Calling all Bird Clubs to join a network of Sister Bird Clubs stretching throughout the Americas

             Neeotropical migratory birds connect our clubs.  For many of the bird clubs in Canada and the U.S., our "birds of summer" are

Members of the Cayuga Bird Club in Ithaca, NY enjoying our

"birds of summer."  Photo credit: Jody Enck

the "birds of winter" for Clubs in Central and South America.  We know these birds.  We enjoy seeing them and being thrilled by their songs.  We anticipate their arrival and lament their departure. 

          These birds course through our veins, and fill us with life.  If

One of our declining Neotropical migratory warblers -

Black-throated Green Warbler.  Photo Credit: Greg Lavaty.

bird migration is the heartbeat of healthy ecosystems and habitats stretching the length of the Americas, then birds are like the blood cells flowing along those migration pathways.  In spring, their arrival brings a breath of fresh air to those of who have been holding our breath all winter waiting for their return.  Just like a blood cell carrying oxygen, they nourish us in so many ways.

It’s a little different in the Fall.  We do get excited about s

Holding on to another Neotropical migrant for just a little

while longer.  A Northern Parula being banded at the 

National Audubon Society's Hog Island Camp.   

Photo Credit: Jody Enck.

eeing bird species that pass by twice a year on migration.  But this also is a melancholy time as we know many of our breeding "birds of summer" will be joining those other migrants on their annual pulse.  Winter will be coming soon again for those of us in the north, and we want to hold on to our "birds of summer" just a little while longer.

But, our loss as birders in the northern part of the hemisphere is a gain for birders in clubs father south.  I know that

Members of Las Tanunas Club de observaciones de aves

from Gracias, Honduras birding one of their favorite hotspots

looking for their "birds of winter."  Photo credit: Jody Enck.

birders on the wintering grounds look forward to their "birds of winter" just as much as we northerners look forward to the arrival of our "birds of summer."  These same birds nourish birders in the south, too.

Yes, Neotropical migratory birds nourish all parts of our birding community regardless of where we live in the Hemisphere.  We know a fair amount about those birds – their ecology, behaviors, and migration pathways.  But, what do we know of other birders along those migratory pathways?  Wouldn’t it be great to connect with them through a network of sister bird clubs?

Members of Los Jilgueros club de observaciones de aves from

Mancala, Honduras work with school kids to learn about birds.

Photo Credit: David Andres Hernandez Vasquez.

If you’ve been following this blog for the last couple of months, then you know that one of my dreams is to help develop such a network.  To start bringing this dream to reality, I spend about a month in Honduras from mid-October to mid-November meeting with members of six of the seven bird clubs in the country.  The response to the idea of establishing a network of sister bird clubs between North and Central America was remarkable.  I returned to the U.S. more excited and energized than I have felt in a long time.

Now, I want to build some momentum.  The clubs in Honduras generated some great ideas about why they want to be part of a sister club network and how they see that playing out.  The club to which I belong – the Cayuga Bird Club in Ithaca, NY – has some ideas, too.  What about the rest of you?  Surely there is interest among other clubs in North America to be part of a network of sister bird clubs.  Here is your chance to get on the bandwagon while it’s still moving slowly. 

Please join me in working with my new friends, Hector Moncada (left, from

Club Los Zorzales in San Pedro Sula, Honduras) and Francisco Rovelo (right, from

Club Las Tanunas in Gracias, Honduras) to build a network of sister bird clubs

throughout the hemisphere.  Photo credit: Jody Enck.

Are you interested in joining?  What would you want to get out of this network?  What would you like to help facilitate through the network?  Please help us bring this dream to reality by leaving ideas and your contact info in the comments section below.  I’ll be in touch!

What Good is a Sister (Bird Club)? - Re-learning Everything You Thought You Knew About Bird Behavior

          Those of us who grew up with sisters know that they are smart -- really smart.  Even if you think you know a lot, you can always learn something from your sisters.  I know this is true because my two brothers and I have five sisters.  Growing up, we boys had to learn, re-learn, and re-re-learn things over and over again -- mostly things like not taking advantage of their fear of snakes or not forgetting their propensity to stab first and ask "who's there" later.  All kidding aside, I am still learning so much from my sisters, and I hope to for a long, long time to come.

          I think the same can be true for the idea of sister bird clubs.  I recently returned from an extended visit to Honduras where I was exploring the idea of establishing sister bird clubs between the U.S. and that Central American country.  When I came back, some of my birder friends asked, "what good is it to develop a network of sister bird clubs?" I think the simple answer is that we can learn a lot from each other about the birds we think we know pretty well, but maybe don't know as much as we think we do.

          Consider the Neotropical migratory birds that we northerners wait all winter to see in spring.  When migration starts, we don't just go looking for these birds in random places.  We know where to look for them because we know their habitat preferences and their behaviors.  Want to find migrating Bay-breasted Warblers or

Look in the forest canopy if you want to find one of

these Bay-breasted Warbler in breeding plumage

during spring migration.  Photo credit: Bill Majoros.

Black-throated Green Warblers in central New York?  Check out the forest canopy.  Looking for Common Yellowthroats or Gray Catbirds?  Head to brushy areas and edge habitats.  What about Golden-winged or Blue-winged Warblers?  Early-successional habitats and brushy habitats are the places to look. 

