Birdwatching

Patrocinio Reserve is part of the Santiaguito Volcano Important Bird Area (IBA GT014), designated by BirdLife International. 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, Cayaya Birding staff recorded 60 species of birds.

    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. Mangrove Cuckoo Coccyzus minor
  38. Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris

    39. STRIGIDAE

  39. Vermiculated Screech-Owl Megascops guatemalae
  40. Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium brasilianum
  41. Mottled Owl Ciccaba virgata

    42. CAPRIMULGIDAE

  42. Common Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis

    43. NYCTIBIIDAE

  43. Northern Potoo Nyctibius jamaicensis

    44. APODIDAE

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

    49. TROCHILIDAE

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

    58. TROGONIDAE

  58. Violaceous Trogon Trogon violaceus
  59. Collared Trogon Trogon collaris

    60. MOMOTIDAE

  60. Blue-crowned Motmot Momotus momota
  61. Turquoise-browed Motmot Eumomota superciliosa

    62. ALCEDINIDAE

  62. Amazon Kingfisher Chloroceryle amazona
  63. Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana

    64. RAMPHASTIDAE

  64. Collared Aracari Pteroglossus torquatus

    65. PICIDAE

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

    70. FURNARIIDAE

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

    74. THAMNOPHILIDAE

  74. Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus

    75. FORMICARIIDAE

  75. Scaled Antpitta Grallaria guatimalensis

    76. TYRANNIDAE

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

    102. Genera INCERTAE SEDIS

  102. Rose-throated Becard Pachyramphus aglaiae
  103. Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata

    104. PIPRIDAE

  104. Long-tailed Manakin Chiroxiphia linearis

    105. VIREONIDAE

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

    112. CORVIDAE

  112. White-throated Magpie-Jay Calocitta formosa

    113. HIRUNDINIDAE

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

    119. TROGLODYTIDAE

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

    126. SYLVIIDAE

  126. Long-billed Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus
  127. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea

    128. TURDIDAE

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

    134. MIMIDAE

  134. Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis

    135. BOMBYCILLIDAE

  135. Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum

    136. PARULIDAE

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

    159. THRAUPIDAE

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

    166. EMBERIZIDAE

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

    170. CARDINALIDAE

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

    175. ICTERIDAE

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

    185. FRINGILLIDAE

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

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