Dark Pewee (Contopus lugubris)
29 January 2009, Savegre Mountain Hotel, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
This medium-large flycatcher is endemic to the highlands of Costa Rica and
adjacent Panama.
Its shape, plumage and behavior remind me of the Greater Pewee (Contopus
pertinax) which replaces it to the north. Like the Greater Pewee, this
species usually hunts from the very top of the tallest trees, flying out to
snatch insects and usually returning to the same tall snag. It calls
frequently, sounding much like a Greater Pewee or Olive-sided Flycatcher
(Contopus cooperi).
Some authors lump this bird with the Smoke-colored Pewee (Contopus
fumigatus) which replaces it in South America. Another taxonomic
alternative (Meyer de Schauensee 1970)lumps it with both the Smoke-colored
and Greater pewees under the composite name, Greater Pewee.
This bird was at a considerable distance. Exif shows an uncomfortably low
shutter speed and higher ISO which, along with the bad light, may account
for the poor quality of this photo.
1/80 @ f/2.8, ISO 100 Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LZ5
Nikon FieldScope 3 / 30X WA hand-held (no adapter)