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Category: Birding Costa Rica

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Costa Rica Birding News April, 2026

April is the spring month, the one where the flowers come back to bloom, migrating Red-shouldered Hawks flap and turn high above the thawing grounds of the Lake Ontario plain, ducks are on the move, and Yellow-rumped Warblers brighten the local birding scene. Those and kinglets, and singing sparrows, and tail bobbing phoebes.

At least that’s how I recall birding on the Niagara Frontier, in the western edges of New York State. Birds are also on the move in Costa Rica but the scene is several layers of difference. Exciting layers of migration and local birds and a change in the weather. Here’s some news about some changes and what’s been happening and expectations for birding in Costa Rica this 4th month of 2026.

Cinchona…a lack of hummingbirds

Violet-Sabrewing-male
Even the sabrewings were absent.

The construction has been completed at Cinchona and it has brought more and needed elbow room. It probably hasn’t affected the surrounding habitat too much and birds still come to the fruit feeder but the hummingbird scene is at an all time low.

The lack of hummingbirds is probably at least partly related to the lack of feeders (just one was present on the last visit), but it seems like there should still be more. Maybe there’ll be days when they are more? Sadly, lately, there haven’t been so don’t be surprised if you visit and see very few hummingbirds. If not, don’t fret, you can still find them elsewhere, maybe at a few other roadside sites higher up the road and definitely at other places.

Watch the feeder and surrounding trees though. Highlights from a recent visit included Black-breasted Wood-Quail being furtive behind the feeders, and Scarlet-thighed Dacnis among other birds.

Hot weather but rains are starting

April is hot in Costa Rica but ends with fresh, rainy airs. Instead of that March lion start and lamb ending, we’ve got April beginning like a furnace and ending like a cool shower. Sort of. In any case, visit now and you’ll get hot days but you can also expect some cloudy weather and at least some afternoon rains.

Those rains and clouds are good for birding, get out there and watch, especially after the rain stops!

Swifts are in the air

One thing that the rains bring are swifts or, better to say that the rains bring the swifts lower and into view. The aerialists were always up there, just beyond speck visibility, up there riding the highest airs or chasing storms to Panama. Who knows?

What I can say is that with the rain clouds here now, you have a good chance of watching swifts within bino viewing range. Watch for them just before the storms arrive, right at the misty edge. It’s a good way to test your skills and patience trying to identify uncommon White-chinned and Spot-fronted Swifts. Hopefully they’ll call, that makes it easier.

Raptors flying too…

April is also raptor flying time in Costa Rica. In fall, the river of raptors flows south but, in spring, it reverses course and the flow gets a big pulse in April. The birds can fly anywhere (we saw a nice group of Swainson’s on Poas) but the Caribbean lowlands are typically best.

There be Broad-wingeds, Swainson’s, TVs, Mississippi Kites, and a few other birds. As The Urban Birder says, “Look Up”!

Ground-cuckoo may still be showing at San Luis Canopy

A Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo has been showing at an ant swarm near the San Luis Canopy for some weeks now. Since they are still seeing it, apparently, local guides keep track of ant swarms and can bring you to the bird!

Although that could change at any time, one of the local guides told me that they are still seeing it as of yesterday. To see it, inquire at the San Luis Canopy (opens at 8) and expect to pay $20 per person.

Big morning of birding on the Pacific coast- 226 species by 10 a.m.

On another nice and birdy note, my partner Maryllen and I started a Big Day a few days ago. Notice I only mention “started” meaning that we ended up aborting it pretty early. That was a shame but it had to be done; all the fast car chargers had stopped working overnight (and thus stranding several drivers) and since having them available was essential to the electric car Big Day plan, we had to abort the mission.

Nevertheless, we still had an exciting, successful morning of birding and the attempt helped me realize how I could tweak it to maybe break a record. Starting at midnight at Punta Morales and birding until 10 a.m. around Carara and Tarcoles, we identified 226 species. Yes, that many and mostly in the same area. That high number emphasizes how incredibly diverse the Carara ecotone is. For myself, it also helped me realize that, given the right factors on the rest of the route, reaching 350 or even 400 species is possible in one day of birding in Costa Rica.

Check out the trip report.

I’ll be writing more about this exciting day and idea perhaps here and elsewhere, stay tuned!

Third Edition of the Garrigues and Dean Field Guide Coming Soon!

It’s official, the third edition of the Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide is coming out! It’ll be available in October and, based on what I’ve seen will be yet another boon for birding in Costa Rica. The authors and publisher redid many illustrations, added various behavioral and habitat illustrations, and have included all species on the Costa Rica list.

If you are headed to Costa Rica after September, you’ll want to definitely get this book for the trip.

The Costa Rica Birds Field Guide app– customizable, updated with more bird finding tips, shows 1020 plus species.

If you’d also like to have a birding app to boost your birding experience in Costa Rica (and have an Apple device), this is the one to get. I admit I work on this app but that’s also why I know why it’s such a helpful tool before, during, and after a birding trip or tour to Costa Rica.

For the recent update, I went through every one of the 1020 plus species to refine their descriptions, habitat information, and tips for seeing them. I also included more birds, images and a vocalization or two. Why more birds? Since you can fit a heck of a lot in a digital format, I figured it would also be worth including species that could occur in Costa Rica. Those would be birds like Altamira Oriole, Yellowish Pipit, some Siberian vagrants, and various pelagic species.

Sure, a birder can download the Merlin pack for free but with this app, you can make target lists, mark birds seen and heard, take notes, look at species while listening to their vocalizations, and have more accurate, updated, locally written information and tips (along with other perks).

I could say more but I’ll leave the local birding news at that for now. If you’re headed to Costa Rica soon, I hope you enjoy your trip!

To support this blog and learn about 100s of birding sites in Costa Rica, ID tips, and more, please consider purchasing my 900 plus page ebook, “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”. I hope to see you here!

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A Productive Morning of Birding at Villa San Ignacio

cabani's ground-sparrow

Costa Rica can be a crowded place, especially in the Central Valley. While San Jose is technically only in one part of the valley, that’s how most visitors refer to this ever popular region. It’s not the only city or town in the Central Valley but no one can blame them for calling all of the urban sprawl and winding streets and small stores and quaint churches with shaded parks “San Jose”.

From a bit east of San Jose on west to the edge of Alajuela (that’s the actual name of the city where the airport is), it all seems to blend together. At one point in time, it certainly didn’t but we could say the same about Los Angeles, Dallas, Bangkok, and so many other modern mega-cities.

