Honduran Emerald

Honduran Emerald, Santa Cruz, Honduras

The Honduran Emerald is the only endemic species of bird in Honduras. There is a Honduran Emerald Reserve in the Augan Valley where almost everyone who sees a Honduran Emerald sees the bird. It is long why from everywhere a birder might be staying and generally involves spending much of the day on a bus coming and going. Plus it is dry thorn forest, and the temperatures can reach over 100 degrees most days. A few people, however, know about a second population, quite near Panacam Lodge, in the mountains above Santa Cruz near the hydroelectric project. It is much easier to get to, and being higher, mixed pine and oak forest, is much more pleasant to bird. My guide Alex, first found the birds there, and his friend, another Alex, who owns a local restaurant, has located several populations in different areas of forest. We went yesterday and found the Honduran Emerald almost immediately (after a visit to the resident Yellow-tailed Orioles and a nesting White-necked Puffbird). The Emerald is easy to see in the area, and lines of sight are better for photography, but the light in the semi-open forest can be a challenge. I caught this Honduran Emerald yawning (I think). Sony RX10iv at 600mm. Program mode, +1 EV. 1/500th @ f4 @ ISO 500. Processed in Polarr.

2 Comments

  1. Reply
    Gerrit Haagsma May 31, 2018

    Maybe singing? “All Nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres.”

    • Reply
      lightshedder May 31, 2018

      🙂

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