#neotropics

2026-02-23

"Did u call me a chorb? that's Ms. Chorb to the likes of u!" -- black-billed mountain-toucan

#PhotoMonday #BirdPhotography #Bird #Birding #Toucan #CloudForest #Andes #Neotropics #Photograph #Biodiversity

A big fat toucan on a lichen-covered branch is hunched and leaning down to confront the viewer. This toucan's glare is more notable because of the bright yellow around the eye, set off by the white breast, reddish-black toucan bill, and black crown and nape.  This is the Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, presumed female since they tend to have slightly shorter bills.  The gray sky in the background hints at the drizzle of the day, as do the tiny pearls of rain on birb's head.  El Color de mi Reves, Colombia. Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront.
2026-02-22

big man has much to say but he's keeping shtum for now... (if you think this bird is a female, read the #AltTxt to find out why you're wrong 🤣 hint: locality is Mirador el Roble, Colombia)

#SilentSunday #Bird #Birding #Woodpecker #Subspecies #Colombia #Biodiversity #Neotropics #Photograph #BirdPhotography

A distinctly chubby well-nourished black and white woodpecker with a tiny scarlet patch of red feathers on the back of his crown giving the impression of a small beret slung on the back of his head. His black and white face pattern includes a scoop of black mask that makes his white eyes stand out.  He is alert but his bill is closed, giving the impression that he is just barely keeping his comments to himself. Despite the tiny size of his red spot, this is indeed a male -- in the Colombian subspecies, the males have a tiny red cap, the females have no red at all... Mirador el Roble, CO. Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront.
2026-02-21

it's time to play Spot the Toucan...

for our next contestant, the mysterious black-billed mountain toucan prides herself on her ability to move unseen through the magnificent greenery of the cloud forest...

OOPS...

🤣

her red butt gives away the whole show!!!

#Bird #Birding #Toucan #CloudForest #Forest #Trees #Neotropics #Photograph #BirdPhotography
#Silly #Wildlife #CuteAnimals

A green tree full of branches protrudes over a misty green hillside. To the casual eye, perhaps nothing to see here-- until you notice the fluff of vivid scarlet. Then the entire toucan jumps into shape.  This is the Black-billed Mountain-toucan. With her red/black bill and white breast, she just looks like any patch of pattern in the rain forest trees... until you notice the red vent.  Our hosts spotted this bird from, like, a mile away.  Ha.  Mirador el Roble, CO. Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront.
2026-02-15

birb is either quietly waiting for the precisely perfect moment to let loose with a well-aimed poop or just craning his neck for a look at the pictures they nabbed...

#SilentSunday #Bird #Birding #Rare #Colombia #Neotropics #Photograph #BirdPhotography

In the foreground two slightly out of focus men are involved in a deep discussion, utterly oblivious to the large orange bird in the tree overhead who seems to be craning down for a look at what they're doing. The bird is one of the famous male Andean Cock of the Rocks who perform every afternoon in a reserve in Jardin, Colombia. They are wild birds performing to attract females but this one appears to be more fascinated with the photographers who appear to record the spectacle! Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront.
2026-02-14

"sharing is caring & all but what if i really don't care that much???" -- rufous-gaped hillstar who doesn't quite get what that pesky green thorntail is doing on the flower

#Birds #Hummingbirds #Birding #BIodiversity #Pollinators #Wildlife #Neotropics #CloudForest

A thick tropical flower is festooned with two hummingbirds. A big one with a flashy bright blue bib is looking down from the top on an encroaching much smaller green birb with a white stripe over her rump and a somewhat pointy tail.  This is the Rufous-gaped Hillstar (note the tomato soup stripe behind birb's bill) versus the tiny female Green Thorntail (note that it's the male of this species that has an actual thorn on his tail). Dona Dora, Colombia. Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront.
2026-02-11

#WildlifeWednesday quick quiz, can you name this hummingbird in just one note (bonus points if you recognize the out of focus tail in the upper left)

El Zoque, Colombia, answer in Alt Text

#Bird #Birding #hummingbird #wildlife #biodiversity #nature #neotropics #BirdsOfMastodon #Photograph #BirdPhotography

A large green hummingbird with a lot of pollen on her face and a buffy chin is flying across the screen. There is a wash of iridescent blue on the bird's "shoulder" patch area of her long wings.  You could even call that blue "sapphire." In the blurred background is the green forest but also the lower portion of a puffleg with very large white puffs and is that a hint of reddish or copper belly?  Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront.  (The subject of the photo is the female Great Sapphirewing. The blurred tail belongs to a Coppery-bellied Puffleg).
2026-02-07

"every day is a great day to be a woodpecker, prove me wrong!" -- triumphant male Acorn Woodpecker (Colombian subspecies)

#Bird #Birding #Woodpecker #Biodiversity #Neotropics #Subspecies #Photograph #BirdPhotography #BirdsOfMastodon

