An update on the inventory, distribution and residency status of bird species in Guatemala

Abstract

We present an update on the status and distribution of birds in Guatemala relative to a previous summary (Eisermann & Avendaño 2007) and based upon a review of new published and unpublished records. During the period 2006 to 2017, 50 species were first documented in Guatemala. Another 11 species were reported for the first time but without verifiable documentation. Breeding was newly confirmed for 58 species. Noteworthy observations, including range extensions, are summarised for 131 species. The Guatemalan avifauna now comprises 758 species of which 23 lack documentation. Of the 758 species, 509 breed in Guatemala, 240 are non-breeding visitors, transients or vagrants, and the status of nine is uncertain.

Full text

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 148 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
An update on the inventory, distribution and residency
status of bird species in Guatemala
by Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño
Received 27 October 2017; revised 8 July 2018; published 24 September 2018
hp://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9DB4CC8A-5A86-4DB7-A685-CEB77254B623
           
Guatemala relative to a previous summary (Eisermann & Avendaño 2007) and
based upon a review of new published and unpublished records. During the
           


range extensions, are summarised for 131 species. The Guatemalan avifauna now
comprises 758 species of which 23 lack documentation. Of the 758 species, 509
breed in Guatemala, 240 are non-breeding visitors, transients or vagrants, and the
status of nine is uncertain.
Thorough avifaunal research in Guatemala began in the 19th century following
independence, when travel and immigration were facilitated for foreigners. The most
         
           
          
Osbert Salvin, Frederick DuCane Godman, Nathaniel Stickney Goss, William Wyld, Henry
          

by these naturalists (reviewed in Eisermann & Avendaño 2006). The four volumes on birds
in the Biología Centrali‐Americana, compiled by Osbert Salvin and Fredrick DuCane Godman
(Salvin & Godman 1879–87, 1879–1904, 1888–97, 1897–1904), represent the baseline of
avifaunal knowledge in Guatemala. Additional collections by Dearborn (1907) and Alfred
Webster Anthony laid the base for the second avifaunal compilation, Griscom’s (1932)
Distribution of bird‐life in Guatemala 
additionally relied on collections by Wetmore (1941), van Tyne (1935), Saunders (1950),
Tashian (1953), Taibel (1955), Baepler (1962), Smithe & Paynter (1963), Land (1962a,b, 1963)

war in Guatemala that lasted for more than 30 years between the 1960s and 1990s (Howell
& Webb 1992, Wendelken & Martin 1986, 1989, Dickerman 2007). Howell & Webb’s (1995)
 
               
the 21st century in Guatemala is unpublished, the results having been presented only in
reports. Noteworthy data from this ‘grey literature’ were included in the last compilation on
the Guatemalan avifauna by Eisermann & Avendaño (2006, 2007). In the early 21st century,
noteworthy observations by Guatemalan ornithologists and birdwatchers, as well as by
foreign visitors, became more readily accessible via the quarterly compilations of records
in North American Birds (Jones 2002–2005, Jones & Komar 2007–15, Jones et al. 2016a,b)
and the online database eBird (Sullivan et al. 2009), with some observations documented
photographically. Here we provide an updated compilation on the distribution and

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 149 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
residency status of birds in Guatemala. A total of 725 bird species was reported for

these species, i.e. without specimen, photographic or audio documentation. Breeding had
been reported for 380 species, and for an additional 107 species breeding was assumed but
undocumented in the country. We present here new information for 215 species.
Methods
To identify changes to the status of Guatemalan bird species since the publication
of Lista comentada de las aves de Guatemala / Annotated checklist of the birds of Guatemala
(Eisermann & Avendaño 2007), we reviewed our own unpublished notes up to May 2018,
as well as published records and online databases from the period 2005–17. Observations
are the authors’ own unless otherwise stated.
In the species accounts, a code in each subheading indicates the type of update: (A)
     
           
noteworthy records of rare species. Following these codes is another indicating the species’
        
       

     
         

             

 
 
 


Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 150 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
Fig. 1 shows the biogeographic units mentioned in the text. Geographic coordinates for
all localities listed in the text appear in Appendix 1. Taxonomy and nomenclature follow
AOU (1998) and supplements through 2017 (Chesser et al. 2017) with two exceptions. In
the species complex Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus, we include two taxa within
   A. striatus, which is a winter visitor to Guatemala,
and White-breasted Hawk A. chionogaster, which is a resident breeder in the highlands. In
the species complex Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata sensu lato we list three taxa:
resident Goldman’s Warbler S. goldmani and northern Myrtle S. coronata and Audubon’s
Warblers S. auduboni
ArcView 3.2 to conduct spatial analyses. Ornithological collections mentioned in the text:



        

        
  
Zoology, Camarillo, CA.
Species accounts
FULVOUS WHISTLING DUCK Dendrocygna bicolor (D; rm)
Pantropical and has recently colonised Central America (Carboneras & Kirwan 2017). First
         

dpto. Jutiapa (Thurber et al. 1987). Subsequently, also reported from Lago Amatitlán, dpto.


Most records in winter, including concentrations (>5,000) of presumed migrants at Lago de

et al. 1987) and Honduras (Monroe 1968). We suspect breeding in
et al. 1987) and three seen in


CINNAMON TEAL Spatula cyanoptera
(A, D; vagM)
    
increasing frequency since 2011 (Jones &
Komar 2012b, 2013c, 2015a). First listed by
Land (1970) without details. Unreported
again until one at Finca Cataluña, dpto.
     
Komar 2011c). A male photographed in


Figure 2. Male Cinnamon Teal Spatula cyanoptera
with male Blue-winged Teal S. discors 
     
(Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 151 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
NORTHERN SHOVELER Spatula clypeata (D; V)
             
            
              
(J. Berry pers. comm.) and several records including 35 on 6 February 2012 and 19 on 22

S9784290, S21498308) demonstrate it can be expected throughout the country.
GADWALL Mareca strepera (A; vagM)
             

            
            

be expected throughout the country.
AMERICAN WIGEON Mareca americana (D; V)
      
    
et al
       
      
S12070044) indicate that it can be expected throughout the country
GREEN-WINGED TEAL Anas crecca (D; vagM)

 
et al. 2006) where
another was seen in December 2012 (Jones & Komar 2013d). Other records include a male
         
  
(Jones et al. 2016a) and at least three there on 2 February 2016. A pair photographed in the

& Komar 2012b) shows that it may occur throughout the country.
CANVASBACK Aythya valisineria (D; vagM)



REDHEAD Aythya americana (A, D; vagM)


Atitlán, dpto. Sololá, in March and December 2011 (Jones & Komar 2011d, 2012b), Lago



may occur throughout the country.

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 152 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
RING-NECKED DUCK Aythya collaris (D; V)

dpto. Sololá, in December 2009 (Jones & Komar 2011c), with 42 there in March 2011 (Jones
  
        

2012 (Jones & Komar 2013d) with four there on 8, 16 and 26 November 2014 (J. Cahill &


(Jones & Komar 2013d) and six on 21 March 2013.
MASKED DUCK Nomonyx dominicus


RUDDY DUCK Oxyura jamaicensis
Local winter visitor but also breeds at Lago Atitlán, dpto. Sololá, where adults with
juveniles were seen in July–September 2011 (Escobar Anleu 2012), and at Laguna Chichoj,
            
October 2011 and August 2012 (Jones & Komar 2012a, 2013c).
PLAIN CHACHALACA Ortalis vetula
Common in the Atlantic slope lowlands and foothills below 1,500 m, but rarely reported
 et al
      

HIGHLAND GUAN Penelopina nigra
          
et al. (2001), Eisermann et al. (2006) and Eisermann & Avendaño (2007). New


follows.
Figure 3. Nest of Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula
at 2,050 m, 3 June 2015: (a) lateral view showing nest in tree-fern, the white arrow indicating the bill of an
incubating adult; (b) clutch of three eggs in centre of tree-fern (Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 153 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
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ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
• Dpto. San Marcos: four on 14 August 2009, three on 1 March 2010, two each on 16

de la Cuesta, with a female on 16 January 2011 and an active nest on 28 March 2015 (O.


• 
2014, three at Loma Linda on 11 January 2011, one at Volcán Chicabal on 23 August

•          
2009.
• Dpto. Sololá: one at Volcán San Pedro on 4 March 2007 (A. Jaramillo, eBird S23689016),
at least one at Volcán Tolimán on 24 February 2001 (P. Kaestner pers. comm.), one at


 et al.
1999).
• Dpto. Chimaltenango: a male at Cerro Tecpán on 3 January 2006.
•              

February 2006 (A. Jaramillo, eBird S23688647).
•   et al. 2013), three 2 km east of Acul on 21
March 2017 (L. Wright, eBird S35613494) and one 8 km east of Chajul on 9 May 2017 (S.

