July 2000

by Dennis Rogers

Update on a site for Yellow-green Finch and Glow-throated Hummingbird, in  E.Chiriqui province, Panama.

Road conditions and access have changed for Cerro Colorado, the only readily accessible site for the eastern Chiriqui endemics Glow-throated Hummingbird and Yellow-green Finch.  This is an update this site, first described in Site Guides: Costa Rica & Panama (Dennis Rogers 1996, available from Amazon.com).

North from San Felix the road is in reasonable shape until the bridge where the copper company headquarters was.  The mine is now closed so the road in not maintained from here on; what was an uncomfortable 15+ km drive is now very rough and not passible without high clearance and eventually 4WD.  The pickups which serve as public transport in the area are still making their rounds, but it might be quite a hike from the end of the line to adequate habitat.

If the road continues to deteriorate this site, its endemics may soon be out of reach for the visiting birder.  The hummingbird has been seen in the Santa Fe area but the finch is more difficult.

Dennis Rogers                      Apt. 1867-2100
cinclus@sol.racsa.co.cr            San Jose
www.cinclustours.com               COSTA RICA
tel/fax (506) 236-1660