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MANU EXPEDITIONS BIRDING AND WILDLIFE TOURS

Birding@ManuExpeditions.com

www.Birding-In-Peru.com

A TRIP REPORT FOR A BIRDING TRIP TO ABANCAY, MACHU PICCHU AND ABRA MALAGA

November 29th – December 4th - 2013

Trip Leader: Silverio Duri

Quite a few days not only the fabulous Machu Picchu Ruins but 15 Peruvian endemics and other range restricted species, many of them endangered.

BIRDING LOCALITIES AROUND ABANCAY, ABRA MALAGA AND MACHU-PICCHU

Andahuaylas road – below Abancay S 09 05 162 W 077 47 732 (2370 meters)

Huanipaca road - S 10 01 017 W 072 53 071 (3325 mts)

Abra Malaga - Polylepis forest west slope 13° 8'36.72"S 72°18'16.10"W (4435m)

Abra Malaga - East slope cloud forest at Canchailloc S 13 06 943 W 072 20 433 (2632m)

Machu Picchu Ruins S13 09 851 W 072 32 619 (2950 meters) Puente Ruinas - Aguas Calientes Machu Picchu S13 09 851 W 072 32 619 (2010m)

DAY BY DAY ACTIVITIES November 04th: Afternoon flight from Puerto Maldonado to Cusco and right away continue our journey to Abancay and after arrival to Abancay we just had dinner and rested for an early start next day. Night in Abancay at “Hotel de Turistas” November 05th: Abancay to Ollantaytambo; early morning without breakfast we drove down to Pachachaca road for the Koepcke’s (Apurimac) Screech-Owl where it responded right away and

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come very close to as and then we waited for better light and to go onto the Andahuaylas road for the Pale-tailed Canastero where we also where lucky to get it right away and then return it to the Hotel for breakfast and after breakfast we head to Ollantaytambo with some birding stops along the way; the first official stop was bellow the pass where some saw the “Ampay “ Tapaculo and after the pass we went to the Huanipaca road for the rest of our target birds and better views of the Ampay Tapaculo and the rest of the Apurimac specialties where we did very well, finding the rest of the Apurimac targets as we got to a good patch of forest, and after that we drove straight back to Ollantaytambo. Overnight at Pakaritampu Hotel November 06th: Abra Malaga Polylepis woodlands (west slope), where we had a great view of the Royal Cinclodes that responded well to playback. Night at the (Pakaritampu Hotel) November 07th: Abra Malaga east slope (cloud forest) - night at the (Pakaritampu Hotel) – end of the trip for our good friend Hector who returned back to Cusco that afternoon with our bus. November 08th: Ollantaytambo to Machu-Picchu (Aguas Caliente); after we arrived we met our local guide Vilma to do the tour of the Inca ruins after the tour we had lunch and right after lunch we went birding all the way down to the (Puente Ruinas) and along the Urubamba River and all the way back to our Hotel. Overnight at Aguas Caliente bellow Machu-Picchu (El Mapi Hotel). November 09th: A rainy morning that we couldn’t do much until almost at mid morning I got permission to get into the Machu-Picchu Pueblo Hotel ground where we spent it our time until the rain stop and then we went onto the trail rail along the Urubamba River for birding where we got some of our missing targets and then back to Aguas Calientes town for lunch and after lunch we just waited for our train back to Cusco via Poroy station - return to Cusco at the Casa Andina Plaza Hotel; and good dinner outside of the Hotel and very nice show at the restaurant.

November 10th: End of the trip.

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The Key to the Bird list

RED – IUCN RED LIST CATEGORY SACC = South American Classification Committee

IOC = International Ornithological Congress RR = Range restricted species

E = Peruvian Endemic *= Heard Only

THE BIRDLIST

Family: ANATIDAE - DUCKS Andean Goose - Chloephaga melanoptera Seen at Abra Malaga both days Torrent Duck - Merganetta armata turneri Fantastic views along the Urubamba River on our way in and out to Machu-Picchu; how on earth does this species cope “acoustically” by living in such torrential waters? Yellow-billed (Speckled) Teal - Anas flavirostris Common at Huaypo Lake – seen late in the afternoon on our way to Ollantaytambo from Abancay Yellow-billed Pintail - Anas georgica Also seen at Huaypo Lake Puna Teal - Anas puna Common Cinnamon Teal - Anas cyanoptera

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Family: PODICIPEDIDAE - GREBES White-tufted Grebe – Rollandia rolland Several seen at Huaypo Lake on our way to Ollantaytambo from Abancay.

