Long-tailed Sylph

.Long-tailed hummingbirds are exciting to see, especially when they are bright and colorful. The Long-tailed Sylph is no exception. In fact, his tail is so bright it looks like a neon blue light. This bird is almost impossible to catch in flight. He appears out of nowhere and is as silent as any hummingbird I have ever heard. No hum of wings, no electric crackle of whipping tail, no tell-tale tweet at the top of the tree. Nada.

This bird is so fast that even while shooting at 1/2000 of a second, my camera could not freeze his image completely. Fortunately, he had a pattern to his visits and it was possible to figure out approximately where he would perch on his quick trips to the feeder.

All of these photos are of the male Long-tailed Sylph. His partner refused to make an appearance the three days that I was able to visit the feeders at Cabañas San Isidro. I’ve tried to capture him from several angles so that you can enjoy his beautiful blue and green coloration. One shot even shows the iridescent midnight blue feathers at the the base of his throat and the emerald green on his forehead.

The truth is, the beauty of this bird is actually enhanced by still photography because we are able to freeze his image and enjoy his colors in a way our eyes can’t capture in real life. While I loved seeing him flit and fly around, I am thrilled to have captured his beauty so that I can see every detail and wonder at every feather.

Remember, a click on any photo will allow you to see it in a large format.