The Greater Metropolitan Area or (GAM as it is locally referred to) hosts a fair portion of Costa Rica’s 5 million people population and yet, birds are there too. Not as many as are even marginally wilder areas but in the GAM’s parks and riparian zones, urban birds persist. There are Crimson-fronted Parakeets roosting on and screeching from buildings, Blue-gray Tanagers and Great Kiskadees calling from parks and other birds too, more than you think.

However, species numbers really jump when you finally reach a good amount of green space, especially when you can bird in fair bits of remnant forest and other habitats. You’ll find those habitats in Estes Park as well as other Costa Rica birding sites shortly after leaving the edge of the main urbanized front. One such bit of green space is at Villa San Ignacio, a small hotel situated at the edge of the urban perimeter, just northwest of Alajuela.

Villa San Ignacio is a bastion for birds because although the hotel does have some landscaped grounds, it’s done in a manner that preserves and showcases biodiversity. Unlike so many other places, this hotel also hosts several large and mature trees, especially massive figs that provide critical food for a wide variety of species.

You can also check out short and easy trails in regenerating forest and watch the skies for flyover raptors, swifts, and other birds. Some road noise reminds you that you’re still in an urban area but the wealth of birds seems to convince you otherwise or, at least show what mature trees and habitat preservation does for birds, butterflies, and more.

On Monday, I spent most of a morning at Villa San Ignacio and the birding was good as always. As per usual, it was also unpredictable with some birds appearing and others staying hidden or being no-shows. That’s normal for tropical birding, at least in Costa Rica. It’s why it’s worth staying longer and birding the same rich areas more than once, why it’s worth always watching and keeping an eye out for the unexpected.

These are some of the highlights and happenings from that morning.

Cabanis’s Ground-Sparrow

Right off the bat, we hit the local jackpot with this rare and threatened species. Shortly after 6, while walking up the road towards the upper rooms, I was happily surprised to hear the high pitched tick of this special bird.

Even better, the pair and what looked like a juvenile foraged right in the open. They didn’t stray far from the hedgerow at the edge of a green, metal fence but you can’t ask much more from these major skulkers. As is typical for this special towhee, you’ve got to see it early and get onto it quick. It won’t take long for them to get into cover and be essentially invisible for most of the day.

Short-tailed Hawks and other Raptors

Around 9, as the cicadas pumped up the volume and heat waves swirled into the tropical skies, raptors did their morning dance. Black Vultures circled and gained height, a couple of migrant or wintering Broad-winged Hawks followed suit and were followed by high flying views of Gray and Short-tailed Hawks.

No Zone-tailed that day but later on, we also had both caracaras and additional Gray Hawks. It’s worth it to keep watching above, to keep looking up (as the Urban Birder David Lindo reminds us). Other days I’ve also seen migrating Swallow-tailed Kite and Swainson’s Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, and even Double-toothed Kite.

Long-tailed Manakin and other forest birds

Down in the forest, fewer birds showed than I had hoped but we still heard and saw some things. One or two Long-tailed Manakins called, “Toledo” while White-eared Ground-Sparrows gave cascading calls from the undergrowth and Rufous and white and Rufous-breasted Wrens dueted from the vines.

Those birds stayed hidden but we did manage to see Common Squirrel Cuckoo, Olive Sparrow, saltators, Cabanis’s Wren, Barred Antshrike, Gray-headed Chachalaca, and some other species.

Indigo Buntings

One of those species,, one of those surprises, was the Indigo Bunting. Not just one either but several! An uncommon bird in Costa Rica, it was fun to see fully plumaged deep blue males, molting patchy blue males, and at least one plain sparrowish female.

We probably had 10 in total, they were either migrating through or grouping together and getting ready to migrate. One also sang its prolonged, jumbly song that we hear at this time of year in Costa Rica. I included this vocalization on the recently updated Costa Rica Birds – Field Guide app but, in checking it, I realized that I also need to include the bunting’s commonly heard call notes. I’ll probably get to that in May but hopefully sooner (I recently included better habitat information, more birding tips, and images).

Speaking of buntings, on that morning at Villa San Ignacio, I was reminded that Painted Buntings can make a call that sounds a lot like the one-noted call of a Mourning Warbler (at least to my ears). While pishing by a hedgerow, a bird responded and I figured it would be a Mourning. Much to my surprise, I found myself focusing on a leafy green female Painted Bunting! It was a good reminder to brush up on their calls.

Plain-capped Starthroat and 69 other bird species

How many bird species can you see in a day at Villa San Ignacio? I figure that varies but I can say that 70 in a morning is possible. That’s what we had on Monday and that was also lacking several regular species! Some of the other nice ones were Plain-capped Starthroat on the walk up to the upper rooms, close Cinnamon Hummingbird, Scrub and Yellow-throated Euphonias, and a bunch of other birds, many feasting on the fruiting figs.

Check out the bird list!

That constant birding activity is why I always look forward to birding back at Villa San Ignacio. Along with the good service, friendly vibe, and beautiful habitat, it’s a hard blend to beat.

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Costa Rica Birding News- The Poas Area

Headed to Costa Rica? Wonder where to go birding in Costa Rica? You are the fortunate one. The cold fronts seem to have dissipated and they’ve taken their saturating weather with them. I don’t mean to speak ill of the rains, the complex tropical habitats in Costa Rica depend on their abundance and all the humidity they bring. However, constant wind and rain can become a bit too abundant, especially when the overexcited elements raise rivers and tease bits of mountains to race downslope and block roads.

For the moment, happily, those challenges seem to be taking a break. As a bonus, both lanes are also open on the Tarcoles Bridge! You could still run into traffic but shouldn’t have to deal with 3 hour traffic jams. You’ll probably still have to deal with some roadwork traffic between Tarcoles and Jaco but, it won’t measure up to the infamous bridge traffic of early March, 2026!

Better weather and less traffic jams (in some places) aren’t the only things to smile about. We’re birding up in here and the avian action is getting fierce! Birds seem to be tuning up in anticipation of the breeding season, I’ve seen several species with nesting material, and at least some areas seem to have a healthy variety of fruiting and flowering trees.

That of course translates to insect and bird food; exactly what we want. Much of what I’m saying stems from recent birding in the Poas area, check it out:

Resplendent Quetzal Activity

As is per usual at this time of year, quetzals are getting feisty. Actually, they’ve been feisty for a month or more but now, as they nest, they may call a bit more. At least that’s how it seems to me. In the Poas area (meaning anywhere from Poas to Varablanca and on down to Virgen del Socorro), I’ve heard quetzals singing and seen males give display flights. Not a huge number but, certainly more than other days.

Also, I’ve noticed at least a few trees covered in the small “wild avocados” that quetzals feed on (along with Black Guans and other fun birdies). There’s one within good viewing distance of a road and I’m guessing that one will be ripe for quetzal banquets in a week (and they might already be feeding from it!).

