Prairie Warbler
This male Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) put on a sensational display for us last Sunday all while singing away and finding plenty to eat after his journey the previous night. It took a few hours to finally see the bird after hearing the rising, buzzy song repeatedly in the morning. The sun was shining brightly high in the sky by the time he came out into the open, giving the yellow warbler an even brighter glow while foraging in these willows. The Prairie Warbler is one of those species that perplexes me in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region. I feel like there should be more of them in...
Read MoreCosta Rica Forest Birds
Here we have the Violet-headed Hummingbird (Klais guimeti), Black-and-yellow Tanager (Chrysothlypis chrysomelas), White-throated Manakin (Corapipo gutturalis), and Brown Violetear (Colibri delphinae), all species that are found at higher elevations in mature 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.
Read MoreRuddy-tailed Flycatcher (Terenotriccus erythrurus)
Here’s the Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher (Terenotriccus erythrurus), a very small flycatcher and the only member of its genus. Sean has observed it in a wide variety of habitats in Panama though never in any great number. He noted that on this last trip they were more abundant when he was above 500 meters in elevation. This was also during the beginning of the breeding season for the species, and thus they were very active catching insects. Sean said it was amazing watching them zip out and back from feeding perches, wondering what kind of truly high definition vision these tiny flycatchers...
Read MoreTanager Trifecta
On Sean’s last trip to Costa Rica one of his main goals was attempting to photograph what he dubbed the “Tanager Trifecta”: the Speckled Tanager (Tangara guttata), Emerald Tanager (Tangara florida), and the Silver-throated Tanager (Tangara icterocephala). All three species are typically found above 500 meters in elevation, often seen foraging in mixed species flocks on the edge of forest habitat, which are the exact conditions that Rara Avis’ main base camp clearing offers. They are also all featured on the same page in the Birds of Costa Rica guide, each with their own unique plumage...
Read MoreBlack-and-Yellow Tanager Pair (Chrysothlypis chrysomelas)
The Black-and-Yellow Tanager (Chrysothlypis chrysomelas) is endemic to highland areas on the Caribbean slopes of Costa Rica and Panama. A small tanager in comparison to other species in the similar elevation, it can be commonly found in mixed feeding flocks on the edges of pre-montane forest habitat. 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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