Panama's Canopy Tower. Welcome to the Canopy Report! Panama's Canopy Lodge.



Greetings, and welcome to The Canopy Report, home to rare bird reports from the Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge, sister ecolodges located in central Panama. The idea for this site evolved in response to two recent occurrences. First, on a trip to Panama in May of 2006 Raúl Arias de Para, owner of both the Tower and Lodge, spoke to me of his interest in starting a 'blog' to report on the birds found by his guests. He has, to some extent, implemented this plan, adding occasional brief notes regarding bird sightings to the websites for both of his properties. The second occurrence took place when I submitted my sightings from the same trip to the region's ornithological authorities. The birds that were of most interest to them were species that, while being relatively recent discoveries, are seen on a regular basis on Canopy field trips. The fact that the keepers of the ornithological record were simply unaware of these sightings led me to create this site with two essential functions in mind:
  • to collect, catalog, and report the sightings of rare and interesting birds sighted by the guides and guests on their regular field trips to various locations in Panamá and Coclé provinces.
  • to bring these reports to the attention of the regional editors of North American Birds (NAB), the American Birding Association's quarterly journal detailing noteworthy bird sightings throughout North America.
The Panamanian guides serving the Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge are extremely talented and observant gentlemen who combine a passion for birding with the eye for detail of scientists. They have spent countless hours in the field in the company of some of the world's finest birders, and in the course of this activity have encountered a number of species whose presence in central Panama is of ornithological significance. Unfortunately, the birding world at large is generally unaware of these discoveries, as the only reports from these field sightings are submitted to NAB courtesy of occasional visiting tour groups and individual birders (Victor Emanuel Nature Tours and Field Guides Inc. are particularly conscientious in this regard, and Michael Harvey submitted extensive reports regarding the first finds at Altos del Maria in the summer of 2005). It is my hope that by creating a simple means by which guides and guests can submit their reports and view those of others, as well as offering a forum for their photographic documentation, I can help bring together the worlds of birding (hobby) and ornithology (science), at least for this small part of Panama. Gone are the days when the only scientifically accepted record of a bird's presence demanded the collection of a specimen (i.e. the bird had to be shot and stuffed); the sight records of amateur birders, especially those backed up by photographic evidence, have become an important part of the ornithological record, and determined hobbyists have added much to our understanding of the status and distribution of the world's birds. For the hard-working guides of the Canopy Tower and the Canopy Lodge, it would be a shame to see the fruits of their labors lost to history.

By the by, the creation of this site was inspired by my relationship with the staff of The Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge, and this deep friendship continues to be the bedrock upon which The Canopy Report is constructed. But in the time since I created this site, I've established a number of lasting relationships with other lodges in central Panamá, and I now receive reports from a variety of sources. While the guides and guests at the Tower and Lodge are my most consistent contributors, one should not infer that this site's scope is limited to their input; I welcome reports from any visitor to or resident of Panamá, as such contributions from a myriad of sources have greatly increased the relevance of this website to the Panamanian birding experience!

About your webmaster: Ken Allaire is an avid birder, and former resident of New York City, who first visited the Isthmus in 2002. It was love at first sight, and Ken began returning to Panamá with increasing frequency, and recently moved full-time to El Valle de Antón. He lives with his soon-to-be wife, Rebeca, and their daughter, Magdiel, and has established a rapidly-expanding business as a private birding tour operator and travel advisor. Click here to visit Ken's personal webpages, with travel journals, photos, complete biographical data, and information regarding birding and tourism services.

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A stunning female Great Jacamar, photographed on Pipeline Road by Tony Beck.
A stunning adult Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo, digiscoped near the Canopy Lodge by senior guide Carlos Bethancourt.




Recent Bird Sightings.








December 13th, 2009.

A striking Barred Puffbird, a rare find north of El Valle, courtesy of Moyo Rodriguez.

We're leading things off today with news regarding the handsome fellow pictured above: one of four Barred Paffbirds discovered my Harmodio "Moyo" Rodríguez on December 4th. Moyo is one of the excellent guides at El Valle's Canopy Lodge, and on a vacation day was exploring an area along the Río Indio, north and slightly east of El Valle, when he discovered these birds (lifers for him). The location was roughly a kilometer north of the village of Jordanal, which is well down the Caribbean slope on the very western edge of Panamá Province. This area was very difficult to reach except on foot or by horseback until recent months, but extensive road improvements along the east side of the Río Indio have made access to at least Jordanal quite easy with a 4WD or probably any high-clearance vehicle. George Angehr, chair of the Panamá Avian Records Committee, tells me that Barred Puffbird was found to be fairly common in this area during surveys from 2002-03 (at which time such a survey required essentially mounting an expedition), but this is the first time any guide from the Canopy Lodge has found the species here. The key is access- much of the Caribbean slope of central/western Panamá is hard to reach and seldom visited, except by occasional scientific surveys such as that mentioned by Dr. Angehr. With only sporadic coverage of the region it seems there might be much more out there waiting to be discovered, and I tip my cap to Moyo and the other guides at the Lodge for moving quickly to survey the newly-accessible areas, The flip side of access is that it is only a matter of time before the area is colonized and much of the forested areas converted to farms and ranches, so whenever one birds in such a locale it feels like you are just a step ahead of the chainsaws... Barred Puffbird occupies an unusual range in Panamá; it is very common in the eastern Darién (especially at Cana), somewhat less so but still regular around Lago Bayano, and then there's a big jump to the west to northwestern Panamá Province and historically parts of northern Coclé. The areas in between have only seen a very few records, including just one in a century at Pipeline Road, and one at Cerro Azul. Perhaps the opportunity to observe this species on a regular basis in the Río Indio region will offer some insights into its distribution and even taxonomic status. More of Moyo's excellent Barred Puffbird images can be found below.

As if to illustrate the avian potential of the area north of Río Indio, Danilo Rodríguez joined Moyo for a return trip two days later Decent documentation of a Sulphur-rumped Tanager near Jordanal, courtesy of Moyo Rodriguez. and discovered a number of species that are little known from the region, including Violaceous Trogon, White-whiskered Puffbird, Jet Antbird, the Tiny Hawk pictured below this paragraph (with a euphonia in its talons!), and the Sulphur-rumped Tanager pictured at right. The latter is particularly intriguing; Sulphur-rumped Tanager is a sought-after target for many visiting birders, but most people find this species much farther east around Nusagandi. Northern Coclé is indeed part of the species' historical range, but there are few contemporary reports from anywhere nearby. Moyo did a nice job capturing this documentary photo of a fast-moving canopy bird. But even more exciting was Danilo and Moyo's brief sighting of a Band-backed Wren; Danilo told me he thought he'd heard this species a few weeks before, but it was not until the 4th that they laid eyes on it. Band-backed Wren is not an easy find anywhere in Panamá, but is most regular in Bocas del Toro Province, with only occasional sightings farther east above Santa Fe, in Veraguas. If we can document this find it would represent a substantial range extension to the east within Panamá, leapfrogging entirely the province of Coclé, although the species as a whole, after a large range gap, is also found in Colombia and Ecuador. We hope to visit the Jordanal area again this week, with recording devices in hand; stay tuned.

A stunning Tiny Hawk, with prey in hand, courtesy of Moyo Rodriguez.

A somewhat rare migrant Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, courtesy of Alfred Raab. Finally, we have a fine report from Altos del Maria, from our "inside man", and regular contributor, Alfred Raab. On 12/6 he discovered the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker pictured at left, a juvenille bird that he described as rather accomodating. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a "rare and irregular" wintering species in Panamá, here at the southern edge of its range. Sightings of this species are barely annual even in recent years. It's also an interesting species in that, generally speaking, most North American woodpeckers are not long-distance neotropical migrants. A probable female Blue-crowned Manakin, courtesy of Alfred Raab. Alfred also photographed the female manakin pictured at right, which I am tentatively identifying as Blue-crowned Manakin based on the distinct line through the eye between darker upperparts and paler underparts. Alfred noted that there were two birds present, but he could not locate a male to confirm the i.d.. This would be an interesting record for western Panamá Province, as Blue-crowned Manakin is generally thought to exhibit a range gap between Bocas del Toro and the Canal area. The elevation of over 1000m would also be rather high for the species. I am unaware of previous records from the region, but I do plan to ask around. Thanks for the report, Alfred!

A Barred Puffbird Photo Salon

Digiscoped Images by Harmodio "Moyo" Rodríguez


Moyo shared a number of excellent digiscoped images of the Río Indio Barred Puffbirds with me, and I'm sharing some of the best below. I think these shots illustrate very nicely the striking plumage and intriguing behavior of what has to be one of Panamá's most interesting birds. I'm always impressed by Moyo's steady hand- well done my friend!
A great digiscoped shot of a Barred Puffbird, courtesy of Moyo Rodriguez. A very cool look at a very cool bird, a Barred Puffbird, courtesy of Moyo Rodriguez.
An adorable shot of a charming Barred Puffbird, courtesy of Moyo Rodriguez. Yet another excellent detail of a Barred Puffbird, courtesy of Moyo Rodriguez.


November 21st, 2009.

A lovely shot of Cocle Province's first Rose-throated Becard, courtesy of Barry Zimmer.

This report was all set to go a few days ago, but in the interim between preparing the page and obtaining a sufficiently rapid internet connection to upload the files I recieved the following report: Barry Zimmer, on his second tour of El Valle in the space of a month, contributed the image above of a female Rose-throated Becard found near El Valle on November 10th. This bird was a lifer for Canopy Lodge guide Danilo Rodríguez, and is almost certainly a first record of the species for Coclé Province. Depending on how you look at it, this is the becard's deepest incursion into southern North America; previous reports from the Azuero Peninsula are actually farther south and closer to the South American continent, but this is probably an easternmost record. This sighting is especially intriguing as it comes on the heels of an October report of a male becard unidentified as to species found on an Audubon Panama field trip to El Copé, west of El Valle, as reported on the Xenornis website. I feel that the El Copé bird was more likely to be a Rose-throated, as One-colored Becard has shown no trend toward movement west of the Canal area, while a slow eastward march of Rose-throated had been well-documented in the last few decades. Barry's photo might lend credence to this supposition. Thanks to Barry for sharing news of this amazing find; by the by, I often trim the photos I receive to focus more completely on the bird in question, but I love the compostion of Barry's shot, and have posted it untouched!

A handsome Spot-crowned Barbet at Cerro Azul, courtesy of Barry Zimmer. A good documentary shot of a Long-billed Curlew at Panama Viejo, courtesy of Barry Zimmer.

And now, back to our previously-scheduled posting....