Lovely Cotinga Still Occurs in Virgen del Socorro

Whoah! Yep. Yes, Virgen del Socorro (and Cinchona) are in range for this uber stunning, rare bird but, they are rarely seen in that area. I figure the paucity of cotinga sightings from this classic birding site are related to the bird’s quiet nature, lack of spots to scan the forest canopy, and the species being genuinely scarce in Costa Rica.

It’s one of those birds that I figure could show up but, at the same time, wonder how many are still around, or, if they only occur far off on the other side of the canyon. After this past Friday, I’m pleased to say they can still show in the Virgen del Socorro area. We were checking the road between Socorro and Cinchona when I noticed the tell tale rustling of foliage that hints at bird activity. After a closer look, we realized that several birds were indeed feeding on berries; birds like Pale-vented Thrushes, tityras, elaenias, and others (although less tanagers than I had expected).

Given the quantity of fruit, I was also surprised to not see any toucans or guans. Would those diehard fruit lovers visit the natural table another time? Were they in another part of the forest? There did seem to be a lot of fruiting trees around. No matter how surprised I may have been by toucan absence, that didn’t come close to matching my smiling surprise at seeing a male Lovely Cotinga!

Amazingly, despite intently watching the fruiting trees, we wouldn’t have even seen it if I hadn’t decided to walk 20 feet up the road to check some other trees. As we walked underneath what was probably a fruiting fig, there was a big flash of turquoise, way too much for a male Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, and I immediately realized what was going down! No distant scope views that day. More like point blank, in your face looks at a shining, living turquoise sculpture with amethyst highlights.

After a couple minutes, the royal rare denizen of Socorro flew across the road and down into the canyon. You can bet I’m going to find some good overlooks for scoping the treetops. There be cotingas out there.

Cinchona Hummingbird Cafe- a Lot more Elbow Room

Over at the Cinchona hummingbird cafe, they have finished their remodeling. Alas, the rustic look is gone but so is the floor that sometimes shook with people’s footsteps. It has been replaced with a rock solid concrete base under a high roof. There’s a lot more elbow room and the place did need it but, it remains to be seen how that may affect the birds.

There’s a bit less habitat but, during a couple brief visits, the birding seemed alright. The usual suspects were still coming to the fruit feeder and nearby trees hosted some other species. Hummingbirds were not in abundance but, sadly, it’s been like that at Cinchona for at least a few months now. Wait long enough and maybe some will pop in for a visit but, lately, it’s mostly been the domain of Green-crowned Brilliants and a couple sabrewings.

Hopefully, that will change but I wouldn’t absolutely count on it. Instead, watch for hummingbirds at flowering plants and visit other sites.

Fair Hummingbird Action

This subtitle may seen contradictory to the text above it but yes, there has still been a fair bit of hummingbird action, just not at the Cinchona feeders. Are there more flowering plants in the wild, more hummingbird food available? Could be, I do know I’ve done alright with seeing a fair number of species.

In the Varablanca area, I’ve had good looks at Green-fronted Lancebill, Coppery-headed Emerald, Black-bellied Hummingbird, Green Hermit, Violet Sabrewing, Purple-throated Mountain-gem, Green-crowned Lancebill, and Scintillant Hummingbird.

Coppery-headed Emerald birding Costa Rica

Higher up on Poas, I’ve also had the usuals; Volcano Hummingbird, Lesser Violetear, Talamanca Hummingbird, and Fiery-throated Hummingbird. One spot has also been good for the woodstar and, down in the foothills, I’ve had good looks at Purple-crowned Fairy, Black-crested Coquette, and Violet-headed Hummingbird. I’ve also been hearing Brown Violetear. In other words, the hummingbirds are out there, you just have to know where to look (and have them show up).

Ornate Hawk-Eagles and Other Raptors

The sunny weather has also been good for raptors in the Poas area. Perhaps not so much in the high elevations but the middle elevations and foothills have delivered. I wish I could say Solitary Eagle but no, if that species still occurs in Costa Rica, there are likely very few in very remote areas.

However, I can say that I’ve been seeing several other raptors, especially Ornate Hawk-Eagle. The powerful goshawk on steroids can occur anywhere from Varablanca down to San Miguel, maybe even high up on Poas. Keep that mind when birding the area, even at Cinchona. Once, I saw one soar into view right next to the cafe.

Other raptors have included Barred, Short-tailed, Gray, Roadside, and Broad-winged Hawks along with King Vulture (near San Miguel), Double-toothed Kite, the rufous bellied local version of the Red-tailed Hawk, Swallow-tailed Kites, and the decidedly uncommon Great Black-Hawk.

And that’s not all! Although I have not seen them lately, White Hawk and a few other raptors also live in the general Poas birding area.

I suppose that’s all for now. Let’s just say that the birding has been pretty good up there and since it’s only 45 minutes to an hour drive from the Central Valley, a morning of birding could be well worth your while. Happy birding, I hope to see you here!

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Recent Birding News and Tips from Carara, Costa Rica

Last week, I did some birding around Central America’s biggest ecotone. It’s an area where rainforest meets dry forest meets mangroves and some! It’s such a crossroads of biomes and habitats, I’m not even sure if ecotone is the right term. “Megatone” might be better but “hot birding wonderland” would also work. I’m talking about Carara, the place where the Grand Tarcoles River empties the waters of the Central Valley into the Pacific, where coastal hills capture life giving rains, and where the biodiversity is sort of astonishing.

Given the meeting of so many habitats, the high end species numbers shouldn’t be surprising but, there’s just so much, I can’t help but use superlatives. If you’re headed to the Carara area, get ready for deserved superlative birding. Going birding around there soon? You might find these bits of news and tips helpful.

Tarcoles Bridge Work

Lately, this has been some of the biggest news in Costa Rica. The Tarcoles Bridge, the one where so many thousands of tourists stop to look at crocodiles, is undergoing roadwork. And it’s not pretty. Temporary road closures and changing the two lane bridge to one lane for 24 hours a day on the main and almost only coastal route to Jaco has its consequences.

I was there on the first day of the closures and on the way back from Jaco to Tarcoles, the normally 30 minute drive took four hours.

Yes, you read that right. Four. Complete. Hours. Since then, it’s been similarly bad, sometimes better, sometimes worse. Given that this is also a vital route for commerce, workers, and students, this particular bit of roadwork is throwing a giant wrench into a lot of people’s lives.

