Ant birds! Chestnut-backed and Bicolored

Chestnut-backed and Bicolored Antbird: Danta Corcovado Lodge, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, December 2022 — I promised you more birds from the mixed feeding flock attracted to the army ant swarm we found at Danta Corcovado early one morning, and then I got distracted by our backyard birds 🙂 These are two of the birds closely associated with army ant swarms…among the many that are attracted to the insects and small vertebrates that are fleeing from the ants…so closely associated that they have “ant” in their name. They are indeed Antbirds: The male Chestnut-backed Antbird and either a male or female Bicolored Antbird (they have the same plumage, while the female of the Chestnut-backed lacks the black on the chest.) Again, because they are so intent on hunting when you see them, it is often possible to get very close. However, since they are hunting low to the ground in heavy canopy, there is never enough light! Sony Rx10iv at about 580mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications with multi-frame noise reduction. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. Equivalent ISO 6400 @ f4 @ 1/100th and 1/80th. (very little light!)

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