Birds & Birding in Costa Rica: – Costa Rica’s national motto and tourism slogan, “La Pura Vida” loosely translates to Live Life or Enjoy Life. With over 900 bird species recorded here, there is certainly lots to enjoy! With 12 of the world’s 18 life zones, its diverse landscapes, including tropical rainforests, cloud forests, mangroves, and savannas, provide habitat for a wide range of iconic birds A Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain
TALAMANCA HUMMINGBIRD – (Species Account Blog #34)
ABOUT THIS SPECIES
TAXONOMIC TREE:
- ORDER: Caprimulgiformes,
- FAMILY: Trochilidae,
- BINOMIAL NAME: Eugenes spectabilis
Talamanca Hummingbird is a large, long-billed hummingbird that occurs in the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama. Both sexes are primarily green above, with a prominent white postocular spot. The male also has a glittering violet forecrown. The sexes have strikingly different patterns on the underparts. The male has a glittering bluish green gorget and a dark green breast, whereas the female is uniformly grayish white below. (Formerly conspecific with Rivoli’s Hummingbird as Magnificent Hummingbird.) (from Birds of the World)
OBSERVATION ANECDOTES
Unfortunately, I only managed photos of a female as I was obsessed with trying to photograph a Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher. This species is physically identical to the Rivoli’s Hummingbird of Arizona and Mexico.
PHOTO GALLERY
View the three most recent Birds & Birding in Costa Rica series blog posts below.
- A Streak-headed Woodcreeper Feeds its Offspring Near the Arenal Observatory Lodge, Costa Rica
- PALE-BILLED WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
- SMOKY-BROWN WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
- HOFFMANN’S WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
- BLACK-CHEEKED WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
Reflections of the Natural World 
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