THIS WEEK’S THEME: LONG-TAILED
Sometimes a bird’s name tells you exactly what to look for. This week features five species whose names call attention to one particularly conspicuous feature—their remarkably long tails.
Scientific name
Ptiliogonys caudatus
Taxonomic group
Ptiliogonatidae — Silky-flycatchers
Click photograph to view full size
A photograph is worth a thousand words, but the story makes it worth a few more.
ABOUT THIS SPECIES
At the top of my target list for Costa Rica had to be the spectacular Resplendent Quetzal. But running a very close second was another bird I desperately hoped to see—the Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher.
While preparing for the trip, I had seen many spectacular photographs of them, with their beautiful yellow, gray and blue plumage and those extraordinarily long tails. My hope was simply that I might get to see one. Getting a good photograph seemed like asking for considerably more.
Then, for one wonderful moment, fortune smiled on me.
At Paraíso Quetzal Lodge, a family of Long-tailed Silky-flycatchers appeared in the vegetation just below the viewing platform and began feeding on the small fruits growing there. Suddenly, instead of hoping for a distant glimpse, I had these gorgeous birds practically posing in front of me.
And they stayed long enough for me to come away with something I hadn’t really dared expect:
photographically killer shots of one of my most-wanted birds in Costa Rica.
IMAGE DETAILS
LOCATION INFORMATION: Paraíso Quetzal Lodge · Costa Rica · February 1, 2024
EQUIPMENT INFORMATION: Canon EOS R5 · Canon RF 100–500mm F4.5–7.1 L IS USM + RF 1.4x Extender
SETTINGS INFORMATION: 420mm · ƒ/10 · 1/250 sec · ISO 500