Costa Rica Photo Gallery

Birds at Savegre Mountain Lodge, San Gerardo de Dota.

January 2009 -- Digiscoped images by Joseph Morlan

Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus brasiliensis)
29 January 2009, Savegre Mountain Hotel, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica This abundant and widespread scavenger has benefited from deforestation. Unlike the familiar Turkey Vulture which can find food by the smell of decomposition, the Black Vulture relies on line-of-sight to find food. Three subspecies are recognized differing slightly in size and the extent of white on the underwings. Costa Rica birds are C. a. brasiliensis which is said to be smaller and have more white on the underwings compared to other races. Some authors call this bird the American Black Vulture. Panasonic DMC-LZ5 / Nikon FieldScope 3 / 30X WA hand-held (no adapter)
Joseph Morlan