Quetzal in the Nest

Gallery: AvianPosted May 8, 2013130 views6 comments

One of the highlights of my February adventures in Costa Rica was the two visits I made to the central highlands, home of the resplendent quetzal. My clients and I were fortunate to see a number of quetzals during the tours, including a couple of the spectacular adult males.

I timed the trip to coincide with the start of the nesting season, so they were busy excavating during the first tour, and when I returned two weeks later they had moved in.

The easiest way to see if a nest is occupied is when the male's inside. His long tail feathers won't fit in the hole, so they just flutter out of the trunk. Here, he is peeking out as the female returns to the nest.

Canon 1DX
Canon 500mm f/4 IS + 1.4x TC
ISO 1600
1/500th
f/5.6
+2/3 exp. comp.

Max

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by Scott Frye on May 8, 2013 at 4:58 PM

Colorful bird and I like the nest feature. In a phto my eyes will go to the brightest spot in the picture. In this case its the white splotches in the background and since the spots are not the subject they are a distraction to me. You might try to clean them up or use a tighter crop to eliminate those distractions

Registered on February 3, 2007, 387 Posts, 1136 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on May 8, 2013 at 8:10 PM

Max, a lovely picture, showing both activity and anticipation by the bird. The white splotches are just there and don't bother me. The background is simple and unobtrusive.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on May 8, 2013 at 11:02 PM

I hear you on the splotches, Scott. I'm not much of a "cloner" so I try to let stuff be (though I may have just spotted a slight dust spot I'd gladly remove ;). Unfortunately, I can tell you this was the best angle available. There were very limited sight lines available on this nest where we didn't have an all-white sky background, so I did my best at least get some color/medium tones in there. I suppose a tighter crop from the top may still work, but I liked a bit of empty space above where it was looking.

Max

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

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on May 9, 2013 at 2:48 AM

Max,

Interesting image of a "rarity"

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on May 9, 2013 at 8:10 PM

I like the long feathers coming out above the head here Max

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on May 11, 2013 at 9:12 PM

Very cool, Max

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments