A few Sundays ago, Plaza Rambla received an unusual visitor when a Barred Hawk, known in Costa Rica as a gavilán pechinegro, stopped among the branches of one of the almond trees growing in the plaza.
The encounter revealed a slightly more dramatic side of nature than the wildlife sightings we usually share. The hawk had captured another bird and was feeding from its perch, offering those nearby a firsthand look at one of the natural relationships that helps sustain an ecosystem. Although the moment may have been difficult to watch, it was also a rare opportunity to observe wildlife behaving exactly as it would beyond the places where people live.
The Barred Hawk, or Morphnarchus princeps, is a large and powerful bird of prey distinguished by its dark slate-colored head, back and chest, finely barred lower body, broad wings and short tail marked by a striking white band. It can grow to approximately 60 centimeters in length and is most commonly associated with humid foothill and mountain forests extending from Costa Rica through Panama and into parts of South America.
While the species is considered a resident of Costa Rica rather than a seasonal migrant, it is not an everyday sight, particularly in the drier landscape of Guanacaste. Barred Hawks generally remain close to forested areas, where they may spend long periods quietly watching from an exposed branch before moving swiftly between perches. Their diet can include frogs, snakes, large insects, small mammals and birds, making them important predators within the environments they inhabit.
The sighting was first noticed by one of the residents of the Well-Living Apartments, who photographed and filmed the visitor from nearby and shared the images so that others could also experience the encounter. Although the species of the other bird could not be identified, the moment became an especially memorable one for her children, who were able to watch nature unfolding just beyond their window.
As the trees and gardens throughout Plaza Rambla continue to grow, they are becoming more than part of the plaza’s landscape. They are also providing places where birds can land, rest, search for food and occasionally offer us a glimpse into parts of their lives that often happen beyond our view.
Nature is not separate from daily life in Town. Sometimes, it arrives in the branches outside our homes, allowing us to witness the beauty, complexity and occasionally untamed reality of the natural world right outside our doorsteps.