          Most of these birds are fairly specific in their habitat use and foraging behaviors when migrating through our area and when staking out breeding territories.  The authoritative website All About Birds hosted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology provides useful summary icons to help birders know what habitats to look in (e.g., forest, scrub) and foraging habits to look for (e.g., foliage gleaner, ground forager) to help searching birders encounter specific birds.     

          Indeed, at the northern end of the migratory pathways, these Neotropical migrants are such creatures of habit that one can generalize about the particular part of a tree in which they are mostly likely to be found!  In an article in the summer 2016 issue of Living Bird magazine (also produced by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology), distinguished ornithologist Irby Lovette penned an article about how a young graduate student named Robert MacArthur discovered in the 1950s that some warblers nesting in the spruce forests of Maine partitioned individual spruce trees as a way of dealing with stiff competition from other species with similar food requirements and foraging strategies.  Dr. Lovette wrote that nearly 70 years later, another young graduate student found that some of the species of bird had changed from the 1950s, but that birds still generally spent most of their time foraging in particular parts of trees.  You can read about that on Cornell Lab of Ornithology website. 

 

Drawing from the summer issue of the Cornell Lab of

Ornithology's Living Bird magazine showing how

some warbler species generally forage in certain parts

of spruce trees to reduce inter-specific competition.

Drawing was done by: Deborah Kaspari.

         Bay-breasted and Black-throated Green Warblers are mentioned in that article as two of these tree-partitioning species.  In general, these two species tend to forage much lower in the branches of spruce trees than Yellow-rumped or Blackburnian Warblers (mid-tree foragers) or Cape May Warblers (tree-top foragers).  Knowledge of such specific behavior can be especially useful for birders who may only get partial glimpses of quickly moving birds trying to gorge themselves on insects.

          What does any of this have to do with sister bird clubs?  Well, like any smart sister, our sister bird clubs in Honduras could help us learn that almost none of this specificity applies to habitat use or foraging habits of these very same species in Central America.  I had this lesson driven home time and time again on my trip to Honduras.  Yeah, everything I thought I knew about the behavior of these birds that could help me locate and identify these species had to be re-calibrated on the migration and wintering grounds. 

          I'll never forget the rapid-fire birding late on the fourth day of competition during the Honduras Birding for Conservation Tour.  Our team of 10 birders, which we named The Ant Swarm, was led by Jeff Gordon, president of the American Birding Association, and Esdras Lopez, a highly-skilled, Honduran bird guide.  We had just returned via a several-hour bus ride from the dry Aguan Valley to the north coast after successfully tallying dry forest species such as the endemic Honduran Emerald, Lesser Roadrunner, White-bellied Wren, and Lesser Ground-Cuckoo.  In La Ceiba, we were birding around some sewage lagoons close by where the Cangrejal River empties into the Caribbean Sea. 

          After spending hours on a bus, we were in serious need of adding more bird species to our tally during the fading hour of daylight.  Between the lagoons and a few small houses of some

Members of The Ant Swarm birding along waste water lagoons

in La Ceiba, Honduras.  Does this look like Bay-breasted

Warbler habitat?  We found them feeding on the ground here.

Photo caption: Jody Enck.

local residents was an open, dirt-and-grass area backed by some brushy habitat.  We found a number of species using this general area.  Some birds were on the ground.  Members of The Ant Swarm sorted through the birds and called out the species.  I recall seeing a Bay-breasted warbler in that dirt-and-grass area, and calling out its name.  "No way!" barked Jeff Gordon.  "I've never seen a Bay-breasted Warbler foraging on the ground."  But, there it was in all its glory acting more like a sparrow than a forest warbler.  We found numerous other individuals on the open ground during the Tour, too.

          Oh, but we also found them deep in the forest.  Early in my travels in Honduras, I was fortunate enough to spend a couple days on the north coast at the Lodge and Spa at Pico Bonito.  The lodge property abuts the largely inaccessible Pico Bonito National Park. 

Another habitat where we found Bay-breasted

Warblers, this time feeding high in the canopy.

Photo credit: Jody Enck.  

One morning, Katinka Domen from Beaks and Peaks Birding and Adventure Tours and I trekked off in the dark for an hour of hiking uphill just so we could access a sort-of trail into the National Park at daylight.  As we hiked our way through an amazingly pristine Rainforest on the lower slopes of the namesake mountain, we came across a number of deep-forest species.  These included Plain Antvireo, Tawny-crowned Greenlet, Nightingale Wren, and Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher.  We also repeated saw these birds that for all the world acted like some deep-woods Oriole, gleaning for insects high in the canopy of Rainforest.  You guessed it -- Bay-breasted Warblers were really quite common in the deep Rainforest.

          This very idea was raised by birders from a couple of the bird clubs with whom I met in Honduras.  Their experiences with Neotropical migratory birds as well as resident Central American species let them to realize that these species seem to use habitat differently and that their foraging habitats likely differ as well.  The Honduran birders pointed out that they would like to know more from us about habitat use and behaviors of migrant birds when they are here on their breeding grounds, and that they could help us learn more about habitat use and behaviors of those birds on their wintering grounds.

          Sharing information about the bird species we share is a great idea.  It goes well beyond just helping birders know where to look for these species, however.  A big part of what we can learn from our sister bird clubs has to do with long-term conservation of bird species. 

