Birds of Central Panama

I photographed 80 of the 165 bird species I saw. We "heard only" another 10 species.
We did the 7-night birding package at Sierra Llorona Panama Lodge (SLPL) the last week of February, '05.


Bananaquit Red-lored Amazon Keel-billed toucan Blue-gray tanager


Blue-crowned motmot Black-throated trogan s Slaty-tailed trogon (front)


Broad-billed motmot White-throated crake White-whiskered puffbird



Black vulture Chestnut-headed oropendula Turkey vulture


Double-toothed kite Green-backed heron Gray-headed chacalaca


Blue-chested hummingbird White-necked jacobin Crowned woodnymph


Crimson-headed woodpecker Golden_hooded_tanager Smooth-billed ani

Other shots of the species showcased above:

Golden-hooded tanager Old Gamboa Road, but also seen at SLPL; singing; another angle
Red-lored amazon Photographed from the SLPL breakfast porch scratching its head.
Black-throated trogan,side view. SLPL trail.
Blue-chested hummingbird photographed from the SLPL gazebo.
Crowned woodnymph hovering near a fly. SLPL gazebo.
Smooth-billed ani, Fort San Lorenzo
tv flying; and another
Broad-billed motmot Pipeline Road. This individual looks so different from the one showcased above!
White-necked jacobin photographed on that trail at Ft. San Lorenzo where we also had the double-toothed kite; Another at SLPL. This last could be the same individual showcased above, What a difference the light and the angle makes!
Blue_crowned_motmot Michael motioned me suddenly into the forest off Old Gamboa Road. We were crouched there and he was pointing but I never did see the Little tinamou(!) he saw. My consolation prize was that Michael looked up and pointed to this motmot.

Species not showcased above:

Lineated woodpecker Photographed on the SLPL trails.
Black-cheeked woodpecker pair Madden Dam; behind SLPL; behind the bird
Gray-capped flycatcher at Achiote Road.
Southern lapwing Summit Gardens golf course; another view
Immature Snail kite Achiote Road
Swallow-tailed kite and Gray-headed kite; Swallow-tailed kite high above SLPL our first morning there.
Streaked flycatcher, Fort San Lorenzo; preening; at Achiote Rd.
Crested oropendula Fort San Lorenzo
Yellow-rumped cacique Fort San Lorenzo
Masked tityra Achiote Road
Long-tailed hermit Sierra Lorona Panama Lodge gazebo
Watled jacana Same place where we got the White-throated crake and the Capybaras; another posture
White-shouldered tanager Old Gamboa Road; another angle
Chestnut-mandibled toucan From the SLPL driveway at dusk. a pair
Collared aracari Also photographed from the SLPL driveway at dusk
Orange-chinned parakeet, Old Gamboa Road; another view
Ruddy ground dove
Osprey We saw Osprey at Ft San Lorenzo and Madden Dam.
Rose-breasted grossbeak Old Gamboa Road
male Summer tanager Near Old Gamboa Road. But a female lived in the SLPL yard.
Tropical kingbird in the SLPL garden
Cattle egret Achiote Road
Little blue heron Chagres river
Snowy egret Chagres river
Crimson-backed tanager, hovering. Achiote Road; side view.
Red-legged honeycreeper flying
feeder in Gamboa. Clay-colored robin, male and female Red-legged honeycreepers, Palm tanager, Crimson-backed tanager.

Poor pictures of great birds. We saw these very well. I have no excuse for the photos:

Great tinamou Soberania National Park. Hats off to Gonzalo for spotting it!
Spectacled owl We had such a good look at this and my picture is so lousy!
Long-tailed tyrant near Achiote Road; Such a great look, but such a poor picture...
White-tailed trogan showing blue eye-ring
Golden-collared manakin Near the Chagres River; Front; Side view
Red-capped manakin at SLPL, where the forest meets the yard; My pictures of the blue-crowned manakin, which tee'd up for us several times, are even worse!! Michael tried to get me on the Lance-tailed manakin at Madden Dam but I missed it.

My excuse for the following shots is that this is about how well I saw these birds at the time I snapped them:

Boat-billed heron near Old Gamboa Road
female Magnificent frigatebird at Gatun Locks
Rufous-tailed hummingbird SLPL gazebo
Black-striped sparrow Photographed on Old Gamboa Road.
Blue cotinga Achiote Road
Buff-throated woodcreeper
Ringed kingfishers at dawn near the Gatun locks front view ; rear view
Blue-headed parrot Old Gamboa Road; I also saw this parrot near the swimming hole at SLPL.
Gray-breasted martins. I photographed these at the airport shortly before a security guard told me to stop taking pictures.

ID Problems. Both the following species were photographed while standing on Achiote Road:

Herman watched this one for a long time. He wanted to call it a Bare-throated tiger-heron. Herman does not study the bird book in advance so he did not have the advantage of knowing that that species is not in this region of Panama. Our guide Michael called it a Green heron, which is common. It seems large for a Green heron, which is 16-18 inches. The Bare-throated tiger-heron is 28-32 inches. Two of the pictures show a Great egret in the frame. A Great Egret is 36-40 inches. We did not have a scope. I, Eva, am not a birder, so I can't even say the mystery bird is a heron. I could not see it in real life any better than these pictures show it.

The target bird (86k) is in the upper left quadrant.
Still there (90k) but don't ask me to describe its body position.
Recognizable as a bird (6k).
In light of the previous picture I have a bead on its position (6k). I think its head is lowered on the right.

Of all the birds we saw (that I wrote down) around the time I took these pictures, the Yellow-bellied seedeater comes closest. But I'm not sure.
Mystery bird (6k).
Another angle (12k)

70 of my 80 photographed species are above. Of the remaining 10, some are simply commonplace (among my acquantances in Massachusetts), like the Great Blue Heron, and the Baltimore Oriole. Some are just not that good, like a Purple-thoated fruitcrow shot that did not capture the purple throat.
Eva and Herman's Panama Trip List
Non-avian Panamanian fauna
Flora, habitats, nests, and people photographed in Panama.

Other birding trips:

Birding Massachusetts 2018
Birding Massachusetts 2015-2017
Birding Massachusetts 2014
Birding Massachusetts 2013
Birding Massachusetts 2012
Birding Massachusetts 2011
Birding Massachusetts 2010
Nantucket at New Year's 2005 (& previous New Years)
Birding France 2019
Birding Phoenix 2018
Birding Ireland 2016
Birding Yellowstone and northern Utah 2015
Birding Hawaii 2011
Birding Utah 2009
Birding Guatemala 2008
Birding Kansas 2008
Birding Mexico 2007
Birding Florida 2006
Birding Texas 2005
Birding Belize 2002
Birding Colorado June 2001
Birding Ecuador February 1999
Birding Trinidad 1998
Birding Peru June 1995
Herman's Birding Page

Herman's Home Page
Eva's Home Page

Feedback may be sent to eva@theworld.com
The photos on this page were taken with my Olympus Digital Camera w/ 10X zoom lens.
This page has been accessed access odometer display times since June 28, 2005 

Last revised: August 8,2019