Birdwatching at Estacion Biologica I

The aquatic habitat of the lake combines with the tropical dry forest habitat of Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve to give a wide variety of birds to be seen in a birdwatching activity. Here is a list of birds we saw on a morning birdwatching walk around Estacion Biologica this week:

Osprey                                  Pandion heliaetus
Turkey Vulture                      Cathartus aura
Black Vulture                        Coragyps atratrus
Orange-chinned Parakeet      Brotogeris jugularis
Orange-fronted Parakeet       Aratinga canicularis
Turquoise-browed Motmot    Eumomota superciliosa
Northern Oriole                     Icterus galbula
Swainson's Thrush                 Turdus swainsonii
Clay-colored Thrush              Turdus grayi
Hoffmann's Woodpecker       Melanerpes hoffmannii
Yellow Warbler                     Dendroica petechia
Salvin's Emerald                    Chlorostylbon salvini
White-throated Magpie-Jay   Calocitta formosa
Dusky-capped Flycatcher      Myiarchus tuberculifer
Social Flycatcher                   Myiozetetes similis
Inca Dove                              Columbina inca
Red-billed Pigeon                   Patagioenas flavirostris
Tropical Kingbird                   Tyrannus melancholicus
Chestnut-capped Warbler      Basileuterus delattrii 
Melodious Blackbird              Dives dives
Great-tailed Grackle              Quiscalus mexicanus
Black-headed Trogon            Trogon melanocephalus
Banded Wren                        Thryothorus pleurostictus
Montezuma Oropendola        Psaracolius montezuma
Rufous-naped Wren              Campylorhynchus rufinucha
Yellow-bellied Elenia             Elenia flavogaster
Yellow-olive Flycatcher         Tolmomyias sulphurescens
Blue-gray Tanager                 Thraupis episcopus
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher        Tyrannus forficatus

Photo by Jeffrey McCrary.

Twenty-nine species in 90 minutes, all within 100 meters of Estacion Biologica. Not bad! And we didn't go into the forest, nor did we look near the water. Be watching for a coming posting on our mist netting results, for comparison.

We regularly make birdwatching walks at Estacion Biologica, in addition to the research studies, and we are able to see a similar number of birds without going far and returning in time for breakfast. This list was made with the participation of David Santillo who was studying Spanish with us.

Photo by Jeffrey McCrary.

Nicaragua has plenty of great places for birdwatching, among them is our wonderful Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve. Come and bring your binoculars. Estacion Biologica can arrange a professional guide who knows his or her birds. Four members of our staff are published authors in the scientific literature about birds in Nicaragua. 

Click on the "escudo" to contact us!