Costa Rican Bird Feeder

Our Elderhostel group stopped for lunch in the Costa Rican highlands town of San Pedro. Bird feeders just outside the open-air restaurant attracted a beautiful assortment of colorful birds. I shot all of these in about 10 minutes. Edited on Casablanca Solitaire.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Costa Rica
• birds
• Elderhostel
• Road Scholar
• wildlife
• travel
• Casablanca editor
• nature

[spindalis79]

It's not Scarlet-rumped Tanager anymore. It's been split. On the west coast it is Cherrie's Tanager, and on the Caribbean slope it is Passerini's Tanager.

[johnsanner]

@spindalis79

Thanks for the information. Since this was on the Pacific slope, I assume it was a Cherrie's Tanager. Is there a way to distinguish one from the other?

[hawaiidoves]

In Hawaii, we call these meijiro, or white eye.

[BettyVanSneeIV]

@johnsanner -- Yes, range is good, but separating the females is easy. The female Cherrie's is much more colourful than the female Passerini's.

Now to find out if there's a "hybrid zone," 'cause it's likely that the scarlet-rumped diverged fairly recently (in evolutionary time.)

Nice of you to label them -- lots of Ticos have these feeders on road-side fenceposts, so be prepared to stop and gawk in wonder. Then re-attach your jaw and keep on truckin'.

Great clip.

[spindalis79]

@johnsanner Nope... Just range. Since you were on the west coast (close to the Osa Peninsula or Puntarenas Province?) they are Cherrie's.

[anhingax2]

Beautiful birds, yes. And thanks for including the common names!

[SAbirdz]

beautiful birds