Venture to the Peruvian Amazon: Iquitos and Allpahuayo- Mishana Preserve
December 1-11, 2007
Venture to the Peruvian Amazon:
Iquitos and Allpahuayo- Mishana Preserve
December 1-11, 2007
It's hard to have a bad trip in the Peruvian Amazon, although this trip did seem to be a little more mosquito infested than normal. We also had barely any rain during our whole stay- also quite remarkable.
Iquitos seems to get more up-scale every year and despite the chaos, it's a fun city to wander around in, plus the birding is always good down on the waterfront. Some of the better birds in the flooded marshes this time were Purple Gallinules (lots of them), a flock of Yellow-hooded Blackbirds, the regular Lesser Horneros (yep- told you they would be there!) and a pair of Spot-breasted Woodpeckers that had a nesting hole in a pole by the local restaurant. A male Yellow Warbler was an uncommon sighting as well as the Cave Swallow that we watched for at least 10 minutes.
An adult Laughing Gull was seen by some of us as we took the Amazon Queen downriver from Iquitos to Ceiba Tops- a very uncommon bird on the Amazon, although regular in small numbers in the Lima area. Highlights of Explorama had to be the boat trips along both our local creek and across the main Amazon onto Yanamono Island. We had great views of Black-capped Donocobius singing their duets in the riverside vegetation; pairs of Slender-billed Kites and Black-collared Hawks giving us great views; Limpkin and Green Ibis in the marshes and a bevy of hard to see Woodcreepers, including Ocellated and Zimmer's, plus of course the Plain-breasted Piculet which took us all week before we all got acceptable views. Hiking through the Terra Firma forests was often quite birdless, but several understory flocks held some very nice birds, including Yellow-billed Jacamar, Golden-collared Toucanet, Strong-billed Woodcreeper and Yellow-throated Woodpecker. The Canopy Walkway at ACTS was wonderful, as usual, although there can be gaps in the bird activity. By heading up the top at every given opportunity we managed to see an excellent selection of birds. There were many highlights, but the following have to be up there with the best of the bunch: Paradise Jacamar, Chestnut-winged Hookbill, White-browed Purpletuft and Spangled Cotinga. Of course the mixed flocks also contained several tanagers; the most abundant being Paradise (stunning!), as well as a few Opal-crowned, Opal-rumped and Green-and-Gold. Both Rufous-bellied and White-lored (Golden-bellied) Euphonias visited the bromeliads in our tree and a Blackpoll Warbler was seen on several occasions.
Allpahuayo-Mishana was hot, buggy and the birding was difficult at best. We did get about half of our target species, which seems about normal for this forest, but it was hard. We did hear the elusive Iquitos Gnatcatcher, but it stayed at the top of the tallest trees; maybe next time. With over 300 birds in 10 days, it was certainly a great trip. Thanks to Lucio for being a guide par excellence.
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Birds |
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| White-throated Tinamou (Heard) | Amazon Kingfisher | Wing-barred Manakin |
| Cinereous Tinamou (Heard) | Green Kingfisher | Ochre-bellied Flycatcher |
| Undulated Tinamou (Heard) | Rufous Motmot (Heard) | Spotted Tody-Flycatcher |
| Variegated Tinamou (Heard) | White-eared Jacamar | Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher |
| Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-billed Jacamar | Slender-footed Tyrannulet |
| Horned Screamer | White-chinned Jacamar | White-lored Tyrannulet |
| Muscovy Duck | Paradise Jacamar | Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet |
| Little Blue Heron | White-necked Puffbird | Mouse-colored Tyrannulet |
| Capped Heron | Chestnut-capped Puffbird | Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet |
| Cocoi Heron | Black-fronted Nunbird | Gray Elaenia |
| Great Egret | White-fronted Nunbird | Forest Elaenia |
