In 2017, I started what could transform into a lifelong birdwatching hobby in Costa Rica. Pretty soon I was amazed by the incredibly diverse that our country is in terms of birdlife. We have more than 900 species that have been registered, and we continue to register new ones every year. Then the guides at Fundación de Rapaces de Costa Rica talked about a trip to Colombia, which has more than double in term of species count. I knew I had to sign up. January 2018 was the date for the trip, and it was amazing. The diversity is incredible, specially when talking about hummingbirds and tanagers, but even Toucans and Antpittas are composed of lots of species, and the level of endemism (meaning found only in a single country or region) is unique. In one week, we traveled through Pereira, Manizales and Cali, looking for the most rare birds, and we found them. This is the collection where I showcase the birds that I could photograph during the trip.

Ducks

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Torrent Duck

Currasows, Chachalacas, Guans

Colombian Chachalaca
Great Currassow
Great Currassow

Cormorants

Neotropic Cormorant
Neotropic Cormorant

Herons, Egrets and Bitterns

Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
Great Egret
Great Egret
Agami Heron
Agami Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Green Heron

Ibises, Spoonbills

Green Ibis
Green Ibis
White Ibis
White Ibis
Bare-faced Ibis

New World Vultures

Black Vulture
Black Vulture
King Vulture
King Vulture

Hawks, Kites, Eagles

Ornate Hawk-Eagle
Harris’ Hawk
Chestnut-and-black Eagle
White Hawk
White Hawk
Common Black Hawk
Common Black Hawk

Rails, Crakes, Gallinules

White-throated Crake
White-throated Crake

Sunbittern

Sunbittern
Sunbittern

Plovers, Lapwings

Southern Lapwing
Southern Lapwing

Oystercatchers

American Oystercatcher
American Oystercatcher

Sandpipers, Allies

Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy Turnstone

Pigeons, Doves

Band-tailed Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eared Dove
Ruddy Ground-Dove
Ruddy Ground-Dove
White-tipped Dove
White-tipped Dove
Common Ground-Dove
Common Ground-Dove
White-winged Dove
White-winged Dove
Plain-breasted Ground-Dove

Owls

Black-and-white Owl
Black-and-white Owl

Hummingbirds

Brown Violetear
Brown Violetear
Lesser Violetear
Lesser Violetear
Green Thorntail
Green Thorntail
Long-tailed Sylph
Buff-tailed Coronet
Booted Racket-tail
Long-billed Starthroat
Long-billed Starthroat
Andean Emerald
Crowned Woodnymph
Crowned Woodnymph
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Steely-vented Hummingbird
Violet-bellied Hummingbird
Blue-headed Sapphire

Kingfishers

Amazon Kingfisher
Amazon Kingfisher

New World Barbets

Red-headed Barbet

Toucans

Yellow-throated Toucan
Yellow-throated Toucan
Keel-billed Toucan
Keel-billed Toucan
Collared Aracari
Collared Aracari

Woodpeckers

Acorn Woodpecker
Acorn Woodpecker
Black-cheeked Woodpecker
Black-cheeked Woodpecker

Falcons, Caracaras

Bat Falcon
Bat Falcon
Aplomado Falcon

Parrots

Great Green Macaw
Great Green Macaw

Typical Antbirds

Barred Antshrike
Barred Antshrike

Ovenbirds, Woodcreepers

White-browed Spinetail

Tyrant Flycatchers

Torrent Tyrannulet
Torrent Tyrannulet
Vermilion Flycatacher
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Social Flycatcher
Social Flycatcher
Tropical Pewee
Tropical Pewee
Gray-capped Flycatcher
Gray-capped Flycatcher

Cotingas

Green-and-black Fruiteater

Manakins

Red-capped Manakin
Red-capped Manakin

Tityras, Becards, Allies

Black-crowned Tityra
Black-crowned Tityra

Swallows

Blue-and-white Swallow
Blue-and-white Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Southern Rough-winged Swallow

Wrens

House Wren
House Wren

Dippers

White-capped Dipper

Thrushes, Allies

Clay-colored Thrush
Clay-colored Thrush

Mockingbirds

Tropical Mockingbird
Tropical Mockingbird

Tanagers, Seedeaters, Allies

White-lined Tanager
White-lined Tanager
Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
Palm Tanager
Golden-hooded Tanager
Golden-hooded Tanager
Saffron-crowned Tanager
Golden Tanager
Red-legged Honeycreeper
Red-legged Honeycreeper
Green Honeycreeper
Green Honeycreeper
Black Flowerpiercer
Variable Seedeater
Variable Seedeater
Yellow-bellied Seedeater
Blue-black Grassquit
Blue-black Grassquit
Bananaquit
Bananaquit
Yellow-faced Grassquit
Yellow-faced Grassquit
Buff-throated Saltator
Buff-throated Saltator
Grayish Saltator
Grayish Saltator

Finches, New World Sparrows, Allies

Rufous-collared Sparrow
Phelps’ Brush-Finch

Grosbeaks, Buntings, Allies

Summer Tanager
Summer Tanager

New World Warblers

Yellow Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Buff-rumped Warbler
Buff-rumped Warbler
Slate-throated Whitestart

Blackbirds, Orioles

Baltimore Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Great-tailed Grackle
Great-tailed Grackle
Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Meadowlark

Euphonias

Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia