This migrant is appropriately named for Costa Rica since they are always here during our Summer or September to May. The males are uniformly red all over while the females vary from light yellow to a dirty yellow or gold with sometimes brown on the head and wings. Read about the Summer Tanager on eBird or see my Summer Tanager Gallery with photos from other areas of Costa Rica. They breed in North America during the North American Summer then spend Sept-May south from Mexico to northern South America, our summer! 🙂 Thus the name fits both regions during the times there.
One of the most recognized trees in the tropics of Central and South America is the Cecropia Tree or Guarumo in Central American vernacular. During my first year in this house (2015) I planted one not a lot taller than me. (Photo at right.) As one of the fastest growing trees it is now about twice the height of my house. I called it “magical” because in the early years it attracted so many different kinds of birds including toucans along with the resident squirrels and symbiotic ants.
The Cecropia is the Center tree or left of the big palm. Most limbs now above the house.
But now the tree has grown so much that I’ve lost my magic! 🙁 Most of the limbs, leaves and flowers are now above the house! (Above photo.) That means the birds now land in the tree above my sight-line and I would have to climb up the steep hill above my house to see any birds that perch in it. 🙁 See photos below for the Terrace Views, then and now:
First years from Terrace.
Now from Terrace.
What was my “Bird Gallery” has grown above the house! 🙂
So with this post I’m saying goodbye to the easy magic of my Guarumo or Cecropia tree by sharing photos of birds photographed in it over the past years. Apologies if you remember a similar post back in 2019 on the birds in this tree, but this one is bigger and a sort of finale! 🙂
Maybe because of the big leaves, or their fast growth or even because they attract toucans and sloths – I’m not sure why – but I’ve always liked the Cecropia or Guarumo it is called here. And when their leaves dry up and fall off they become works of art in my opinion!
To find out, SEE my Cecropia-Guarumo GALLERY with several shots over the years from my garden and other places and I will in the future work on adding more photos for it. 🙂 Or if it is ALL TREES you like, I have also recently created a TREES GALLERY which you might like with tree shots from all of my Costa Rica travels – a lot! 🙂
“Guarumo” is the Spanish name Ticos call a Cecropia Tree (English name) and about 4 years ago I asked my gardeners to plant one in my front yard because I had heard that they attract toucans for the easy perches and the food of the flowers. I would be patient, not really knowing how fast they grow!
In just 4 years it is the tallest tree in my yard, more than twice the height of my little house and my favorite “Bird Gallery”or place for birds to land so I can photograph them because it is such an open tree with a limited number of large leaves. See in the tree photos below what it looked like when we planted it and how big it has grown.
No telling how many birds I miss that land in the top of the tree! 🙂 But the lower limbs are what I watch while eating breakfast every morning and where I photographed from my terrace the birds in the birds photos below, including two kinds of toucans! I love nature’s gallery of birds that helps me grow my own photo gallery of birds! ¡Pura Vida!
Birds in Tree
CLICK photo to enlarge or start manual slideshow.
Gray-headed Caracara
White-winged Dove
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Fiery-billed Aracari
Clay-colored Thrush
Rufous-naped Wren
Palm Tanager
Keel-billed Toucan
Gray-headed Caracara
Squirrel Cuckoo
Montezuma Oropendola
Gartered Trogon
Fiery-billed Aracari
Rufous-naped Wren
Fiery-billed Aracari
Melodious Blackbird
Yellow Warbler
Great Kiskadee
The Tree
CLICK photo to enlarge or start manual slideshow.
A Skinny Little Tree When Planted
Open Limbs, Few Leaves
The Tallest Tree at End of House
Easy to See & Photograph Birds
Gardener Trims Limbs from House
Top When First Planted
“Trees exhale for us so that we can inhale them to stay alive. Can we ever forget that? Let us love trees with every breath we take until we perish.”
I planted this Cecropia Tree (guarumo tree to Ticos) nearly 3 years ago having heard they attract toucans and in fact my photos of toucans in other locations are frequently in Cecropia Trees. Well, it grew fast but only one other time have I seen a toucan in it and before I could get my camera, he was gone! This morning at breakfast I had my camera with me when this Keel-billed Toucan AND a Montezuma Oropendola flew together into my tree. I got a few shots before they flew. So I’m happy with my Cecropia Tree now! ¡Pura Vida!
Keel-billed Toucan on my Terrace, Atenas, Costa Rica
Montezuma Oropendola on my terrace, Atenas, Costa Rica
WHERE THEY LANDED: The Cecropia Tree by my terrace, Atenas, Costa Rica While I ate breakfast on that table.
Hear how the birds, on every blooming spray, With joyous music wake the dawning day.
Rufous-naped Wren Resting in a Cecropia (Guarumo) Tree With nesting material from a Nance Tree For the nest being built in my tallest palm tree. Atenas, Costa Rica
This particular wren is one of the most visible around my house and the most common one to fly inside my house as two did yesterday until I waved a towel for their exit.
Many Pass Through this Dead Tree at end of my terrace. Yesterday I had no camera when two Keel-billed Toucansstopped momentarily & then up the hill! and a few days ago A Blue-crowned Motmot landed in this same tree, briefly! Links are to one of my photos of that same bird made elsewhere.
I think the toucans were looking at my Cecropia Tree (Arbole Guarumo o Yagrumo) which is suppose to attract toucans. So far that is as close to the Cecropia as I have seen them yet. Eventually! Pura Vida!
The dead tree is soon to be cut down, so maybe that will make the Cecropia more appealing! 🙂
TheCecropiaorGuarumo oYagrumo Tree beside my terrace (a deck in the states). And remember that I put Spanish words/names in red (when I remember). 🙂 Toucans love this tree, but mine is still young, so eventually it will get toucans.
“I’m too busy to sit in the rocking chair and watch it rain!” Is what I used to say. But I just did it! And have several times recently. So far it has been a good rainy season. And I’m slowing down!
Like Jewels! Rain drips off a cecropia leaf.
Rain Song – Poem by Langston Hughes
Let the rain kiss you Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops Let the rain sing you a lullaby The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk The rain makes running pools in the gutter The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night And I love the rain.