Non-breeding plumaged Bay-breasted Warbler.  When foraging

high in the canopy of the Rainforest, these relatively large

warblers can be confused with female or immature orioles.

Photo Credit: Jame Hurt.

          Data from the Canadian breeding grounds for both Bay-breasted Warbler and Black-throated Green Warbler show that these species have been experiencing slow, but long-term declines in population size.  Habitat loss on breeding grounds, along migration routes, and on wintering grounds is a key factor influencing population trends for both species.  Consider, however, that these species seem to be able to use a great variety of habitat types during migration and on their wintering grounds than some of the more habitat-specific resident birds in Central and South America. 

          Loss of habitat for those resident species has an even great

In the buffer zone of Santa Barbara National Park, Honduras,

clearing for small-scale agriculture negatively impacts habitat

availability for birds.  Photo Credit: Jody Enck.

impact because they are unable to utilize as wide of a range of habitats.  I witnessed loss of forest habitat on a frequent basis when I was in Honduras.  Each day, more forest was lost to wood cutting and clearing for agriculture.  Loss of mature forest is having a devastating effect on populations of resident birds in Central America.

          Even week-to-week changes in habitat structure in areas cleared for agriculture affect distribution, and ultimately, abundance of Neotropical migratory species.  In mid-October, I

A farmer using a machete to cut weeds and remnants of

agricultural plants to prepare the hillside for the next crop.

Even small-scale farmers can have large-scale impacts on

habitat for both resident and Neotropical migratory birds.

Photo Credit: Jody Enck.

observed many species of Neotropical migratory species and some resident birds that utilize weedy and early-successional woody habitats in areas where small-scale farmers recently had harvested corn and other crops.  When I was back in the same area four weeks later, agricultural habitats where I had encountered Mourning and McGillivray's Warblers, Variable Seedeater, Prevost's Ground-Sparrow, Green-throated Mountain-Gem, and Rufous-capped Warbler had been hacked to the ground in preparation for planting a new crop of corn and beans. 

          These are the kinds of things that our sister bird clubs can help us learn: habitat use and habits of birds with which we are familiar in North America are not the same farther south in migration or on the wintering grounds.  Habitat types and short-term changes to those habitats are not the same as what we are used to in North America.  At the very least, our sister bird clubs can share these stories, pictures, videos, and bird population information with us to help us re-learn what we might have thought that we know.  We also might engage in exchange visits to learn some of these things firsthand. 

          Yes, our sister bird clubs can help us learn and re-learn a lot.  Gaining that kind of knowledge is important.  Even more important is connecting the dots between the various pieces of knowledge to increase our understanding about the world around us, especially the conservation implications.  Most important then will be to work with our sister bird clubs to use that understanding to achieve conservation outcomes for the birds we share and that we love so much.

A Simple Guy Enjoys Unimaginable Creature Comforts While Experiencing Nature

I think of myself as a relatively simple guy who doesn’t need a lot of creature comforts.  I grew up on a farm in southcentral Pennsylvania.  We lived in an old farm house that was built in the 1790s.  What it lacked in terms of comfort – no insulation to keep it warm in winter, heated by a woodstove in the dining room, and no indoor bathroom – it more than made up for in character and character-building opportunities for a kid with seven siblings. 

The only plumbing in the house was a kitchen sink.  In winter, we often had to carry water from that sink out to the barn where 50 thirsty steers didn’t care that the water line to the barn was frozen.  We had an outhouse – right up through the 1980s – that we affectionately called “the blue room.” 

My bathroom growing up on the farm- way too hot in the

summer and way too cold in winter.  Photo Credit:

One of the Enck Siblings.

In summer, our shower was a garden hose draped over the clothes line.  In winter, we bathed in a metal tub placed beside the dining room woodstove.  Saturday night bath time lasted for hours as each sibling took their turn. 

Considering that all my same-age friends were actually living in the 20^th century while I was growing up in my own personal version of “Little House on the Prairie,” I learned that I didn’t need a lot modern comforts to thrive as a sibling in a big family, or as a human being in a fast-paced society.  Still, I recognized that experiencing some creature comforts can be a really good thing, too.  That was true when I was a kid, and it’s still true today.  I had a fantastic chance to learn that lesson again when I was in Honduras to start establishing a network of sister birding clubs between the U.S. and Honduras.

Honduras is a land of contrasts.  It has unbelievable natural beauty, landscapes, and wildlife.  It also is experiencing ever-increasing human pressures on habitats leading to serious threats to the sustainability of its awe-inspiring wildlife.  By many measures, Hondurans live in one of the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere.  But, there also are major exceptions to that generality, including some amazing ecotourism infrastructure that can provide you with creature comforts well beyond your wildest dreams about what birding in paradise might be like.  During my time in Honduras, I was fortunate enough to have a couple of chances to experience birding in paradise at the Lodge and Spa at Pico Bonito.

Anyone used to the simple things in life can experience incredible sophistication at the Lodge and Spa at Pico Bonito.

The reception/lobby area at Pico Bonito.  Photo Credit: Lodge and Spa at Pico Bonito.  

