What Bird?

[Robert Watcher]

Does anyone have the name of this slender little beauty that I photographed near Lake Managua, Nicaragua a couple of days ago? We are thinking that it is in the Motmot family - about a foot and a half long I'd say. Shot at 800ISO with Olympus E-510 and 70-300 lens at the 300mm setting (600mm equivalent)

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[Chris Calohan II]

Love that bokeh, but sadly, haven't been down that way in about 30 years.

 

[Robert Watcher]

Love that bokeh, but sadly, haven't been down that way in about 30 years.

Thanks Chris. I don't know if this shot helps. It wasn't much good as far as a bird shot, but shows the tail details and a few other markings, well - for identification.

 

[Robert Watcher]

Well I have discovered that this bird appears to be a Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher.

From a photographic standpoint - all I know is that when shooting with it in profile, it was so slim that I had a hard time keeping the focus point on its body when handholding with a 600mm equivalent lens. And so I am pleased that it turned out for me.


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[Don Cohen]

I went through the Photos in my Birds of Costa Rica book (Costa Rica is just south of Nicaragua), and found one that seems to match it quite well: Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Very cool bird, and photo!

 

[Don Cohen]

Looks like you were posting the answer at the same time I was! Nice work!

 

[Robert Watcher]

I went through the Photos in my Birds of Costa Rica book (Costa Rica is just south of Nicaragua), and found one that seems to match it quite well: Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Very cool bird, and photo!

Thank you Don.


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[James Newman]

I am a big fan of those birds.They were everywhere back in my early years in Texas. They are sometimes called the Texas bird of paradise and are also Oklahoma's state bird. Nice capture of a somewhat elusive target.
James