• 
      

Chajbaoc, one on 3 April 2007 (M. Noack, eBird S14625886), with three males at Finca
La Aurora on 10 August 2017.
• 

• Dpto. Huehuetenango: two males 2 km south of Yalambojoch on 12 April 2017, two

Chaculá on 3 February 2015.


           
is the lowest-elevation record in Guatemala. Based on records from the past 30 years,
Highland Guan is widespread in humid foothill and highland forest on the Atlantic slope
including the foothills of the Sierra Los Cuchumatanes, greater Sierra de Chamá (including

          
Volcán Atitlán pooled as a single topographic unit, Highland Guan has been reported from
a total of 57 sites in Guatemala.

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 154 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
HORNED GUAN Oreophasis derbianus
      
the period 1998–2017 (Fig. 4), most (n


Figure 4. Distribution of Horned Guan Oreophasis derbianus in Guatemala, including sites with recent

     
                

 
               

    
dpto. Sololá, 16 = Cerro Tecpán, dpto. Chimaltenango, 17 = Volcán Atitlán, dpto. Sololá, 18 = Volcán Tolimán,
                
       


   
 


Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 155 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
     
Eisermann et al. 2007), Volcán San Pedro,
     
   

Los Altos de San Miguel Totonicapán, dpto.
   
Santo Tomás and the adjacent Parque


Gee 2006), Volcán Tacaná, dpto. San Marcos
     
where an adult was photographed at Vega
del Volcán on 29 August 2014 at 2,750 m,
one sound-recorded on 31 March 2015 and
two adults photographed on 28 June 2015,






Atlantic slope reports are from the Sierra de las Minas in dptos. El Progreso, Zacapa,
et al.


 
Horned Guan has been recorded historically but not recently: Cerro Tecpán, dpto.
Chimaltenango (Griscom 1932, Carriker & Meyer de Schauensee 1935), Volcán Fuego,
    
et al. 2013).


et al
Breeding reported at just six sites. At Volcán Tolimán two nests were found in March
   
Privada Los Tarrales in 2005 (Eisermann et al. 2007). At the same site, a pair with two
c.2-week-old juveniles were photographed on 18 March 2007 (Fig. 5), an adult with two
          

in BirdLife
International 2012), and at Sierra de las Minas an adult was seen with two 2–3 month-old

nest was found in 2008 (V. Bravo pers. comm.) and a juvenile was seen at Vega del Volcán

NORTHERN BOBWHITE Colinus virginianus (D; r)
  
area in dpto. Huehuetenango in 1895 (Nelson 1897). Thereafter, unrecorded for more than
Figure 5. Juvenile Horned Guan Oreophasis derbianus,
c.2 weeks old, Volcán Atitlán, dpto. Sololá, 18 March
2007 (Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 156 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
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ISSN-2513-9894
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115 years. New records show it is fairly
      

north of Chacaj on 28 April 2015, two 3 km
north of Chacaj on 30 January 2016, four 7
     
6), two at Finca El Carmen on 22 April 2017,
with two sound-recorded there on 2 June

and two at Chaculá on 23 April 2017. All
       
might also occur in open landscapes in the

      
species to expand there from adjacent
Tabasco, Mexico. We assume it is a resident

BLACK-THROATED BOBWHITE Colinus nigrogularis 
 
        
    


et al. 2016b).
OCELLATED QUAIL Cyrtonyx ocellatus
Considered Vulnerable (IUCN 2017). Eitniear & Eisermann (2009) summarised the known
            

     
     


    
dpto. San Marcos, on 2 February 2011 and

Municipal Canjulá on 2 February 2012,
with two near La Haciendita on 28 August
2014, a male at Volcán Siete Orejas, dpto.

on 28 February 2013 and one on 15 April
     
Bosque, Novillero, dpto. Sololá, one heard
at Cerro Tecpán, dpto. Chimaltenango, on
     
from the site (Dearborn 1907), two heard at
3,750 m on 12 April 2016, four on 3 June 2016, two seen on 2–3 July 2016, two on 27 August

Figure 6. Pair of Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus,

(Knut Eisermann)
     Cyrtonyx
ocellatus chick, Montaña de Carmona, dpto.


Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 157 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
Santos Cuchumatán, dpto. Huehuetenango, three heard in Chiabal, dpto. Huehuetenango,




Breeding records include a chick estimated to be c.2 weeks old photographed in Finca

          
               



1,200–3,750 m.
WHITE-CROWNED PIGEON Patagioenas leucocephala (A; V)

rarely reported from the Central American mainland. Following multiple observations of

during October 2000 to April 2001 (Eisermann 2003), one photographed near Yaxhá, dpto.
             
documented record.
EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE Streptopelia decaocto
An Old World species introduced to the New World in the 1970s, and now expanding
          


Jones et al. 2016a,b) indicate it is now established and common there, e.g. 55 in San Benito on

on 18 March 2016 and one collecting nest material in San Miguel on 24 February 2017 (J.
  
April 2015, and at La Corona archaeological site in May 2015 (Jones et al. 2016b). One near
    


    
           
            
             
S36862356). Eurasian Collared Dove has colonised Guatemala from north to south in just
three years and it can now be expected in open and urban habitats throughout the country.
PLAIN-BREASTED GROUND DOVE Columbina minuta
Formerly thought to be locally distributed (Howell & Webb 1995, Eisermann & Avendaño
2007), but many new site records in the Atlantic slope lowlands and it is perhaps increasing





Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 158 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
2014 (Jones & Komar 2015c), one photographed at Hacienda Tijax on 23 October 2014 with
    
     
Paso Caballo, Parque Nacional Laguna del Tigre, on 14 April 2013, and one 25 km north

level to 700 m and the species is widespread in deforested areas of the humid lowlands and
foothills.
MAROON-CHESTED GROUND DOVE Claravis mondetoura
           
(Stiles & Skutch 1989, Howell & Webb 1995). It can be expected throughout the humid
              
 




    
comm.) with one heard there on 10 April 2014, a male on Volcán San Pedro, dpto. Sololá, in
October 2010 (Jones & Komar 2011b), a pair seen and sound-recorded at 3,100 m on 11 April
2012, three males heard and seen at 3,200 m on 14–15 May 2012, three males heard on 16


  
three heard at 3,150 m on 28 August 2014 and a male photographed on 29 March 2015 near
La Haciendita on Volcán Tacaná, dpto. San Marcos, and two heard at Volcán Pacaya, dpto.
Escuintla, in June 2013 (Jones & Komar 2014b). Atlantic slope records are from north of
Usumatlán, dpto. Zacapa, at Sierra de las Minas (Land 1962a), singles sound-recorded at

et al.

Buchán pers. comm.). Guatemalan records are from elevations of 1,200–3,200 m.
CARIBBEAN DOVE Leptotila jamaicensis (A, D; r)
Endemic to the Caribbean region and Yucatán Peninsula where most records are from
coastal areas and islands
(Howell & Webb 1995).
   
    
San Miguel La Palotada–El

by Whitacre & Thorstrom
(1992) lack documentation.

for Guatemala (sound-
recordings) was made in El
    
March 2008 (Budney et al.
2008, Jones & Komar 2008d).
Figure 8. Caribbean Dove Leptotila jamaicensis
7 km south-west of Paso Caballo, 16 May 2013; (b) Tikal, 29 April 2017
(Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 159 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
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

March 2013, with two recorded there on 14, 16 and 17 May 2013 (Fig. 8a). Two were sound-

km east of Paso Caballo, and two were 4 km south-east of Paso Caballo on 24 March 2013. In

28–29 April 2017 (Fig. 8b). These records suggest that the south-eastern section of Parque
Nacional Laguna del Tigre hosts a population and that the mainland distribution extends
well inland and >100 km further south than previously known (Howell & Webb 1995). We
presume that Caribbean Dove breeds in Guatemala, but nesting has not been reported.
WHITE-WINGED DOVE Zenaida asiatica
Formerly restricted to southern Guatemala (Eisermann & Avendaño 2007) but has expanded





13 June 2016 (M. Noack, eBird S23889585). These reports document further expansion over
the Atlantic slope lowlands and foothills, and suggest that the species can now be expected
throughout the country.
MOURNING DOVE Zenaida macroura
Mainly a non-breeding winter visitor to Guatemala, but summer records have long
suggested it may breed locally (Eisermann & Avendaño 2007). One seen building a nest

         
resident breeding population.
MANGROVE CUCKOO Coccyzus minor (D; r)



