Nicaragua Bird IDs (1 Viewer)

[Kryptos18]

My brother recently took a trip to Nicaragua from 7/7/2010 – 7/14/2010 and I’ve been helping him ID some of the birds he saw there. He only had a point and shoot, but I think that should be alright for ID purposes. I’m pretty sure I’ve got most of these right, but a little confirmation wouldn’t hurt and there are some that are just out of my league. Any help would be great. Here goes:

Female Boat-tailed Grackle, taken in Florida
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/2549/boattailedgrackle.jpg

Thinking all are Tropical Kingbirds, or is there a Western thrown in there? First two are the same individual, third is a different one. Taken in Granada, Nicaragua.
http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/6793/tropkingbird1.jpg
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/892/tropkingbird2.jpg
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/4549/tropkingbird3.jpg

Thinking Southern Rough-winged Swallow, taken in Granada, Nicaragua.
http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/5855/srwswallow.jpg

Pretty sure both are Ruddy Ground Doves, different individuals. Taken in Granada, Nicaragua.
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/692/ruddygrounddove1.jpg
http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/9113/ruddygrounddove2.jpg

Pretty sure all are Great Kiskadees, but just posting them in case a missed a Social Fly or something. First was taken in Granda, second on Ometepe Island, third in San Juan del Sur.
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/8797/kiskadee1.jpg
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/8576/kiskadee3.jpg
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/9675/kiskadee2.jpg

Thinking Tricolored Heron. Flying over ferry landing in Granada.
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/5554/tricolored.jpg

I believe this is a Mangrove Swallow. Brother said he saw a white rump on the bird. Same individual. Taken on the actual boat between Granada and Ometepe Island.
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/3888/mangroveswallow1.jpg
http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/7730/mangroveswallow2.jpg

Black-crowned Night Herons? Probably different individuals, flying between Granada and Ometepe Island.
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/1767/bcnightheron.jpg
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/6636/bcnightheron2.jpg

Woodpeckers, taken on Ometepe Island. Unknown if these were different individuals but they were taken at the same exact location over two different days. My theory is that they are all Golden-fronted Woodpeckers on account of the bright yellow belly, but I don’t really have the experience to differentiate between that and Hoffman’s Woodpecker.
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/5003/goldenfrontedwoodpecker.jpg
http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/5003/goldenfrontedwoodpecker.jpg
http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/5003/goldenfrontedwoodpecker.jpg
http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/5003/goldenfrontedwoodpecker.jpg
http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/5003/goldenfrontedwoodpecker.jpg

I believe these are all Red-billed Pigeons. Each pic taken at different locations on Ometepe Island.
http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/2338/redbilledpigeon1.jpg
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/5646/redbilledpigeon2.jpg

100% certain this is a White-throated Magpie-Jay, but as I’ve never personally seen one, might as well get a confirmation. Taken on Ometepe Island.
http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/9562/wtmagpiejay.jpg

Thinking Dusky-capped Flycatcher for this one. Again, taken Ometepe Island.
http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/6913/duskycappedfc.jpg

Raptor of some description. Taken on Ometepe Island. Not the greatest pic for identification, but maybe something can be gleaned. Wingspan originally made me think Osprey, but facial pattern reminded me of Bicolored Hawk, but I’m really not at all familiar with that species.
http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/8832/raptor.jpg

Unknown Passerine, possibly flycatcher? As with any tropical birding expedition, there are just some birds that are unidentifiable, and this may be one of them. Any help would be appreciated. Taken on Ometepe Island.
http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/4263/flycatcher.jpg

By the grooves on the bill, I’m thinking Groove-billed Ani for this one. Taken once again on Ometepe Island.
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/7969/groovebilledani.jpg

Due to the lack of grooves, I’m thinking Smooth-billed Ani. Again, on Ometepe Island.
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/2074/smoothbilledani.jpg

I believe in Nicaragua you can only get Brown Pelicans and Neotropic Cormorants, as in this picture, but some confirmation would be nice. Taken on Lake Nicaragua.
http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/8773/pelicancormorant.jpg

Gull sp. of some kind, in basic plumage. Perhaps Laughing Gull? Taken in San Juan del Sur.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/5651/gull1.jpg
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/480/gull2.jpg

Nearly 100% on this White-winged Dove. Taken in San Juan del Sur.
http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/44/whitewingeddove.jpg

Crimson-fronted Parakeet? I think there’s only one species of red-fronted green parrot in Nicaragua, but I could be wrong. Taken in San Juan del Sur.
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/2377/crimsonfrontedparakeet.jpg

