1-4-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)

10-4-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - SLATY SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Libellula incesta)

Libellula incesta, the slaty skimmer, is a dragonfly of the skimmer family, native to eastern United States and southern Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick. Adults are 5.28 cm (2.08 in) long. Mature males are dark blue with black heads. Females and juveniles have brown abdomens with a darker stripe down their backs. Adults fly from June to August. Larvae are habitat specialists, found in the benthos of permanent lakes. 

1-4-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - ROYAL TERN (Thalasseus maximus)

The royal tern (Thalasseus maximus) is a tern in the family Laridae. The species is endemic to the Americas, though strays have been identified in Europe.

This is a large tern, second only to the Caspian tern but is unlikely to be confused with the carrot-billed giant, which has extensive dark under-wing patches.

The royal tern has an orange-red bill, pale grey upperparts, and white underparts. Its legs are black. In winter, the black cap becomes patchy. Juvenile royal terns are similar to non-breeding adults. Differences include juveniles having black splotched wings and a yellower bill. An adult royal tern has an average wingspan of 130 cm (51 in), for both sexes, but their wingspan can range from 125–135 cm (49–53 in). The royal tern's length ranges from 45–50 cm (18–20 in) and their weight is anywhere from 350–450 g (12–16 oz).

The calls of the royal tern are usually short, clear shrills. Some of the shrills sound like kree or tsirr; the royal tern also has a more plover-like whistle that is longer, rolling, and more melodious.

In parts of its range, the royal tern could be confused with the elegant tern, but the elegant tern has a longer, more curved, bill and shows more white on the forehead in winter.

1-4-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - NORTHERN CARDINAL (MALE) (Cardinalis cardinalis)

The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), known colloquially as the redbird, common cardinal, red cardinal, or just cardinal, is a bird in the genus Cardinalis. It can be found in southeastern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Minnesota to Texas, New Mexico, southern Arizona, southern California, and south through Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. It is also an introduced species in a few locations such as Bermuda and Hawaii. Its habitat includes woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and wetlands.

The northern cardinal is a mid-sized perching songbird with a body length of 21–23 cm (8.3–9.1 in) and a crest on the top of the head. The species expresses sexual dimorphism: Females are a reddish olive color, and have a gray mask around the beak, while males are a vibrant red color, and have a black mask on the face, as well as a larger crest.

The northern cardinal is mainly granivorous, but also feeds on insects and fruit. The male behaves territorially, marking out his territory with song. During courtship, the male feeds seed to the female beak-to-beak. A clutch of three to four eggs is laid, and two to four clutches are produced each year. It was once prized as a pet, but its sale was banned in the United States by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918

 

30-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA,COSTA RICA - TROPICAL KINGBIRD (Tyrannus melancholicus)

The Tropical Kingbird, Tyrannus melancholicus, is a robust member of the tyrant flycatcher family. This avian species is characterized by its pale gray head adorned with a darker eye mask and an orange crown stripe. It boasts a heavy gray bill, a grayish-green back, and brown wings and forked tail. The underparts are a vibrant yellow, transitioning from a pale gray throat to an olive breast. Both sexes share a similar plumage, while juveniles can be distinguished by pale buff edges on their wing coverts.

Adults measure approximately 22 cm in length, weigh around 39 g, and have a wingspan ranging from 38 to 41 cm. Observers should look for the distinctive orange crown stripe and the bird's habit of perching openly, often high in trees.

The Tropical Kingbird favors semi-open areas with an abundance of trees and shrubs. It thrives in gardens, along roadsides, and in other areas where it can find a prominent perch to survey its domain.

This species has a broad range, breeding from southern Arizona and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas through Central and South America to central Argentina and eastern Peru. It is also found on Trinidad and Tobago. Birds from the extreme northern and southern parts of their breeding range migrate to warmer areas after the breeding season.

