Where to see various bird families in the Neotropics (1 Viewer)

[Welsh Peregrine]

I have recently decided to try to see at least one member of each family (basically the most split lists so nothing ends up being missed!) Having just returned from getting 12 gaps filled in Peru, I am left with some gaps in the Neotropics. Some, such as Magellanic Plover and Seriema are pretty obvious in terms of where to go. Any experts willing and able to suggest where I can track down Gnateaters, Trumpeters, Sharpbill, Mitrospingid tanagers, Spadebills, Sapayoa or Zeledonia, for starters?

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

Spadebills and Zeledonia should be relatively easy in Costa Rica. I got the Zeledonia at Cerro de la Muerte and Golden-crowned Spadebill at Carara.

Guyana and Suriname have good reputation for trumpeters (altho I missed them in Guyana, others on our tour saw them). They also have a pet one named Raul at Explornapo in Peru if you're desperate

I got a black-cheeked gnateater at Ubatuba in Brazil and a chestnut-belted gnateater at Explornapo.

Haven't seen the others, though not for want of trying.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Sharpbill is relatively easy to see in southeast Brazil, where you should be able to see a few spadebills and gnateaters too. Black-cheeked Gnateater and White-throated Spadebill are both pretty easy in the right areas, for example.

A visit to the REGUA reserve and nearby areas in southeast Brazil should sort you out with Sharpbill, Olive-green Tanager, two species of Spadebill and two Gnateaters.
http://www.regua.co.uk/

 

[njlarsen]

Check this page: http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/Mitrospingid_tanagers.html

Shows photos of two species, both within Brazil.

You may want to put that country on your travel list

Niels

 

[Xenospiza]

Best chances for Sapayoa in Panama, but Colombia is also a possibility (also has a Mitrospingus; gnateaters are possible but not easy there).

 

[jurek]

Check Birdquest website, they recently put a webpage where to see various different families. You can go to spots visited by their tours yourself.

 

[lewis20126]

The two best sites for Sapayoa seem to be:

1) Nusagandi, Panama - friends recently saw 4 in a morning here! Also here Speckled Antshrike
2) Utria NP, Colombia - firiends saw this species in a single day visit to the core part of the park (accessible by boat) - fly to Bahia Solano and base yourself there for 5 days; a good site for Baudo Oropendola, Brown Wood-rail and others.

cheers, alan

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Cheers guys - all to be considered after an October visit to Ghana to start filling in African gaps.

 

[COLOMBIA Birding]

Seriema

Pantanal in Brazil, piece of cake!

Gnateaters

Intervales really good for Black-cheeked & Rufous
here in Colombia both of our species require more work than the Atlantic Forest ones mentioned above

Sharpbill

EASIEST place where I have got it is also Intervales in Brazil... also at La Escalera (Sierra de Lema) road in SE Venezuela but not so common and vocal (calling lots October 2013 at Intervales)

Mitrospingid tanagers

Mitrospingus cassinii (Dusky-faced Tanager) is VERY common in lowlands of the Magdalena Valley or the W Pacific slope of the Andes in Colombia.

Spadebills

White-throated not uncommon at SEVERAL places here in Colombia, but also common at Intervales, Brazil.

Sapayoa

VERY BEST place I would say is Burbayar Lodge in Panama, but we also get it here as Alan mentioned in the Pacific Choco... places like Utria NNP near Bahia Solano or Nuqui are superb birding sites and gettable by plane.

Zeledonia

Missed it there but not uncommon in the Boquete highlands in W Panamá as far as I have seen on trip reports.