Hummingbirds
There are around 50 different hummingbird species in the Costa Rica guidebook, and they are mostly tiny, very mobile, fast flying and often feeding very high at the top of large flowering shrubs. When we first arrived in the country I didn’t really pay too much attention, thinking I would not be able to identify one from another. However, after a few days I began to tune in more and realised that actually I could, and even more astonishingly discovered that we could get some pretty good photos!
The first and most common sighting was the Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, which we saw almost every day in a wide range of habitats. These were often the first bird I saw in the mornings as they nectared on low lying flowering shrubs around our accommodations. Helpfully they also often gave a high pitched call to draw attention to themselves.
This shimmering female Green-breasted Mango was spotted sitting on her nest on the telephone wire shortly after we returned from our boat trip at Marina Ballena. The black stripe on white chest is the diagnostic feature here, as it is the male that actually has a green breast, still with a dark central stripe.
On 27th February as we transferred to San Gerardo de Dota we stopped for lunch at the Bosque del Tolomuco garden with nectar feeders and fruit tables as well as extensive flowering shrubs planted to attract a variety of birds and hummers. Highlights here included this stunning Violet Sabrewing, a relatively large bird at 6” with distinctive curved bill, glittering deep purple feathers and white tipped tail.
Also here was this wonderful female Green-crowned Brilliant, with sparkling emerald jewels dotted over her breast:
And the star bird, a tiny White-crested Coquette, feeding on the verbenas. These are far less common than the other species, and endemic to Costa Rica and Panama, so we were really pleased to get such great, close views of this beautiful species.
We learned that many hummingbirds will follow a regular feeding route around a garden. With patience, you could discover their preference and wait for them to alight on a favoured perch or hover at a particular flower in order to get a reasonable photo despite their speed and mobility. At our next stop for afternoon tea, we found a number of new species. I duly waited to capture this tiny female Scintillant Hummngbird, another endemic species, as it landed on a branch.
The Fiery Hummingbird can look relatively unspectacular, but if the sun catches it right the beautiful flaming breast glows brilliantly.
The Magnificent Hummingbird is equally beautiful with bright sunlight capturing its violet crown and turquoise throat.
The next photo is a female Mountain Gem, but I am not sure which one! The Grey-tailed and White-throated have recently been split, and it is probably one of these, as I also have a poor quality photo of a male. However the female Purple Mountain Gem is almost identical to both of these and can only be separated by subtle differences in tail colour which cannot easily been seen here. However it is an attractive and colourful addition to my hummingbird collection!
From the same cafe garden, a shimmering Lesser Violetear. The name is self explanatory. It was previously known as the Green Violetear but has recently been split form this Mexican species.
And finally, on our last day at a nature reserve we found this ruby red snowcap which moved very fast through the open forest glade, but returned on its circuit several times, allowing the whole group some excellent views.
The first and most common sighting was the Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, which we saw almost every day in a wide range of habitats. These were often the first bird I saw in the mornings as they nectared on low lying flowering shrubs around our accommodations. Helpfully they also often gave a high pitched call to draw attention to themselves.
This shimmering female Green-breasted Mango was spotted sitting on her nest on the telephone wire shortly after we returned from our boat trip at Marina Ballena. The black stripe on white chest is the diagnostic feature here, as it is the male that actually has a green breast, still with a dark central stripe.
On 27th February as we transferred to San Gerardo de Dota we stopped for lunch at the Bosque del Tolomuco garden with nectar feeders and fruit tables as well as extensive flowering shrubs planted to attract a variety of birds and hummers. Highlights here included this stunning Violet Sabrewing, a relatively large bird at 6” with distinctive curved bill, glittering deep purple feathers and white tipped tail.
Also here was this wonderful female Green-crowned Brilliant, with sparkling emerald jewels dotted over her breast:
And the star bird, a tiny White-crested Coquette, feeding on the verbenas. These are far less common than the other species, and endemic to Costa Rica and Panama, so we were really pleased to get such great, close views of this beautiful species.
We learned that many hummingbirds will follow a regular feeding route around a garden. With patience, you could discover their preference and wait for them to alight on a favoured perch or hover at a particular flower in order to get a reasonable photo despite their speed and mobility. At our next stop for afternoon tea, we found a number of new species. I duly waited to capture this tiny female Scintillant Hummngbird, another endemic species, as it landed on a branch.
The Fiery Hummingbird can look relatively unspectacular, but if the sun catches it right the beautiful flaming breast glows brilliantly.
The Magnificent Hummingbird is equally beautiful with bright sunlight capturing its violet crown and turquoise throat.
The next photo is a female Mountain Gem, but I am not sure which one! The Grey-tailed and White-throated have recently been split, and it is probably one of these, as I also have a poor quality photo of a male. However the female Purple Mountain Gem is almost identical to both of these and can only be separated by subtle differences in tail colour which cannot easily been seen here. However it is an attractive and colourful addition to my hummingbird collection!
From the same cafe garden, a shimmering Lesser Violetear. The name is self explanatory. It was previously known as the Green Violetear but has recently been split form this Mexican species.
And finally, on our last day at a nature reserve we found this ruby red snowcap which moved very fast through the open forest glade, but returned on its circuit several times, allowing the whole group some excellent views.
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