Christmas Bird Count: Tikal 2010

A total of 33 observers in 8 groups gathered for the fifth Christmas Bird Count in the Tikal National park, conducted on 22 December 2010. Weather was favorable, partly cloudy with no rain and little wind.

A total of 1807 birds of 172 species was recorded. In addition, five more species were observed during the count week. The most abundant species with at least 25 detected individuals were (in descending order of abundance): Montezuma Oropendula, Magnolia Warbler, Brown Jay, Wood Thrush, Lesser Greenlet, Kentucky Warbler, Thrush-like Schiffornis, Mealy Parrot, Spot-breasted Wren, Red-throated Ant-Tanager, Stub-tailed Spadebill, Ocellated Turkey, Black-faced Grosbeak, Gray Catbird, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Bentbill, and Black-throated Shrike-Tanager.

Noteworthy was a Swainson's Warbler and a Black Catbird, which are uncommon in Tikal. Orange-breasted Falcon, one of Tikal's flagship species, was observed feeding on fruit-eating bats (see video).

The Tikal National Park is part of the Maya-Lacandon Important Bird Area (IBA GT001) and this Christmas Bird Count helps to monitor bird populations in this IBA.

It follows a list of species and numbers of individuals recorded during the fifth Christmas Bird Count in Tikal (Nomenclature according to AOU 1998 and supplements, most recent update AOU 2010). Species recorded during the count week are marked with (cw).

Tinamidae

1. Great Tinamou Tinamus major 3
2. Thicket Tinamou Crypturellus cinnamomeus 4
3. Slaty-breasted Tinamou Crypturellus boucardi 3

Cracidae

4. Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula 13
5. Crested Guan Penelope purpurascens 12
6. Great Curassow Crax rubra 1

Phasianidae

7. Ocellated Turkey Meleagris ocellata 30

Ciconiidae

8. Wood Stork Mycteria americana 8

Ardeidae

9. Bare-throated Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma mexicanum 1
10. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 1
11. Green Heron Butorides virescens 1

Cathartidae

12. Black Vulture Coragyps atratus 7
13. Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura 1

Accipitridae

14. Double-toothed Kite Harpagus bidentatus 1
15. White Hawk Leucopternis albicollis 3
16. Great Black-Hawk Buteogallus urubitinga 1
17. Roadside Hawk Buteo magnirostris 10
18. Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus 1
19. Gray Hawk Buteo nitidus 1
20. Ornate Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus ornatus 1

Falconidae

21. Barred Forest-Falcon Micrastur ruficollis 6
22. Collared Forest-Falcon Micrastur semitorquatus 1
23. Laughing Falcon Herpetotheres cachinnans 1
24. Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis 4
25. Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus 2

Rallidae

26. Ruddy Crake Laterallus ruber 3
27. Gray-necked Wood-Rail Aramides cajanea 2

Columbidae

28. Scaled Pigeon Patagioenas speciosa 3
29. Red-billed Pigeon Patagioenas flavirostris 1
30. Short-billed Pigeon Patagioenas nigrirostris 3
31. Blue Ground-Dove Claravis pretiosa 1
32. White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi 3
33. Gray-headed Dove Leptotila plumbeiceps 2

Psittacidae

34. Olive-throated Parakeet Aratinga nana 14
35. Brown-hooded Parrot Pyrilia haematotis 15
36. White-crowned Parrot Pionus senilis 10
37. White-fronted Parrot Amazona albifrons 2
38. Red-lored Parrot Amazona autumnalis 15
39. Mealy Parrot Amazona farinosa 35

Cuculidae

40. Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana 20

Strigidae

41. Vermiculated Screech-Owl Megascops guatemalae 4
42. Mottled Owl Ciccaba virgata 12
43. Black-and-white Owl Ciccaba nigrolineata 4

Caprimulgidae

44. Common Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis 2
45. Yucatan Poorwill Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus 1

Apodidae

46. Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi 10
47. Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift Panyptila cayennensis (cw)
48. Long-billed Hermit Phaethornis longirostris (cw)

Trochilidae

49. Stripe-throated Hermit Phaethornis striigularis 8
50. Wedge-tailed Sabrewing Campylopterus curvipennis 5
51. White-bellied Emerald Amazilia candida 2
52. Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia tzacatl 1
53. Purple-crowned Fairy Heliothryx barroti 2

Trogonidae

54. Slaty-tailed Trogon Trogon massena 5
55. Black-headed Trogon Trogon melanocephalus 14
56. Gartered Trogon Trogon caligatus 3
57. Collared Trogon Trogon collaris 3

Momotidae

58. Tody Motmot Hylomanes momotula 3
59. Blue-crowned Motmot Momotus momota 17

Alcedinidae

60. Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana 1
61. American Pygmy Kingfisher Chloroceryle aenea 1

Bucconidae

62. White-whiskered Puffbird Malacoptila panamensis 1

Galbulidae

63. Rufous-tailed Jacamar Galbula ruficauda 12

Ramphastidae

64. Collared Aracari Pteroglossus torquatus 20
65. Keel-billed Toucan Ramphastos sulfuratus 4

Picidae

66. Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons 5
67. Smoky-brown Woodpecker Veniliornis fumigatus 4
68. Golden-olive Woodpecker Colaptes rubiginosus 1
69. Chestnut-colored Woodpecker Celeus castaneus 14
70. Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus 12
71. Pale-billed Woodpecker Campephilus guatemalensis 23

