Male Gartered Trogon Raising Its Wings and Fanning Its Tail

A male Gartered Trogon (Trogon caligatus) faces the camera with both wings lifted and its long barred tail spread below a branch at Arenal Observatory Lodge. The unusual posture reveals the layered flight feathers, dark blue-green chest, yellow belly and bold black-and-white tail pattern in a single view. This bird was an exceptional Arenal find: the guide said they had never seen the species at the location before. The 1/4000-second shutter at f/5.6 and ISO 6400 stops the expanding wings and separated tail feathers, while the shorter 100mm focal length with the MC-20 keeps the full action within the forest frame.