Earlier this week, the DCL construction team spotted an extraordinary bird at Punta Penca: the Bare-throated Tiger-heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum).
This striking heron, with its striped neck and primitive appearance, is a rare sight and a reminder of the incredible biodiversity that surrounds Town. Standing close to 80 centimeters tall, the Tiger-heron favors lowland tropical wetlands, mangroves, and riverbanks.
This bird tends to remain motionless at the water’s edge, waiting for the perfect moment to catch fish, frogs, or crabs. This one, however, was perched high in a tree, which suggests it may have a nest nearby, an exciting possibility that hints at how closely life and nature intertwine here.
Costa Rica is home to 20 species of herons, representing nearly a third of the world’s total. To see one here, so close to Town, is a gift for bird watchers.
We already know that the landscape around Town is not just scenery, but a living home for countless species with whom we coexist. Even so, it is always a delightful surprise to encounter wildlife like this and be reminded that there is still so much left to discover.