Family: PHALACROCORACIDAE - CORMORANTS Neotropic Cormorant – Phalacrocorax brasilianus Common

Family: ARDEIDAE - HERONS Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis Common

Family: ACCIPITRIDAE - HAWKS & EAGLES Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle – Geranoaetus melanoleucus One seen on the Huanipaca road at Abancay Variable Hawk - Buteo polysoma Seen around Abancay and Abra Malaga; the taxonomy of this group is confusing, and some people try to split it as Puna Hawk B. poecilochrous and Red-backed Hawk B. polyosoma. SACC comment: Farquhar (1988) concluded that Buteo poecilochrous and B. polyosoma are conspecific, as they were formerly treated; he was unable to find any way to reliably diagnose the two forms using plumage characters or measurements. Ridgely & Greenfield (2001), Jaramillo (2003), and Schulenberg et al. (2007) followed this

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treatment and suggested "Variable Hawk" be retained for the composite species. Genetic data (Riesing et al. 2003) are consistent with hypothesis that B. polyosoma and B. poecilochrous are conspecific.

Family: RALLIDAE - RAILS Common Gallinule - Gallinula galeata

Common at the Huaypo Lake Andean Coot - Fulica ardesiaca Common

Family: CHARADRIIDAE - PLOVERS Andean Lapwing - Vanellus resplendens Common around Abra Malaga

Family: RECURVIROSTRIDAE - STILTS White-backed Stilt – Himantopus melanurus Seen at Huaypo Lake

Family: SCOLOPACIDAE – SANDPIPERS AND SNIPES Greater Yellowlegs – Tringa melanoleuca Also seen at Huaypo Lake Lesser Yellowlegs – Tringa flavipes Common Family: LARIDAE - GULLS Andean Gull - Chroicocephalus serranus Common at Abra Malaga

Family: COLUMBIDAE – PIGEONS AND DOVES Spot-winged Pigeon - Patagioenas maculosa Quiet common around Ollantaytambo, common at the Pakaritampu hotel Band-tailed Pigeon – Patagioenas fasciata Seen in the humid Montane forest of west slope at Abra Malaga White-tipped Dove - Leptotila verreauxi decipiens Common below Abancay and Machu-Picchu

Family: STRIGIDAE – TYPICAL OWLS E Koepcke’s Screech Owl - Megascops koepckeae hockingi Great view of one individual along the “Pachachaca” road – responded really well to playback. These Apurimac birds represent the hockingi subspecies – slight vocal differences between these and the northern Peruvian populations, and they tend to ignore playback of the northern calls.

Family: APODIDAE - SWIFTS White-collared Swift - Streptoprocne zonaris Seen at Abra Malaga White-tipped Swift - Aeronautes montivagus Very nice views around Machu-Picchu

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Koepcke’s Screech Owl –Fabrice Schmitt

Family: TROCHILIDAE - HUMMINGBIRDS Sparkling Violet-ear - Colibri coruscans Common at Abancay and Machu-Picchu Amethyst - throated Sunangel - Heliangelus amethysticollis Good views at Machu-Picchu. They rae called sunagels due to their habit of lifting their wings in an angel-like manner on alighting in a branch Speckled Hummingbird - Adelomyia melanogenys Quiet common at Machu-Picchu RR Olivaceous Thornbill - Chalcostigma olivaceum Nice views on the west slope at Abra Malaga E Bearded Mountaineer - Oreonympha nobilis Seen around the ground of the Pakaritampu Hotel – a Peruvian endemic Tyrian Metaltail - Metallura tyrianthina

Common at Abancay and in the east slope of Abra Malaga - Named after the color Tyrian purple; Variously known as Royal purple, Tyrian purple, purple of the ancients, this ancient dyestuff, mentioned in texts dating about 1600 BC, was produced from the mucus of the hypobranchial gland of various species of marine mollusks, notably Murex. Although originating in old port of Tyre in modern day Syria (hence the name), man's first large scale chemical industry spread throughout the world. With the decline of the Roman Empire, the use of the dye also declined and large scale production ceased with the fall of Constantinople in 1453. It was replaced by other cheaper dyes like lichen purple and madder RR Scaled Metaltail - Metallura aeneocauda One seen at Abra Malaga east slope. A hard one anywhere. RR Sapphire-vented Puffleg – Eriocnemis luciani sapphiropygia Seen at Abra Malaga east slope – previously split as Coppery-naped Puffleg

