The Long-whiskered Owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi), one of the most elusive birds in the world, was watched and photographed on January 24th in the town of La Esperanza in Peru. The Owlet was observed by Shachar Alterman, an Israeli birdwatcher who joined a Neotropical Primate Conservation project to carry out birds’ surveys in the region, Noga Shanee, co-founder of the organization, and Edin Fonseca, a local guide who find the bird.
Long-whiskered Owlet was discovered in 1976, when it was caught in the mist nest of a Louisiana State University team. Since it was first sighted, the owlet was found only a very few times. It is endemic to a small area in the Andean mountains in Amazonas and San Martín in northern Peru. It is restricted to cloud forests with dense undergrowth and epiphytes at about 1890-2200 meters (6200-7220 ft) above sea level and is categorized as endangered species by IUCN Red List.
On the same night the owlet was found, the N.P.C group heard no less than five birds which responded to the recorded calls played by the team. No previous record of such dense population exists so far. Two other species of rare and endemic birds; Rusty-Tinged Antpitta and the Johnson’s Tody-Tyrant were identified in Peroles at the same trip.
This is only the fourth time this rare bird is ever seen in the wild – and the first time it is captured on video.
After 50 years of absence, the Andean Condor has started to regain lost ground in the mountains of Leymebamba in the Amazon region of Peru.
In the last months of 2009, residents of this area of cloud forest saw two pairs of Andean condors flying over the mountains. A juvenile was later found when, in trying to learn to fly, it broke a leg and was caught in the trees. Fortunately it was rescued by the researcher Adriana von Hagen who took care of the juvenile for three weeks until it completely recovered and was subsequently released.
Juvenile Andean Condor | Adriana von Hagen
The Forestry and Wildlife authority of the Amazonas, took the opportunity to raise awareness among local people, who have the mistaken belief that the carrion birds are to blame for the death and disappearance of their cattle and other animals.
The Andean Condors are associated with the popular Lake of the Condors which is in the vicinity of Leymebamba, where several years ago archaeologists uncovered hundreds of Chachapoyas mummies that are now part of an exhibition in the Leymebamba Museum.
Today, just after I woke up I noticed that a female American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) was perched on the palm outside my window. Take a look on how she takes care of her feathers before she goes to work hunting.
All photos © Jean Paul Perret
Today we will start a new series of posts about the endemic bird species of Neotropical countries. Each week we will talk about five bird species endemic to one of the countries within the Neotropical region. An endemic species is an organism that exclusively inhabits a particular geographic region or environment. The Neotropical region is by far the richest region in the world, with over 3000 endemic bird species.
This week we will start with Peru, an amazing country with over 120 endemic bird species.
Long-whiskered Owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi)
Song
Link to song file
Best place to see: Abra Patricia, Northern Peru
Long-whiskered Owlet | © David Geale
Green-and-white Hummingbird (Amazilia viridicauda)
Song
Link to song file
Best place to see: Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
Green-and-white Hummingbird | © Mike LaBarbera
Surf Cinclodes (Cinclodes taczanowskii)
Best places to see: Rocky around Pucusana Island, south of Lima.
Surf Cinclodes | © Jean Paul Perret
Tumbes Tyrant (Tumbezia salvini)
Song
Link to song file
Best place to see: Chaparri (Lambayeque)
Tumbes Tyrant | © David Cook
Gray-winged Inca-Finch (Incaspiza ortizi)
Song
Link to song file
Best place to see: Hacienda Limón (Cajamarca)
Gray-winged Inca-Finch | © David Cook
Sorry for not posting for such a long time, I’ll do my best to keep posting more frequently. I wanted to share with you all some photos that I took today at Pantanos de Villa, a protected area for birds to the south of Lima, Peru. I recently bought a Canon 50D camera and a 400mm f/5.6 lens to take with me on my birding trips. Last week I went to Pantanos de Villa to try out the camera for the first time with some disappointing results. I had some problems with the autofocus as well as the exposition of the photos. However, after taking photos of unsuspecting pigeons outside my window, I think I have figured out some of the issues. While I still have a great deal to learn and improve in my photography I wanted to show you all some of the shots that I took today.
American Oystercatcher | © Jean Paul Perret
Plumbeous Rail | © Jean Paul Perret
Pied-billed Grebe | © Jean Paul Perret
Common Moorhen | © Jean Paul Perret
Gray-hooded Gull | © Jean Paul Perret
Belcher’s Gull with trash hanging on its wing | © Jean Paul Perret
Me | © Christine Bare
