Expedition Report

Are you an avid birder? Guests on our Amazon River cruise have discovered this journey is a “MUST” for any nature travel enthusiast! Accompanied by our seasoned naturalist guides, a recent departure compiled this impressive (and comprehensive) list of Amazon River species.

CORMORANTS

Neotropic Cormorant

SCREAMERS

Horned Screamer

HERONS

Snowy Egret
Capped Heron
White-necked Heron
Great Egret
Striated Heron

PARROTS

Blue-and-yellow Macaw
Chestnut-fronted Macaw
Red-bellied Macaw
White-eyed Parakeet
Dusky-headed Parakeet
Blue-winged Parrotlet
Canary-winged Parakeet
Festive Parrot
Mealy Parrot

CUCKOOS, ANIS AND HOATZINS

Hoatzin
Greater Ani
Smooth-billed Ani

CORMORANTS

Phalacrocoracidae
Neotropic Cormorant   Phalacrocorax brasilianus

SCREAMERS

Anhimidae
Horned Screamer  Anhima cornuta

HERONS

Ardeidae
Snowy Egret  Egretta thula
Capped Heron  Pilherodius pileatus
White-necked Heron   Ardea cocoi
Great Egret  Casmerodius albus
Striated Heron  Butorides striatus

AMERICAN VULTURES

Cathartidae
Black Vulture  Coragyps atratus
Turkey Vulture  Cathartes aura
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture  Cathartes burrovianus

OSPREYS

Pabdionidae
Osprey  Pandion haliaetus

HAWKS AND EAGLES

Accipitridae
Gray-headed Kite  Leptodon cayanensis
Slender-billed Kite  Rostrhamus hamatus
Plumbeous Kite  Ictinia plumbea
Crane Hawk  Geranospiza caerulescens
Great Black-Hawk  Buteogallus urubitinga
Black-collared Hawk  Busarellus nigricollis
Roadside Hawk  Buteo magnirostris
Slate-colored Hawk  Leucopternis schistaceus

FALCONS

Falconidae
Black Caracara  Daptrius ater
Yellow-headed Caracara  Milvago chimachima
Laughing Falcon  Herpetotheres cachinnans
Bat Falcon  Falco rufigularis

GUANS , CURASSOWS & ALLIES

Cracidae
Speckled Chachalaca  Ortalis guttata

JACANAS

Jacanidae
Wattled Jacana  Jacana jacana

SANDPIPERS AND SNIPES

Scolopacidae
Spotted Sandpiper  Tringa macularia

GULLS AND TERNS

Laridae
Large-billed Tern  Phaetusa simplex
Yellow-billed Tern  Sterna superciliaris

SKIMMERS

Rynchopidae
Black Skimmer  Rynchops niger

PIGEONS AND DOVES

Columbidae
Pale-vented Pigeon  Columba cayennensis
Ruddy Pigeon  Columba subvinacea
Plumbeous Pigeon  Patagioenas plumbea

PARROTS

Psittacidae
Blue-and-yellow Macaw  Ara ararauna
Chestnut-fronted Macaw  Ara severa
Red-bellied Macaw  Ara manilata
White-eyed Parakeet   Aratinga leucophthalmus
Dusky-headed Parakeet  Aratinga weddellii
Maroon-tailed Parakeet  Pyrrhura melanura
Rose-fronted Parakeet  Pyrrhura roseifrons
Blue-winged Parrotlet  Forpus xanthopterygius
Canary-winged Parakeet  Brotogeris versicolurus
Tui Parakeet  Brotogeris sanctithomae
Black-headed Parrot  Pionites melanocephala
Short-tailed Parrot  Graydidascalus brachyurus
Festive Parrot  Amazona festiva
Yellow-crowned Parrot  Amazona ochrocephala
Orange-winged Parrot  Amazona amazonica
Mealy Parrot  Amazona farinosa
Blue-headed Parrot  Pionus menstruus

CUCKOOS, ANIS AND HOATZINS

Cuculidae
Hoatzin  Opisthocomus hoazin
Greater Ani  Crotophaga major
Smooth-billed Ani  Crotophaga ani

TYPICAL OWLS

Strigidae
Spectacled Owl  Pulsatrix perspicillata

POTOOS

Nyctibiidae
Great Potoo  Nyctibius grandis

NIGHTHAWKS AND NIGHTJARS

Caprimulgidae
Short-tailed Nighthawk  Lurocalis semitorquatus
Sand-colored Nighthawk  Chordeiles rupestris
Band-tailed Nighthawk  Nyctiprogne leucopyga

SWIFTS

Apodidae
Fork-tailed Palm-Swift  Tachornis squamata

HUMMINGBIRDS

Trochilidae
White-bearded Hermit  Phaetornis hispidus
Glittering-throated Emerald  Amazilia fimbriata
White-necked Jacobin  Florisuga mellivora
Black-throated Mango  Anthracothorax nigricollis
Fork-tailed Woodnymph  Thalurania furcata
Long-billed Starthroat  Heliomaster longirostris

