24 September - 20 October 2000
by John van der Woude
We made a private 5-week birding trip to Bolivia including side trips to northern Chile and Buenos Aires province, Argentina. The side trip to Chile was more or less forced by the social-political troubles in Bolivia resulting in many roadblocks, and the extra trip to Argentina was a planned stopover on our way back home. So this was a trip from ocean to ocean, and from steaming lowlands to freezing highlands. The report is in three parts: this one about Bolivia and two short separate reports of the side trips to Chile and Argentina.
We first had a successful week of birding from the chaco woodlands of Santa Cruz through the semi-arid valley of Comarapa up to the Siberia cloud forest above it. Then we could not proceed to Cochabamba because of the roadblocks so we went back to Sta. Cruz and on to the tropical lowlands in the Beni province: the partly wooded savannas of Trinidad and the tropical rainforest remains at Riberalta. By now the situation in the highlands had cleared enough and we flew on to La Paz.
After a visit to the high Cumbre pass and the steep forested Yungas valleys below it, we still wanted to visit the region around Cochabamba (highlands and East Andes slope forests), but here the last roadblocks still persisted. So instead we took the side trip to nearby northernmost Chile, which we did not regret at all. There we had a lot of good birds in the short distance from the coast of the Atacama desert to the splendid intact puna grasslands below the snow-clad volcanoes at Lauca national park. The 5-day stopover at Buenos Aires did we use to go along the coastal marshes and pampas, from the city down to Punta Rasa at the open ocean. We regarded this region as the southern end of the same savanna belt as we visited in eastern Bolivia.
Some of the highlights of this exciting birding trip to three countries were Red-fronted and Blue-throated Macaw, Greater and Lesser Rhea, Andean and Puna Flamingo, Giant Coot and Giant Wood-rail, a breeding colony of Andean Avocet, our first condors and our first albatrosses, Red-tailed Comet and Peruvian Sheartail, the enormous Toco Toucan, Bolivian and White-throated Earthcreeper, Straight-billed and Curve-billed Reedhaunter, Yungas Manakin and Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-manakin, our first monjitas (White-rumped and White), White-eared Solitaire and Andean Slaty-thrush, Moustached and Grey-bellied Flowerpiercer, and many more. Of course we missed several species, partly due to the roadblocks preventing us to visit the Cochabamba region. Apart from the roadblocks (that we easily avoided) and some time needed to get used to the high altitude of La Paz, we had no troubles and we enjoyed the diversity of cultures.
Itinerary
Sunday 24 September 2000: afternoon arrival Santa Cruz Bolivia (from Amsterdam via Madrid and Buenos Aires) and short evening visit to Lomas de Arena
Mon. 25: morning Lomas de Arena, afternoon on to Samaipata
Tue. 26: Samaipata and surroundings
Wed. 27: Cuevas valley, and on to Tambo (Comarapa)
Thu. 28: Siberia cloud forest
Fri. 29: surroundings Comarapa
Sat. 30: Siberia cloud forest
Sun. 1 October: behind Tambo, and back to Santa Cruz
Mon. 2: botanical garden (forest) of Sta. Cruz (morning only)
Tue. 3: flight to Cochabamba, visit to Laguna Alalay, and flight to Trinidad
Wed. 4: surroundings Trinidad
Thu. 5 and Fri. 6: excursion to Blue-throated Macaw site N of Trinidad
Sat. 7: morning visit to river near Trinidad, and flight on to Riberalta, with short late afternoon visit to Hamburgo
Sun. 8: Antofagasta and Hamburgo (morning only) near Riberalta
Mon. 9: Siete Julio near Riberalta
Tue. 10: Lago Tumichucua near Riberalta
Wed. 11: flight to La Paz, via Trinidad and Cochabamba
Thu. 12: via Cumbre pass down to Sud Yungas (Puente Villa)
Fri. 13: Apa Apa forest reserve near Chulumani, and valley behind Pte. Villa
Sat. 14: slowly back to La Paz
Sun. 15: flight to Arica in North Chile, and on to Putre
Mon. 16: Putre and Lauca N.P.
Tue. 17: Lauca N.P.
Wed. 18: slowly back to Arica, afternoon Azapa valley and seabirds
Thu. 19: morning seabirds and Azapa valley, then flight back to La Paz and visit to Titicaca lake
Fri. 20: early flight to Santa Cruz, birding in surroundings airport, flight on to Buenos Aires
Part 2. Logistics and sites
Note 1: the two-letter
abbreviations behind the main site names refer to the column headings for
(sub-)sites in the species list.
Note 2: some sites
have been measured with a handheld GPS (Global Positioning System). The
locations ('waypoints') are indicated as WP01 etc. in the text below and
explained with coordinates in a separate text (see index page).
Santa Cruz (LA, JB)
This second-largest town of Bolivia is recommended as a low starting point in order to get used to the higher altitude later on. Sta. Cruz is in the eastern lowlands and from here the classical birding trip goes up to Cochabamba along the old (but good) road and then either on to La Paz, or back to Sta. Cruz along the new road. (But, as explained in part 1, we did not do the latter leg).
We rented a Suzuki four wheel-drive car (the usual option in Bolivia) at A.Barron's rent-a-car for 400 USD a week. We had e-mailed with them ( antonioba@cotas.com.bo ) and we were picked up at the airport. The car was good although the tyres could have been better. On one of the last days we had a flat tyre and it was beyond repair then so we had to use the spare tyre instead and buy another spare tyre (second-hand). Note that there is also another company with nearly the same name: Barron's rent-a-car (his brother), as well as a branch of Localiza. But we were happy with this car and the service, esp. the possibility of e-mailing beforehand (all in Spanish however).
We had a good hotel in town, the Asturias, phone (591) 3 33 9611, fax 35 0897. Hotel prices in Santa Cruz (as well as Trinidad, the other lowland town) are higher than in the other parts of Bolivia, even higher than in La Paz. This hotel was 400 Bs for a spacious room (don't take the smaller ones for a bit less) and a swimming pool in a large inner courtyard with some trees. Taxis were everywhere and not expensive.
There are three main birding sites near Santa Cruz:
1. Lomas de Arena. This is a regional nature park with large sand dunes (hence the name) but also some nice open chaco woods and even a small stream and some ponds. Here we got several of our first lowland species like Red-winged Tinamou and Guira Cuckoo but also a few duck species that we did not have later on in Bolivia. It is a lovely and quiet area (except in the weekends I think). To reach this area take the long road indicated on the map, and 50 m before the end (a gate) go left on a dirt road an then after another 50 or 100 m go right again. Then follow this as straight as possible until you see the barrier of the park where you have to pay something and can drive on through the various habitats. These roads are definitely 4WD (to our western standards; taxi's here drive anywhere…). This is LA in the species list.
