Capris

The last two days of banding in Costa Rica were spectacular, with 49 birds (of 21 species) the first day and 38 birds (of 18 species) on the second, including two White-throated Spadebills, a Scintillant Hummingbird, a bunch of Fiery-throated and Magnificents, our first Northern Waterthrush, our second Streak-breasted Treehunter, and more Nightinggale Thrushes than I ever wanted to see.

This was the only picture I got of the two spadebills because both seemed ready to perish at the sight of a camera...but LOOK AT THAT BILL!


Hummingbirds will cling to anything they can get their paws on, including their own wings and bills, like this monster playing the trombone.


Me and my 2.2 gram buddy, weighting in at less than a penny.


This was our third Scintillant of the season, but our first male, distinctly different from the equally tiny Volcano by the orange gorget.


Streak-breasted Treehunter


Ah yes, we also had lots of Yellow-thighed Finches. I think they look more like they're wearing capris.


A good net run of the day.

Hummingbirds are everywhere

Ok, so we catch and see a lot of hummingbirds. So far we've encountered 22 species through banding and birding, making them the most common family we catch, see or hear, and as you've seen, the most showy and elegant as well.

Purple-throated Mountain-gem


White-throated Mountain-gem


Volcano Hummingbird.




But because of their strong wings and small size they can be tough to hold and harder to band. Especially if you have run out of hummingbird bands for the time being, which come in big metal sheets and must be cut out, sanded down and shaped, quite the process.

But they can be easy to weigh.


They also come in all sizes, from the tiny Volcanos, weighing in as low as ~2.2 grams to the massive Magnificents, outweighing some songbirds at as high as ~8 grams.

Small


Big


Hummingbirds are also surprisingly loud, and persistently so. Green Violetears seem to be the most heard bird at our mountain site, with a clicking song that will go on for hours if undisturbed.


A youngin'


All birds can bring reptiles to mind through their look. I guess it's mostly in the legs for many birds, but does this Volcano not look reptilian to you?


Lastly, though loud, hearty and beautiful they might be, they do not appear any smarter than other birds...at least not this one. It was not injured throughout this ordeal, but after release it flew straight up into our porch ceiling, buzzing around, stuck...


Then it got really stuck...but quickly backed its way out and zipped away.

Violently Addicted

Green Violetear




Magnificent


Fiery-throated Hummingbird on defense









Volcano Hummingbird, note the size

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

Though I had only seen my first the day before, on our last day of banding at Madre Selva we managed to catch three Magnificent Hummingbirds, two males and a female! They are monstrous, blinged out birds.