Warbler Basileuterus belli 6
- Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens 4
- THRAUPIDAE
- Common Bush-Tanager Chlorospingus ophthalmicus 19
- Blue-gray Tanager Thraupis episcopus 6
- Yellow-winged Tanager Thraupis abbas 68
- Azure-rumped Tanager Tangara cabanisi 25
- Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus 272
- Genus INCERTAE SEDIS
- Grayish Saltator Saltator coerulescens 9
- Black-headed Saltator Saltator atriceps 42
- EMBERIZIDAE
- Blue-black Grassquit Volatinia jacarina 1
- White-collared Seedeater Sporophila torqueola 6
- Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch Arremon brunneinucha 4
- Prevost's Ground-Sparrow Melozone biarcuata 6
- White-eared Ground-Sparrow Melozone leucotis 13
- Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis 1
- CARDINALIDAE
- Summer Tanager Piranga rubra 25
- Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana 18
- Flame-colored Tanager Piranga bidentata 1
- White-winged Tanager Piranga leucoptera 26
- Red-crowned Ant-Tanager Habia rubica 2
- Red-throated Ant-Tanager Habia fuscicauda 4
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus 28
- Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea 9
- Painted Bunting Passerina ciris 3
- ICTERIDAE
- Melodious Blackbird Dives dives 52
- Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 210
- Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus 8
- Bar-winged Oriole Icterus maculialatus 2
- Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius 17
- Spot-breasted Oriole Icterus pectoralis 4
- Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis 11
- Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula 45
- Yellow-billed Cacique Amblycercus holosericeus 8
- FRINGILLIDAE
- Scrub Euphonia Euphonia affinis 1
- Yellow-throated Euphonia Euphonia hirundinacea 33
- Elegant Euphonia Euphonia elegantissima 16
- Blue-crowned Chlorophonia Chlorophonia occipitalis 11
- Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria 14
- Hooded Grosbeak Coccothraustes abeillei 2
- PASSERIDAE
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus 7
References
AOU (1998) The American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. 7th edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.
AOU (2009) Fiftieth supplement to the AOU check-list of North American birds. Auk 126: 705-714.
Eisermann, K. & C. Avendaño (2007) Lista comentada de las aves de Guatemala - Annotated checklist of the birds of Guatemala. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.
To see results of all Christmas Bird Counts throughout the Americas visit http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count.