2. Jardin Botanico, the botanical garden, is more a forest than a garden. And a good forest! I think we had the best chaco woods of the trip right here. See the map how to get here, it is on the right, just after a fly-over across a railway. There is long and stately fence and a large gate which was open and seemed to be open mostly (if it is closed go to the house on the left corner and ask there to be let in). The first part has open lawns with a pond also, and then you follow the broad tracks along the left-hand border fence through the woods, all the way for maybe 2 km until you reach the backside where you see open fields beyond the fence. Here we turned right along that backside and then back again along the other side and fence of this elongated reserve. Hot here! Bring sufficient drinking water. We had nice chaco species, several of which we did not see later on. We had good views of several Arrowhead Piculets, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Brown-crested Flycatcher, White-backed Fire-eye, and others. See column JB in the species list (part 4 of this report).
3. The airport fields and near surroundings
was good for some savanna species such as Red-legged Seriema. The airport
is about 20 km north of Sta. Cruz. There are some dirt roads to the left
before the terminal building, and we had the seriema on the grazed grasslands
outside the airport, some 5 km to the North along the main road.
Rio Pirai (PI)
At 47 km from the last big roundabout of the town of Sta. Cruz, or 22 km after a village called San Jose, is a large bridge across the Pirai River. We drove the track left before the river for about 1 km and had some nice additional species of the chaco woodland and transitional habitats, as you get here gradually into the lower reaches of the large dry Andes valley here, the so-called Valles. Spot-backed Puffbird is one of these species. Look for PI in the list, for other species.
Angostura
Along the 'old' road up from Sta. Cruz to Cochabamba, right after the village of Angostura the road goes through a nice gorge where Golden-collared Macaw is often seen but we had no luck. We were probably too late but it was also very crowded as we were there on a special holiday, with lots of colorful dressed people in the riverbed. We only stayed half an hour here.
Cuevas valley (CU)
About 20 km before Samaipata and
100 m before the big sign 'Cuevas 100 km' (100 km from Sta. Cruz) is a
side road to the left that leads through a splendid valley to a village
called Bellavista (as another sign says at the main road). The habitat
is open mountainous with at first steep cliffs (should hold Golden-collared
Macaw in Nov./Dec., according to a few locals), and gradually more wooded
moist subtropical further on. This seems to me to be a moist subtropical
refuge inside the drier Valle region. I had not heard about it but we got
this tip from the owner of our lodge in Samaipata (see below). We drove
this dirt road for about 7 km. At the cliffs we got good swifts (Ashy-tailed
and White-tipped) and the rest of the valley is just a good chance of getting
into subtropical woods. See CU in the species list.
Samaipata (SA)
In this small town we had a wonderful birder-friendly lodge (cabañas), La Vispera, at the left backside of town, bordering the hills. A Dutch couple owns it for many years now and they have a large shaded garden for growing several plants, a/o kitchen and medicinal herbs for which people come from the wide surroundings, esp. Sta. Cruz. Other farmers around have gradually adopted their biological practice, and their approach is very matter-of-factly. Their e-mail address is vispera@bibosi.scz.entelnet.bo and phone nr is (591) 9446082. Pieter is a keen conservationist too and gives good advice on where to go birding (like the Cuevas valley described above). He knows Amboro National Park also, from long trekkings, and can act as a guide there, or provide you local guides for this and other destinations. See their info at http://www.travelxs.com/agents/boliviajes/
Their garden and the bushes below it and above it have many of the Valle specialties like Narrow-billed Woodcreeper and Spot-backed Puffbird, and also several Golden-billed Saltator. Another good spot was when driving (walking is possible too) from town up to the chapel on the hilltop or rather in a pass, visible from below, with the best birding just before leaving the town. There, a small artificial watercourse attracted warbling-finches etc. Up on the hill we did not see many birds. So I think that just walking around the backside border of this cozy town or rather village will produce most species (backside as seen from the main road). But if you stay a bit longer you could explore more habitats in the surroundings, and even into Amboro NP of course.
Sjoerd Mayer stayed a full week at
the lodge and several recordings on his Bolivia CD-ROM are from this place.
Many of the species here can also be seen at Comarapa/Tambo. The famous
'pipeline-track' did we explore shortly in the afternoon, but we were not
very lucky there. It starts at a short (100 m) dead-end side road to the
right, which can be found just before you enter the village from the direction
of Sta. Cruz.
Tambo/Comarapa (CO, SI)
At the upper end of the large semi-arid valley along the old road from Sta. Cruz to Cochabamba is the simple village of Comarapa and some 15 km before that (or just 1 km after the hamlet of San Isidro, and behind a sports field to the right) is the Tambo Mission School. This is for children of development-aid workers and missionaries in Bolivia and even South Peru. You can stay there in one of their guestrooms (with shared bathrooms) for 10 dollar per person. We arranged this beforehand by e-mail with one of the teachers, Lenna Gill: lennagill@tambo.scz.net. Also possible is just schooloffice@tambo.scz.net. It is a peaceful place, with quiet nights.
You can have meals in the dining hall but all at sharply fixed hours, so we also ate at Comarapa at some days, because this fitted better in our birding. In Comarapa, restaurant Paraiso is the best according to the people of Tambo, and we did not even try the rest. Hotel/restaurant Paraiso has a friendly owner and the meals were simple but good (and very cheap). They recently built new rooms with private bath (the older rooms have shared bathrooms). These are in the premises behind the restaurant, where we chatted a while with a Turquoise-fronted Parrot. On our last visit to the restaurant we asked for a quick look at the rooms and these are really worthwhile, and probably very cheap as well.
This region is a semi-arid habitat at about 1500 m so not too hot, and in fact pleasant year-round (a reason for establishing the school here). But there are two other habitats nearby as well: lush river valleys, and the Siberia cloud forest on the mountain ridge above Comarapa.
The river valleys are famous for the Red-fronted Macaw, a Bolivian endemic and an endangered species. In fear of the possibility of macaw pet trade I won't publicly describe here where exactly we found the species (thanks to other birders, esp. Patricia) but you can personally e-mail me for more information.
The Siberia cloud forest is a wonderful area. As there was virtually no traffic because of the roadblocks further on towards Cochabamba, we had the main road through the forest all to ourselves. Of the three best spots one was right at the beginning, where you see a small pond to the right. A tiny trail leads up into the forest from a small plot of lawn-like grass. Inside the forest we had a/o Bar-bellied Woodpecker, brush-finches, fruiteaters. A second good spot was at the pass-like area (forested as well) several kms further on, before a lonely barrack on the left and just before a side road to the right (the only or first clear side road to the right; it goes to Kuahari). Here we had our first ever Condors.
But best of all was that side road down to the right. This eventually would lead to subtropical forest but that's a long way. We stayed in the cloud forest zone along this side road and had White-eared Solitaire (seen after 1 hour trying, at WP01), Plumbeous Tyrant, Rufous-faced Antpitta at 15 meters but not seen (also at WP01). As always in cloud forests, be here early, as the bird activity slows down by mid morning. But we mostly remain as long as possible and you'll pick up new things later on the day as well.