Figure 9. First nest record of Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura in Guatemala: (a) adult on nest, (b) clutch of


Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 160 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
eBird S29389204), as well as repeated winter records (November–December) of singles at
    
Komar 2011b), 2011, 2012 (H. Stohlman pers. comm., photograph) and 2014 (H. Stohlman,
eBird S20640641). It is uncertain if inland records represent dispersal, local migration or
the presence of local resident populations. Mangrove Cuckoo occurs in mangroves on both
coasts year-round and we presume the species is a resident breeder, although nesting has
not been reported.
LESSER GROUND-CUCKOO Morococcyx erythropygus
              
     
central valley of Chiapas, Mexico, into adjacent western Guatemala. These include: nine at
Finca El Carmen on 13 April 2012 with two there on 2 June 2017, one at Chaculá on 14 April
2012, three 3 km south of La Trinidad on 15 April 2012, four at Limonar on 1 December 2014,
one near Chacaj on 28 April 2015 with one there on 30 January 2016, eight at Lagunas de
Candelaria on 28 April 2015 with one there on 29 January 2016, and three on 22 April 2017

SHORT-TAILED NIGHTHAWK Lurocalis semitorquatus (A, D; r)
Uncommon in the Atlantic slope lowlands, where known from just eight sites. Howell &




comm.), one at Laguna Lachuá on 26 November 2011 (J. Harding pers. comm.) and one
              
         


photographed there on 14 December 2014 (Jones et al     

for that site. We assume it is a breeding resident, but nesting has not been recorded.
LESSER NIGHTHAWK Chordeiles acutipennis
                 


    
the breeding range is larger than suggested by Howell & Webb (1995) and may include the

COMMON NIGHTHAWK Chordeiles minor (D; rv)
Long-distance migrant with most breeding in North America and wintering in South
America (Brigham et al. 2011). Transients may be abundant during migration, e.g. >5,000
(170 individuals per minute during 30 minutes at dusk) emerged from day roosts in coastal

           
  

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 161 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
c

and two at Chaculá, dpto. Huehuetenango, on 3 June 2017. All summer records are from
lowland pine savanna or semi-humid highland pine–oak forest. These data suggest that the
species is a local and uncommon summer visitor. Breeding can be assumed but has not been
reported. Also, recent winter records as far north as Texas (Lockwood & Freeman 2014) and

Guatemala at this season.
YUCATAN NIGHTJAR Antrostomus badius (A; rm)
Considered to be a short-distance migrant from the Yucatán Peninsula to northern Central

 

April–August (Cleere 1999). We consider it resident, in part migratory, breeding suspected.
BUFF-COLLARED NIGHTJAR Antrostomus ridgwayi (D; r)
             
record for dpto. Huehuetenango and extend the known range from the central valley of

EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL Antrostomus vociferus (D; vagM)
           
widespread resident Mexican Whip-poor-will A. arizonae (e.g. AOU 1998, Eisermann &
Avendaño 2007). The only documented records for Guatemala appear to be a few specimens
collected mainly in the 19th century (Salvin & Sclater 1860b, Salvin & Hartert 1892),



(Howell & Webb 1995) has obscured the status of Eastern Whip-poor-will in the region. We
regard it as a vagrant to Guatemala.
BLACK SWIFT Cypseloides niger (D; rv)
              
Driessens 2000, Beason et al. 2012). Birds breeding in the USA have recently been found
  et al. 2012) and it is probably a widespread transient
across Central America (Stiles & Skutch 1989, Howell & Webb 1995). Summer (June–July)
      

on 1 July 2015 (Fig. 10b), ten with Vaux’s Chaetura vauxi and Chestnut-collared Swifts
Streptoprocne rutila          
with ten also there with Vaux’s, Chestnut-collared and White-collared Swifts Streptoprocne
zonaris
Haciendita, dpto. San Marcos, on 30 May 2017 (Fig. 10k) and a single at 3,700 m in Parque

suggest that Black Swift is both a transient and breeder in Guatemala, but evidence of
nesting has not been reported.

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 162 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
WHITE-CHINNED SWIFT Cypseloides cryptus (B; ?, H)

 
White-chinned Swifts were observed with Black Cypseloides niger and Great Swallow-tailed
Swifts Panyptila sanctihieronymi     
           
     


CHIMNEY SWIFT Chaetura pelagica (A; T)
Breeds in eastern North America, winters in South America, and commonly passes through
Middle America via the Atlantic slope (Howell & Webb 1995). However, one photographed
  
record.
GREAT SWALLOW-TAILED SWIFT Panyptila sanctihieronymi
          

         

Figure 10. Summer records of Black Swift Cypseloides niger in Guatemala: (a) Montaña Yalijux, dpto. Alta
             

  
2016 (Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 163 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
     



      
       
       
(Jones & Komar 2010b, 2014b), two in Jocotán, dpto.
       
comm.), at Sabana Grande, dpto. Chiquimula, in
September 2010 (Jones & Komar 2011b) and near
      
2015b). Four photographed 7 km north-west of Santa
Ana Huista, dpto. Huehuetenango, on 31 January
         
Valley.
WHITE-NECKED JACOBIN Florisuga mellivora
Uncommon resident in the Atlantic slope lowlands and foothills. A female incubating
           
          
from the south-eastern slope of Volcán Atitlán in October–February (Eisermann &
Avendaño 2007, Jones & Komar 2015a) including singles on 9 January 2007, 14 December
              


  

Figure 11. Great Swallow-tailed Swift
Panyptila sanctihieronymi, near Santa Ana
Huista, dpto. Huehuetenango, 31 January
2016 (Knut Eisermann)
Figure 12. Nest of White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora
(Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 164 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
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Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
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S33555131). These records suggest that White-necked Jacobin is a regular non-breeding

LONG-BILLED STARTHROAT Heliomaster longirostris


nestbuilding at 900 m on 11 April 2011 and an adult feeding a juvenile on 6 December

female was found at 1,000 m located c.18 m above ground atop a broken vertical limb of
            
photographed with an incubating or brooding female at 1,000 m on 9 November 2014, and
a nest photographed with an incubating or brooding female at 800 m on an arching vine on
5 February 2015. On 17 February the female was video-recorded feeding two juveniles that
were c
PLAIN-CAPPED STARTHROAT Heliomaster constantii (D; r)
Thought to be restricted to the arid south-east (Howell & Webb 1995) but new records
        
the central valley of Chiapas, Mexico, into
western Guatemala. These include: three
at Finca El Carmen on 13 April 2012, one
in Limonar on 1 December 2014, one at
Lagunas de Candelaria on 28 April 2015 and

SLENDER SHEARTAIL Doricha enicura

A female incubating two eggs in Santiago
Atitlán, dpto. Sololá, on 27 July 2013 (F.
Cummings pers. comm.; photograph) is
     
Guatemala. A young bird photographed
       
site of Slender Sheartail, on 17 September
   
     
     
(Fig. 13) suggest that it breeds in the wet
season.
BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD
Selasphorus platycercus
In Guatemala only found above 2,700 m. A
nest with two eggs found near Chiabal, dpto.
Huehuetenango, on 18 August 2016 and
a nest with two eggs photographed there
       
a female observed nestbuilding at Volcán
Tolimán, dpto. Sololá, on 24 September
Figure 13. Juvenile Slender Sheartail Doricha
enicura      

Figure 14. Female Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Selasphorus platycercus during final stage of
nestbuilding, Volcán Tolimán, dpto. Sololá, 24
September 2017 (Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 165 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
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2017 (Fig. 14) and a female at another nest
       
breeding records for Guatemala.
GREEN-FRONTED HUMMINGBIRD
Amazilia viridifrons (D; r)
Long considered a Mexican endemic but
      
Valley, dpto. Huehuetenango (Sandoval
2000, Eisermann & Avendaño 2007). New
records include at least three photographed
at Finca El Carmen on 13 April 2012 (Fig. 15)
with four there on 22 April 2017 and two on
      
(Jones & Komar 2013b), one at Limonar on
1 December 2014, and two near Chacaj on
30 January 2016. It is fairly common in dry
 
not been reported.
GREY-BREASTED CRAKE Laterallus exilis (D; r )

       

recorded on 28 March 2011 and others heard on 7 November and 23 December 2010 at El

   et al.   

          
nesting has not been reported.
BLACK RAIL Laterallus jamaicensis (D; ?)

