Turquoise-browed Motmot – Tamarindo, CR

We spotted this Turquoise-browed Motmot along the Tamarindo Estuary, perched in the shade with a large cicada clamped in its beak. It sat patiently for several moments, giving us a chance to admire its amazing colors, and long racket-tipped tail. These striking birds are skilled hunters, often feed on large insects, lizards, and other small animals. One interesting fact is that Turquoise-browed Motmots excavate long nesting tunnels in dirt banks, sometimes extending several feet underground. Encounters like this added another memorable moment to our time exploring treking through the habitats of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast.