Christmas Bird Count: Atitlán Volcano 2015
Compiled by Knut Eisermann
The 9th Christmas Bird Count at Atitlán Volcano took place on 14 December 2015. A total of 23 observers in 6 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 sky in the morning (with the exception of Mirador Rey Tepepul, where the morning was cloudy with some rain), and partly cloudy sky in the afternoon.
A total of 3087 birds of 235 species were recorded, 17 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, Tennessee Warbler, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Bushy-crested Jay, Green Violetear, Black Vulture, Pacific Parakeet, Band-tailed Pigeon, Yellow-naped Parrot, Clay-colored Thrush, Orange-fronted Parakeet, and Great-tailed Grackle.
Many of the endemics of northern Central American highlands were recorded during the count day, including Horned Guan, Highland Guan, Fulvous Owl, Azure-rumped Tanager, Blue-throated Motmot, Rufous Sabrewing, Green-throated Mountain-gem, Wine-throated Hummingbird, Rufous-browed Wren, Black-capped Swallow, Black-throated Jay, and Rufous-collared Thrush.
The ninth edition of the Atitlán Volcano Christmas Bird Count started with an unusual mild and calm night. At an altitude of 2700 m (8860 ft) we measured 15ºC at at 06:00 in morning. Owl activity was high throughout the night, with an impressive ten species recorded, including the enigmatic Unspotted Saw-whet Owl and Stygian Owl.
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 2015 count were two globally Endangered species (Horned Guan and 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 ninth Christmas Bird Count at Atitlán Volcano (Nomenclature according to AOU 1998 and supplements, most recent update AOU 2015). Species recorded during the count week are marked with (cw).
- Anatidae
- Blue-winged Teal Anas discors 44
- Cracidae
- White-bellied Chachalaca Ortalis leucogastra 35
- Crested Guan Penelope purpurascens 8
- Highland Guan Penelopina nigra 22
- Horned Guan Oreophasis derbianus 2
- Odontophoridae
- Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge Dendrortyx leucophrys 1
- Spotted Wood-Quail Odontophorus guttatus 5
- Singing Quail Dactylortyx thoracicus 3
- Pelecanidae
- Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis 2
- Ardeidae
- Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 4
- Great Egret Ardea alba 42
- Snowy Egret Egretta thula 4
- Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea 3
- Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor 5
- Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 32
- Green Heron Butorides virescens 23
- Boat-billed Heron Cochlearius cochlearius (cw)
- Threskiornithidae
- Glossy/White-faced Ibis Plegadis sp. (cw)
- Cathartidae
- Black Vulture Coragyps atratus 61
- Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura 20
- King Vulture Sarcoramphus papa (cw)
- Pandionidae
- Osprey Pandion haliaetus 2
- Accipitridae
- White-breasted Hawk Accipiter striatus chionogaster 1
- White Hawk Pseudastur albicollis 1
- Gray Hawk Buteo plagiatus 9
- Short-tailed Hawk Buteo brachyurus 3
- Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 2
- Black Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus tyrannus 1
- Ornate Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus ornatus 2
- Rallidae
- Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinicus 8
- Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata 7
- American Coot Fulica americana 275
- Charadriidae
- Killdeer Charadrius vociferus (cw)
- Scolopacidae
- Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius 3
- Laridae
- Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla (cw)
- Columbidae
- Rock Pigeon Columba livia 4
- Red-billed Pigeon Patagioenas flavirostris 15
- Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata 58
- Inca Dove Columbina inca 5
- Ruddy Ground-Dove Columbina talpacoti 4
- White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi 21
- White-faced Quail-Dove Zentrygon albifacies 7
- White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica 20
- Cuculidae
- Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana 7
- Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris (cw)
- Tytonidae
- Barn Owl Tyto alba (cw)
- Strigidae
- Whiskered Screech-Owl Megascops trichopsis 1
- Spectacled Owl Pulsatrix perspicillata 1
- Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus 4
- Northern Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium gnoma 1
- Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium brasilianum 5
- Mottled Owl Ciccaba virgata 16
- Black-and-white Owl Ciccaba nigrolineata 5
- Fulvous Owl Strix fulvescens 7
- Stygian Owl Asio stygius 1
- Unspotted Saw-whet Owl Aegolius ridgwayi 1
- Caprimulgidae
- Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis 13
- Common Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis 7
- Mexican Whip-poor-will Antrostomus arizonae 4
- Apodidae
- Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi 30
- Trochilidae
- White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora (cw)
- Green Violetear Colibri thalassinus 63
- Green-breasted Mango Anthracothorax prevostii 7
- Magnificent Hummingbird Eugenes fulgens 3
- Long-billed Starthroat Heliomaster longirostris 5
- Green-throated Mountain-gem Lampornis viridipallens 7