Guatemala known from only two specimens, collected before 1874 in San Miguel Dueñas,
          
behaviour, the low observer coverage in Guatemala, and that one of the specimens was

breeding population could be involved. Thus, an uncertain residency status may be
more appropriate than our previous categorisation as extirpated (Howell & Webb 1995,
Eisermann & Avendaño 2007).
RUFOUS-NECKED WOOD-RAIL Aramides axillaries (A; r)

          
in Eisermann & Avendaño 2007). One photographed in

record. Although all of the few Guatemalan records are from mangroves, it may also
occur in humid inland forests (Carriker 1910, Thurber et al. 1987, Taylor & van Perlo 1998,
Figure 15. First documented Green-fronted
Hummingbird Amazilia viridifrons in Guatemala, Finca
El Carmen, dpto. Huehuetenango, 13 April 2012
(Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 166 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
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distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
Jones 2003b, Eisermann & Avendaño 2007,
Howell 2010). We assume that it is a resident

UNIFORM CRAKE Amaurolimnas concolor
(D; r)
First reported from Guatemala by Lawrence
(1863) without details and subsequently
unreported for nearly 140 years. New
records involve singles seen in second
growth adjacent to mangroves at Punta de
    
in May 2001 (Eisermann 2001) and heard
in mangrove edge at Hacienda Tijax, dpto.
       
breeds in Guatemala, but nesting has not
been reported.
SPOTTED RAIL Pardirallus maculatus

             



was recorded at Benque Viejo in January 2014 (Jones & Komar 2015a) near the border with
Guatemala. An adult with two juveniles seen on 5 April 2017 (J. Cahill, eBird S35881252)


          
2007). Guatemalan records range from sea level to 1,600 m, but it has been reported up to
2,000 m elsewhere (Taylor & van Perlo 1998) and we expect it may occur at wetlands across
most of Guatemala.
DOUBLE-STRIPED THICK-KNEE Burhinus bistriatus
      
              
            

12 there in January 2014 (Jones & Komar 2015a) and an impressive 123 on 7 November
2015 (D. Aldana pers. comm., eBird S25813813). Five seen 25 km south-west of Escuintla,


since December 2014 (Jones et al
Double-striped Thick-knee has been reported from four areas of Guatemala including

          


1897–1904, Griscom 1932).

Aramides axillaris
Guamuchal, 3 February 2016 (Claudia Avendaño)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 167 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
SOUTHERN LAPWING Vanellus chilensis (A; ?)
Perhaps expanding in Central America following large-scale conversion of forest to
           


farming areas are currently being converted into oil palm Elaeis guineensis plantations
(FAOSTAT 2012).
WILSON’S PLOVER Charadrius wilsonia (D; rm)
A winter visitor and local breeder on both coasts of Middle America (Howell & Webb 1995).

       
2012) suggests that the species probably also breeds in Guatemala.
SURFBIRD Calidris virgata (A; vagM)


RED PHALAROPE Phalaropus fulicarius (A; V)
Breeds in the Arctic and winters in near-shore waters of the tropical Atlantic and east
et al

SOUTH POLAR SKUA Stercorarius maccormicki (A; V)
Breeds in the Antarctic and reaches tropical and boreal seas as a non-breeding visitor
(Harrison 1983, Furness et al

to be a rare visitor to Guatemala.
POMARINE JAEGER Stercorarius pomarinus (A; V)
            


record. Uncommon near coasts, but more common in pelagic waters, where this species is

PARASITIC JAEGER Stercorarius parasiticus (A; V)
Breeds in the Arctic and disperses widely in pelagic waters (Harrison 1983). Several reports


            
Pomarine Jaeger.
SABINE’S GULL Xema sabini (A; V)
Circumpolar Arctic breeder and trans-equatorial migrant with main known wintering
               
of southern Africa (Howell & Dunn 2007, Stenhouse et al. 2012, Davis et al. 2016). All
   


Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 168 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
include eight on 20 October 2001 (J. Berry pers. comm.), four on 11 May 2002 (J. Berry pers.
comm.), seven on 20 and 21 May 2013, two on 8 January 2015 and 26 on 31 December 2015
(O. Komar, eBird S26569945). These records suggest that the species is a year-round non-

BONAPARTE’S GULL Chroicocephalus philadelphia (A; vagM)
Breeds in northern North America and is a rare visitor to Central America and the
Caribbean (Stiles & Skutch 1989, Jones 2005a, Howell & Dunn 2007, Jones & Komar 2008d).

            
              
documented record.
GREY-HOODED GULL Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus (B; vagM, H)
Breeds in South America and Africa (Howell & Dunn 2007), with a few Central American
reports, all from Panama (Jones 2004a, Angehr et al. 2008, Jones & Komar 2010d). An adult


hood, whitish iris, red bill and legs, was seen through a telescope while perched among 300
Laughing Gulls Leucophaeus atricilla
consider it an accidental vagrant in Guatemala.
RING-BILLED GULL Larus delawarensis (A; vagM)
Breeds in northern North America and is a non-breeding visitor to Central America and
 
et al

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL Larus fuscus (A; vagM)
A mainly Old World species that is increasingly frequent in the Americas (Howell & Dunn



WHITE TERN Gygis alba (B; vagM, H)
Pantropical pelagic species (Gochfeld et al. 2018). Nearest colonies are on Clipperton Island
  

coast by Pitman (1986) and Ballance et al

documented.
BRIDLED TERN Onychoprion anaethetus (A; V)
Pantropical species found in pelagic and coastal waters (Harrison 1983). Two photographed






Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 169 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
FORSTER’S TERN Sterna forsteri (A; V)
Breeds in North America and is an uncommon non-breeding visitor to Central America
          
     
et al. 2000) suggest that it may also occur near the
Guatemalan Caribbean coast.
ELEGANT TERN Thalasseus elegans (A; V)

              

             
record.
BLACK SKIMMER Rynchops niger (D; V)

rivers in South America east of the Andes (Harrison 1983). Breeds locally in El Salvador
(Komar 1998), but nesting has not been reported in Guatemala where records are thought to





RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD Phaethon aethereus (A; V)
  
        




dpto. Escuintla, on 22 April 2000 (P. Kaestner pers. comm.) and a juvenile photographed 6

KERMADEC PETREL Pterodroma neglecta (A; vagM)
 
near the Guatemalan coast in the Southwest Fisheries Science Center database (Ballance
et al      
  


      
      
   et al         
P. rostrata.
JUAN FERNANDEZ PETREL Pterodroma externa (B, vagM, H)

et al. 2018b).

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 170 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
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ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
The Southwest Fisheries Science Center database contains six records of singles 290–360 km
et al. 2018). Pitman (1986)
         
et al
GALAPAGOS PETREL Pterodroma phaeopygia (B; vagM;H)
            
2012). Considered Critically Endangered (IUCN 2017). Observations by Pitman (1986) c.300

TAHITI PETREL Pterodroma rostrata (A; V)
               
       et al    
             
c.et al. 2008) was
P. neglectaet al.

The Southwest Fisheries Science Center database contains 92 records of 1–9 individuals
     et al. 2018).
Those observations nearest to the coast involve 13 records of 1–2 individuals 60–100 km

150 km on 23 September 2003, one at 100 km on 3 September 1989, and one at 120 km on 14
October 1999 (Ballance et al
PARKINSON’S PETREL Procellaria parkinsoni (D; V)



uncommon but regular visitor.
WEDGE-TAILED SHEARWATER Ardenna pacica (D; V)

             
common visitor.
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER Ardenna creatopus (A; V)

          
            
            
          
including 300 seen on 26 March 2012 (Jones & Komar 2013a) and two photographed on 19

CHRISTMAS SHEARWATER Punus nativitatis (D; V)


The Southwest Fisheries Science Center database contains four records in 1988–2000 within
et al. 2018). One photographed on 8 April

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 171 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
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ISSN-2513-9894
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             
consider it to be a rare visitor.
GALAPAGOS SHEARWATER Punus subalaris (D; V)
 P. lherminieri (e.g. AOU 1998,
Eisermann & Avendaño 2007) but now treated as a separate species (Chesser et al. 2012).
          

tropical and subtropical western Atlantic Ocean (Howell 2012) but there are no reports from
Caribbean Guatemala; its status changes to probable.
TOWNSEND’S SHEARWATER Punus auricularis (B; VagM, H)
             
Critically Endangered (IUCN 2017). The Southwest Fisheries Science Center database
           
et al. 2018). Also reported by
Pitman (1986). Undocumented observations reported by P. Kaestner & J. Berry in Eisermann
  et al   
a vagrant.
BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER Punus opisthomelas (A; vagM)
          
             
   


Southwest Fisheries Science Center database does not contain any Guatemalan records
(Ballance et al. 2018). We regard it as a vagrant.
BAND-RUMPED STORM PETREL Oceanodroma castro (B; vagM, H)



      
et al. 2018). We regard
it as a vagrant.
WEDGE-RUMPED STORM PETREL Oceanodroma tethys (A; V)