Well, I'm now falling behind by a matter of weeks at a time, rather than months, as has been the case as of late. So here's the latest news for the last part of October and the most of November. We'll lead things off with reports graciously shared by Barry Zimmer, a guide for the esteemed birding tour company VENT (Victor Emanuel Nature Tours). The handsome male Spot-crowned Barbet pictured above left was photographed at Cerro Azul on 10/18; this species is fairly common in parts of eastern Panamá, but is quite local and much sought-after in the central foothills on both sides of the Canal. Above at right is nice documentation of a Long-billed Curlew found at Panama Viejo on 10/23; this species is usually represented in Panamá on an annual basis by a single bird, which has been somewhat predictable during the northern winter at this exact locale. Barry also noted a pair of Collared Plovers on the same date; this species is supposedly not uncommon in Panamá, but as I think about it I hear about very few sightings (Barry and I have each seen it only twice on the Isthmus). An October 25 visit to La Mesa yielded Slaty Antwren and Dull-mantled Antbird, both of which are uncommon in the area, as well as a Black-billed Cuckoo on the Candelario Trail. The latter species is quite rare in Panamá, and I've yet to find it here. The star of the show at Altos del Maria on 10/26 was a small flock of touit parrotlets, presumed to be Blue-fronted Parrotlets, a species of the eastern foothills that was only documented west of the Canal a couple of years ago. As I write this Barry is en route to El Valle with another tour group, and I look forward to more of his excellent reports!

A good shot of an incredibly rare Silky Anteater, courtesy of Barry Zimmer. I think this is the first time that a report of a mammal has found its way onto The Canopy Report, but some non-avian creatures simply demand our attention. Barry, Danilo, et. al. found the Silky Anteater pictured at right at Altos del Maria on 10/26, a lifer for almost all of the group, only the second sighting for Danilo. This nocturnal species is exceptionally difficult to find; as Barry pointed out to his group, probably more people have seen a Jaguar than have seen this tiny anteater. In recent years I can recall that once Carlos Bethancourt of the Canopy Tower somehow had one staked out for a visiting film crew, but even Tower and Lodge owner Raul Arias remembers seeing this species only once, almost 50 years ago! This is the kind of sighting that will never be forgetten- many thanks, and congratulations, to Barry and his team! According to Barry, the Silky Anteater was present in the area couple of weeks later- I'm dying to hitch a ride to take a look!

A sign of seeding bamboo, a female Slaty Finch in Chiriqui , courtesy of Bjorn Anderson. News of an apparent regional explosion of seeding bamboo spread fast, and Darién Montañez, proprietor of the Xenornis website, ventured west into Chiriquí Province to investigate the phenomenon. Björn Anderson also visited Chiriquí in October, and managed to locate a few Slaty Finches above the Los Quetzales cabins, including the female pictured at right. Another bamboo-seed specialist, Slate-colored Seedeater, has been more predictable than the several such species of the western highlands; Björn collected the photo at left at Parque Metropolitano on November 6th- congrats on this life bird, Björn! The remnant bamboo stands on Old Gamboa Road continue to be excellent for this irruptive species; I visited the area on 11/13 with Mario and Rhonda Mugoletti, and we found at least a dozen individuals of this species, of both genders. The very localized Slate-colored Seedeater, courtesy of Bjorn Anderson. This seedeater's vocalization is quite unique, including a very solitaire-like song; I collected a couple of recordings at OGR, none of which matched well the publicly-available songs I previously had on my I-Pod. I also mentioned the "remnant bamboo" at Old Gamboa- the Panama Canal Authority has been working in the area recently on the planned expansion of the Canal, and has opened up several access roads to the nearby Gaillard Cut. Unfortunately they decided to cut back the forest on surrounding parts of the road, and the area's bamboo forest is but a shadow of what it once was, Thankfully the locale's breeding Spectacled Owls seem to be hanging on, and birding here is still excellent, albeit quite a different experience than in years past.

A few odds and ends: Carlos Bethancourt found an army ant swarm on 11/20 on Pipeline Road with a Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo in attendance. On 10/27 Moyo Rodríguez found ants and two ground-cuckoos near the entrance of the Canopy Adventure, but the next morning it rained steadily and the ants stopped hunting, depriving Barry Zimmer and his VENT group of a fair shot at seeing the birds. This has been a very slow season for ant swarms in general and ground-cuckoos in particular compared to the last couple of years, but historically the rainy season has been a tough time for this enigmatic species, so we can hope for a more fruitful dry season in this regard. On 11/5 Alexis Sanchez enjoyed yet another sighting of an Oilbird on Semaphore Hill, his second sighting of this year, and one of only a handful historically in the Canal area, once again raising specualtion that there might be a roosting colony somewhere relatively nearby. The Mugolettis and I enjoyed a very nice surprise on 11/14, a Rufous-browed Tyrannulet seen at point-blank range on the trails at the Canopy Adventure. This species is now known to be fairly common at Altos del Maria, and is occasionally found near Cerro Gaital, but this is the first record of which I am aware from down in the valley. The next day the same observers found a pair of calling Rusty-margined Flycatchers at the entrance of Las Minas Trail in La Mesa; this species is clearly extending its range west and up into the foothills, but is still quite rare in the El Valle area, and this is the first time I've observed more than one bird here.

Finally, I must take a moment to play Proud Papa. On October 27th I was walking into the village of El Valle with my wife and A nice kettle of migrant hawks above El Valle, as spotted by my 3 year-old daughter, Magdiel. 3 year-old daughter, Magdiel, to catch a bus to Panama City, when Magdi stopped and yelled, "Papa, mira, aves!," and pointed to the sky above us. She had spotted the kettle of migrant hawks pictured at right, a flock of several thousand of what I believe were mostly Swainson's Hawks (I was without binoculars at the time). Panamá is, of course, an excellent place from which to observe the spectacle of migrant raptors (the Canopy Tower published the results of their 2009 Hawk Watch, well worth a look), but most of the dedicated hawk-watching takes place in the Canal area, and not much is known about the migratory pathways to the east and west. That one does not often see such a large stream of raptors in El Valle was evidenced by the fact that many locals stopped and looked up at the spectacle, although most mistakenly thought the birds were all vultures. It is also intersting that the Canopy Tower's count for the 27th was one of the lowest for the month, suggesting that on this day prevailing winds may have pushed the migrants south of more customary routes. Needless to say I was quite proud of my little birding baby for trumping her Papa on this occasion!



