Common Birds
of the Lower Magdalena
AMAZON
RARITY:
Medium-sized, dark oily-green kingfisherfound along rivers and lakes. Often perched on wires.
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK
RARITY:
Boisterous duck with pink bill and chestnut body. Makes a high-pitched whistling call.
BLACK VULTURE
RARITY:
Large, uniformly black raptor. Typically soar in flocks with a distinctive, bat-like flight style.
BLACK-COLLARED HAWK
RARITY:
Medium raptor often seen near water hunting fish. Adults feature distinctive orange feathers and a white head.
BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT HERON
RARITY:
Stocky heron with pale gray wings and a black cap and back. Mostly active at night.
BLUE-GRAY TANAGER
RARITY:
Medium-sized songbird with light bluish head and darker blue upperparts. Common in open woodlands.
BROWN THROATED PARAKEET
RARITY:
Green parakeet with gray face and breast, long pointed tail. Commonly found in noisy flocks.
COCOI HERON
RARITY:
Largest Colombian heron. Dark gray body with long white neck and black cap.
GREAT KISKADEE
RARITY:
Large, bold flycatcher with striking yellow belly, black-and-white head and loud, distinctive calls.
GREAT EGRET
RARITY:
Large, all-white heron with long neck and legs, yellow bill. Seen in wetlands and rivers.
GREEN KINGFISHER
RARITY:
Small, emerald-green kingfisher with large bill. Commonly found near rivers and streams, as they are fish hunters.
GREATER ANI
RARITY:
Large, glossy black cuckoo with distinctive long tail and yellow eyes. Found in social groups near water.
LARGE BILLED TERN
RARITY:
Large, slender tern with black cap, orange bill and white body. Commonly seen in coastal areas.
LESSER YELLOW-HEADED VULTURE
RARITY:
Medium vulture with resemblance to the Turkey Vulture. Features yellowish bare head and dark plumage.
LIMPKIN
RARITY:
Brown, long-legged wader with white streaks and curved bill. Forages for snails near water. Known for its loud wail.
RARITY:
Slim, dark waterbird with long neck and hooked bill. Dives for fish in rivers and lakes.
NORTHERN SCREAMER
RARITY:
Uncommon, large marsh bird with thick red legs, white face and mostly gray body.
RARITY:
PIED WATER TYRANT
Small, active bird with white body, black wings and tail. Often alone or in pairs close to the ground.
PURPLE GALLINULE
RARITY:
Brightly colored marsh bird with purple-blue plumage, red bill and long yellow legs. Able to walk on floating vegetation.
Largest of the kingfishers. Features blue-gray upperparts, rufous belly and white collar. Often seen over shallow water. NEOTROPIC
RINGED KINGFISHER
RARITY:
RED-CROWNED WOODPECKER
RARITY:
Medium-sized woodpecker with red crown, black-and-white barred back and pale underparts. Often seen drumming.
ROSEATE SPOONBILL
RARITY:
Striking pink wader with a spoon-shaped bill. Typically found in wetlands and mangroves, foraging in groups.
RUFESCENT TIGER-HERON
RARITY:
Medium heron with rufous neck and streaked underparts. Solitary, and found around swamps and marshes.
SAPPHIRE-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD
RARITY:
Tiny, endangered hummingbird with glittering blue underparts, green crown and forked blue-black tail.
RARITY:
Coal black cuckoo with distinctive long tail and tall bill. Found in semi-open areas and tropical lowlands.
SNAIL KITE
RARITY:
Medium raptor with hooked bill and gray or brown plumage. Specializes in eating aquatic snails.
SNOWY EGRET
RARITY:
Small, elegant white heron with black legs, yellow feet and lacy plumes on its head. Active feeder in shallow waters.
SOUTHERN LAPWING
RARITY:
Elegant, crested wader with gray head, black breast and pink legs. Known for its loud, piercing calls.
STRIATED HERON
RARITY:
Small, stocky heron with gray plumage and dark cap. Often crouched at water’s edge hunting.
