Selva Verde – Costa Rica Eco-Lodge Updates

The white-crowned parrot is a small, perky and robust bird with a disproportionately large head. The species is abundant in the Selva Verde vicinity where it is characteristically most active in the early morning and late afternoon.

White-crowned parrots are extremely social birds, spending most of their time in flocks with 30-50 members. Each flock is a highly-organized social unit, lacking any specific flock leader, but having a complicated structure shaped by the necessity to detect and avoid predators.

One key element of flock social behavior is the posting of sentinels to scan for potential danger. Each flock is a social entity with mainly unchanging membership; some members have specific roles. Before venturing into an area, for foraging or roosting, 1-4 scouts are sent out from a flock to fly about and look for possible threats. As soon as the scouts indicate the coast is clear, the entire flock flies in and perches on the uppermost branches of a tall tree. There, the birds satisfy themselves there is no danger present. Then a sentinel is positioned atop a very tall tree with a view of the entire area. Once the sentinel has been positioned, the flock descends to lower foliage to feed or roost…

The collared aracari is a small awkward-looking toucan with a prominent and enormously-oversized bill. Frequently seen at Selva Verde Lodge, groups of aracaris often visit bird feeders and forage in local fruiting trees.

Collared aracaris seem to do everything in groups; foraging, loafing and even sleeping together. These birds are among the 16 species of Neotropical birds that have elaborate kinship behavior that includes cooperative care of offspring by non-parents. The non-parent “helpers” are regular care-givers, bringing food to nestlings and sleeping in the nest cavity along with the parents and nestlings.

It is a cozy relationship, characteristic of collared aracaris, and researchers think “helper” behavior chiefly involves non-breeders that have not achieved breeding age of two years. The helpers benefit by getting experience as food-gatherers before actually nesting themselves. As well, nestlings benefit from the attention of so many adults.