the cloud forest stream frog ( ptychohyla euthysanota ) is a species of frog in the family hylidae found in el salvador , guatemala , mexico , and possibly honduras .

its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests , subtropical or tropical moist montane forests , and rivers .

it is threatened by habitat loss .

cloud forest stream frog

cloud forest stream frog <EOT> a glass frog , photographed in the monteverde cloud forest in coast rica by cabin attendant and photographer nic reusens .

the aptly - named glass frog was photographed in the monteverde cloud forest in costa rica by cabin attendant and photographer nic reusens .

it may look like the common red - eyed tree frog , but the red - eyed stream frog is possibly the rarest frog in costa rica . courtesy of the smithsonian tropical research institute

by far our most impressive find was the rufous - eyed stream frog , which sports typical “tropical frog” characteristics like bright coloration , slick skin , and large toe pads for gripping to trees .

the rainforests are called cloud forests because the area is almost always covered in clouds .

the study discusses the rediscovery of the orange or yellow and black harlequin frog species , known as the clown frog or halloween frog , which was declared extinct – then rediscovered – in costa rica twice , most recently in 2008 .

it inhabits pine - oak and cloud forest , and is found in , or on , low vegetation along mountain streams . it breeds in streams and some populations have been found surviving in coffee plantations .

the green - eyed frog used to be common in monteverde . courtesy of robert pushendorf

he ' s croaked it ! unlucky frog fried to death after being . . .

not to be confused with the similarly looking red - eyed tree frog , which is quite common in costa rica , the red - eyed stream frog began vanishing in the late 1980s . by 1990 a number of local populations were rendered extinct . in march , a previously unknown population was found in talamanca .

ninety percent of harlequin frog species are threatened with extinction , and other amphibian species also have seen declines .

the “halloween” frog has been declared extinct and then subsequently rediscovered twice in costa rica . courtesy of brian gratwicke

we’ll be sad to leave this lively marsh , and all of palo verde , but new adventures at the monteverde cloud forest await us . ( we will be without internet during our stay at monteverde , but be sure to look for updates later this month ! )

less than three steps onto the trail we spot one of the iconic creatures of the tropical rain forest habitat : the strawberry poison dart frog . about the size of a thumbprint , these aposematically colored frogs advertise their toxicity to predators , making them easy to spot amid the collage of greens and brown that composes the forest floor .

nic spent 20 days in the beautiful tropical forest and became fascinated by the little amphibians and their translucent bodies .

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the result of the pictures were these fascinating images of the insides of the frog with organs and even its tiny bones all visible .

in 1987 , more than 1 , 500 of the toads roamed the monteverde cloud forest , but that year , an unusually warm dry season nearly wiped out the population . once a costa rican symbol , the bright orange golden toad has not been seen since 1989 . despite the recent discoveries , scientists do not expect the golden toad to return .

step 3 ) contrary to intuition , do not try to sneak up on the frog . most will cease to call when they hear footsteps approaching even from a decent distance , so taking brisk strides in the direction of the call will get you closer to the frog before it stops calling .

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the subspecies ptychohyla euthysanota euthysanota lives in cloud forests while the other subspecies ( p . e . macrotympanum ) lives in broadleaf forests and pine forests . both subspecies are highly associated with mountain streams . reproduction occurs by direct development .

once common in monteverde and tapantí , this frog was last seen in costa rica in 1989 and in panama in 1993 , before being rediscovered in 2007 in costa rica . in costa rica , the frog disappeared primarily due to the chytrid fungus , but in panama populations have been severely affected by habitat loss from logging .

looking for frogs in the cloud forest is not an easy task . many frogs exhibit incredible mimicry of leaves , bark , and various substrates . the easiest way to find them is by looking for movement when and where you step . if you’re up for more of a challenge , look closely on and under each leaf you pass , and sooner or later one of those brownish blobs that you thought was a clump of wet moss or dirt will turn out to be a frog , sitting perfectly immobile as it waits for unsuspecting prey to crawl or fly by .

first to welcome us to the dry forest are a group of white - faced capuchins , which we quickly learn are a common sight around the station and up in the forest’s canopy . not only do we have the company of the capuchins , but in the early morning , the loud , echoing calls of male howler monkeys are heard no matter where you are . these throaty , growl - like calls that awaken the forest sound somewhere in - between a lion’s roar and a very hungry stomach .

what does this mean for frogs ? cicadas and other sources of noise are ubiquitous in the forest , and a frog that calls to attract females only in periods of silence will likely suffer reduced reproductive success . studying how natural acoustic interference affects animal communication can help us predict the effects of added anthropogenic noise as forested areas become more developed .

the green - eyed frog was very common in the mountains of costa rica but had completely disappeared by 1990 . in 2002 , one of the frogs was spotted in monteverde . biologists found larvae of the frog in 2003 , which they saved . more viable populations have been found in monteverde , pérez zeledón and juan castro blanco national park .

using a pane of glass he photographed a wild glass frog using a twin diffused flash to capture the natural effect of the little creatures body before returning it to the jungle .

step 2 ) when you hear a call ( ch - ch - ch - ch… . ) gauge how close you think you are to the frog ( walking with quiet feet in the direction of the sound with help with this ) . if it’s more than about five meters off the trail , forget about it—the frog will stop calling well before it comes into view . but if it’s nearer than that , proceed to step 3 .

these tactics worked pretty well for catching male frogs , but we also needed some females to provoke the males to call in the lab . since females don’t provide calls to follow in the forest , we had to rely on sight and a bit of luck to find females hopping along the forest floor . males and females are easily distinguished by examining the gular ( throat ) region , which is dark grayish - blue on males and red or asymmetrically patterned on females .

not only are night hikes great for spotting frogs and toads , but you are able to see things that you would never consider looking for during the day . on the walk back to the station , our professor stopped and instructed everyone to turn off their flashlights and look around . for a few minutes we struggled to see into the dark forest , no one daring to move an inch for fear of toppling into the stream below the trail . suddenly someone spotted specks of light on the ground . it looked as if as if a bunch of lightening bugs had been crushed over top of a leaf—in fact , we were looking at a bioluminescent fungus . the fungus - covered leaf passed from one person to the next , a mass of sparkling , yellow - green jewels suspended in blackness .

on an early - morning hike to beat the heat , we crossed paths with another poison - dart frog , this one of the green and black variety . as it hops about in and under the leaf litter , i’m reminded of its plastic toy replica i played with as a kid . a bit further along , this glasswing butterfly flutters out of the forest edge , disappearing and reappearing before our eyes . when it finally lands on a leaf , we see that its wings are completely transparent . it seems like tropical creatures have much more creative ways of evading predation than prey in the temperate zone , whether they are flaunting their unpalatability or making their predators dizzy with confusion .

one thing that any nature enthusiast can attest to is that in nature , the closer you look , the more you see . you can find life in the most seemingly inhospitable places , colors and patterns in the blandest - looking creatures , and—in the dry forest of palo verde—movement just below the soil surface by invisible insect architects known as antlions .

when we emerged from the forest back at the station , we were greeted with another fantastic bioluminescent display as dozens of click beetles circled the trees . we watched for a while , letting them come up close to our faces and then dart away quickly , until the chilly rain began to make us numb and we retreated into our warm beds with the image of the beetles still dancing in our minds .

this frog began disappearing in 1988 and was first presumed extinct in 1996 , according to the amphibia - reptilia study . two of the frogs were spotted in 2005 in the central pacific town of quepos , but were not seen again the following year . then , in 2008 , a small population was found in talamanca , in south - eastern costa rica . the population has fluctuated from five to 40 since 2011 .

we explored the reef for hours , gliding over the bustling community below while trying to avoid being pricked by a sea urchin or smashing our fins into the fragile corals . underwater , we become detached observers , a stark contrast to the sense of oneness you get from walking through a forest . but , as in tropical forests , diversity abounds in the coral reef as organisms are highly specialized for their distinct niches in these astounding “rainforests of the sea . ”

the short boat ride through this surreal habitat at the interface of land and sea was just what we needed after a long , complicated journey over the border from costa rica to panama , involving crossing on foot over a very dicey wooden bridge with tremendous gaps between planks that revealed the crocodile - filled river below . but our habitat of study at the field station on the island of bocas del toro was not the mangrove forest ; rather , it was the adjoining coral reef .

our time in costa rica is wrapping up , but not before a culminating event to showcase what we’ve accomplished . after completing our independent research projects , we held a poster symposium for a visiting group of students from the universidad estatal a distancia . as the students had interests in ecology but were pursuing degrees in a wide variety of disciplines , we got the chance to practice communicating science to a broad audience . putting our spanish skills to the test , we presented our findings to the students and then led them into the forest to explain our field sites and data collection .

la selva biological station is the epitome of a tropical rainforest ( although by holdridge life zone classification it is actually a tropical wet forest , experiencing a wet and a wetter season as opposed to a full year of downpours ) and is ots’s most popular field station for researchers . located at the junction of two rivers in the province of herendia , la selva ( literally “the jungle” ) is home to the widest diversity of wildlife we’ve experienced in all of our time in costa rica . walking down any of the various trails that surround the station , crossing the famous hanging bridge , or even just sitting on a bench in one of the open areas on campus , you’re bound to see some amazing creatures .

entering the mangrove forest is like dipping into a strange dream where you’re not quite sure which way is up and your surroundings seem other - worldly . seated on the boat and looking up , the leafy branches of mangrove trees have come together to form a whimsical archway that blocks the outside climate—whether rain or sun—from penetrating . tall , gangly prop roots stretch out like stilts from the bases of the small trees and dangle underwater ; emerging from the water and scuttling up the roots are crabs , a parallel to the scampering insects and lizards of terrestrial forests . mollusks foul some of the roots , indicating the height reached by the water at high tide . the place is undoubtedly aquatic , but looking straight up you could fool yourself into believing there is solid ground and soil supporting the foliose trees .

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justification : listed as near threatened because its extent of occurrence is probably not much greater than 20 , 000km2 , and the extent and quality of its habitat are declining , thus making the species close to qualifying for vulnerable .

this species ranges from south - eastern oaxaca , mexico , southward to guatemala and eastern el salvador ( from 500 - 2200m asl ) . it probably occurs more widely than current records suggest .

it is common in guatemala and abundant in chiapas , mexico . its population status is unknown in el salvador .

a major threat to this species is alteration of the original habitats and microhabitats due to smallholder agricultural activity and logging . chytridiomycosis is also a potential threat to this species , particularly for high - altitude populations . declines due to chytridiomycosis amongst species of this genus have already been detected in guatemala ( mendelson , et al . 2004 ) .