With almost no alternatives, if you are headed to and from Jaco or even Manual Antonio, you may be in for a terribly long wait. I suggest trying to see which times are best and probably crossing the bridge at 4 in the morning or so. The current schedule is for the one lane closures to end on March 27th and to happen again from May 4th to May 9th. There will also be some nighttime full closures from March 15 to April 20th. These can happen on any night during those dates from 9 pm to 5 am.

If you plan on visiting Carara National Park, the wait might be a bit less but anything can happen, perhaps more so on weekends. The good thing is that the park is fairly close to the bridge so, if you have to cross back over to the Tarcoles Birding Lodge area, that won’t take as long as driving from Jaco. I suppose another good thing is watching birds while you wait in traffic but, that’s not exactly ideal.

Yellow-billed Cotingas from the Tarcoles Birding Lodge

Now for some good news! While watching from the overlook at the Tarcoles Birding Lodge, I had a quick, distant flyby cotinga one morning and saw two distant males the following morning! This is great news because the Carara population is so dreadfully small, it really could disappear at any time.

Seriously, there might be 5 or fewer birds still occurring in the area. Another positive sign was a recent sighting of a female by an experienced ornithologist (which makes me think he really did see one and not a tityra). What this means for birders visiting the area soon is that you might also see one by scanning for them from the Tarcoles Birding Lodge in the early morning. You’ll see other birds too, maybe even a Gray-headed Kite like the bird pictured at the top of the post (we had one).

You might also get lucky on the Cerro Lodge road, boat tour, or even in the national park but your best bet will be scanning the distant mangroves from the Tarcoles Birding Lodge or maybe Cerro Lodge too or, maybe even another new place…

More Birdy Accommodation in the Area

The new place that could turn up the cotingas as well as lots of other nice birds is a cozy BnB called “Finca Quietud”. This small place just down the Cerro Lodge road is especially suited for couples and single travelers looking for a quiet place with friendly owners, an excellent breakfast, and a nice pool.

It also has an excellent view of a wetland, mangroves, and the sea. I bet the cotingas could be seen from there along with lots of other, more expected species. On a recent visit, one of our highlights was a pair of Spectacled Owls that flew into view before dusk!

Humid Forest Species in Carara

birding Costa Rica

Regarding Carara National Park and vicinity, it seems like the trend of humid forest species becoming rarer is taking place. Unfortunately, climate change has been causing the forest to become drier bit by bit or, at least changing the amount and timing of rains. In any case, various rainforest species seem to have declined and a few have become downright rare, at least in the accessible part of the park.

You can still see a good variety of birds but many are not as common as they used to be and a few have become really tough. The more challenging ones seem to be species that require the wetter forests, birds like Baird’s Trogon (maybe the hardest hit), Orange-collared Manakin, and Golden-naped Woodpecker among some others.

Carara is still worth birding but, to see some birds, if you aren’t birding further south, you may need to look for them higher up on the Bijagual Road or, at Macaw Lodge. It tends to be wetter in those spots (in a good way for birding) but, even there, Baird’s Trogon has become much less common. To look for those birds, especially at Macaw Lodge, local guide Beto Guido is one of the better guides to go with. He birds there quite a bit and recently, even found a rare Agami Heron at the lodge!

Mangrove birding

One of the other birding bonuses around Carara is looking for mangrove species. In Costa Rica, some of those specialties include the endangered Mangrove Hummingbird, Panama Flycatcher, and Mangrove Vireo among a few others. You might get lucky with those species on a mangrove boat trip but even then, they can be easily missed.

The funny thing about those mangrove birds is that they don’t seem to be very common, even in the mangroves! Usually, mangrove sites near Playa Azul are good for them but, recently, despite giving those sites a very good check, they weren’t.

Mangrove specialties seemed oddly absent there and at another spot near Bajamar. One thing I did notice was that those unbirdy mangroves also seemed drier than usual and lacked standing water. I suspect that has something to do with it because it was the only difference compared to past visits that did readily turn up the mangrove specialties.

Also, on a recent visit to mangroves at Mata de Limon, I did see all the mangrove specialties (and heard a Rufous-necked Wood-Rail too!) and those mangroves had lots of standing water. This was a change from another fairly recent visit where they were drier (and turned up far fewer mangrove birds).

I suppose the lesson here is to lower expectations or check other sites if the mangroves look dry and, maybe take that boat trip after all.

That’s all for now, if you visit the Carara area, I hope you catch the bridge traffic at the right moment and see lots of birds. Be ready for hot weather and bring plenty of hydration (no plastic bottles allowed in the national park). As always, I look forward to getting back to that birdy megatone.

On another note, I recently updated the Costa Rica Birds Field Guide app to match most of the recent eBird taxonomic changes and made some other changes too. I’ll write a post about that this upcoming week!

To learn more about sites mentioned in this post along with 100s of other birding sites and information about birding in Costa Rica, support this blog by purchasing my 900 plus page Costa Rica bird finding ebook, “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”. Happy birding, I hope to see you here!

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Cold Front Birding in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is decidedly tropical. Ain’t no winter going on here and yet, recently, ice and snow touched the high parts of this birdy nation. Not exactly flurries, no playing snow king of the mountain in plowed parking lots or scraping windshields but, there was some freezing weather in certain parts places. Those would be uplifted and volcanic grown spots like 12,000 foot Chirripo Mountain and 11,000 foot Irazu Volcano.

Yeah, that infamous polar vortex up north stretched its icy fingers into Central America and I won’t be shaking its subzero hand. I’ll take a pass on birding those cold places for the moment, will at least wait until Irazu gets back to its 50 and 60 degree temps before I do any Unspotted Saw-whet Owl searching.

That’s way up in the highest parts of Costa Rica but what about the rest of the country? Can you still go birding? Of course you can! The birds aren’t going anywhere, here’s what else this and similar cold fronts bring and what to expect for birding.

Dry season? Umm…not exactly

Cold fronts like these long freezing fingers are a reminder that the “dry season” refers to the Pacific slope. In the mountains and on the other side of the country, the part where rivers flow to the Caribbean, you’ll need your umbrella. You might also need a poncho and rubber boots and a whole lot of dessicant packets for your optics because, on the Caribbean side, a cold front is a wet front.

Yes, the temps drop a bit and that is some nice respite from heat and humidity but, it’ll rain, and probably a lot. Don’t expect predictable rain either, more like annoying, light misting rain that morphs into serious heavy downpouts before eventually going back to light rain again and so on.

We’re talking wet birding but, we’re not talking no birding. Find shelter and watch from there, keep watching and waiting for the rain to slow or stop. When that happens, bird activity will jump, be ready for a wealth of avian moves.

At least wet weather sometimes encourages Sunbitterns to forage in the open!

Road closures

One unwanted side effect of heavy rains are road closures. They usually happen in mountainous areas and might not occur at all but you’d be wise to keep checking Waze. That especially goes for any travel on Route 32. The heavy rains and steep slopes on this important highway make it the road mostly likely to be closed, at least during serious cold fronts.

Other roads can close too, and some minor ones might even flood. Just be aware of where you are going, alternate routes, and not driving through flooded areas and you’ll be fine.

On a related note, the main road to Poas seems to be closed. A bridge is being replaced and might not be ready for another month or two. Hopefully, there will be a temporary bridge in place but I’m not sure of the current situation.

Windy weather

The other side effect of a cold front in Costa Rica is the wind. I’m happy to say that the wind has calmed down for the moment, hopefully it will still stay that way. When the cold front hits, it throws a constant blast of windy weather into the Central Valley and Guanacaste.

The birding becomes very challenging because the birds don’t want to deal with that wind any more than we do. To see them, you’ll have to find sheltered spots and wait for the wind to die down.

Odd birds? Any country firsts?

One exciting possibility of a cold front is it bringing some poor, lost birds to the playing field. Maybe, maybe not but given the unusual and severe push of cold weather from the north, I think it’s worth looking for them.

I would guess that the cold front might bring some ducks, gulls, or other waterbirds to Costa Rica. Other species to watch for are sparrows and other songbirds that typically winter further north. Those and wanderers like waxwings.

It will be interesting to see what local birders find these days! I’ll be looking too. If you happen to see some crazy sparrow or other odd looking bird, please eBird or Facebook it or do whatever it takes to get the word out.

Altitudinal migration

Male White-ruffed Manakin.

Most of all, this is how cold fronts affect birds in Costa Rica. Various species, especially frugivores, tend to migrate to lower elevations. Don’t be surprised if you see typical middle elevation birds like Silver-throated Tanagers way down in the lowlands at La Selva. There might also be White-ruffed Manakins, Black-faced Solitaires, and Black-thighed Grosbeaks.

Other birds are possible too, even things like Yellow-eared Toucanet or rare Lovely Cotingas. Keep those birds in mind when birding foothill and lowland sites right now!

Although I don’t look forward to birding in any rain, I am psyched about birding in lower elevations and looking for rarities. This cold front has got to have several birds on the move!

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A Reminder to see These Birds in Costa Rica

Who doesn't want to see a Snowcap?

Going birding in Costa Rica? I know, like you need a reminder to see birds! You’re gonna be looking for them, you’re gonna be seeing them, and you’ll be celebrating a fine cornucopia of lifers, photos, and priceless experiences. However, this being the high season, I figured it might be useful to mention a certain set of species, a group of avian taxa worth your while.

Yes, all birds are worth your while, all birds merit connection and you watch whatever floats your personal birding boat but, you might not be so aware of the importance of the birds I’m going to cover. If so, great! If not, check this out:

Streak-chested Antpitta on the Caribbean slope

If you see a Streak-chested Antpitta in Costa Rica, there’s a good chance it’s going to be on the Pacific slope, probably at Carara. That’s great, I hope you see one or more and I wouldn’t wish you otherwise. However, if you can, it’s also worth laying eyes on Streak-chested Antpitta from the other side of the mountains.

You see, that bird is not exactly the same as the ones from Carara or Panama or further south. It’s also just enough not exactly the same to be considered a separate species. Nope, no official study yet but, based on the same number of differences used to separate related species of antpittas, those Caribbean slope birds should be given species status too.

I’m pretty sure the Birds of Costa Rica by Dyer and Howell mention this along with several other likely splits. They don’t mention exactly where to see it but that’s not really the scope of a field guide anyways. It needs large areas of mature rainforest and one of the best sites is Quebrada Gonzalez. Although I haven’t had as many there as I used to, it still occurs.

Sharpbill

Like the antpitta mentioned above, this species also has disjunct populations in need of detailed studies. They don’t live near each other, sound different, and look different so, there might be 3 or 4 species involved.

If you saw one of those more common and easy ones in Brazil, I’m sorry but it’s probably not the same species. If splits eventually happen, the subspecies in Costa Rica and Panama will very likely be elevated to species status (and I’n guessing probably subsequently red-listed as Vulnerable).

Watch for this special bird in mixed flocks and fruiting trees in foothills and middle elevations, especially at Skytrek, the San Gerardo Station at Monteverde, and Tapanti.

Elegant Trogon

It’s worth seeing this bird because those Arizona and Mexican trogons were split from it. Yep, if you saw one from Cave Creek or wherever, that is currently known as a Coppery-tailed Trogon.

To see Elegant Trogons in Costa Rica, watch for them in dry forest on the Nicoya Peninsula and in Guanacaste. Rincon de la Vieja is a good spot as is Santa Rosa National Park.

Paint-billed Crake

I mention this cool looking little gallinulish bird because it seems to be more common in Costa Rica than previously believed. Nope, not exactly common and it moves around but, you go to the right place and do the work, you have a fair chance of seeing one.

Try wet rice fields just about anywhere but especially in the Ciudad Neily area. They can also occur in dense vegetation along ditches and other odd wet spots.

Ruddy Pigeon

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This one’s a bit debatable but, I think it’s still worth mentioning. Although the Ruddy Pigeon has an official big range in South America, most of those birds live in the steamy lowlands. So what are they doing in cloud forests and high elevations in Costa Rica and Panama?

Exactly, how come “our Ruddys” live so high and cold when the other ones aren’t? It might because they aren’t quite the same species. Yeah, they sound similar but then again, not exactly and, vocalizations aren’t everything so…even if you have seen them in the Amazon, it would be good to see this bird in Costa Rica too.

Volcano Hummingbirds on Poas and Irazu

If you do any high elevation birding, there’s a fair chance you’ll be living the bino/camera life on Cerro de la Muerte (The good old “Mountain of Death”). You’ll see Volcano Hummingbirds but, what you won’t see are Volcano Hummingbirds with pinkish or rose gorgets. That’s cause those little jammies live on other high mountains; one on the Irazu-Turrialba massif and the other one on Poas and Barva Volcanos.

They are still considered the same species but, it wouldn’t be surprising if more detailed studies split them into separate species. Fortunately, they are pretty easy to see. Watch any high elevation vegetation on Irazu and Poas and you should see both. Watch for large bugs that are actually tiny hummingbirds. Oh yeah, and make sure you watch for them above 2,200 meters to rule out the similar Scintillant Hummingbird (more or less).

