Crested Caracaras (Polybus plancus) are members of the falcon family, and can be identified by the white head with a stout black crest, a white and orange bill, barred shoulders, and brown body. They frequent open areas, including pastures and beaches, where they hunt for small animals. This one was photographed from a distance near Carate on the Osa Peninsula.
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Although Anhingas (Anhinga anhinga) are water birds that swim with their bodies submerged, their feathers are not waterproof. Anhingas perch with their wings outstretched so they dry more quickly after diving to spear small fish with their pointed beaks. This female has a brown neck instead of a black one like the males of the species.
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There are many species of Army Ants that thrive in Costa Rica, and I’m not sure which species it is that Nito picked out of a swarm on the rainforest floor. While guiding a hike from Serena to Carate, Nito wanted to show us the ants’ fierce pinchers. Getting bitten is not a risk I would have taken! Yet somehow Nita caught the insect, held it for a photo, and safely released it, without getting nipped.
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Roseate Spoonbills (Platalea ajaja) are members of the Threskiornithidae family, along with Ibises. Usually, I have encountered these large, pink wading birds along sea shores, so it was a surprise to see one peering with its flat bill from the low branches of a tree. Roseate Spoonbills can be found in Costa Rica on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. This one was photographed at the Golfo Dulce.
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Holding its best cryptic pose, the Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus) in the photo above disguises itself as the stub of a dead and broken branch. The nocturnal bird is comfortable roosting on low perches in open daylight, and this one didn’t even peek as we closely trolled past in a motor boat, snapping pictures.
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Golden-naped Woodpeckers (Melanerpes chrysauchen) can only be found in the south-Pacific region of Costa Rica. This female of the species, which lacks the red cap that the males sport, was photographed on the Osa Peninsula.
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Named for its forehead and cap, the White-crowned Parrot (Pionus senilis) is common in most lowland and middle elevations, except in the northwest Pacific region. These multi-colored, bright-eyed birds are very noisy too!
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It’s not difficult to find Squirrel Cuckoos (Piaya cayana) in Costa Rica, as they live all over the country, except at the highest elevations. These rufous colored birds with long tails do indeed seem squirrel-like as they hop about on tree branches, hunting for caterpillars.
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Sally Lightfoot Crabs (Graspus graspus) can be found on rocks at or above the spray line on both the Caribbean and Pacific shores of Costa Rica. This photograph was taken along the gorgeous stretch of rocky beach at the Corcovado National Park, Osa Peninsula.
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The Crested Guan (Penelope purpurascens) looks a bit like a large chicken or perhaps a turkey, and so it is surprising to see one hopping and flying in trees overhead. Crested Guans are fairly common in Costa Rica’s protected regions, and are distinguished by the red flap of skin on the throat and white flecks on the breast. This Crested Guan was photographed in Serena.
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