The Tropical Kingbird is known for its acrobatic flights to catch insects mid-air, a behavior known as hawking. It may also hover to glean food from vegetation. These birds are fiercely territorial, defending their space against intruders of all sizes, from frigatebirds to hawks.

The call of the Tropical Kingbird is a high-pitched, twittering trill, described as "tree-e-e-e-e-e-e." Males sing a more complex version of this call at dawn.

Pairs of Tropical Kingbirds are monogamous and often remain together throughout the year. They nest high in trees, sometimes near water, constructing a bulky nest of vines, rootlets, and twigs. The female incubates a clutch of two to four eggs for about 16 days, with the young fledging after another 18 to 19 days.

Their diet consists mainly of insects such as beetles, bees, wasps, and dragonflies. They also consume berries and fruits from various plant species, including common guava and gumbo-limbo.

The IUCN lists the Tropical Kingbird as Least Concern, with a population trend that is increasing. Estimates suggest a global breeding population of around 200 million, and the species is considered to have a low conservation concern.

30-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA,COSTA RICA - BALTIMORE ORIOLE (MALE) (Icterus galbula)

31-3-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL (Sciurus carolinensis)

The Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is a tree squirrel native to eastern North America; there it is the most prodigious and ecologically essential natural forest regenerator. Widely introduced to certain places around the world, the Eastern gray squirrel in Europe, in particular, is regarded as an invasive species.

The Eastern gray squirrel is a squirrel of medium size, and both males and females are of the same size and color. Its fur is mainly black or gray, the gray color being grizzled and often banded with gray and black guard hairs, tinged white, with the underside being white. Its tail is quite bushy and sometimes reddish in color and is used for maintaining balance while it leaps between branches. The overall fur color may change with different seasons, with the grayish fur being tawnier during summer, and the tail whiter.

Eastern gray squirrels are native to the eastern and mid-western parts of America, and to the south of the eastern parts of Canada. They range from Manitoba to New Brunswick, and south to Florida and East Texas. They inhabit large areas of mature, dense woodland ecosystems. These forests usually contain large mast-producing trees such as oaks and hickories, providing ample food sources. Close to human settlements, Eastern gray squirrels are found in parks and backyards of houses within urban environments and in the farmlands of rural environments.

Eastern gray squirrels are aggressive, alert, and inquisitive rodents, very fast when moving and jumping amongst the treetops. These squirrels are scatter-hoarder; they hoard huge quantities of food for the future and can make several thousand caches per season. They are more active in the daytime than at night, particularly at dawn and during the afternoon. Males and females may share the same nest during the breeding season, which they build in the forks of trees, and during cold winters, squirrels may also share these dreys to stay warm. The dens are usually lined with moss plants, thistledown, dried grass, and feathers. Females nest alone during pregnancy, and lactating females are particularly aggressive and left alone by other squirrels. These squirrels do not hibernate. To communicate with each other they use both vocalizations and posturing. They have a quite varied repertoire of vocalizations, including a squeak similar to that of a mouse, a low-pitched noise, a chatter, and a raspy "mehr mehr mehr". Other methods of communication include tail-flicking and other gestures, including facial expressions. Squirrels also make an affectionate coo-purring sound that biologists call the "muk-muk" sound. This is used as a contact sound between a mother and her kits and in adulthood, by the male when he courts the female during mating season.

Eastern gray squirrels eat mostly the nuts, buds, and flowers of at least 24 types of oak trees, 10 species of hickory, beech, walnut tree species, pecans, and truffles. Corn, wheat, and other crops are eaten, particularly in the winter. In the summer insects are eaten and are probably particularly important for young squirrels.

Eastern gray squirrels have a polygynndrous (promiscuous) mating system. Males compete among themselves for the ability to mate with female eastern grey squirrels. Females may mate with more than one male as well. Breeding occurs in December-February and May-June and is slightly delayed in more northern latitudes. After a gestation period of 40-44 days, the female bears her litter of 1 to 9 (average 2 or 3) in a den or leafy nest. They are cared for in the nest by their mother until they reach independence. The young are weaned around 10 weeks, though some may wean up to 6 weeks later in the wild. They begin to leave the nest after 12 weeks, with autumn-born young often wintering with their mother. Most females begin their reproductive life at 1.25 years but can bear young as early as 5.5 months. Males usually are able to breed at 11 months.

