Lior Berman's Image

An elusive rufous-vented ground cuckoo plucks up a cicada in the depths of the rainforest in Costa Rica.

Silent and sharp-eyed, it follows columns of army ants.

It doesn’t want to feed on the ants, but on insects and small creatures fleeing the swarm.

Here, it locks onto a cicada frozen in fear.

There’s a flash of movement – sharp beak striking, tail sweeping. A purple shimmer glints from its feathers, momentarily lighting up the forest floor.

This secretive predator is rarely seen and even more rarely photographed. It thrives in the chaos of the undergrowth and relies on split-second decisions and perfect timing.