| Cattle Egret | Yellow-billed Nunbird | Double-banded Pygmy-Tyrant |
| Striated Heron | Swallow-wing | Yellow-breasted Flycatcher |
| Boat-billed Heron | Scarlet-crowned Barbet | Orange-eyed Flycatcher |
| Green Ibis | Gilded Barbet | Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher |
| Black Vulture | Lettered Aracari | Fuscous Flycatcher |
| Turkey Vulture | Ivory-billed Aracari | Eastern Wood-Pewee |
| Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture | Chestnut-eared Aracari | Drab Water-Tyrant |
| Greater Yellow-headed Vulture | Many-banded Aracari | White-headed Marsh-Tyrant |
| King Vulture | Golden-collared Toucanet | Citron-bellied Attila |
| Osprey | Channel-billed Toucan (Heard) | Dull-capped Attila (Heard) |
| Swallow-tailed Kite | White-throated Toucan | Bright-rumped Attila |
| Slender-billed Kite | Plain-breasted Piculet | Grayish Mourner |
| Double-toothed Kite | Yellow-tufted Woodpecker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher |
| Plumbeous Kite | Little Woodpecker | Short-crested Flycatcher |
| Crane Hawk | Red-stained Woodpecker | Tropical Kingbird |
| Slate-colored Hawk | Yellow-throated Woodpecker | Sulphury Flycatcher |
| Great Black-Hawk | Spot-breasted Woodpecker | Boat-billed Flycatcher |
| Black-collared Hawk | Scaly-breasted Woodpecker | Social Flycatcher |
| Roadside Hawk | Chestnut Woodpecker | Gray-capped Flycatcher |
| Short-tailed Hawk | Cream-colored Woodpecker | Dusky-chested Flycatcher |
| Zone-tailed Hawk | Lineated Woodpecker | Piratic Flycatcher |
| Black Hawk-Eagle | Crimson-crested Woodpecker | Lesser Kiskadee |
| Black Caracara | Plain-brown Woodcreeper | Great Kiskadee |
| Red-throated Caracara | Olivaceous Woodcreeper | Greater Schiffornis |
| Yellow-headed Caracara | Wedge-billed Woodcreeper | White-winged Becard |
| Laughing Falcon | Long-billed Woodcreeper | Pink-throated Becard |
| Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon (Heard) | Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper | Masked Tityra |
| Bat Falcon | Strong-billed Woodcreeper | Red-eyed Vireo |
| Speckled Chachalaca | Amazonian Barred Woodcreeper | Dusky-capped Greenlet |
| Gray-breasted Crake (Heard) | Black-banded Woodcreeper | Black-billed Thrush |
| Gray-necked Wood-Rail | Straight-billed Woodcreeper | Lawrence's Thrush |
| Purple Gallinule | Striped Woodcreeper | Hauxwell's Thrush |
| Sunbittern | Ocellated Woodcreeper | Black-capped Donacobias |
| Limpkin | Zimmer's Woodcreeper | Thrush-like Wren |
| Wattled Jacana | Buff-throated Woodcreeper | Coraya Wren |
| Solitary Sandpiper | Lineated Woodcreeper | Buff-breasted Wren |
| Spotted Sandpiper | Lesser Hornero | House Wren |
| Pied Lapwing | Pale-legged Hornero | Scaly-breasted Wren |
| Southern Lapwing | Bay Hornero | Collared Gnatwren |
| Laughing Gull | Dark-breasted Spinetail | Iquitos Gnatcatcher (Heard) |
| Large-billed Tern | White-bellied Spinetail (Heard) | White-winged Swallow |
| Yellow-billed Tern | Ruddy Spinetail (Heard) | Brown-chested Martin |
| Rock Pigeon | Parker's Spinetail | Gray-breasted Martin |
| Plumbeous Pigeon | Speckled Spinetail | White-banded Swallow |
| Ruddy Pigeon | Red-and-white Spinetail | Southern Rough-winged Swallow |
| Ruddy Ground-Dove | Orange-fronted Plushcrown | Bank Swallow |
| Blue Ground-Dove (Heard) | Chestnut-winged Hookbill | Barn Swallow |
| White-tipped Dove | Chestnut-crowned Foliage-Gleaner | Cave Swallow |
| Blue-and-yellow Macaw | Rufous-tailed Xenops | Yellow Warbler |
| Scarlet Macaw | Fasciated Antshrike | Blackpoll Warbler |
| Chestnut-fronted Macaw (Heard) | Great Antshrike | Yellow-browed Sparrow |
| White-eyed Parakeet | Black-crested Antshrike | Red-capped Cardinal |
| Dusky-headed Parakeet | Barred Antshrike | Bananaquit |
| Maroon-tailed Parakeet (Heard) | Castlenau's Antshrike | Pearly-breasted Conebill |
| Blue-winged Parrotlet | Plain-winged Antshrike | Orange-headed Tanager |
| White-winged Parakeet | Mouse-colored Antshrike | Hooded Tanager |
