Ruddy Ground-Dove

In early August, 2008 I took a short trip from Costa Rica to David and the Lost and Found eco-hostel, both in Chiriqui, Panama. I would have liked to explore more around David but due to time and transportation limitations, wasn’t able to look for Veraguan Mango. Nor was I able to bird the extensive mangroves and nearby forested islands in the Chiriqui gulf. Nevertheless, I hope to give birders an idea of what to expect and at the same time encourage them to explore underbirded, promising areas near David. I certainly hope to do so at some future time.

Birding in David

David, the second largest city in Panama, is pretty birdy as a result of green space in the form of empty lots, gardens and many remnant trees. Found in the Pacific slope lowlands of western Panama, David is hot and humid and located at the junction of drier habitats to the east and wet forests of the Chiriqui Endemic Bird Area to the west. As is the case of most urbanized areas, birding is better outside of the city but if you can’t do that at least you should see a fair number of widespread neotropical species. I visited Pedegral Port one morning hoping to get images of aquatic species. Although I didn’t get lucky with aquatic birds, it sounds like a boat trip through nearby mangroves would be very worthwhile according to Guido Berguido who apparently found Yellow-billed Cotinga!

Pedregal is found at the end of the main road heading south from the airport. There is a small yacht club with small restaurant. Overall, the place was undeveloped; don’t expect that to last for long! This would be an excellent place for mangrove education and tourism. I took a taxi there for about $3-$4. Buses are also available but may be infrequent.

The following is a list of species (most very common) recorded while casually birding around the Parque Cervantes and empty lots and shaded streets near the Purple House Hostel http:// www.purplehousehostel.com as well as a few hours one morning at Port Pedegral. There are certainly many more possibilities including at least a few owl species:

P= only recorded Pedregal

Magnificent Frigatebird (P)

Anhinga (P)

Great Egret (P)

Little Blue Heron (P)

Neotropic Cormorant (P)

Black-bellied Whistling Duck (P)

Spotted Sandpiper (P)

Collared Forest Falcon (P)

Yellow-headed Caracara

Crested Caracara

Black Vulture

Turkey Vulture

Pale-vented Pigeon

White-tipped Dove

Ruddy Ground Dove

Red-lored Parrot

Blue-headed Parrot

Crimson-fronted Parakeet

Orange-chinned Parakeet

Brown-throated Parakeet

Squirrel Cuckoo

Short-tailed Swift

Mangrove Swallow (P)

Grey-breasted Martin

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Blue-crowned Motmot

Lineated Woodpecker

Red-crowned Woodpecker

Barred Antshrike

Tropical Kingbird

Piratic Flycatcher

Social Flycatcher

Boat-billed Flycatcher

Great-crested Flycatcher

Dusky-capped Flycatcher

Common Tody Flycatcher

Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet

Southern Beardless Tyrannulet (P)

Yellow-bellied Elaenia

House Wren

Cay-colored Robin

Bananaquit

Baltimore Oriole

Orchard Oriole

Bronzed Cowbird

Great-tailed Grackle

Blue-grey Tanager

Buff-throated Saltator

Black-striped Sparrow

Thick-billed Seed Finch

Blue-black Grassquit

Yellow-faced Grassquit

Yellow-bellied Seedeater (P)

Below are some bird photos from David and Pedregal

Blue-black Grasquit; one of the most common neotropical bird species.

Crimson-fronted Parakeets are especially common in David.

Mangrove Swallows fall into the cute category.

Red-crowned Woodpecker is one of the most common birds in David

Ruddy Ground Doves are also pretty common

Tropical Kingbirds are aggressive!

The Lost and Found Eco-Hostel

The Lost and Found Eco-Hostel is probably one of the only hostels in the world nestled within it’s own cloud forest preserve. After running into several of their pamphlets at other Panamanian hostels, I finally got the chance to visit for a few days in early August, 2008. Located at 1,200 meters on the Pacific slope, aside from some shade coffee and a small orchard, this hostel is surrounded by a large area of old growth moist and cloud forest. Birding was pretty good around the hostel itself with American Swallow-tailed Kite being one of the more common, spectacular species. For most of the day at least a dozen graced the sky with their aerial acrobatics. Mixed flocks and frugivores often came through the trees near the hostel, especially the forest edge at the trailhead.