October 31st, 2009.

Catching Up...and a Mystery

Happy Hallowe'en! As I've been trying to find my rhythm and keep current with the latest sightings I find myself continually distracted by the backlog of reports and photos from the northern summer months. So to follow are the highlights from mid-June to mid-September, presented with all due apologies to the kind folks who contributed information in a more timely fashion than I was able to post it.

A striking Black Guan at Altos del Maria, courtesy of Alfred Raab. A nice shot of a tough-to-film Tawny-throated Leaftosser, courtesy of Alfred Raab.

The lovely images presented above were graciously shared by Alfred Raab, my inside man at Altos del Maria. At left is a striking Black Guan, photographed on September 5th, an excellent look at a species that I find to be quite skittish in central Panamá (although not so much elsewhere in its range). This species and the other large representatives of the family Cracidae are on the decline throughout most of the country due to subsistence hunting, and are perhaps more likely to thrive in private developments such as Altos than in public reserves that offer little real protection. At right is a quite decent shot of a really furtive bird, a Tawny-throated Leaftosser, found on August 10th. This species was first noted at Altos in January of 2008 by John Rowlett and Tinp Sanchez, and was furthermore determined to belong to the subspecies pullus, here at the easternmost edge of its range. The species has since been found to be rare-but-regular at a couple of particular spots at Altos, but I am unaware of previous photographic documentation of its presence. Alfred also mentioned several Purple-throated Mountain-Gems found at multiple locations, a species noted by several other observers (including myself) as well during this period. A probable female White-tailed Emerald, courtesy of Alfred Raab. This hummingbird is at the eastern edge of its range at Altos and seems to be increasing in numbers, with breeding all but certain in the area. Finally, Alfred shared a few shots of the hummingbird pictured at right, which I am almost certain is a female White-tailed Emerald. I say almost because, as I've opined in these pages before, the criteria for distinguishing this species from the female Snowcap (which is often found in the same locations in Panama) is not exactly crystal-clear in any of the regional field guides (Birds of Panama does not picture the females of either species). In this case I believe the green feathering on the flanks and the extent of white in the tail identify this as an emerald. But I could be wrong.... Thanks to Alfred for his excellent contributions.

Many other sightings from Altos del Maria represent exciting species that have become almost routine in the locale; Black-crowned Antpitta, Snowcap, Brown-billed Scythebill, Rufous-browed Tyrannulet, Red-faced Spinetail, Spotted Barbtail, and Black-and-yellow Tanager were noted on many occasions by multiple observers. Several of these species raised eyebrows only a few years ago, but the bar has been raised thanks to the work of the guides at the Canopy Lodge and many other observers. Of particular interest is that a reliable spot has been found for Black-eared Wood-Quail, a regionally-rare species, which I heard in the company of Dodge and Lorna Engleman on 8/28. On 9/18 Tino Sanchez found both Green Shrike-Vireo and Yellow-eared Toucanet in the western part of the property, both of which are quite uncommon in the area.

An American Kestrel of a South American race, courtesy of Alfred Raab. Alfred Raab also sent me the photo at left of an American Kestrel found on 8/26 at Chame, a small town along the InterAmericana in western Panamá Province. What is noteworthy about this bird is the almost completely pale breast, a field mark indicating that this bird belongs to one of several South American subspecies. American Kestrel has long been known in Panamá as a migrant during the northern winter months, but it is only in the last 15 years that it has been documented as a breeder in the country, with most of the birds evidently belonging to South American races (Angehr 2006). In fact the species has become common enough year-round that I admit I don't always look too closely at individual birds- kudos to Alfred for taking extra care in this case to collect documentation. It is also interesting that he photographed this male kestrel in the company of a female with the breast streaking typical of a North American bird, suggesting that some over-wintering birds have remained to breed, as has been suggested by other evidence regarding Panama's breeding kestrels. Well done Alfred!

From a little farther afield, Björn Anderson shared the lovely photo below and at right of a stunning Yellow-eared Toucanet found on a Panama Audubon Society trip to El Copé on October 3rd. Also noted were several Yellow-throated Bush-Tanagers and a White-throated Shrike-Tanager, both of which occupy a rather narrow range in Panamá A beautiful shot of a Yellow-eared Toucanet, courtesy of Bjorn Anderson. and apparently have not been found farther east than El Copé. A nice account of this field trip can be found on the excellent Xenornis website. Also on Xenornis are a couple of reports of the sometimes-scarce Slate-colored Seedeater, found by Osvaldo Quintero at Parque Metropolitano in late Sept., and Osvaldo and Jan Axel Cubilla on Old Gamboa Road in late Oct.. Further noted as of late were Peg-billed Finch and Slaty Finch at Parque Internacional La Amistad (by Euclides Campos), and I've received secondhand reports of Maroon-chested Ground-Dove from nearby parts of Costa Rica. All of these species are strongly tied to the presence of seeding bamboo, and I can't recall having heard of so many coincidental reports in such a short period of time, so the evidence suggests that some combination of factors has led to a regional explosion of bamboo, good news for birders seeking these elusive species!

