The Story
I photographed this Black-capped Donacobius (Donacobius atricapilla) at the Hacienda El Triunfo Private Nature Reserve, near Honda, Tolima, Colombia, in October 2019. It is the only species in its genus and family. It lives in wetlands with tall, dense aquatic vegetation, from oxbow lakes to riverbanks. Pairs mate for life and often sing back and forth in duets from the tops of waterside thickets. Grown offspring stay with their parents and help raise later broods. IUCN lists it as Least Concern, though its numbers are believed to be falling.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800. El Triunfo’s birds include several species found only in the Magdalena Valley lowlands, such as the Colombian Chachalaca and the Velvet-fronted Euphonia.
©2020 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Black-capped Donacobius (Donacobius atricapilla) belongs to the family Donacobiidae (Donacobius) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2020), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List
