Costa Rica, Various (1 Viewer)

[rylirk]

A few more to look at from my ongoing project to clear out my list of dubious sightings... all photos taken in December 2019.

1. At Manuel Antonio. I have this down as Red-Crowned Woodpecker, but I'm not sure how to separate from Hoffman's.
2. Manuel Antonio. I have this down as Golden-Naped Woodpecker but I'm not sure how to separate from Black-Cheeked.
3. Manuel Antonio again. I have this down as Green Honeycreeper, but could it just be the female of some other honeycreeper? Is it possible to tell?
4. Monteverde. I have this one down as Wedge-Billed Woodcreeper but it's not a family I have much experience with at all!
5. Manuel Antonio. Yellow-Crowned Euphonia? Or just a yellow-throated euphonia with particularly pronounced crown?

As a seperate question; in San Jose, pretty much every pond has abundant Muscovy Duck, with many young at the time I was there, but my understanding now is that they aren't considered countable? I was just wondering why this is, they're certainly breeding in enough numbers that they surely must be stable, even if derived from ferals initially?

Thanks!

 

[raymie]

1. Hoffmann's/Red-crowned Woodpecker, might not be identifiable
2. Golden-naped Woodpecker
3. unsure, I would guess Green Honeycreeper
4. Ruddy Treerunner
5. Olive-backed Euphonia

Most Muscovy Duck populations in urban or semi-urban areas throughout their range nowadays derive from a mix of wild-type and released domestic-type individuals. "Countable" is completely subjective and up to you of course, but personally I see no reason not to count populations like that.

 

[THE_FERN]

1. Hoffmann's/Red-crowned Woodpecker, might not be identifiable

According to Vallely and Dyer, should be red-crowned female as that has a red spot on the back of the head whilst Hoffman's has yellow. However, both species occur there and they hybridise extensively. If it's an orange spot it might indicate a hybrid (discuss).

 

[njlarsen]

According to EBird, red-crowned is twice as common as Hoffman’s, and only a few listed as hybrids.

I am not sure if I am overlooking something, but what else could #3 be but green honeycreeper?
Niels

 

[raymie]

I am not sure if I am overlooking something, but what else could #3 be but green honeycreeper?

The more I look at it the more I agree with this.

 

[rylirk]

My concern was with female Red-Legged Honeycreeper; I'm not experienced enough to distinguish green-ish honeycreepers based off of a photo this poor

 

[rylirk]

5. Olive-backed Euphonia

Looking at photos of Olive-backed, is the bird in the photo not a little too bright-chested for olive-backed?

Most Muscovy Duck populations in urban or semi-urban areas throughout their range nowadays derive from a mix of wild-type and released domestic-type individuals. "Countable" is completely subjective and up to you of course, but personally I see no reason not to count populations like that.

Agreed a lot of this is down to personal choice. The sheer number of young around in an apparently wild state makes me want to keep these on the list I think.

 

[raymie]

Looking at photos of Olive-backed, is the bird in the photo not a little too bright-chested for olive-backed?

I think it's just an artifact of the lighting.

 

[njlarsen]

My concern was with female Red-Legged Honeycreeper; I'm not experienced enough to distinguish green-ish honeycreepers based off of a photo this poor

I see a bird very dark in the head, while Red-legged should have a pale supercilium, which I would hope would be hinted at even in a photo like this.
Niels

 

[rylirk]

Hmm, Olive-Backed Euphonia flags as Rare on eBird. Looks like they are practically unheard of on the Pacific coast. The expected species available on the list for the site are:

Elegant
Spot-Crowned
Thick-Billed
White-Vented
Yellow-Crowned

It's obviously not an Elegant, but other than that... ???

From the eBird reports it looks like the vast majority of Euphonias at this hotspot are Yellow-Crowned, but it's not a very well-watched site so I'm not sure how significant that is (Illustrated Checklist - Buenavista Villas/Tulemar, Puntarenas, Costa Rica - eBird Hotspot).

 

[njlarsen]

Hmm, Olive-Backed Euphonia flags as Rare on eBird. Looks like they are practically unheard of on the Pacific coast. The expected species available on the list for the site are:

Elegant
Spot-Crowned
Thick-Billed
White-Vented
Yellow-Crowned

It's obviously not an Elegant, but other than that... ???