Furnariidae

72. Scaly-throated Leaftosser Sclerurus guatemalensis 3
73. Plain Xenops Xenops minutus 14
74. Tawny-winged Woodcreeper Dendrocincla anabatina 18
75. Ruddy Woodcreeper Dendrocincla homochroa 21
76. Olivaceous Woodcreeper Sittasomus griseicapillus 23
77. Strong-billed Woodcreeper Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus 3
78. Northern Barred-Woodcreeper Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae 10
79. Ivory-billed Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus flavigaster 19

Thamnophilidae

80. Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus 4
81. Dot-winged Antwren Microrhopias quixensis 1

Formicariidae

82. Black-faced Antthrush Formicarius analis 6

Tyrannidae

83. Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet Ornithion semiflavum 5
84. Greenish Elaenia Myiopagis viridicata 6
85. Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Mionectes oleagineus 10
86. Sepia-capped Flycatcher Leptopogon amaurocephalus 1
87. Northern Bentbill Oncostoma cinereigulare 25
88. Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher Poecilotriccus sylvia 1
89. Eye-ringed Flatbill Rhynchocyclus brevirostris 9
90. Yellow-olive Flycatcher Tolmomyias sulphurescens 4
91. Stub-tailed Spadebill Platyrinchus cancrominus 31
92. Royal Flycatcher Onychorhynchus coronatus 6
93. Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher Terenotriccus erythrurus 2
94. Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher Myiobius sulphureipygius 9
95. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris 4
96. Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus 5
97. Empidonax sp. 1
98. Bright-rumped Attila Attila spadiceus 5
99. Yucatan Flycatcher Myiarchus yucatanensis 2
100. Dusky-capped Flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer 22
101. Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus 1
102. Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus 2
103. Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus 2
104. Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua 8
105. Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis 5
106. Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus 3
107. Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii (cw)
108. Thrush-like Schiffornis Schiffornis turdina 38
109. Rose-throated Becard Pachyramphus aglaiae 2
110. Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata 15

Cotingidae

111. Rufous Piha Lipaugus unirufus 1

Pipridae

112. White-collared Manakin Manacus candei 2
113. Red-capped Manakin Pipra mentalis 9

Vireonidae

114. White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus 20
115. Mangrove Vireo Vireo pallens 3
116. Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons 4
117. Tawny-crowned Greenlet Hylophilus ochraceiceps 21
118. Lesser Greenlet Hylophilus decurtatus 49

Corvidae

119. Brown Jay Psilorhinus morio 65
120. Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas 1
121. Yucatan Jay Cyanocorax yucatanicus 1

Hirundinidae

122. Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis 10

Troglodytidae

123. Spot-breasted Wren Thryothorus maculipectus 33
124. White-bellied Wren Uropsila leucogastra 7
125. White-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucosticta 15

Polioptilidae

126. Long-billed Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus 9
127. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea 6
128. Tropical Gnatcatcher Polioptila plumbea 1

Turdidae

129. Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus 5
130. Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina 55
131. Clay-colored Thrush Turdus grayi 16
132. White-throated Thrush Turdus assimilis 2

Mimidae

133. Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis 29
134. Black Catbird Melanoptila glabrirostris 1

Parulidae

135. Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora cyanoptera 2
136. Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera 4
137. Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia 6
138. Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica 4
139. Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia 68
140. Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata 2
141. Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens 6
142. Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica 1
143. Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia 28
144. American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla 24
145. Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum 5
146. Swainson's Warbler Limnothlypis swainsonii 1
147. Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla 4
148. Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis 5
149. Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla 2
150. Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus 43
151. Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas 8
152. Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina 22
153. Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla 8
154. Golden-crowned Warbler Basileuterus culicivorus 17

Thraupidae

155. Gray-headed Tanager Eucometis penicillata 5
156. Black-throated Shrike-Tanager Lanio aurantius 25
157. Yellow-winged Tanager Thraupis abbas 2
158. Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus 7

Genus Incertae Sedis (Saltator)

159. Black-headed Saltator Saltator atriceps 2

Emberizidae

160. White-collared Seedeater Sporophila torqueola 5
161. Green-backed Sparrow Arremonops chloronotus 2

Cardinalidae

162. Rose-throated Tanager Piranga roseogularis 2
163. Summer Tanager Piranga rubra 14
164. Red-crowned Ant-Tanager Habia rubica 8
165. Red-throated Ant-Tanager Habia fuscicauda 32
166. Black-faced Grosbeak Caryothraustes poliogaster 30
167. Gray-throated Chat Granatellus sallaei 2
168. Blue Bunting Cyanocompsa parellina 3
169. Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea (cw)

Icteridae

170. Melodious Blackbird Dives dives 17
171. Black-cowled Oriole Icterus prosthemelas 12
172. Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius 1
173. Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula 2
174. Yellow-billed Cacique Amblycercus holosericeus 1
175. Montezuma Oropendola Psarocolius montezuma 198

Fringillidae

176. Scrub Euphonia Euphonia affinis (cw)
177. Yellow-throated Euphonia Euphonia hirundinacea 8
178. Olive-backed Euphonia Euphonia gouldi 18

References

AOU (1998) The American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. 7th edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

AOU (2010) Fifty-first supplement to the AOU check-list of North American birds. Auk 127: 726-744.

To see results of all Christmas Bird Counts throughout the Americas visit http://cbc.audubon.org/cbccurrent/current_table.html

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