 


visitor.
BLACK STORM PETREL Oceanodroma melania (A, D; V)

            
          

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 172 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)


MARKHAM’S STORM PETREL Oceanodroma markhami (B; vagM, H)

et al. 2015). Eleven undocumented

   
  
km from the coast on 23 September 2003, and two 290 km from the coast on 4 October 2006
(Ballance et al. 2018). We regard it as a vagrant.
LEAST STORM PETREL
Oceanodroma microsoma (A, D; V)
Breeds in the Gulf of California and on
   
disperses widely in the eastern tropical and
     

an uncommon visitor. Birds photographed

eBird S18878418) and 8 January 2015 (Fig. 17)

GREAT FRIGATEBIRD Fregata minor
(B; vagM, H)
         

c
coast.
MASKED BOOBY Sula dactylatra (A; V)  NAZCA BOOBY S. granti (A; D)

& Jehl 1998, Banks et al    
  



        
             
        
            

et al. 2018).
BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY Sula nebouxii (A; V)
       
          
          
Figure 17. Least Storm Petrel Oceanodroma
microsoma     
(Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 173 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
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distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
          

Guatemala, there are few reports and we regard it as a rare visitor.
BROWN BOOBY Sula leucogaster (D; V)
Widespread in tropical and subtropical oceans (Harrison 1983), breeding locally on

reported in Guatemala where it is an uncommon visitor to the Caribbean coast (Eisermann

RED-FOOTED BOOBY Sula sula (A, D; V)
Pantropical (Harrison 1983) and occurs
      

that it is a regular visitor. An immature
     

documented record.
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
Phalacrocorax auritus (A; vagM)
Following undocumented reports from
           
      
            

PINNATED BITTERN Botaurus pinnatus (D; r)
              
  

           
   

      
Komar 2009c, 2010c) with two there on 7
January 2015 and three on 15 January 2015
(Jones et al      
dpto. Jutiapa (Pineda et al. 2006). Three at


there on 28 May 2017 suggest it is a breeding
resident but nesting has not been reported.
AMERICAN BITTERN
Botaurus lentiginosus (D; vagM)

Guatemala only from historical records at
      
     Sula sula 
dpto. Escuintla, 18 April 2012 (Knut Eisermann)
Figure 19. First documented record of American
Botaurus lentiginosus
  
19th-century specimen records (Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 174 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
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ISSN-2513-9894
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
             


BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON Nycticorax nycticorax
Cosmopolitan species thought to be mainly a winter visitor to Guatemala (Howell & Webb
        
   

comm., photograph).
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON Nyctanassa violacea
Fairly common resident in coastal lowlands and recently reported inland in the Atlantic
et al.


       

WHITE IBIS Eudocimus albus
Found mainly near coasts in Middle America, and Land (1970) considered it rare in dpto.
     et al. (1991). New
  
             

     
(Jones & Komar 2007c). Nesting not reported inland, but a colony with at least 30 active


GLOSSY IBIS Plegadis falcinellus (A, D; vagM)
           
and now expanding its range in North, Middle and South America (Howell & de Montes





S21677386). An adult Plegadis

to species, yet is noteworthy because no Plegadis has otherwise been recorded from the
Guatemalan Atlantic slope lowlands. We consider Glossy Ibis to be a non-breeding vagrant.
WHITE-FACED IBIS Plegadis chihi (A, D; vagM)
            
            
      


Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 175 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
       
seven photographed there on 3 February 2015 (Jones et al    

ROSEATE SPOONBILL Platalea ajaja
Uncommon and a very local breeder on both coasts of Middle America (Stiles & Skutch
1989, Howell & Webb 1995, Frederick et al. 1997). At least six active nests photographed near
       
    
slope lowlands, including one at Laguna Petexbatún on 5 April 2016 (E. Salvatierra, eBird
             
S22163722) with four photographed there on 23 January 2016 (A. B. Lucas, eBird S27082033)
and four seen on 24 January 2018 and one on 4 May 2016 in the east of Parque Nacional
Laguna del Tigre (J. Cahill, eBird S29463490).
WHITE-TAILED KITE Elanus leucurus

           



SNAIL KITE Rostrhamus sociabilis

      


DOUBLE-TOOTHED KITE Harpagus bidentatus
Uncommon in the Atlantic slope lowlands and foothills. One photographed at Takalik




but the nature of any seasonal movements is unknown.
SWAINSON’S HAWK Buteo swainsoni (D; T)
Probably the entire world population passes over Guatemala during migration between the
breeding range in North America and wintering range in South America (Bildstein & Zalles
et al
is known about roosting and foraging by raptors on migration in Central America (Dickey
 et al. 2009), a concentration of at least 100


HARPY EAGLE Harpia harpyja
              
(Whitacre et al. 2002, Vargas et al
et al. 2012) was c.50 km to the east of that site.

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 176 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
FLAMMULATED OWL Psiloscops ammeolus
Previously thought to be a non-breeding visitor (Howell & Webb 1995, AOU 1998,
Eisermann & Avendaño 2015, Weidensaul 2015) and unrecorded in Guatemala for more
            
 
of Tehuantepec (Eisermann et al. 2017b). Two were at the same site on 18 November 2016.
Based on the nesting record, it appears doubtful if any northern Flammulated Owls migrate
further south than Mexico and we suspect that all records in Guatemala involve residents
(Eisermann et al. 2017b, Eisermann & Avendaño 2017).
PACIFIC SCREECH OWL Megascops cooperi

     
             
            
     
Motagua Valley, c.   
et al. 2015). At other dry scrub localities in the Motagua Valley only Vermiculated Screech
Owl M. guatemalae
Screech Owl may have colonised the valley only recently, or that it occurs only very locally,
        
Guamuchal, dpto. San Marcos, in March 2015, was the second nesting record (Eisermann
& Avendaño 2017).
WHISKERED SCREECH OWL Megascops trichopsis
           
collected in 1973 (Eisermann & Avendaño 2017).
BEARDED SCREECH OWL Megascops barbarus
           

    
      
known locality in Guatemala.
NORTHERN PYGMY OWL Glaucidium gnoma 
G. g. cobanense (Guatemalan Pygmy Owl), which occurs in Mexico south-east of the Isthmus
of Tehuantepec and in northern Central America has distinctive vocalisations (Eisermann
& Howell 2011) and may represent a separate species. G. g. cobanense is fairly common
throughout the Guatemalan highlands at 1,800–3,400 m, rarely to 1,400 m. Several nesting

FULVOUS OWL Strix fulvescens
Fairly common in cloud forest above 1,800 m (Eisermann & Avendaño 2017) but the nest is

           

              

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 177 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)

Cuchumatanes.
STYGIAN OWL Asio stygius
             
et al. 2014) was the

STRIPED OWL Pseudoscops clamator
       
2012 (Eisermann & Avendaño 2017) suggest it may be expanding in the Atlantic slope
Strix fulvescens
second documented breeding record in Guatemala (Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 178 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
  

UNSPOTTED SAW-WHET OWL Aegolius ridgwayi
Long thought to be rare, but recent surveys demonstrate that it is widespread in the
highlands at 1,900–3,700 m and occurs rarely as low as 1,400 m (Eisermann 2013, Eisermann

   
dpto. Huehuetenango, on 13 November 2017 was a new site record for the Sierra Los
Cuchumatanes.
ELEGANT TROGON Trogon elegans


           
            
    
2008a) documented a new site record on the Atlantic slope.
TODY MOTMOT Hylomanes momotula
Uncommon to fairly common in the humid lowlands and foothills of both slopes. Nesting
has apparently never been described (Stiles & Skutch 1989, Howell & Webb 1995, Snow
        

             
  c.1,000 m on 17 June 2009. Adults


c.

nests were active during the wet season.
RUSSET-CROWNED MOTMOT Momotus mexicanus
            
 
Valley, dpto. Huehuetenango, demonstrate that its distribution extends from the central
valley of Chiapas, Mexico, into western Guatemala. These include one near Limonar on 1
December 2014, four near Lagunas de Candelaria on 28 April 2015, one photographed 8 km
north-west of Santa Ana Huista on 21 April 2017 (L. Conrad), two seen on 22 April 2017 and

TURQUOISE-BROWED MOTMOT Eumomota superciliosa
            
            
(Eisermann & Avendaño 2007). One photographed at the park entrance 4 km south-east of

E. s. superciliosa (Griscom 1929),
a race not previously reported in Guatemala. Together with recent records from Tabasco,

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 179 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
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

YUCATAN WOODPECKER Melanerpes pygmaeus (A, D; r)


Figure 21. First documented record of nominate Turquoise-browed Motmot Eumomota s. superciliosa in

Figure. 22. Yucatan Woodpecker Melanerpes pygmaeus


Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 180 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
              
                
                
           
 
woodland there. Three more were seen 5 km south-east of Paso Caballo on 24 March 2013.
Yucatan Woodpecker was subsequently found in the south-east part of Parque Nacional
Laguna del Tigre and adjacent areas during 2013–17 including seven in gallery forest


2014 (Cahill 2014), near the El Perú archaeological site on 20 December 2015 (Christmas
Bird Count, eBird S26437510), 9 km south of Paso Caballo on 18 December 2016 (J. Madrid,



RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER Sphyrapicus nuchalis (A; vagM)
   S. varius (e.g. AOU 1985)
and not listed in recent works on Guatemalan birds (Eisermann & Avendaño 2007). A male
    
1879–87) is the only record for Guatemala. The only other Central American records are

LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER Picoides scalaris
Very local in Central America (Howell & Webb 1995). In Guatemala reported from



          

female and two juveniles photographed 4 km south-east of Paso Caballo on 17 May 2013
Figure 23. Family of Ladder-backed Woodpeckers Picoides scalaris, 4 km south-east of Paso Caballo, 17 May
2013: (a) juvenile; (b) female; (c) male (Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 181 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)

March 2017 (M. Ovando, eBird S35033208). These records indicate a range extension from
Tabasco and north-east Chiapas, Mexico, to the south-east. A recent colonist in Palenque,
et al
made conversion of dense humid forest to woodland.
BARRED FOREST FALCON Micrastur rucollis



    
        

        
February 2011 (Jones & Komar 2011c, 2011d), one sound-recorded in Loma Linda, dpto.

north-west slope of Volcán Tacaná, dpto. San Marcos, and one on the south-east slope of
the same volcano near Yalú at 2,100 m on 3 September 2014, one at Finca Las Nubes, Volcán
  

2 November 2013 (D. Aldana, eBird S15678373).
APLOMADO FALCON Falco femoralis (A, D; r)
 
               
             
December 2014 and one in January 2015 near Paso Caballo (Jones et al
documented records and suggest it is resident and that breeding can be assumed. Central
           

PEREGRINE FALCON Falco peregrinus
Widespread winter visitor but not previously reported breeding in Central America.
Following summer records in Guatemala City in 2008 (Jones & Komar 2009a), breeding
             
juveniles with their parents were seen in the last week of April (Jones & Komar 2015b) and
remained together until August (F. Aldana pers. comm.). Based on the mean length of the
incubation (34 days) and nestling periods (40 days) elsewhere (White et al. 2002), egg laying
      
America. Based on the dark ear-coverts and rather pale breast of the adults, and chestnut

were perhaps race anatum, whose regular breeding range includes North America, except
the northern tundra, and northern Mexico (White et al. 2002, 2013).
PACIFIC PARAKEET Psiacara strenuus 


its range 60 km over the Atlantic slope highlands from the nearest record in the Motagua
Valley. These include two on 13 and 18 July 2015, ten on 15 February 2016, two on 4 March

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 182 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
2016, two sound-recorded on 19 March 2016,
ten sound-recorded on 1 April 2016 (Fig. 24)
and ten seen on 23 and 26 July 2016.
BLACK-BANDED WOODCREEPER
Dendrocolaptes picumnus
Widely distributed from southern Mexico
to central South America, but the northern
race puncticollis is poorly known (Howell
& Webb 1995). Historical records from the
      
      
Zacapa (Salvin & Godman 1888–1897,
Griscom 1932, Land 1962a). Unreported in
Guatemala for almost 60 years until one was


STRONG-BILLED WOODCREEPER
Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus
Uncommon and previously recorded
only in the Atlantic slope highlands and
lowlands (Howell & Webb 1995). New
records are from pine–oak forest in the
     
     
San Miguel Totonicapán, dpto. Totonicapán,
on 22 July 2001 (J. Berry pers. comm.),
    
(Jones & Komar 2007a,c), Cerro Alux, dpto.
     
one at Cerro Tecpán, dpto. Chimaltenango,
on 7 April 2014. These records suggest
that it occurs throughout the Guatemalan
highlands.
RUFOUS-BREASTED SPINETAIL
Synallaxis erythrothorax
Found mainly below 900 m on both slopes.
A pair photographed nestbuilding near the ecotone between humid broadleaf forest and
              


MOUNTAIN ELAENIA Elaenia franii
Following the distributional summary in Eisermann & Avendaño (2007), recent data

highlands. New site records from the Atlantic highlands include 1–2 birds seen repeatedly

 Psiacara strenuus, Cobán,

Figure 25. Black-banded Woodcreeper Dendrocolaptes
picumnus
May 2018 (Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 183 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
17 including a nest with an incubating or brooding adult photographed on 15 June 2015
  
at Chaculá, dpto. Huehuetenango on 3 February 2015, and records from Cerro El Amay,
    et al    
highlands include two at Volcán Pacaya, dpto. Escuintla, on 12 May 2009 (O. Barden pers.
comm.), two at Volcán San Pedro, dpto. Sololá, on 21 August 2009, and singles at 1,800 m

and 15 April 2008, with one at 2,700 m on 21 June 2008. The westernmost record was one

et al.
2016). Guatemalan records are from 1,400–2,700 m.
BELTED FLYCATCHER Xenotriccus callizonus
Very local in semi-humid to arid oak forest with dense understorey, being reliably recorded

 

Los Cuchumatanes, dpto. Huehuetenango.
Lago Atitlán Valley: new records from near the type locality in Panajachel (Dwight &
Griscom 1927, Griscom 1932), include north-east of Panajachel (J. Berry in Eisermann &


Laguna, in August 2008 (Jones & Komar 2009b), one on the north-west slope of Volcán San
Pedro on 4 January 2007 (C. Benesh pers. comm.), near San Juan La Laguna in July 2009
(Jones & Komar 2010a), west of San Juan La Laguna at nearly 2,200 m on 15 August 2014
(C. Aguilar pers. comm.), two territories at Finca Santa Victoria on 16 February 2012, one

 
eBird S33986309).


Figure 26. Belted Flycatcher Xenotriccus callizonus nests (a) near San Juan La Laguna, dpto. Sololá, 27 May


Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 184 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
           
  
its presence near Pantin (Jones & Komar 2015d), with another near La Cebadilla, dpto.




        



2012, one seen on 21 January 2015, two seen on 3 February 2015 and one on 13 April 2017,
at Chaculá, dpto. Huehuetenango.
           
del Toro (1965) reported it as low as 800 m in Chiapas, Mexico. A nest with two young,
c.6 days old, photographed west of San Juan La Laguna, dpto. Sololá, on 27 May 2014 (J.
Chocoy pers. comm., Fig. 26a) and a nest with two chicks of the same age at Montaña Santa
   
   
pine needles, with an outer diameter of 6 cm and depth of 6 cm, and was sited 2 m above

Toro 1965).
At Cerro Montecristo it has been reported from the El Salvador side (Komar 2002). This
           
Although this type of forest occurs only disjunctly throughout the interior mountains of
Guatemala, we assume Belted Flycatcher to be more widely distributed than the sum of
records suggests; it should be looked for in under-surveyed parts of dptos. Huehuetenango,

Chiquimula.
WESTERN WOOD PEWEE Contopus sordidulus
A widespread transient that was thought likely to breed in the highlands by Griscom
(1932) based on specimens from July and August, but nesting has not previously been
reported. A territorial pair with an adult incubating or brooding on a nest, sound-recorded
and photographed near Finca El Carmen, dpto. Huehuetenango, on 2 June 2017 (Fig. 27)
  c.6 m above ground on a bare branch. June records are
Figure 27. Nesting Western Wood Pewee Contopus sordidulus in Guatemala, near Finca El Carmen, dpto.
Huehuetenango, 2 June 2017: (a) adult in nest; (b) nest; (c) adult (Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 185 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
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distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)

           

org), 37 have data on month of collection (collections and number of specimens: AMNH, 14;
DMNH, 1; FMNH, 1; MCZ, 8; MVZ, 1; USNM, 5; LACM, 2; UWBM, 2; WFVZ, 1). Specimens
were collected in April, July, August, September, October and November. None is from
June. We consider Western Wood Pewee to be a very rare and local breeder in Guatemala.
             