| Cobalt-winged Parakeet | Spot-winged Antshrike | Gray-headed Tanager |
| Tui Parakeet | Cinereous Antshrike | Fulvous-crested Tanager |
| Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet | Pygmy Antwren | Red-crowned Ant-Tanager |
| Black-headed Parrot | Moustached Antwren | Scarlet Tanager |
| Short-tailed Parrot | Amazonian-Streaked Antwren | Masked Crimson Tanager |
| Blue-headed Parrot | White-flanked Antwren | Silver-beaked Tanager |
| Festive Parrot | Long-winged Antwren | Blue-gray Tanager |
| Orange-winged Parrot | Dugand's Antwren | Palm Tanager |
| Mealy Parrot | Ancient Antwren | Purple-throated Euphonia |
| Squirrel Cuckoo | Gray Antbird | Thick-billed Euphonia |
| Black-bellied Cuckoo | Ash-breasted Antbird | White-lored Euphonia |
| Greater Ani | Warbling Antbird | White-vented Euphonia |
| Smooth-billed Ani | Yellow-browed Antbird | Orange-bellied Euphonia |
| Tropical Screech-Owl | Black-chinned Antbird | Rufous-bellied Euphonia |
| Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl (Heard) | Black-and-white Antbird | Turquoise Tanager |
| Crested Owl (Heard) | Silvered Antbird | Paradise Tanager |
| Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Heard) | Allpahuayo Antbird (Heard) | Green-and-gold Tanager |
| Common Potoo | Northern Chestnut-tailed Antbird | Opal-rumped Tanager |
| Short-tailed Nighthawk | Plumbeous Antbird | Opal-crowned Tanager |
| Blackish Nightjar | White-shouldered Antbird | Black-faced Dacnis |
| Ladder-tailed Nightjar | White-plumed Antbird | Yellow-bellied Dacnis |
| Gray-rumped Swift | Bicolored Antbird | Blue Dacnis |
| Short-tailed Swift | Spot-backed Antbird | Green Honeycreeper |
| Fork-tailed Palm-Swift | Scale-backed Antbird | Short-billed Honeycreeper |
| Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift | Black-spotted Bare-eye | Purple Honeycreeper |
| Rufous-breasted Hermit | Rufous-capped Antthrush (Heard) | Red-legged Honeycreeper |
| Long-tailed Hermiy | Thrush-like Antpitta (Heard) | Swallow Tanager |
| White-bearded Hermit | Rusty-belted Tapaculo (Heard) | Blue-black Grassquit |
| White-necked Jacobin | White-browed Purpletuft | Lined Seedeater |
| Black-throated Mango | Screaming Piha | Chestnut-bellied Seedeater |
| Black-bellied Thorntail | Plum-throated Cotinga | Slate-colored Grosbeak |
| Blue-chinned Sapphire | Spangled Cotinga | Grayish Saltator |
| Fork-tailed Woodnymph | Bare-necked Fruitcrow | Blue-black Grosbeak (Heard) |
| Golden-tailed Sapphire | Purple-throated Fruitcrow | Crested Oropendola |
| Olive-spotted Hummingbird | Amazonian Umbrellabird | Russet-backed Oropendola |
| Glittering-throated Emerald | Wire-tailed Manakin (Heard) | Yellow-rumped Cacique |
| Gould's Jewelfront | Golden-headed Manakin | Soliatary Black Cacique |
| Black-eared Fairy | White-crowned Manakin | Oriole Blackbird |
| Long-billed Starthroat | Blue-crowned Manakin | Yellow-hooded Blackbird |
| White-tailed Trogon | White-bearded Manakin | Shiny Cowbird |
| Black-throated Trogon | Striped Manakin | Giant Cowbird |
| Violaceous Trogon | Saffron-crowned Tyrant-Manakin | |
| Ringed Kingfisher | Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin | |
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Other Critters |
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| Saddle-backed Tamarin | Green Iguana | Army Ants |
| Pygmy Marmoset | Agama Lizard | Leaf cutter Ants |
| Yellow-handed Titi Monkey | Tegu Lizard | Walking Stick |
| Neotropical Pygmy Squirrel | Beaver-tailed Lizard | Pink-toed Tarantula |
| Giant Anteater ("Dennis") | Anole sp | Urania Moth |
| Capybara ("Charlie") | Leaf-mimic Toad | Giant Cockroach |
| White-bellied Opossum | Poison Dart Frog - Dedrobates reticulata | Helicopter Damselfly |
| Bats- several species | Armoured Millipede | Plus lots of spectacular moths and butterflies |
Foggy morning on the Amazon
Sunbitterns
Flood receding on the Rio Napo
Birding the swamps
Yellow-billed Jacamar
Urania Moth - gorgeous!
ST with Dennis, the Giant Anteater!!
Scale-backed Antbird - female