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Birding Costa Rica middle elevations

Tanager Fest at the San Luis Canopy

If there’s one area in Costa Rica not on the regular birding route that should be, it’s the road between San Ramon and La Fortuna. If you are wondering why I don’t just give the name of the route, it’s because that rarely means anything in Costa Rica. Yes, the roads have numbers associated with them on a map but on the ground, you won’t see any signs showing a prominent number for the road. Instead, locals just say the road to so and so, or the one that goes by the beer factory, etc. Also, I can’t remember the route numbers except maybe for one or two roads. So, since there is just one road between San Ramon and La Fortuna, that will work.

This route gets left off most birding trips because it’s tough to fit into routes that visit Sarapiqui, Carara, Arenal, and Monteverde. BUT, if you plan on traveling between the Arenal area and the Central Valley, take this road, you will like it. There is much less traffic compared to the other routes over the mountains, more accessible habitat, a few nice cafes, and, now, there’s also a tanager fest.

The San Luis Canopy was always a good place to stop and check the fruiting trees for tanagers and other species but now that fruit is offered on sticks behind the restaurant, the situation is crazy good. The other day, I stopped there while guiding, noticed some non-birding people looking at something on the ground and taking pictures, and checked out what they were doing. Instead of an expected Coati, there were tanagers…some on the ground, hopping around like House Sparrows.

Like this

Yes, these are Bay-headed, Silver-throated, and Speckled Tanagers on the ground.

Yes, an Emerald Tanager and a Speckled Tanager! I have never, ever seen Emerald Tanager on the ground.

They also visited the fruits on sticks.

Even this Tawny-capped Euphonia joined the fun. Other species present included Passerini’s, Blue-gray, and Crimson-collared Tanagers, Clay-colored Thrush, and Buff-throated Saltator.

I’m not sure how long this will be going on but if you feel like doing their hanging bridges trail ($35), that’s pretty good too with chances at various middle elevation species including Blue and Gold Tanager, Black and Yellow Tanager, more close looks at other tanagers, White and Barred Hawks, chance at hawk-eagles, and, the best of the bunch, Bare-necked Umbrellabird. This mega cotinga is not exactly common but it is seen from that trail on a regular basis pretty much all year long. If you don’t do the hanging bridges, at least frequent the restaurant to support this bird and birder accommodating place.

How to get there:

From San Ramon, take the main road north through town to a “T”.

Take a left, then a quick right, following signs to Arenal.

Keep following signs to Arenal and watch for the San Luis Canopy on the right about 20 minutes from San Ramon.

You might also see some good birds on the way (and there is the very good Cocora Hummingbird Garden as well), although there are few places where you can pull the vehicle off the road.

3 replies on “Tanager Fest at the San Luis Canopy”

As the Western NY birder being guided by Patrick, I have to say that this “tanager fest” was just unbelievable! All were life birds for me except the Summer Tanager also involved, and the close range viewing (6 feet or less) was exceptional. Speaking of exceptional, Pat exceeded expectations as my guide for one full and four half-days of birding to four different areas within an hour and a half of San Jose-Escazu. His knowledge of the preferred habitats and the songs and calls of Costa Rican avifauna is quite amazing, and his patience with, and desire to get those birds in the binocs for his clients, made for a marvelous birding experience.

Gary Klue, I would thoroughly endorse your comments about Pat’s bird guiding credentials. I had an exceptional 2 days with Pat at Carara NP and Cerro Lodge area in May 2014.

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