From the eBird reports it looks like the vast majority of Euphonias at this hotspot are Yellow-Crowned, but it's not a very well-watched site so I'm not sure how significant that is (Illustrated Checklist - Buenavista Villas/Tulemar, Puntarenas, Costa Rica - eBird Hotspot).

For the Euphonia, I think it has to be a male with this much yellow in the front of the crown. It is clearly not a species with blue-black throat in male. That leaves Thick-billed and Yellow-throated which both are possible and the photo I do not believe to be good enough.
Niels

 

[TicoTyler]

A few more to look at from my ongoing project to clear out my list of dubious sightings... all photos taken in December 2019.

1. At Manuel Antonio. I have this down as Red-Crowned Woodpecker, but I'm not sure how to separate from Hoffman's.
2. Manuel Antonio. I have this down as Golden-Naped Woodpecker but I'm not sure how to separate from Black-Cheeked.
3. Manuel Antonio again. I have this down as Green Honeycreeper, but could it just be the female of some other honeycreeper? Is it possible to tell?
4. Monteverde. I have this one down as Wedge-Billed Woodcreeper but it's not a family I have much experience with at all!
5. Manuel Antonio. Yellow-Crowned Euphonia? Or just a yellow-throated euphonia with particularly pronounced crown?

As a seperate question; in San Jose, pretty much every pond has abundant Muscovy Duck, with many young at the time I was there, but my understanding now is that they aren't considered countable? I was just wondering why this is, they're certainly breeding in enough numbers that they surely must be stable, even if derived from ferals initially?

Thanks!

1. It's hard to separate them with this photo, I'd leave it as a /
2. Golden-naped is correct
3. Male Green Honeycreeper. The color looks off but probably the terrible lighting.
4. Ruddy Treerunner
5. Thick-billed or Yellow-throated Euphonia but I can't tell from this photo.

Muscovy's are countable in Costa Rica. There are wild Muscovy and domestic-type descendants. I've seen both here. Domestic is far more common but I've seen actual wild Muscovies with completely black breasts and limited red warting on the face. I believe the domestic type ones don't count on eBird towards your life list but there are countable Muscovies here.

 

[THE_FERN]

I can't envisage what lighting or transformation would convert the bright yellow of thick-billed or yellow-throated euphonia into what we see here. I think it has to be male olive-backed but perhaps safest to leave unidentified

 

[njlarsen]

I was thinking something slightly younger than this one:

ML193077751 - Thick-billed Euphonia - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML193077751; © Peter Hawrylyshyn; Zamora-Chinchipe, Ecuador

macaulaylibrary.org

However, I am less and less convinced we will ever know what this one truly is, not at the species level.
Niels

 

[rylirk]

Went back to the original photo and found I had a cpuple more of the Euphonia in question, though I think they've made me more confused rather than less! Is there anything more to be gleaned from these, especially the one in profile?

I also found 1 more of the woodpecker in question which shows the spot on the back of the head more clearly. I'd say it certainly looks more red than yellow, maybe a reddish orange?

Also as a bonus I found the last photo from the same set. I had the bird on the left listed as Variable Seedeater... no clue what to make of the bird on the right!

 

[njlarsen]

If you are sure the side view is the same bird, then I would be even more inclined to say "not identifiable".
Niels

 

[THE_FERN]

Euphonia now seems to have dark lores. Give up

The woodpecker is either red-crowned or a hybrid

Not sure about the last 2, only one of which is a seedeater thing

 

[TicoTyler]

I can't envisage what lighting or transformation would convert the bright yellow of thick-billed or yellow-throated euphonia into what we see here. I think it has to be male olive-backed but perhaps safest to leave unidentified

A male (or female even) Olive-backed would show extensive rufous in the vent. I only see yellow. Very dull colored though but I am just chalking that up to terrible lighting and photo quality.

 

[njlarsen]

A male (or female even) Olive-backed would show extensive rufous in the vent. I only see yellow. Very dull colored though but I am just chalking that up to terrible lighting and photo quality.

But even so at least two species still in play for the id.
Niels

 

[THE_FERN]

A male (or female even) Olive-backed would show extensive rufous in the vent. I only see yellow. Very dull colored though but I am just chalking that up to terrible lighting and photo quality.

I can't actually see the vent, and certainly not well enough to determine its colour