Birds

Yellow-collared Chlorophonia

February 23, 2013 by Renato 3 Comments

Yellow-collared Chlorophonia (Chlorophonia flavirostris)

This tiny and colorful bird formerly of the Thraupidae (Tanager) family now has its own family the Fingillidae and it deserves it due to its uniqueness and beauty.  I have seen it a few times but until recently I had not been able to photograph it properly.  This bird is found mostly at the canopy eating tiny berries that mature periodically.  It seems that they follow the ripening of the fruit since they can only be seen seasonally when the correct type of tress are fruiting.  They move rather quickly in-and-out of the canopy and due to its camouflage and tiny bodies (4″) sometimes they cannot be detected.

This photographic bird session was shot near the already famous Refugio Paz de las Aves on the Northwest Slopes of Ecuador.  Without any further delay I present you the beautiful Chlorophonia flavirostris female only:

Yellow-collared Chlorophonia_005746

 

Written by Renato
Renato was born in Quito, Ecuador and quickly flew to the USA to learn all about engineering and climbing company ladders. After getting his engineering degree from the University of Minnesota he worked in the Standard-American-Rat-Race-Company for fifteen years. After climbing the ladder to where he could no longer see the ground, he decided to jump off the ladder and migrate south like all normal birds do. To his surprise home did not look like it did when he left as a young fledgling; the towns were bigger, most of his friends had nests of their own, and the countryside was changed. Shocked by all the change he searched for a new life and a new wife. He stumbled across a vivacious young chick who would accompany him inside a volcanic crater to set up a love nest. So, after eight years of nesting inside the crater a new love for nature and birds has sprung a career in environmental conservation and birding tours. Finally this bird has come home to roost!