boat-billed heron

Taken from our boat while floating around a gorgeous wetland lagoon.

Boat-billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius subsp. panamensis) Zamora Estates, San Jose Province, Costa Rica. Small swamp in an urban setting at 901 m (2,956 ft) elevation.

Boat-billed heron

on the Pixiam River

Boat-billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius panamensis) There are five recognized subspecies of this nocturnal heron. Only subspecies panamensis is wide spread in Costa Rica with subspecies ridgewayi being mapped for northwest Costa Rica. Records of intermediates exists in the northwest between...

Taken from a boat at edge of thick growth of red mangroves. We couldn't back off to fit the full bird in the frame, and still see the bird through the thick growth. Taken 26Jan2010 at edge of mangrove island at mouth of Rio Esquina where it empties into Golfo Dulce, Puntarenas Province, Costa...

Sunrise in the mangrove swamp

A headshot of a Boat-billed Heron at its daytime roost in dense waterside vegetation. Tortuguero is a great place for birding but the Mozzies can be a big problem. Take a close look at the base of this bird's bill -there are a couple mosquitoes feeding through the bare skin. Boat-billed...

This shot was taken from a Boat on the flood swollen River Tarcol I had my 600mm lens tripod mounted at the bow of the Boat the skill of the Boatman in holding the Boat steady in the conditions was amazing there were full sized Trees and giant Logs coming down River in the flood he just took it...

A Black-crowned Night-Heron lookalike with a massive boat-shaped bill & similar nocturnal habit. It is the only heron species that catches its prey by scooping rather than spearing! This bird is a subadult.

Just the one, at dusk.

I've always found this one to be a very photogenic bird, it seems to be smiling to the photographer in most of the shots I've seen. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to digiscope this one in Carara N. P. last summer through our guides scope... and there it is again, the big smile...

Another test ...