autumn transients in July and spring migration continuing until May (Howell & Webb 1995;

records in Guatemala, including those from May and July, are of passage migrants.
WHITE-THROATED FLYCATCHER Empidonax albigularis
Thought to breed based on immatures collected at Sierra de las Minas, dpto. Zacapa (Land
           

could be determined were of 1–3 eggs (24 clutches with three eggs, four clutches of two eggs
and two clutches of one egg; mean ± SD: 2.7 ± 0.6, n = 30). Observed or calculated breeding
   
nests were at 1,900–2,400 m in 1–6-year-old second growth in areas used for growing corn
(Zea mais). Locally fairly common in the Atlantic slope highlands and territorial birds have
been observed March–August. White-throated Flycatcher is apparently absent from these
high elevations in September–February. Short-distance altitudinal migrations have been
suggested (Griscom 1932), but the details of any such movements remain unknown.
VERMILION FLYCATCHER Pyrocephalus rubinus
Perhaps expanding with deforestation. Its range in Guatemala now includes the savanna of


records from the interior valleys and highlands include three photographed at San Marcos,




            
S32568679) and a male seen 10 km west of Huehuetenango, dpto. Huehuetenango, on 3

Figure 28. Breeding White-throated Flycatcher Empidonax albigularis



Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 186 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
NUTTING’S FLYCATCHER
Myiarchus nuingi
Until recently known only from the arid
south and south-east (Howell & Webb 1995).
     
dpto. Huehuetenango, indicate that its
range extends from the central valley of
Chiapas, Mexico, into western Guatemala.
These include six at Finca El Carmen on
13 April 2012 (Fig. 29), one at Lagunas de
Candelaria on 28 April 2015 with two there

2 June 2017.
CASSIN’S KINGBIRD Tyrannus vociferans
(D; V)
An uncommon and irregular winter visitor.
An historical record is from San Miguel
    
Godman 1888–97). New records are from

and Huehuetenango (Jones & Komar 2013c,
2014c) including four seen 6 km south-east
of Aguacatán, dpto. Huehuetenango, on 29
March 2014 (J. Cahill, eBird S18044305), and

on 20 January 2015, three on 2 February 2015
and six on 22 April 2017 at Finca El Carmen,
dpto. Huehuetenango (but none seen there
on 2 December 2014, 13 April 2012 and 2
June 2017), two seen on 6 March 2014 (J.
Cahill, eBird S17574890, S17574791), one on
30 January 2016 and two on 28 April 2015
near Chacaj, and three seen 3 km south of La Trinidad on 3 February 2015.
FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER Tyrannus savana

record for Guatemala. The species’ migrations are poorly understood (AOU 1989, Howell
& Webb 1995, Eisermann & Avendaño 2007).
SPECKLED MOURNER Laniocera rufescens (D; r)

            

            

et al
   
    Myiarchus nuingi,
Finca El Carmen, dpto. Huehuetenango, 13 April 2012
(Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 187 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
et al
16 March 2002.
CHESTNUT-SIDED SHRIKE-VIREO Vireolanius melitophrys
            
      
   
the entire ridge of Montaña Yalijux in 2007–14. Despite monthly bird counts at Montaña

with subsequent records in 2009–12 (E. Col & KE pers. obs.). Other new sites in the Atlantic

 

et al
las Minas, dpto. El Progreso (Jones & Komar 2013c). With its distinctive and far-carrying
vocalisations, it is unlikely to have been overlooked previously and we suspect that Atlantic
slope records represent a recent range expansion. A nest photographed near San Lucas

breeding record.
WHITE-EYED VIREO Vireo griseus (D; V)
             



S35083698).
GREEN JAY Cyanocorax yncas
Five seen near Limonar on 1 December 2014 and two in Chaculá on 29 April 2015 appear to

Figure 30. Speckled Mourner Laniocera rufescens


Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 188 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
BUSHY-CRESTED JAY Cyanocorax melanocyaneus
Common in pine–oak forest and plantations in the highlands above 800 m but recorded

China, dpto. El Progreso, during the breeding and non-breeding seasons, with one on 7
September 2010, four on 10 March and at least ten on 26 October 2014 (including immatures
with yellow bills). The site is at the base of a mountain range with pine–oak habitat. Areas

has not been observed in arid scrub but cannot be ruled out. These observations suggest that
Bushy-crested Jay may range throughout the year to low elevations near optimal habitat
above 800 m.
COMMON RAVEN Corvus corax
             
in the highlands and arid interior valleys, with records from Volcán Fuego, dpto.
Chimaltenango, the plains near Chimaltenango, dpto. Chimaltenango, Volcán Atitlán,
dpto. Sololá, San Miguel Dueñas, dpto.
  
   
  

Motagua, dpto. Zacapa (Sclater & Salvin
1859, Salvin & Godman 1879–87, Griscom
1932, Baepler 1962, Land 1962b). Not listed
by Dearborn (1907) or Wetmore (1941), but
Land (1970) described it as ‘fairly common
in the highlands’ and ‘especially numerous
in the Altos of Huehuetenango’ (= Sierra Los
Cuchumatanes).
     
include two seen by CA in what is now
    
Cuchumatán, dpto. Huehuetenango, on 12
April 1997, one near Nueva Santa Catarina
Ixtahuacán, dpto. Sololá, on 10 February 2002 (J. Berry pers. comm.), a report without
et al. 2006), two seen
on 11 April and four on 7 May 2007 near San Pedro La Laguna, dpto. Sololá (C. Anderson
       
pers. comm.), a presumed pair photographed (Fig. 31) near Chiabal, dpto. Huehuetenango
           

       
with other singles on 11 and 12 April 2016, 30 April 2016, 4 June 2016, 3 July 2016 and 26
August 2016. During multiple visits to the area in 2014–18 up to three birds were seen per


Local people in the western highlands report that ravens disappeared in the late
1970s. They were common near Sibinal, dpto. San Marcos, at 2,900 m until the 1970s, when
 
people poisoned them with baits. Subsequently, the species disappeared from there (A.
Corvus
corax, Chiabal, dpto. Huehuetenango, 5 December
      
for Guatemala (along with a photograph and
     
2016) since specimens collected in the 19th century
(Bonaparte 1837) and 1958 (Baepler 1962).

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 189 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)

             



             


            
western highlands of Guatemala are densely populated by farmers. It can be presumed that
poisoning throughout the region led to a sudden collapse in the population. Until recently,
the species had not recovered. Based on repeated recent observations of two birds in Parque

may still occur there.
PURPLE MARTIN Progne subis (A; T)
Breeds in North America and winters in South America (Brown & Tarof 2013). Purple Martin
is a fairly common transient through Guatemala, but without documentation and thus until
recently was considered hypothetical (Eisermann & Avendaño 2007). One photographed
             

S31429440) provide documented records from spring and autumn passage.
CAVE SWALLOW Petrochelidon fulva (A; V)
     
in March 2008 where 55 were seen (Jones & Komar 2008d). Undocumented reports from
            
            
 


visitor to coastal El Salvador (Jones & Komar 2008d), but it appears to be an irregular visitor
and transient in Guatemala.
ROCK WREN Salpinctes obsoletus
Associated with extensive rocky areas and is very local in northern Central America
(Griscom 1932, Howell & Webb 1995). In Guatemala, recent records include one heard at
Volcán Pacaya, dpto. Escuintla, on 12 May 2009 (O. Barden pers. comm.), at least one seen
at Lago Atitlán near Santiago Atitlán, dpto. Sololá, on 25 February 2001 (P. Kaestner pers.
comm.) and three north of Panajachel dpto. Sololá, on 22 March 2002 (M. Mathieson pers.

Huehuetenango (Nelson 1897), where a population was relocated in April 2012, with two
at Finca El Carmen on 13 April 2012 and at least nine territories (13 individuals) at seven
of nine sample points along a 10 km transect south of La Trinidad on 15 April 2012. At

c.8 day-old juveniles was observed
at Finca El Carmen on 2 June 2017 (Fig. 32b). Both nests were in natural rock cavities, but
     
    

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 190 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
            



et al.



