|
The lovely, melodic song of Rosy Thrush-Tanager may be heard relatively often on field trips in central Panama,
but sightings are generally furtive, as this species is virtually always found in dense undergrowth. I experienced typically cryptic views of the bird on my 2003 and 2004 trips to the Canopy Tower.
But in the summer of 2005, I was fortunate to enjoy relatively good looks
at both male and female Rosy Thrush-Tanagers on Old Gamboa Road, which is generally one of the better spots for this bird. But
things got even better as I walked with my small birding group along Cara Iguana on a rainy afternoon,
our first in El Valle. A male Rosy Thrush-Tanager was uncharacteristically vocalizing and hopping about
the open branches of a tree in a manner more befitting a common tanager of the fruit feeders. Even our guides had never seen anything quite
like it; we can only guess that perhaps there was a female in the area, inspiring the male to show off. I was a bit disappointed with the quality of the film I collected, but I was dealing with rainy and backlit conditions.
Birders tend to get excited about a sighting for one of three reasons; the bird is somewhat uncommon throughout all or most of its range; it is particularly difficult to lay eyes on;
or it is exceptionally beautiful. Rosy Thrush-Tanager has the whole package.
|
|
