I have many accipiter posts I'd like to get to, but here is a quick one, and a subject that has been talked about recently. Accipiters will always be tricky, especially Sharp-shinned vs. Cooper's Hawk, since they look so similar. Many Sharpies have very rounded or slightly rounded tails (especially females), and some Cooper's have square-tipped tails for certain reasons. Here are some examples. Also note how some Cooper's (especially males) can appear small-headed and stocky overall in certain poses or instances.

One trait only does not make an accurate accipiter ID, it is a combination of traits, so don't get caught up on a single trait that "distracts" you from the rest of the bird. There is much to say about this group of hawks, so more to come.

Hope this helps...and if anyone has a request on a specific subject regarding raptors to discuss, please feel free to bring it up.

Anyone interested in taking a crack at this one....

No pressure, just post as "anonymous" if you like....if these posts bring about discussion and interest, that's good enough for me. Mike Shaw has to post his name though, hah!

When I sat down to come up with my Top 10 Species to see in Peru I was immediately struck by the fact that 10 was too limited.  By the time I reached Barbets and Toucans I was already at 12 species narrowed down from 100's of possibilities.  I hadn't even reached my Achilles heel in the Tanagers section.  I knew that my top 10 must instead be a top 25--endemics, wants, needs, everything and anything that make up the birds that will be the most sought after for me.

In Costa Rica I felt a Top 10 list was tough, but I came up with one.  They were prize birds--and by god were they hard to come by.  In the end I only saw 1 well; had fleeting glimpses with plenty of calling of another; and heard 1 more from the list.  I wondered if I had set the bar too high?  There were some specialties, an endangered species, a highly secretive species, habitat specialists, and restricted ranges on a number of birds.  For Peru I figured I would probably do the same and thus far the list is similar, with endemics, habitat specialists, rarities, and secretive birds.   I did however mix in some of the more common and still spectacular species I hope to find so that I hopefully have a better than 30% success rate. I have too have a list--there are just some birds I want to try harder for and seeing them adds a little something to my life.

So with out further ado here are the first 10 of my top 25 (#25 to #16):

25. Spotted Tanager

photo copyright Anselmo d Affonseca

If you've followed the blog for the past year this bird may look familiar.  It is a close relative to the bird that was my #1 on the top 10 for Costa Rica--the Speckled Tanager.  I was fortunate to see Speckled only at a Zoo while there so missed out on my #1.  I knew that Spotted needed to make my list for Peru, but in terms of stunning tanagers it isn't quite as stunning as the others in my top 25.  None-the-less it is still a beautiful bird and I should have several opportunities to look for them at various locations from Machu Pichu to Amazonia.

• • •

24. Orange-backed Troupial

photo copyright Carlos Henrique

The Birds of Peru states the Troupial is a fairly common and unmistakable bird on rivers edges in Amazonia.  This striking icterid truly looks spectacular.  The orange and black is reminiscent of our Bullock's Oriole--the black mask and throat set against the rest of the head and body making it very memorable, and one I hopefully pickup in my short time in the Amazon.

• • •

23. Rusty-backed Antwren

photo copyright Arthur Grosset

It's not an overly colorful bird--but the pattern is striking.  It is also only found in very small pockets across Peru making it a tough target species.  I should be spending a couple days where they are found near Cusco and might luck out with this one.

• • •

22. Ornate Flycatcher

photo copyright Steve Blain

A "characteristic" bird of the east slope of the Andes.  The white spot in front of this birds eye caught my eye as I was roaming through the field guide.  Small flycatchers with big eyes and big heads like the Ornate remind me of our Least Flycatcher.  This safe pick should be a sure thing on this trip but also a bird I won't soon forget.

• • •

21. Flame-faced Tanager

photo copyright James Ownby

Five birds in and already another Tanager.  But I think the picture speaks for itself.  The name gets it right with the orange gradient face.  The black back and wings, and green-blue markings on the rest of the body really set the face off and give this tanager a great look.  Another species listed as fairly common on the east slope of the Andes I expect to see a few as I get my fill of tanagers.

• • •

20. Orange-cheeked Parrot

 photo copyright Scott Olmstead

There are going to be a number of parrots and parakeets that are pretty much sure things--the Orange-cheeked does not fall in that category.  Found in Amazonia it is found in the western reaches of the Madre de Dios, but isn't as common as a number of cousins.  But the orange cheek and multi-colored underwings  make this species a standout.  It is known to spend most of the time deep in the forest often near the canopy.  Maybe I'll get lucky from a canopy tower and pick this gem up as a pair cruises from one tree to another.