Ochre-breasted Antpitta

Have you seen Shakira and those other dancing Ochre-breasted Antpittas in Ecuador or Colombia? I hope so but I also urge you to see the one that lives in Costa Rica. Yeah, it’s still the same species but, yet again, more detailed studies could easily split it.

I mean, it looks a bit different, sounds slightly different, and has quite the disjunction range so, it could be split. Unfortunately, it is not an easy bird to see in Costa Rica. Try quality middle elevation forests such as El Copal, Hotel Quelitales, and Tapanti.

Azure-hooded Jay and Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush

You’ll want to see these beautiful cloud forest birds anyways but, it’s also good to know that the ones in Costa Rica and Panama are waiting to be split from birds in other parts of their range.

The jay isn’t easy or common but, if you watch for it high quality cloud forest, you might see them. The nightingale-thrush is much easier in middle elevations, if skulky.

Ashy-throated Chlorospingus

This is an uncommon and cool bird to see, even if it’s not as brightly colored as the Emerald Tanagers it often flocks with. It might be a future split or, might not be but, since it only lives in quality habitat, looking for it is birding in the best of places. Nope, not the easiest of birding but, foothill rainforest with chances at uncommon species like Yellow-eared Toucanet and so on and so on.

There’s lots to see in Costa Rica and you don’t need to see these species but, if you want to see some likely splits, these are some good ones to go after. There’s also taking closer looks at Nutting’s Flycatchers to see if the very cryptic Salvadoran Flycatcher also occurs but I can’t blame you for leaving that ponderous task to local birders or another trip.

No matter what birds you look at or how you go birding, I hope to see you here!

To learn more about sites mentioned in this post and how to find these and more than 900 other birds in Costa Rica, consider supporting this blog by purchasing my 900 plus page Costa Rica bird finding guide, “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”.

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Costa Rica Birding News January, 2026

Happy New Year! Happy days of seeking birds; both new and pseudo new (for the year listers). Happy birding wherever you are, especially in Costa Rica, a land of quetzals, Wrenthrushes, macaws, and waaaay more.

Some of that waaaay more.

If you are headed to Costa Rica now, plan on visiting in January or, any time the rest of the high season, this birding news is for you.

Sandhill Crane and Aplomado Falcon Still Present

Two star birds in Costa Rica are still showing at the Mistico fields. Both Sandhill Crane and Aplomado Falcon have been recently spotted at farm fields near Mistico. Although the fields have been converted from rail friendly rice to not so many birds melons, let’s hope that the falcon and crane stay there at least for another month.

They could leave at any time but, if you want to add a couple excellent birds to your Costa Rica list, now would be the time to visit this hotspot near Mistico. Go to the end of the road where there is a gate. You can look from there or, go to the other side of the gate and walk to where you can get better looks.

Snowcaps at Quebrada Gonzalez

Snowcap, that much desired hummingbird, has been frequenting the parking area at Quebrada Gonzalez. On a recent trip, we saw two females and one young male visiting Porterweed and feeding from small red flowers at the forest edge.

Although the species is more reliable at Rancho Naturalista, El Copal, and sites near there, especially the crazy, wine-colored males, it’s always good to know about more sites for this beauty.

Cinchona Feeders

The fruit feeders at the Hummingbird Cafe in Cinchona have been turning up the usual good birds like barbets, Northern Emerald Toucanet, Buff-fronted Quail-dove on the ground, and other birds. However, it’s been another story for the hummingbird feeders.

On a recent visit, we had very little activity, something that could be related to the folks at Cinchona putting out the feeders with less frequency. This is related to Ministry of Environment employees making them take the feeders down and warning them that they could be fined if they put them back up.

Yes, you read that right, in Costa Rica.

Unfortunately, based on interpretation of laws that prohibit feeding wild animals, some people would like to stop any feeding of birds. Never mind the lack of studies demonstrating a negative effect on bird populations and putting more emphasis on that than the real and much larger impacts on animals and ecosystems caused by pesticides, human caused climate change, and outright destruction. It’s just easier to make people take down feeders (which might even harm hummingbird populations since many seem to have declined). It doesn’t happen everywhere but, once in a while, businesses are told to remove their feeders.

With luck, we can change this law or, at least find a way to regulate bird feeding so it can always take place. In the meantime, be aware that the authorities in Costa Rica do make some places take them down from time to time.

Monteverde Reserve Changes

If you plan on visiting the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, be aware that they have made some changes regarding entrance times and fees. To enter, you must pick an entrance time, trail, and pay in advance via their online booking site. This only covers one trail, to visit another trail, you would have to pick another entrance time and pay again. Parking has also been completely moved away from the reserve and there is a shuttle bus that brings you to the entrance.

These changes must have been implemented to manage the high visitation rates at the reserve. However, it also means some local guides won’t guide there any longer. Instead, they mostly guide at two other great birding sites; Santa Elena Reserve and Curi-Cancha.

Improvements at Cope’s Place

Cope’s Place has continued to make improvements at this classic, very special hotspot. There is a larger, cement floored area for bird observation at the house, and a larger overhang to keep you from getting rained on. Not that this great birding site needed any changes but now, it just looks a bit nicer.

Sicklebill and other Birds at Nectar and Pollen

Just up the road from Cope’s, we have another excellent site for bird photography; Nectar and Pollen. Owner Miguel continues to plant and carefully manage the site for birds, especially hermits and the White-tipped Sicklebill. Lately, that crazy-billed hummingbird has been a regular visitor and, some days, he has had that and every possible hermit species in Costa Rica!

There’s also Rufous Motmot, oropendolas, toucans, tanagers, and various other birds to look at. Although Black-crested Coquette and Snowcap haven’t been there recently, they could also occur at any time. Not to mention, the skies are always good for raptors (we had a pair of Great Black Hawks and King Vultures), and the forest can have good mixed flocks.

Need Sunbittern? Take the Green Ship Sarapiqui Boat Trip

Sunbittern

Sunbittern is a much wanted bird and with good reason. The bird’s odd, unique shape, sunburst wing pattern, and elusive nature combine to drench it with allure. Being the sole member of its family only adds to the must see qualities of this special bird.

In Costa Rica, despite most sightings happening in certain spots, this species is actually fairly common. It just prefers being unobtrusive in less accessible spots.

I’ve found that one reliable way to see Sunbittern in Costa Rica is taking the Green Ship Sarapiqui boat trip. Tell boatman Oscar you want to see “Garza Sol” and he’ll keep a close eye out for it. You’ll have a very good chance at close views along with fair chances at Sungrebe and various lowland forest species. I’ll just also mention that Oscar has been very accommodating and professional, I can’t recommend him enough.