       
1879–87, Nelson 1897, Griscom 1932) and recent records in Guatemala are from elevations
of 1,000–3,200 m. We consider it a rare to common but very local resident.
SEDGE WREN Cistothorus platensis
              
            
            
            
      
was also reported in 2012 (Jones & Komar 2013b), in Fraijanes, dpto. Guatemala (Jones &
Komar 2009b) and 5 km north of San Francisco El Alto, dpto. Totonicapán (Jones & Komar
2011c). A report of six with photographs and observations of copulation and collecting nest
  

CAROLINA WREN Thryothorus ludovicianus

May 2015 (Jones et al

GIANT WREN Campylorhynchus chiapensis



2015b). Subsequent records include birds 4 km east of the border in La Blanca, dpto. San
Marcos, in October and December 2014 (Jones & Komar 2015d, Jones et al. 2016a) and three
    Salpinctes obsoletus     
cavity, 3 km south of Trinidad, dpto. Huehuetenango, 27 April 2015; (b) nest with c.8 day-old juveniles,
(c) food-carrying adult about to enter nest cavity, Finca El Carmen, dpto. Huehuetenango, 2 June 2017
(Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 191 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
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ISSN-2513-9894
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territories in Salinas Dos on 24 March 2015. A bird carrying nest material near La Blanca in
October 2014 (Jones & Komar 2015d) and a pair photographed nestbuilding in a mistletoe
in a Salix tree 16 m above ground in Salinas Dos, dpto. San Marcos, on 25 April 2015


BANDED WREN Thryophilus pleurostictus

but observations in 2012–17 indicate it is common there. Nests observed at Finca El Carmen

BLUE-GREY GNATCATCHER Polioptila caerulea (D; rm)
A fairly common Nearctic migrant in Guatemala, which also breeds locally in the region
(Jones 2003a). Spring and summer records in Guatemala include territorial pairs, with the
male in breeding plumage, photographed in Chaculá, dpto. Huehuetenango, on 13 April
        
       
July 2015 (A. B. Lucas, eBird S24187929),
      
26 June 2017 (J. Dangel, eBird S37796876),
and one or two on the south shore of
       
(J. Dangel, eBird S37781379, A. B. Lucas

     
historical summer record is a specimen from

Tyne 1935). These records suggest breeding

Huehuetenango, but nests have not been
reported.
WHITE-LORED GNATCATCHER
Polioptila albiloris
Found in arid to semi-humid scrub and forest, and until recently known only from the arid
    
dpto. Huehuetenango, indicate that its range in the central valley of Chiapas, Mexico,
extends into western Guatemala. These include one near La Mesilla on 17 February 2002 (P.
Kaestner pers. comm.), six on 13 April 2012, three on 2 December 2014, six on 20 January
           

with four on 28 April 2015 and two on 29 January 2016, one 3 km south of La Trinidad on
15 April 2012, seven at Limonar on 1 December 2014, and two near Chacaj on 28 April 2015

singles on 24 October 2006 and 24 January 2007 at San Pedro La Laguna (C. Anderson pers.
comm.) may have been vagrants. There seem to be no historical or more recent records
(2007–16) from this locality.
Figure 33. Male Blue-grey Gnatcatcher Polioptila
caerulea, Chaculá, dpto. Huehuetenango, 13 April 2017
(Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 192 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
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AMERICAN DIPPER Cinclus mexicanus
           



low elevation of 650 m, in March 2014 (Jones & Komar 2015b) and on 8 October 2014 suggest
that the species ranges locally below 1,000 m year-round.
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET Regulus satrapa
Locally fairly common resident in high-elevation (>2,500 m) coniferous forest and
           
Santos Cuchumatán on 5 June 2017. Both adults repeatedly entered a dense, 3 m-tall juniper
(Juniperus standleyi) shrub from where begging calls could be heard. We could not determine

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET Regulus calendula (D; vagM)
          
at unknown sites in the 19th century by G. U. Skinner (Sclater & Salvin 1859, Salvin &
Figure 34. Adult American Dipper Cinclus mexicanus 

Regulus calendula


Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 193 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
Godman 1879–87). One of these is a male taken in 1859 now in the Smithsonian Institution,
Washington DC (USNM 13631). Several sightings lack documentation, including from
  

Kaestner pers. comm.) and one at Volcán Tolimán, dpto. Sololá, on 24 February 2001 (P.
 
dpto. San Marcos, at 2,800 m on 9 February 2012, and one seen at Cerro Tecpán, dpto.
Chimaltenango, on 2 January 2014 (Jones & Komar 2015a). A bird photographed in a mixed-
Cardellina versicolor, Townsend’s Warbler Setophaga
townsendi and Wilson’s Warbler Cardellina pusilla in an 8 m-tall pine plantation at 3,100 m


BLACK CATBIRD Melanoptila glabrirostris (D; r)

    et al. 2013) indicate that breeding occurs April–
August. With few available records (van Tyne 1935), status in Guatemala was uncertain

the breeding season including ten near Santa Anta in May 2014 (Jones & Komar 2015b)
plus three in June and eight in July 2014 (Jones & Komar 2015c), three on 13 August 2015
  
on 23 June 2017 (A. B. Lucas, eBird S37768931) and one on 29 June 2017 (J. Madrid, eBird
S37869445), and one near San Miguel in July 2014 (Jones & Komar 2015c) with three there on

that Black Catbird breeds in the area, but nesting has not been reported.
TRICOLOURED MUNIA Lonchura malacca (A, D; ?)

(Banks et al. 2000), with recent records throughout Central America (Jones 2003a, 2004b,
       
   Lonchura malacca  
January 2018 (Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 194 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
        
 et al.
             
     

established in Guatemala.
CHESTNUT MUNIA Lonchura atricapilla (B; ?, H)
Native to south Asia and recently introduced in the West Indies (Banks et al. 2000). It is
unknown if the species is established in South America, where it has been reported in
et al. 2006). An adult 6 km north-west of Villa Canales, dpto. Guatemala,

origin is uncertain and we are not aware of any other reports.
HOUSE SPARROW Passer domesticus
An Old World species introduced into the eastern USA during the 19th century, which
has expanded throughout North and Middle America (AOU 1998). In Guatemala, House
Sparrow was still unknown in the 1960s (Land 1970) but during the 1970s it became
            
             
2011. New records from urban areas in the deforested southern and central parts of the
             
Komar 2011c), three in La Libertad on 27 March 2013, two in Poptún in September 2013
(Jones & Komar 2014c), 20 in Santa Elena in October 2014 (Jones & Komar 2015d), eight in


(B. Mes, eBird S35270885).
WHITE-VENTED EUPHONIA Euphonia minuta (D; r)









reported.
HOUSE FINCH Haemorhous mexicanus (B; r, H)

valley of Chiapas (Howell & Webb 1995). Several were observed singing persistently
              
      
          
territorial birds suggests it is now a resident breeder in the area.

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 195 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
© 2018 The Authors; This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Aribution-NonCommercial Licence, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ISSN-2513-9894
(Online)
BLACK-CAPPED SISKIN Spinus atriceps  PINE SISKIN Spinus pinus perplexus

The taxonomy of S. atriceps and the southernmost race of Pine Siskin S. p. perplexus is vexed.
S. atriceps was described based on two male specimens, one olive-coloured with a black
cap and the other mainly grey with a black cap (Salvin 1863, Salvin & Godman 1879–1904,
Vallely et al. 2014). S. p. perplexus was described based on a mainly greyish bird with
 et al. 2014). Vallely et al. (2014)
discussed the existing confusion in the literature from 1863 to 2008 regarding the taxonomic

to S. atriceps, greyish birds with a dark cap that have been considered either to be S. atriceps
or S. p. perplexus, greyish birds with dark streaks considered to be S. p. perplexus and greyish
birds with a dark cap that have been regarded as hybrids between the two species, as well

Based on measurements of specimens belonging to all of these morphological variants,
Vallely et al     
   
and streaked birds. A more recent molecular study is congruent with these results, as
et al. 2016). Both studies
           
nomenclatural confusion remains unresolved, because grey-coloured birds with a dark cap
were originally described as S. atriceps (Salvin 1863, Salvin & Godman 1879–1904), meaning
that using the name S. pinus perplexus for grey birds with a dark cap violates the International
code of zoological nomenclature (ICZN 1999, Dickinson et al. 2011).
The olive form is locally common in the western highlands of Guatemala, but nesting
has apparently not been described (Howell & Webb 1995). We observed an active nest at
  
    
dense branch of a 7 m cypress Neocupressus lusitanica

up to 70 minutes inside it, probably indicating the onset of incubation. The male fed the
female in the nest. Surrounding habitat was open woodland with cypress, pine (Pinus sp.),
arrayán (Baccharis sp.), agave (Agave sp.) and some alder trees (Alnus sp.). At the same site
a female was seen nestbuilding on 16 April 2013. Birds with streaked juvenile plumage

Figure 37. Juvenile plumage of grey morphs in the Black-capped Siskin Spinus atriceps S. pinus
perplexus complex: (a) dependent juvenile with adult (above), 5 km north of San Francisco El Alto, dpto.
Totonicapán, 11 September 2014; (b) dependent juvenile (left) and adult, (c) lateral view of same juvenile,
Chichim, dpto. Huehuetenango, 3 July 2016 (Knut Eisermann)

Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño 196 Bull. B.O.C. 2018 138(3)
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ISSN-2513-9894
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
             