Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana)
Sean had zig-zagged a net across a stream crossing in the hopes of trying to catch some birds following the stream corridors. Sure enough, a short time later they heard this Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana) calling from the nets. This nice male is one of the smaller species of kingfishers in Costa Rica. They have very nice sharp long bills to grab fish with – or slice bird researcher’s hands with. Photographed by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser for the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project in Costa Rica while on assignment for the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of...
Read MoreFerruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium ridgwayi)
Yesterday RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser stumbled on his wonderful photo of this Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium ridgwayi). He said it instantly brought him back to that night of achievement in Costa Rica. He and Tyler Christensen had been conducting a nightly owl census for over a month but had been unsuccessful in calling in one of these feisty owls. On their last net check of the night they found their first net empty, believing it to be another disappointing evening. When they shined their headlamps on the second net they saw little yellow feet kneading at the net against the pole, and...
Read MorePurple Martins
Purple Martins (Progne subis) are a unique species even among other unique birds! These sizable aerial insectivores nest only within human-manufactured cavities including gourds, apartments and other types of boxes essentially everywhere to the east of the Rocky Mountains. This is due to Native Americans hosting them in gourds for thousands of years, slowly shifting their breeding behavior to using artificial structures as it was such a successful and mutually beneficial relationship. Without our help it is likely they would be entirely eliminated in this part of their range. Marketing is a...
Read MoreMourning Warbler
Sean is excited that some of our neotropical migrants are being seen more and more frequently here in the Northeast, and he hopes that we will all have the chance to see some uncommon species like this Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia) this weekend. Good luck, everyone! Photographed by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser for the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project in Costa Rica while on assignment for the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History.
Read MoreTawny-capped Euphonia (Euphonia anneae)
The male Tawny-capped Euphonia (Euphonia anneae) is a charismatic euphonia species that can be found in montane tropical forests. Photographed by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser for the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project in Costa Rica while on assignment for the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History.
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