Quetzals Near Poas

Resplendent Quetzal always occurs somewhere in the Poas area. There aren’t as many as on Cerro de la Muerte but, if you know where to look for them, you’ve got a fair chance. Sometimes, I see them on the way to the national park but, if not there, I can usually find them on the San Rafael de Varablanca road.

A couple days ago, we had great looks at a pair that flew out and over the road. Find the right fruiting tree and sometimes, you can see 6 or more quetzals in a day!

Driving to San Jose from the Pacific in January? Go on Sunday Afternoon

If you need to drive to the San Jose area from the Pacific, see if you can drive up Route 27 on a Sunday afternoon. This month, every Sunday afternoon, this highway turns into a much quicker, one way route uphill. If not, it would be a slow going, traffic ladened trip.

Are you birding in Costa Rica this January? I hope these tips help. There’s always a lot more to say,; to learn more about birding at sites mentioned above and others, how to see Sunbittern and other species as well as identification tips, support this blog by getting my 900 plus page ebook, “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”.

Happy birding, I hope to see you here!

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Best Costa Rica Birds of 2025

Its the end of the year, do you know where your lifers are? How about best birds of the year? In birding terms, “best” is a personal issue and can mean anything from a fave feeder species (which, in Costa Rica, could be a toucan) to your personal rarest bird of the year, a bird that plucked your emotional strings orm whatever species you feel like naming “the best”.

These past 12 months, we’ve had some nice birds in Costa Rica, truth is, we always do. Thinking about it, birding in Costa Rica is sort of like seeing “best birds” every day, especially if its your first trip.

This is a place of Resplendent Quetzals, of macaws and toucans and big purple hummingbirds. A place where tropical trees can buzz and shake with mixed flock movements. Check those rocky rivers and you might see a Sunbittern, keep an eye on the sky and an Ornate Hawk-Eagle may soar into view. Costa Rica is a place of birding dreams, best birds are the norm.

Even so, some birds stand out from this past year, at least for me. Here’s some of the very best from birding in Costa Rica, 2025.

Sandhill Crane

We’ve seen lots of good birds this year but it’s hard to beat a country first. Not just a first either but a barely expected one, a species less on the mind than Altamira Oriole, Gadwall, White-tailed Trogon, or other species that live much closer to our borders.

Cranes migrate far, their wings can easily carry them further but this one barely reaches central Mexico. I’m grateful it flew to Costa Rica, more so that so many local birders could see it too.

Yellow-billed Tern

Another major mega for Costa Rica! With just two previous records, both from Cano Negro, the local birding community was pleased indeed when a Yellow-billed Tern spent some time in Guanacaste.

We got to see this South American bird too and thus add an excellent bird to our Costa Rica lists.

Short-eared Owl

Major major bird for Costa Rica, the last Short-eared Owl was one captured and released by folks in Cartago two or three years ago. Before then, it was maybe a century before then?

Last month, while surveying birds in Barra del Colorado with some other birders, local birder and national park guard Manuel Campbell saw one on the beach! It flew, they got definitive pictures and documented one of the top bird sightings of the year.

It wasn’t refound but gives hope that maybe the same or anothe rbird might be somewhere out there in the wide fields of Guanacaste? It’s be worth looking for this harrier-owl and the time would be now.

Aplomado Falcon

A few of these top tropical falcons make it to Costa Rica every year. However, most are one day wonders or never found in the first place. Cool thing about this bird is that it’s been hunting the same area for a while now. Many local birders have seen it, I hope it stays long enough to add it to the 2026 year list.

Galapagos Petrel

All pelagic birds are special but this critically endangered species ups the ante. One was seen during pelagic birding somwhere between the coast and Cocos Island. It’s a reminder of how good the pelagic birding can be on that 36 hour passage and that other megas are probably out there, waiting to be found (ie. Black-winged Petrel, Cook’s Petrel, and some other goodies I included on the Costa Rica Birds Field Guide app as possibilities).

Crested Eagle

In Costa Rica, this near Harpy is both a mystery and a mega. Mystery because we have no idea how many still live here, and mega because it’s hard to see no matter where you look for it (it also gets points for being a big raptor).

This past year, at least one was seen in forest near the Pitilla Station and another may have been seen somewhere else. The sighting at Pitilla is a first for that species in that area but, given the extensive forested habitat, is somewhat unsurprising. Even so, it’s fantastic to know that the species still occurs in that area. Could there be a breeding pair or two? Let’s hope so.

Bare-necked Umbrellabird

This crow-like cotinga is resident and regular but, it’s never easy! It’s also endangered and, like the Crested Eagle, we actually have no real count of its overall population. Using what little we know about the bird to roughly extrapolate, I would guess that 200 might live in Costa Rica. Who knows but I do know that very few are seen in appropriate habitat, and that they lack a lot of wintering habitat.

I was very pleased to start January birding with a male seen with my friend and top Irish birding guide Niall Keough at Centro Manu, see another male on the road to Manuel Brenes with friend and owner of Avocet Birding Courses, Cameron Cox and his wonderful tour group from Utah, and show a Swedish couple a young male at Centro Manu earlier this month.

Slaty Finch

Not as fancy as the birds mentioned above but still one of the best! This resident species is probably just as hard to see as an umbrellabird. It’s skulky, seems decidedly uncommon, and mostly prone to revealing itself at bamboo seeding events.

That said, I did hear one singing on Irazu last week, the Nochebuena area seems to be somewhat good for them (that means it might be recorded on 20% of trips to that area!). Lately, folks have also been seeing two or three on the Roble Trail at Savegre.

Those are the notable, “best” birds that come to mind although I’m sure there’s lots more. I’m tempted to call the crane my best bird of 2025 but any other bird shared with fellow birders, especially folks I have guided, are also the best. I hope to see you in 2026, wishing you happy birding and and abundance of health and happiness!

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Birding Costa Rica Tips-Best Sites for Wrenthrush

Wrenthrush.

Going birding in Costa Rica? On your way to this fine bio-heavy nation for fantastic avian photography? I hope so. If I had a bouquet of wishes, one would be that all birders and would-be birders experience the avian side of Costa Rica. That you get a hefty, lofty positive, bird friendly dose.

If you haven’t been, get ready for a big change in birding scenery, be ready for living a birding dream. Macaws, parrots, trogons, toucans, a few dozen hummingbirds, and dozens of other bird species, most within easy reach.

This species (White-fronted Parrot) flies over my home most mornings.

There’s also lots of regional endemics, one of which is so unique, it got its very own family! Right, as in toucans and toucanets and aracaris all belong to the Toucan family, and Scarlet Tanagers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Northern Cardinals are in the Cardinal family, the Wrenthrush is in the Wrenthrush family.

