Lettered Aracari (Pteroglossus inscriptus) - 14Aug2022

This species of Aracari is so named because of the "script" visible on the lower edge of the upper mandible.  It is fairly wide-spread across the Amazon basin and northern Pantanal of Brazil.   We had ours in Chapada dos Guimaeres in Brazil.

Black-billed Mountain toucan (Andigena nigrirostris) - 06Aug2024

Black is beautiful!  This Mountain-toucan has evolved a black bill whereas most of its genus mates have colorful bills.  However, I don't think it makes this bird any less interesting, and in fact maybe more intriguing.  This was the bird of the day on our first outing on my second trip to Colombia.  It is found in a wide range from Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela but in a fairly thin sliver of high elevation ridges in montane and cloud forest habitat.  

Gray-breasted Mountain toucan (Andigena hypoglauca) - 19Aug2024

Gray-breasted Mountain-toucan is one of four species in the genus Andigena.  It has a fairly wide range in the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.  This was one of the target species at Hacienda El Bosque, a dairy farm turned into an eco-resort and birding location.  They have set up feeding stations over a wide area of the property and this one had grapes which apparently they love.  We waited for almost an hour for them to come and they never did so the group gave up and walked towards the main house to take bathroom breaks before leaving for our next destination.  I asked the tour leader if I could forgo the bathroom break and get picked up on their way down the hill.  It was lucky that I did because shortly before they loaded up and drove down to get me, the birds flew in and I flagged down the van and everyone got great looks.

 

Southern Emerald Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus albivitta) - 10Aug2024

I have benefitted from the split of the Northern and Southern Emerald Toucanet from the old species of Emerald Toucanet.  I saw the Northern one up in Costa Rica and the Southern in Colombia where this one was photographed. I think the Northern one is a little more striking with the blue face, but both are pleasing to the eye.  This one came in to feeders at Ukuku Lodge.

Toucan Barbet (Semnornis ramphastinus) - 15Aug2024

These funny looking birds are one of two species in the genus Semnornis with Prong-billed Barbet being the other.  They tend to stay pretty high up in high elevation canopy forest in Colombia and Ecuador.  They are very loud with their calls traveling great distance.  We heard them on my second trip to Colombia in the central cordillera, but it took some time to locate them way up over 100 yards away.  They are considered to be "Near Threatened" because they are fairly picky in their nesting trees, preferring  older trees of a specific family (Laurels).  

Red-headed Barbet (Eubucco bourcierii) - 13Aug2024

Red-headed Barbets is one of four colorful species in the genus Eubucco.   We had ours in Florida, Colombia which was actually the home town of our bird guide on both of my trips to Colombia.  Some birds just look angry, and this is one of them.

Rufous-tailed Jacamar (Galbula ruficauda) - 19Aug2022

The Rufous-tailed Jacamar is found in a wide range throughout Central and South America.  Although I had seen a few, I thought I was doomed to get poor looks through the forest.   However, in my trip to the Pantanal in Brazil we saw many at point blank even in suburban gardens.