No idea on this one, perhaps an Emberizid of some kind? Reminds me of a Field Sparrow, but I don’t think they occur in Nicaragua. Taken in San Juan del Sur.
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/3117/emerizid.jpg

Nearly 100% sure this a Great-tailed Grackle, but would like some confirmation. Taken in San Juan del Sur.
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/6726/greattailedgrackle.jpg

Another grackle, probably a female Great-tailed but perhaps a Nicaraguan Grackle. Taken in San Juan del Sur, but I don’t know how to distinguish the two species and haven’t really found any good literature on the subject, so I really need some help here.
http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/8687/nicagrackle.jpg

A bird I’ve always wanted to see, but my brother managed it first! Almost 100% on this sweet Blue-gray Tanager. Taken in San Juan del Sur.
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9417/bluegraytanager.jpg

A Magnificent Frigatebird, but would like some confirmation just for completeness’s sake. Taken in San Juan del Sur.
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/4589/frigatebird.jpg

Pretty sure this is a Black Vulture, taken in the caldera of Masaya Volcano.
http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/1273/blackvulture.jpg

I believe this is a Stripe-headed Sparrow, taken on Masaya Volcano.
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/734/stripeheadedsparrow1.jpg
http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/5078/stripeheadedsparrow2.jpg
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/7168/stripeheadedsparrow3.jpg

The last bird of the trip, please confirm this Loggerhead Shrike taken in South Carolina.
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/1931/loggerhead.jpg

And as a bonus, can anybody tell me what species of squirrel this is? We’ve narrowed it down to Deppe’s Squirrel and (my personal theory) a gray morph Variegated Squirrel. However, I can’t find a good picture/description of Deppe’s Squirrel and I can’t find anything to say that Variegated Squirrels even have a gray morph. Hopefully someone knowledgeable can weigh in. Taken in San Juan del Sur.
http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/4605/squirrel.jpg

Thanks for the help!

 

[steveo]

The last is a LoggerHead Shrike.

 

[birdboybowley]

Ok.....I'll give it a go

BT Grackle - agree
Trop Kingbirds - agree on all (3rd bird's tail is notched)
Looks more Northern to me - Southern usually shows a cinnamon throat
RG Doves - agree
Great K's - agree
Tricoloured Heron - agree
Mangrove Swallow - agree
Night-Herons - agree
Woodpeckers - look good but not 100% as not sure of the distribtuion of both sp in Nic
RB Pigeons - agree
WT Magpie-jay - agree
DC Fly - probably!
Crested Caracara
Unknown flycatcher.....will have to remain unknown!
Anis - both Groove-billed (does Smooth-billed occur in Nic?)
Pelicans/cormorants - agree
L Gull - agree
WW Dove - agree
CF Parakeet - agree
unknown passerine - hmmmm, not sure maybe a female seedeater sp?
GT Grackles - agree with male and female (female Nic has much paler unders and supercilium)
BG Tanager - agree
Frigatebird - agree
B Vulture - agree
SH Sparrow - agree
Shrike - agree too!

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[Birdingcraft]

I agree with Birdboybowley on all except for the Red-billed Pigeons and the woodpeckers. Although the second image showing 3 pigeons might show Red-billeds, the first image is a Pale-vented Pigeon- note the whitish belly and dark bill (not too obvious in this photo).

The woodpeckers are all Hoffmann's. The Golden-fronted taxon in Nicaragua only occurs in the north and has red on the crown and vent (looks more like a Red-bellied!).

Smooth-billed Ani might be found on the islands off of the Caribbean coast but does not occur on the mainland in Nicaragua.

Also, I don't know what that possible flycatcher passerine is nor what the dull Emberezid thing might be although a female seedeater also came to mind as a possibility.

 

[birdboybowley]

Go with the woodies - they both look pretty similar!!
But still not 100% on first pigeon pic - bill may look all black as it's backlit - the belly looks more greyish than white to me and there appears only to be a chestnut 'stripe' on the shoulders contrasting with the greyer back and remainder of wing, whereas I'd expect PVP to show no contrast between wing and back

 

[Birdingcraft]

Go with the woodies - they both look pretty similar!!
But still not 100% on first pigeon pic - bill may look all black as it's backlit - the belly looks more greyish than white to me and there appears only to be a chestnut 'stripe' on the shoulders contrasting with the greyer back and remainder of wing, whereas I'd expect PVP to show no contrast between wing and back

I hear you on that complex of woodpecker species- from Red-bellied to Red-crowned, they all look and sound very similar.

I see what you mean on the pigeon and I think you are correct about the first one being Red-billed. I guess the bill is just back lit and the belly looks more contrasting that I usually see them because of the lighting.