31-3-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus polyglottos)

31-3-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - GREEN PEAFOWL (Pavo muticus)

31-3-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - AMERICAN HOUSE SPARROW (FEMALE) (Passer domesticus)

The House Sparrow was introduced into Brooklyn, New York, in 1851. By 1900 it had spread to the Rocky Mountains. Two more introductions in the early 1870s, in San Francisco and Salt Lake City, aided the bird’s spread throughout the West. House Sparrows are now common across all of North America except Alaska and far northern Canada.

The House Sparrow takes frequent dust baths. It throws soil and dust over its body feathers, just as if it were bathing with water. In doing so, a sparrow may make a small depression in the ground, and sometimes defends this spot against other sparrows.

The House Sparrow prefers to nest in manmade structures such as eaves or walls of buildings, street lights, and nest boxes instead of in natural nest sites such as holes in trees.

1-4-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - FLORIDA SCRUB JAY ((Aphelocoma coerulescens)

The Florida scrub jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) is one of the species of scrub jay native to North America. It is the only species of bird endemic to the U.S. state of Florida and one of only 15 species endemic to the continental United States. Because of this, it is keenly sought by birders. It is known to have been present in Florida as a distinct species for at least 2 million years, and is possibly derived from the ancestors of Woodhouse's scrub jay.

It measures 23 to 28 cm (9.1 to 11.0 in) in length, and weighs from 66 to 92 g (2.3 to 3.2 oz), with an average 80.2 g (2.83 oz). The wingspan of the jay is 33–36 cm (13–14 in). It has a strong black bill, blue head and nape without a crest, a whitish forehead and supercilium, blue bib, blue wings, grayish underparts, gray back, long blue tail, black legs and feet.

 

1-4-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - LIMPKIN (Aramus guarauna)

The limpkin (Aramus guarauna), also called carrao, courlan, and crying bird, is a large wading bird related to rails and cranes, and the only extant species in the family Aramidae. It is found mostly in wetlands in warm parts of the Americas, from Florida to northern Argentina, but has been spotted as far north as Wisconsin. It feeds on molluscs, with the diet dominated by apple snails of the genus Pomacea. Its name derives from its seeming limp when it walks.

The limpkin occurs from peninsular Florida (and the Okefenokee Swamp in southern Georgia) and southern Mexico through the Caribbean and Central America to northern Argentina. In South America, it occurs widely east of the Andes; west of them its range extends only to the Equator.

It inhabits freshwater marshes and swamps, often with tall reeds, as well as mangroves. In the Caribbean, it also inhabits dry brushland. In Mexico and northern Central America, it occurs at altitudes up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft). In Florida, the distribution of apple snails is the best predictor of where limpkins can be found.

The limpkin undertakes some localized migrations, although the extent of these is not fully understood. In some parts in the northern part of the range, females (and a few males) leave the breeding areas at the end of summer, returning at the end of winter. In Brazil, birds breeding in some seasonal marshes leave during the dry season and return again with the rains. Birds may also migrate between Florida and Cuba, as several limpkins on the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas have been reported, but these records may also represent vagrants or postbreeding dispersal. One study in Florida using wing tags found limpkins dispersed up to 325 km (202 mi) away from the breeding site. This tendency may explain vagrant limpkins seen in other parts of the United States and at sea near the Bahamas. 

1-4-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - WHITE CROWNED PIGEON (Patagioenas leucocephala)

The white-crowned pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala) is a fruit and seed-eating species of bird in the dove and pigeon family Columbidae. It is found primarily in the Caribbean.

John James Audubon painted these pigeons, including the watercolour painting in his work, Birds of America, published in the early 19th century.