          The Lodge and Spa at Pico Bonito is located in the rainforest of the north coast near the city of La Ceiba in Atlantida Department.  Its 400+ acre property abuts the unsurpassed Pico

Nightingale Wren -- one of the humid, evergreen forest birds

I only encountered while staying at Pico Bonito.

Photo Credit: David Rodriguez Arias.

Bonito National Park.  About 420 bird species have been recorded on and near the Lodge property, including some of the most sought-after birds that can be found in Honduras.   I haven’t tallied all the bird species I saw while at the Lodge and surrounding areas, but it must be close to 200.  This includes many deep-forest species that I recorded nowhere else on my travels in Honduras. 

Miles of trails await anyone with a modicum of adventurous spirit.  Some trails are fairly easy walking, and one can access a wonderful, multi-story observation tower with a minimum of effort (only 5-10 minutes from the Lodge).  Other, longer trails require more effort, but the pay-off is well worth the effort.  Not too far from the Lodge, one can walk a trail along the top of a Rainforest-clad ridge where it is easy to imagine that humans have hiked this very ridge overlooking two watercourses for more than a thousand years.  Hikers can visit “Unbelievable Falls” and other

Those willing to hike a bit can be rewarded with a swim below

"Unbelievable Fall".  Photo Credit: Lodge and Spa at Pico Bonito.

unbelievable sights on the property.  The steep slopes and imposing presence of namesake Pico Bonito add to the amazing natural beauty of the landscape.

Obviously, birds are not the only denizens of the Rainforest here.  This area provides important habitat for an incredible diversity of mammalian species, from the ever-present Central American Agouti, to Kinkajous, Coatis, at least three species of Monkeys (which I saw frequently), and several species of feline predators.  Trail cams showing pictures on a screen in the lobby

An Ocelot prowls the forest at Pico Bonito.  Photo Credit:

James Adams and the Lodge and Spa at Pico Bonito. 

area of the Lodge provide evidence that the property has suitable habitat for Jaguar, Puma, Ocelot, Jaguarondi, Margay, and more.  The diversity of butterflies, moths, and other insects will stun any insect-loving visitor.  If you are lucky, you also can encounter many species of frogs and toads, as well as an assortment of lizards and snakes.

OK, so the wildlife, habitats, and landscapes, and the experiences you can have in them are world-class.  What about the facility itself?  Fear not.  If you want to experience unimaginable creature comforts, total relaxation, and have friendly staff want to attend to all your interests, then the Lodge and Spa at Pico Bonito is for you.

The first thing you will notice upon arrival is the beautiful, open-air reception/lobby building and several knowledgeable,

Walkway connecting the Reception/Lobby are to the

Restaurant.  Photo Credit: Lodge and Spa at Pico Bonito.

friendly staff waiting to check you in and provide you with a great experience from your first minute on-site.  There is an array of luxuriously appointed cabins, each with private bathroom, awaiting your visit.  The restaurant serves a wide variety of

Outdoor and indoor options are available at the restaurant.

Photo Credit: Lodge and Spa at Pico Bonito.

wonderful dishes, including fresh salads, various steak, seafood, and vegetarian dishes.  The desert menu is as wonderful as you’d expect after a meal fit for royalty.  All of that is topped off by a staff whose main raison d’etre seems to be to please you. 

View of a "Standard Cabin" at Pico Bonito.  Photo-credit: Lodge and Spa

at Pico Bonito.

For those who are looking for an opportunity to relax and unwind, you can take advantage of the full-service spa.  If you want some pampering, you can find it on the Spa menu.  Massage,

Quiet relaxation in the Spa surrounded by humid, evergreen

forest.  Photo Credit: Lodge and Spa at Pico Bonito.

aromatherapy, yoga, and more are available.  Visitors who want to experience some nature without having to hike much to find it can make an appointment to visit both the Butterfly House and the Serpentarium.  Despite spending a fairly extensive amount of time in the field while there, the only place I saw any venomous snakes was in their glass-encased habitats in the Serpentarium. 

One can relax with Yoga surrounded by nature.

Photo credit: Jody Enck.

The Lodge has available a number of great, local guides who can lead you around the grounds and on the trail

s to observe birds and other wildlife.  They also can help you sign up for some adventures farther afield, including day trips to nearby mangrove wetlands, Botanical Gardens, dry forest where you can see Honduras’ only endemic bird – the Honduran Emerald (hummingbird), and more.  You also can sign up for multiple-day adventures, including white-water rafting and snorkeling. 

I was impressed every day during my visits to Pico Bonito by the commitment of the staff to ensure my visit was as wonderful as possible.  Like I said at the beginning of this post, I think of myself as a relatively simple guy who does not need to experience creature comforts to have a great time.  But, being provided with unexpected creature comforts while in a tropical Rainforest landscape provided me with an experience I will never forget.

Honduras by the numbers -- Part II

          In my last blog post, I covered all birds I encountered on my recent trip to Honduras, from Tinamous through Parrots.  Just a reminder that I was in Honduras to try to establish a network of sister bird clubs between the U.S. and Honduras.  That effort was met with enthusiasm by everyone I met there.  Many thanks to all the birders from those clubs as well as people not affiliated with clubs for showing me the most wonderful hospitality imaginable.  I never would have gotten to as many places in the country nor seen as many birds as I did without the generosity and kindness of many, many people.  Thanks to you all.   