An Acorn Woodpecker is posed on an old rotten snag with a hint of golden light shining through the gaps. The Woodpecker has lifted his beak as if to triumphantly show off the kernel of corn he has "captured." He has a restricted red cap on the back of his crown, so we know he is a male. Colombian female Acorn Woodpeckers do not have the red mark. Mirador El Roble, CO. Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront.
2026-02-05

"chunky with pom pom on head seeks female willing to overlook this fact... am also blessed with the gift of being able to sing like rusty industrial equipment in a high wind..." -- male Andean Cock-of-the-Rock

🤣

#Bird #Birding #Neotropics #RareSpecies #Funny #Photograph #BirdPhotography

A big fat bird with an orange pom pom on its head, to match an orange face, mantle, and underparts is turned in profile to study the viewer with a beady yellow eye. The bird appears beakless because of the quantity of round red-orange plumage on his face. This is the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. Jardin, CO. Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront. I moved the background a couple of feet over to put more green in view because the highlights from the afternoon sun would have otherwise been distracting, but, yes, you really get this close to the Cock of the Rocks showing off in Jardin...
2026-02-03
A vaguely angry-looking tiny hummingbird is hovering. His snow white belly and breast shows off the brilliant purple of his throat and the shimmering green of his upper body plumage. His wings are blurred, and so is the background, suggesting movement.  This is an adult male White-bellied Woodstar, a hummingbird that "bumbles" along as it flies while it makes a bee-like noise  that send bigger hummingbirds out of the way thinking he's an oversized bee. El Bosque GUijara Reserve, Colombia. Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront.
2026-02-02

what if this lil wanna-be bumble-bee came barreling out of YOUR flower patch?

🤣

#Bird #Hummingbird #Pollinators #Neotropics #Photograph #BirdPhotography #BirdInFlight #Fotomontag #PhotoMonday

A mostly cinnamon and green chubby little hummingbird is barreling away from some yellow-green vegetation. Bird has a vaguely angry expression in her eyes. This is a female Gorgeted Woodstar.  El Bosque Guijara Reserve, CO. Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront.
2026-01-31

more of the female starfrontlet, when she flies you can see lots of fuchsia sparkle...

same species & probably the same bird as the previous photo

the background with the bright highlights was giving me fits but the bird herself was very cooperative

#Bird #Birding #Hummingbird #Photograph #BirdPhotography #BirdsOfMastodon #Colorful #BIodiversity #Neotropics

A colorful hummingbird is hovering in front of a busy blurred background of green & sky.  She has her wings open to reveal her sparkly pink / fuchsia side belly feathers. This is the female Blue-throated Starfrontlet.  False advertising, her throat is buffy!  El Bosque Guijira Reserve, Colombia. Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront.
2026-01-31

"some say i am the best bird
those 'some' are correct!" -- modest & unassuming female blue-throated starfrontlet

#Bird #Hummingbird #BIodiversity #FemaleBirds #Photograph #BirdPhotography #Nature #WIldlife #Neotropics

A beautiful perched hummingbird sits on a twig in front of some green broad-leafed vegetation. She has posed in profile to show off the iridescent sapphire blue and fuchsia border of her rump, and her head is turned to give you the full effect of her long bill with her tongue thrust out to make the lower mandible look even longer. Her head is lifted to reveal a calm black eye and a buffy throat. A truly noble pose!  This is the female Blue-throated Starfrontlet. (Yes, I know her throat ain't blue, I don't name 'em, I just identify 'em).  El Bosque Guijira Reserve, CO. Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront.
2026-01-23

"if i look at u with disdain
consider that my throat is silver
and my wings are gold
and yours
Are NOT" -- haughty silver-throated tanager

#Bird #Birding #Tanager #BirdsOfMastodon #Photograph #Neotropics #BirdPhotography #CloudForest #Cute

A small bird sits on a branch in front of a green forest blurred into background. The bird is bright yellow with a wide silvery throat and nape. The bird's beady black eye suggests skepticism or perhaps disdain but no fear. This is the Silver-throated Tanager. Dona Dora, CO. Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront.
2026-01-22

"There are other barbets trying to take the food in the feeders you put out for me, I mean wtf, Spot-crowns, Red-headeds... who allowed all those other species???"

despite the size advantage enjoyed by this large barbet, this birb was kept very busy attempting to guard all the fruit feeders at the cloud forest overlook...

#Bird #Birding #Barbet #CloudForest #Neotropics #Photograph #BirdPhotography #Wildlife #Nature #Biodiversity

A toucanlike birb with an olive mantle, dark wings and longish wings, gray beard and scarlet chest sits perched on a rail.  Birb's bill breaks the illusion because it is short and stout, barbet-like rather than toucanlike. This scarlet-eyed birb is the Toucan Barbet.  Dona Dora, CO. Nov 2025. Photo by Peachfront.

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