Bird identification - Costa Rica (south of Jaco) (2 Viewers)

[jgriff]

Hi, I've recently been away to Costa Rica and fell in love with all the different birds. I've been struggling to identify this one, so any help gratefully received. Thanks!!

 

[nartreb]

It's a frigatebird; at that location it could be Great Frigatebird or Magnificent Frigatebird, with Magnificent much more likely. (Great usually feeds far out to sea, and I'm assuming that if you were in a boat way offshore, you would have said so.)

But the two are very similar in appearance - perhaps somebody else can tell which one it is from this photo, but I can't.

 

[THE_FERN]

It's a frigatebird; at that location it could be Great Frigatebird or Magnificent Frigatebird, with Magnificent much more likely. (Great usually feeds far out to sea, and I'm assuming that if you were in a boat way offshore, you would have said so.)

But the two are very similar in appearance - perhaps somebody else can tell which one it is from this photo, but I can't.

In theory, we might be able to tell: if the feet were visible (i.e. not black) it'd suggest great. Since they're not (presumably blackish, therefore) then should be magnificent

 

[KC Foggin]

I'm just going to jump in here and wish you a warm welcome from the members of Bird Forum. Hope you enjoy yourself

 

[jgriff]

Thank you for getting back to me, and for welcoming me to the forum!!