Elsewhere around El Valle; the Caribbean slope of Las Minas Trail continues to host a pair of endemic Stripe-cheeked Woodpeckers, although breeding has yet to be documented at this site, the western edge of the species' range. Sightings at the same locale of Ocellated Antbird (Tino Sanchez 8/30) and Buff-throated Foliage-Gleaner (José Perez 8/28) were also noteworthy. Slaty Antwren and White-thighed Swallow were widely reported from El Valle proper and La Mesa; the former seems to be increasing in population locally, while the latter is apparently irruptive, and disappears from the area for long periods. As the seasonal wave of northern migrants passes through, an encouraging note has been the number of Cerulean Warblers reported. The first report of which I am aware came from Tino Sanchez in La Mesa on 8/24, followed by 3 separate birds on consecutive days: Dodge & Lorna Engleman, Canopy Lodge 8/27; me, the Englemans, Altos del Maria 8/28; and me, El Valle 8/29. Björn Anderson and I spotted another Cerulean at exactly the same spot at Altos on 9/26; a lingering bird, or sheer coincidence? And Tino reported the species from La Zamia Trail on 9/16 and Cerro Gaital on 9/17. This is an encouraging series of reports of a species that is seemingly on the decline throughout its breeding range. On 8/11 David Bell and I counted at least 30 Blue-footed Boobies feeding offshore at Playa Juan Hombrón, a good number a fair distance from known breeding islands in the Bay of Panama. But probably the most exciting news from west of the Canal has been the discovery, by guides at the Canopy Lodge, of a small population of Grassland Yellow-Finch in the El Chirú area. The first report of which I took note was provided by Tino Sanchez and Michael O'Brien (the latter of VENT) on 8/10, but Lodge guides tell me the species has been fairly reliable at the site for several months. This is encouraging news regarding a species whose population has declined precipitously in Panamá in the last few decades. I've only seen it once, in grasslands south of Penonomé, and subsequent observers failed to relocate those birds. Grassland Yellow-Finch seems to depend on relatively pristine grasslands, the sort which is now almost absent from Panamá, but southern Coclé Province holds enough lightly-used pasture and farmland that the species may still persist in isolated pockets. Also of interest from Tino and Michael's report was that of a Barn Owl, a very localized species on the Isthmus, which has been found as of late with some regularity around Juan Hombrón.

From the Canal area the most exciting find was that of an Oilbird discovered by the Canopy Tower's Alexis Sanchez on Semaphore Hill on 7/15. There are only a handful of records of this extraordinary bird from Panamá, this being only the second from the locale. It has been the subject of some debate as to whether Panamá's Oilbirds represent strays from South America or if there is an as-yet-undiscovered roosting cave somewhere on the Isthmus. If the latter is true, is it better that it remain undiscovered, or is the possibility of development affecting its habitat more of threat than unwanted attention? Congrats to Alexis on this great find. A nice shot of a magnificent Ornate Hawk-Eagle, courtesy of Jenn Sinasac.The photo at left, of an Ornate Hawk-Eagle found in Soberania National Park on 6/19, was shared by Jenn Sinasac (who carefully identified the raptor as a probable 2nd year bird). My sincere apologies to Jenn for taking so long to post this photo; she was in Panamá for some time as a volunteer for the Peregrine Fund, and was kind enough to share a number of excellent sightings during her stay. Please come back for a visit, Jenn! As for the eagle, the species has been sighted with increasing regularity as of late in the foothills surrounding the Canal, but is always an exciting find. Jern also informed me of yet another sighting of Great Curassow, this time a male found on 6/14 almost 18K deep on Pipeline Road. How I envy the young researchers whose work routinely takes them to the most pristine parts of Pipeline! From the Canopy Tower came multiple sightings of such gems as Tiny Hawk, Semiplumbeous Hawk, and Olivaceous Piculet, all of which seem to be on the rise in the area in the last couple of years (with some evidence of local breeding in all cases). The Canopy Tower's senior guide Carlos Bethancourt found a Pheasant Cuckoo on Pipeline Road on 6/23, a rare sighting of this species during the rainy season, when it is generally not vocal and therefore harder to find. Another outstanding sighting was that of a White-chinned Swift from the Canopy Tower on 7/27, initially spotted by Carlos (for whom it was only his second sighting), and then enjoyed by Domi Alveo and José Soto (a lifer for both of them). The Tower offers an ideal vantage point from which to observe rare and somewhat cryptic species of swift, and careful observers have noted a number of unusual species from this family over the years.

A handsome Sunbittern on the streams of the Canopy Lodge, courtesy of Harmodio Rodriguez. A regionally-rare Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, courtesy of Harmodio Rodriguez.

I'll bring this to a close with a series of excellent photos contributed by one of the Canopy Lodge's outstanding guides, Harmodio (Moyo) Rodríguez. I was fortunate enough to be taking a ride to Panamá City with him one day when he offered me the contents of his camera's memory card, and I was delighted to find dozens of excellent shots, a few of which are shared here. It is especially worth noting that Moyo doesn't own expensive camera gear; he collected all of these images by wither digi-scoping or digi-bining (sp?), both of which practices involve holding a point-and-shoot digital camera against the lens of either a spotting scope or a binocular. Both methods, especially the latter, require a very steady hand, and I am in awe of the quality of Moyo's work. Above at left is a lovely Sunbittern filmed on the streams surrounding the Canopy Lodge on 5/27; this species seems to be on the decline a bit in the area in the last year or so, and the last report of which I am aware was shared by Tino Sanchez on 7/18. Moyo found the striking Green-and-rufous Kingfisher above at right on Achiote Road on 3/24- this species is rather shy and difficult to find in Panamá, but Achiote Road has been the most reliable locale as of late. Below and at left is an absolutely brillant shot of a male Snowcap, found at Altos del Maria on 3/18- I must ask Moyo as to how he managed to digi-scope such wonderful detail of this species' coloration. The discovery by Canopy Lodge guides of a population of Snowcaps at Altos a few years ago was a bit of a surprise, but the population density has since provided a welcome gift to countless visitors to the area. Below at right is a lovely shot of a tiny male Rufous-crested Coquette, captured on the grounds of the Canopy Lodge on 5/7. This species has proved to be a regular dry season visitor to El Valle in Panamá's dry season (roughly Dec.-May); little is known of the seasonal movements of this apparent altitudinal migrant. Thanks to Moyo for his outstanding photographic efforts, and we hope to collect more images in a more timely fashion in the future, now that we're neighbors!

A handsome male Snowcap, courtesy of Harmodio Rodriguez. A nice of the impossibly tiny Rufous-crested Coquette, courtesy of Harmodio Rodriguez.

Finally (whew!) we close with a bit of a mystery, or at least a good exercise in identification criteria. Moyo Rodríguez photographed the caprimulgid at right in residential El Valle on June 18th of this year, adroitly identified by Panamanian birder-extraordinaire Jan Axel Cubilla Rodríguez as a female Common Nighthawk, a species usually seen only in flight above the village of El valle (many thanks to Jan Axel for correcting my previously-posted mistaken identification!). The image below this paragraph was captured by Vaughan A roosting Common Nighthawk, uncommon in the El Valle area, courtesy of Harmodio Rodriguez. Ashby, and was forwarded by Steven Easley, who guided Vaughan in Panamá in late November of 2008. This nightjar was found roosting along the entry trail to Cerro Gaital, above El Valle, and was relocated by Steven a couple of months later, but on neither occasion did the bird vocalize. During the northern winter months one cannot discount the possibility that this bird might be a migrant Chuck-will's-widow, and Steven remains prudently uncertain as to the specific identification. Rufous Nightjar and Chuck-will's-widow are very closely related and quite similar in appearance; in general the means of distinguishing the two seems to be the larger size and overall browner appearance of the Chuck-will's-widow, along with its lateral filaments on the rictal bristles (which I am told can be hard to detect even in the hand). But a modest difference in size can be hard to detect even in the field, let alone in a single photo, and I am told that Chuck-will's-widow varies in color. A quick study of a number of photos on the internet revealed several photos on certain Chuck-will's-widows (based on geography alone) that appear every bit as reddish as the bird below, and certain Rufous Nightjars that were quite brown in appearance. So the question is, are there additional identification criteria that might help one to distinguish these species in the field at times of year when either species might be present? I've got only modest field experience with both of the species involved, but this photo has induced some head-scratching on the part of better birders than I, so I don't think this i.d. is in any way a slam-dunk. I'd appreciate it if anyone with helpful thoughts on this issue would e-mail me, and I'll post the info on these pages (Jan Axel Cubilla votes for Rufous Nightjar, based on the undertail coloration- I'll post the full text of his helpful comments at a later date) . Thanks to Moyo, Vaughan, and all of the other contributors for the last few months- keep those reports and photos coming!

An unidentified nightjar on Cerro Gaital , courtesy of Vaughan Ashby.



October 1st, 2009.

Back in Business!

Yes, after a break of several months, The Canopy Report is back in action. I've got a few good excuses for the long layoff: I closed down my home in New York City, moved to El Valle de Antón, Panamá, on a permanent basis, and got married in mid-June! Not to mention a couple of trips to the Darién, a couple to Nusagandi, and a honeymoon in Costa Rica... I've had my hands full, to say the least! But hopefully we're back online and here to stay, so without further ado let's get to the backlog of splendid reports and photos from central Panamá that I've accumulated in the last few months....

A striking Black-crowned Antpitta is kind enough to hop out onto the trail, as photographed by Bjorn Anderson. A very accomodating Blue Seedeater on Cerro Gaital, courtesy of Bjorn Anderson.

First the most recent news: on 9/27 Björn Anderson and I enjoyed a brief but fruitful morning on La Mesa and Cerro Gaital, seeking out a couple of target species. The early morning was quite foggy and rainy, but we succeeded in locating the male Blue Seedeater pictured above at right on Cerro Gaital, singing almost endlessly. This species is rather local anywhere in its Panamanian range, its presence tied to that of seeding bamboo, but it seems to be quite regular on a section of Cerro Gaital just below the first small rest spot. We later moved on to the Candelario Trail in La Mesa, where we delighted in spectacular looks at the Black-crowned Antpitta pictured above at left. Thre bird was quite vocal and responsive to playback (used in moderation), and eventually sat on the trail not a few meters from us and sang! The Candelario Trail is a new hotspot, located by the guides at the Canopy Lodge, on private property in La Mesa, near the turnoff to Rio Indio. Other species of interest found there either on the 27th or a couple days before when I was scouting the locale include: Sepia-capped Flycatcher, Dull-mantled Antbird, Gray-capped Flycatcher, Orange-bellied Trogon, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, White-tipped Sicklebill, and White-tailed Emerald. Feel free to contact us for more information regarding access to this wonderful birding spot.

Good documentation of a Fasciated Tiger-Heron, courtesy of Bjorn Anderson. On the way back to El Valle later that morning Björn and I ran into Tino Sanchez of the Canopy Lodge, who proudly showed us a couple of photos he'd snapped earlier that morning of an apparent immature Fasciated Tiger-Heron, on the stream very near the accomodations of the Lodge. When Björn and I passed a spot where the same stream passes next to the road I spotted the bird upstream, and Björn managed to collect the nice documentary shot shared at right. Tino has promised to forward his more detailed images. This bird represents, somewhat surprisingly, only the second record of this species from the El Valle area; the first was just in April of this year, also spotted by Tino. An excellent shot of El Valle's first Fasciated Tiger-Heron, courtesy of Moyo Rodriguez. The digiscoped image presented at left was obtained at that time by Harmodio "Moyo" Rodríguez of the Canopy Lodge, although the photo was not forwarded until months later. It's hard to say if this might be the same bird after about 5 months' time; I'm not sure how long tigrisoma herons retain their juvenille plumage. But there are certainly enough fast-moving streams in the area to hide even such a large bird for weeks, if not months at a time. (Ed. note: there were no further sightings of the tiger-heron after this date for at least the next two weeks.) You might also note that I initially referred to an "apparent" Fasciated Tiger-Heron; the general consensus seems to be that it is near-impossible to distinguish the immature of this species from that of Rufescent Tiger-Heron by plumage alone. The truth seems to be that we are making this i.d. on the basis of range and habitat; Rufescent Tiger-Heron is a species of lowlands and still or slow-moving bodies of water, quite the opposite of that in which we found our bird in El valle, Congrats to Tino on his repeated success!



June 13th, 2009.

A very confiding American Pygmy Kingfisher, courtesy of Carlos Bethancourt.

I have to apologize for the gap of almost a month between reports, but I've got a good excuse; I just moved (for good) to El Valle de Antón a couple of weeks ago, and have been overwhelmed in recent weeks with the enormous task of closing down my life in New York, and with preparations for my marriage in a few days. The good news is that, now that I'm here in Panamá full-time, I'll be able to collect and publish a lot more reports! The early rainy season hasn't offered any mega-rarities, but instead a steady stream of sightings of some of the region's regular-but-scarce species. The image above, of an American Pygmy Kingfisher, was captured by Carlos Bethancourt at the Ammo Dump Ponds on May 23rd. This species generally prefers slow moving streams surrounded by vegetation, so this was an unusual opportunity to view and photograph Panamá's smallest kingfisher out in the open. José Soto relocated this bird on 6/1 at the same location. On 5/23 Carlos also noted a pair of Olivaceous Piculets; there is little doubt that this locally-scarce species bred in the area this season. José also took note of the piculet on 5/12, and added nice sightings of Least Bittern and Blue Ground-Dove. The former is a rare-but-regular visitor to Panamá and the latter is seldom found in the Canal area, seeming to prefer drier habitats such as those of the Coclé grasslands. Also noteworthy from the Canal area: on 6/1 José Perez found a Collared Forest-Falcon on Semaphore Hill; this species is heard with regularity from atop the Canopy Tower, but is tough to get a look at. And on 5/16 Carlos B. found a Bran-colored Flycatcher on Old Gamboa Road, a locale at which the species is irregular at best. Well done, gentlemen!

I thought I'd share the interesting photos below, captured by Cedric Kinschots on Pipeline Road in mid-April. At left is a lovely look at a Speckled Mourner, a species that can be quite tough to find and identify. Speckled Mourner and a handful of other mid-sized, mostly brown-colored flycatchers are superficially similar and can be tricky to identify in the field, but Cedric's lovely photo shows some wonderful detail of the mourner's distinctive feather pattern. At right is a form of a bird that you won't find in any field guide; it's a juvenille male Blue-crowned Manakin. The green cap on the bird matches the color of adult females of the species, but this individual has started to attain the mostly black plumage of an adult male. Adding to the bird's unusual appearance is the fact that Cedric managed to catch it mid-blink!

A lovely shot of a Speckled Mourner, courtesy of Cedric Kinschots. A neat shot of a young male Blue-crowned Manakin, courtesy of Cedric Kinschots.

Meanwhile, back in El Valle.... the Rio Indio area, just across the provincial border in the extreme western part of Panamá, continues to yield dividends. On 5/19 Domi Alveo found Long-tailed Tyrant and Emerald Tanager, both of which are rather local in the region, but easily found in Rio Indio. On June 7th Tino Sanchez found a Pacific Antwren in the same locale; this species is a bird of the Caribbean slope, and might have been expected in Rio Indio, but this was the first time it was enjoyed by guests of the Canopy Lodge. On 5/24 Danilo Rodríguez found a Black-crowned Antpitta in La Mesa, particularly tricky to find in this area. Slaty Antwren appears to be a species on the rise in the region, with multiple reports from La Mesa and Cerro Gaital during the period. Moyo Rodríguez enjoyed a fine day at Cerro Gaital on June 4th, highlighted by his sighting of a Purple-throated Mountain-Gem, a species near the eastern edge of its range in El Valle (it is now known to breed a bit farther east at Altos del Maria). Moyo also found a group of four Black Guans, including at least one immature bird. This species was once thought to have been hunted to local near-extinction, but in recent years has shown signs of making a solid recovery.

I've spent much of the last couple of weeks at home in El Valle, preparing for my wedding and working on my new guiding business, but this has given me the chance to get to know the birds in my yard a lot better. I've enjoyed a few surprises; a Rufous-breasted Hermit has been a regular visitor to our garden the last several mornings. This species is not particularly common in El Valle, and this is the first time I've seen it in the village proper. This afternoon I watched a Gray-capped Flycatcher foraging across the road from my home; this species is very much a Caribbean-slope bird in this part of Panamá, and this sighting is the farthest down the Pacific slope I've heard of (although it has been seen on the grounds of the Canopy Lodge, just a kilometer or so up the road). Away from home a bit, on 5/10 I watched a pair of Piratic Flycatchers harassing a Tropical Kingbird near the start of the Lodge property. The former species is certainly known from the El Valle area, but generally in the semi-deciduous woodlands of Cara Iguana or Valle Chiquito; this was the first time I've seen it in the village itself. On the same day I enjoyed long looks at a calling Sepia-capped Flycatcher in a mixed flock on the grounds of the Lodge. A few years ago this would have been big news, but this is another species on the rise in the area, and sightings are increasing in frequency at many specific locations.



