Birds of Costa Rica - 2011
Green-crowned Violet Hummingbird
male "Brillante Frentiverde" Heliodoxa jacula Monteverde, Costa Rica Feb. 26, 2011 The male of this species has a small violet patch of feathers on his gorget (neck).
pair (female - left, male - right) "Martín Pescador Amazónico" Chloroceryle amazona Lago Arenal, Costa Rica Feb. 25, 2011 Wouldn't you know it, I'd have to travel all the way to Costa Rica to get a good photo of a kingfisher! It was great to get a pair! The Amazons are larger than the Belted Kingfishers that we have in east Tennessee.
"Trogón vientrianaranjado" Harpactes oreskios Monteverde, Costa Rica Feb. 27, 2011 This gorgeous fellow was perched in a tree near the restaurant where we ate lunch one afternoon in Monteverde. Besides posing for our group, he also stuck around when a large group of French tourists swarmed the windows near the tree! We were happy to see this bird, the Resplendent Quetzal, a close relative, eluded us on the trip.
Costa Rica is famous for its variety of hummingbirds. This was a rare moment at the Selvatura Hummingbird Garden when these different species of hummers landed on a feeder at the same time! Most of the time they were zooming around fighting for their territory. We spent over an hour in the hummingbird garden, what a treat that was.
"Saltarín Cuelliblanco" (White-collared dancer) La Fortuna, Costa Rica (Ecocentro Danaus) Feb. 25, 2011 To be so small, these birds sure can make a lot of noise. As we walked through the forest at the preserve we heard a fast clicking sound like the popping of static electricity. Our guide, Willy, stopped to see where the sound was coming from. We were surprised to see this little black, white and yellow bird! Unfortunately, I didn't have my telephoto lens with me at the time. :(
"Tucancillo Piquianaranjado" Pteroglossus frantzii Quepos, Costa Rica (Manuel Antonio National Park) This was the closest we could get to this bird. We saw it from the trail at the park as we were walking to the beach. Aracaris are closely related to toucans. We didn't see a toucan on this trip, unfortunately. We heard they were in a tree at the Parador Hotel, but we didn't get up at the crack of dawn to see them. I guess we'll have to return to Costa Rica!
Green-crowned Violet Hummingbird
female "Brillante Frentiverde" Heliodoxa jacula Monteverde, Costa Rica Feb. 26, 2011 Note the pollen on this hummingbird's beak.
Purple-throated Mountain-gem Hummingbird
male "Colibrí Montañés Gorgimorado" Lampornis calolaema Monteverde, Costa Rica Feb. 26, 2011 What a beautiful little hummingbird this is! It was amazing to see the brilliant turquoise head and violet gorget when the light hit him just right! He really was a "gem"!
adult male "Zopilote de Mar" (sea vulture) Fregata magnificens Quepos, Costa Rica Feb. 28, 2011 Magnificent Frigate birds are the "pirates of the tropical skies", they will often steal fish from other sea birds. We got a laugh when our Costa Rican guide, Willy, told us a man on one of his earlier trips thought he called this a "Freakin' Bird" with his thick Spanish accent! :) It is too dark to see the red pouch under this bird's neck. Males enflate the pouch during mating displays to attract a female.