The giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) is the only member of the genus Patagona and the largest member of the hummingbird family, weighing 18–24 g (0.63–0.85 oz) and having a wingspan of approximately 21.5 cm (8.5 in) and length of 23 cm (9.1 in). This is approximately the same length as a European starling or a northern cardinal, though the giant hummingbird is considerably lighter because it has a slender build and long bill, making the body a smaller proportion of the total length. This weight is almost twice that of the next heaviest hummingbird species, and ten times that of the smallest, the bee hummingbird.
This species is found in the lowlands in the north of the country and east of the Andes. It is a fairly silent bird and is difficult to confuse with other jumpers. Its name Saltator derives from Latin and means dancer while its epithet Orenocensis refers to the Orinoco River.
If you’ve been considering joining to the birding community there’s no better time than the present to take the plunge—or at least dip your toes in. But wait. Where should you go? How do you even find a bird? Which bins should you choose? If you’re a novice, this handy primer will give you the tools you need to venture into the field with confidence.
The Yellow-crowned Whitestart is ENDEMIC from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. He is conspicuous and confident. It spreads its tail as it jumps and flutters through the foliage in search of insects. Myioborus derives from the Greek muia = fly and boros = devourer. The epithet Flavivertex refers to the color of its crown and derives from the Latin roots flavus = yellow and vertex = crown.
The lyre-tailed nightjar (Uropsalis lyra) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae.The male of this species is unmistakable due to its long tail, almost three times the length of its body. It is found in the Andes from 800 to 2500 meters above sea level. Its name Uropsalis means scissor tail and derives from the roots oura = tail and psalis = scissors. Its epithet lyra derives from the Latin lyre = lira.
The blackish owl (Asio stygius) is a species of strigiform bird belonging to the genus Asio that is part of the family Strigidae. It is native to the Neotropics.
It measures between 38 and 46 cm weighing between 632 and 675 g, the female is heavier. Large and understated, her entire appearance is somber. It has two long tufts of black feathers on its head that are mistaken for «ears» or «horns». Yellow-orange eyes. Brownish-black face with whitish eyebrows and a clearly visible light spot on the forehead between the “ears”. Dorsal parts black-brownish with scattered light spots. Underparts buffy or dirty white with the chest all dark stained and thick black-brownish stripes in the shape of a herringbone in the rest; blackish outer shirts. Tail dark brown barred brown. Her fingers are bear with feathered tarsi. The beak is black.
The Green (Mexican) violetear (Colibri cyanotus) it is a species of apodiform bird in the Trochilidae family is a medium-sized, metallic green hummingbird species commonly found in forested areas from Mexico to Nicaragua. This species, together with the lesser violetear were previously considered conspecific, and together called the green violetear.
The collared inca (Coeligena torquata) is a species of hummingbird found in humid Andean forests from western Venezuela, through Colombia and Ecuador, to Peru and Bolivia. It is very distinctive and unique in having a white chest-patch and white on the tail. Like other hummingbirds it takes energy from flower nectar (especially from bromelias), while the plant benefits from the symbiotic relationship by being pollinated. Its protein source is small arthropods such as insects. It is normally solitary and can be found at varying heights above the ground, often in the open.
The ferruginous pygmy owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) is a small owl that breeds in south-central Arizona and southern Texas in the United States, south through Mexico and Central America, to South America into Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay and Argentina.
The Flame-faced Tanager has a bright orange forehead and cheeks which grade to yellow on the rest of the head. It has a black throat and ear patcher. The upperparts are black with a greenish-yellow shoulder patch and yellow and greenish-buff rump. The underparts are greenish-buff grading to rufous toward the belly. It is similar to the Saffron-crowned Tanager but is distinguished by having a black back and greenish buff underparts.