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classification from species 2000 & itis catalogue of life : april 2013 selected by c . michael hogan - see more .

jennifer hammock added an association between " southern pacific dry forests habitat " and " choeronycteris mexicana " .

jennifer hammock added an association between " southern pacific dry forests habitat " and " pecari tajacu ( linnaeus , 1758 ) " .

jennifer hammock added an association between " southern pacific dry forests habitat " and " pappogeomys bulleri " .

jennifer hammock added an association between " southern pacific dry forests habitat " and " nasua narica " .

jennifer hammock added an association between " southern pacific dry forests habitat " and " noctilio leporinus " .

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frost , d . r . 2015 . amphibian species of the world : an online reference . version 6 . 0 . new york , usa . available at : urltoken .

justification : listed as endangered because its extent of occurrence is less than 5 , 000km2 , its range is severely fragmented and there is a continuing decline in the number of mature individuals due to the effects of chytridiomycosis .

this species is known from the pacific slopes of guerrero and oaxaca , mexico , at elevations between 700 and 2 , 000m asl . it probably occurs more widely than current records suggest .

the main threat is habitat loss mainly as a result of deforestation and the planting of coffee and other non - timber plantations . larvae have been found in southern mexico with keratinised mouthparts , indicative of chytridiomycosis .

the range of this species does not include any protected areas , and the protection of the original forested areas in guerrero and oaxaca is urgently needed . further research and survey work is needed to determine the extent to which chytrid poses a threat ; there may beed a need to establish a captive assurance colony of this species . this species is protected by mexican law under the " special protection " category ( pr ) .

georgina santos - barrera , luis canseco - márquez , joseph mendelson iii . 2006 .

monteverde is home to plenty of birds and mammals , but in all the wetness they tend to be less active and difficult to spot . instead , a different taxon is more comfortable in this moist environment : amphibians . since many amphibians are nocturnal predators , the best way to see them is by going on a night hike ! huddled in raincoats , our class ventured out into the woods with our flashlights guiding the way .

we encountered several species of ground toads on our walk ; the males are rather flat and round and look like a wet conglomerate of sandy pebbles until you get a closer look . the females are several times larger and much easier to spot from a distance .

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before we could perform any experiments , we had to catch our test subjects . strawberry poison dart frogs are active throughout the day , but calling activity is highest from about 7 - 9 : 30 a . m . their bright red aposematic ( warning ) coloration makes them easily visible against the drab shades of brown that compose the leaf litter , but unless you’re up close their small size ( less than an inch long ) often makes them undetectable by the human eye . instead of going by sight , we relied on sound to guide us to the frogs . after just two days of practice in the field , we had our method down :

step 4 ) get as close as you can before the call stops . scan the area , taking care to check perching hotspots , such as tree roots , logs , and tops of leaves ( exposed places where a female would be likely to see him ) . nine times out of ten , a little strawberry - red dot will catch your eye .

step 5 ) lunge . these frogs move in quick , jerky hops that make them hard to follow or corner . so roll up your sleeves , keep your eye on the prize , and grab !

after testing over 60 frogs , we ended up with a pretty nifty result . frogs lowered their call rates ( speed of the ch - ch ’s ) during cicada noise compared to pre - playback , indicating a decrease in calling investment when faced with interference noise . interestingly , males neither increased nor decreased their call volume from pre - playback to during the cicada noise , suggesting that males always call at their maximum volume and maintain it even during masking noise . this could mean that energy expenditure is mediated more by how fast the calls come rather than how loud they are ; in other words , calling loudly is not as big an investment as calling rapidly .

hanging bridge ( above ) and , on the other side , sendero tres rios ( three rivers trail ; below ) at la selva biological station .

our first class at la selva consisted of no textbooks or powerpoint presentations , but simply a nature tour through the trails in order to begin to learn the landscape . peccaries were the first to greet us at the trail’s entrance . while strange and exciting at first , these “pets” of the station would come to elicit no more than a sideways glance within just a few days .

during our hike , we encountered some old favorites from our days at las cruces , including the crested guan , chestnut - mandibled toucan , and cherri’s tanager . new to the list was the collared aracari , considerably smaller than the other toucans we’ve seen and sporting rich flame - colored feathers and bill . these guys have become a fairly regular sighting in the open areas on campus or in trees towering over the hanging bridge , but every time they’re as surprisingly stunning as the first .

rounding out our tour was one of la selva’s notably precious rarities—the eyelash pit viper . this venomous snake that could fit in the palm of your hand when neatly coiled gets its name from the two small scales that protrude vertically above each eye .

the structure of the station is expertly done , creating spaces that are conducive to seeing animals up close without being in their way . sitting at breakfast in the open - air dining room , you can watch as kiskadee parents gather dragonflies , berries , and whatever else they can find to feed their chicks in the nest tucked against the side of the building . both parents make trips to the nest , never letting more than five minutes or so pass without providing another snack for their offspring . the constant peeping from the little ones reminds the parents that no matter how much they get fed , they still have room for more .

while crossing the hanging bridge to get to class , this rufous - tailed jacamar zipped just over our heads and landed on the top of a tree , which is nearly at eye - level when standing on the bridge . after a moment’s rest it flew up again so quickly that it nearly vanished from sight , and in one swift movement returned with a butterfly flattened within its beak . we watched as it literally tore the insect to shreds through a combination of thrashing its head and making quick snapping motions with its beak .

crossing the bridge once more in the late afternoon to get home to our comfy cabins , i see something large and hairy crawling along the bridge cable . a sloth ? but wait , it’s moving , and not in slow - motion . getting closer , its form becomes clear : a howler monkey ! and she’s with her baby , too . the pair sits less than five feet above my head , tails wrapped around the cable for support and relaxed gestalt suggesting that they barely notice me at all .

walking around la selva , ecological questions come naturally . why do leaf - cutter ants travel so far from their nests and to the top of the canopy to gather leaves ? what drives variation in the amount of blue and red coloration in strawberry poison dart frogs ? what do all of the different oropendola calls mean to the other birds ? how did so many types of drip - tips on plant leaves evolve ? and why is it that the tropics have so much biodiversity ?

the first striking thing about the coral reef is that it comes out of nowhere . bobbing up and down on the waves in the mid - morning drizzle , we couldn’t see to any depth in the turbid water . you wouldn’t think there was anything besides sand beneath the surface , but as soon as we stuck our heads underwater , a vibrant community of fishes , corals , and other marine invertebrates greeted us . through my snorkel i squealed with delight , taking a hundred mental pictures a second and whipping around in all directions , not sure what to investigate first .

with no trails to follow , as we so comfortably have in terrestrial forests , i decided to pick a fish ( a yellow butterflyfish with black stripes stood out ) and follow it . we swam over large yellow brain corals , past bright red tunicates puffing sandy squirts of water , between bunches of threatening - looking sea urchins wriggling their sharp spines . it was interesting to see how everything in the habitat seemed to use each other : brittle stars wrapped themselves around coral , and fish munched algae off of the reef or dashed into anemones to hide . the coral growing on the roots of the mangroves provided a seamless transition between the two habitats .

book cover of “the rainbow fish” by marcus pfister . ok , maybe they’re not identica l , but there’s a resemblance .

it turns out that the species’ actual name is the stoplight parrotfish ( initial phase ) . the “stoplight” aspect became apparent after witnessing the species’ magnificent ability to change color in order to hide . farther down the reef i had to do a double - take in order to distinguish one mottled brownish - tan fish taking the color and texture of the coral it was hiding under . i watched as , in an instant , it darted away while simultaneously morphing into a lighter hue with the scaly texture you would normally expect for a fish . this lighter morph was the very same “rainbow fish” i’d spotted earlier .

when tackling costa rica’s jungles or navigating its bustling cities start to wear you down , you find that all you really need to become perfectly content are a few days at the beach . although we had merely planned to indulge in jacó beach’s warm pacific ocean waters and slow , gentle waves , our encounters with intriguing intertidal life from the sky to the sand proved that in costa rica , natural wonders present themselves even when you’re not on the lookout .

walking along the fine , gray sand , you’re stepping over a myriad of life . as the foamy ripples of a crashing wave subside back into the ocean , the sand is puckered with tiny snails hurriedly burrowing into the moist layers of the substrate . when the remnants of the next wave lick the shore , the snails resurface , use their fleshy muscles to propel themselves forward in a way that is reminiscent of a sea lion using its flippers on land , and then—after this running start—slip into a smooth , gliding crawl . viewed from above , they look like tugboats traveling between city ports on a map of the world’s oceans .

shifting our gaze from the sand into the lapping waves , we notice zig - zagging darts of movement that could only be fish swimming in dangerously shallow waters . from the distance , pelicans soar inland , looking for a meal . while they’re still at least a hundred meters in the air from the water’s surface , however , something else plunges from out of the sky , swoops low on the water , and snatches the hefty fish with ease . this bird had wings too narrow and a bill too short to be a pelican , but we couldn’t quite make out what it was until it gained altitude directly over our heads . all at once we saw the kinked wings , forked tail , and white chest against an all - black body—unmistakably , it was the magnificent frigatebird .

over the next couple of days we would see these large waterbirds soaring overhead , but interestingly all of them appeared to be females ( males have a distinctive red throat pouch ) .

another avian friend that likes to scan the beach every few minutes is the scarlet macaw , flying in pairs or small groups from one treetop to another . once you know the particular squaaak ! to listen for , you can’t miss them . often we would watch them overhead until they faded into the mountains , but one morning we were lucky enough to follow their flight to a tree right on the beach . apparently ravenous , the pair spent at least twenty minutes feasting on seeds while we gazed , enamored , from below .

for costa rica , and almost every other country in latin america , la semana santa ( holy week ) is the most important week of the year . it begins on palm sunday and culminates one week later with the holiest day of the year in catholicism : easter sunday . each country has a slightly different way of celebrating , but certain traditions are widespread , including the procession through the city streets on good friday .

at 9 : 30am we were on our way to the metropolitan cathedral of san jose when we encountered a street staged with people in costume . about twelve men staggered in lines of two or three were dressed in ancient roman centurion garments , gold - colored armor , and helmets fringed with palm - like fronds . we joined the crowd on the sidewalk , pacing the block to find a good viewing spot . behind the centurions was a line of priests , and further back we could see the life - size figure of jesus carrying an ornate cross set on a platform heavily adorned with crimson flowers .

