Birdwatching

The Patrocinio Reserve is a site for easy and good birding. Skilled birders can see more than 100 species on a good day during migration season. A network of trails gives access to a mosaic of forests and different plantations. Our observation tower and feeding stations for fruit-eaters and hummingbirds are excellent spots to see the birds. See our list of bird species recorded in Patrocinio Reserve.
Yellow-winged Tanager
About 150 years ago the first western naturalists landed on port Champerico and produced the first written accounts on the avifauna of the Guatemalan Pacific slope.

By then, this area was covered with humid broadleaf forest. Human activity has shrunk forest to fragments, and Scarlet Macaws, once common, are today extinct on the Guatemalan Pacific slope, as is the Red-throated Caracara. Although these species did loose appropriate habitat, forest fragments are refuges for a rich avifauna.

A total of 185 bird species were recorded at Patrocinio. We appreciate all contributions of bird records, observers are mentioned on the bottom of this page. Nomenclature of this list according to AOU (1998): Check list of the North American birds. Seventh Edition, American Ornithologists’ Union, Lawrence, KA. and supplements, published in "The Auk" (www.aou.org). 		observation tower
The Patrocinio observation tower is located near the lodge. During a total of only 6 hours of birding in March 2007, 60 species of birds were observed.

    CRACIDAE

  1. White-bellied Chachalaca Ortalis leucogastra
  2. Highland Guan Penelopina nigra

    3. ARDEIDAE

  3. Great Egret Ardea alba
  4. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

    5. CATHARTIDAE

  5. Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
  6. Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura

    7. ACCIPITRIDAE

  7. Hook-billed Kite Chondrohierax uncinatus
  8. Plumbeous Kite Ictinia plumbea
  9. Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus
  10. Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii
  11. Common Black-Hawk Buteogallus anthracinus
  12. Great Black-Hawk Buteogallus urubitinga
  13. Roadside Hawk Buteo magnirostris
  14. Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus
  15. Gray Hawk Buteo nitidus
  16. Short-tailed Hawk Buteo brachyurus
  17. Swainson’s Hawk Buteo swainsoni
  18. Zone-tailed Hawk Buteo albonotatus
  19. Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
  20. Black Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus tyrannus

    21. FALCONIDAE

  21. Collared Forest-Falcon Micrastur semitorquatus
  22. Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway
  23. Laughing Falcon Herpetotheres cachinnans
  24. American Kestrel Falco sparverius
  25. Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis

    26. LARIDAE

  26. Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan

    27. COLUMBIDAE

  27. Red-billed Pigeon Patagioenas flavirostris
  28. White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
  29. Ruddy Ground-Dove Columbina talpacoti
  30. White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi

    31. PSITTACIDAE

  31. Pacific Parakeet Aratinga strenua
  32. Orange-fronted Parakeet Aratinga canicularis
  33. Orange-chinned Parakeet Brotogeris jugularis
  34. White-fronted Parrot Amazona albifrons
  35. Yellow-naped Parrot Amazona auropalliata

    36. CUCULIDAE

  36. Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana
  37. Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris

    38. STRIGIDAE

  38. Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium brasilianum
  39. Mottled Owl Ciccaba virgata

    40. CAPRIMULGIDAE

  40. Common Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis

    41. NYCTIBIIDAE

  41. Northern Potoo Nyctibius jamaicensis

    42. APODIDAE

  42. Black Swift Cypseloides niger
  43. Chestnut-collared Swift Streptoprocne rutila
  44. White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris
  45. Vaux’s Swift Chaetura vauxi
  46. Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift Panyptila cayennensis

    47. TROCHILIDAE

  47. Violet Sabrewing Campylopterus hemileucurus
  48. Green-breasted Mango Anthracothorax prevostii
  49. Black-crested Coquette Lophornis helenae
  50. Canivet's Emerald Chlorostilbon canivetii
  51. Berylline Hummingbird Amazilia beryllina
  52. Blue-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia cyanura
  53. Cinnamon Hummingbird Amazilia rutila
  54. Long-billed Starthroat Heliomaster longirostris
  55. Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris

    56. TROGONIDAE

  56. Violaceous Trogon Trogon violaceus
  57. Collared Trogon Trogon collaris

    58. MOMOTIDAE

  58. Blue-crowned Motmot Momotus momota
  59. Turquoise-browed Motmot Eumomota superciliosa

    60. ALCEDINIDAE

  60. Amazon Kingfisher Chloroceryle amazona
  61. Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana

    62. RAMPHASTIDAE

  62. Collared Aracari Pteroglossus torquatus

    63. PICIDAE

  63. Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons
  64. Smoky-brown Woodpecker Veniliornis fumigatus
  65. Golden-olive Woodpecker Piculus rubiginosus
  66. Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus
  67. Pale-billed Woodpecker Campephilus guatemalensis

    68. FURNARIIDAE

  68. Rufous-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis erythrothorax
  69. Ruddy Foliage-gleaner Automolus rubiginosus
  70. Ivory-billed Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus flavigaster
  71. Spotted Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus erythropygius

    72. THAMNOPHILIDAE

  72. Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus

    73. FORMICARIIDAE

  73. Scaled Antpitta Grallaria guatimalensis

    74. TYRANNIDAE

  74. Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma imberbe
  75. Greenish Elaenia Myiopagis viridicata
  76. Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Mionectes oleagineus
  77. Paltry Tyrannulet Zimmerius vilissimus
  78. Northern Bentbill Oncostoma cinereigulare
  79. Common Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum cinereum
  80. Yellow-olive Flycatcher Tolmomyias sulphurescens
  81. Greater Pewee Contopus pertinax
  82. Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus
  83. Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens
  84. Tropical Pewee Contopus cinereus
  85. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris
  86. Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens
  87. Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum
  88. Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii
  89. Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus
  90. Yellowish Flycatcher Empidonax flavescens
  91. Dusky-capped Flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer
  92. Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus
  93. Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus
  94. Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua
  95. Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis
  96. Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher Myiodynastes luteiventris
  97. Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus
  98. Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
  99. Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus

    100. Genera INCERTAE SEDIS

  100. Rose-throated Becard Pachyramphus aglaiae
  101. Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata

    102. PIPRIDAE

  102. Long-tailed Manakin Chiroxiphia linearis

    103. VIREONIDAE

  103. Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons
  104. Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius
  105. Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus
  106. Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
  107. Yellow-green Vireo Vireo flavoviridis
  108. Lesser Greenlet Hylophilus decurtatus
  109. Rufous-browed Peppershrike Cyclarhis gujanensis

    110. CORVIDAE

  110. White-throated Magpie-Jay Calocitta formosa

    111. HIRUNDINIDAE

  111. Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
  112. Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
  113. Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
  114. Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
  115. Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
  116. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

    117. TROGLODYTIDAE

  117. Rufous-naped Wren Campylorhynchus rufinucha
  118. Spot-breasted Wren Thryothorus maculipectus
  119. Rufous-and-white Wren Thryothorus rufalbus
  120. Banded Wren Thryothorus pleurostictus
  121. Plain Wren Thryothorus modestus
  122. House Wren Troglodytes aedon
  123. White-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucosticta

    124. SYLVIIDAE

  124. Long-billed Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus
  125. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea

    126. TURDIDAE

  126. Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush Catharus aurantiirostris
  127. Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus
  128. Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
  129. Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
  130. Clay-colored Robin Turdus grayi
  131. White-throated Robin Turdus assimilis

    132. MIMIDAE

  132. Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis

    133. BOMBYCILLIDAE

  133. Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum

    134. PARULIDAE

  134. Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera
  135. Tennessee Warbler Vermivora peregrina
  136. Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata
  137. Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia
  138. Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia
  139. Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens
  140. Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca
  141. Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
  142. American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
  143. Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum
  144. Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla
  145. Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis
  146. Louisiana Waterthrush Seiurus motacilla
  147. Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus
  148. MacGillivray’s Warbler Oporornis tolmiei
  149. Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina
  150. Wilson’s Warbler Wilsonia pusilla
  151. Slate-throated Redstart Myioborus miniatus
  152. Fan-tailed Warbler Euthlypis lachrymosa
  153. Golden-crowned Warbler Basileuterus culicivorus
  154. Rufous-capped Warbler Basileuterus rufifrons
  155. Golden-browed Warbler Basileuterus belli
  156. Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens

    157. THRAUPIDAE

  157. Red-crowned Ant-Tanager Habia rubica
  158. Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
  159. Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
  160. White-winged Tanager Piranga leucoptera
  161. Blue-gray Tanager Thraupis episcopus
  162. Yellow-winged Tanager Thraupis abbas
  163. Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus

    164. EMBERIZIDAE

  164. Blue-black Grassquit Volatinia jacarina
  165. White-collared Seedeater Sporophila torqueola
  166. Prevost’s Ground-Sparrow Melozone biarcuata
  167. White-eared Ground-Sparrow Melozone leucotis

    168. CARDINALIDAE

  168. Grayish Saltator Saltator coerulescens
  169. Black-headed Saltator Saltator atriceps
  170. Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
  171. Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
  172. Painted Bunting Passerina ciris

    173. ICTERIDAE

  173. Melodious Blackbird Dives dives
  174. Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus
  175. Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus
  176. Bar-winged Oriole Icterus maculialatus
  177. Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
  178. Streak-backed Oriole Icterus pustulatus
  179. Spot-breasted Oriole Icterus pectoralis
  180. Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis
  181. Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula
  182. Yellow-billed Cacique Amblycercus holosericeus

    183. FRINGILLIDAE

  183. Scrub Euphonia Euphonia affinis
  184. Yellow-throated Euphonia Euphonia hirundinacea
  185. Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria
Observations by Jason Berry, Knut Eisermann, Claudia Avendaño, Tim Barksdale, Hugo Enríquez, and Alvaro Jaramillo.

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