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Shining Sunbeam – Aglaeactis cupripennis Seen at Abancay and west slope of Abra Malaga E White-tufted Sunbeam - Aglaeactis castelnaudii Two + seen on the Huanipaca road – a Peruvian endemic. Named for Louis Nompar de Caumont Laporte Comte de de Castelnau ( 1810-1880) French diplomat collector and exporer. Collared Inca – Coeliegena torquata Common at the Machu-Picchu Pueblo Hotel Violet-throated Starfrontlet – Coeligena violifer Very good views by the east slope of Abra Malaga Sword-billed Hummingbird – Ensifera ensifera A brief view on the east slope of Abra Malaga Chestnut-breasted Coronet- Boissonneauta matthewsii Common at the feeders of Machu-Picchu Pueblo Hotel. Booted Racket-tail - Ocreatus underwoodii Seen at Machu-Picchu. Giant Hummingbird – Patagona gigas Very common at the Pakaritampu Hotel in Ollantaytambo. White-bellied Hummingbird - Amazilia chionogaster Good views at Abancay and at the Pakaritampu Hotel E Green and White Hummingbird - Amazilia viridicauda Quiet common at Machu Picchu but we had good studies at the garden of the Pakaritampu Hotel

Family: MOMOTIDAE - MOTMOTS Andean Motmot - Momotus aequatorialis Seen in two consecutive days around Machu-Picchu; M. aequatorialis is one of six species in the Momotus momota complex; includes ssp aequatorialis & chlorolaemus (Stiles 2009, SACC); CHANGE English name from Highland Motmot to Andean Motmot following SACC 412.

Family: PICIDAE - WOODPECKERS Andean Flicker - Colaptes rupicola Common above Abancay and around Abra Malaga area

Family: FALCONIDAE - CARACARAS & FALCONS Mountain Caracara- Phalcoboenus megalopterus Common around Abancay and Abra Malaga area American Kestrel - Falco sparverius Common

Family: PSITTACIDAE - PARROTS Mitred Parakeet - Psittacara mitrata alticola Great views at Machu-Picchu

Family: THAMNOPHILIDAE - ANTBIRDS Variable Antshrike - Thamnophilus caerulescens

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Very nice views around Machu-Picchu

Family: GRALLARIDAE – ANTPITTAS Undulated Antpitta - Grallaria squamigera* RR Stripe-headed Antpitta - Grallaria andicolus punensis This one is the EASIEST Antpitta to see among all the Antpitta at least in Peru; one seen really well on the west slope of Abra Malaga here the subspecies punensis which may deserve full species rank from the northern nominate form.

Stripe-headed Antpitta – Ian Merrill

Family: RHINOCRYPTIDAE - TAPACULOS RR Diademed Tapaculo - Scytalopus schulenbergi One individual seen on the east slope of Abra Malaga that responded really well to playback – named for Tom Schulenberg US ornithologist and collector author of Birds of Peru and currently at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology RR Puna Tapaculo - Scytalopus simonsi Great views in the west slope (polylepis) forest of Abra Malaga. Scytalopus – grom the Greek literally meaning “stickfoot”! E [Ampay] Tapaculo Sp. Nov - Scytalopus sp.nov Two individuals seen at Abancay, the second one behave much better on the Huanipaca road. The affinities of this taxon are still to be worked out

Family: FURNARIIDAE - OVENBIRDS Cream-winged Cinclodes - Cinclodes albiventris Common around Abra Malaga White-winged Cinclodes - Cinclodes atacamensis One seen on the Urubamba River around Machu-Picchu RR Royal Cinclodes - Cinclodes aricomae

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The most important bird species of the extension; one individual seen really well at the very beginning of the Valley on our way out from Abra Malaga on the west slope, we even got pictures! CRITICALLY ENDANGERED RR Tawny Tit-Spinetail - Leptasthenura yanacensis Very nice views in the polylepis forest of Abra Malaga E Creamy –breasted [Pale-tailed] Canastero - Asthenes huancavelicae usheri Quiet good view of one individual on the Andahuaylas road, bellow Abancay; Taxonomy for this species complex is still hotly debated with at least two other Peruvian endemic forms yet to be described. Some call this form “Pale-tailed Canastero” – and is ranked as VULNERABLE

Pale-tailed Canastero –Fabrice Schmitt

Streak-throated Canastero - Asthenes humilis Quiet common on the west slope of Abra Malaga E Marcapata Spinetail - Cranioleuca marcapatae marcapatae Great looks of 3+ individual at Abra Malaga on the east slop in the chusquea bamboo forest. VULNERABLE E Creamy-crested Spinetail - Cranioleuca albicapilla albicapilla Very common above Abancay and on the Huanipaca road, better views that in the Manu road E Apurimac Spinetail - Synallaxis courseni Wonderful views on the Huanipaca road. Named for Vharles Blair Coursen US sponsor and field ornithologist. VULNERABLE Azara’s Spinetail - Synallaxis azarae Common at Machu-Picchu – seen the two consecutive days