everyone in the procession remained still and waiting ; people on the sidewalk were chatting quietly and watching the street expectantly . suddenly , the marching band at the tail end of the group began to play—a slow , solemn melody—as four assistants hoisted the platform onto their shoulders , stepping in synchrony so that the jesus figure swayed from side to side , giving the illusion of walking . on this cue , the rest of the procession began to walk forward in a rhythmic sequence of steps , with a drum major keeping the beat . the first step was up and to the left , then up to the right , then straight , and a rest on the fourth beat before repeating the sequence .

veronica joins the procession , bearing a cloth depicting the face of jesus three times .

the parade of personages continued in this way , with the cast of each station joining in the procession as it went . a little before 12 : 00 we rounded the corner to the cathedral . the final station was performed just outside its gates , and once concluded the platform supporting the jesus figure was carried inside as the band played for the last time .

by this point , the small crowd of people we first encountered on the sidewalk had grown into a mass congregation that filled the central plaza and surrounding streets . the main event had ended , and although the mood was still solemn , the gathering resembled a large community get - together as people engaged in friendly conversation and reunited with neighbors . groups took up benches in the park , found their way into the cathedral , or strolled pensively down the sidewalks on this reflective holiday .

this kind of intraspecific aggression is common , quick , and mostly results in no physical harm , so what’s the motive behind it ? the dry season is a tough time for these insect and aquatic invertebrate eaters—their food supply is shrinking and their population is becoming denser as everyone crowds around the water holes . could these two factors—food availability and density—play a role in triggering aggression ? this is the question that i along with two fellow classmates pursued for our four - day independent research project at palo verde national park .

first , let’s get up to speed on a little jacana biology . during the wet ( breeding ) season , it’s clear to see why jacanas might act aggressively toward each other . exhibiting a polyandrous mating system , the females hold large megaterritories and two to four males hold smaller territories within that of their breeding female . females defend their territory against other females , and males exclude other males . once chicks hatch , both males and females ( but much moreso males ) defend their offspring against predators . in short , territoriality and chick defense describe aggression during the wet season , but it’s still unclear as to why jacanas exhibit aggressive behavior during the dry season .

for our project , we observed 74 jacanas over four days , going out to the marsh for three hours each morning and afternoon . in the field , we would select a jacana arbitrarily to be our focal bird for that trial , and each trial lasted 10 minutes . next , we assigned roles : one person to be the data recorder , one peck rate monitor , and one distance measurer . to measure perceived habitat quality , the peck rate monitor glued their eyes to binoculars and counted the number of times the focal bird pecked at the water / substrate over 30 seconds . this measurement was taken once every minute for the duration of the 10 - minute trial , and it gave us an idea of how much that bird valued the habitat—lots of pecks implied there was a high chance of getting food , and few pecks meant that there wasn’t much there to peck at . to measure density , the distance measurer counted the number of other jacanas within a 3 - meter radius of our focal bird , and also estimated the distance from the focal bird to the nearest jacana . after 10 minutes , we moved on to another focal bird and rotated jobs .

note that the distance measurer had to estimate distances visually , as it would be highly disruptive to tromp out there and drag a tape measurer from bird to bird . this meant that the three of us had to undergo “distance training . ” in the grassy airstrip adjacent to the marsh , one person would set up two flags and measure the distance between them using a tape measurer without the other two looking . then , standing at a range of 5 - 20m back ( to emulate different scenarios in the field ) , the other two people would guess the distance to the nearest 0 . 1m . by no surprise , we were all rather horrendous at first ( especially when the flags were set up vertically , with one in a plane directly behind the other ) , but after many repeated trials , all of us were able to estimate the distance correctly on average to within 20cm !

after four days of observing jacanas , we got some interesting results . perceived habitat quality did not seem to influence likelihood of aggression , but density was more informative . the average density immediately preceding an aggressive encounter was higher than the average density overall ( for all birds at all times during their 10 - minute trials ) . this suggests that crowding might be a trigger for aggression . however , if the end goal of aggression were to increase an individual jacana’s “personal space , ” we would expect its subordinate to be farther away after the aggressive encounter . instead , we found that the distance between two birds engaging in aggression decreased just as often as it increased . therefore , jacanas might not be concerned with crowding per se , but rather they defend a particular foraging site ( whether or not it presently has food ) . in other words , perhaps it doesn’t matter how close your neighbor is to you , so long as he is outside the bounds of where you want to look for food .

throughout the course of the study , we got the chance to become acquainted with the neighborhood at the marsh . spoonbills and jabirus frequented the deeper edges of the water while the ducks tended to hang around the shallower areas , along with our jacanas .

one of our favorite characters at the marsh was the not - so - friendly neighborhood caiman . every once in a while , we’d see something log - like moving through the marsh just a little too quickly and with a few too uniform ridges to be a log . then it would stop , raise its head straight out of the water , and make several chomps at the air before slowly submerging itself back underwater . we all jeered at this attempt at ferocity , given that the caiman’s mouth looked barely large enough to fit a small sparrow , let alone any of these waterbirds . however , we did once find it feeding rather clumsily on what appeared to be a duck carcass ( whether the caiman actually killed the duck or found it dead already is unclear ) .