Around Tambo itself there are many interesting species of the semi-arid area and also some common species in the arable fields behind the school. We could freely wander around on the private tracks in these fields. Right opposite the school entrance we had our first White-tipped Plantcutter and several more were at the bushes bordering those arable fields at the back. For the semi-arid specialties we had our best luck along the side road to the right after 5 km when going from Tambo to Comarapa, and just along the first km of this side road: Bolivian Earthcreeper, White-fronted Woodpecker (both at WP02), Stripe-crowned Spinetail, Streak-fronted Thornbird and others.
In the species list the sites are indicates together as CO (of Comarapa), and separately SI for the Siberia cloud forest.
Laguna Alalay at Cochabamba (AL)
On our flight from Sta. Cruz to Trinidad
in the Beni lowlands, we had a stop of 4 hours in Cochabamba and took a
taxi to drive around the laguna Alalay, a well-known birding site at the
border of the city. This was for 2 hours, 40 pesos. At the city-side of
the lake many young men aimlessly wandered around and we were glad to have
the taxi nearby when we made short walks from the road to the lake border.
On the opposite side of the lake it was much quieter and seemingly safer.
In general we don't like birding in city parks in these countries, and
the city-side of this lake is just like that, so you probably keep better
to the other side. We had a good introduction to the high altitude wetland
species, although most if not all of them would we see later near La Paz
and at Lauca NP in Chile. In several of the small trees around the lake
White-tipped Plantcutters were singing.
Trinidad (TD)
This lively town in the lowlands of the Beni province has good birding habitats in the immediate surroundings, and is the starting point for trips to see the endemic and rare Blue-throated Macaw. We were advised to do some birding near Trinidad first and then taking a short trip to the macaw only, to minimize the costs. As we had to arrange a trip for only the two of us it would inevitably be more expensive per person than with a group. After arrival in the afternoon we headed to the tour offices which are all three in the same street (see map). Moxos tours was far too expensive (and 3 days were the standard there), and at Paraiso travels (paraiso@sauce.ben.entelnet.bo says the card) Liliam, the lady who does the tours to the macaw, was not present. Her colleagues did not know how to help us (faxing beforehand had not given a response either), and so we ended up at the more modest looking Amazonia Holliday, phone/fax 46 22806 or phone 46 25732. Here the owner, Lito (Carlos Ruiz), understood us very well and he tailored a trip of just two days for us. This for US$150 pp., including all meals, lodging, a guide and a driver with his car. Read on to see how this worked out, but we did see the macaws indeed.
Our hotel in Trinidad was the Gran Moxos first, but we found the service so bad that we changed the next morning to Mi Residencia I (Uno). The latter was better, with a more professional staff, but both are definitely overpriced at US$68, so it may be better to look at alternatives if you can take some time for it. Probably Mi Residencia II (fax 46 22464) is better value for money but this is further from the plaza. Please mind that for Mi Residencia the prices in the hotel listing on http://www.boliviaweb.com/hotels/trinidad were far below the real prices (less than half), but the manager of Mi R Uno did not seem to bother much when I pointed this out to him. Never mind, there are more hotels here and reportedly a new one at the road to the airport, near the TAM-office.
The plaza and side streets were good for anything from booking a flight to having a haircut (because it's so hot here). The best and prettiest place to eat and drink (with beer bottles in coolers) was La Casona, with a shaded street terrace overlooking the plaza. Although the kitchen was a bit slow (to the fast South American standards), the food was good.
We found the taxi driver who had brought us from the airport to the city careful and keen enough to ask him to take us out the next morning and later in the afternoon again. The morning drive was to the nearby Laguna Suarez and then slowly on for some 4 km more. Trinidad is already a bit more Amazonian than the lowlands around Santa Cruz so we had several new trip ticks. This is a partly wooded savanna area with many pools.
On this trip to the laguna and beyond we had both cardinals (Yellow-billed and Red-crested), Rufous Cachalote, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Toco Toucan, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Buff-necked Ibis, Great Antshrike and the like. The same morning we also did another road, the one going South to something like Sachojera, and on this 8 km or so drive we added Jabiru a/o. We were back in town at the end of the morning and only went on for another drive late in the afternoon because of the heat these days (was better the next day).
We drove the 5 km or so from the airport to the river, where the village Loma Suarez is idyllically situated in a more moist and more wooded area. On this slow drive we added species like Blue-throated Piping-Guan, Spix Guan, White-bellied Seedeater, Undulated Tinamou and Band-tailed Nighthawk. In the species list the birds of this day are lumped with those of the next days further North to the macaws under the code TR (Trinidad), as there is not a big difference in habitat except that further north everything is even more spacious. But believe me that the direct surroundings of Trinidad are good birding so there is no need to do all the birding here on the expensive trip to the Blue-throated Macaw.
Our 2-day trip straight North from Trinidad to that 'barbazul' (Blue-throated Macaw) was a rather weird but impressive one and with success. The car was a normal taxi with airco because of the dust roads where you don't like to open your windows. A normal taxi was possible on these roads in this season indeed, but the car had suspension problems so in the end we had to walk a few kms on a small field road (picking up our only Buff-breasted Sandpipers of the trip) before reaching the place where we would stay the night, a ranch at an exquisite location in a wide river bend with several river dolphins. This was not the official place where we had to stay the night but the car would not allow us to go on. But this ranch was a necessary step in the itinerary as from here you can reach a forest island with the barbazul.
We walked on (in far less heat than the day before, luckily), first still with our guide but when we reached another, smaller farm he arranged to have us guided for the last 2 kms by one of the children so that he could help fixing the car, which had electrical problems now as well. So there we walked with a 7-year old girl, who had no problem finding the forest island as it stands out from far in this open savanna. We first thought somehow that we had to wait on the macaws as if this was a night roost only, but after 10 minutes we discovered a pair of this absolute wish-list species Blue-throated Macaw, sitting on a palm front at the edge of the forest island. They were feeding each other palm nuts, and were preening each other.
We witnessed this from a safe distance for another 10 minutes before they disappeared into the forest, and we realized how lucky we had been to see them so well. At the farm we understood that there were just two couples of this barbazul here (lots of Blue-and-yellow screaming around though). On our last leg back to the lodge we were given a horse ride, our first ever.
The next morning the driver had to wait for help of a mechanic from the city who would arrive by motorbike later on. So we took our time and wandered around the ranch, or in fact mostly sat at that absolutely wonderful spot in the river bend, on a small concrete plateau right in front of the lodge. The show of river dolphins, macaws (Blue-and-yellow), cayman, wood-rails (Grey-necked), Sunbittern and kingfishers amidst a choir of antbirds, spinetails, doves and others was something that we will never forget. A Green Kingfisher was having troubles a long time with a too big fish, and this was watched most of the time by his bigger nephew Ringed Kingfisher…
With the car fixed in 2 minutes, we had an easy drive back to Trinidad, although slowly (good!) in order to spare the suspension. All in all we had a good trip, mainly thanks to the skill of our guide who could improvise so well. He normally does long trips with fishermen or even small expeditions. His name is Johnny Zambrano Fernandez and he is well known in Trinidad, as just Johnny. He can be reached at johnnyZ@latinmail.com but more regularly at his phone number (591) 46 20431 or cellular 01796573.
