Bare-Throated Tiger

Gallery: AvianPosted March 5, 2013266 views17 comments

I just wrapped up a month in Costa Rica, where I led a couple of enjoyable tours and spent a little time shooting on my own. I was fortunate that clients in both tours were adventurous enough to opt for the tour extension to Sirena Station in Corcovado National Park. Sirena is remote and pretty rustic, but it's my favorite place in all of Costa Rica for wildlife photography.

Though I don't go there specifically for birds (it's really great for general biodiversity and especially mammals... I had two cat encounters this time), there are plenty of interesting avian residents, including scarlet macaws, three kinds of manakins, toucans, trogons and more.

This is a bare-throated tiger heron, which was perched on the roof of the station one evening. It was calling out in a territorial/courtship display. Shooting from the extreme low angle provided a unique look at this character.

Canon 1DX
Canon 500mm f/4 IS
ISO 800
1/500th
f/4
Hand-held

Max

Comments

17 comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on March 5, 2013 at 6:37 PM

Very cool view, Max. I love the eyes.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Craig Strand on March 5, 2013 at 6:40 PM

Really unique looking bird. Great angle and eye contact. If you were able to get any I would love to see the rest of this fellow. Excellent shot!

Registered on March 30, 2008, 416 Posts, 2885 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie Baugh on March 5, 2013 at 6:46 PM

Wow! I never saw or heard anything about this unusual bird. Those neck feathers, I don't suppose are always flared as in this shot or are they?

Registered on April 18, 2011, 329 Posts, 1985 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Roberts on March 5, 2013 at 7:34 PM

That is one crazy looking bird. I really like the perspective in this capture of it. Nicely done.

Registered on March 9, 2011, 69 Posts, 501 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on March 5, 2013 at 7:40 PM

Charlie, the neck feathers are ruffled a bit, but that's more of a coincidence as it pertains to the calling behavior. Normally it looks pretty sleek. When they do call, the namesake yellow throat patch extends out, unfolding in a creased diamond pattern.

A few years ago, I put together a collection of video clips from one of my trips. If you jump to the 1:09 mark here you can see and hear this species courting (and also 3:37 with the female in frame). Please forgive the incessant drone of cicadas!

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by John Neukirch on March 5, 2013 at 7:42 PM

WOW the lines here are absolutely terrific. Never seen anything like it.

Registered on July 9, 2012, 207 Posts, 1476 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie Baugh on March 5, 2013 at 8:32 PM

Thanks, Max. That gives me a better idea of what this bird is like as compared to other herons. An exceptional image. If I were a publisher...

Registered on April 18, 2011, 329 Posts, 1985 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on March 5, 2013 at 10:38 PM

So cool! What a great look at those feathers, love the composition and view of the bird.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Don Westbrook on March 5, 2013 at 11:33 PM

Great capture. Unique, great details, and wonderful eyes. Also like your handling of the dof

Registered on January 4, 2013, 11 Posts, 332 Comments

Comment posted by David Williams on March 6, 2013 at 12:10 AM

Love this, Max.....especially the way the eyes look down. Really a cool shot.

Registered on March 8, 2005, 315 Posts, 2291 Comments

Comment posted by Krunal Janani on March 6, 2013 at 1:26 AM

Stunning capture Max the low angle & the DOF really make the bird pop out (if it hadn't done enough by himself :p )
Just a small suggestion, have you tries to burn the white OOF spots by a bit maybe you can try it & see if it helps the image

Registered on September 16, 2010, 60 Posts, 1370 Comments

Comment posted by Jeff Lewis on March 6, 2013 at 1:51 AM

This is really awesome Max, nice capture

Registered on January 29, 2013, 9 Posts, 89 Comments

Comment posted by Eirini Pajak on March 6, 2013 at 7:00 AM

Very cool view of this heron...and what amazing eyes!

Registered on December 13, 2011, 216 Posts, 1671 Comments

Comment posted by Martin Dunn on March 6, 2013 at 7:12 AM

Max,
I have no idea what these birds look like but this is one of those shots that I keep coming back to to try and work out exactly what I am looking at.
I can imagine that it is one that would hold people's attention and get them talking.
nice colours, nice focus.

Registered on February 20, 2013, 198 Posts, 1011 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on March 6, 2013 at 12:33 PM

What an amazing species, just a great shot ! Cheers, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 6, 2013 at 3:59 PM

What a classic Max - great pose and eye contact

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on March 7, 2013 at 9:58 AM

Way to cool and what an interesting name. Are you sure this is a bird and not some type of dragon?

Wonderful composition to show off this unique bird, excellent shot.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments