On the slopes of Volcán Atitlán, Los Tarrales Reserve ranges in altitude from 750 to 3,500 meters (2,300 – 11,500 feet). This provides fabulous altitudinal birding across a variety of habitats, including coffee and ornamental flower plantations, humid broadleaf forest, and cloud forest. The reserve protects the watershed for a number of communities. It also provides work and income for the community, which includes the excellent birding guides and brothers, Josué, Léster, and Aaron de León Lux. Following are some favorite images from my time at Los Tarrales.
Lesson’s Motmot (Momotus lessonii)Cinnamon Hummingbird (Amazilia rutile) with a crown of yellow flower pollen.Harvest Moon Over Los TarralesWhite Hawk (Pseudastur albicollis)White Hawk (Pseudastur albicollis)White-throated Magpie-Jay (Calocitta formosa)Crested Guan (Penelope purpurascens)Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons)Masked Tityra (Tityra semifasciata)Crimson-patched Longwing (Heliconius erato petiverana)Long-tailed Manakin (Chiroxiphia linearis)Fan-tailed Warbler (Basileuterus lachrymosus)
In my trek to see the legendary Horned Guan, my dreams of seeing the amazing creature appears to end in smoke and ruins. After a long and steep hike up the mountain, we are confronted by a raging wildfire at our exact Horned Guan destination. However, not all hope is lost. Adjacent to the pillaring smoke and sweltering flames, the guan appears. This endangered bird is one of the top target species of Guatemala, and I am privileged to get great views and capture a unique flight photo. Thanks to local guide, Cruz Chikibal, for a successful day!
The awe-inspiring Horned Guan (Oreophasis derbianus) takes flight from the upper canopy of the cloud forest. Though the Horned Guan resembles other guans, it is not a true guan. It is actually the only surviving member of an ancient lineage of cracids.Horned Guan (Oreophasis derbianus)The view while hiking back down Cerro Paquisis.Our three-guan day included this Crested Guan (Penelope purpurascens) and the Highland Guan (Penelopina nigra).Cruz Chikibal and I after a successful search for the Resplendent Quetzal the following day.
Several of my Guatemalan friends jokingly forbid me to leave the country without seeing Goldman’s and Pink-headed Warblers. Both regional endemics, Goldman’s and Pink-headed Warblers can be found in the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, the highest non-volcanic mountain range in Central America. Enjoying our birding adventures (click here), Pablo Chumil and I decide to rent a car and make the long trip west in a quest to see these coveted birds. After driving all night, we arrive at Todos Santos where local guide, Esteban Matias, drives us on rough roads through a stunning landscape of grassland, rock outcroppings, and islands of pine trees and junipers.
The Land of the Goldman’s Warbler.
Once in appropriate habitat, we hike through the hills and immediately find several Goldman’s Warblers singing and foraging in the pine trees. While we spend a few hours observing the Goldman’s, we also see a variety of other highland species, many of which remind me of my home in Colorado. These birds include Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Brown Creepers, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Rufous-collared Robins, Red Crossbills, Olive Warblers, Yellow-eyed Juncos, and Spotted Towhees.
Adult male Goldman’s WarblerYoung male Goldman’s WarblerAs the fog rolls in, we move on to a different location for the Pink-headed Warbler.
A very cooperative Pink-headed Warbler puts on a spectacular show.
Pablo, Esteban, and me after a successful Pink-headed Warbler photoshoot.
Me (left) and Pablo (right) photographing Goldman’s Warblers. Sometimes you need to climb a tree to get the desired vantage point.
Pablo and I end our birding adventures at Fuentes Georginas near Quetzaltenango. At this hot spring/birding hotspot, we find Wine-throated Hummingbirds, Mountain Trogons, Blue-throated Motmots, Northern Emerald-Toucanets, Unicolored Jays, Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercers, and a Chestnut-capped Brushfinch.
6 February 2017