Apart from the barbazul we also ticked Golden-collared Macaw on this trip. This was at a small but clear woodland plot with a farm well before the hamlet-with-restaurants San Pedro (which is WP10). At that woodland we also had a piculet (I am still sorting out this).
Another good spot was a small wet pasture to the left just before the access road left to Estancia Betlehem, with several storks, herons and ibises, and Orinoco Goose. At another spot (WP03) where we had breakfast the first day, we ticked two monjita species (White-rumped and White), and had a group of four Toco Toucans displaying well. This was in an open savanna with scattered palms.
At WP09 the road crosses a small
river, this may be worthwhile to check a bit longer. We saw a river dolphin
and Anhinga. The more North you get along this road the opener the scenery
becomes and here we had Greater Rhea which were camouflaged by the slightly
similar termite hills that are all around.
Riberalta (RI)
From Trinidad to the North of Bolivia the scenery gradually changes into Amazonian rain forest, and this whole transition from mainly savanna with gallery forests to mainly rainforest can be excellently seen during the flight from Trinidad to Riberalta. The small rubber-boom town of Riberalta has a laid-back atmosphere, not the least because there are very few cars, and normal traffic is done by motorbike. So after installing ourselves in the aptly named hotel Colonial (not expensive, but to be paid in cash like everything here except your flight, and there were no ATM cash withdrawals) we walked the 50 m to the plaza where we were assigned in no time to two motorbike taxi drivers by somebody from the hotel. He arranged a rate of 10 pesos per hour each, and the two friendly guys (William and Dennis) remained our drivers for the coming days (mornings and some late afternoons).
At the same corner of the plaza is the best restaurant, Tom's, with a shaded terrace overlooking the plaza. The road around the ample plaza was one big softly buzzing motorbike parade in the evenings, and the sport for us was to find out the maximum number of passengers on one motorbike (5!), and how many rounds somebody would make. I kept my eye on a lone girl on a rented motorbike but she came not further than 8 rounds or so before catching up with friends and taking a side road. From another guest who worked here we heard that the maximum she had ever counted for one motorbike was 62 rounds. This is a funny and quiet town and we saw no other tourists here.
Hamburgo is the name of a cluster of clay ovens at the border of the town, near the river, and it is here that Sjoerd Mayer discovered the Masked Antpitta as a new species split from Spotted Antpitta. This is in the low moist forest to the right of the road towards the river, and we clearly heard it singing here (some 2 or 3 together; we had brought one of Sjoerd's recordings) but we never saw them. But we are seldom lucky with antpittas. Sjoerd wrote me later that he mostly saw antpittas by chance and not when they were singing. Black-spotted Bare-eye was one of the birds we did see here, and a funny sight was the gathering of a hundred or so Fork-tailed Flycatchers at a roost in the reeds behind the forest.
Antofagasta is a hamlet deep into the forested zone to the left of the road from Riberalta to Guayamerin. Here, but even more near the hamlet Siete Julio to the right of the sand road to Antofagasta, we had great moments of Amazonian birding, with Green-and-Rufous Kingfisher, Paradise Jacamar, White-necked Puffbird, Scaly-breasted Woodpecker, Bare-necked Fruitcrow, Screaming Piha and many others. Although the forest was nowhere really unbroken for more than a mile or so there were many good spots. See the map for the location of this 7 Julio.
Before passing by this hamlet you cross a small river and in the low bushes along the river (to the right after crossing the bridge) we had Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, and an Ihering's antwren. This species was not yet on the most recent list for Bolivia but presumed by Ridgely and Tudor to occur here in this corner of Bolivia, and we later learned that ours would be the second observation for Bolivia, and the first for Beni. The first one for Bolivia was in Pando.
Lago Tumichucua is along the road
from Riberalta towards the Andes, and we were strongly advised by several
people in Riberalta to visit that scenic site as well. The lake is attractive
indeed, and the more so the forested island in it. We hired a dugout canoe
for the four of us (the drivers and we) and made a slow tour along that
island and walked a bit onto the island. The birding seemed slow but in
fact we added a few species to the list, like White-eyed Attila (singing
incessantly on the island), Horned Screamer (so we had both screamers now)
and Osprey. On the way back to Riberalta we visited some open woods just
before the large checkpoint at the outermost border of the town, and we
got a nice lowland-tanager flock.
La Paz (CT, YU)
We had to stay in La Paz three times and although it is an impressive city, at 3600 m and the even bigger twin-town El Alto at 4000 m, we did not really like it. Just too crammed and messy, and an appalling contrast between rich and poor on every street. I also suffered a bit from the altitude. We first had the recommended hotel Rosario and this is in the very lively Illampu street with many Indians, but the other nights we had hotel Libertador in Potosi street (actually the continuation of it called Obispo Cardenas). This one we preferred – it is less touristy and more comfortable, and it felt very safe also. The room was 52 USD, their fax is 318924, phones 313434, 310059, 317192). The restaurant of Libertador is recommended but we found it rather dull and expensive, but good enough when you are tired of the trip or the city).
Another recommended restaurant was the authentic Casa del Corregidor at Murillo Street but here we found the service bad, and it was too cold there. In contrast, a logistical highlight was Imbex rent-a-car at Av. Montes, where we got a good car, a Suzuki Gran Vitara again, but with good tyres now. We had not made a reservation but it was all arranged smoothly on the spot. We used it for a 3-day trip across the high pass called Cumbre and then down into the Yungas, the subtropical to temperate moist forest zone on the East Andes slope. Imbex' e-mail address at La Paz is rentacar@caoba.entelnet.bo or (what I used) info@imbex.com , fax (591) 2 379884, phone 316895. They do have one other office, at Sucre, but not in Sta. Cruz, but they said they cooperate sometimes with one car rental company in Sta. Cruz. One-way rental is very expensive here, so maybe this cooperation is an opportunity and you could explicitly ask for it.
To find your way out of La Paz to the Cumbre, which is the direction of Choroni, we used the city map provided by Imbex, and the location of Imbex made it easy as well. They are on the main road through the center (Av. Montes) but just so (at the corner of Av. Pucurani) that you can avoid driving through the center when heading for the Cumbre. The weather at the pass (Cumbre) can be miserable but we had sunny weather after a light snowfall on the previous day. We tried birding on several places along this main road further down at the other side of the pass but the altitude made us go slow. The best place was above the gas station of Cotapata, at about 3240 m, at WP20.
Here in the low elfin forest we had many good tanagers and the like (see list). You find this by driving or walking up left of the gas station, then keeping left at a fork, and at the next fork, where you cannot drive on any further, the birding was good to the left (short dead-end trail) and to the right. This one is a long trail going over a saddle and gradually getting into denser temperate forest. We only had 30 minutes birding along this trail but the vegetation looks very promising. That second fork still is only 150 m or so from the gas station. The main road is asphalted now till nearly Cotapata and we did not go further than Cotapata because we had to take the side road to Chulumani (right after Unduavi).