- Amethyst-throated Hummingbird Lampornis amethystinus 2
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris 42
- Wine-throated Hummingbird Atthis ellioti 1
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus 1
- Emerald-chinned Hummingbird Abeillia abeillei 32
- Rufous Sabrewing Campylopterus rufus 8
- Violet Sabrewing Campylopterus hemileucurus 12
- White-bellied Emerald Amazilia candida 6
- Azure-crowned Hummingbird Amazilia cyanocephala 4
- Berylline Hummingbird Amazilia beryllina 6
- Blue-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia cyanura 10
- Cinnamon Hummingbird Amazilia rutila 7
- Blue-throated Goldentail Hylocharis eliciae 14
- White-eared Hummingbird Hylocharis leucotis 4
- Trogonidae
- Gartered Trogon Trogon caligatus 4
- Mountain Trogon Trogon mexicanus 6
- Collared Trogon Trogon collaris 9
- Resplendent Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno 4
- Momotidae
- Tody Motmot Hylomanes momotula 3
- Blue-throated Motmot Aspatha gularis 11
- Blue-crowned Motmot Momotus momota 11
- Alcedinidae
- Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon 2
- Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana 2
- Ramphastidae
- Emerald Toucanet Aulacorhynchus prasinus 19
- Collared Aracari Pteroglossus torquatus 12
- Picidae
- Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons 32
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius 1
- Smoky-brown Woodpecker Picoides fumigatus 1
- Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus 4
- Golden-olive Woodpecker Colaptes rubiginosus 12
- Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 8
- Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus 7
- Pale-billed Woodpecker Campephilus guatemalensis (cw)
- Falconidae
- Laughing Falcon Herpetotheres cachinnans 2
- Collared Forest-Falcon Micrastur semitorquatus 1
- Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway 1
- American Kestrel Falco sparverius 3
- Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis 2
- Psittacidae
- Orange-fronted Parakeet Eupsittula canicularis 53
- Pacific Parakeet Psittacara strenuus 60
- Barred Parakeet Bolborhynchus lineola 14
- Orange-chinned Parakeet Brotogeris jugularis 27
- Yellow-naped Parrot Amazona auropalliata 56
- Thamnophilidae
- Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus 13
- Furnariidae
- Tawny-throated Leaftosser Sclerurus mexicanus 3
- Ivory-billed Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus flavigaster 2
- Spotted Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus erythropygius 1
- Spot-crowned Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes affinis 4
- Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner Anabacerthia variegaticeps 5
- Ruddy Foliage-gleaner Clibanornis rubiginosus 2
- Rufous-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis erythrothorax 2
- Tyrannidae
- Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma imberbe 1
- Greenish Elaenia Myiopagis viridicata 2
- Yellow-bellied Elaenia Elaenia flavogaster 3
- Paltry Tyrannulet Zimmerius vilissimus 19
- Northern Bentbill Oncostoma cinereigulare 8
- Common Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum cinereum 4
- Eye-ringed Flatbill Rhynchocyclus brevirostris 1
- Yellow-olive Flycatcher Tolmomyias sulphurescens 3
- Stub-tailed Spadebill Platyrinchus cancrominus (cw)
- Tufted Flycatcher Mitrephanes phaeocercus 1
- Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi 1
- Greater Pewee Contopus pertinax 9
- Tropical Pewee Contopus cinereus 8
- Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris 2
- Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus 4
- Hammond's Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii 1
- Yellowish Flycatcher Empidonax flavescens 4
- Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans 3
- Dusky-capped Flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer 12
- Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus (cw)
- Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus 3
- Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus (cw)
- Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua 7
- Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis 18
- Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus 12
- Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis 23
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus 12
- Tityridae
- Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata 17
- Rose-throated Becard Pachyramphus aglaiae 3
- Pipridae
- Long-tailed Manakin Chiroxiphia linearis 17
- Vireonidae
- Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons 4
- Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeus (cw)
- Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius 7
- Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus 7
- Brown-capped Vireo Vireo leucophrys (cw)
- Lesser Greenlet Hylophilus decurtatus 6
- Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo Vireolanius melitophrys 1
- Green Shrike-Vireo Vireolanius pulchellus 5
- Rufous-browed Peppershrike Cyclarhis gujanensis 5
- Corvidae
- White-throated Magpie-Jay Calocitta formosa 20
- Bushy-crested Jay Cyanocorax melanocyaneus 75
- Hirundinidae
- Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina 4
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis 46
- Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva 10
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 8
- Troglodytidae
- House Wren Troglodytes aedon 9
- Rufous-browed Wren Troglodytes rufociliatus 9
- Band-backed Wren Campylorhynchus zonatus 4
- Rufous-naped Wren Campylorhynchus rufinucha 19
- Spot-breasted Wren Pheugopedius maculipectus 17
- Rufous-and-white Wren Thryophilus rufalbus 5
- Plain Wren Cantorchilus modestus 14
- White-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucosticta 4
- Gray-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys 17
- Polioptilidae
- Long-billed Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus 1
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea 1
- Turdidae
- Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis 1
- Brown-backed Solitaire Myadestes occidentalis 46
- Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush Catharus aurantiirostris 4
- Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush Catharus frantzii 13
- Spotted Nightingale-Thrush Catharus dryas 2
- Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus 10
- Black Thrush Turdus infuscatus 1
- Mountain Thrush Turdus plebejus 1
- Clay-colored Thrush Turdus grayi 54
- White-throated Thrush Turdus assimilis 11
- Turdidae
- Rufous-collared Robin Turdus rufitorques 6
- Mimidae
- Blue-and-white Mockingbird Melanotis hypoleucus 7
- Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus 8
- Ptiliogonatidae
- Gray Silky-flycatcher Ptiliogonys cinereus 12
- Parulidae
- Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla 3
- Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum 4
- Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla 1
- Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia 13
- Tennessee Warbler Oreothlypis peregrina 109
- Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla 4
- MacGillivray's Warbler Geothlypis tolmiei 5
- Kentucky Warbler Geothlypis formosa (cw)
- Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas 3
- Hooded Warbler Setophaga citrina (cw)
- Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia 5
- Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia 4
- Townsend's Warbler Setophaga townsendi 23
- Black-throated Green Warbler Setophaga virens 12
- Fan-tailed Warbler Basileuterus lachrymosus 1
- Rufous-capped Warbler Basileuterus rufifrons 13
- Golden-browed Warbler Basileuterus belli 5
- Golden-crowned Warbler Basileuterus culicivorus 10
- Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla 35
- Pink-headed Warbler Cardellina versicolor 1
- Slate-throated Redstart Myioborus miniatus 15
- Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens 3
- Thraupidae
- Blue-gray Tanager Thraupis episcopus 4
- Yellow-winged Tanager Thraupis abbas 39
- Azure-rumped Tanager Tangara cabanisi 16
- Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer Diglossa baritula 9
- Blue-black Grassquit Volatinia jacarina 5
- Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus 87
- White-collared Seedeater Sporophila torqueola 13
- Black-headed Saltator Saltator atriceps 38
- Grayish Saltator Saltator coerulescens 5
- Emberizidae
- Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch Arremon brunneinucha 8
- White-naped Brush-Finch Atlapetes albinucha 1
- Rusty Sparrow Aimophila rufescens 1
- White-eared Ground-Sparrow Melozone leucotis 9
- Prevost's Ground-Sparrow Melozone biarcuata 9
- Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis (cw)
- Common Chlorospingus Chlorospingus flavopectus 27
- Cardinalidae
- Summer Tanager Piranga rubra 17
- Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana 11
- Flame-colored Tanager Piranga bidentata 1
- White-winged Tanager Piranga leucoptera 6
- Red-throated Ant-Tanager Habia fuscicauda 6
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus 5
- Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea 7
- Painted Bunting Passerina ciris 10
- Icteridae
- Melodious Blackbird Dives dives 48
- Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 53
- Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus 10
- Black-vented Oriole Icterus wagleri 2
- Bar-winged Oriole Icterus maculialatus 1
- Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius 42
- Spot-breasted Oriole Icterus pectoralis 5
- Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis 2
- Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula 36
- Yellow-billed Cacique Amblycercus holosericeus 2
- Fringillidae
- Scrub Euphonia Euphonia affinis 4
- Yellow-throated Euphonia Euphonia hirundinacea 11
- Elegant Euphonia Euphonia elegantissima 20
- Blue-crowned Chlorophonia Chlorophonia occipitalis 35
- Black-capped Siskin Spinus atriceps 6
- Black-headed Siskin Spinus notatus 5
- Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria 13
- Hooded Grosbeak Coccothraustes abeillei 2
- Passeridae
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus 15
References
AOU (1998) The American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. 7th edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.
AOU (2015) Fifty-sixth supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union check-list of North American birds. Auk 132: 748-764.
To see results of all Christmas Bird Counts throughout the Americas visit http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count.