and the white - faced capuchins made lovely company , whether they were playing , jumping through the trees , or , quite often , taking a late - morning snooze .

antlions are not actually ants ( and they’re certainly not lions ) ; rather , they are insects in the order neuroptera , related to lacewings and dobsonflies . this morning , we set out to study the antlion larvae which burrow underground and turn ordinary soil into a sudden death trap . while you very rarely get a look at the antlion itself , you can clearly see evidence of where it’s hiding .

look for small ( ~ 1 . 5 in . diameter ) funnel - shaped holes in the ground , then stick your nose right up close , wait a beat or two , and see tiny bits of dirt or rock launch themselves out from the base of the funnel . these silent predators sense vibrations of termites , ants , and other prey near their hole , and then knock them down into the funnel by bombing them with clumps of soil . once the prey is deep enough down the hole , the antlion uses its mouthparts to quickly grab its meal and pull it under the soil . viewed from above , it looks like the victim is being dragged against its every effort into the underworld .

one upside to the often long recovery times is that when the antlion finally does start digging again , it comes as an exciting surprise . there , in the midst of completely still soil , a grain of sediment suddenly wiggles . then the 3 - square millimeters around it start to pulse , as if something is about to burst from the ground . instead , that tiny bit of ground starts to sink , and you see the tracks made by the antlion’s tunneling . the antlion digs in spirals to form its funnel , flinging dirt in a firework - like display .

the results from our short study were interesting : antlions tended to build smaller traps than their original after the first disturbance , but repeated disturbances had no further effect on their rebuilt trap sizes . furthermore , feeding termites to the antlions had no effect on their ability to recover . in terms of ecology , this implies a trade - off between energy expended and potential food gain—larger traps take more time and energy , but the larger size increases your range for catching ants . it also seems like a single termite meal isn’t enough to override the stress of a disturbance and convince the antlion that this location is worth investing in a large trap .

above all , this little experiment opened our eyes to the hidden activities of the soil , showing that you can find action , suspense , and intrigue right under your toes .

coming from the rainy , chilly highlands of cuericí , the climate of palo verde is a stark contrast . down here at sea level we’ve got daily high temperatures in the 80s and 90s f , and that’s with tropical sun ( i . e . sunlight coming in at a near - perpendicular angle to the earth ) . at this time of year , palo verde is sporting a dry heat—the kind that makes your hair start to dry while you’re still in the shower , and turns popsicles into puddles in a matter of seconds .

the first thing you notice is that the individual birds like to clump by species . the small jacanas have claimed the shallowest part of the marsh , closest to shore . using their long , narrow bills , they pick at bits of floating vegetation or at the water surface and occasionally come up with a wormy - looking creature . further out in the marsh you’ll find the black - necked stilts , taller than the jacanas and with even narrower , needle - like bills . instead of just scraping the surface like the jacanas , a stilt shoves its whole bill and part of its head down into the water , rustles around for a second , and then comes up with a dripping face but no apparent prey ( as it turns out , the stilts feed on aquatic invertebrates or fish , so it likely swallowed its meal while underwater . ) .

the whistling ducks are grouped together on the small islands of vegetation interspersed here and there , or slowly paddling through the marsh . every now and then the they’ll do the typical duck half - flip underwater , shimmy their tail feathers , and resurface . look a meter or two farther out and you’ll find the roseate spoonbills , tall and flamingo - pink . their feeding method is the most intriguing to watch—with their aptly - named bill slightly opened , they sweep it side to side just under the water’s surface . every now and then they find something tasty , stop mid - sweep , nibble at their prey in a flurry of splashes , and then continue on with their sweeping .

the marsh is so calm and peaceful that you would never guess what is lurking a few kilometers down the road at the source of this wetland’s water , the río tempisque . sun - bathing along the banks of the river or floating downstream as driftwood look - alikes are none other than crocodiles ! from the river’s dock you can get a nice look at these incredible reptiles—just be sure not to sit on the edge with your legs dangling…

climate change , habitat destruction , the illegal pet trade and the spread of a severe and incurable fungus have been killing off amphibian species in droves in costa rica since the late 1980s . many once - abundant species are now extinct , but according to a study released this month in the journal amphibia - reptilia , there may be hope .

the species is among several types of harlequin frogs that have re - emerged in costa rica since 2005 and scientists believe this could be the beginning of a slew of amphibian rediscoveries following massive population declines .

holdridge’s toad was rediscovered in 2009 after going unsighted for 22 years . courtesy of the university of kansas

the international union for the conservation of nature ( iucn ) declared holdridge’s toad extinct in 2008 because it had not been sighted since 1987 . scientists believe that chytrid fungus was the primary cause of extinction . it was rediscovered in 2009 near barva volcano in costa rica’s central valley .

the isthmohyla rivularis is so rare it doesn’t even have a common name . courtesy of wikimedia commons

the extinction of the golden toad was met with sadness and outrage in costa rica and the world . the toad has since become a symbol for naturalists pointing to the impending threats from climate change .

see famous costa rican musician manuel obregón perform his “requiem for the golden toad . ”

beware ! have your tissues ready at 4 : 22 for some sloth sadness .

an eight - hour recycling drive in la sabana , san jose , collected more than 400 , 000 plastic bottles this sunday . the drive , spearheaded…

we’re here to help ! contact us if you need more flexible licensing options .