At Unduavi is a military checkpoint that is much more serious that the ones we had had anywhere before in Bolivia (where you always could drive on after slowing down a bit). We were followed by a police car and forced to stop, and we were seriously reprimanded for driving on. So please just do stop at the open barrier and take your time to find out in which of the small barracks you have to go to show your papers.
The drive down to Chulumani is wonderful. This into the Sud Yungas (YU). Steep slopes with good forests, at least there where people cannot yet easily get into them. This dirt road is not busy (a bit more so at weekends) and we could easily stop on many places to do some roadside birding in the half-open forest habitat, e.g. at WP19 (at 3200 m) and WP18 (at 1800 m). The road starts at about 3000 m in upper temperate forest and we ended the day at the hotel Tamampaya just before the hamlet called Puente Villa, at about 1300 m in subtropical forest.
This hotel (phone 79 6099; postbox 3-12356, at La Paz I suppose) is really worthwhile although I did not yet hear about it from other birders. But they do receive birding tour groups, the manager told us. It is located at the other side of the river than where the road goes (you cross the river on a one-way bridge), and the main building with the open air restaurant and the chalet-type rooms are situated in a beautiful green setting with many different trees and good views up hill. We did not bird so much here as it deserved, but got two typical foothill species on their grounds: Slaty Gnateater and Plain Antvireo.
At the backside of Puente Villa village (which is still an hour or so before Chulumani) a track goes up through a narrow lush stream valley. After about 500 m the track along the stream merges into a trail, and then after some time steep rock faces hang above the trail. This is a site for Andean Cock-of-the-Rock as we had been told at the hotel. At the spot a local farmer walking by reconfirmed this. They would be mostly just before the narrow wooden bridge leading to a trail on the other side of the stream (see photo in the other part of this report).
We spent about four morning hours in the upper reaches of the Apa Apa forest reserve, about which we had only read in the Footprint Bolivia Handbook, but at the hotel they pointed this out as the best birding spot in the surroundings. We had a shortcut through Huancane village to the upper backside of this reserve but normally you enter via a longer road from Chulumani, and then you will have wardens at the lower part of the reserve to guide you, I think. For the upper reaches of this reserve some rare species like Scimitar-winged Piha and Chestnut-crested Cotinga are mentioned.
The shortcut to the upper part is
mentioned in the Bolivia Handbook: 'from Huancane follow the high trail
to the right which leads around the hillside to the upper parts of the
Apa Apa forest'. The 'trail' is actually a difficult but practicable 4WD
track. We did not have those rare species but had a whole series of Yungas
Manakin, amongst others, and we were really impressed by the quality of
this yungas forest, in a sort of transitional zone between the subtropical
and the temperate zone.
From Huancane to Chulumani it is
some 10 minutes and here you finally have a place with gasoline, telephone
(at the plaza), fruit stalls etc.
Another attractive excursion from
La Paz is Lake Titicaca of course. We had one spare afternoon when coming
back from our side trip to Chile, and went to the lake with the same taxi
driver as we had from the airport to the hotel. Our main target was the
Titicaca Flightless Grebe of course, also prosaically called Short-winged
Grebe. We found this at WP25 at 'Snack Mirador Chua', a bit after the village
Shankajawira, and when driving slowly back again also at WP26 at another
establishment likewise called Mirador. For the rest this trip was our only
acquaintance with the tough life on the cold but fairly populated Bolivian
altiplano, and as such as impressive as the lake with its incredible far
horizon.
Part 3 - GPS-waypoints
List of waypoints measured by GPS on a trip to Bolivia, N Chile and Buenos Aires province Argentina in Sept/October 2000.
See the reports at home.worldonline.nl/~jvanderw for info about the waypoints. Generally they were taken at good birding sites.
Waypoints of sites with vulnerable macaw species have been left out.
S17°49.8641' means 17 degrees
and 49 minutes plus 8641 tenthousands of a minute South.
WP01 = S17°49.8641',W064°42.8642'
WP02 = S17°58.7237',W064°28.5090'
WP03 = S14°23.7082',W064°52.3273'
WP09 = S14°12.3560',W064°56.5051'
WP10 = S14°20.0972',W064°54.1217'
WP11 = S10°55.6218',W065°57.8787'
WP12 = S10°55.8606',W065°54.7424'
WP13 = S10°55.6685',W065°55.2600'
WP14 = S10°55.5890',W065°56.5008'
WP15 = S11°00.0227',W066°02.3130'
WP16 = S11°00.1434',W066°03.0317'
WP17 = S11°00.2634',W066°03.0591'
WP18 = S16°21.4738',W067°46.1129'
WP19 = S16°18.7042',W067°54.1843'
WP20 = S16°17.1734',W067°51.0162'
WP21 = S18°18.1287',W069°35.6761'
WP22 = S18°22.7532',W069°38.3662'
WP23 = S18°26.5232',W069°45.5805'
WP24 = S18°27.5014',W069°47.0312'
WP25 = S16°11.5115',W068°45.2704'
WP26 = S16°12.8810',W068°40.7340'
WP27 = S35°01.6290',W057°31.0587'
WP28 = S36°23.4803',W056°48.7289'
WP29 = S36°23.7989',W056°48.9941'
WP30 = S36°26.9075',W056°57.3285'
WP31 = S36°28.6826',W056°59.2165'
WP32 = S36°29.3324',W057°00.2491'
WP33 = S36°29.7756',W057°00.9305'
WP34 = S36°23.1442',W056°43.6508'
Part 4. Species list
This list of bird species observed on the 5-week trip includes the species for the side trips to North Chile and Buenos Aires province (Argentina). These two areas are indicated with EC (extra Chile) and EA (extra Argentina) in the two columns to the right. See the separate reports for more details about these two areas.
Explanation of columns:
zo: life zone in Bolivia according
to Remsen (1989) - see further explanation at bottom of list
&: endemic species for Bolivia
*: lifer species for us
LA: Lomas de Arena near Sta.
