Honduras
Posted by Robert Gallardo
Robert Gallardo
Robert Gallardo grew up in California, and from an early age he loved nature. He started collecting butterflies at age 11 and has continued that passion ever since. He bega...VENT broke new ground in northern Central America with its first Northern Honduras tour this last February and March 2005. Our group had a varied itinerary that took us into lush lowland and mid-elevation rainforests, arid thorn-scrub forest, mangrove-lined lagoons, a high mountain lake and its wetlands, and semi-deciduous forest, together with two archaeological sites. Such a mixture of stunning landscapes and habitats would have to reveal a variety of birds, and it did.
The Lodge at Pico Bonito and its luxurious accommodations adjacent to Pico Bonito National Park were an ideal place to bird. Up on one of the canopy towers we were afforded a close-up look of a male Lovely Cotinga who sat on his lookout post. Who could have ever thought up such a crazy combination of metallic turquoise blue and royal purple? A Purple-crowned Fairy, Green Honeycreeper, Golden-hooded Tanager, Olive-backed Euphonia, and Green Shrike-Vireo also paid us a welcome visit while up on top. Next to the conference room a pair of Scrub Euphonias were busy building a nest in a Myrmecophila orchid. This was Nancy?s favorite bird of the trip.
Deep in the rainforest up on the ridge trail we were blessed with a sighting of the elusive Keel-billed Motmot. After coaxing him in, he called incessantly from a low perch and was finally spotted by Tony. An adult Ornate Hawk-Eagle was also spotted on an adjacent ridge.
At the Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge, Sarah spotted the secretive Mangrove Cuckoo perched on the side of Red Mangrove. He was just as curious about us as we were about him. Howler and white-faced capuchin monkeys, American crocodiles, and long-nosed bats were also seen that day.
In the arid Aguan Valley we picked up the endemic Honduran Emerald, Double-striped Thick-Knee ( a new family for Marie D.), White-bellied Wren, and other area specialties.
At the Lancetilla Botanical Gardens we were awarded with a pair of the diminutive Olivaceous Piculet, a gaudy male Great Antshrike, and the uncommon Scaly-breasted Hummingbird.
Our visit to Lake Yojoa proved to be one of the most memorable parts of the trip, as we saw a number of sought after species. Voted as the “trip bird” was the Spotted Rail. An adult was coaxed out into the open using a chick call, and it eventually walked out to the tip of a piece of floating reed and could go no further. If it could have walked on water it would have. Instead, it flew right toward Peter and me. This bird has only recently been recorded in Honduras and our sightings constitute the few existing records.
Along a canal we obtained great views of the migratory Sora and two Least Bitterns. We also found Gray-breasted and Ruddy crakes, and had a fly-by of what was probably a Gray-necked Wood-Rail. Peter thought I was letting them out of my backpack as we were ?up to our necks in crakes and rails!? To top off our aquatic list we found an American Bittern during a lunch stop. The last Honduran record was in 1936. River otters fed nearby, and Snail Kites fished out snails.
Around the lake we also saw Ferruginous, Mountain, and Central American pygmy-owls. To top off our list, some night walks produced a bunch of Pauraques, as well as the Buff-collared and two Spot-tailed nightjars (the latter is very local in Central America).
Fork-tailed Flycatchers were seemingly everywhere and flitted about trailing their beautiful, long, black tails. Black-necked Stilts, Fulvous and Black-bellied whistling-ducks, Muscovys, and Limpkins were everywhere we turned.
The extension to Copan was rewarding both culturally and naturally. At the Malcote Nature Preserve we saw the Golden-crowned Warbler, Spotted Woodcreeper, Yellowish Flycatcher, Slate-throated Redstart, Violet Sabrewing, and Stripe-tailed Hummingbird. At the main Copan Archaeological site the birding was slow, but the ruins were great. Our local guide, Oscar, is always a great and knowledgeable host. Later that day at Hacienda San Lucas we had an authentic, gourmet, candlelit dinner, and were visited by a flock of White-throated Magpie-Jays. Plain Chachalacas clacked away in the brush nearby.
On our Miramundo (View of the World) day trip we ran into some mixed flocks of birds. The resident Grace?s Warbler greeted us all the way up the hill and we watched the charismatic Brown Creeper probing the bark of pines. Bushy-crested Jays abounded and were accompanied by Yellow-backed Orioles. At the shaded coffee plantation itself we got to see the uncommon Cerulean Warbler, Mountain Elaenia, and Flame-colored Tanager.
To end our last day we visited the Las Sepulturas archaeological site and were rewarded with great views of the Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, and Green-breasted Mango.