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Family: TYRANNIDAE – TYRANT & FLYCATCHERS RR Sclater’s Tyrannulet - Phyllomyias sclateri Common around Machu Picchu. Highland Elaenia – Elaenia obscura Quiet common around Machu-Picchu White-throated Tyrannulet - Mecocerculus leucophrys Common at Abra Malaga on the east slope, cloud forest section Tufted Tit-Tyrant – Anairetes parulus Nice views above Abancay RR Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant - Anairetes alpinus Great looks at Abra Malaga Polylepis woodlands; another of the Polylepis specialists that is in serious trouble ENDANGERED

Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant – Fabrice Schmitt

E Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant - Anairetes agraphia Very nice views on the east slope of the Abra Malaga Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet - Phylloscartes ventralis Quite common around Puente Ruinas bellows Machu-picchu Streak-necked Flycatcher - Mionectes striaticollis Seen along the train rail at Machu-Picchu Common Tody-Flycatcher – Todirostrum cinereum Also seen along the train rail at Machu-Picchu

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Cinnamon Flycatcher - Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea Seen at Machu-Picchu Black Phoebe - Sayornis nigricans latirostris Common along the Urubamba River, seen around Aguas Caliente; this is the southern subspecies latirostris. The change from the darker-winged nominate nigricans to the white-winged latirostris is a north-south cline, with larger amounts of white gradually appearing further south Cinereous Ground-Tyrant - Muscisaxicola cinerea Few individuals seen on the west slope of Abra Malaga RR Rufous-webbed Tyrant - Polioxolmis rufipennis Seen on the Huanipaca road above Abancay and also at Abra Malaga west slope Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant - Ochthoeca rufipectoralis rufipectoralis Common in the east slope of Abra Malaga Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant - Ochthoeca fumicolor berlepschi Several seen on the west slope of the Abra Malaga area RR d’Orbigny’s Chat-Tyrant - Ochthoeca oenanthoides Good views of two individuals down by the stream along the valley with a little bit of Polylepis forest at Abra Malaga area. White-browed Chat-Tyrant - Ochthoeca leucophrys Common Golden-crowned Flycatcher - Myiodynastes chrysocephalus Common at Machu-Picchu Tropical Kingbird - Tyrannus melancholicus

Family: COTINGIDAE - COTINGAS E Masked Fruiteater - Pipreola pulchra Amazing views of a male one in the first day along the road above Puente Ruinas at Machu-Picchu Red-Crested Cotinga - Ampelion rubrocristata One seen above Abancay and few more at Abra Malaga

Family: VIREONIDAE - VIREOS Red-eyed (Chivi) Vireo - Vireo olivaceus chivi Seen at Abancay and along the train rail at Machu-picchu; some classifications have considered the South American chivi group as a separate species ("Chivi Vireo") from V. olivaceus, or as conspecific with V. flavoviridis (Hamilton 1962). Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) suggested, however, that more than one species may be involved within the South American chivi group itself

Family: HIRUNDINIDAE – SWALLOWS Blue-and-white Swallow - Pygochelidon cyanoleuca Common at Machu-picchu Brown-bellied Swallow - Orochelidon murina Common around Abra Malaga

Family: TROGLODYTIDAE - WRENS House Wren - Troglodytes aedon

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Common E Inca Wren - Thryothorus eisenmanni Wonderful views just near by the bus stations up outside of the Machu-Picchu ruins; one of the specialties of Machu-Picchu area. Named for Eugene Eisenmann US/Panamenian ornithologist (1906-1981)

Inca Wren

Gray-breasted Wood-Wren - Henicorhina leucophrys Very good views above Puente Ruinas at Machu-Picchu

Family: CINCLIDAE - DIPPERS White-capped Dipper - Cinclus leucocephalus Very nice view on the Urubamba River

Family: TURDIDAE – THRUSHES & SOLITAIRES Chiguanco Thrush - Turdus chiguanco chiguanco Common Great Thrush - Turdus fuscater ockenderi Common Glossy-black Thrush – Turdus serranus Very good views at Machu-Picchu

Family: MOTACILLIDAE - PIPITS Short-billed Pipit - Anthus furcatus Very nice views of two individuals at Abra Malaga

Family: THRAUPIDAE- TANAGERS RR Slaty Tanager - Creurgops dentata A male one seen along the train rail at Machu-Picchu

