This mountains or foothills hummingbird is found in all of Central America and Mexico. But in Costa Rica & Western Panama there is another almost identical bird called the Black-bellied Hummingbird. Now, the belly is not fully shown in this photo, but doesn’t appear to be black even though there is black on the face, as both can have. Though only the stripe-tailed has the little white post-ocular spot, thus with all things considered, I’m claiming this as a Stripe-tailed Hummingbird (link to eBird article). 🙂
This mountain hummingbird has a “near-twin” looking almost identical, the Volcano Hummingbird at a higher altitude, but theoretically both are possible at San Gerardo de Dota, sort of on the border of both. But my guide and eBird Merlin software both called my photos the Scintillant Hummingbird (eBird article link). And again this bird is endemic to or found only in the mountains of Costa Rica and Western Panama. My only other time to see this one was this past September at El Silencio Lodge, Bajo del Toro Amarillo, Alajuela Province. Both sightings are shown in My Scintillant Gallery. Here’s the ones from Hotel Savegre last week – CLICK to enlarge:
Scintillant Hummingbird, Batsú Gardens, Hotel Savegre, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
This third of my mountain hummingbirds found only in Costa Rica and Western Panama was a “Lifer” (1st time seen) observation this trip. Learn more on the eBird article for White-throated Mountain-gem. My gallery has only these two photos since it is new to me. As always, CLICK an image to see larger:
White-throated Mountain-gem
White-throated Mountain-gem
Photographed at Batsú Gardens near Hotel Savegre, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
The second in my featured mountain hummingbirds is the Talamanca Hummingbird (eBird article) as one I’ve seen in 2 other locations and of course have a Talamanca Hummingbird Gallery! 🙂 The name “Talamanca” is the name of the major mountain range through the center of Costa Rica where this bird lives only in Costa Rica and the western edge of Panama.
Talamanca Hummingbird at Batsú Gardens near Hotel Savegre, San Gerardo de Dota.
I am down to the hummingbirds in my photos from San Gerardo de Dota, the most difficult to identify for me. But I am sure of this first one, Lesser Violetear (eBird Description) and like many of our mountain birds, found only in the mountains of Costa Rica and Western Panama with a former name of “Green Violetear.” (“They” are always changing names which is frustrating for us birders!) There is a larger version of this bird called the “Mexican Violetear” found only in the countries north of us. There is also a Brown Violetear found all across Central America, but less seen by me.
Unlike most hummingbirds, this one’s “ears” actually stick out a little and are very purple or violet. Here’s a few shots from the Batsú Gardens across the road from Hotel Savegre. The hotel no longer uses any feeders of any kinds with only natural plants to attract birds in the forest and gardens, thus some birds are easier to see across the road. 🙂 Though I did get two other hummingbirds in the hotel gardens.
Lesser Violetear
Lesser Violetear
Lesser Violetear
Lesser Violetear
Photos made at the Batsú Gardens near Hotel Savegre, San Gerardo de Dota.
This turkey-sized wild bird is found only in the highlands of Costa Rica and Western Panama. My Black Guan Gallery has other photos from the highlands of Monteverde, Costa Rica. This guan is also a relative of the more widely spread Crested Guan and Great Curassow (links to my galleries also) found in the foothills and lowlands of all Central America and northern South America. And in the same general family of the almost pest bird in my neighborhood, the Gray-headed Chachalaca, a smaller, chicken-sized bird.
There is also a Highland Guan which I saw only once in Nicaragua. They all live north of Costa Rica. All guans are arboreal as well as feeding on the ground. I have heard Ticos call guans “turkeys” more as an English slang name or loose translation of the Spanish name “Pava.” In Spanish, the first three guans I listed above with galleries are Pava Negra, Pava Crestada and Pavón Grande with my neighborhood Chachalaca in Spanish called Chachalaca Cabecigris . Birding in Costa Rica – Pura vida!
In San Gerardo de Dota I saw Black Guans only from a distance while waiting for the Quetzales. 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
See my big BIRDS Gallery including other countries or . . .
At first I labeled it an “Orange-bellied Trogon,” but after checking my book I’m calling it a Collared Trogon Female because of the darker shade of orange on the belly, with Orange-bellied having a lighter shade of orange (the only difference) in the book. Then after checking online with eBird+, I see that they are longer calling it two species but all “Collared” with some as an “orange morph” of the Collared Trogon. These constantly changing names and identifications make birding a little complicated sometimes! 🙂 Also the book says it only appears in the highlands of Costa Rica and Western Panama while eBird says it is the same bird in some of the highlands of South America. 🙂
Collared Trogon Female
Collared Trogon Female
These were photographed on the Robles Trail, Hotel Savegre, San Gerardo de Dota.
Right now I have two photo galleries from previous trips around Costa Rica for both the Collared Trogon and the Orange-bellied Trogon. I’m waiting to see if I should combine those two galleries. 🙂 And in those galleries you can see the slight differences of the two.
U.S., Canada, or U.K. Visitors Now Need Negative Test To Return Home
If any readers are planning on visiting Costa Rica in January and beyond this year, it might be helpful to read this article: Preflight Testing For Departing Costa Rica – Logistics And Tips: on the blog called “Two Weeks in Costa Rica.” Like birding, traveling is getting more complicated too! 🙂
A tiny bird sometimes difficult to see in a thick Cloud Forest even with the bright colors, found only above 1,500 meters in the highlands of Costa Rica and across the border in Western Panama. I’ve seen and photographed only 2 other times, once in San Gerardo de Dota at the Trogon Lodge and later on a Monteverde trip in the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve. You can see those photos (better) in my Collared Redstart Gallery to which I will eventually add these. CLICK an image below to enlarge:
Collared Redstart
Collared Redstart
Collared Redstart
Above photos made on the Robles Trail at Hotel Savegre, San Gerardo de Dota.
Large-footed Finch is the “official” English common name for this cloud forest bird that my excellent guide, Marino, found for me this morning. This “lifer” for me (1st time seen) is one of several we found near the top of our mountain on the Robles Trail this morning. The feature photo above is the only one to show his feet, which don’t seem that large to me, but maybe to a finch? 🙂
I will share more birds from today later. CLICK image to see larger . . .
Large-footed Finch
Flight Initiated!
Large-footed Finch
Large-footed Finch
Large-footed Finch
Large-footed Finch at Hotel Savegre, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
It would be hard to praise Hotel Savegre too much with virtually everything perfect here from the food to the rooms, trails, birds and vistas! 🙂 Though the birds of this trip haven’t been added yet, you can see all my others in Costa Rica Birds Gallery, 350 species!
This morning at 5:15 I head out with my guide Marina in his pickup to where he knows that the Quetzal feeds for breakfast. We get there and sure enough, by the time the sun provides enough light, they’re having breakfast and perching in various trees. At our spot we saw 2 males and 2 females. You can frequently see them at Monteverde but almost always here in San Gerardo de Dota. I waited until this morning because the hotel was full over the weekend and thus I had the guide to myself, solo!
Male Resplendent Quetzal
Female Resplendent Quetzal
NOTE: This is the national bird of Guatemala, but if you want to see one, it easier find in Costa Rica! 🙂