          When we last left out intrepid blogger, he was mentioning all the Parrots, Parakeets, and Macaws he saw in Honduras.  Let's pick up the story with some birds with the word "ant" in their name.

Antshrikes, Antvireos, Antwrens, Antbirds, Antpittas, Ant-Thrushes, and Leaftossers
These are some of the denizens of the Rainforest and similar habitats.  As their name implies, they often are associated with ant

lack-faced Ant-Thrush.  Photo Credit: Animalia-Life.com.

swarms.  Mostly they don't eat the ants, but rather east the insects and other small animals that are trying to escape the huge columns of ants.  23 of these species occur in Honduras, including 5 Antshrikes, 2 Antvireos, 4 Antwrens, 6 Antbirds, 3 Antpittas, 1 Ant-Thrush, and 2

Plain Antvireo.  Photo Credit: Eleanor Briccetti.  

Leaftossers.  As you might guess, none of these are Neotropical migratory birds.  Sadly, I only managed to see 6 of these 23 species, including 3 different species of Antshrikes, Plain Antvireo, Dusky Antbird, the Black-faced Ant-Thrush.  I even got to watch the Antvireo attending an ant swarm -- until I realized the ants were swarming up my pants legs!
          Note to self: when watching a group of birds attending an ant swarm getting closer and closer to you, don't forget to look down at some point.  You may be lucky enough to see the ants swarming around your feet before they start crawling up your legs.

Woodcreepers

Northern Barred Woodcreeper.  Photo Credit: John van Dort and

Maculey Library 37832151. 

14 species occur in Honduras.  These are not related to the Brown Creeper familiar to birders in the U.S.  They are in a completely different family.  Superficially they are shaped like a Brown Creeper on steroids.  And, they do hunt up the boles of trees somewhat like the birds with which we are familiar, but that is about where the comparison ends.  I was lucky enough to see 9 species of Woodcreeper in Honduras.

Plain Xenops, Foliage-Gleaners, Striped Woodhaunter, and Spinetails
More residents of the Rainforest.  In addition to the Xenops and the Woodhaunter, there are 3 species of Foliage-Gleaners and 2 species of Spinetails.  I was fortunate to see Plan Xenops, all 3 Foliage-Gleaners, and Rufous-breasted Spinetail.  The Spinetail was the last new bird our team recorded (about 5 minutes from the end) on the Honduras Birding for Conservation Tour. 

Flycatchers and Other Catchers of Flies, including Tyrannulets, Pygmy-Tyrant, Tyrants, Elaenias, Flatbill, Spadebills, Tody-Flycatcher, Pewees, Wood-Pewees, Black Phoebe, Bright-rumped Attila, Rufous Mourner, and Kingbirds

Great-crested Flycatcher.  Photo Credit: Larkwire.com.

This huge group of birds (62 species occur in Honduras) certainly includes some of the Neotropical migratory species we northerners think of as "our birds of summer."  Quite a few Empidonax and Myiarchus Flycatchers fall into this group, along with Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, and several Kingbirds with which we are familiar here in the U.S.  I was lucky to see more than one-half of

Bright-rumped Attila.

Photo Credit: Planetbirds.blogspot.com.

these species, tallying 34 flycatcher-like birds while in Honduras.  12 of these were old friends - Neotropical migrants that I have seen many times in the U.S.  While I really enjoyed seeing these old friends,

who can't like seeing new species with spiffy names like, Northern Bentbill, Eye-ringed Flatbill, Bright-rumped Attila, and Paltry Tyrannulet?


Lovely Birds and Dancers: Cotingas, Bellbird, Piha, and Manakins

Lovely Cotinga.  Photo Credit: Pico

Bonito Lodge.

9 total species occur in this group: 2 Cotingas, 1 Bellbird, 1 Piha, 4 Manakins and 1 Piprites (that used to be a Manakin).  Fortunately, I got to see Lovely Cotingas and 2 species of Manakins.  As it turned out, my awesome Honduran guide for the Birding for Conservation Tour, Esdras Lopez, has a dream of doing natural history research on Lovely Cotingas because they are a bit of a mystery.  Let me know if you would like to travel to Honduras to help him out with this endeavor.


Tityras, Northern Schiffornis, Speckled Mourner, and Becards
Another group of tropical birds we never see in North America.  8 species occur in Honduras.  I was fortunate to see 4 of those species.

Peppershrike, Shrike-Vireo, Greenlets,

Rufous-browed Peppershrike.

Photo Credit: Pinterest.

and Vireos
You may only recognize the name Vireo out of this list if you live

in North America.  Indeed, 6 of the 13 species of Vireo that occur in Honduras are Neotropical migrants.  Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Green Shrike-Vireo, and 2 species of Greenlets do not range into North America.  I saw 6 species of Vireo, both Greenlet species, and the Peppershrike in Honduras.  I certainly recognized some of "my birds of summer" among the Vireos I saw.

Jays and Common Raven
In addition to Common Raven, 8 species of Jay occur in Honduras.  Besides Steller's Jay that does not really look like the North American version, and Green Jay and Brown Jay that barely sneak across the Mexican border into south Texas, North Americans would not recognize the beautiful Jays of Honduras.  Fortunately for me, I got to see 5 species.

