20 May 2016

Toucan Hot Tub

_D4S2267

_D4S2295When I first came upon this cavity in the jungle with a Yellow-throated Toucan hanging around. I assumed it was a nest cavity. Imagine my surprise when I returned later and discovered that it was in fact a jungle Toucan hot tub! I spent the next couple of hours watching 4 or 5 Toucans come in and take a bath.

_D4S2353Each Toucan would fly down and carefully back into the cavity have a good soak and fly up to a perch and preen for a bit. They really put on quite a show, at one point a line formed as Toucans waited to get access to the hot tub.

Good Luck and Good Light!
Steve

Image: Yellow-throated Toucan (Used to be Chestnut-Mandibled or Black-Mandibled) Near Arenal, Costa Rica
Nikon D4S, 200-400mm zoom, 1/60th @ f11, ISO 200