cubabirdlist2017

SCOUTING TRIP NOTES

CUBA January 2017

TRIP BIRD LIST

Key to Locations and Dates

(in chronological order)

LH = La Habana (January 13-20)

JBN = Jardin Botanico Nacional (January 13)

HH = Hemingway home (January 14)

HWY 1 = La Habana-Vinales (January 22 & 23)

VIN = Vinales pine woodland (January 22 & 23)

CP = Cueva de los Portales, Pinar del Rio Province (January 23)

Z = Zapata area (January 23-25): Playa Larga Resort (PL); Bay of Pigs (BP); Santa Thomas (Zapata Wren site ST); Sopllanara (SOP); Caleta Buena (CB);Cenote coastal forest (CE); Mera coconut grove, woodland and pasture (ME); La Salina (LS).

LB = La Boca refueling station with ponds (January 25)

PA = Roadside Palpite fields, Zapata - Camaguey.(January 26)

SN = Sierra Najasa, Camaguey- Cayo Coco (January 27)

CC = Cayo Coco and vicinity (January 27-29): Sewage ponds (SP); Chinese light house, Cayo Romano (CLH); Coastal forest (CF); Roadside mangrove and salt ponds, Playa Pilar(PP); Pullman Resort (PR).

SC = Los Caneyes Resort, Santa Clara (January 29-30)

BIRDS NOTED (Status: E = Endemic to the main island; RE = Regional Endemic Subspecies in the Cuban Archipelago; I = Introduced)

Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps 1 diving in pond, LB.

Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus 5 shoreline of highway bridge to Cayo Coco.

Neotropical Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus 50 LS (photo); 30 PP.

Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) La Salina, Cuba 25 January 2017

Anhinga Anhinga anhinga 1 circling high above the ponds, LB.

Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens 5 (m,f; ad, imm), flying low over the shore and Malecon, LH, CC.

American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos 120 resting in large flocks in salt ponds, LS.

Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis 200 ubiquitous on coast and inland salt water ponds.

Great Blue Heron Ardea herodius 20 Z, CC.

Great Egret Egretta alba 200 ubiquitous in fields, wetlands, mangrove and coastal salt ponds (photo).

Great Egret (Egretta alba) and other waders, Playa Pilar, Cayo Coco Cuba 29 January 2017

Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens 10 LS; 20 PP.

Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor 60 small flocks foraging in shallow mangrove ponds; frequent wing-raising behavior, LS, PP.

Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) and Snowy Egret (Egretta thula), Playa Pilar, Cayo Coco 29 January 2017

Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea 20 LS, PP.

Snowy Egret Egretta thula 25 LS, PP.

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 400 ubiquitous in fields, pastures, wetlands, suburbs.

Green Heron Butorides virescens 10 LS, PP.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nyctanassa violacea 1 PL.

White Ibis Eudocimus albus 15 LS, PP.

Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja 50 synchronized foraging of individuals using shallow side-to- side (swishing) movements in mangrove pools, CR, LS, PP.

Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) Cayo Romano 28 January 2017

Wood Stork Mycteria americana 2 in flight to mangrove roost, LS.

Caribbean Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber 400 widespread; often in large flocks in mangrove salt ponds, CC, LS, PP.

West Indian Whistling Duck Dendrocygna arborea 9 swimming at edge of mangrove pond, CC.

Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata (I - domestic) ubiquitous in and around farms and suburbs.

Blue-winged Teal Anas discors 12 (m,f) swimming in shallow mangrove pond, PP.

Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata 10 (m,f) shallow mangrove ponds, LS, PP, CC.

Ring-necked Duck Athya collaris 6 (m,f) inland brackish lake, HWY 1.

Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis 1 (f) with RNDU, HWY 1.

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator 6 shallow mangrove ponds, LS, PP.

Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis 60 (m,f) inland brackish lake, HWY 1.

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura abundant, ubiquitous.

Osprey Pandion haliaetus 2 flying over mangrove LS.

Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis 1 roadside catchment basin, HWY.

