Rare Arenal Encounter with a Male Gartered Trogon

A male Gartered Trogon (Trogon caligatus) perches with its bill open in the shaded canopy at Arenal Observatory Lodge, Costa Rica. The yellow orbital ring, black head, iridescent blue-green breast, bright yellow belly and finely barred black-and-white undertail identify this jewel-coloured forest bird. The guide described the sighting as exceptionally unusual for Arenal and said it was their first encounter with the species at this location, giving the portrait value as a first-hand record of an unexpected visitor. A 1/2500-second exposure at f/5.6 and ISO 10000 preserves the rich plumage in deep available light without flash.