It is a resident breeder mainly in the Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica and Antigua. It breeds in smaller numbers in Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti), Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Anguilla and other Caribbean islands. It also breeds along the Caribbean coast of Central America. In the United States, it is found only in the Florida Keys, Everglades, and the southern tip of mainland Florida. They will often spend the winter in the Caribbean islands.

The white-crowned pigeon primarily lives and breeds in nest colonies or individually in low lying, coastal, mangrove forests, and will travel inland to feed on the fruits and seeds of a wide variety of plants. In Florida, the white-crowned pigeon has historically been documented nesting exclusively on remote, tidally inundated mangrove islands in wildlife refuges. Recent observations have confirmed nesting on the southern tip of mainland Florida.

With few exceptions, this species requires isolated offshore mangrove islets with limited disturbance for breeding. These tidally inundated mangrove islands which provide some protection from predators such as raccoons. However, several instances of white-crowned pigeons nesting in heavily-trafficked, urban areas, such as downtown Key West and Miami Florida, have recently been observed. This could be due to habitat loss as a result of hurricanes, and/or increased predation pressure in their historic nesting habitat. 

1-4-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - RED SHOULDERED HAWK (Buteo lineatus)

The red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a medium-sized buteo. Its breeding range spans eastern North America and along the coast of California and northern to northeastern-central Mexico. It is a permanent resident throughout most of its range, though northern birds do migrate, mostly to central Mexico. The main conservation threat to the widespread species is deforestation.

31-3-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - EASTERN POND HAWK DRAGONFLY (Erythemis simplicicollis)

Erythemis simplicicollis, the eastern pondhawk, also known as the common pondhawk, is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae, native to the eastern two-thirds of the United States and southern Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is a dragonfly of ponds and still waters. The species is distinguished in that the female is bright green with a banded abdomen and the mature male has a blue abdomen with a green face and green and blue thorax.

Nymphs of the eastern pondhawk are identifiable by their green eyes. When they leave the water and moult for the final time, the emerging immature adult is dull olive green but over the course of a few hours, the abdomen becomes bright green, there is dark brown banding and the heads take on a metallic green sheen. Over the course of their adult lives the green of the male is gradually transformed into a duller shade of blue and finally a powdery bluish-grey. The wings are distinctively veined and have dark margins near the apices. The length of this dragonfly is 36 to 48 mm (1.4 to 1.9 in).

The eastern pondhawk is native to parts of North America and Central America. Its range includes the provinces of Ontario and Quebec in Canada, much of the eastern United States, the Bahamas, the West Indies, Mexico and Central America as far south as Costa Rica. It is a widespread and abundant species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

29-3-2017 TARCOLES RIVER, COSTA RICA - BLUE CAPPED MOTMOT (Momotus coeruliceps) (COURTESY MRS VALERIE FISHER)

31-3-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - FOUR STRIPED LEAFTAIL DRAGONFLY (Phyllogomphoides stigmatus)

Phyllogomphoides stigmatus, the four-striped leaftail, is a species of clubtail in the dragonfly family Gomphidae. It is found in Central America and North America.

The IUCN conservation status of Phyllogomphoides stigmatus is "LC", least concern, with no immediate threat to the species' survival. The population is stable. The IUCN status was reviewed in 2017.

31-3-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - HALLOWEEN PENNANT DRAGONFLY (Celithemis eponina)

The Halloween pennant (Celithemis eponina) is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is native to eastern North America, as well as the West Indies.

The Halloween pennant's wings are entirely orange-yellow in color with dark brown bands, the Halloween inspiration for its common name. Dragonflies of its genus perch at the tips of plants, waving in the breeze like pennants. The young has yellow markings, including a stripe on its back. The adult male and female may develop pale red markings, especially on the face. This species is about 38 to 42 millimetres long. It is orange.