Swallows and Martins
About a dozen species of Swallows and Martins can be found in Honduras, and about one-half of those are Neotropical migrants.  I got to see 8 species of Swallows and Martins during my time in the country.

Brown Creeper
Note that this bird is not related closely to the Woodcreepers I covered above.  It looks a lot like the Brown Creepers with which we are familiar in North America, but it is a different subspecies.  I did not see one while I was in Honduras.

Wrens, Wood-Wrens, and Gnatwren

Long-billed Gnatwren.  Photo Credit: Flickr.

19 species of Wren, Wood-Wren, and Gnatwren occur in Honduras.  I saw 9 species of Wren, 1 species of Wood-Wren, and the Long-billed Gnatwren.






Gnatcatchers
3 species occur in Honduras, including the Neotropical migrant Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.  I saw a clean sweep of all 3 species.

American Dipper
Yes, this bird of fast-moving, mountain streams occurs in Honduras.  No, I did not see it.

Bluebirds, Solitaires, and Thrushes

Wood Thrush.  Photo Credit: EJPhoto.com.

17 species can be found in Honduras, including about 4 Neotropical migrants.  My favorite bird of the north woods, Wood Thrush, is among the migrants that winter in Honduras.  I saw 7 species.  And, yes, seeing Wood Thrushes put a smile on my face on several days.

Mimids, American Pipit, and Cedar Waxwing
Blue-and-White Mockingbird, Tropical Mockingbird, the Neotropical migrant Gray Catbird occur in good numbers along with the rarer, visiting Pipit and Waxwing.  I saw the first three species and missed seeing any Pipits or Waxwings.

Warblers
About 53-55 species of Warblers can be found in Honduras.  Of

Golden-cheeked Warbler.  Photo Credit: John van Dort and

Macauley Library 37959441.

these, 38 are Neotropical migrants.  You might say that Warblers are definitely among "our birds of summer" in North America.  I saw 38 species of Warblers including 33 Neotropical migrant species!  One day I got stunning views of several threatened Golden-cheeked Warblers.

(Real) Tanagers and Shrike-Tanagers

Golden-hooded Tanager.  Photo Credit: Beaks and Peaks

Adventure and Birding Tours.

These are not the birds we northerners call Tanagers, like Scarlet Tanager and Summer Tanager (which are really more closely related to Cardinals).  12 species of (real) Tanagers occur in Honduras.  I was lucky enough to see 6 of those.


Honeycreepers, Blue Dacnis, and Cinnamon-bellied Flower-Piercer
3 species of Honeycreeper occur along with these 2 other species.  I only saw Red-legged and Green Honeycreepers.

Seed-Finches, Seedeaters, Grassquits, and Bananaquit
10 of these small, mostly seed-eating birds occur in Honduras.  I saw 5 species.

Saltators and Slate-colored Grosbeak

Buff-throated Saltator.  Photo Credit: Hidephotography.com.

3 species of Saltator occur along with this particular Grosbeak.  I was lucky enough to encounter all 3 species of Saltator, including Buff-throated, Black-headed, and Grayish.


Sparrows, Ground-Sparrows,
Brushfinch, and Chlorospingus
16 species occur in Honduras, and 3 are Neotropical migrants.  I saw 8 species, but none of the migrants.

Cardinal Tanagers and Ant-Tanagers
This group includes Scarlet, Summer, Hepatic, and Western Tanagers that North Americans know as birds of summer.  It also includes 3 other tropical species of Tanagers and 2 species of Ant-Tanagers.  I saw both species of Ant-Tanagers and 4 of the 7 species of Tanagers.

Northern Cardinal, Grosbeaks, and Buntings
8 species occur, 3 of which are Neotropical migrants.  I saw 5 species, including the migratory Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Painted Bunting, and Indigo Bunting.

Blackbirds and Allies

Spot-breasted Oriole.  Photo Credit: Beaks and Peaks

Adventure and Birding Tours.

In addition to 2 species of Blackbirds, these include Great-tailed Grackle, Eastern Meadowlark, 2 species of Cowbirds, Dickcissel, and 10 species of Orioles.  I managed to see both species of Blackbirds, the Grackle, the Meadowlark, both species of Cowbirds, and 7 species of Orioles.

Oropendulas
2 species occur in Honduras.  I got to see both of them.

Chlorophonia and Euphonias

Blue-crowned Chlorophonia.  Photo Credit: Beaks and Peaks

Adventure and Birding Tours.

7 species of Euphonia occur in addition to Blue-crowned Chlorophonia.  I saw the Chlorophonia and 5 species of Euphonia.






Last but not Least
Red Crossbill, Black-headed Siskin, Lesser Goldfinch, and House Sparrow all occur.  I saw them all.  I do want to note, however, that I only saw 2 House Sparrows in 4 and one-half weeks of birding in Honduras.  One was during the Lake Yojoa Birding Blitz early in my trip.  The other was at a gas station where we stopped during the Honduras Birding for Conservation Tour.  On the day we saw it on the Tour, it was our "bird of the day" because it was so hard to find. 

Birds.  They lead us to do some very crazy things.  They also lead us to make new friends, to stretch our imaginations, and to broaden our dreams.  In Honduras, birds led me to do all these things.