Gundlach's Hawk Accipiter gundlachi (E) 1? seen briefly in flight; appeared to be an accipiter; flushed from heavily wooded lot at edge of field JBN; 1 circling high above LA Maravila National Park, Vinales (photo).

Gundlach's Hawk (Accipiter gundlachi) La Maravilla National Park, Vinales 22 Jan 2017

Cuban Black Hawk Buteogallus gundlachii (E) 1-2 roadside mangrove perch; one high in canopy; the other near the water's edge, LS; 1 edge of woodland, Pulman Resort; this species seems to be confiding and unafraid of humans.

Cuban Black Hawk (Buteogallus gundlachii) La Salina, 25 Jan 2017

Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 1 flying, Sierra Najasa fields; 2 circling above pastures along highways.

Northern Caracara Caracara cheriway 5 flying over fields and wetlands; uncommon but widespread.

American Kestrel Falco sparverius (light and reddish brown morphs) 30 widespread and common on utility wires adjacent to roadways and open fields.

Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus cubanensis) (RE) 5 a small, shy covey running through dense grass at base of a large tree in a field, JBN.

Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris 20 (I - domestic) roadside farm and fields, incl. Zapata, Santa Clara and Sierra Najasa.

Limpkin Aramus gaurauna 2 a pair foraging warily in a roadside pasture, Santa Clara region.

Limpkin (Aramus gaurauna) Santa Clara region 29 January 2017

Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinicus 20 pairs and individuals in wet pasture and marsh, Zapata- Camaguey.

Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata 4 HWY1; 1 LB.

American Coot Fulica americana 6 brackish lake, HWY 1; PP.

Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus 80 foraging in loose flocks; mangrove and shallow salt ponds, LS, CC, PP.

Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola 5 LH; 2 LS; 3 CC, 2 PP.

Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus 5 foraging on beach near BBPL, CC.

Killdeer 18 LH; 2 LS; 3 CC.

Piping Plover Charadrius melodus 1 foraging on beach, CC (photo).

Piping Plover Charadrius melodus Cayo Coco 27 Jan 2017

Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata 1 flushed from edge of flooded field, SP (CC).

Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus 5 flooded area, SP (CC); 10 foraging in shallows PP.

Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca 10 LS, PP.

Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes CC, PP.

Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria 1 flooded area with other shorebirds , SP (CC).

Willet Tringa semipalmata 1 CC on shore with deep piles of wrack; 1 in mangrove, PP.

Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia 1 on outer jetty, MIramar shore, LH; 1 flooded field, SP (CC).

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres 1 on breakwater, Miramar shore, LH; 2 on rocky shore, PL.

Sanderling Calidris alba 5 on beach with SPPL, CC.

Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus 3 in flooded area with SBDO, SP (CC).

Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla ubiquitous in coastal areas.

Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica 10 LS.

Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 5 LS.

Royal Tern Thalasseus maxima 15 LS, 2 SP (CC).

Rock Dove Columba livia ubiquitous, especially in and around towns.

White-crowned Pigeon Columba leucocephala 1 ZS

Plain Pigeon Columba inornata 1 ZS; 1 CC.

Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto ubiquitous, especially in and around towns.

Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura ubiquitous, though not abundant.

Zenaida Dove Zenaida aurita 2 Camaguey; 2 CC.

Common Ground Dove Columbina passerina ubiquitous, especially in and around towns.

Grey-fronted quail-dove Geotrygon caniceps caniceps RE; SOP (Z).

Key West quail-dove Geotrygon chrysia 2 on ground at watering station, edge of forest, CF (CC).

Blue-headed quail- dove Starnoenas cyanocephala 10 CE (Z) (photo).

Blue-headed quail-dove Starnoenas cyanocephala CE, Zapata, Cuba 24 January 2017

Cuban Parakeet Psittacara euops 10 noisy, itinerant flocks JBN; PL (Z)

Cuban amazon Amazona leucocephala leucocephala RE; 2 pastureland fruiting trees, CE (Z) (photo).

