Venezuela 7/2/

Venezuela 7/2/-8/3/2013
Introduction
This report covers a one month trip to Venezuela. My main purpose was to visit an ecological
project of the Bonn based organization Oro Verde and its local partner Fundacion Thomas
Merle at Carupano on the Paria Peninsular, this is also a good place to see some endemic
bird species. In addition to this project I also visited a few selected places purely for birding
including La Escalera, the Orinoco Delta and the Oilbird Cave near Caripe. All travelling
throughout the trip was by public transport.
Climate
During the time I visited the country the weather was generally fine and not too hot. On only
3 days was birding made difficult due to rain (La Escalera, Refugio del Bosque).
Visa
As a German I was able to get a 90 day visa free of charge upon arrival.
How to get there
For me the best option was to take a direct flight from Frankfurt to Caracas with Lufthansa.
The air fare was 830 Euro inclusive Rail & Fly. From Caracas I continued to Maturin with the
local carrier Aserca (1h, very basic airplane). As the ticket was bought through the Fundacion
Thomas Merle it only cost me 20 Euro, it would have been much more expensive through a
German Travel agency. Be aware that luggage is regularly opened by ground stuff at
Venezuelan airports. Carry all valuables with your hand luggage. I’m afraid I “lost” a few
inexpensive items on my way to Maturin.
Getting around
Transport is very easy in Venezuela. There is a good bus network but I preferred to use “por
puestos”, which are bit more expensive but much faster and more comfortable. Por puestos
are Taxis that leave when they are full (3 or 4 passengers). They leave from bus terminals or
from their own offices at fixed rates and to fixed destinations, you always have to pay the
full price even if you get off earlier. On longer distances they may stop for breakfast or lunch,
but they don`t pick up passengers on the way. I found that the drivers were nice,
trustworthy and helpful and did not mind driving me to a hotel on my request. Usually I
asked them to drive me to a reasonable Hotel of their choice. On my way back to Caracas
the driver even took me to the private address I wanted to stay at without asking for extra
money, saying it would be too dangerous to use a local Taxi.
Money
In 2008 Venezuela changed its currency from the the Bolivar (Bs) to the Bolivar Fuerte (BsF).
1000 Bs became 1 BsF. The exchange rate is fixed and it is impossible to buy and sell
Bolivares outside Venezuela. It is also not possible to change Bolivares back into Euros or
Dollars so do not exchange more than you really need. Because Venezuelans cannot
exchange Dollars or Euros for holiday or business trips a so called parallel market exists.
Exchanging money in this way is illegal but widespread and you may get 3 to 5 times more
than at the official rate, however be extremely careful exchanging money with people on the
street, you may be cheated or mugged. It would be much better, and safer, if you know
somebody in Venezuela who is willing to buy Dollars or Euros from you. Outside of cities it is
much easier to exchange Dollars than Euros.
Language
The official language of Venezuela is Spanish. It is slower and softer spoken than in Spain and
therefore easier to understand. As not many people speak English outside tourist areas like
Isla Margarita or cities like Caracas, the only way to get along and communicate with people
properly is to learn at least some basic Spanish. You can probably survive without but it will
repay the effort.
People
During my stay in Venezuela I met only friendly, helpful, relaxed and honest people. I was
aware of the security problem travelling around but maybe as a matter of luck I only
encountered nice people and experienced no problems at all.
Safety
It is said that nowadays Venezuela is the most dangerous country in Latin America and
Caracas the worst or one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Some years ago it was
called the murder capital of the world! There are dozens of murders every week throughout
the country but it should be kept in mind that most crime occurs in the poorest
neighborhoods or is connected with drugs. To minimize the risk of being mugged I never
walked around much after dark nor did I visit any shantytown area or carry my bins or my
camera in any urban area. In hotels I locked away my valuables and when travelling by “por
puestos” I always hid my money in several places. Having said that I always felt completely
safe and had the impression that the majority of the people are extremely decent and
trustworthy folks as anywhere else in the world. I find it a great shame that very few bird
watchers visit this beautiful country to such an extent that some of the well known lodges
are closing or have already closed.
Accommodation
A wide variety of accommodation was available at all the places I visited in Venezuela. If you
are travelling on a tight budget it’s not difficult to find fairly reasonable Hotels or Cabanas.
The ones I chose were quite cheap but you can probably find cheaper accommodation too.
In the end how you change your money makes a big difference. I found all hotels very
friendly, helpful and clean (or at least clean enough). Of course, Henry`s Barquilla de Fresa
was more expensive but included 3 meals, coffee, a car and his service and was well worth
the money. In El Refugio del Bosque I was able to stay for free.
Food
Venezuelan restaurants serve some delicious traditional dishes. Most are very filling and
hearty. I liked the Pabellon Criollo, some of the local fish, the different types of chicken
soups and the Arepas, fried or baked cornmeal buns which are filled with cheese, chicken or
ham. Pizza and Pasta are also common dishes. Many of the snacks are Americanized,
consisting of burgers, Hot Dogs and the like.
Guides
Paria
During my stay at the “Refugio del Bosque” near El Pilar, I
contacted Daniel Müller through the help of Sabine Merle and
spent 3 full days bird watching with him. Daniel is the son of the
environmentalist Klaus Müller who came to Venezuela from
Germany a few decades ago. Between them they own the
“Finca Vuelta Larga” (650ha) which is a very good place to see
many species of birds. Daniel does not speak German but has
excellent English. He is a superb birder and knows all the
interesting sites. He can identify the majority of species without
bins and without any problems!!!!
Daniel asked for 50 Dollars per day plus some extra money for
transport. Most expensive was the Jeep for Cerro Humo which
cost 1000 BsF but it’s a 2 hour drive and the road gets bad and
rather steep for the last 30 minutes. I paid 400 BsF for the drive
to Ajies plus 500 BsF for the boat that was waiting for us.
dmjaguar21@gmail.com. Phone: 0414-7806481.
Caripe
At Caripe I went birding on my own except for a half day trip to
a nearby mountain called “El Peru”. On this tour Edgard
Rodriguez, a friend of Daniel Müller, guided me for fun and for
free, I just had to pay for the Taxi. Edgard is a Caripe based
birdwatcher, photographer and tour guide. I am sure you can
contact him and book him for tours around Caripe if he is
available. edgardrodgriguez.fotografia@gmail.com. Phone:
0414-8174217. Edgard speaks English.
Delta Amacuro
At the camparmento Waro-Waro where I stayed for 3 nights,
there was no specialist bird guide available but the owner
Christophe did know the birds a bit, as did the Indians who
worked for him. The owners are friends of Edgard, who told me
about this place and I arranged my visit through him.
warowarolodge@hotmail.com
Las Claritas/Sierra Lema
I spent 7 nights at Baquilla de Fresa and went birding with its
owner Henry Cleve every day. Henry is a really nice guy and
very knowledgeable (and he doesn’t mind starting at 4am if
necessary!). He speaks Spanish, English and German. I paid him
80 Euro per day for guiding and transport (a 40 years old
Toyota 4x4, fantastic car!!). barquilladefresa@cantv.net
Books/Reports
As a field guide I used the old “Guide to the birds of Venezuela” by Meyer de
Schauensee/Phelps published in 1978. I also bought the excellent and much more detailed
“Birds of Venezuela” by L.Hilty (2003) but unfortunately I found this book much too heavy to
carry around in the field so used it as a source of information before and after my stay in
Venezuela.
