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Groove-billed Ani


Groove-billed Ani
Photo Information
Copyright: Chris Chafer (sandpiper2) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1906 W: 107 N: 4875] (16757)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-12-02
Categories: Birds
Camera: Pentax K100D Super, Sigma 70-300 DG Macro, Digital ISO-400, Matin 58mm UV
Exposure: f/8, 1/350 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): My trip to Belize and Costa Rica [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-01-04 2:04
Viewed: 6082
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi friends and a late happy New Year to you all. During December 2007 I spent 23 days in Belize and Costa Rica, primarily birding with a friend. Along the way I had opportunities to capture some of Central America’s fabulous wildlife and over the next few weeks I hope to post a number of shots from both these beautiful countries.

We touched down in Belize city on December 1 and after picking up the hire car, we headed off to the famous Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary after a brief stop at the Mayan ruins of Altun Ha. Crooked Tree is a great place and even though we were there a few months to early for the congregation of waterbirds the sanctuary is famous for, we still managed to see a great range of birds, mammals, reptiles and insects.

This is a Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) a tropical member of the cuckoo family and found throughout Central America, northern South America and southern North America. We found them to be fairly common Belize during our eight days of travelling around this great little country. This Ani lives in groups of up to 12 individuals and feed on insects and fruits. They are 34 cm long and are usually found in rural and disturbed forest areas.
ralfsworld, Argus, fiyo, vanderschelden, SelenE, uleko, Alex99, red45, marhowie, jcoowanitwong has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Chris
Belize was nice place to visit :) I hope you had better weather than me. It is going to be really nice to see all birds shots from your trip.
Nice details and pose on this cool bird.
Happy New Year to you too :)
TFS
Ralf

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2008-01-04 2:54]

Hello Chris,
Great shot of a Grove-billed Ani, a species I saw in Trinidad before I caught up with the world of photography.
I like the pose and POV showing the features of this Ani against a fine OOF natural BG and you have used your new equipment to advantage.
Thanks for sharing this one and we look forward to your coming posts from your tour of Central America
Best wishes for 2008!
Ivan

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1053 W: 5 N: 3475] (15161)
  • [2008-01-04 3:00]

Hello Chris,
well composed picture with good POV.
Nice colours and fine lighting.Regards.

Hello Chris,
Happy New Year:-)
Extraordinary bill this one has.
Looking forward to see more work...
Well done
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1127 W: 254 N: 3161] (14464)
  • [2008-01-04 4:33]

Hi Chris,

Welcome back,I guess you have made some nice captures in central america,this is a nice one with good color and detail,well done and tfs

Paul

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2008-01-04 4:58]

Hello Chris,
I've always wanted to see Belize!! It must be a pretty undisturbed paradise? Excellent capture of this Ani in a lovely pose. I like the profile and the sharpness and colours of the wings are fantastic. Well done!
TFS and all the best wishes for 2008!
Ulla

nice portrait, TFS Ori

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2249 W: 65 N: 4205] (13972)
  • [2008-01-04 5:44]

Hi Chris,
23 days of birding in Belize and Costa Rica sounds great,I can't wait to see the photos from your trip... This is a good one to start with. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2008-01-04 5:58]

Hello Chris,
You make me very curious to see all your photos of this trip. Belize and Costa Rica are wonderful birding countries.
This is a great start with a very good detailed Ani. Fantastic colours and DOF.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2008-01-04 8:59]

Hi Chris.
Happy New Year to you too and many so wonderful shots as this one in 2008.
Amazing bird, superb scenery and perfectly composed, well coloured and sharpened picture. All is superb. Bravo and my kind regards.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2636 W: 74 N: 9091] (31094)
  • [2008-01-04 10:07]

Hi Chris!

Looks like you had great trip! I hope you'll post also pictures of some relics and street life of Belize/Costa Rica somewhere :-)

Great capture of this interesting and not very well known bird! I like POV, pose and green BG. Bird is detailed and very well exposured. Surprisingly it is black :-) I thought most of rain forest birds looks like rainbow :-) Just joking, my friend :-)

Hi Chris,
Wonderful to have 23 days for birding. You had a nice shot at this Ani. The dark feathers is well seen with sunlight casted on. Very well done. Also a late happy new year to you.
JC

Hi Chris,
This is the first time that I see this elegant and unusual bird. What a superb tail it has! This is an excellent composition with natural exposure and great catch light! Beautiful!
Claudine

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