Honduras by the numbers -- Part I

          Readers of this blog will know that I just returned from almost five weeks in Honduras.  One of my main reasons for going was to meet with bird clubs there to explore the idea of developing a network of sister bird clubs between North America and Central America.  That part of my trip was a rousing success as I have reported previously. 

A reunion of sorts took place on 6 November at Pico Bonito

Lodge.  Two of my new friends from bird clubs in Honduras,

Hector Moncada (on left, from San Pedro Sula) and
Francisco Rovelo (on right, from Gracias), were there
participating in an education workshop put on by BirdSlueth

International (from Cornell University) and I was participating

in the Honduras Birding for Conservation Tour.

Photo Credit: Jody Enck.

          The two other successful aspects of my trip were to participate in the Lake Yojoa Birding Blitz in mid October and to also participate in the Honduras Birding for Conservation Tour during the first half of November.  If making a couple dozen new friends and seeing hundreds of species of birds equals success, then I had the grandest of successful times!

          Upon reading some of my earlier blog posts in late October, one of my new friends from Zamorano University noticed that I wrote a lot more about the people I was meeting and experiences I was having than about the birds I was seeing.  This post is to "correct" that deficiency.  All the bird species in photos below are species that I saw.

          One can find about 765 species of birds in Honduras assuming you have the time and wherewithal to scour every corner of this geographically and ecologically diverse country and have lots on luck on your side.  One of these bird species, a beautiful

little hummingbird called the Honduran Emerald, is found nowhere

Honduras' only endemic bird species: the Honduran Emerald.

Photo Credit: Beaks and Peaks Adventure and Birding Tours.

else on Earth except in Honduras.  Another 75 of so species are resident rainforest birds that you can find only in the largely inaccessible eastern reaches of Honduras called Mosquitia -- or farther south in Central America.  Of the 765 bird species one can encounter in Honduras, only about 140 or so (excluding seabirds) are our North American "Birds of Summer" -- Neotropical migratory birds that breed up in North America and winter in, or migrate through, Honduras.

          According to my records, I ended up seeing/hearing 387 species of birds in Honduras -- almost exactly half of the birds that occur in the entire country.  Of these, 174 were Life Birds for me.  (For non-birders, a Life Bird is a species that you have never seen/heard before in your life).  This means that about 45% of the species I encountered in Honduras were completely new to me.  That's a great trip!

          Below is a breakdown of what I encountered.  These numbers are not exact (in terms of the numbers of migrants vs. resident birds, etc.).  I provide approximations just to give you a sense of what I encountered.

Tinamous
4 species occur in Honduras.  

Great Tinamou for those of you who don't know what

a Tinamou is.  Photo Credit: Wikipedia.  

All species are residents (not Neotropical migrants).  I saw/heard 2 of the 4 species, and both were Life Birds for me. 

Ducks and Geese
About 15 species occur in Honduras, and 8 or so of these are migrants that also occur in North America.  I saw 6 species of ducks and 4 were migrants. 

Chachalacas, Curassow, Guans
6 resident species occur.  I only encountered one: Plain Chachalaca.

New World Quails Partridges

The mythical Ocellated Quail.  Photo Credit: Beaks and Peaks

Adventure and Birding Tours.

8 resident species occur.  I was lucky enough to see/hear 4 species, all of which were life birds for me.

Grebes
2 resident species occur.  I saw Pied-billed Grebe (yes, these birds migrate south from New York State for the winter, but the subspecies in Honduras is a resident one).

Shearwaters, Storm-Petrels, Tropicbirds, Frigatebirds
About 10-12 of these ocean-living birds have been recorded in Honduras.  The Magnificent Frigatebirds I encountered were a new Life Bird Species for me.  

American Flamingo, Jabiru, Wood Stork 
Of these 3 mostly resident species, I encountered Wood Storks.

Boobies, Cormorants, Anhinga, Pelicans
8 of these species can be found in Honduras.  Although some show some seasonal patterns of occurrence, none are Neotropical migrants.  I saw 3 of these species.

Herons, Egrets, Bitterns, Ibises, Spoonbill
23 species occur in Honduras.  None of the 13 species I saw are Neotropical migrants although some do migrate short distances.

Vultures, Hawks, and Eagles

White-breasted Hawk -- a Central American subspecies

of our more familiar Sharp-shinned Hawk. 

Photo Credit: Jody Enck.

A whopping 39 species occur in Honduras, and about a dozen show seasonal occurrence.  Still, only about 5 are truly Neotropical migrants breeding in North America and wintering in Honduras or farther south.  I saw 21 species, including Cooper's Hawk and Broad-winged Hawk which are Neotropical migrants. 

King Vulture, a truly remarkable bird.  Photo. Credit: Beaks

and Peaks Adventure and Birding Tours.

I also was fortunate to see all 4 species of vulture that occur in Honduras: Black, Turkey, Lesser Yellow-headed, and King.




Rails, Crakes, Gallinules, Coots, Sunbittern, Sungrebe, and Limpkin
About 16 species can be found in Honduras, with American Coot ad Sora (a rail) being migrants.  I saw/heard 10 of those.  I missed out on a "big one," though.  I was in a boat in the mangroves of Cuerro y Salado Wildlife Refuge from which several people spotted a

Two Rufous-necked Wood-Rails in front being photo-bombed

by a Russet-necked Wood-Rail (right in the center of the

photo, heading right).  Photo Credit: Jeff Gordon.