This species occurs in eastern North America. In the southern part of its range of The Bahamas and Cuba, it is in season all year round. In northern latitudes it can be seen from mid-June to mid-August. It ranges as far north as southern Canada and as far west as the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, in New Mexico and Colorado. It lives in wet habitat types such as ponds, marshes and lakes, where it perches on vegetation.

The female lays eggs in the morning on open water with the male still attached at the head. This method is known as exophytic egg laying. Sexual activity normally occurs between 8:00 and 10:30 am. Males rest on vegetation to await the females' arrival. They usually rest upon the leaves of the American Holly Bush which help to stimulate arousal encouraging the males to develop erections.[citation needed] This species is not territorial.

The Halloween pennant enjoys perching on top of taller plants, and if they find the plant adequate, they will most commonly return many times.

The Halloween pennant feeds on other insects. It is able to fly in rain and strong wind. On hot days, it will often shade its thorax using its wings.

26-3-2017 RANCHO NATURALISTA - VARIEGATED SQUIRREL (Sciurus variegatoides)

The variegated squirrel (Sciurus variegatoides ) is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, southern Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Fifteen subspecies are recognised. It is a common squirrel and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it a "least-concern species". Variegated squirrels kept as pets in Germany have been implicated in the transmission of a bornavirus to humans from which three people have died.

Variegated squirrels are medium-sized tree squirrels. The are several subspecies recognised which differ in appearance. There is even often a considerable variation between the appearances of individuals in the same population. The dorsal colouration varies between dark brown to yellowish grey. The neck tends to be darker than other parts and there is often a paler patch behind the ears. The underparts are usually some shade of cinnamon. The tail is long and densely bushy; in Mexico it is black, sometimes with white tips to the hairs giving it a frosted appearance. In Nicaragua and Costa Rica, some individuals have pale underparts and tails.

Variegated squirrels are native to Central America. Their range extends from Mexico southwards through Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. Habitats in which these squirrels occur include both dry deciduous forest and evergreen forest, secondary growth, and plantations.

Variegated squirrels are solitary and diurnal animals. They seldom descend to the ground and spend the night in a nest. Sometimes they build nests in a hole in a tree but more often construct them of leaves and build in the fork of a branch close to the trunk. These squirrels don't hibernate and spend most of their time in the trees. They are very agile and leap from one branch to another with ease. When threatened Variegated squirrels make chucking sounds and sometimes produce harsh chatter.

Little information is known about the mating habits in Variegated squirrels. The breeding season occurs in April-May. Females build nests high up in the trees where they give birth to 2-8 kittens. The gestation period lasts around 33-46 days. Young are born blind and naked. Fur starts growing after 2 weeks and in 30-32 days kittens open their eyes. Young stay in the nest within 6 weeks and become weaned at 10 weeks after birth. They are independent after 15 weeks and reach reproductive maturity between 12 and 15 weeks of age.

26-3-2017 RANCHO NATURALISTA - EMERALD BASILISK (Basiliscus plumifrons)

29-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA,COSTA RICA - WHITE WINGED DOVE (Zenaida asiatica)

29-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGAINVILLEA,COSTA RICA - HOFFMANN'S WOODPECKER (Melanerpes hoffmannii)

The Hoffmann's woodpecker, a striking avian species, is a medium-sized woodpecker measuring 18 to 21 cm in length and weighing between 62 to 84 grams. It exhibits sexual dimorphism in its head pattern. The male is adorned with a bright red crown and a yellow or orange nape, while the female sports a more subdued white crown and a pale yellow nape. Both sexes share a drab yellowish-gray face and throat, with a back and upper rump barred in black and white. The lower rump and uppertail coverts are a pristine white, and their flight feathers are black with white bars and spots. The tail is predominantly black with white accents. The underparts are a mix of dull grayish to yellowish white, with a central belly of bright yellow and flanks of dull yellowish white barred with black. Their bill is a stark black, eyes a hazel hue, and legs range from bluish gray to gray.

