Panama Bird Photos - Hummingbirds

by Will Cook

Here's a selection of bird images from a trip to Panama, March 17-April 4, 2004. I managed to photograph about 35 of the 400 species of birds we saw, though I missed many of the more common ones. We saw lots of great butterflies and a few mammals, too. All of my photos were taken using a Nikon CoolPix 995, and most were digiscoped, taken through a spotting scope. Fellow trip-mate Lynn Barber contributed some of her stunning bird shots that she took with her digital SLR with telephoto lens.

Frigatebirds through Potoos | Hummingbirds | Trogons through Woodpeckers | Passerines

Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis longirostris) Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis longirostris)
4/2/04 - Cabañas Burbayar, Panama province (on border with San Blas). At 6:30 pm Iñaki, the proprietor of the Cabañas, shouted to get our attention, telling us to bring cameras. He and the guide had just seen this Long-billed Hermit, which had just been feeding on nearby Hibiscus flowers, get trapped in a big orb weaver's web next to the shed! Fortunately the hummer freed itself after a brief struggle.
Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus) Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus)
3/28/04 - Amistad, Chiriqui
White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora) White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora)
3/22/04 - Canopy Tower, Panama. These striking large hummers were abundant at the Canopy Tower's feeders, but we didn't see them elsewhere on the trip.
White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora) White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora)
3/26/04 - Canopy Tower, Panama. They have a Z-shaped posture when feeding.
White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora) White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora)
3/22/04 - Canopy Tower, Panama. Female.
Black-throated Mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis) Black-throated Mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis)
3/30/04 - Mali, Fortuna Road, Bocas del Toro. Female sitting on her nest.
Green Thorntail (Discosura conversii) Green Thorntail (Discosura conversii)
3/30/04 - Centro de Investigaciones Tropicales, Fortuna Road, Chiriqui. A female, looking up.
Violet-bellied Hummingbird (Damophila julie) Violet-bellied Hummingbird (Damophila julie)
3/26/04 - Canopy Tower, Panama. Male. Violet-bellies were common at Metropolitan Park and throughout the canal zone. The belly is purple, but from this angle the flanks appear blue.
Blue-chested Hummingbird (Amazilia amabilis) Blue-chested Hummingbird (Amazilia amabilis)
3/26/04 - Canopy Tower, Panama. Male. Uncommon, seen at the Canopy Tower and Cabañas Burbayar.
Snowy-bellied Hummingbird (Amazilia edward) Snowy-bellied Hummingbird (Amazilia edward)
3/26/04 - Canopy Tower, Panama. Male, with female White-necked Jacobin. Uncommon, similar to the common Rufous-tailed, but with a snowy-white belly.
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl)
3/18/04 - Cerro Azul, Panama. Immature. Perhaps the most common hummer in Panama. This young'un just was sitting on this branch of a Hibiscus bush, waiting to be fed.
White-throated Mountain-gem (Lampornis castaneoventris) White-throated Mountain-gem (Lampornis castaneoventris)
3/28/04 - Amistad National Park, Chiriqui. Male.
Magnificent Hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens) Magnificent Hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens), female
3/28/04 - Amistad, Chiriqui.
Volcano Hummingbird (Selasphorus flammula) Volcano Hummingbird (Selasphorus flammula)
3/27/04 - Slopes of Volcan Baru, Chiriqui, Panama.

Frigatebirds through Potoos | Hummingbirds | Trogons through Woodpeckers | Passerines


Comments? Questions? E-mail me at cwcook@duke.edu

All photographs and text ©2013 by Will Cook unless otherwise noted.