Male Gartered Trogon Perched in Sunlit Arenal Canopy

A male Gartered Trogon (Trogon caligatus) rests upright on a diagonal branch amid the sunlit foliage of Arenal Observatory Lodge, Costa Rica. Its black hood and blue-green breast form a dark band above the saturated yellow belly, while the long tail displays the species' intricate black-and-white barring. The local guide had never encountered this trogon at the location before and regarded the sighting as exceptionally unusual for Arenal. Because the bird remained still, a 1/160-second exposure at f/9 and ISO 1600 could retain detail across the body and tail while recording the dappled natural light without flash.