Reports I took with me were from D.E. Sargeant (1994) and from Tom Goosens (2007). Mary
Lou Goodwin’s book “Birding in Venezuela” gave me a lot of information about the most
interesting birding sites plus practical information about them too.
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank the people from Oro Verde (Bonn) and Sabine Merle (Carupano) for
organizing my stay in Paria and for allowing me to stay in the Refugio del Bosque for free.
Also I wish to thank Magdalena Geinzer, a German student who spent half a year carrying
out research in the Refugio for taking care of me, for answering all my questions and for
helping me with many little things. I also wish to thank Henry Cleve and his daughter Selva
Cleve for their hospitality and for giving me shelter in Caracas.
And like always I would like to thank my friend Nick Carter for editing this report.
Itinerary
07/02/2013
Flight from Frankfurt to Caracas dep 10:30 am with Lufthansa (830 Euro).
Flight time 10 hours. Customs without any problems. Manage to check-in
directly but have to wait 6 h until my connecting flight to Maturin (1h, 20
Euros) with Aserca. There I find that my luggage has been opened and that my
sunglasses and Thermo are missing. Outside the airport Stephan Huppert, a
native German and nephew of Sabine Merle is waiting for me. He has been
living in Maturin for 20 years and drives me to Hotel Monagas International
(OK, 350 BsF). It is already midnight and after a drink with him I go to bed.
08/02/2013
At 7 am Stephan picks me up to drive me to a Por Puesto Terminal. After an
hours wait I leave for Carupano (3h, 120 BsF). There Sabine Merle (Fundacion
Thomas Merle) and Lena Geinzer (student from Oro Verde) are already
waiting for me. They show me their office and I get to meet Sabine’s father
and founder of the Fundacion Wilfried Merle. Afterwards they drive Lena and
I to the Refugio del Bosque outside El Pilar, 30 minutes from Carupano. I am
allowed to stay in this education center for the following 10 days in a small
but nice room with bath and toilet. Lena is taking care of me for the time of
my stay and we are able to use a huge kitchen to prepare ourselves meals. A
very pleasant and quiet place to stay.
09/02/2013
At 6:30 am Lena and I travel to Carupano by Por Puesto (15 BsF). From there
we continue with two guides by car (from the Fundacion) up the hill to an area
called Cerbatana. This is an important forested mountain with cloud forest on
top which faces various threats and therefore has become part of an
ecological project of the Fundacion incl. reforestation, alternative methods of
agriculture, research and an educational program. We walk up to the bosque
nublado and also see some interesting birds. We have lunch at Wilfried
Merle`s house which is beautifully situated a bit further down the mountain
overlooking hills and the ocean. Afternoon back to the Refugio.
10/02/2013
Early morning and afternoon birding around the Refugio. A good area with
different types of habitats. At night I accompany Lena and some of her local
friends and neighbors to the carnival in El Pilar. The region around Carupano is
the carnival hotspot of Venezuela. Interesting to see, bit like Brazil, I guess.
11/02/2013
Heavy rain in the morning. Don`t feel like birding. Talk to Alfredo, one of the
teachers who give the lessons in environmental education.
12/02/2013
At 6:00 local birdwatcher and guide Daniel Müller, whom I have contacted
yesterday, picks me up with his truck. His father Klaus Müller is a German
native and an enthusiastic environmentalist. They own the “Finca Vuelta
Larga”, a compound of 650 ha with different types of habitats including a huge
lake, streams, riverside forest and savanna. We bird there all day including
lunch at a friend’s house and siesta in a hammock at his camp.
13/02/2013
Half day with Lena in Carupano at the office. Sabine Merle tells me details
about their project. Afternoon back at the Refugio. Enjoy watching a Tarantula
near the kitchen.
14/02/2013
Meet Miguel Angel, who organizes the project with the schoolchildren. More
information and details about their work.
15/02/2013
Early morning Klaus Müller drives me, Lena and Daniel to Ajies where a boat is
waiting to show us around the river system of the Parque Nacional Isla
Turuepano. Interesting, but we don`t find a Crab Hawk. Lunch and Siesta in
Daniels camp. Afternoon birding at Finca Vuelta Larga. Good news! Daniel
finally found a car/driver to take us to Cerro Humo, a 4x4 is required to get
there.
16/02/2013
At 3:00 am my alarm rings and one hour later Daniel and the driver pick me up
at the Refugio. It`s a 2 hour drive to Cerro Humo, the last 30 min are rather
steep uphill. We park the car in front of the ranger station/park entrance,
have coffee and breakfast and start walking into this beautiful cloud forest.
Superb birding, though we miss a few interesting species. My personal
highlight so far.
17/02/2013
Early morning Por Puesto to Carupano. After 40 min waiting we then take a
Por Puesto to Carioco. From there I find a Camioneta to Santa Maria and
finally change into another Por Puesto to Caripe. The driver drops me at a nice
Cabanas called “La Floresta” in a beautiful garden setting (350 BsF). Very
friendly but extremely noisy at night (Television, shouting…). Superb meal,
Pabellon Creola, in a restaurant nearby.
18/02/2013
6:30 Taxi (20 BsF) to the Oilbird Cave. It is Monday and the Cave is closed to
the public and even worse, the Cafeteria does not open today either! Walk
along a path (sendero) to the waterfall without seeing many birds. Back at my
accommodation I pack my things and move to the good, helpful and quiet
Hotel Saman (380 BsF). I phone local birdwatcher Edgard Rodriguez to settle
an appointment for tomorrow. At 2 pm I am back at the waterfall trail. Plenty
of birds. The rocks near the cave are productive as well (Parrots). Wait until
dark at the entrance of the cave to watch and hear the Oilbirds flying out in
search of fruit. What a fantastic event and what a strange and scary sound
they make!!!
19/02/2013
At 5am Edgard together with his friend and taxi driver Marcelo pick me up at
the Hotel. We drive up the mountains to a place called “El Peru”, 1400m
above sea-level (Caripe is at 900m). We bird the forest until noon then we
meet Marcelo again and he drives us back to Caripe where we have lunch
together. I tell Edgard about my idea to visit the Delta Amacuro next and ask
him for advice, as one of his friends runs a basic camp not too far from
Maturin we make the arrangements for a visit on the same day.
20/02/2013
11am Por Puesto to Maturin (2h, 70 BsF). There I wait for Saul, a driver, who
takes me to San Jose de Buja, 1,5 h south-east of Maturin. From there a boat
brings me to the Waro-Waro Lodge (150 Euro for 3 nights incl. all meals and 2
excursions per day). In order to have bit more comfort and a place to sleep on
my own I pay Christophe, the French owner 250 BsF extra for a hut and a bed
with mosquito-net rather than having to sleep in a hammock together with a
group of other tourists.
21/02/2013
Morning birding in the camp, sadly limited because you cannot leave the
wooded walkways of the camp – too swampy! After breakfast a group of 4
Frenchmen and I go fishing for Piranhas. That’s today’s program. It`s not a
birding tour! After lunch we are able to watch River Dolphins right from the
camp!!! In the afternoon, Jose, one of Christophe`s native guides (a WaroWaro) takes me on a boat tour looking for birds and other animals.
