Black River Turtles (Rhinochlemmys funerea) are often seen basking on fallen logs along the banks of rivers during the day. At night the web-footed retiles are known to travel on land to forage for food. This turtle was photographed along the Tortuguero River.
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I have not seen nearly as many Keel-billed Toucans (Ramphastos sulfuratus) as I have Chestnut-mandibled Toucans (Ramphastos swainsonii), in part because I have traveled most often to the Osa Peninsula, where there are none of the Keel-billed species. So I was delighted when I came across this photo taken in 2004 near Tortuguero. I love this pair’s bright lime beaks touched with orange and red, which compliment the birds’ bright yellow throats so well.
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A youthful Green Heron (Butorides striatus) perches on the wood of a dock along the Tortuguero River. It’s just beginning to lose its stripes, and to show the rusty red neck and shoulder feathers that distinguish adults of the species. A few mature green feathers are growing in on its wings too.
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Along the brackish water at the mouth of the Tortuguero River, a male Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) did a strange little dance as our boat floated past. I’ve no idea quite why the bird was flapping is silver-striped wings, though it was fun to see and photograph. Female Anhingas have a buffy brown neck and head instead of shiny black.
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Magnificent Frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) soar over both the Caribbean and Pacific shores of Costa Rica. This male of the species, identified by the red pouch at the bird’s throat, was photographed from a boat at Tortuguero.
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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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Smaller than the American Crocodile, the Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus) is the only other member of the Crocodylidae family that lives in Costa Rica. The primary distinguishing feature is a transverse ridge in front of the eyes. Caimans are common in lowland rivers, streams, ponds, and mangroves, where there is a lot of rainfall. This one was photographed from a kayak near Tortuguero.
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This young Northern Jaçana (Jacana spinosa) was so adorable that I wanted to take it home. The little bird and its companions were unafraid of the boat, and just kept hunting for water bugs as we slowly drifted past snapping pictures. Their extraordinarily long toes allow Northern Jaçana to walk on the web of plant life that floats on the Tortuguero river. Adults of the species have black bellies instead of white, and no stripe above the eye.
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With the discipline of a yogi, this Bare-throated Tiger Heron holds its pose and warms its wings in the evening sunlight near Tortuguero.
Bare-throated Tiger Herons (Tigrisoma mexicanum) are distinguished from other tiger herons by the yellow skin below their long beaks. These striped birds are common in the low wetlands, marshes, and mangroves, of Costa Rica, especially on the Caribbean side.
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Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula) can be distinguished from other white herons in Costa Rica by their slender black bill. They also have black legs with yellow feet, which aren’t visible on this specimen that I found wading in the shadows one morning in Torguguero.
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