Cuban amazon Amazona leucocephala leucocephala Zapata, Cuba 23 Jan 2017

Mangrove Cuckoo Coccyzus minor 1 fairly secretive in roadside coastal scrub, CLH (CR) (photo).

Mangrove Cuckoo Coccyzus minor Cayo Romano, Cuba 28 January 2017

Great Lizard Cuckoo Saurothera merlini merlini RE 3 active in shady understory of woodland edge, ME (Z) (photo)

Great Lizard Cuckoo Saurothera merlini merlini Zapata area, Cuba 24 January 2017

Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani 30 ubiquitous in pastureland and second growth around suburbs.

Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani Cayo Coco, Cuba 27 January 2017

Bare-legged Owl Margarobyas lawrencii 1 concealed in a known royal palm tree cavity about 15 ft. agl near edge of woodland and pasture; emerged partially from cavity when the tree was tapped with a stick on two consecutive days, afternoon and morning, ME (Z) (photos).

Bare-legged Owl Margarobyas lawrencii Zapata area, Cuba 25 & 26 January 2017

Cuban Pygmy Owl Glaucidium siju 1 1 on a branch in subcanopy, Me (Z) 1 perched on an exposed branch, roadside scrub bordering pastureland, SN (photo)

Cuban Pygmy Owl Glaucidium siju Sierra Najasa, Cuba 27 January 2017

Sygian Owl Asio stygius suguapa RE 1 found at night in a tall deciduous tree bordering the resort, PL.

Stygian Owl Asio stygius suguapa Playa Larga Resort, Zapata, Cuba 24 January 2017

Cuban Nighthjar Antrostomus cubanensis 1 found at night in a large deciduous tree at the edge of the resort, PL (photo).

Cuban Nightjar Antrostomus cubanensis Playa Larga resort, Zapata, Cuba 25 January 2017

Antillean Palm Swift Tachornis phoenicobia tradii RE 5 circling palms and tall buildings at edge of Malecon, LH.

Cuban Emerald Chlorostilbon ricordii ricordii RE ubiquitous, especially in gardens and farms (photo).

Cuban Emerald Tachornis phoenicobia tradii Cayo Coco, Cuba 28 January 2017

Bee Hummingbird Archilochus colubris 2 m,f visiting and defending garden feeders at private suburban residence, Z (photo)

Bee Hummingbird Archilochus colubris (male) Zapata, Cuba 23 January 2017

Cuban Trogon Priotelus temnurus 1 m moving around slowly in the shady subcanopy of coastal scrub forest near a large cenote, CE (Z) (photo).

Cuban Trogon Protelus temnurus Zapata, Cuba 25 January 2017

Belted Kingfisher 5 ubiquitous in small numbers (1-2) in wetlands.

Cuban Tody Todus multicolor 3 vocal; active in subcanopy and lower levels of coastal scrub forest, ME; CC (photo).

Cuban Tody Todus multicolor (male) Cayo Coco, Cuba 28 January 2017

West Indian Woodpecker Melanerpes superciliaris superciliaris RE widespread and fairly common (2 -3) in wooded areas and gardens (photo).

West Indian Woodpecker Melanerpes superciliaris superciliaris (male) HWY 1, N Cuba 22 Jan 2017

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius 1 (m) JBN.

Cuban Green Woodpecker Xiphidiopicus percussus 1 JBN (photo); 1 ME (Z).

Cuban Green Woodpecker Xiphidiopicus percussus Jardin Botanico Nacional Cuba 13 Jan 2017

Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus chrysocaulosus RE ubiquitous, though not abundant; wooded areas.

Fernadina's Flicker Colaptes fernandinae 2 a pair visiting upper stems of topless royal palms, RA (Z) (photo).

Fernadina's Flicker Colaptes fernandinae m,f Zapata, Cuba 27 January 2017

Cuban Pewee Contopus sp. RE ubiquitous in gardens, fields, suburbs (photo).

Cuban Pewee Contopus morenoi Zapata, Cuba 25 January 2017

La Sagra's Flycatcher Myiarchus sagrae 1 pine woodland, VIN; 1 in canopy and subcanopy on exposed linbs of coastal forest CC (photo).

