The odd couple?

As a wildlife biologist I have always been fascinated by convergent evolution. Technically: Organisms not closely related that have independently evolved similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches. Simply: Unrelated animals that look the same and act the same in different parts of the world. In my photo quests in different continents I have come across this phenomenon in a number of instances. Here are a few:

Ostrich, Africa (South Africa)


Rhea, South America (Brazil)


Thompson's gazelle, Africa (Tanzania)


Pronghorn, North America (Wyoming)


Turkey vulture, North America (California)


Lappet-faced vulture, Africa (South Africa)


Anna's hummingbird, North America (California)


Orange-breasted sunbird, Africa (South Africa)


Brown creeper, North America (California)


White-throated woodcreeper, South America (Panama)

While my focus in photography is birdlife, I never pass up an opportunity for images of other animals, mammals, herps, insects. The activities of mammals in the tropical areas are primarily at night due to the heat of the day, thus they are not normally available in daylight. Here are a few I've found in my treks.

Agouti, Costa Rica


4-eyed opossum, Panama


Howler monkey, Panama


Capybara, Brazil


Coati mundi, Costa Rica


Squirrel money, Costa Rica


Geoffery's tamarin, Panama


Giant otter, Brazil


Jaguar, Brazil


Tamandua, Panama

My first excursion netted over 90 species and I added a couple dozen more the nest two trips. Such a variety, so much specialization.

Chestnut-breasted Oropendola


Sunbittern


Southern lapwing


Black-chested jay


Yellow-tailed oriole


Fork-tailed flycatcher


Crested caracara


Rufous-vented ground cuckoo


Keel-billed toucan


Black-breasted puffbird

Check out these two areas and the lodges. They both provide excellent opportunities for a wide variety of species.

The Canopy Tower: Semaphore Hill within Soberanía National Park, 35 miles north of Panamá City; Pipeline Road; Rainforest Discovery Center

Canopy Lodge, El Valle de Antón in Coclé Province; Canopy Adventure refuge.

No trade secrets. Good equipment (Canon), patience, time, and a willingness to spend my children's inheritance on travel.

Birdlife in Panama is very diverse. Here are some of the birds from my 3 photo excursions there.

Slaty-tailed trogon


Rufous-crested coquette


Orange-chinned parakeet


Lineated woodpecker


Spectacled owl


Masked tytyra


Brown-billed scythebill


White-whiskerd puffbird


Violaceous trogon


Broad-billed motmot

...or, to find you were at frame #38 of a lot of good images only to realize the film strip had not caught on the winding shaft.

Gallinaceous birds are ground-feeding/nesting birds that include turkey, grouse, quail and numerous others. Several species have been domesticated (chickens!!!) during their long relationships with humans. Here are some North American species:

California quail, Pinnacles NP, California


Northern bobwhite, Harlingen, Texas


Plain chachalaca, Rio Grande Valley, Texas


Mountain quail, Sequoia NP, California


Gambel quail, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona


Wild turkey, Pinnacles NP, California


Willow ptarmigan, Denali NP, Alaska


Sage grouse, Malhuer NWR, Oregon


Blue grouse, Yellowstone NP, Wyoming


Ring-necked pheasant, Saramento NWR, California (Introduced species)

The best thing about photographing shorebirds (other than their unique beauty) is that if you place yourself in a good location and just be patient, they will work their way into close proximity. Here are some from my collection:

Ruddy turnstone Galveston Island, Texas


Whimbrel, Black Butte Reservoir, California


Dunlin, Galveston Island, Texas


Avocet, Malheur NWR, Oregon


Black-necked stilt, Sacramento NWR, California


Lesser yellowlegs, Moss Landing, California


Killdeer, Kern NWR, California


Spotted sandpiper, Trout Lake, Wyoming


Marbled godwit, Samoa Dunes, California


Willet, Humboldt Bay, California

Back home from the Darian in Panama. Never worked so hard for one bird. Swallowed my pride and paid a young local boy to carry the 500mm on the several mile hike (in mud) to the site. Next time I'll leave these excursions for the younger folks.

[quote=Floyd]Really Beautiful Pictures. One question. Are the Tri-Color and Blue Heron pictures not reversed? My bird book indicates they might be. Still great pictures though.[/quote

Check out the images in Sibley's Guide to Birds. Tri-colored has no black streak on its head and has a white belly. Gt. blue has a black head streak and a gray belly. Also the bill of the tri-colored has a black tip whereas the gt. blue's bill is uniform in color. There's also considerable size difference.

Herons and egrets are great subjects for bird photographs (although sometimes you get your feet wet stalking them.)

Green heron, California


Great egret, California


Great blue heron, Washington


Cocoi heron, Brazil


Boat-billed heron, Costa Rica


Snowy egret, California


Goliath heron, South Africa (world's largest heron)


Tri-colored heron, Texas


Louisiana heron, Florida


Rufescent tiger heron, Brazil

It looks like your yard is somewhere in central California. Nice collection of critters!

Ahhh...how I would have liked to go to India. Your beautiful images make me even more sad. But, I really enjoyed your series. Thanks, Martin