Ecuador birds - a few I can't pin down

[Cal Walters]

Hope this is an ok way to use the forum - had several shoot first, ask species later situations in Ecuador. Unfortunately, these are not generally posting quality! Thus part of the problem.

We were on the Napo River at Sacha Lodge for most - and a few hummer types in Quito and Otavalo. Rather than post separately - here is a link with them:

http://gallery.me.com/calw#100269

Thanks for any help.

[Chris Sloan]

Ok, here goes:

1 - Scarlet-crowned Barbet

2 - Piratic Flycatcher

3 - Swallow-wing

4 - Black-billed Thrush

5 - Gilded Barbet

7 - I'm confused by this one also; I think there is something funky going on with the light and the angle that is giving off a wierd vibe. Will have to think about this one.

8 - The Quito hummingbird is a violetear, most likely Sparkling although not sure you can tell from the photo.

The flycatcher at Otavalo is a Torrent Tyrannulet; not convinced that it's a juvenile though.

Chris Sloan
http://www.chrissloanphotography.com

[Cal Walters]

Chris,
Many thanks. I was confused by the Gilded Barbet - given one was so simple on the face and the other so complex.

Thanks again.

[john jackson]

Your hummingbird in Quito is a Sparkling Violetear (the blue belly clinches it).

Mystery No 7 is, I think, an Orange-crested Manakin, like this one I took at Sacha last year: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjbirder/3297865632/

Was it in the Varzea (wet) forest at Sacha? Orange-crested is a Varzea specialist.

[Chris Sloan]

You're dead right about the manakin; can't believe I didn't think of that. On the violetear, I don't think the blue belly clinches it. Green Violetear can also show that depending on the subspecies. Although, having said that, if memory serves, it's the more northern subspecies that shows that feature, so maybe you are right. In any event, I think Sparkling is much more likely in Quito anyway.

[Cal Walters]

Thanks all. i really appreciate it! I had lost track of this but - BPNers did not!

[Cal Walters]

Your hummingbird in Quito is a Sparkling Violetear (the blue belly clinches it).

Mystery No 7 is, I think, an Orange-crested Manakin, like this one I took at Sacha last year: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjbirder/3297865632/

Was it in the Varzea (wet) forest at Sacha? Orange-crested is a Varzea specialist.

Yes the manakin was in the deep forest at Sacha. I went out alone one afternoon with just the native guide. Amazing experience. He called in puffbirds, ant shrikes and an ant pita from what seemed to me to be improbable distances. What a great place to bird.