La Sagra's Flycatcher Myiarchus sagrae Cayo Coco Cuba 28 January 2017

Giant Kingbird Tyrannus cubensis 1 attracted to playback recording of its vocalizations; PA (Z) (photo).

Giant Kingbird Tyrannus cubensis Palpite fields, Zapata Cuba 27 January 2017

Cuban Martin Progne cryptoleuca 1 circling high above the resort; presumably a returning migrant from an unknown wintering area outside of Cuba, PR (CC).

Zapata Wren Ferminia cerverai 1 color banded; responded to recorded playback of its vocalizations; staying concealed in shrubs, ST (Z) (photo).

Zapata Wren Ferminia cerverai San Thomas slough, Zapata Swamp, Cuba 24 January 2017

Gray Catbird Dumatella carolinesis ubiquitous in brushy and wooded areas, but uncommon.

Bahama Mockingbird Mimus gundlachii 1 silent; attracted to recorded playback of its BAMO vocalizations, coastal scrub, CC (photo). Note: relatively dark grayish coloration; spotting on breast; reduced white wing patches.

Bahama Mockingbird Mimus gundlachii Cayo Coco Cuba 29 January 2017

Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos vocal; ubiquitous, common in gardens, scrub and suburbs (photo).

Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Cayo Coco, Cuba 28 January 2017

Cuban Solitaire Myadestes elisabeth 1 singing from a dense tangle of limbs on cliff face next to cave opening, CP (photo).

Cuban Solitaire Myadestes elisabeth Cueva de los Portales, Cuba 23 January 2017

Red-legged Thrush Turdus plumbeus rubripes RE ubiquitous in gardens and shady suburbs (photo).

Red-legged Thrush Turdus plumbeus rubripes Hemingway Home, La Habana Cuba 14 January 2017

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea 1 vocal; foraging in subcanopy of mesquite-like trees, JBN.

Cuban Gnatcatcher Polioptila lembeyi 1 staying fairly well concealed in dense coastal shrubs, CLH (CR) (photo).

Cuban Gnatcatcher Polioptila lembeyi Cayo Romano, Cuba 28 January 2017

Cuban Palm Crow Corvus minutus 6 pairs, largely silent, allopreening; active in and around a stand of roadside Royal Palms, SN (photo).

Cuban Palm Crow Corvus minutus Sierra Najasa Cuba 27 January 2017

Cuban Crow Corvus nasicus 10 vocal, gregarious; a strange, garbled series of variable pitched calls given between multiple individuals in a flock early AM; individuals, pairs and small flocks in trees at the resort and in local farmyards, PL (Z) (photo).

Cuban Crow Corvus nasicus Zapata, Cuba 23 January 2017

Common Myna Acridotheres tristis ? vocal flock of 3-5 individuals in late afternoon; seen in silhouette only at distance on roof top antennae, n La Habana.

White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus 1 active in subcanopy of coastal woodland, CC.

Cuban Vireo Vireo gundlachii 1 in dense tangle of vines; mixed species flock composed mostly of N. American warblers (AMRE, YTWA), ME (Z); 1 staying low in coastal shrubs and trees, CR (photo).

Cuban Vireo Vireo gundlachii Cayo Romano Cuba 28 January 2017

Northern Parula Setophaga americana ubiquitous but uncommon; often in msf with other warblers in wooded areas.

Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia 3 uncommon; in trees and shrubs throughout the region.

Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrina 1 subcanopy of coastal forest, CC.

Black-throated Blue Warbler Setophaga caerulescens 5 m,f fairly common in gardens with shade and fruiting trees, Z (photo).

Black-throated Blue Warbler Setophaga caerulescens male Zapata Cuba 23 January 2017

Yellow-throated Warbler Setophaga dominica 4 widespread; often in msf with other warblers, VIN; CC

Yellow-throated Warbler Setophaga dominica m Cayo Coco Cuba 28 January 2017

Olive-capped Warbler Setophaga pityophila 2 in pines, VIN (photo).

Olive-capped Warbler Setophaga pityophila Vinales Cuba 23 January 2017

Prairie Warbler Setophaga discolor 2 woodland; canopy and subcanopy; uncommon, Z.

Palm Warbler Setophaga palmarum ubiquitous, commonest and most abundant of migrant warblers in Cuba; open fields, gardens, suburbs, shorelines, edge of woodlands (photo).

Palm Warbler Setophaga discolor Zapata, Cuba 25 January 2017

American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla ubiquitous, common; wooded areas; forages for insects from ground to canopy; often in msf with other warblers.

Black & White Warbler Mniotilta varia ubiquitous, common, wooded areas; forages on 4 in. and larger diameter of limbs.

Black & White Warbler Mniotilta varia Zapata Cuba 25 January 2017

Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla widespread in shady, wooded areas; uncommon; Z, CC.

Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis 2 uncommon; on ground, streamside and shady gardens, Z (photo).

Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis Zapata, Cuba 23 January 2017

Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla 1 streamside (ST -Z) (photo).

Lousiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla St. Thomas, Zapata National Park Cuba 24 January 2017

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas ubiquitous in woodland understory and gardens; usually in moist vegetation.

Yellow-headed Warbler Teretistris fernandinae 1 vocal; in canopy of coastal trees overhanging slough, ST-Z

(photo).

Yellow-headed Warbler Teretistis fernandinae St. Thomas, Zapata National Park, Cuba 24 January 2017

Oriente Warbler Teretistris fornsi 1 coastal woodland scrub CC

Western Spindalis Spindalis zena pretrei m,f RE widespread; often paired; fairly common in scrub and woodland edge (photo).

Western Spindalis Spindalis zena pretrei Cayo Romano 28 January 2017

Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus (I) 2 in subcanopy of ornamental fruiting trees, JBN; HH.

Cuban Bullfinch Melopyrrha nigra nigra RE m,f fairly common in coastal scrub and woodland edge throughout, CP, CC (photo).

Cuban Bullfinch Melopyrrha nigra nigra Cayo Coco Cuba 28 January 2017

Cuban Grassquit Tiaris canorus 12 m,f vocal, gregarious at feeding station on farm along HWY 1 (photo).

Cuban Grassquit Tiaris canorus male HWY 1 La Habana - Vinales, Cuba 22 January 2017

Yellow-faced Grassquit Tiaris olivacea m,f ubiquitous, gregarious, vocal; fairly common in a variety of vegetation and edge of woodland; sometimes sympatric with CUGR (photo).

Yellow-faced Grassquit Tiaris olivacea male farm along HWY 1 La Habana - Vinales Cuba 22 January 2017

Zapata Sparrow Torreornis inexpectata 1 in trees and in coastal swamp woodland, Z (photo); 1 on ground, CC.

Zapata Sparrow Torreornis inexpectata St. Thomas Zapata National Park, Cuba 24 January 2017

Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea widespread, uncommon; pastureland, woodland edge, Z, CC.

Tawny-shouldered Blackbird Agelaius humeralis ssp. RE 4 m,f gregarious; backyard feeder and garden, Z (photo).

Tawny-shouldered Blackbird Agelaius humeralis Zapata Cuba 23 January 2017

Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna hippocrepis ES 6 in a grassy field at the edge of the reserve, JBN; common along roadways through pastureland SN.

Cuban Blackbird Dives atroviolacea Ubiquitous, abundant, gregarious; in most if not all terrestrial habitats, including suburbs (photo).

Cuban Blackbird Dives atroviolacea male Zapata Cuba 25 January 2017

Greater Antillean Grackle Quiscalus niger gundlachii 5 fairly common in west coastal woodland and edge, Z (photo).

Greater Antillean Grackle Quiscalus niger gundlachii Zapata Cuba 24 January 2017

Cuban Oriole Icterus melanopsis 1 (m) backyard feeding station, Z (photo).

Cuban Oriole Icterus melanopsis male Zapata Cuba 23 January 2017

House Sparrow Passer domesticus ubiquitous, especially in urban areas.