22/02/2013
Early morning bird tour by boat with another native guide called Alberto. After
breakfast we visit a Waro-Waro family nearby who make hammocks and other
things from Moriche Palms. In the afternoon we leave the camp by boat and
stop somewhere to take a walk. Although we use Wellingtons it is terrible to
walk in this muddy and swampy area, we get stuck in the mud, cross hip deep
water, get eaten by mosquito’s, sweat like hell and after only 30 min have
only one wish: to get out of there !!!!! The green hell!! How can anyone live
there??? I have heard that the Waro-Waro spend days hunting in those
swamps!!
23/02/2013
Lazy morning. After lunch the boat brings me back to Buja where Saul is
already waiting to drive me to Maturin (350 BsF one way) this time shared
with Christophe who tells me that there are also Por Puestos to Maturin most
days, but without schedule). Saul drops me at Hotel Yato (225 BsF, OK)
opposite the Por Puesto Office. Dinner near the Hotel.
24/02/2013
6:30am coffee at a nice Panaderia around the corner. Take Por Puesto to San
Felix/Ciudad Guyana Bus Terminal(120 BsF, almost 3 h) then change car to
reach El Callao (120 BsF, 2 h). Take another vehicle to Tumeremo (40 BsF, 40
min) and further to Las Claritas (120 BsF, 2 h). Because I have booked Barquilla
de Fresa for the 26/02 I decide to see the Gran Sabana and continue to San
Francisco de Yurani. The taxi driver recommended staying in this pleasant
village. Had to pay the full price for St.Elena (300 BsF, 2 h). After 11 hours on
the road I check in a simple hotel near the main road. (Hospedaje Minina, 250
BsF, OK). Dinner in the village and early to bed with a full stomach.
25/02/2013
6am coffee and Empanadas. The friendly owner of my hotel gives me a lift 11
km south towards St.Elena in his car. I bird a forest near the main road and
the road back to San Francisco. When I had had enough I hitched a lift (easy).
Traditional Soup called Tuma for lunch. Afternoon birding along a river.
26/02/2013
At 6:45am I manage to catch a Por Puesto to Las Claritas (200 BsF) taking
more than 4 h due to a huge tree blocking the road and a queue at the petrol
station, I head to Henry Cleves Lodge Barquilla de Fresa. Stay in a nice
bungalow in Henry`s beautiful garden. Lot’s of Hummers at feeders including
Crimson Topaz! Afternoon birding halfway up La Escalera. First Bellbirds, both
species.
27/02/2013
It rains all day long and it`s very foggy in parts. Twice we bird roads north of
Las Claritas without seeing much. Late morning we try the Sierra Lema.
Unusual weather this time of the year.
28/02/2013
The rain has ceased and we spend a wonderful day in the Sierra Lema seeing a
lot of birds. Among others, Guinean Cock-of-the-rock, Sharpbill, Roraiman and
Ash-winged Antwren.
01/03/2013
At 2:30am my alarm rings!! Coffee with Henry and we are on the road at
3:30am. Our target species is the very range restricted Roraiman Nightjar
found just after the Sierra Lema, close to the Soldiers Monument. We reach
there at 4:45am. Finally get the bird on a track. Manage to see it close through
my bins in the light of Henry`s torch!! More birding until noon down the
Escalera. Good, but less species than yesterday. Greater Flowerpiercer. It
seemed to get hot pretty soon today. Lazy afternoon in the garden.
02/03/2013
By sunrise we are already at the Cock-of-the-rock site but the light is poor so
we soon move on. Nice observation of a White Bellbird further up the
mountain. In the afternoon we drive to a spectacular view point overlooking
some Tepuis and forests. Breathtaking scenery and I left my camera in my
room! Black and white Hawk Eagle, Blackish Nightjar and Red and green
Macaw.
03/03/2013
5:30am birding the garden followed by the main road (plus side roads) until 10
km north of Henry`s place. Spangled Cotinga, Green Aracari and Helmeted
Pygmy-Tyrant with a lot of patience.
04/03/2013
Breakfast at 5:30am followed by walk to central Las Claritas to find transport
for me. At 6:30 a Por Puesto leaves to Ciudad Bolivar (350 BsF, 6 h). Feel quite
sad to leave this wonderful place and Henry in particular as we became good
friends during my stay. The taxi driver drops me at the Hotel Colonial situated
directly at the Paseo Orinoco (200 BsF, bit rundown, but friendly and quiet).
After a siesta I walk around the historical center, have a huge chicken soup,
two beers and go to bed early. I was told not to walk around town after dark
anyway.
05/03/2013
At 6:30 I take a bus to Mercado Sapoara (La Carioca Market). When I get there
they are just opening the fish restaurants so after some coffee I order the
local specialty Lau-Lau (a fish) with Yuca, salad and Pabellon con Lemon (100
BsF all together). Later I return again to the town center, Plaza Bolivar and a
guided tour through the Agnostura where Simon Bolivar was elected
President. After a siesta I have a rather disappointing visit to the Museo de
Arte Moderno Jesus Soto followed by Pabellon criollo for dinner and back to
the Hotel where I am told that Senor Chavez has passed away. I hope this will
not mean any problems for me.
06/03/2013
Before 6am I catch a taxi from the Hotel to the bus terminal (35 Bsf). My Por
Puesto leaves for Puerto de La Cruz at 6:45 (200 BsF, 3h). Boring countryside.
At Puerto de La Cruz I change vehicle and immediately leave for Caracas (300
BsF, 4h). Lunch break on the way. The friendly and concerned driver offers to
take me directly to Henry`s house in Chacao where his daughter Selva is living,
he says catching a taxi in town would be far too dangerous!! I discover that he
is from Carupano and knows Wilfried Merle and Klaus Müller!! What a
coincidence!! Selva welcomes me and I take part in a Yoga lesson at her flat
at night (acrobatic Yoga!!! - very exciting!) . Henry had offered, in fact had
almost insisted, I stay at his house for safety reasons but also simply because
he is a very nice and generous man.
07/03/2013
Selva and I catch bus and Metro (underground) to Central Caracas, where we
meet some of Selva`s friends. They show me the historical Center of the
capital, including sites such as Plaza Bolivar, El Panteon, Cathedral, Iglesia de
San Francisco, Plaza Venezuela and Parque Central. Unfortunately all
Museums are closed for a couple of days due to Chavez’s death. Dinner at a
Lebanese restaurant.
08/03/2013
We try to visit Avila Nat. Park in the morning but it is also closed. A
prearranged taxi picks me up at 12:40 and takes me to the airport (250 BsF,
1h). We have to leave so early because later in the day the road to the airport
will be closed as a result of the funeral service taking place in the cathedral
and all foreign presidents coming to pay their respects will have to travel back
to the Airport. It takes 3 hours for check-in and passport control. The officers
ask a lot of questions and they double-check most of the luggage. Not mine,
fortunately! But the flight is almost on time, that`s what counts!
09/03/2013
Very pleasant and quiet flight. At 9:30am the aircraft lands in Frankfurt.
Paria
7/2 – 17/2/2013
1: Refugio del Bosque RDB 2: Cerbatana CE 3: Finca Vuelta Larga FVL
5: Cerro Humo CH
4: Ajies A
The Refugio del Bosque near El Pilar was a good base to explore the birds of Paria Peninsular
and a very good spot for a first time visitor to Venezuela like me, looking for an introduction
to its birdlife. It is a quiet and peaceful place (if there are no school classes!!) and it consists
mainly of open woodland and some swamp.