Rufous-necked Wood-Rail photo-bombing 2 Russet-naped Wood-Rails.  I was so fixated on the Russet-naped pair that I only got a quick glimpse of the Rufous-necked species running behind the other 2 birds.  Luckily, our leader, Jeff Gordon, President of the American Birding Association, got a picture!  Although I could not count it on my life list, our team got to count it on the team list.  The photo provided the first documented evidence of this species for the Department of Atlántida in Honduras.  I did see the bird running behind the other two in front, but did not get a good look at it.

Shorebirds: Sandpipers, Plovers, and allies
40 species occur in Honduras, and about 15 of these are migrants that winter in Honduras.  I saw 14 of the 40 species of shorebirds.

Gulls and Terns
26 of these species have been reported in Honduras, and none of those are what you would call Neotropical migrants.  Indeed, with the exception of Laughing Gull, most gull species occur as uncommon visitors.  The tropics are more about Terns than Gulls.
I saw Laughing Gull, Royal Tern, and Sandwich Tern.

Doves and Pigeons
22 species occur in Honduras, with Mourning Dove being the only true migrant.  I was fortunate to see 14 species, but I did not see a Mourning Dove!

Cuckoos, Lesser Roadrunner, and Anis
11 species occur, with 3 or 4 being migrants, including our familiar Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Black-billed Cuckoo.  I saw 6 species, including the Neotropical migrant Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

Owls
16 species of owls can be found in Honduras if you are willing to explore the wilds in the dark and have lots of luck on your side.  I was lucky enough to encounter 4 species of owl.

Great Potoo, a really amazing and somewhat strange bird.

Photo credit: Bill Thompson III.

Nightjars and Potoos

8 species of Nightjar and 2 species of Potoo occur.  I saw 2 species of Nightjars and had great looks at multiple Great Potoos.

Swifts

For those of us in the northeastern U.S. where we can encounter only Chimney Swift, the 10 species of Swift in Honduras make it well worthwhile to check out every flock you see.  I was lucky enough to spot half of the species that are possible to see.

Hummingbirds
There are 42 or 43 species of Hummingbirds in Honduras, apparently including Buff-bellied Hummingbird which was

Even in the rain, this Crowned Woodnymph shows off its

spectacular colors.  Photo credit: John van Dort and

Macauley Library 37692311.

photographed for the very first time in Honduras during the 2016 Honduras Birding for Conservation Tour.  Of all of these Hummingbirds, 5 or 6 exhibit seasonal occurrence, and one (Ruby-throated Hummingbird) is a true Neotropical migrant.  When I counted up the Hummingbird species I saw, I was astounded to note that I saw 25 species!  And, yes, I did see several Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.  Maybe one of those spent the summer in my local patch in New York State.

Black-headed Trogon.  Photo Credit:

Bill Thompson III.

Resplendent Quetzal and Trogons
In addition to the Quetzal, 7 species of Trogon occur.  I was fortunate enough to see a pair of Quetzals and 4 species of Trogon.










Motmots

Turquoise-browed Motmot.  Photo Credit: Jody Enck.

7 species can be found in Honduras.  I enjoyed seeing 3 of those species.  Even with my little point and shoot camera, I was able to get decent pictures of both Lesson's Motmot and Turquoise-browed Motmot.


Kingfishers, Puffbirds, and Jacamars
6 species of Kingfisher, including the migratory Belted Kingfisher, occur in Honduras along with 3 species of Puffbirds and 2 Jacamar species.  I was lucky to see 5 species of Kingfisher, including Belted and the really tiny American Pygmy-Kingfisher.  I missed out on the Puffbirds, but did encounter Rufous-tailed Jacamars.

Toucans, Emerald Toucanet, and Collared Aracari
5 species can be found in Honduras.  These are among the most iconic species of the Rainforest and similar habitats.  I encountered 3 of these species on multiple occasions. 

A pair of Olivaceous Piculets, the smallest woodpeckers in the

hemisphere.  Photo Credit: Beaks and Peaks Adventure and

Birding Tours.

Woodpeckers
16 species occur, including the migratory Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  Woodpeckers are among my most favorite bird species because their behavior makes them some of the easiest species to study for long periods of time.  I saw 11 species, including Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Olivaceous Piculet.
Falcons
13 species of Falcon can be spotted in Honduras, including the migratory Merlin and Peregrine.  I saw/heard (yes, several Falcon species are easily identifiable by voice) 7 species, including both migrant species.  My favorite to both see and hear probably was Laughing Falcon.  The most amazing Falcon-related experience I had was watching a Bat Falcon pluck and eat a female Three-wattled Bellbird near the Pico Bonito Lodge.  Although not countable on my Life List, the Bellbird was the first of its species recorded from the Department of Atlántida in Honduras.

Parrots, Parakeets, and Macaws

White-fronted Parrots, named for the white on their foreheads.

Photo Credit: Beaks and Peaks Adventure and Birding Tours.

17 species of this noisy and beautiful group of birds occur in Honduras.  I saw 7 species, including Scarlet Macaws from a restored, free-flying population near the Copan ruins in western Honduras.

I will cover the rest of the birds I saw in Honduras in a second post on this subject.