May 14th, 2009.

A lovely shot of an Emerald Tanager, courtesy of Tino Sanchez.

It's been a few weeks since our last post, and a number of intriguing reports have crossed our desk. One of the highlights of the late dry season was the Emerald Tanager pictured above, beautifully digiscoped by Tino Sanchez of the Canopy Lodge. Tino found this stunning bird near the village of Rio Indio, north and east of El Valle, on the Caribbean slope, and just across the border into western Panamá Province. The bird appeared to be constructing a nest, a welcome sign of breeding activity from this locally-scarce species. The Caribbean slope of Panamá, by-and-large, contains most of the least-studied portions of the country; the guides at the Canopy Lodge undertake regular forays into this region (I've been fortunate enough to tag along on a few such adventures), and have thereby gleaned a great deal of knowledge regarding the distribution of a number of species, including the spectacular Emerald Tanager.

Also from the El Valle area: sightings of Slaty Antwren continue to be on the rise; once considered rare in the region, the species is, as of late, a relatively easy find. During this period it is reported by Domi Alveo from La Mesa, on 4/27, by Tino Sanchez on Cerro Gaital, on 5/2, and by Domi and Alexis Sanchez at Altos del Maria, on 5/10- these are only the published reports! On 4/27, Domi and his charges also enjoyed nice looks at Black-faced Grosbeak, a perfect example of a species that was little-known from the El Valle area until the Canopy Lodge guides started their careful exploration of the region. On 5/2, Tino's trip to Cerro Gaital also yielded Blue Seedeater and White-throated Spadebill, neither of which is an easy find at the locale. Alexis and Domi's visit to Altos del Maria on 5/10 also included sightings of Orange-bellied Trogon, Ochraceous Wren, and Red-faced Spinetail. All of these species seem rather routine these days, but one should remember that they were all considered scarce in the region only a few years ago. Domi and Alexis also took their NatureTrek group to the Coclé lowlands on 5/9, and enjoyed such species as Aplomado Falcon and Straight-billed Woodcreeper. The former species was not known from this part of Coclé until a few years ago, and the latter was only recently found to populate a small area of rice farms near Juan Hombrón. This striking species was formerly best-sighted, in the region, at the Tocumen Marsh area, but this locale is under development and now closed to the public, so we are delighted to have a new "hotspot", and grateful to the owners of the Juan Hombrón rice fields for their accomodation to birders. Another visit to the El Chirú area, on 5/3, led by Tino Sanchez, yielded the endemic Veraguan Mango, now considered common in the area. Check out Matt Miller's blog regarding the taxonomic issues surrounding Anthracothorax mangos in Panamá; Matt is a researcher with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), and his new blog promises to be an outstanding resource regarding Panamanian birds. On 5/3 Tino found a Black-bellied Wren at Valle Chiquito, south of El Valle. This is a fairly high elevation for the species, but regular visits to this new birding spot have found it to be regular at the locale. Finally, a rather brief report was shared of a possible Fasciated Tiger-Heron spotted by Tino, on 4/22, on the streams around the Canopy Adventure. This would be a new species for the region, but one that was not totally unexpected; this is the tiger-heron most likely to venture into the Panamanian foothills, a habitant of fast-moving streams and rivers, and is known from similar elevations and habitats to the east and west of El Valle, at Nusagandi and El Copé. I hope to be able to present documentation of this sighting in the near future. (ed. note: George Angehr, the current ranking expert on Panamá's birds, visited the area a few days later, relocated the heron, and identified it as a probable immature Fasciated Tiger-Heron).

A nice look at a male Great Jacamar, courtesy of Bjorn Anderson. From the Canopy Tower area: the photo at right, of a male Great Jacamar, was shared by Björn Anderson, one of the newest members of the Panamanian birding community. He spotted the bird on 5/2 near the Rio Frijolitos, on Pipeline Road; this species is being sighted with increasing frequency along Pipeline, a good sign of a possible recovery of a species that was thought to be on the decline in central Panamá. Another interesting find on this day was a Muscovy Duck that flushed from the Quebrada Juan Grande; this species is commonly held in captivity in Panamá (and elsewhere), but the Chagres River area is the stronghold of what is almost certainly a truly wild population. Still, this sighting in a heavily-forested area is quite unusual. There were several sightings of Olivaceous Piculet at the Ammo Dump Ponds during this period, including reports from José Perez on 5/12, and Alexis Sanchez on 4/25. It is almost-certain that this locally-rare woodpecker is breeding in the area. The 5/12 visit also found a Least Bittern, a rare species anywhere in Panamá, and a male Blue Ground-Dove, seldom-seen in the Canal area. Finally, an exciting report was shared by José Soto of the Canopy Tower; he found, on 4/24, an Ornate Hawk-Eagle near the Rio Frijolitos on Pipeline Road. This spectacular bird is a rare find in the region, but the sighting was all the more memorable in that the eagle was holding the severed head of a Keel-billed Toucan, apparently its most recent catch. I am told that there are photos of this singular sighting to be had, and I look forward to obtaining copies as soon as possible.







Reports posted prior to 5/1/2009 can now be accessed via the Archives Page.



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