The Finca Vuelta Larga is a large buffalo ranch that is owned by Klaus and Daniel Müller.
The farm covers 650ha of good forest, savanna, marsh, streams and a huge lagoon. It is one of
the best places for birdwatching in Paria.
The Cerro Humo is a part of Paria National Park and is renowned for its numbers of endemic
fauna and flora, including birds that are endemic to Paria. The Humo is the tallest mountain of
the range found in Paria and here you walk through beautiful cloud forest. The trail to Cerro
Humo is steep and can be slippery and starts just behind a Ranger Station that is reached from
Las Melenas by 4x4 vehicle.
The Cerbatana is another forested mountain in this range and has cloud forest above 900m.
This is where Fundacion Thomas Merle carries out its environmental project. One of their
goals is to receive a better protection status for this area (possibly National Park). This area
also holds some good birds but cannot compare with Cerro Humo. Sabine Merle had
organized a visit to the Cerbatana for me in order that I could get an impression of their work
and the forest they are fighting for. The Cerbatana is also very important as a water source of
a huge area. It is threatened by deforestation and slash and burn agriculture.
Cano Ajies is a part and border of the Turuepano National Park. David Müller had already
arranged a boat for us in the village called Ajies, we spent 4 hours looking for birds but
dipped on Rufous Crab Hawk. Ajies is a 45 min drive from El Pilar.
f
Magnificent Frigatebird 2 3 5
1
Neotropic Cormorant
1
Anhinga
7
Horned Screamer
2
Muscovy Duck
3
3
3 4
4
fc
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
3
T
a Tarantula at Refugio del Bosque
fc
Black-crowned Night-Heron
f
Whistling Heron
2
Little Blue Heron 4
3
3
Cattle Egret
Striated Heron
Great Egret
1
Stripe-backed Bittern
3
1
Maguari Stork
C
Black Vulture
F
Turkey Vulture
3
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture
1
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture
2
Osprey
2
White Hawk
3
4
1 5
3
4
f
White-tailed Hawk
3
2
Plumbeous Kite
3
1
Savannah Hawk
3
3
Slender-billed Kite
1
Crane Hawk
f
Black-collared Hawk
f
Roadside Hawk
1
Great Black Hawk
fc
Common Black Hawk
1
Bat Falcon
2
Aplomado Falcon
1
Laughing Falcon
c
Crested Caracara
3
1
1 3 4
3
3
4
1
3
3
3
Rufous-vented Chachalaca
fc
Russet-crowned Crake
2
Grey-necked Wood-Rail
f
Spotted Sandpiper
f
Southern Lapwing 3
1
Limpkin
fc
Wattled Jacana
fc
Pale-vented Pigeon 3
f
Ruddy Pigeon 3 5
2
Scaled Dove
f
White-tipped Dove
1
f
Grey-fronted Dove
3
f
Common Ground- Dove
fc
Ruddy Ground- Dove
3
3 4
3
1 3
1 3
heard 3
1 3
2
Blue Ground- Dove
1
f
Golden-winged Parrotlet
f
Tepui Parrotlet
c
Orange-winged Parrot
1 3
f
Yellow-crowned Parrot
3
fc
Brown-throated Parakeet
f
Venezuelan (Maroon-faced )Parakeet
c
White-eyed Parakeet
f
Red-shouldered Macaw
f
Red-bellied Macaw
4
Little Cuckoo
1
Squirrel Cuckoo
f
Greater Ani
c
Smooth-billed Ani
c
Groove-billed Ani
f
Hoatzin
fc
Parauque
5
5 heard only
1 3
4
3
1 3
1
3
3
1
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
4 heard
f
Short-tailed Swift
f
Fork-tailed Palm-Swift
f
White-chested Emerald
c
Black-throated Mango
f
Glittering-throated Emerald
f
Blue-chinned Sapphire
f
Ruby-topaz Hummingbird
1
Sooty-capped Hermit
2
Little Hermit
1 3
4
3
3
3
1
3
5
2
Rufous-breasted Hermit
1 5
fc
White-tailed Sabrewing
5
1
Copper-rumped Hummingbird
3
Scissor-tailed Hummingbird
2
Collared Trogon
5
5
5
White-tipped Quetzal
5 heard only
2
Amazon Kingfisher
3 4
2
Red-and green Kingfisher
2
Ringed Kingfisher
1
American Pygmy-Kingfisher
3
Rufous-tailed Jacamar
5
Russet-throated Puffbird
fc
Red-billed Toucan
c
Groove-billed Toucanet
2
Black-dotted Piculet
2
Spot-breasted Woodpecker
1
Red-rumped Woodpecker
c
Red-crowned Woodpecker
5
Cream-coloured Woodpecker
2
Lineated Woodpecker
2
Crimson-crested Woodpecker
4
2
Straight-billed Woodcreeper
1 3
1
Strong-billed Woodcreeper
f
Cocoa Woodcreeper
fc
Yellow-chinned Spinetail
1 3
1
Stripe-breasted Spinetail
5
4
3 4
4
1 3
1 3
5
3
1 2
2
3 4
3
5
3 4 5
Lake at Finca Vuelta Larga
1
Black-crested Antshrike 3
1
Silvered Antshrike
2
Slaty Antshrike
Jet Antbird
3
3
3heard
1
Slaty Antwren
5
f
Slate-crowned Antpitta
1
Handsome Fruiteater
c
Golden-headed Manakin
2
Crimson-hooded Manakin
fc
Cattle Tyrant
Tropical Kingbird
Social Flycatcher
Streaked Flycatcher
f
Piratic Flycatcher
3
5 heard
5
2 5
3
f
Cinnamon Flycatcher
5
1
Sooty-headed Tyrannulet
1
Boat-billed Flycatcher
1
Lesser Kiskadee
5
3
3
Greater Kiskadee
1
Short-crested Flycatcher
f
Brown-crested Flycatcher 3
fc
Common Tody-Flycatcher
2
Spotted Tody- Flycatcher
fc
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
fc
Pied Water-Tyrant
fc
White-headed March-Tyrant
Cinnamon Attila
3
4
3 5
3
3 heard
2
Black-crowned Tityra
2
Rufous-browed Peppershrike
fc
Bare-eyed Thrush
2
Tropical Mockingbird
fc
Black-capped Donacobius
c
House Wren
c
Stripe-backed Wren
2
Bicolored Wren
1
Long-billed Gnatwren
1
1
3
3
3
2
Grey-breasted Martin 3
f
Rough-winged Swallow
1
White-winged Swallow
4
Barn Swallow
F
1 3
Three-striped Warbler
4
5 heard
Fc
Yellow Warbler
2
Prothonotary Warbler
2
Warbler spec. 4
2
Northern Waterthrush
1
American Redstart
5
Yellow-faced White (Red) start
1
Blue Dacnis
fc
Bicolored Conebill
v
Bananaquit
c
Bay-headed Tanager
1
White-shouldered Tanager
1
Speckled Tanager
c
Palm Tanager
c
Blue-gray Tanager
f
Blue-capped Tanager
5
2
Thick-billed Euphonia
1
f
White-lined Tanager
c
Silver-beaked Tanager
5
1 4
2
5
2
4
2 5
5
5
3 4 5
The author at Cano Ajies
2
Venezuelan Flowerpiercer
fc
Gray Seedeater
fc
Ruddy-breasted Seedeater
fc
Greyish Saltator
c
Crested Orophendola
1
Green Orophendola
c
Yellow-rumped Cacique
2
Yellow Oriole
f
Red-breasted Blackbird
f
Yellow-hooded Blackbird
f
Carib Grackle
1
Velvet-fronted Grackle
1
Giant Cowbird
5
1 3
3
4
3
3
1 3
3
4
3
Caripe/ Cueva de Guacharo 17- 19/02/2013
1: Cuevas de Guacharo, Sendero…..(Waterfall trail) CA(G)
2: El Peru CA(EP)
The Cueva de Guacharo or Oilbird Cave lies only a few kilometers from Caripe, a touristy
little town with a pleasant climate that can be very busy and noisy at weekends with local
visitors. In and around Caripe you can find a wide range of accommodation (Hotels and
Cabanas) and some excellent restaurants. The caves are reached by a Por Puesto or taxi. Bear
in mind that the cave itself, the visitors center and the attached restaurant are closed on
Mondays (that’s when I went). To wait for the Oilbirds to fly out of the cave at dusk is really
an extraordinary experience, first you hear the clicking sounds they make for echo-location,
these sounds then grow louder and louder until hundreds of these fantastic birds finally leave
the cave in search for fruit.
The rocks and cliffs above the mouth of the cave are home to many Parakeets. Just opposite
the visitors center across the road is a path leading through forest to a little waterfall. I found
this path interesting and worth checking.
Edgard, a local birdwatcher with whom I spent a day’s birding, suggested a visit to a forested
mountain called “El Peru”1400m above sea-level. It`s a 30min taxi drive from Caripe and we
left early in the morning. I found it to be a very nice place and home to some interesting and
endemic birds, unfortunately having just one morning birding there we missed quite a few
species.
Cliffs above Guacharo Cave
2
White-tipped Dove
c
Scarlet-fronted Parakeet
c
Oilbird
f
Vaux Swift
1
Sooty-capped Hermit
2
Green Hermit
2
Rufous-shafted Woodstar
3
Venezuelan Sylph
3
White-tailed Sabrewing
1
Green Violetear
f
Groove-billed Toucanet
1
Scaled Piculet
3
Olivaceous Woodcreeper
1
Crested Spinetail
2
1
Streaked Xenops
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
1 2
1
1 2
3
Handsome Fruiteater
2
2
Black Phoebe
1
Cinnamon Flycatcher
2
Slaty-capped Flycatcher
2
Golden-crowned Flycatcher
fc
Inca Jay
1
Yellow-legged Thrush
2
f
Pale-breasted Thrush
1
f
Bicolored Wren
fc
Tropical Mockingbird
1
1
1 2
1 2
Tropical Parula
2
Black-and-white Warbler
2
Yellow Warbler
2
Prothonotary Warbler
2
3
Northern Waterthrush
F
American Redstart
fc
Slate-throated White(Red)start
f
Ochre-breasted Brush-Finch
Blue-gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
1
Blue-naped Chlorophonia
2
White-winged Tanager
fc
Blue-capped Tanager
2
2
1 2
Crested Orophendola
Yellow-rumped Cacique
2
Orange-crowned Oriole
1
2
1
Delta Amacuro, Waro-Waro Lodge 20 - 23/02/2013
1: Lodge
O
2: seen on a boat-trip around the Lodge 3: Road to Maturin
It was purely by chance that I visited this lodge in the Orinoco Delta, when I heard about it I
thought it sounded promising and was not disappointed. Waro-Waro Lodge is beautifully
situated on a quiet side stream and is an open, somehow romantic and rustic place to stay.
You sleep under a mosquito net either in a hammock or in a bed in a simple hut; you get 3
good meals and 2 excursions per day (included). Christophe, the French owner organized a
boat and guide for me on two occasions so that I could enjoy birding on my own instead of
having to join the small group of other guests. There were not too many birds to be seen but
it was still a pleasant experience, having said that if you are looking for lifers you will
probably be a little disappointed. To get there you have to find transport or hire a taxi to
take you to San Jose de Buja, from there a boat takes you to the lodge (30min). Your stay has
to be pre-arranged; I paid 150 Euro for 3 nights including meals, excursions and transport
from Buja to the Lodge. The taxi to Buja I had to pay extra. They charged 350 BsF one way
from Maturin (arranged through the Lodge). You can probably get cheaper.
On the way back to Maturin I saw some interesting looking swampy farmland, just before
you reach the main road to Maturin/Ciudad Guyana but had only 10min to have a look.
Exploring the Orinoco Delta
f
Neotropic Cormorant
2
Anhinga
2
2
2
Muscovy Duck
2
F
White-faced Whistling-Duck
1
Boat-billed Heron
2
Striated Heron
f
Cocoi Heron
f
Roseate Spoonbill
3
3
1 2
2
Black Vulture
3
1 2
Turkey Vulture
1 2
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture
3
King Vulture
1
Osprey
c
Plumbeous Kite
2
Black-collared Hawk
1
2
1 2
Savannah Hawk
2
3
1
Long-winged Harrier
2
Rufous-vented Chachalaca
f
Common Moorhen
f
Purple Gallinule
1
Sunbittern
Jacana
2
3
3
3
1
1 2
f
Spotted Sandpiper
2
f
Large-billed Tern
c
Pale-vented Pigeon
f
Red-shouldered Macaw
f
Red-bellied Macaw
fc
Blue-and-yellow Macaw
fc
White-eyed Parakeet
2
1 2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Squirrel Cuckoo
1 2
c
Hoatzin
f
Band-rumped Swift
f
Fork-tailed Palm-Swift
2
Little Hermit
4
Amazonian White-tailed Trogon
f
Belted Kingfisher
2
f
Ringed Kingfisher
2
f
Green Kingfisher
2
fc
Red-billed Toucan
fc
Channel-billed Toucan
fc
Black-necked Aracari
f
Red-crowned Woodpecker
f
Crimson-crested Woodpecker
1
Cinnamon Attila
1 2
2
1 2
1
2
2
2
2
1
Social Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
fc
Black-tailed Tityra
1 2
House Wren
White-winged Swallow
Blue Dacnis
1
Red-legged Honeycreeper
Purple Honeycreeper
Babanaquit
2
1 2
f
Violaceous Euphonia
2
Bicolored Conebill
Blue-grey Tanager
2
2
1
2
1 2
Palm Tanager
Silver-beaked Tanager
Crested Oropendola
1
Green Oropendola
2
Yellow-rumped Cacique
2
Moriche Oriol
1
Velvet-fronted Grackle
Giant Cowbird
2
2
Waro-Waro Lodge
San Francisco de Yuruani 24 - 26/04/2013
SF
San Francisco de Yuruani at km 250 is a pleasant and quiet Pemon village and the starting
point for a six day hike to the most famous Tepui, the Roraima (2810m), it has some shops,
restaurants and offers basic but adequate accommodation. As I had two days free until I
could stay at Barquilla de Fresa in Las Claritas I visited this village to get an impression of the
Gran Sabana. You can walk around the village, along a river, visit a waterfall at km 247 or do
some roadside birding towards Santa Elena. After about 8 km you come across some forest
on your left which could be worth exploring.
f
Swallow-tailed Kite
f
Yellow-headed Caracara
fc
Crested Caracara
f
Pale-vented Pigeon
fc
Brown-throated Parakeet
1
Squirrel Cuckoo
1
Olivaceous Woodcreeper
Screeming Piha
f
heard only
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
House Wren
Tropical Mockingbird
Blue Dacnis
Red-legged Honeycreeper
2
Paradise Tanager
Silver-beaked Tanager
f
Masked Tanager
f
Black-faced Tanager
Las Claritas/ Escalera/Sierra Lema
26/04/ - 03/05/2013
1: Garden, Barquiila de Fresa BDF
2: north of La Escalera/Baquilla de Fresa (max.