The few trails that accessed the forest were fairly muddy and rough but offered good birding and extended for a few ks. One trail apparently reaches a river and enters forest with a more Caribbean slope aspect. The upper part of the trail that follows a ridge with stunted trees and bamboo probably has specialties such as Maroon-fronted Ground Dove and Blue Seedeater.

Although one of the owners, Andrew, is there most of the time, it’s probably best to contact them before visiting. Both he and Patrick were very helpful and friendly. They manage the place quite well and even have a feeding platform for nocturnal animals. I look forward to my next visit.

For more information including pricing and directions, see http://birdingcraft.com/wordpress and http://www.moreinpanama.blogspot.com

Lost and Found email: thepanpro@yahoo.com

Phone: 65819223 or 66545961

The following is a list of all species recorded (66 total) during a stay of about three days with notes on abundance. As I was focused on bird photography, birders working the trails should come up with several more species. Regional endemic taxa are highlighted, a few photos at the end.

Little Tinamou	heard below orchard
Black-breasted Wood Quail	few coveys heard
Black Guan	a few seen fruiting trees
Turkey Vulture	a few seen
Short-tailed Hawk	1 seen
White Hawk	1 seen
American Swallow-tailed Kite	very common
Band-tailed Pigeon	a few flyovers
Ruddy Pigeon	1-2 heard
Chiriqui Quail Dove	1 quick flyby in orchard
Sulphur-winged Parakeets	good views of flyby flocks
Mottled Owl	1 heard
Squirrel Cuckoo	1 seen
White-collared Swift	100 or so in flock
Green Hermit	several seen
Green Violetear	several seen
Violet Sabrewing	a few seen
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird	a few seen
Mountain Gem species	a few seen
White-tailed Emerald	several in orchard-quite common
Orange-bellied Trogon	a few seen
Emerald (Blue-throated) Toucanet	several seen
Prong-billed Barbet	a few seen
Golden-olive Woodpecker	a few seen
Red-crowned Woodpecker	a few near road
Spotted Barbtail	pair in forest
Red-faced Spinetail	a few near orchard
Spectacled Foliage-gleaner	several-pretty common
Lineated Foliage-gleaner	one heard forest
Spotted Woodcreeper	1-2 seen
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper	1 seen
Olivaceous Woodcreeper	1 seen
Ruddy Woodcreeper	pair in forest
Rufous-breasted Antthrush	1-2 heard
Immaculate Antbird	a few heard
Slaty Antwren	few in forest
Three-wattled Bellbird	1-2 heard
Dusky-capped Flycatcher	1 pair
Tropical Peewee	1 orchard
Yellowish Flycatcher	common around hostel
Paltry Tyrannulet	several
Mountain Elaenia	a few
House Wren	hostel mascot
Gray-breasted Wood Wren	A few heard
Southern Nightingale Wren	1 heard
Orange-billed Nightingale Thrush	several, common around hostel
White-throated Thrush	1 seen
Mountain Thrush	few seen
Long-billed Gnatwren	fairly common forest
Tawny-crowned Greenlet	A few forest
Lesser Greenlet	Several
Brown-capped Vireo	Several
Three-striped Warbler	A few forest
Golden-crowned Warbler	A few
Bananaquit	A few
Tropical Parula	Several
Slate-throated Redstart	Several
Common Bush Tanager	A few
Scarlet-thighed Dacnis	A few
Silver-throated Tanager	Several
Bay-headed Tanager	A few
Crimson-collared Tanager	A few
Flame-colored Tanager	1
White-winged Tanager	Pair
Yellow-throated (White-naped) Brush Finch	Several