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
WHITE-THROATED MOUNTAIN-GEM – (Species Account Blog #38)
ABOUT THIS SPECIES
TAXONOMIC TREE:
- ORDER: Caprimulgiformes,
- FAMILY: Trochilidae,
- BINOMIAL NAME: Lampornis castaneoventris
The White-throated Mountain-gem is endemic to the highlands of southern Central America. Costa Rican males have an entirely gray tail. In Costa Rica, females have a dull bronzy green tail. (from Birds of the World)
OBSERVATION ANECDOTES
A mid to high elevation resident of the Talamanca Highlands, we observed this species at several locations in and around the Savegre Valley.
PHOTO GALLERY
View the five 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 