Cruz
PI: Rio Pirai at foot of Andes
above Sta. Cruz
SA: Samaipata, low-elevation
Andes on ' old road' from Sta. Cruz to Cochabamba
CU: Cuevas valley near Samaipata
CO: Comarapa (semi-arid and
others), at end of Valle from Samaipata upwards
SI: Siberia cloud forest, well
above Comarapa
JB: Jardin Botanico, mostly
chaco forest, near Sta. Cruz
VV: Viru Viru airport near
Sta. Cruz
TD: Trinidad surroundings,
in eastern savanna lowlands (Beni province)
RI: Riberalta surroundings,
in northeastern rainforest lowlands (Beni province)
AL: Laguna Alalay at Cochabamba
city (2500 m altitude)
CT: Cumbre pass of La Paz and
temperate shrubby forest behind it
YU: Yungas down to Chulumani
EC: extra species in North Chile
EA: extra species in Buenos
Aires province (Argentina)
zo & *LA PI SA CU CO SI JB VV TD RI AL CT YU EC EA A Little Tinamou TD RI USA Brown Tinamou * YU L Undulated Tinamou TD RI N Small-billed Tinamou * CU SI N Tataupa Tinamou * SA TD NV Red-winged Tinamou *LA VV P Ornate Tinamou * EC N Brushland Tinamou * VV Spotted Nothura * EA N White-bellied Nothura *LA? N Greater Rhea * TD P Lesser Rhea EC PN White-tufted Grebe AL P Short-winged (Titicaca Fll) Grebe * CT N Pied-billed Grebe EA Great Grebe EA P Silvery Grebe EC Humboldt Penguin EC Black-browed Albatross * EA Cape Petrel EC White-chinned Petrel * EA Sooty Shearwater EC Manx Shearwater * EA Wilson's Storm-petrel EA Peruvian Booby EC W Neotropic (Olivaceous) Cormorant TD RI AL YU Guanay Cormorant EC Red-legged Cormorant EC L Anhinga TD Peruvian (Chilean) Pelican EC N Whistling Heron *LA JB VV TD L Snowy Egret LA TD AL A Capped Heron TD L Cocoi (White-necked) Heron TD L Great White Egret TD L Cattle Egret LA CO TD L Striated (Green) Heron TD RI NP Black-crowned Night-heron TD CT L Rufescent Tiger-heron TD N Stripe-backed Bittern * EA L Wood Stork TD N Maguari Stork TD L Jabiru TD N Whispering (Bare-faced) Ibis TD N White-faced Ibis EA P Puna Ibis EC N Plumbeous Ibis * TD N Buff-necked Ibis TD L Green Ibis TD N Roseate Spoonbill TD EA P Chilean Flamingo EC P Andean Flamingo * EC P Puna (James') Flamingo * EC A Horned Screamer RI N Southern Screamer * TD N Fulvous Whistling-duck EA N White-faced Whistling-duck LA PV Ruddy Duck AL Lake Duck [Argentine Blue-bill] * EA Black-necked Swan * EA Coscoroba Swan * EA P Andean Goose * CT L Orinoco Goose TD NV Comb Duck *LA CO N Brazilian Teal * EA Chiloe (Southern) Wigeon * EA PV Speckled (Yellow-billed) Teal EC P Crested Duck * EC P Yellow-billed (Brown) Pintail EA Puna Teal AL P Silver Teal * AL CT PV Cinnamon Teal AL N Red Shoveler * EA N Rosy-billed Pochard [Rosybill] *LA N Black-headed Duck * EA L American Black Vulture LA PI SA JB TD RI W Turkey Vulture LA PI SA CU CO JB TD A Greater Yellow-headed Vulture RI PV Andean Condor * CO SI L King Vulture TD RI LU American Swallow-tailed Kite SI RI NV White-tailed (Bl.Sh.) Kite EA N Snail Kite TD L Plumbeous Kite PI RI YU N Long-winged Harrier RI P Cinereous Harrier EA TSN Plain-breasted Hawk EA L Great Black-hawk LA TD YU N Savannah Hawk TD N Harris' Hawk EA A Black-collared Hawk TD VP Black-chested Buzzard-eagle CU A Grey Hawk RI LV Roadside Hawk LA PI CU CO SI JB TD N White-tailed Hawk PI TD VP Red-backed Hawk * CO JB? P Puna (Variable) Hawk EC A Osprey RI P Mountain Caracara SI N Crested Caracara LA PI SA JB TD L Yellow-headed Caracara LA TD Chimango Caracara * EA USA Barred Forest-falcon SI W American Kestrel SA TD PN Aplomado Falcon LA L Bat Falcon TD RI L Speckled Chachalaca TD YU H Andean Guan SI YU A Spix's Guan TD A Blue-throated Piping-guan TD U Rufous-breasted Wood-quail YU A Rufous-sided Crake EA L Grey-necked Wood-rail JB TD Giant Wood-rail * EA VP Plumbeous Rail EA NP Common Moorhen JB AL CT N Spot-flanked Gallinule * EA N White-winged Coot * EA PV Andean Coot AL CT Red-gartered Coot * EA Red-fronted Coot * EA P Giant Coot * EC A Sunbittern TD N Limpkin TD N Red-legged Seriema * VV L Wattled Jacana LA JB American Oystercatcher EA Blackish Oystercatcher EC Black-necked Stilt EA P Andean Avocet * EC LP Lesser (Am.) Golden Plover EA Grey (Bl.-bellied) Plover EA Puna Plover * EC N Southern Lapwing LA VV TD P Andean Lapwing * CT NP South American Snipe * EA Puna Snipe * EC PN Hudsonian Godwit * EA Hudsonian Curlew (Whimbrel) EC LP Upland Sandpiper TD LP Greater Yellowlegs EC LP Lesser Yellowlegs JB L Solitary Sandpiper LA TD L Spotted Sandpiper JB RI Ruddy Turnstone EC L White-rumped Sandpiper EC PV Baird's Sandpiper EC LPV Pectoral Sandpiper EC L Buff-breasted Sandpiper EA P Grey-breasted Seedsnipe EC Pomarine Skua EA Arctic Skua EA Band-tailed Gull EC Olrog's Gull EA Grey Gull EC Kelp Gull EC Grey-headed (-hooded) Gull EA Brown-hooded Gull EA PV Andean Gull AL P Franklin's Gull EC Elegant Tern EC Cayenne Tern EA South American Tern EC Snowy-crowned Tern * EA A Yellow-billed Tern RI A Large-billed Tern TD Inca Tern EC A Black Skimmer EA N Picazuro Pigeon *LA TD TS Band-tailed Pigeon SI YU L Pale-vented Pigeon TD UA Plumbeous Pigeon YU W Eared Dove SA TD AL White-winged Dove EC Scaled Dove TD N Plain-breasted Ground-dove LA PI CO JB TD L Ruddy Ground-dove TD RI W Picui Ground-dove * TD VP Bare-faced Ground-dove AL P Golden-spotted Ground-dove EC LV White-tipped Dove SA SI SU White-faced (Large-tailed) Dove * SA A Grey-fronted Dove TD A Ruddy Quail-dove YU L Blue-and-yellow Macaw TD N & Blue-throated Macaw * TD A Red-and-green Macaw TD V & Red-fronted Macaw CO A Chestnut-fronted Macaw TD RI N