Birds and predators
Yellow-throated Euphonia (male) Photo by Benedicto Grijalva Last week I visited Ceibal by boat. Walking near the river looking for birds I saw a couple of Yellow-throated Euphonia flying fiercely near to me. My friend Benedicto told me we should be near their chicks, so we put our attention to neighbor trees. In the root of an epiphyte plant three chicks were perfectly hidden from predators. Yellow-throated Euphonia chicks Photo by Maynor Ovando We walk 5 meters ahead and looked back to the nest when Benedicto told me again about something unusual in a tree branch… “Why does that branch look so strange?” and immediately answered “It’s a Mazacuata!” A 6 ft. Boa constrictor taking the sun next to Euphonia's nest Photo by Maynor Ovando In Guatemala the common name for a Boa constrictor is Mazacuata. The snake was perfectly camouflage in a mango tree. Lay on a branch and taking a sun bath, just getting enough energy to look for the next food. Mazacuata, the local name of Boa...