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E Parodi’s Hemispingus - Hemispingus parodi Very nice views of 2+ individuals in the bamboo forest fragments at Abra Malaga on the east slope. Named for Jose Parodi Vargas, Peruvian politician and landowner

Parodi’s Hemispingus – Fabrice Schmitt

Oleaginous Hemispingus - Hemispingus frontalis Great along the train rail at Machu-Picchu RR Rust-and-Yellow Tanager - Thlypopsis ruficeps Nice small flock at Machu-Picchu Blue-Gray Tanager - Thraupis episcopus Common around Aguas Caliente Palm Tanager - Thraupis palmarum Common – seen at the Machu-Picchu Pueblo Hotel Blue-capped Tanager - Thraupis cyanocephala Seen at Machu-Picchu Blue-and-yellow Tanager - Thraupis bonariensis Seen at the Pakaritampu Hotel and also at the Machu-Picchu Pueblo Hotel Blue-necked Tanager - Tangara cyanicollis Common, but beautiful Beryl Spangled Tanager - Tangara nigroviridis Quiet common at Machu-Picchu Blue-and-black Tanager - Tangara vassorii Seen above Puente Ruinas below Machu-Picchu

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Silver-backed Tanager - Tangara viridicollis Great views of males and females at the Machu-Picchu Pueblo Hotel Cinereous Conebill - Conirostrum cinereum cinereum Seen on the Huanipaca road and on the west slope of Abra Malaga Capped Conebill – Conirostrum albifrons Seen at Machu-Picchu RR Tit-like Dacnis - Xenodacnis parina Beautiful views on the east slope of Abra Malaga Rusty Flower-piercer - Diglossa sittoides Seen at the Pakaritampu Hotel Black-throated Flower-piercer - Diglossa brunneiventris Seen several times throughout the trip Masked Flower-piercer – Diglossopis cyanea Seen along the Huanipaca road RR Peruvian Sierra-Finch - Phrygilus punensis Seen on the west slope of Abra Malaga Plumbeous Sierra-Finch - Phrygilus unicolor Common on the west slope of Abra Malaga RR White-winged Diuca-Finch - Diuca speculifera Good views also on the west slope of Abra Malaga Band-tailed Seedeater - Catamenia analis Common around the Pakaritampu Hotel Plain-colored Seedeater - Catamenia inornata Seen above Abancay near the pass Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola Seen around Machu-Picchu Dull-colored Grassquit - Tiaris obscura Good views around Puente Ruinas bellow Machu-Picchu

INCERTAE SEDIS Golden-billed Saltator - Saltator aurantiirostris Seen above Abancay and also at Abra Malaga

Family: EMBEZERIDAE – NEW WORLD SPARROWS Rufous-collared Sparrow - Zonatrichia capensis Common E Apurimac Brush-finch - Atlapetes forbesi Fantastic view along the Huanipaca road. ENDANGERED E Cuzco Brush-Finch - Atlapetes canigenis Two individuals seen in the chusquea bamboo forest of the east slope of Abra Malaga

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Cuzco Brush-Finch - Judith Adams

Family: CARDINALIDAE – CARDINAL GROSBEAKS Black-backed Grosbeak - Pheucticus aureoventris Two individuals seen bellow Abancay and also seen every day at the Pakaritampu Hotel in Ollantaytambo

Family: PARULIDAE – NEW WORLD WARBLER Tropical Parula - Setophaga pitiayumi Quiet common around Machu-Picchu

Citrine Warbler - Myiothlypis luteoviridis striaticeps Great looks at several individuals foraging with mixed flocks on the east slope of Abra Malaga

Pale-lagged Warbler - Myiothlypis signatus Very nice views above Puente Ruinas – bellow Machu-Picchu

Russet-crowned Warbler - Myiothlypis coronatus Quiet common around Machu-Picchu Slate-throated Whitestart - Myioborus miniatus Common

Family: ICTERIDAE – ORIOLES & BLACKBIRDS RR Dusky-green Oropendola - Psarocolius atrovirens Seen around Machu-Picchu – the only Oropendola species at Machu-Picchu

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Family: FRINGILLIDAE - FINCHES Hooded Siskin – Sporaga magellanica Seen on the west slope of Abra Malaga Thick-billed Euphonia - Euphonia laniirostris Quiet common around Machu-Picchu; the genus names means “fine-voiced”

MAMMALS

Family: PROCYONIDAE – RACCOON FAMILY Andean Coati – Nasuella olivacea A solitary one seen below Machu-Picchu ruins Mountain Viscacha - Lagidium peruanum One seen in the west slope of Abra Malaga

Wakaywilka Peak Abra Malaga – Fabrice Schmitt