Cotingas are one of the most difficult birds to see in Costa Rica because they develop in not only just one but in mixed environments. Cotingas move through different ecosystems to feed and nest; for example the Yellow-billed Cotinga feeds on fruits from trees that are usually found in the primary rainforest, but they nest close to the sea, especially in mangrove trees. Cotingas like to perch on broad treetops to rest, mostly in the mornings especially when it is raining. Therefore this is most probably the most appropriate time of day to see one of these beautiful birds. Around the Lapa Rios rainforest this is a frequently seen bird, especially the Turquoise Cotinga. Sad but true, these colorful birds also have predators, these mainly being the Broad-winged Hawks and the Short-tailed Hawks. The Yellow-billed Cotinga is actually seen less in these areas, but since there is a wild coffee tree in fruit this month close to the hotel, we were able to take these beautiful pictures of him feeding. This specimen is one of the males, the females having a slightly darker color on their wings. The Turquoise Cotinga also has sexual dimorphism, males being more attractive with their gorgeous violet-blue colors and the females being brown and creamy spotted (many people confuse her with the Clay-collared Robin at first sight).
The smooth headed helmeted basilisk or casqued headed lizard (Corytophanes cristatus or perro Zompopo) is a small diurnal lizard that lives in both primary and secondary rainforests. They often sit quite exposed on branches, trees, lianas and tree trunks, but they are very difficult to spot because they have the ability to change color (just like chameleons). The helmeted lizard is a widespread species found throughout almost all of Central America. It has a wide variety of common names, but here in the Osa Peninsula we call it the casqued headed lizard. Whenever one of these lizards sees some potential predator closing in, it tries to slowly move out of view by placing the branch or tree he is sitting on between them and the approaching individual. Then it will stay motionless and trust in its impressive camouflage to do the rest of the work of concealing it. C. christatus (casqued headed lizard) is oviparous; this means that they lay eggs. Sperm retention seems to occur in this species, as specimens have produced fertile eggs even after almost a year in captivity! They feed on a wide variety of invertebrates, but especially on big arthropods like the caterpillars of butterflies and beetles and leaf shaped Orthoptera (like leaf katydids). They have been observed eating small lizards too (of the genera anole). In the Lapa Rios rainforest on most of our guided tours like the Osa and Ridge trails, we are able to sometimes see this small but beautiful creature.
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