25 km from BDF) E(n)
3: La Escalera/Sierra Lema E
4: South of La Escalera/beginning of Gran Sabana E(s)
The garden of Henry Cleve’s birdwatchers paradise called “Barquilla de Fresa” (a beautiful
and peaceful place to stay) is a big compound consisting of garden with various trees and
bushes as well as forest. The main attraction are the Hummingbirds which are easy to watch
at close quarters when they visit the feeders. Amongst them are jewels such as Crimson
Topaz.
When the weather was misty and rainy we spent some time north of Las Claritas watching
birds from the main road or by taking smaller roads to the left or right. Birding was not
always pleasant as the side roads were often used as rubbish dumps but we did see some
nice species there. This area is particularly good for Cotingas. Some sites were not accessible
due to poor quality roads (eg to the Capuchinbird lek) or because of the presence of illegal
gold miners which made a visit too dangerous.
The main reason to visit this part of Venezuela is to bird the so called “La Escalera” or “Sierra
Lema”. It is probably one of the best birding sites in South America and holds a number of
endemics. After Las Claritas (km 84) the road climbs its way up to the Gran Sabana through
fantastic virgin forest, we stopped and birded at many different places, on occasions we
drove extremely slowly and stopped wherever we saw or heard birds. Of course Henry knew
all the special sites for birds like Guinean Cock-of-the-Rock, Greater Flowerpiercer, Bellbirds,
Blackish Nightjar and Rose-collared Piha.
Around km 135 and 1400m altitude you leave the forest and move into the Gran Sabana.
The scenery now becomes wide offering fantastic views of some table mountains called
“Tepuis”. If you wish you can now drive all the way down to the Brazilian border on a paved
road which takes about 3 or 4 hours. Immediately after the beginning of the Gran Sabana
there is a Monument of the Pioneering Soldier (km 136) on your left hand side, birding
around here before dawn we saw Roraiman Nightjar. We also birded further towards the
Brazilian border up to km 170. We went there for primarily for gasoline as none was
available in Las Claritas for days, it is important to bear in mind that after leaving Las Claritas
the next petrol station is at km 170 at the Rapids of Kamoiran. You can also find a Restaurant
and Hotel there.
Driving around the Sierra Lema with Henry`s 40 year old Toyota
1
Green Ibis
1
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture
f
Plumbeous Kite
fc
Swallow-tailed Kite
1
Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle
f
Yellow-headed Caracara
2
Red-throated Caracara
3
3
Crested Caracara
2
Marail Guan
3
2
Little Chachalaca
fc
Pale-vented Pigeon
1
Scaled Pigeon
2
Red-and-green Macaw
fc
Blue-headed Parrot
1
Dusky Parrot
6
Red-fan Parrot
2
Caica Parrot
c
Orange-winged Parrot
2
Mealy Parrot
f
Blue –cheeked Parrot
2
Black-headed Parrot
9
Fiery-shouldered Parakeet
f
Green-rumped Parrotlet
1
Blackish Nightjar
1
Roraiman Nightjar
2
2
3
1 2
2
2
2
2
2
3
4
3
1
fc
White-collared Swift 3
White-tipped Swift
Grey-rumped Swift
Fork-tailed Palm-Swift
3
Long-tailed Hermit
1 3
f
Rufous-breasted Hermit
1
Straight-billed Hermit
fc
Velvet-browed Brilliant
2
Blue-fronted Lancebill
fc
Brown Violetear
f
Black-throated Mango
1
fc
Long-billed Starthroat
1
fc
Gray-breasted Sabrewing
fc
Rufous-breasted Sabrewing
1
Blue-tailed Emerald
fc
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
fc
Crimson Topaz
2
Black-eared Fairy
2
Amazonian Violaceous Trogon
1
Amazon Kingfisher
1
Green-tailed Jacamar
1
Paradise Jacamar
1
White-necked Puffbird
1
Black Nunbird
1
Swallow-wing
F
Channel-billed Toucan
Fc
Red-billed Toucan
1
3
3
3
3
1
3
3
3
1
3
1
2
2
1
1 2
1 2 3
2
F
Black-necked Aracari
1
Green Aracari
1
Golden-spangled Piculet
2
Yellow-tufted Woodpecker
1
Golden-collared Woodpecker
2
Golden-olive Woodpecker
2
Lineated Woodpecker
1
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
2
Olivaceous Woodcreeper
3
Roraiman Antwren
2
Ash-winged Antwren
Antpitta
1 2
2
3
3
3
3
1 2
3
3
3
3
3 heard
Spinetail 3 heard 4 heard
1
Spangled Cotinga
2
fc
Screeming Piha
1
Rose-collared Piha
2
Purple-throated Fruitcrow
2
White Bellbird
3
Bearded Bellbird
f
Guinean Cock-of-the-rock
1
Sharpbill
fc
Scarlet-horned Manakin
2
Orange-bellied (Tepui) Manakin
2
Olive Manakin
1
Cinnamon Neopipo (Tyrant-Manakin)
1
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher
3
McConnell`s Flycatcher
3 heard
3
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
1
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet
1
Slaty Elaenia
1
Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant
2
Cliff Flycatcher
fc
Tropical Kingbird
f
Streaked Flycatcher
fc
Rusty-margined Flycatcher
fc
Piratic Flycatcher
1
Grey-crowned Flycatcher
1o
Cayenne Jay
2
Rufous-brown Solitaire
f
Grey-cheeked Thrush
1
4
2
3
1
1
1
3
3
House Wren
1
Coraya Wren
3
Flutist Wren 3 heard
Musician Wren
c
2 heard
Blue-and-white Swallow
Grey-breasted Martin
1
Prothonotary Warbler
1
2
Slate-throated Redstart
3
Brown-capped (Tepui) Redstart
f
Rufous-collared Sparrow
8
Tepui Brush-Finch
c
Bananaquit
f
Black-faced Tanager
2
