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On the lamppost


On the lamppost
Photo Information
Copyright: Livio Soares de Medeiros (livios) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2306 W: 324 N: 4306] (16856)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-01-28
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-01-28 16:54
Viewed: 1311
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Try to figure out how thrilled I was when I spotted this guy...

Needless to say I wished a clear and blue sky. Some leaves and a branch would do great too... But shooting these fellows in the wild is not easy, and this one was in the wild.

The shot was taken late in the afternoon. The sun was in my back.
_____

Toco toucan
Ramphastos toco

Found in the wild in: Guiana, Brazil, N. Argentina. Their diet in the wild consists of small fruits , bird eggs, rodents, and insects.

The Toco is the largest of the toucan family with a large lightweight beak and a body with a length of 60cm (25"). Its large beak is full of "a combination of bright colors like blue, yellow, red, and orange". However, the body may be mostly black with one or two other colors on it like red and orange. These bright colors on the beak and body may be use to attract the toucan's mates. The large beak also has a narrow tongue use for eating small fruits and insects off trees; consequently, because of its large beak and body form, the Toco toucan is a poor flier and spends most of its time in hollow trees.

While spending most of their time in hollow trees, the Toco toucans live in small flocks within which they mate. The Tocos may, "mate once a year like most toucans, and build a their nest in hollow trees". In the nest the female lays two to four white eggs. After the eggs hatch the parents will care for the young for about 8 weeks.

A strange phenomena that toucans have in the wild is deafening each other while they are in small flocks. For instance, when they see a bird of prey, "they gather about it in a jeering band". Therefore, by doing this they scare off the predator, but deafening themselves.

Another special adaptation that toucans have is that when they sleep they but the beak on the back and close it with the wings. The bird then appears only black at night when sleeping.

(Source: www.treknature.com/gallery/Africa/South_Africa/photo6048.htm)
anavazao, thistle, hummingbird24, sAner, wallhalla15, red45, scottevers7, coasties, gelor, dew77, PDP has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Olá,
uma nota interessante! Ainda estou a tentar tirar uma foto a um simples passarinho! Mas eles não colaboram não param quietos!
A foto tem umas cores, composição e luz muito boas!
Ana:)

Oi Livios! como vai?
que linda foto, vejo que agora esta com "a máquina". COm a antiga camera suas fotos ja eram lindas, com esta; nem se fala!

Um abraço.

I remember your first picture of toucan in wild and this is much better. Some more tries and you'll get your ideal shot with blue sky and nice branch in place of that lamp-post. Maybe even some leaves too ;)

I like the picture especially becuase it was taken in a wild. It has very nice details and colours too.
VERY WELL DONE!

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2390 W: 194 N: 1991] (8113)
  • [2006-01-28 18:18]

The colors are amazing and the wonderful shading in the beak. Great details and sharpness. Must be great seeing those birds in the wild.
SkyF

Hello Livio,

I know how I would have felt if I had spotted this fellow, and the shot would not be recognizable now.

So my hat is off to you for this wonderful photo of an amazing toucan.

I must admit however, that my impression of his beak was the same as Janice's.

Great accomplishment and image, thank you!

  • Great 
  • radz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 620 W: 11 N: 625] (3390)
  • [2006-01-28 22:58]

Nice composition,good POV.

Hi Livio,
a colourful bird you have capture.
The exposure and details are very nice.
Good colours and light.
Very well done.

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3464 W: 145 N: 5942] (17790)
  • [2006-01-29 4:29]

You would have been thrilled to see this Livio. Excellent catch too, colours and details are all spot on.

These birds look so unreal, I think the beak looks like it is made up like blownup plastic bird!

Well done,
Janice

Does he have a broken beak or is it just me?

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1648 W: 79 N: 1438] (4742)
  • [2006-01-29 7:59]

Hi Livio,

I understand why you would like to have a branch and a blue sky as that would have made the picture even more beautiful, but boy are you lucky to be able to see such amazing birds in the wild. Wow! Great colors and excellent focus. Well done & TFS!

Regards,
Pieter

Hi Livio,
you make high demands - blue sky - leaves - I would be so happy only to see such a beautiful bird in nature, no matter were.
It's phantastic, the colours are so brilliant, thank you very much for sharing

Greetings from the cold Germany - with only small birds -
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Livio, this is an excellent picture. Great colours, excellent sharpness, a very nice composition. Well done. Thank you.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2816 W: 75 N: 7977] (26973)
  • [2006-01-29 15:56]

Wow, wow, wow! Livio! One of most beautifull birds of the world! And you captured it in the wild! Congratulations my friend! Superb colours. Sky isn't very blue but so what :-)

Hi Livio,
Thats what makes true nature photography great. Maybe you did not have ideal light, backround, or shooting angle, but you still managed an excellent shot under the conditions you had. Your exposure is on the money giving great colors, and sharp detail in the plumage.
Compo. and framing look great. Excellent work my friend!
Scott

Hi Livio

Sorry, no time for a proper critique tonight, working from my notebook on an expensive internet connection, back to normal tomorrow, but enough time to see that this deserves a big green smiley. Thanks.

  • Great 
  • gelor Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 128 W: 3 N: 12] (517)
  • [2006-01-30 6:10]

Bonjour Livio,
Des couleurs toujours aussi belles pour ces toucans. Belle compo et belle netteté. La couleur du ciel est par contre moins agréable. Merci pour le partage. Gérard

Whata beauty - colourful, different POV and nicely done. TFS

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2006-02-01 14:32]

Hello Livio!
Wonderful shot.Colors,contrast,POV,details
and composition are perfect.TFS...:-)

Awesome capture of this really cool looking toco Livio, sorry I haven´t posted and awarded points lately, as I´m in South America at the momment and finally got a chance to jump on a computer. Well done my friend :)

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2951 W: 366 N: 3779] (11763)
  • [2006-02-03 5:56]

HI Livio, this is a very nice and colourful shot. I like the POV and the focus is good too. Very well done.

I wish we had birds like this in England. A pigeon doesn't look the same on this site.

Great shot ! Can't really fault anything here

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