Twelth official Audubon Christmas Bird Count at
Volcán Atitlán (GMAV) 2018
organized by CAYAYA BIRDING
Compiled by Knut Eisermann and Claudia Avendaño,
CAYAYA BIRDING, January 2019
The 12th Christmas Bird Count at Atitlán Volcano took place on 19 December 2018. A total of 38 observers in 12 groups 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, and on Tolimán volcano, and in the bay of Santiago Atitlán of Lake Atitlán. Weather conditions were favorable, with partly cloudy to cloudy skies throughout the day and some heavy rain falls in the late afternoon after the main count activity.
A total of 4856 birds of 286 species were recorded, 4 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): Vaux's Swift, Tennessee Warbler, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, American Coot, Great-tailed Grackle, Common Chlorospingus, Wilson's Warbler, Clay-colored Thrush, Black Vulture, Common Gallinule, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Bushy-crested Jay, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Townsend's Warbler, Brown-backed Solitaire, Band-tailed Pigeon, Yellow-winged Tanager, Mexican Violetear, Cattle Egret, and Baltimore Oriole.
Most noteworthy records included 3 Black-throated Blue Warblers, 5 Unspotted Saw-whet Owls, and 21 Horned Guans. Species recorded for the first time during the Atitlán Volcano Christmas Bird Count included Least Sandpiper, Black-crested Coquette, Belted Flycatcher, Brown Creeper, Cedar Waxwing, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and Lincoln's Sparrow. Many of the endemics of the northern Central American highlands were recorded during the count day, including Horned Guan, Highland Guan, Fulvous Owl, 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 2018 count were the globally Endangered species Azure-rumped Tanager and Horned Guan, and two Vulnerable species (Highland Guan and Pink-headed Warbler).
It follows a list of species and numbers of individuals recorded during the twelth Christmas Bird Count at Atitlán Volcano (Nomenclature according to AOU 1998 and supplements, most recent update AOS 2018). Species recorded during the count week are marked with (cw).
- Tinamidae
- Thicket Tinamou Crypturellus cinnamomeus 1
- Anatidae
- Blue-winged Teal Spatula discors 5
- Cracidae
- White-bellied Chachalaca Ortalis leucogastra 33
- Crested Guan Penelope purpurascens 36
- Highland Guan Penelopina nigra 32
- Horned Guan Oreophasis derbianus 21
- Odontophoridae
- Singing Quail Dactylortyx thoracicus 12
- Spotted Wood-Quail Odontophorus guttatus 8
- Podicipedidae
- Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus 2
- Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps 1
- Columbidae
- Red-billed Pigeon Patagioenas flavirostris 22
- Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata 54
- Inca Dove Columbina inca 9
- Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina 6
- White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi 23
- White-faced Quail-Dove Zentrygon albifacies 6
- White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica 18
- Cuculidae
- Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana 19
- Lesser Roadrunner Geococcyx velox 1
- Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris 12
- Caprimulgidae
- Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis 15
- Common Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis 21
- Mexican Whip-poor-will Antrostomus arizonae 7
- Nyctibiidae
- Northern Potoo Nyctibius jamaicensis (cw)
- Apodidae
- Chestnut-collared Swift Streptoprocne rutila 4
- White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris 25
- Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi 389
- White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis 3
- Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift Panyptila cayennensis 6
- Trochilidae
- White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora (cw)
- Mexican Violetear Colibri thalassinus 51
- Green-breasted Mango Anthracothorax prevostii 2
- Black-crested Coquette Lophornis helenae 3
- Rivoli's Hummingbird Eugenes fulgens 6
- Long-billed Starthroat Heliomaster longirostris 6
- Green-throated Mountain-gem Lampornis viridipallens 9
- Amethyst-throated Hummingbird Lampornis amethystinus 14
- Garnet-throated Hummingbird Lamprolaima rhami 4
- Slender Sheartail Doricha enicura 1
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris 110
- Wine-throated Hummingbird Atthis ellioti 7
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus 1
- Emerald-chinned Hummingbird Abeillia abeillei 16
- Rufous Sabrewing Campylopterus rufus 20
- Violet Sabrewing Campylopterus hemileucurus 10
- White-bellied Emerald Amazilia candida 12
- Azure-crowned Hummingbird Amazilia cyanocephala 9
- Berylline Hummingbird Amazilia beryllina 7
- Blue-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia cyanura 37
- Cinnamon Hummingbird Amazilia rutila 19
- Blue-throated Goldentail Hylocharis eliciae 19
- White-eared Hummingbird Hylocharis leucotis 5
- Rallidae
- Sora Porzana carolina 1
- Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinicus 8
- Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata 72
- American Coot Fulica americana 96
- Scolopacidae
- Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla 1
- Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius 8
- Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria 1
- Pelecanidae
- Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis 1
- Ardeidae
- Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 6
- Great Egret Ardea alba 31
- Snowy Egret Egretta thula 18
- Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea 7
- Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor 4
- Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 51
- Green Heron Butorides virescens 32
- Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 1
- Cathartidae
- Black Vulture Coragyps atratus 77
- Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura 37
- King Vulture Sarcoramphus papa 1
- Accipitridae
- Black Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus tyrannus 3
- Ornate Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus ornatus 2
- Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus 1
- Common Black Hawk Buteogallus anthracinus 1
- Roadside Hawk Rupornis magnirostris 2
- White Hawk Pseudastur albicollis 3
- Gray Hawk Buteo plagiatus 13
- Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus 3
- Short-tailed Hawk Buteo brachyurus 5
- Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 2
- Strigidae
- Whiskered Screech-Owl Megascops trichopsis 18
- Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus 10
- Northern Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium gnoma 2
- Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium brasilianum 10
- Mottled Owl Ciccaba virgata 18
- Black-and-white Owl Ciccaba nigrolineata 5
- Fulvous Owl Strix fulvescens 5
- Stygian Owl Asio stygius 1
- Unspotted Saw-whet Owl Aegolius ridgwayi 5
- Trogonidae
- Gartered Trogon Trogon caligatus 7
- Mountain Trogon Trogon mexicanus 9
- Collared Trogon Trogon collaris 21
- Resplendent Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno 4
- Momotidae
- Tody Motmot Hylomanes momotula 8
- Blue-throated Motmot Aspatha gularis 13
- Lesson's Motmot Momotus lessonii 24
- Turquoise-browed Motmot Eumomota superciliosa 5
- Alcedinidae
- Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon 3
- Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana 3
- Ramphastidae
- Northern Emerald-Toucanet Aulacorhynchus prasinus 46
- Collared Aracari Pteroglossus torquatus 31
- Picidae
- Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons 32
- Hairy Woodpecker Dryobates villosus 4
- Smoky-brown Woodpecker Dryobates fumigatus 12
- Golden-olive Woodpecker Colaptes rubiginosus 27
- Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 5
- Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus 5
- Pale-billed Woodpecker Campephilus guatemalensis 3
- Falconidae
- Laughing Falcon Herpetotheres cachinnans 11
- Barred Forest-Falcon Micrastur ruficollis 1
- Collared Forest-Falcon Micrastur semitorquatus 6
- Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway 1
- American Kestrel Falco sparverius (cw)
- Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis 1
- Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 1
- Psittacidae
- Orange-fronted Parakeet Eupsittula canicularis 19
- Pacific Parakeet Psittacara strenuus 34
- Barred Parakeet Bolborhynchus lineola 8
- Orange-chinned Parakeet Brotogeris jugularis 59
- Yellow-naped Parrot Amazona auropalliata 29
- Thamnophilidae
- Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus 15
- Furnariidae
- Tawny-throated Leaftosser Sclerurus mexicanus 4
- Ruddy Woodcreeper Dendrocincla homochroa 1
- Ivory-billed Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus flavigaster 2
- Spotted Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus erythropygius 4
- Spot-crowned Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes affinis 7
- Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner Anabacerthia variegaticeps 4
- Ruddy Foliage-gleaner Clibanornis rubiginosus 9
- Rufous-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis erythrothorax 8
- Pipridae
- Long-tailed Manakin Chiroxiphia linearis 26
- Tityridae
- Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata 22
- Gray-collared Becard Pachyramphus major 1
- Rose-throated Becard Pachyramphus aglaiae 8
- Tyrannidae
- Stub-tailed Spadebill Platyrinchus cancrominus 3
- Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Mionectes oleagineus 2
- Northern Bentbill Oncostoma cinereigulare 7
- Common Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum cinereum 17
- Eye-ringed Flatbill Rhynchocyclus brevirostris 2
- Yellow-olive Flycatcher Tolmomyias sulphurescens 7
- Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma imberbe 2
- Greenish Elaenia Myiopagis viridicata 7
- Yellow-bellied Elaenia Elaenia flavogaster 2
- Mountain Elaenia Elaenia frantzii (cw)
- Paltry Tyrannulet Zimmerius vilissimus 31
- Dusky-capped Flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer 28
- Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus 3
- Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus 3
- Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus 5
- Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua 32
- Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis 22
- Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus 17
- Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis 18
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus 9
- Belted Flycatcher Xenotriccus callizonus 1
- Tufted Flycatcher Mitrephanes phaeocercus 2
- Greater Pewee Contopus pertinax 14
- Tropical Pewee Contopus cinereus 15
- Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris 8
- Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii 1
- Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus 8
- Hammond's Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii 7
- Yellowish Flycatcher Empidonax flavescens 4
- Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans 9
- Vireonidae
- Rufous-browed Peppershrike Cyclarhis gujanensis 18
- Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo Vireolanius melitophrys 2
- Green Shrike-Vireo Vireolanius pulchellus 4
- Lesser Greenlet Pachysylvia decurtata 2
- Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni 3
- Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons 14
- Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius 20
- Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus 1
- Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus 9
- Brown-capped Vireo Vireo leucophrys 6
- Corvidae
- Black-throated Jay Cyanolyca pumilo 14
- White-throated Magpie-Jay Calocitta formosa 30
- Bushy-crested Jay Cyanocorax melanocyaneus 64
- Hirundinidae
- Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor 30
- Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina 10
- Black-capped Swallow Atticora pileata 38
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis 71
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 22
- Aegithalidae
- Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus 14
- Certhiidae
- Brown Creeper Certhia americana 1
- Troglodytidae
- House Wren Troglodytes aedon 28
- Rufous-browed Wren Troglodytes rufociliatus 15
- Band-backed Wren Campylorhynchus zonatus 7
- Rufous-naped Wren Campylorhynchus rufinucha 19
- Spot-breasted Wren Pheugopedius maculipectus 20
- Rufous-and-white Wren Thryophilus rufalbus 7
- Cabanis's Wren Cantorchilus modestus 24
- White-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucosticta 8
- Gray-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys 18
- Polioptilidae
- Long-billed Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus 5
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea 7
- Turdidae
- Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis 2
- Brown-backed Solitaire Myadestes occidentalis 56
- Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush Catharus aurantiirostris 13
- Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush Catharus frantzii 11
- Spotted Nightingale-Thrush Catharus dryas 5
- Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus 19
- Black Thrush Turdus infuscatus 3
- Mountain Thrush Turdus plebejus 1
- Clay-colored Thrush Turdus grayi 80
- White-throated Thrush Turdus assimilis 28
- Rufous-collared Robin Turdus rufitorques 27
- Mimidae
- Blue-and-white Mockingbird Melanotis hypoleucus 10
- Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis 1
- Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus 3
- Bombycillidae
- Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum 3
- Ptiliogonatidae
- Gray Silky-flycatcher Ptiliogonys cinereus 25
- Peucedramidae
- Olive Warbler Peucedramus taeniatus 1
- Passeridae
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus 2
- Fringillidae
- Blue-crowned Chlorophonia Chlorophonia occipitalis 21
- Scrub Euphonia Euphonia affinis 13
- Yellow-throated Euphonia Euphonia hirundinacea 21
- Elegant Euphonia Euphonia elegantissima 12
- Hooded Grosbeak Coccothraustes abeillei 7
- Black-capped Siskin Spinus atriceps 3
- Black-headed Siskin Spinus notatus 7
- Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria 18
- Passerellidae
- Chestnut-capped Brushfinch Arremon brunneinucha 9
- White-naped Brushfinch Atlapetes albinucha 1
- Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus 1
- Rusty Sparrow Aimophila rufescens 2
- White-eared Ground-Sparrow Melozone leucotis 12
- White-faced Ground-Sparrow Melozone biarcuata 16
- Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii 1
- Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis 6
- Yellow-eyed Junco Junco phaeonotus 4
- Common Chlorospingus Chlorospingus flavopectus 88
- Icteriidae
- Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens 8
- Icteridae
- Yellow-billed Cacique Amblycercus holosericeus 7
- Black-vented Oriole Icterus wagleri 4
- Bar-winged Oriole Icterus maculialatus 3
- Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius 40
- Spot-breasted Oriole Icterus pectoralis 7
- Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis 12
- Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula 50
- Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus 10
- Melodious Blackbird Dives dives 38
- Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 94
- Parulidae
- Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla 12
- Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum 7
- Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla 1
- Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis 1
- Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera 1
- Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora cyanoptera 1
- Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia 28
- Crescent-chested Warbler Oreothlypis superciliosa 1
- Tennessee Warbler Oreothlypis peregrina 176
- Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla 3
- Gray-crowned Yellowthroat Geothlypis poliocephala 2
- MacGillivray's Warbler Geothlypis tolmiei 3
- Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas 4
- Hooded Warbler Setophaga citrina 2
- American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla 8
- Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia 17
- Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia 13
- Chestnut-sided Warbler Setophaga pensylvanica 1
- Black-throated Blue Warbler Setophaga caerulescens 3
- Audubon's Warbler Setophaga auduboni 2
- Yellow-throated Warbler Setophaga dominica 1
- Townsend's Warbler Setophaga townsendi 59
- Black-throated Green Warbler Setophaga virens 12
- Fan-tailed Warbler Basileuterus lachrymosus 1
- Rufous-capped Warbler Basileuterus rufifrons 16
- Golden-browed Warbler Basileuterus belli 1
- Golden-crowned Warbler Basileuterus culicivorus 17
- Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla 81
- Pink-headed Warbler Cardellina versicolor 3
- Slate-throated Redstart Myioborus miniatus 15
- Cardinalidae
- Summer Tanager Piranga rubra 26
- Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana 14
- Flame-colored Tanager Piranga bidentata 8
- White-winged Tanager Piranga leucoptera 22
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus 32
- Blue Seedeater Amaurospiza concolor 2
- Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea 8
- Painted Bunting Passerina ciris 18
- Thraupidae
- Blue-gray Tanager Thraupis episcopus 26
- Yellow-winged Tanager Thraupis abbas 53
- Azure-rumped Tanager Tangara cabanisi 22
- Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer Diglossa baritula 8
- Blue-black Grassquit Volatinia jacarina 2
- Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus 139
- Yellow-faced Grassquit Tiaris olivaceus 5
- Morelet's Seedeater Sporophila morelleti 40
- Black-headed Saltator Saltator atriceps 34
- Grayish Saltator Saltator coerulescens 19
References
AOU (1998) The American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. 7th edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.
AOS (2018) Fifty-ninth supplement to the American Ornithological Society's check-list of North American birds. Auk 135: 798-813.
To see results of all Christmas Bird Counts throughout the Americas visit http://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count.