Golden-collared Macaw * TD N Blue-crowned Parakeet *LA SA CO JB V Mitred Parakeet SA CU CO SI A Dusky-headed Parakeet TD RI N Peach-fronted Parakeet *LA TD NU Green-cheeked Parakeet * CU YU NV Monk Parakeet * EA PT Andean Parakeet CT Blue-winged Parrotlet LA JB VV TD LV Yellow-chevroned Parakeet *LA PI CO JB VV TD RI A Blue-headed Parrot TD US Red-billed Parrot YU N Scaly-headed Parrot *LA? LV Turquoise-fronted (Blue-fr) Parrot * CU CO A Yellow-crowned (Y-headed) Parrot TD RI L Orange-winged Parrot TD H Scaly-naped Parrot SA? A Mealy Parrot RI LU Squirrel Cuckoo CU JB RI A Black-bellied Cuckoo RI A Hoatzin TD A Greater Ani TD L Smooth-billed Ani LA PI JB TD RI Groove-billed Ani EC NV Guira Cuckoo *LA SA JB TD L Striped Cuckoo TD RI L Tropical Screech-owl YU PVN Great Horned Owl TD L Ferruginous Pygmy-owl TD Peruvian Pygmy-Owl * EC NP Burrowing Owl LA VV N Lesser Nighthawk EC N Band-tailed Nighthawk TD RI L Pauraque TD RI LV Scissor-tailed Nightjar * CO H Chestnut-collared Swift SI L White-collared Swift LA CU YU A Pale-rumped Swift * RI A Short-tailed Swift RI N Ashy-tailed Swift * CU S White-tipped Swift CU V Andean Swift EC Fork-tailed Palm-swift RI A Pale-tailed Barbthroat * RI hermit spec YU AU Long-tailed Hermit TD F Planalto Hermit * PI CU N Swallow-tailed Hummingbird * TD S Green Violet-ear YU A Black-throated Mango PI ! N Glittering-bellied Emerald * CO LU Fork-tailed Woodnymph YU A White-chinned Sapphire TD N Gilded Sapphire (Hummingbird) * CU White-throated Hummingbird EA N White-tailed Goldenthroat PI V White-bellied Hummingbird * SA CO YU V Giant Hummingbird SI PT & Black-hooded Sunbeam * CT PT Great Sapphirewing * CT TS Collared Inca YU TP Violet-throated Starfrontlet SI AL V Green-tailed Trainbearer CO V Red-tailed Comet * CO TP Tyrian Metaltail SI CT SU Long-tailed Sylph YU Oasis Hummingbird * EC Peruvian Sheartail * EC U Crested Quetzal SI S Golden-headed Quetzal YU A Black-tailed Trogon TD RI A White-tailed Trogon RI SU Masked Trogon SI YU LU Blue-crowned Trogon PI TD A Violaceous Trogon RI LV Ringed Kingfisher CO TD L Amazon Kingfisher TD RI L Green Kingfisher TD RI A Green-and-rufous Kingfisher RI L Blue-crowned Motmot JB TD RI YU L Rufous-tailed Jacamar TD A Paradise Jacamar RI A White-necked Puffbird RI NV Spot-backed Puffbird * PI SA CO L Black-fronted Nunbird JB TD RI A White-fronted Nunbird RI A Swallow-wing RI A Black-spotted Barbet RI S Blue-banded Toucanet * YU A Chestnut-eared Aracari TD A Cuvier's Toucan RI N Toco Toucan * TD AU Arrowhead Piculet * JB A Rufous-breasted Piculet * TD N White Woodpecker * TD A Yellow-tufted Woodpecker JB V White-fronted Woodpecker * CO N Checkered Woodpecker * CO LU Little Woodpecker TD A Spot-breasted Woodpecker RI Green-barred Woodpecker * EA PT Andean Flicker CT N Campo Flicker *LA VV TD A Scaly-breasted Woodpecker RI N Pale-crested Woodpecker * TD A Rufous-headed Woodpecker L Lineated Woodpecker CU YU L Crimson-crested Woodpecker CU RI LV Olivaceous Woodcreeper RI SF Strong-billed Woodcreeper YU LU Black-banded Woodcreeper SI TD A Straight-billed Woodcreeper JB RI A Striped Woodcreeper * RI A Buff-throated Woodcreeper RI NV Narrow-billed Woodcreeper * SA CO H Spot-crowned (Montane) Woodcreeper SI YU L Red-billed Scythebill TD P Puna Miner * EC V & Bolivian Earthcreeper * CO P Straight-billed Earthcreeper * EC V Rock Earthcreeper * EC P Scale-throated Earthcreeper * EC White-throated Earthcreeper * EC P Plain-breasted Earthcreeper * EC PT Bar-winged Cinclodes EC White-winged Cinclodes EC NV Rufous Hornero *LA PI SA CO JB TD Tufted Tit-spinetail * EA Streaked Tit-spinetail EC PT & Black-throated Thistletail * CT NV Sooty-fronted Spinetail * SA TD HPT Azara's Spinetail SI CT YU Chicli Spinetail * EA L Plain-crowned Spinetail JB NV Ochre-cheeked Spinetail * SA V Stripe-crowned Spinetail * CO & Iquico (Maquis) Canastero * CT P Cordilleran Canastero * EC VPT Dark-winged Canastero * EC Hudson's Canastero * EA VP Streak-fronted Thornbird * CO Freckle-breasted Thornbird * EA Bay-capped Wren-spinetail * EA Wren-like Rushbird EA Curve-billed Reedhaunter * EA Straight-billed Reedhaunter * EA Firewood-gatherer * EA TS Pearled Treerunner CT N Rufous Cachalote * TD A Striped Woodhaunter [Striped Foliag RI US Striped Treehunter * YU L Great Antshrike TD L Barred Antshrike TD F Chestnut-backed (Lined) Antshrike * PI CO A Amazonian Antshrike RI W Variable Antshrike * SA SV Rufous-capped Antshrike * SI A Spot-winged Antshrike RI UF Plain Antvireo YU A Amazonian Streaked Antwren RI Ihering's Antwren * RI A Grey Antbird TD A Blackish Antbird * TD? UN White-backed Fire-eye JB A Warbling Antbird RI A Silvered Antbird TD A Black-spotted Bare-eye RI TS Rufous-faced Antpitta * SI Masked Antpitta * RI U Slaty Gnateater * YU Gray (from Unicolored) Tapaculo * SI (P) Diademed Tapaculo * CT U Swallow-tailed Cotinga * CO PT Red-crested Cotinga SI CT White-tipped Plantcutter * CO AL TS Barred Fruiteater SI A Screaming Piha RI A Bare-necked Fruitcrow RI A Red-headed Manakin RI U Yungas Manakin * YU A Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-manakin * RI H Streak-necked Flycatcher YU TSP Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet * SI LV Southern Beardless Tyrannulet YU LV Mouse-coloured Tyrannulet *LA CO NV Chaco Suiriri Flycatcher *LA CO TSP White-crested Elaenia SI CT LV Small-billed Elaenia * SA S Slaty Elaenia * CO TSP White-throated Tyrannulet SI YU N Sooty Tyrannulet * EA V Greater Wagtail-tyrant * CO PTV Tufted Tit-tyrant CT P Many-coloured Rush-tyrant * EA Warbling Doradito * EA LV Yellow-olive Flycatcher CU LV Bran-coloured Flycatcher EA Cinnamon Flycatcher SI YU V Cliff Flycatcher CO YU SU Smoke-coloured (Greater) Pewee CO YU UF Black Phoebe CU YU L Vermillion Flycatcher LA JB TD PT Rufous-breasted Chat-tyrant SI VPT D'orbigny's Chat-tyrant CT PT White-browed Chat-tyrant EC N White-rumped Monjita * TD N White Monjita * TD P Rufous-naped Ground-tyrant * EC P Puna Ground-tyrant * CT P Cinereous Ground-tyrant * EC P White-fronted Ground-tyrant * EC P Andean Negrito * EC U Andean Tyrant * SI W White-winged Black-tyrant SI N Spectacled Tyrant * EA L Black-backed Water-tyrant TD L White-headed Marsh-tyrant TD LV Yellow-browed Tyrant * EA N Cattle Tyrant LA TD A Cinnamon Attila RI A Dull-capped (White-eyed) Attila RI LV Rufous Casiornis * JB YU AUS Dusky-capped Flycatcher SA SI YU L Swainson's Flycatcher * JB LV Brown-crested Flycatcher SA CO JB LV Tropical Kingbird LA PI TD L Fork-tailed Flycatcher LA VV TD RI L Eastern Kingbird TD LV Variegated Flycatcher YU Crowned Slaty-flycatcher * JB L Boat-billed Flycatcher JB TD LV Streaked Flycatcher PI RI A Rusty-margined Flycatcher TD YU L Piratic Flycatcher RI YU L Lesser Kiskadee TD LV Great Kiskadee LA PI SA CO JB AU Thrushlike Schiffornis [Manakin] RI S Barred Becard * SI L White-winged Becard TD LU Crested Becard * SI A Black-tailed Tityra TD AU Masked Tityra RI YU A White-winged Swallow TD RI N White-rumped Swallow * EA L Brown-chested Martin * AL LV Purple Martin SI L Grey-breasted Martin TD RI W Blue-and-white Swallow SA YU T Pale-footed Swallow SI W Sand Martin (Bank Swallow) CO PT Andean Swallow CT W Barn Swallow TD P Correndera Pipit * EA L Black-capped Donacobius TD L Thrush-like Wren JB Grass Wren EA L Fawn-breasted Wren * JB TD W House Wren SA etc. ST Mountain Wren YU N Chalk-browed Mockingbird *LA N White-banded Mockingbird *LA TD SU Andean Solitaire YU US White-eared Solitaire * SI VPT Chiguanco Thrush CO PT Great Thrush SI CT UF Andean Slaty-thrush * SI NV Rufous-bellied Thrush * SA CO LV Creamy-bellied Thrush * SA JB A Black-billed Thrush RI UA White-necked Thrush CU YU NV Masked Gnatcatcher * CO N Purplish Jay * SA JB TD YU NV Plush-crested Jay * PI JB TD U Green Jay YU ov House Sparrow CO etc LV Rufous-browed Peppershrike SA V Hooded Siskin SA CO PT Black Siskin * CT P Yellow-rumped Siskin EC NUV Tropical Parula PI SA CU CO YU NV Masked Yellowthroat TD U Slate-throated Redstart YU VU Brown-capped Redstart * CO TS Spectacled Redstart SI CT TS Citrine Warbler CT FN Golden-crowned Warbler CU TD A Rose-breasted Chat * RI FU Bananaquit CO VPT Cinereous Conebill EC T Blue-backed Conebill CT SU Common Bush-tanager CU SI YU T Orange-browed Hemispingus * CT T Three-striped Hemispingus * CT HPT Rust-and-yellow Tanager * YU L Guira Tanager * TD S Slaty Tanager * YU A Flame-crested Tanager RI LUV Hepatic Tanager SA CO AU Silver-beaked Tanager CU JB TD NV Sayaca Tanager *LA PI SA CO JB TD A Palm Tanager YU H Blue-capped Tanager SI YU V Blue-and-yellow Tanager SA CO YU T Hooded Mountain-tanager CT T Scarlet-bellied Mountain-tanager CT SU Blue-winged Mountain-tanager SI UVF Fawn-breasted Tanager SA VL Purple-throated Euphonia CO JB TD A Thick-billed Euphonia YU V Golden-rumped (Blue-h) Euphonia SA US Saffron-crowned Tanager YU A Masked (Blackbanded) Tanager * RI A Black-faced Dacnis * RI A Blue Dacnis RI YU? A Red-legged Honeycreeper RI A Swallow Tanager SA W Rufous-collared Sparrow PI SA etc A Yellow-browed Sparrow TD HPT Rufous-naped Brush-finch SI CT H Stripe-headed Brush-finch SA SI N Red-crested Cardinal * TD N Yellow-billed Cardinal * PI NV Red Pileated-finch (Red-crest.) * SA PT Black-hooded Sierra-finch * EC Peruvian Sierra-finch * CT V Mourning Sierra-finch * EC P Plumbeous Sierra-finch CT P Ash-breasted Sierra-finch EC V Grey-crested Finch * SA CO N Long-tailed Reed-finch * EA P White-winged Diuca-finch * CT Slender-billed Finch * EC VPT Rufous-sided Warbling-finch * CO (T) Black-and-chestnut Warbling-finch * SA Black-and-rufous Warbling-finch * EA V Ringed Warbling-finch * SA VL Black-capped Warbling-finch * SA CO P Bright-rumped Yellow-finch CT VP Greenish Yellow-finch EC VP Saffron Finch SA CO VV Grassland Yellow-finch LA NVP Great Pampa-finch * VV TD L Blue-black Grassquit SA VV LV Double-collared Seedeater RI L White-bellied Seedeater * TD N Tawny-bellied Seedeater * TD A Chestnut-bellied Seedeater RI Chestnut-throated Seedeater * EC VPT Band-tailed Seedeater SI P Plain-coloured Seedeater CT PT Moustached Flower-piercer * CT Black-throated Flower-piercer * CT PTV & Grey-bellied Flower-piercer * CT TS Masked Flower-piercer SI YU HV Black-backed Grosbeak PI CO L Greyish Saltator TD VPT Golden-billed Saltator SA CO VN Ultramarine Grosbeak SA CO Crested Oropendola CU JB RI US Dusky-green Oropendola * YU A Russet-backed Oropendola YU TS Mountain Cacique CT L Solitary (Black) Cacique * TD L Troupial TD P Yellow-winged Blackbird AL CT N White-browed Blackbird *LA Peruvian Meadowlark EC Brown-yellow Marshbird * EA N Scarlet-headed Blackbird * TD N Chopi Blackbird *LA JB VN Bay-winged Cowbird * CO TD LV Shiny Cowbird LA SA Explanation of first column, with life zone indications from Remsen & Taylor - An annotated list of the birds of Bolivia (Buteo Books, 1989):A: Amazonian lowlands
John van der Woude,
The Netherlands -
jvanderw@worldonline.nl -
http://home.worldonline.nl/~jvanderw