• • •

19. Golden-headed Quetzal

 photo copyright Diego Calderon

In Costa Rica I missed the quintessential bird of the cloud forest and know I have to go back especially to see the beautiful Resplendant Quetzal.  I have always been fascinated by trogons and quetzals and the batch found in Peru give a few options.  The Golden-headed snagged me with the coppery-golden gloss I saw in various pictures.  Along with the emerald green and bright red this is a standout species without a doubt.  Hopefully, I will have better quetzal luck this go around.

• • •

18. Inca Wren

 photo copyright  dreyernp

Endemic--that sums it up quite well.  With over 300 endemics in Peru I have to see a few.  Given that quite a few are only found in the northern half of the country I will have to work on those near where we'll be in the south.  The Inca Wren is supposedly a pretty easy find at Machu Pichu, so fingers crossed.  The black-and-white face, and streaked throat along with the rufous body make for a gorgeous little wren and one that you won't see anywhere else in the world.

• • •

17. Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager

 photo copyright Ray Wilson

Are you surprised that a third tanager made it in the top 25? I'm not--and this is just the tip of the ice-berg.  Another east slope specialty--this bird is found at much higher elevations, and referred to as an"emblematic" species of the upper montane forest.  Red, purple and black make it s standout--the mountain-tanagers in general are all pretty stunning and it was hard to pick one among the group.  Given that it's fairly common I hoped it would make it somewhat easier to pick up.

• • •

16. Andean Cock-of-the-Rock

 photo copyright  M. Watson

Like the Resplendant Quetzal in Costa Rica, the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock is a symbol in Peru.  Often referred to as the national bird of Peru (it actually isn't) this 13" red (and orange) and black beast screams "Andes".  It breeds at leks like our Sage Grouse.  Can you imagine 25 or 50 of these at Henefer?  The males are polygamous and spend most of their time at the leks doing confrontational battles with other others.  Just an all around interesting bird--and worthy of the top 25.

• • •

In a couple days look for Part 2 where I'll cover #15 to #6  before finishing up with the top 5.  The birds only get more spectacular from here, and there might be a few surprises in the top 15.  If the first 10 were any indication, I bet you can imagine what a few of the next 15 will be!

Trying to decide where to go on a vacation this year, my wife and I had been looking for months.  We looked at possibly returning to Costa Rica, or visiting any number of islands in the Bahamas.  We checked out Nicaragua, Belize, Hawaii, and even staying state side and in Florida.  Then by chance we saw a deal for a trip to Peru--and almost instantly we were both hooked.  We talked about it for several days, looked into flights, accommodations, things to do, and in the end decided we would go to Peru this fall.

So now with about 5 months till we plan on leaving it means learning the birds, and learning them fast.  But Peru is a whole other story.  Costa Rica had over 800 species, and I thought that was quite a task to learn the majority of the birds I might see.  But 800 is just a drop in the bucket in Peru.  How about 1,800 species?  That's right, one-thousand eight-hundred plus species of birds.  Granted in a 10 or 12 day trip you couldn't possibly come anywhere near seeing all those birds.  You could likely make a dozen trips all over the country and you still wouldn't come close.  But there has to be a number, a reasonable number worth shooting for... So what is it?

I picked up the Birds of Peru: Revised and Updated Edition on Amazon last week and have spent a great deal of my free time going through it, looking at the species, reading accounts, and trying to understand the maps, habitats, and ranges.  It is like no other bird book I have--being that there are just so many species and so much to learn.

We have basically figured out where we are going and how long we are spending and that has given me a rough idea of what is possible.  We will have a couple days on the coast in Lima, followed by a couple days over 11,000' in Cusco.  After that we are going into the far western edge of what is called Amazonia--giving us a taste of the birds of the Amazon.  After a couple days there we are returning to Cusco and spending 3 of the next 4 days just north of there in the Sacred Valley.   The other day will be spent deep in the mountains at the treasure of the Incan Empire--Machu Pichu.

Thsi trip will be similar to Costa Rica in that I won't be birding the entire time, and will pass a lot of places where I should go birding but just won't have time.  Unlike Costa Rica I probably won't be going back to Peru any time soon as it is pricey to get there.  In any event I have done the math and my preliminary research puts the realm of possibility in the 700-800 species range.  But I know better and based off what I learned in researching for Costa Rica.  350-500 species are either common, fairly common, or uncommon--and provide the sweet spot to shoot for.  My goal is to hit somewhere between 300-400 species while there.

In the coming weeks I will be writing a series of lead up posts including my Top 10 Species to See, my Top 10 Endemics to See, more information on the research, the birds, the places, etc.  This truly is the trip of a life time and the birds will be a major highlight.

Nothing in my mind is a surer sign of spring than American Robins singing in the middle of the night. We have a male that has set up territory in our neighbors backyard. I have heard the bird as early as 4:00am this past week and shot this yesterday around 6:45am on my phone. The microphone on my phone doesn't usually pick up sound all that well so that gives you an idea of how loud this bird is.