Panama's avifauna is exceptionally large: 972 species have been reported from the Republic to date, considerably more species than are recorded from all of North America north of México. Without doubt the isthmus of Panamá offers a varied and attractive avifauna to the birdwatcher, amateur and professional. Local interests in birds has increased in recent years, and there is now an active chapter of the Florida Audubon Society. Travelers remaining in Panamá for a period may find its scheduled meetings and bird walks helpful.
Casa Kenia offers birding right from its back yard. Many species can be seen in Sta. Catalina with little effort in many places, while others will be found only by searching them out in their favorite haunts. Now that Coiba is protected and open to the visitor, Santa Catalina can be sure to see a growing interest in those wishing to see the birds of Coiba.
Birds from Coiba National Park (Panamá).
The birds certainly are currently the best know zoological group in the Park. The study of Coiba birds started with he material obtained by Batty in his visit to the island in 1901. This material allowed the description of four endemic subspecies. Wetmore spent a month on Coiba in 1956 and published a monograph about the birds of the island, in which 16 new bird subspecies are described and up to 130 species reported. Since then, different visits by Wetmore, Eisenmann and Morton, Ridgely and others have added, if not completed, the knowledge of the avifauna of Coiba and the neighboring islands, enlarging the checklist of birds up to 147 species: 96 residents, 40 migrants, and 12 accidentals.
Regarding the composition, several authors have pointed out the remarkable absence of some typically forest-associated families as Tinamidae, Cracidae, Phasianidae, Trogonidae, Momotidae, Bucconidae, Galbulidae, Rhamphastidae or Dendrocolaptidae; as well as the meager representation of some other such as Picidae, Furnaridae, and Formicariidae. This fact has been explained by differential colonization capabilities and extinction rates among bird families during the isolation process that took place along the last glacial period. Recent studies although, point to that only the Bucconidae being less represented than expected according to habitat disponibilities in both the island and the near mainland.
Coiba Endemics:
- Brown-backed Dove Leptotila battyi
Paloma de Coiba
- Coiba Spinetail Cranieoleuca dissita
Colaespina de Coiba
Subspecies:
- Scaly-breasted Hummingbird Phaeochroa cuvierii saturatior
Colibrí pechiescamado
- Red-crowned Woodpecker Melanerpes rubricapillus subfusculus
Carpintero coronirrojo
- Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus eremus
Batará barreteado
- Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma obsoletum orphnum
Tiranolete silbador sureño
- Sepia-capped Flycatcher Leptopogon amaurocephalus idus
Mosquerito gorrisepia
- Tropical Pewee Contopus cinereus aithalodes
Pibí tropical
- Scrub Greenlet Hylophilus flavipes xuthus
Verdillo matorralero
- Rufous-browed Peppershrike Cyclarhis gujanensis coibae
Vireón cejirrufo
- House Wren Troglodytes aedon carychrous
Soterrey común
- Tropical Gnatcatcher Polioptila plumbea cinericia
Perlita tropical
- White-throated Thrush Turdus assimilis coibensis
Mirlo gorguiblanco
- Tropical Parula Parula pitiayumi cirrah
Parula tropical
- Rufous-capped Warbler Basileuterus rufifrons actuosus
Reinita cabecicastaña
- Crimson-backed Tanager Ramphocelus dimidiatus arestus
Tangara dorsirroja
- Blue-gray Tanager Thraupis episcopus cumatilis
Tangara azuleja
- Yellow-faced Grassquit Tiaris olivacea ravida
Semillerito cariamarillo
- Black-striped Sparrow Arremonops conirostris viridicatus
Gorrión negrilistado
- Streaked Saltator Saltator albicollis scotinus
Saltador listado
Casa Kenia can set up scheduled walks, local river tours and of course trips out to Coiba National Park.
A few popular species found on Coiba : the lovely Lanced-tailed Manakin, the endangered Scarlet Macaw, the endemic Coiba Spinetail and the endemic Brown-backed Dove.
Lets go birding!
