Nicaragua

Bare-throated Tiger Heron - Punta Cangrejo, Nicaragua This handsome heron was hunting the shoreline of Lake Nicaragua with a couple other herons of the same flavor and some that were white (egrets). This bird was nice enough to let me get close enough with the truck that he wasnt just a spec on the shore. This was taken just off of Punta Cangreja in the very south west corner of the lake where Costa Rica's border is very close. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Bare-throated Tiger Heron - Punta Cangrejo, Nicaragua
Crested Caracara - Sapoa, Nicaragua This is one of the larger species in the falcon family and it is a scavenger at heart. the bare skin on the face make sure that nothing sticks when eating. They are omnivores and eat live prey and vegetable mater as well as carrion. They are typically found walking the open plains looking for something to eat. This encounter was on the side of the road and there were many of the birds and it led me to believe that there might be some kind of march across the highway the night before? Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Crested Caracara - Sapoa, Nicaragua
Canivet's Emerald - San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua This little female hummingbird was filling up a the harbor flower bed in San Juan del Sur. This beautiful flower is called Flamboyant Nain and is native to the area. This little bird had given me some trouble with identification when I first arrived in San Juan as I had the same species at our hotel, pegged as a White-eared Hummingbird, and a friend that I had just met there thought maybe a Mountain Gem but I hadn't given him enough to go on. Later i found this lovely girl and was able to call her the right name, Canivet's Emerald. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Canivet's Emerald - San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Groove-billed Ani - Nandaime, Nicaragua Picture
Groove-billed Ani - Nandaime, Nicaragua
Turquoise-browed Motmot - Laguna de Apoyo, NI The national bird of Nicaragua with breakfast. An early morning walk along the road around the Laguna de Apoyo had many birds, but these guys were common along the way. I am only guessing, but this looks like a cicada to me. It appeared that some of the birds had longer tails than the others and slightly different degrees of color. Either way, the motmots definitely have one of the most vibrant color schemes in the land. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Turquoise-browed Motmot - Laguna de Apoyo, NI
Turquoise-browed Motmot - Laguna de Apoyo, MS-NI This amazingly colored bird is the National bird of Nicaragua. The racket tail is the dead give away with only other species of Motmot possibly giving some chance of mis-identification. The motmot is named for the sound that it makes while sitting waiting for its dinner. This bird was with a mate moving from perch to perch after flying out to collect an insect on the wing. This was particularly close to the laguna, but they are found almost everywhere in the country. This particular bird is missing one of its
Turquoise-browed Motmot - Laguna de Apoyo, NI
Rose-throated Becard- Cuajiniquil, Nicaragua This very monochrome bird does not live up to its name. For some reason, the birds in the southern part of its range don't get a rose throat. This particular bird was just below its nest which was woven onto the upper wire. It made several trips into the nest, but I did not see another bird come and go. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Rose-throated Becard- Cuajiniquil, Nicaragua
Neotropic Cormorant - San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua I don't get to watch the miniature versions of our double crested cormorants but there were plenty in San Juan del Sur. This photo was on the breakwater just of the docks on the south side of the bay where they were drying off from a swim near the shore. They are very adept at fishing the surf and I am guessing that they use the bubbles as cover. As always, the blue-green eye is always striking. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Neotropic Cormorant - San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Great Kiskadee - Laguna de Apoyo When I have traveled to any of the southern North American or Central American destinations, this bird seems to be front and center. This includes trips to Panama, Belize, Mexico and Texas. Great Kiskadee are named for their calls which are very loud and conspicuous. They are very comfortable around humans as well which is most likely why the note that they are everywhere. This nest was built in the radio tower used for Casa Marimba guests but the tower has obvious secondary uses. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Great Kiskadee - Laguna de Apoyo, NI
Hoffmann's Woodpecker - Laguna de Apoyo, NI This mother woodpecker was taking good care of the youngin's in this dead end branch. The hole was well positioned making sure that it was protected from the rain and far enough up the tree that it was not accessible from the ground. This was next to Casa Marimba on Laguna de Apoyo in a lot that looked like it was vacant for some time. The offering that she is bringing to her offspring is a caterpillar which the Hoffmann's woodpeckers make part of their diet but also eat fruit like bananas and figs. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Hoffmann's Woodpecker - Laguna de Apoyo, NI
Ringed Kingfisher - Laguna de Apoya, NI It was twilight when we got to the beach at Casa Marimba, but there was just enough light to photograph the first bird in Nicaragua. This handsome Ringed Kingfisher are almost double the size of the Belted Kingfishers we see here but are similar in color. The most famous of the Kingfishers are Kookaburras from Australia, but the group has relatives on every continent but Antarctica numbering 114 species. Lots of these birds fish for a living, but there are some that have made their home in the dry forests as well. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Ringed Kingfisher - Laguna de Apoyo, NI