This woodpecker favors dry and deciduous forests, as well as more open landscapes such as shade coffee plantations, urban parks, and residential gardens.

Hoffmann's woodpecker is native to Central America, with its range extending from southwestern Honduras through Nicaragua on the Pacific slope to central Costa Rica. There is also a single recorded sighting in El Salvador.

A year-round resident, Hoffmann's woodpecker is known to forage from the forest understory to the canopy and has been observed feeding on the ground. It is a territorial bird, especially during the breeding season, when it aggressively defends its nesting site.

28-3-2017 VILLA LAPAS, COSTA RICA - MANGROVE BLACK HAWK (Buteogallus anthracinus ssp. subtilis)

29-3-2017 PUNTARENAS, COSTA RICA - SAVANNA HAWK (Buteogallus meridionalis)

The savanna hawk (Buteogallus meridionalis) is a large raptor found in open savanna and swamp edges. It was formerly placed in the genus Heterospizias. It breeds from Panama and Trinidad south to Bolivia, Uruguay and central Argentina.

The savanna hawk feeds on small mammals, small birds, lizards, snakes, toads, frogs, eels, other fish, crabs, roots, spiders, and large insects (such as grasshoppers). It usually sits on an open high perch from which it swoops on its prey, but will also hunt on foot, and several birds may gather at grass fires.

28-3-2017 VILLA LAPAS, COSTA RICA - AMERICAN GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba ssp. egretta)

Great egrets are found in the Nearctic as far south as Texas, the Gulf coast states, and Florida up the Atlantic coast to Maine and southern Canada, and west to the Great Lakes. (Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, 2000)

The ideal location for great egrets is near any form of water. Streams, lakes, ponds, mud flats, saltwater and freshwater marshes are inhabited by this beautiful bird. Wooded swamps and wetlands are the preferred location for great egrets and other heron species. (Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, 2000)

Great egrets are less then 1 meter long from bill to tail, 1 meter tall, have a wingspan of 1.5 meters, and weigh about 912 to 1140 g. On average, males are larger than females. They are completely white with a long yellow bill and dark gray legs. During flight their neck is usually in an “S” shaped curve. They are very elegant birds with plumage resembling lace.

28-3-2017 VILLA LAPAS, COSTA RICA - SCARLET MACAW (Ara macao)

The Scarlet macaw (Ara macao) is a large Central and South American parrot, a member of a large group of Neotropical parrots called macaws. It is native to humid evergreen forests of the Neotropics. In some areas, it has suffered local extinction, but in other areas, it remains fairly common. Like its relative the Blue-and-yellow macaw, the Scarlet macaw is a popular bird in aviculture as a result of its striking plumage.

The very colorful scarlet macaw is a large parrot. The plumage is predominantly scarlet, with light blue feathers on tail covert feathers and rump. The longer upper wing coverts are colored yellow, the upper sides of flight feathers on the wings are a dark blue, and so are the ends of their tail feathers. The undersides of the tail flight feathers and wings are dark red with the iridescence of metallic gold. These macaws have bare white skin surrounding their eyes and as far as the beak. Their upper beak is mostly pale, while the lower is black. Males and females look the same, and the only difference between young birds and adults is that the former have dark eyes while the latter have light yellow eyes.

Scarlet macaws are native to the humid evergreen forests of the American tropics in Central and South America, including Mexico in the east, Guatemala, Belize, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, and Amazonian Peru. They inhabit humid lowland subtropical rainforests, open woodlands, mangrove vegetation, river edges, and savannas.

Scarlet macaws are diurnal birds that gather in flocks at night. In the morning they will often fly a long distance to find food, flying in small groups or pairs, often calling to each other in hoarse raucous voices. They make nests in tree hollows. If in their nest and danger presents itself, they will cautiously examine the scene until the danger has gone. If their nest is directly threatened, the birds quietly escape to a place of safety. Scarlet macaws often use their left foot when handling food and grasping other objects. They communicate by means of a range of postures and vocalizations.