19 - 26 November 1995

by Jim Danzenbaker

The following is a summary of a seven day birding holiday to Tikal in Gatemala.  Weather was humid for three days then turning very pleasant for the reamining four days.

All birding done on foot, within about 2 miles of the lodges.

Day 1 - 11/19/95 - AM  airstrip; PM main trail to Grand Plaza ruins, etc.
Day 2 - 11/20/95 - AM  Uaxactun Road; PM  trail to Temple VI (Temple of Inscriptions).
Day 3 - 11/21/95 - AM  group P & Q then Uaxactun Road; PM  Uaxactun Rd.
Day 4 - 11/22/95 - AM  near 3 kms of Park entrance Road; PM  Museum area
Day 5 - 11/23/95 - AM  airstrip, entrance road; PM  entrance road, main grounds
Day 6 - 11/24/95 - AM  trails to Temple IV; PM  exit via Uaxactun Road
Day 7 - 11/25/95 - same as 6
Day 8 - 11/26/95 - AM  entrance road

178 birds seen in and around Tikal Parque Nationale, Guatemala
 
 

SPECIES	WHERE OBSERVED
Great Tinamou	heard someplace.
Slaty-breasted Tinamou	seen off main trail; initially froze for about 5 seconds out in the open, then zigzagged into cover.
Least Grebe	pair skulking in wet area along Uaxactun Rd.
Bare-throated Tiger Heron	flew over us along airstrip first morning, then seen a couple of times at the aguada near the lodges.
Great Blue Heron	seen flying out of the aguada on day 3.
Great Egret	seen flying by from the old airstrip.
Little Blue Heron	imm. on the aguada Tikal. most of the mornings.
Cattle Egret	seen almost everyday at aguada Tikal.
Green Heron	several on the aguada Tikal banks most days.
Black Vulture	seen everywhere every day.
Turkey Vulture	seen around ruins every day.
King Vulture	seen soaring days 3 and 7.
Double-toothed Kite	flyovers days 4,7,8.
Crane Hawk	pair at airstrip day 1; single sat for photos Temple VI trail.
Great Black Hawk	flying high over Grand Plaza day 7.
Gray Hawk	single immature day 4 AM.
Roadside Hawk	seen every day but one at edges.
Black Hawk-Eagle	seen soaring Day 4 AM, Day 7 AM.
Barred Forest Falcon	zipped across Uaxactun Rd. Day 3.
Bat Falcon	seen several days, at aguada Tikal, along entrace road, at Temple IV.
Plain Chachalaca	seen every day.
Crested Guan	seen several days and places, including a pair strolling into one of the restaurants at dinnertime.
Ocellated Turkey	seen every day around lodges; unwary, curious, apparently fed by tourists sometimes.
Gray-necked Wood Rail	two seen at aguada Tikal day 3 AM.
Scaled Pigeon	three flew over entrance road day 8.
Short-billed Pigeon	flybys seen several times in many places; some feeding in trees on Uaxactun Rd.
Gray-fronted Dove	seen walking across entrance road, at Temple IV, and flushed a couple of other places.
Olive-throated Parakeet	flyovers a few places.
Brown-hooded Parrot	pairs seen Temple VI trail, museum area.
White-crowned Parrot	only definites a pair which landed in trees around the lodges day 7.
White-fronted Parrot	seen along airstrip and Museum.
Red-lored Parrot	seen often around museum and lodges.
Mealy Parrot	flybys around museum days 5,7.
Squirrel Cuckoo	seen every day, many places.
Groove-billed Ani	seen along airstrip and at aguada Tikal.
Vermiculated Screech-Owl	heard night 1 along airstrip.
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl	heard AM day 3 from airstrip area.
Mottled Owl	heard almost every morning around 4:00 at lodge.
White-collared Swift	a few flying overhead AM day 4.
Vaux's Swift	seen Day 6 Uaxactun Rd.
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift	flying overhead Days 3,6,8.
Long-tailed Hermit	seen briefly day 1 around lodges and day 7.
Little Hermit	seen most days, many places.
Wedge-tailed Sabrewing	photo'd at flowering tree at group P.
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird	seen almost every day, many places.
Buff-bellied Hummingbird	seen Day 1 airstrip.
Purple-crowned Fairy	seen several times dip-bathing in puddles on trails in the park.
Ruby-throated (?) Hummingbird	female seen at flowering tree at Group P.
Black-headed Trogon	seen several times around edges.
Violaceous Trogon	seen a few times on trails, entrance road, Uaxactun Rd.
Collared Trogon	one seen Uaxactun Road day 3.
Slaty-tailed Trogon	seen and photod many times in park.
Tody Motmot	one found and photo'd day 6 between Temple IV and Uaxactun Rd. Also calling pair day 7 Uaxactun Rd.
Blue-crowned Motmot	seen or heard every day many places.
Belted Kingfisher	seen some mornings aguada Tikal.
