April 10, 2025

I am a female Yellow-crowned Euphonia

If male, my back,wings and throat would be blue

I live in humid areas along forest borders

And I eat insects, berries and other small fruits.

Location: La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/yeceup1/cur/introduction

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

April 9, 2025

I am known as a Long-tailed Tyrant

I'm black with a white with a very long tail

Even from this distance, it's not hard to make an ID -

Just compare my tail to my body for scale.

Location: La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/lottyr1/cur/introduction

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

April 8, 2025

I am a female Rufous-tailed Jacamar

If I was male, my chin would be white

I'm slightly duller than my iridescent mate

And we both like to dine on dragonflies.

Location: La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/rutjac1/cur/introduction

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

April 7, 2025

I am a Chestnut-colored Woodpecker

I have a light roufus brown crest

My bill is a pale yellow color

And I'm chestnut with black chevrons on my back, wings and breast.

Location: La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/chcwoo1/cur/introduction

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

April 6, 2025

I am a Broad-billed Motmot

I can be found from Panama to Honduras

There are other subspecies in South America

But we have racket tails so you can rest assured it's us.

Location: La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/brbmot1/cur/introduction#distrib

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

April 5, 2025

I am a juvenile White-whiskered Puffbird

If I was an adult, I'd be more chestnut-brown

Instead my underparts are heavily streaked

And I have gray and brown on my crown.

Location: La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/whwpuf1/cur/appearance

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

April 4, 2025

I am a Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth

Though it's easy to confuse me with Dee -

But she has 5 toes on each hand and foot,

I have 2 on my hand, but on my feet I've got 3.

Location: La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

Sources: https://www.podvolunteer.org/blog/the-difference-between-two-and-three-toed-sloth

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

April 3, 2025

I am a male Green Honeycreeper

I'm mostly bright aqua with a black head

I like to eat fruits and nectar

From southern Mexico to Brazil, I'm widespread.

Location: La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica; La Fortuna's Ecocenter, Costa Rica

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/grehon1/cur/introduction

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

April 2, 2025

I am known as a Green Basilisk

I have fringed skin on my long rear toes

This helps me to run short distances on water

I can also swim so I don't sink like a stone.

Location: La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

Sources: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/facts/green-basilisk-lizard

Very informative video with additional details about how the Basilisk is able to walk on water: https://youtu.be/UdUcRoQkiJ4?si=Vk8Tx6j2yeiVXLKD

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

April 1, 2025

We are known as White-collared Swifts

As Swifts go, we are one of the largest

If you look close you can see the white band round our necks

We're related to Taylor, the recording artist.

(Haha! April Fools! We aren't really related to Taylor, but we both have bands!)

Location: La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/whcswi/cur/identification

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.