TROGONS AND QUETZALS

Trogonidae
Black-tailed Trogon   Trogon melanurus
Violaceous Trogon  Trogon violaceus

KINGFISHERS

Alecedinidae
Ringed Kingfisher  Ceryle torquata
Amazon Kingfisher  Chloroceryle amazona
Green Kingfisher  Chloroceryle americana
Green-and-rufous Kingfisher  Chloroceryle inda

JACAMARS

Galbulidae
White-eared Jacamar   Galbalcyrhynchus leucotis
Bluish-fronted Jacamar  Galbula cyanescens

PUFFBIRDS AND NUNBIRDS

Bucconidae
Black-fronted Nunbird  Monasa nigrifrons
Swallow-wing Puffbird  Chelidoptera tenebrosa

BARBETS

Capitonidae
Scarlet-crowned Barbet  Capito aurovirens

TOUCANS AND ARACARIS

Ramphastidae
Chestnut-eared Aracari  Pteroglossus castanotis

WOODPECKERS AND PICULETS

Picidae
Yellow-tufted Woodpecker  Melanerpes cruentatus
Spot-breasted Woodpecker  Colaptes punctigula
Chestnut Woodpecker  Celeus elegans
Crimson-crested Woodpecker  Campephilus melanoleucos
Yellow-throated Woodpecker  Piculus flavigula
Cream-colored Woodpecker  Celeus flavus

WOODCREEPERS

Dendrocolaptidae
Long-billed Woodcreeper  Nasica longirostris
Straight-billed Woodcreeper  Xiphorhynchus picus
Striped Woodcreeper  Xiphorhynchus obsoletus
Buff-throated Woodcreeper  Xiphorhynchus guttatus
Cinammon-throated Woodcreeper  Dendrexetastes rufigula

FURNARIDS OR OVENBIRDS

Furnariidae
Orange-fronted Plushcrown  Metopothrix aurantiaca
Pale-billed Hornero  Furnarius torridus

TYPICAL ANTBIRDS

Thamnophilidae
Amazon streaked Antwren  Myrmotherula multostriata

COTINGAS

Cotingidae
Plum-throated Cotinga  Cotinga maynana
Bare-necked Fruitcrow  Gymnoderus foetidus

TYRANT FLYCATCHERS

Tyrannidae
Drab Water-Tyrant  Ochthornis littoralis
Short-crested Flycatcher  Myiarchus ferox
Tropical Kingbird  Tyrannus melancholicus
Fork-tailed Flycatcher  Tyrannus savana
Eastern Kingbird  Tyrannus tyrannus
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet  Tyrannulus elatus
Crowned Slaty-Flycatcher  Griseotyrannus aurantioatrocristatus
Streaked Flycatcher  Myiodynastes maculatus
Social Flycatcher  Myiozetetes similis
Lesser Kiskadee  Philohydor lictor
Great Kiskadee  Pitangus sulphuratus
Chestnut-crowned Becard  Pachyramphus castaneus
Black-tailed Tityra  Tityra cayana
Yellow-crowned Elaenia  Myiopagis flavivertex
Piratic Flycatcher  Legatus leucophaius
White-lored Tyrannulet  Ornithion inerme
Bright-rumped Attila  Attila spadiceus

THRUSHES AND SOLITAIRES

Turdidae
Black-billed Thrush  Turdus ignobilis

MOCKINGBIRDS AND ALLIES

Mimidae
Black-capped Donacobius  Donacobius atricapillus

WRENS

Troglodytidae
Thrush-like Wren  Campylorhynchus turdinus

SWALLOWS AND MARTINS

Hirundinidae
White-winged Swallow  Tachycineta albiventer
Brown-chested Martin  Phaeoprogne tapera
Southern Rough-winged Swallow  Stelgidopteryx ruficollis
Sand Martin (Bank Swallow)  Riparia riparia
Barn Swallow  Hirundo rustica
White-banded Swallow  Atticora fasciata

FINCHES

Emberizinae
Yellow-browed Sparrow  Ammodramus aurifrons
Red-capped Cardinal   Paroaria gularis

TANAGERS

Thraupinae
Hooded Tanager  Nemosia pileata
Masked Crimson Tanager   Ramphocelus nigrogularis
Silver-beaked Tanager   Ramphocelus carbo
Blue-gray Tanager   Thraupis episcopus
Thick-billed Euphonia   Euphonia laniirostris
Paradise Tanager   Tangara chilensis

GROSBEAKS AND SALTATORS

Cardinalinae
Grayish Saltator   Saltator coerulescens
Buff-throated Saltator   Saltator maximus

AMERICAN ORIOLES

Icterinae
Russet-backed Oropendola   Psarocolius angustifrons
Crested Oropendola   Psarocolius decumanus
Yellow-rumped Cacique   Cacicus cela
Solitary Cacique   Cacicus solitarius
Troupial  Icterus icterus
Oriole Blackbird  Gymnomystax mexicanus
Yellow-hooded Blackbird  Agelaius icterocephalus
Shiny Cowbird  Molothrus bonariensis