White-necked Puffbird	seen perched high over entrance road Day 4.
White-whiskered Puffbird	seen day 2 Temple VI trail, and several day 6 Uaxactun Rd and Temple IV trail.
Rufous-tailed Jacamar	seen several times Uaxactun Rd., Temple IV and entrance road.
Collared Aracari	lots seen every day, often foraging low in fruiting trees, photogenic.
Keel-billed Toucan	several seen, mostly flying across airstrip.
Black-cheeked Woodpecker	one on Uaxactun Road day 6.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker (distinctive race dubious)	every day around edges, museum and lodge grounds, etc.
Smoky-brown Woodpecker	singles in the forest, days 2 and 3.
Golden-olive Woodpecker	beautiful male photod on the way to Temple IV on day 6; another along Uaxactun Rd day 7.
Chestnut-colored Woodpecker	seen and photod several times in the forest and also twice near the edge.
Lineated Woodpecker	seen most days at edges; one seemed to be excavating a nest cavity on entrance road day 4.
Pale-billed Woodpecker	a few seen various locations.
Plain Xenops	seen on several different trails in the park.
Scaly-throated Leaftosser	one heard (we think) in forest from the entrance road.
Tawny-winged Woodcreeper	seen almost every day in forest; photo'd at close range.
Ruddy Woodcreeper	seen along Uaxactun Road and photod along entrance road.
Olivaceous Woodcreeper	seen several times on the park trails.
Barred Woodcreeper	family (?) group seen along entrance road.
Ivory-billed Woodcreeper	seen almost every day in park and at edges.
Barred Antchrike	pairs along airstrip and Uaxactun Rd.
Plain Antvireo	small groups seen frequently along trails in park.
Dot-winged Antwren	small groups seen almost every day along edges.
Black-faced Antthrush	heard a few times.
Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet	one seen along main trail day 1.
Northern Beardless Tyrannulet	one heard airstrip day 5.
Greenish Elaenia	seen a few times on park trails and Uaxactun Rd.
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher	seen several times on park trails, Uaxactun Road and entrance road. One individual with red left leg band and silver right leg band on entrance road day 8.
Sepia-capped Flycatcher	seen or heard every day in park and on entrance road.
Northern Bentbill	seen at least three times, along entrance road and photo'd in park.
Slate-headed Tody-flycatcher	one seen along trail from Temple IV to Uaxactun Rd.
Eye-ringed Flatbill	seen a few times on the park trails.
Yellow-olive Flycatcher	seen day 2,8.
Stub-tailed Spadebill	seen or heard almost every day in numbers; finally photo'd day 7.
Royal Flycatcher	photo'd day 3 Uaxactun Road and day 7 main trail.
Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher	seen several times along park trails.
Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher	seen a couple of times along park trails.
Tropical Pewee	one seen at Temple IV.
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	seen most days along park trails, Uaxactun Rd., entrance road.
Least Flycatcher	many seen and heard almost every day; edges.
Bright-rumped Attila	heard most days from lodge; not seen until last 2 days.
Rufous Mourner	one seen Temple IV day 6.
Dusky-capped Flycatcher	heard every day many places, few seen.
Great Crested Flycatcher	seen and/or heard almost every day, esp. museum area, Uaxactun Rd., entrance road.
Brown-crested Flycatcher	seen some mornings around the museum.
Boat-billed Flycatcher	one seen along entrance road day 4; another near Temple IV day 6.
Social Flycatcher	abundant around museum and lodges every day.
Tropical Kingbird	common around aguada Tikal every day.
Couch's Kingbird	one in Kapok tree at park entrance day 3.
Masked Tityra	two in fruiting tree at aguada Tikal every morning; scattered individuals seen elsewhere.
Black-crowned Tityra	two along entrance road day 8.
Rufous Piha	one seen along Uaxactun Road day 7.
Thrush-like Mourner	heard every day; seen well and photo'd along Uaxactun Rd.
White-collared Manakin	seen a few times, along Uaxactun Rd and entrance road.
Red-capped Manakin	seen almost every day, mostly females; photogenic males seen along entrance road, fond of berries growing low on edges.
Ridgway's Rough-winged Swallow (see Howell & Webb)	roosting in Temple IV.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	flocks flying overhead airstrip, aguada Tikal, etc.
Barn Swallow	one seen flying around aguada Tikal day 6.
Brown Jay	abundant and noisy around museum, lodges, edges.
Spot-breasted Wren	seen several times, airstrip, lodges, entrance road.
White-bellied Wren	seen nestbuilding at Temple IV, scattered elsewhere.
White-breasted Wood Wren	heard in and around forest areas, seen seldom.
Long-billed Gnatwren	seen entrance road day 5; trails and Uaxactun Road day 6.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	seen and heard several times; edges.
Tropical Gnatcatcher	one seen day 8 entrance road.
Swainson's Thrush	singles day 3 and 8.
Wood Thrush	many seen and/or heard almost every day.
Clay-colored Robin	a couple seen along airstrip.
Gray Catbird	frequently seen and heard along airstrip, other edges.
White-eyed Vireo	heard often and seen occasionally various places.
Mangrove Vireo	seen day 1 along airstrip.
Philadelphia Vireo	one seen day 6 on edge near park entrance.
Red-eyed Vireo	one seen day 3 at aguada Tikal.
Tawny-crowned Greenlet	several in park with ant swarm followers.
Lesser Greenlet	seen every day many places.
Green Shrike-Vireo	we think we saw one day 4 while eating breakfast on entrance road.
Blue-winged Warbler	seen a few times in park, entrance road, airstrip.
Golden-winged Warbler	seen thrice; day 2 Uaxactun Road, day 7 in park, day 8 entrance road.
Tennessee Warbler	only one, day 3 Group P.
Northern Parula	seen twice; day 4 entrance road, day 5 airstrip.
Yellow Warbler	seen almost every day, esp. museum and lodge area.
Chestnut-sided Warbler	seen most days, esp. in park.
Magnolia Warbler	seen every day, many places.
Yellow-rumped Warbler	seen twice in park.
Black-throated Green Warbler	seen twice in park.
PALM WARBLER	one seen near Grand Plaza; from Howell & Webb, this may be a first for Guatemala.
Black and White Warbler	seen almost every day, in park and edges.
American Redstart	seen almost every day, in park and edges.
Worm-eating Warbler	seen a few times, in park.
Ovenbird	seen day 1 airstrip, day 2 in park, day 8 entrance road.
Northern Waterthrush	seen day 2 Uaxactun Rd.
Louisiana Waterthrush	one seen day 2 along trail to Temple VI.
Kentucky Warbler	seen several times in dense undergrowth in park.
Common Yellowthroat	seen/heard several times at edges and wet areas.
Gray-crowned Yellowthroat	one seen at wet place along Uaxactun Rd.
Hooded Warbler	seen several times in dense undergrowth in park.
Golden-crowned Warbler	seen a few times in the park.
Yellow-breasted Chat	seen day 2 Uaxactun Rd., day 8 entrance road.
Masked Tanager	one seen Grand Plaza day 1, family group eating berries along entrance road day 4, down low for photos.
Green Honeycreeper	one seen bathing in pool in tree crevice day 6 along trail from Temple IV to Uaxactun Rd.
Red-legged Honeycreeper	female glimpsed Uaxactun Road day 2.
Scrub Euphonia	pair seen day 3 in park.
Yellow-throated Euphonia	seen frequently many places with Olive-backed feeding on seed catkins of low-growing shrub.
Olive-backed Euphonia	as Yellow-throated.
Yellow-winged Tanager	seen mostly in museum area.
Gray-headed Tanager	seen a few times with ant swarm followers.
Black-throated Shrike-Tanager	females at Uaxactun Rd. and behind Grand Plaza; easier to hear than see.
Red-crowned Ant-Tanager	one seen along main trail.
Red-throated Ant-Tanager	seen every day among ant swarm followers.
Summer Tanager	seen every day, esp. outside our room.
Black-headed Saltator	seen every day, esp. museum, Uaxactun Rd.
Black-faced Grosbeak	flock seen last day along entrance road.
Blue-black Grosbeak	single seen skulking along Uaxactun Rd.
Blue Bunting	several females glimpsed along grassy edges; only one male seen briefly along airstrip.
Blue Grosbeak	male seen bathing in puddle along trail to Temple VI.
Indigo Bunting	female seen along entrance road day 5.
Green-backed Sparrow	seen several times at edges; only photos distinguished from very similar Olive Sparrow.
White-collared Seedeater	seen every day grassy places, esp. museum and lodge areas.
Thick-billed Seed-Finch	a couple seen around Group P.
Melodious Blackbird	seen every day around museum and lodge areas.
Great-tailed Grackle	as preceding.
Black-cowled Oriole	in palms back of Grand Plaza day 7.
Baltimore Oriole	seen a few times in park and along entrance road.
Montezuma Oropendola	seen/heard every day, many places.

Posted by Jim Danzenbaker for Mike Danzenbaker & Lee Hung

DANZENBAKER1@APPLELINK.APPLE.COM