Rose-throated Becard

Rose-throated Becards nested in the trees at the edge of the Ensenada Lake during our 8 July 2017 hike. Becards are New World, tropical birds, descended from flycatchers and closely related to another neotropical family, the cotingas.

Costa Rican Rose-throated Becards look different from those that sometimes wander into southern Texas or Arizona, where they very rarely breed. The species ranges south through Panama. Males, like those in the first two photos, lack rose throats. The males are darker than more northern individuals. Males sport white shoulders, which they display during courtship. Intermediately plumaged birds are found in central parts of the range. In all populations, the females are cinnamon-colored and have gray crowns—see the last photo.