Turquoise-browed Motmot Continuing Along the Tárcoles Riverbank

The motmot continues through the flight sequence with both wings raised at the top of the wingbeat, feet held beneath the body and its racket-tipped tail streaming behind at Tárcoles River in Costa Rica. The turquoise crown stripe, blue-green wings and two racket-tipped tail feathers identify the Turquoise-browed Motmot of Costa Rica's Pacific dry country. The exposure of 1/4000 sec, f/5.6 and ISO 1000 freezes the decisive body position and separates the principal wing and tail feathers while retaining only fine traces of motion at the fastest edges; the photograph was made in natural light without flash.