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first discovered in 1872 , glass frogs live in the humid mountain forests of central and south america .

glass frogs are mostly active at night , which makes them very difficult to spot for predators .

during the breeding season they live along rivers and streams where they lay their eggs on leaves that overhang the water .

nic , 37 , who is half spanish and half swedish and lives in madrid , said his day job allowed him to follow his passion for photographing nature around the world .

he said : ' while the general background coloration of most glass frogs is primarily lime green , the abdominal skin of some members of this family is translucent .

' the internal viscera , including the heart , liver , and gastrointestinal tract are visible through this translucent skin , hence the common name .

' glass frogs are difficult to find and collect , due not only to their small size and color , but also because of the extreme areas they sometimes inhabit .

' glass frogs are often found along streams that are nearly impossible to walk along , let alone collect specimens .

' with new areas constantly being explored in tropical america , more species are sure to be discovered and described .

' the frogs typically range in size from 20 to 30 millimetres , but some species , like centrolene geckoideum from the pacific andean slopes of colombia and ecuador , reach larger sizes . '

nic said he used a canon 5d mark iii to get the images with a 100mm l macro lens .

he said : ' i had to place her over a clean glass surface , and fire with my twin diffused flash at high speed to get the dark background in order to illustrate the see - thru effect .

' luckily i had the help of a local to hold the glass for me while i focused . '

bottleneck of 700 , 000 migrants wait in libya to cross the . . .

' prostitutes , orgies , group sex - all of it ' : ex - wife of . . .

' we know where you live ' : angry protesters confront mitch . . .

police find the body of a missing four - month - old boy near . . .

the fashion designer ' s $ 24million party pad that no one . . .

' you broke your girl ' s heart ' : car racing legend craig . . .

money launderer caught with £250 , 000 cash in bin bags in . . .

don ' t kill the army of ants and wasps invading your home . . .

sydney tower skywalk was ' shut down due to unsafe winds ' . . .

step inside the tomb of queen nefertari : immersive vr experience reveals the 3 , 000 - year - old artwork of . . .

world ' s first floating nation begins selling its own ' vayron ' cryptocurrency ahead of 2022 launch in the . . .

being rich and successful really is in your dna : being dealt the right genes determines whether you get on . . .


the white-winged woodpecker ( dendrocopos leucopterus ) is a species of bird in the family picidae .

it is found in afghanistan , china , iran , kazakhstan , kyrgyzstan , tajikistan , turkmenistan , uzbekistan .

the white-winged woodpecker 's natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests .

white - winged woodpecker

white - winged woodpecker <EOT> select an image : 1 . white - winged woodpecker > > male 2 . white - winged woodpecker > > at nest hole 3 . white - winged woodpecker > > female 4 . white - winged woodpecker > > male 5 . white - winged woodpecker > > female 6 . white - winged woodpecker > > female

22–23 cm ; 67 g . male has white forehead , black crown , red nape , black hindneck ; thin white line above eye , white cheeks and ear - coverts ( often stained ) ; black malar . . .

description . on outer webs of pm 4 - 6 white occupies all feathers except black tips , or dominant white interrupts by the small black spots located usually on unequal distance from each other . white spot on folded wing formed by white of secondaries is larger than leptorhynchus . white on outer pair of tail feathers dominates , black bands are narrow , sometimes intermittent . throat , breast , upper - belly and forehead in fresh plumage may be slightly buffy - tinged . distribution . lives in deserts from eastern coast of aral sea to western foothills of tien shan and karatau .

description . on outer webs of pm 4 - 6 black and white spots arranged in correct sequence , black spots usually occupy more space than white ones ; black dominates above white . white spot on folded wing formed by white of secondaries is less than albipennis . white on outer pair of tail feathers less distributed than black , the black bands are broad and always solid . throat , breast , upper - belly and forehead in fresh plumage are buffy - tinged in a varying degree . distribution . lives from lower reaches of chu river , karatau and western foothills of tien shan eastward to northern tien shan and foothills of dzhungarskiy alatau , including southern trans - balkhash area and ile and lepsy valleys

winkler , h . , christie , d . a . & kirwan , g . m . ( 2018 ) . white - winged woodpecker ( dendrocopos leucopterus ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .

male on breeding plumage seems more piebald than great spotted woodpecker at the expense of larger white patches on scapulars . forehead is cream color , crown is black metal - glossed , on the nape there are rather narrow red spot . mantle , rump and uppertail coverts are black ; cheeks are white bottom - bordered by the black strip reached to nape and forked in a back part of a head , one branch reaches to the breast , another one to the nape . the flight feathers are blackish - brown but in the end of the breeding season become lighter owing to fading . the flight feathers are with white spots on webs width up to 8 - 12 mm . on inner webs these spots almost reach the feather core ( start with pm4 ) . on secondaries white spots merge . the tail feathers are black , two central pairs are wedge - shaped and longer than outer one on 15 - 20 mm ; the outer feathers have brown and white spots on webs . the throat and the breast are white , the abdomen and undertail coverts are bright red . the female is similar to male , but slightly smaller and without red spot on nape . dark color of plumage of female is slightly paler than at male . juveniles in the first plumage have on head the golden - red crown and more pale plumage . unlike adults primaries of juveniles have white tips width of 2 - 2 , 5 mm . throat and breast are dirty - white . uppertail reddens later than at juveniles of great spotted woodpecker ; anyway at the end of july it has only pale - yellow color . they also have less or lack dark streaks on flanks and breast . generally very similar to great spotted woodpecker , features a large of white on the folded wing .

my first - ever photo of the white - winged crossbill was an exciting few moments and i’m not disappointed with the result , but will embrace an opportunity to improve , also part of the fun . i’ve captured quite a few pine siskins this winter , but this one made me laugh as it seemed to be wearing a little red cap !

i think the eastern phoebe was a first of year sighting and photo for me , perhaps it was a little early . the white - breasted nuthatch was very accommodating for it’s portrait . at the junction of the fox hole trail this pileated woodpecker challenged me with his constant movement and by staying mostly just out of sight . that’s the fun of wildlife picture taking .

a member of the d . major species - group ( which see ) ; has hybridized very occasionally with d . major . birds of the turkestan uplands , described as race leptorhynchus , tend to be less white , but difference minor and not constant , and racial separation regarded as unwarranted ; named races albipennis ( se turkmenia ) , jaxartensis ( lower r syr darya ) , korejevi ( sw alatau mts ) and spangenbergi ( chatkal tau , e uzbekistan ) likewise insufficiently differentiated . monotypic .

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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .

del hoyo , j . , collar , n . j . , christie , d . a . , elliott , a . and fishpool , l . d . c . 2014 . hbw and birdlife international illustrated checklist of the birds of the world . volume 1 : non - passerines . lynx edicions birdlife international , barcelona , spain and cambridge , uk .

justification : this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend appears to be stable , and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size has not been quantified , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .

the global population size has not been quantified , but the species appears to be common ( del hoyo et al . 2002 ) . trend justification : the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats .

to make use of this information , please check the < terms of use > .

drum roll of male on telegraph post . seemingly utilising both wood and metal parts of telegraph pole !

sonogram images © xeno - canto foundation . sonogram images share the same license terms as the recording they depict .

e of aral sea to s kazakhstan , n & w kyrgyzstan ( n to s tip of l balkhash ) and w china ( n xinjiang to karamay and lop nur ) , and s to sw turkmenia ( possibly also extreme ne iran ) and ne afghanistan in w and chinese turkestan ( s to edge of kunlun shan ) in e .

egg - laying from late mar to apr . nest - hole at 1–5 m in softwood tree ( e . g . poplar , willow , walnut ) , also recorded in slope of . . .

not globally threatened . previously considered near threatened . appears to be common within its range . little - known species ; further study required , especially of its ecology .

only subscribers are able to see the bibliography . login or subscribe to get access to a lot of extra features !

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this map displays aggregated data from ibc and my birding ( anonymously ) ; markers do not indicate precise localities .

recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : dendrocopos leucopterus . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 . recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species : birdlife international ( 2018 ) iucn red list for birds . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 .

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breeds in mountain and riparian forests , saxaul groves in deserts of southern kazakhstan and central asia , and also northern afghanistan and western china . please see the detailed distribution in kazakhstan in the section subspecies .

rare resident . inhabits the riparian and saxaul plain forests , groves , old shelterbelts . on pskem and ugam ridges lives in gardens and mixed walnut forests on valleys , at altitudes up to 2000 m . breeds in separate pairs at distance 300 - 500 m one from another , nest is located in tree holes ( asiatic poplar , willow , apple - tree , elm , walnut or saxaul ) at height 0 . 5 - 5 m above the ground . clutch of 4 - 5 eggs is laid in mid - april to mid - may . both parents incubate clutch and fed juveniles , which fledge in end june to early july . broods with parents recorded until september . re - nesting after loss of first clutch is common .

«птицы казахстана» под редакцией и . а . долгушина . том 3 . изд . ан казсср . алма - ата - 1970 . gavrilov e . i . , gavrilov a . e . " the birds of kazakhstan " . almaty , 2005 . э . и . гаврилов . " фауна и распространение птиц казахстана " . алматы , 1999 .

all rights to materials published on site ( photos , videos , articles ) are owned by authors . to use materials please contact the author .

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myavibase allows you to create and manage your own lifelists , and produce useful reports to help you plan your next birding excursion .

there are more than 12 , 000 regional checklists in avibase , offered in 9 different taxonomies , including synonyms more than 175 languages . each checklist can be viewed with photos shared by the birding community , and also printed as pdf checklists for field use .

there are a few ways by which you can help the development of this page , such as joining the flickr group for photos or providing translations of the site in addition languages .

howard and moore 4th edition ( incl . corrigenda vol . 1 - 2 ) :

you must be logged in to view your sighting details . to register to myavibase click here .

avibase has been visited 263 , 299 , 572 times since 24 june 2003 . © denis lepage | privacy policy

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i finally stopped procrastinating a hike on the stillwater river trail in orono . it’s part of the great orono land trust trail system . i enjoyed the walk , and some critters humored me with their presence .

the first of year groundhog was seen in a field off college avenue . a walk on the mclaughlin road on sunkhaze meadows national wildlife refuge netted this wind - blown bee fly , although common , and a member of the fly family , this is only the second time i’ve seen and photographed one .

have feedback ? want to know more ? send us ideas for follow - up stories .

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