Fulvous-crested Tanager
3
2
Red-shouldered Tanager
3
3
3
3
3
3
Silver-beaked Tanager
Blue-grey Tanager
Palm Tanager
f
Violaceous Euphonia
1 2
fc
Orange-bellied Euphonia
f
Purple-throated Euphonia
1
White-vented Euphonia
f
Paradise Tanager
f
Yellow-bellied Tanager
c
Spotted Tanager
fc
Speckled Tanager
1
Bay-headed Tanager
3
Burnished-buff Tanager
fc
Black-headed Tanager
c
Red-legged Honeycreeper
c
Purple Honeycreeper
2
Short-billed Honeycreeper
f
Blue Dacnis
f
Black-faced Dacnis
2
Greater Flowerpiercer
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Blue-black Grassquit
3
2
1
Lesser Seed-Finch
4
2
Yellow-green Grosbeak
c
Crested Oropendola
c
Yellow-rumped Cacique
20
Red-rumped Cacique
1 2
f
Eastern Meadowlark
4
3
3
fc
Golden-tufted (Mountain) Grackle
3
Table Mountains (Tepuis) in the Gran Sabana
Birdlist
f: few
fc: fairly common
c: common
f
Magnificent Frigatebird
CE FVL CH
f
Neotropic Cormorant
2
Anhinga
f
Brown Pelican
7
Horned Screamer
f
White-faced Whistling-Duck
6
Muscovy Duck
f
Greater Flamingo
A O
FVL O
FVL
FVL O A
O
bold: lifer
8
Whistling Heron FVL
2
Little Blue Heron
A
Snowy Egret
Cocoi Heron O
Great Egret
Cattle Egret
Striated Heron
fc
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron FVL
fc
Black-crowned Night-Heron
1
Boat-billed Heron
1
Stripe-backed Bittern
1
Green Ibis
f
Roseate Spoonbill
1
Maguari Stork FVL
c
Black Vulture
c
Turkey Vulture
fc
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture
fc
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture
3
King Vulture O
4
Osprey
fc
Swallow-tailed Kite
f
Slender-billed Kite
c
Plumbeous Kite
f
White-tailed Kite
1
Long-winged Harrier
1
Crane Hawk
RDB
2
White Hawk
RDB CH
FVL
O
FVL
E(BDF)
O
A O
SF E
FVL
FVL O E
FVL
O
A O E
FVL E
1
Great Black Hawk
FVL
fc
Common Black Hawk
f
Savannah Hawk
f
Black-collared Hawk
1
Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle
c
Crested Caracara
2
Red-throated Caracara
c
Yellow-headed Caracara
1
Laughing Falcon
1
Bat Falcon
2
Aplomado Falcon
2
Rufous-vented Chachalaca
2
Little Chachalaca
2
Marail Guan
2
Crested Bobwhite
f
Russet-crowned Crake
2
Grey-necked Wood-Rail RDB FVL
f
Common Moorhen
f
Purple Gallinule
f
Sunbittern
1
Limpkin
fc
Wattled Jacana
f
Spotted Sandpiper
fc
Southern Lapwing
FVL
f
Large-billed Tern
A O
FVL O
RDB FVL A O
E
E
FVL
RDB
FVL
O heard FVL CE
E(n)
E
Ciudad Bolivar – Tigre
heard FVL
O
O
O
FVL
FVL O A
Rock Dove
1
A
Scaled Pigeon
E(n)
c
Pale-vented Pigeon
FVL A O E SF
f
Plumbeous Pigeon
f
Ruddy Pigeon
2
Scaled Dove RDB FVL
f
Common Ground-Dove
fc
Ruddy Ground-Dove
2
Blue Ground-Dove RDB
f
White-tipped Dove RDB CA
f
Grey-fronted Dove FVL
1
Lined Quail-Dove
fc
Blue-and-yellow Macaw O
2
Red-and-green Macaw
f
Red-bellied Macaw
f
Red-shouldered Macaw
c
White-eyed Parakeet
fc
Brown-throated Parakeet
c
Scarlet-fronted Parakeet
f
Maroon-faced (Venezuelan) Parakeet
9
Fiery-shouldered Parakeet
f
Golden-winged Parakeet (Parrotlet)
f
Green-rumped Parrotlet
fc
Blue-headed Parrot
1
Dusky Parrot
6
Red-fan Parrot
c
Orange-winged Parrot
2
Mealy Parrot
f
Blue-cheeked Parrot
FVL CH
CH ???
E
FVL O
A O
RDB FVL SF
CA
CH
E
E(BDF)
E(n+BDF)
E(n)
E(n)
RDB FVL E
E
E(n)
CH
f
Yellow-crowned Parrot
2
Caica Parrot
2
Black-headed Parrot
f
Little Cuckoo
4
Squirrel Cuckoo
f
Greater Ani
c
Smooth-billed Ani
c
Groove-billed Ani
fc
Hoatzin
FVL
c
Oilbird
CA (G)
fc
Parauque
1
Blackish Nightjar
1
Roraiman Nightjar
FVL
E(n)
E(n)
RDB FVL
RDB O SF
FVL
A O
RDB
E
E(s)
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
fc
White-collared Swift
E
f
Band-rumped Swift
O
Grey-rumped Swift
f
Vaux Swift
A heard
E
CA(G)
White-tipped Swift
E
f
Short-tailed Swift
A
f
Fork-tailed Palm-Swift
2
Green Hermit
3
Long-tailed Hermit
1
Straight-billed Hermit
E
2
Sooty-capped Hermit
RDB CA(G)
f
Rufous-breasted Hermit
f
Little Hermit
FVL O E
CA(EP)
E
RDB CH E(BDF)
RDB FVL O
2
Blue-fronted Lancebill
E
f
Grey-breasted Sabrewing
f
White-tailed Sabrewing
fc
Rufous-breasted Sabrewing
E(BDF)
CH CA(EP)
E
White-necked Jacobin
fc
Brown Violetear
E
1
Green Violetear
CA(EP)
fc
Black-throated Mango
RDB FVL E(BDF)
Ruby-topaz Hummingbird
FVL
Blue-chinned Sapphire
FVL
fc
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
E
1
Blue-tailed Emerald
E
White-chested Emerald
FVL
Glittering-throated Emerald
Paria
Copper-rumped Hummingbird
CH
fc
Velvet-browed Brilliant
3
Scissor-tailed Hummingbird
fc
Crimson Topaz
3
Venezuelan Sylph
2
Black-eared Fairy
fc
Long-billed Starthroat
2
Rufous-shafted Woodstar
2
Collared Trogon
4
Amazonian White-tailed Trogon
O
2
Amazonian Violaceous Trogon
E(n)
CH
E(BDF)
CA(EP)
E
Amazon Kingfisher
E(BDF)
CA(EP)
CH
White-tipped Quetzal
f
E
CH heard
FVL A O E
Belted Kingfisher O
f
Ringed Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher
FVL A O
O
Green-and-rufous Kingfisher
A
1
American Pygmy-Kingfisher
A
3
Rufous-tailed Jacamar
RDB FVL
1
Green-tailed Jacamar
E(BDF)
1
Paradise Jacamar
1
White-necked Puffbird
5
Russet-throated Puffbird
1
Black Nunbird
E(BDF)
fc
Swallow-wing
O E
c
Groove-billed Toucanet
1
Green Aracari
fc
Black-necked Aracari
f
Channel-billed Toucan
fc
Red-billed Toucan
1
Black-dotted Piculet
1
Golden-spangled Piculet
1
Scaled Piculet
2
Yellow-tufted Woodpecker
E
5
Cream-colored Woodpecker
FVL A
2
Spot-breasted Woodpecker
RDB CE
2
Golden-olive Woodpecker
E
1
Red-rumped Woodpecker
CE
1
Golden-collared Woodpecker
c
Red-crowned Woodpecker
E(n)
E(n)
RDB FVL
CH
CA
E(n)
O E
O E
FVL CH CE A O E
FVL
E
CA(G)
E
Paria O
f
Lineated Woodpecker
FVL E(BDF+n)
f
Crimson-crested Woodpecker
7
Olivaceous Woodcreeper
1
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
f
Cocoa Woodcreeper
2
Straight-billed Woodcreeper
1
Strong-billed Woodcreeper
A O
CA SF E
E
FVL A CH
Stripe-breasted Spinetail
RDB FVL
CH
Pa
fc
Yellow-chinned (throated) Spinetail RDB FVL
1
Stripe-breasted Spinetail
1
Crested Spinetail
CH
CA(G)
Pale-breasted Spinetail
E(s) heard only
1
Streaked Xenops
1
Black-crested Antshrike FVL
1
Silvered Antshrike
Jet Antbird
CA(G)
FVL
FVL heard
1
Slaty Antwren
CH
3
Roraiman Antwren
2
Ash-winged Antwren
2
Slaty Antshrike
E
E
FVL
Slate-crowned Antpitta
CH heard E heard
f
Handsome Fruiteater
CH CA(EP)
fc
Screaming Piha
1
Rose-collared Piha
E
1
Spangled Cotinga
E(n)
2
Purple-throated Fruitcrow
2
White Bellbird
E + SF heard only
E
E(n)
3
Bearded Bellbird E
f
Guianan Cock-of-the-rock
1
Sharpbill
2
Crimson-hooded Manakin
fc
Golden-headed Manakin
CE CH
fc
Scarlet-horned Manakin
E
2
Orange-bellied (Tepui) Manakin
2
Olive Manakin
1
Cinnamon Neopipo (Tyrant-Manakin)
1
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher
3
McConnell`s Flycatcher
E
2
Slaty-capped Flycatcher
CA
2
Spotted Tody-Flycatcher
A
fc
Common Tody-Flycatcher
2
Black Phoebe
E
E
FVL
E
E
E
E
FVL A
CA(G)
Ringed Antpipit
1
Sooty-headed Tyrannulet
CH
1
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet
1
Slaty Elaenia
fc
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
1
Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant
E(n)
1
Grey-crowned Flycatcher
E(BDF)
2
Golden-crowned Flycatcher
E(BDF)
E(s)
FVL CH E(s) SF
CA
Bran-coloured Flycatcher
f
Cinnamon Flycatcher
2
Cliff Flycatcher E
fc
Pied Water-Tyrant
CH
FVL
CA(G)
fc
White-headed Marsh-Tyrant
RDB FVL
fc
Cattle Tyrant
1
Cinnamon Attila
1
Short-crested Flycatcher FVL
f
Brown-crested Flycatcher
c
Tropical Kingbird
f
Streaked Flycatcher
fc
Rusty-margined Flycatcher
FVL
O
FVL heard
FVL
E
E(BDF)
Social Flycatcher
fc
Piratic Flycatcher
FVL E
1
Boat-billed Flycatcher
1
Lesser Kiskadee
FVL
FVL
Greater Kiskadee
fc
Black-tailed Tityra
O
2
Black-crowned Tityra
10
Cayenne Jay
fc
Inca Jay
2
Rufous-browed Peppershrike
2
Rufous-brown Solitaire
f
Grey-cheeked Thrush
E
1
Yellow-legged Thrush
CA(EP)
f
Pale-breasted Thrush
CA(G)
fc
Bare-eyed Thrush
c
Tropical Mockingbird
fc
Black-capped Donacobius
f
Bicoloured Wren
c
Stripe-backed Wren RDB
RDB
E(BDF)
CA
A
E
RDB
FVL CA SF
FVL
FVL CA
FVL
1
Coraya Wren
E
Flutist Wren E heard only
Musician Wren
E(n)
c
House Wren
1
Long-billed Gnatwren
F
heard only
CE
Blue-and-white Swallow
E
White-winged Swallow
A O
Grey-breasted Martin
FVL E
Rough-winged Swallow
RDB
Barn Swallow
Tropical Parula
CA
American Redstart
CE CA
4
Prothonotary Warbler
CH CA(EP)
f
Three-striped Warbler
Paria
2
Black-and-white Warbler
fc
Yellow Warbler
5
Northern Waterthrush
fc
Slate-throated White(Red)start
CA(EP)
Paria CA
RDB A CA
CA(EP)
Tepui (Brown-capped) Redstart
5
Yellow-faced White(Red)start
E
CH
Rufous-collared Sparrow
f
Orche-breasted Brush-Finch
Tepui Brush-Finch
CA(G)
E
c
Bananaquit
fc
Bicoloured Conebill
A O
f
Black-faced Tanager
GS
f
Masked Tanager
SF
SF E
2
Fulvous-crested Tanager
E
1
White-shouldered Tanager
f
White-lined Tanager
2
Red-shouldered Tanager
2
White-winged Tanager
c
Silver-beaked Tanager
c
Blue-grey Tanager
c
Palm Tanager
f
Blue-capped Tanager
1
Blue-naped Chlorophonia
CA(EP)
f
Purple-throated Euphonia
E
f
Violaceous Euphonia
1
White-vented Euphonia
E
fc
Orange-bellied Euphonia
E
2
Thick-billed Euphonia
f
Paradise Tanager
f
Yellow-bellied Tanager
c
Spotted Tanager E
fc
Speckled Tanager
c
Bay-headed Tanager
3
Burnished-buff Tanager
fc
Black-headed Tanager
2
Short-billed Honeycreeper
c
Purple Honeycreeper
c
Red-legged Honeycreeper
c
Purple Honeycreeper
f
Blue Dacnis
CH
FVL A CH
E
CA(EP)
CH CA
O E
RDB
E SF
E
E
CE E O
CE CH E
E
E
E
O E
E
O E SF
f
Black-faced Dacnis
E
2
Venezuelan Flowerpiercer
2
Greater Flowerpiercer
f
Blue-black Grassquit
f
Grey Seedeater
fc
Ruddy-breasted Seedeater
1
Lesser Seed-Finch
2
Yellow-green Grosbeak
CH
E
E(n)
RDB FVL
FVL
E
E
Buff-throated Saltator
fc
Greyish Saltator
c
Crested Oropendola
1
Green Oropendola
20
Red-rumped Cacique
c
Yellow-rumped Cacique
2
Yellow Oriole
2
Orange-crowned Oriole
2
Moriche Oriole
f
Yellow-hooded Blackbird
f
Red-breasted Blackbird
f
Eastern Meadowlark
1
Velvet-fronted Grackle
fc
Golden-tufted (Mountain) Grackle
fc
Carib Grackle
1
Giant Cowbird
A O
E(BDF) E(n)
FVL
CA(G)
O
RDB FVL
FVL
E(s)
A O
FVL Maturin
O
E
Other animals
Ursine Howler (Alouatta arctoidea) CH heard
Guayanan Red Howler (Alouatta macconelli)
Wedge-capped Capuchin (Cebus olivaceus)
3
Southern Tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla)
O
O
O A
Pecari O
Squirrel O
Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus) FVL
Yellow-spotted Amazon River Turtle/ Terekay (Podocnemis unifilis)
Mangrove Snake
Snake
1
A
RDB
Yellow-banded Poison Dart-Frog (Dendrobates leucomelas)
Tarantula
RDB
E
O