Yep, it used to be known as an “aberrant warbler”, like there was something primally wrong with it. Stubby tail, dark plumage and that orange cap/crest? It sort of looked like a wren or a tapaculo or an Asian Tesia but it just refused to fit in. The deal with the Wrenthrush, the Zeledonia, is that its ancestors were an ancient lineage of songbird that eventually evolved to live in cloud forests restricted to Costa Rica and Panama.

It’s the only living, known member of that lineage and since it looks so different from other birds, the Wrenthrush is all Wrenthrush and nothing else. Instead of being “aberrant”, it’s wonderfully unique. There’s everything right about the Zeledonia, especially for birders hoping to see every avian family on the planet.

Whether interested in avian evolutionary history, taxonomy, or just hoping to see cool and different birds, the Wrenthrush is a must-see bird. If you can hear high frequencies, listening to one isn’t too difficult. However, the “seeing one” part of the equation can be a bit more challenging. Even so, with patience in the right birding places, you have a pretty good chance. Try the following tips to connect with this extra special bird.

Where do Wrenthrushes live?

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The Wrenthrush occurs in dense, wet understory vegetation more or less above 1,500 meters. They only occur in the mountains of Costa and Panama, north to Volcan Miravalles (but maybe not on Tenorio) and south to west-central Panama.

This pseudo wren likes dense bamboo and especially enjoys low, profuse leafy vegetation that grows in treefall gaps, along streams, or other perpetually wet areas.

That “dense” part of the equation translates to “very difficult to see” and is why, when I hear a Wrenthrush calling, I figure out which direction its moving and then see if there’s a coinciding spot where I can look into the understory/ground. You wait and watch for it to eventually pop into view but, don’t dare take your eyes off that spot!

One false move, one look around for other birds, or taking a picture of a nearby Fiery-throated Hummingbird and that’s when the Wrenthrush hops in and back out of sight. Not always but, quite often, that’s the way the Wrenthrush plays. Think of warblers flitting in and out of sight in the canopy but in dense undergrowth with few viewing opportunities.

Tempting but you’ll have lots more chances at Fiery-throated Hummingbirds than seeing Wrenthrushes.

The Best Places to See Wrenthrush

Now that you know the Wrenthrush range and its habitat, you also know more or less where they live. Sort of. But honestly, most dense, wet, herbaceous or bamboo understory in or at the edge of forest above 1,500 meters is a good place to check.

EBird sightings give a good idea but those hotspots aren’t the only places to see a Wrenthrush. As long as you bird in its range and habitat, you’ve got a chance at finding one. You probably won’t spot one in the open but, you can tune in to their calls and take it from there. Use the Costa Rica Birds Field Guide app to learn its vocalizations before going birding in Costa Rica and, if you think you hear a high-pitched rising call issuing from low, dense vegetation, there’s a good chance you’re near a Wrenthrush.

That all said, these are some easily accessible sites that are good for the bird:

Poas Volcano National Park and nearby. If you enter the national park (by choosing and paying an entrance fee in advance), and slowly walk the cement trail to and near the lake, you have a great chance of seeing a Wrenthrush. Never mind all of those other people, the birds are there too. They also live in suitable habitat on the road up and around Varablanca.

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Paraiso Quetzal- I think most visiting birders get their Wrenthrush here. The species seems especially prevalent in high elevation shrubbery and this spot is perfect for it. Check out the entrance road and on their trails.

Dota Valley and Other Areas on Cerro de la Muerte– Wrenthrushes occur in the heavily visited Dota Valley and many birders also see it there, especially the first spot where the descending road sort of flattens out and runs next to a river. Other good sites are the Robles Trail at Savegre and anywhere with appropriate habitat.

Other spots on Cerro de la Muerte include the Providencia Road as well as just about any area or site up there with low, dense,m wet vegetation.

Irazu Volcano– Although there’s a lot of ag. fields on the drive up, there are a couple spots with forest next to the road, especially in the Nochebuena Restaurant area. Speaking of the Nochebuena, their trails are also very good for Wrenthrush, especially the part that goes along a stream (which may be a bit treacherous in places). Note that the bird can also live in shrubby paramo habitat in and just outside the national park.

Monteverde area– Wrenthrushes aren’t as common here as other, higher spots but they do occur. A couple good areas are the Santa Elena Reserve and the Continental Divide zone in the Monteverde Reserve (although your birding may be limited by recent strict visiting times and regulations where you have to pay a separate fee for each trail…).

There’s other places to see Wrenthrush too, remember, as long as you go above 1500 meters in dense, wet cloud forest, you’ll be in the skulking realm of the Zeledonia. Listen, have patience, and you’ll probably see one!

To learn more about the birding sites mentioned in this post, hundreds of other sites, and how to look for other birds in Costa Rica, support this blog by purchasing my Costa Rica birding site guide ebook. I hope to see you here!

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How to See a Quetzal, Wrenthrush, and 12 Hummingbird Species on a Birding Day Trip in Costa Rica

Birding in Costa Rica can be easy going, common birds in a hotel garden, hiking rainforest trails, taking a boat trip, visiting private reserves, and much more. There’s lots of options, when it comes down to it, how you want to experience birds is up to you.

However, with that in mind, to see some antbirds and other shy, rainforest species, you might need to take that rainforest hike. To see Three-wattled Bellbird and other local species, you’ll have to know just where to go at the right time of year. Knowing how to look for unfamiliar tropical birds also helps and, if you aren’t sure how to identify them, there’s nothing that compares with an experienced guide.

We also have a set of birds that most birders would sort of love to see more than other species. That’s not to say we should ignore or show less appreciation for birds like the Cinnamon-bellied Saltator, Great Kiskadee, or Blue-gray Tanager.

Not by any means. All birds are good birds; they help us reconnect, reenergize, and appreciate our natural world. There’s just some bird species you might want to see more than others, some birds that only live in or nearly within Costa Rica. There’s also a bird or two that look so incredible, it’s simply hard to believe they exist.

Resplendent Quetzal in Costa Rica

One of those ultimate unreal birds is the Resplendent Quetzal and yes, although I’ve seen them hundreds of times over decades of birding in Costa Rica, every single sighting is wondrous. Honestly, the sacred bird of the Mayans really is one of those species that must be seen to be believed.

I see one and still wonder how to describe that shade of green/gold/bluish. I see the red underparts and still imagine that the feathers should feel like plush velvet. I mean, they do look that way. A male’s feathers trail and quiver behind it in flight and it still blows my mind away.

It’s no wonder more than one birder I have guided has been moved to tears upon seeing one. I have seen the same emotional reaction at a major macaw clay lick in Peru and with good reason. Both experiences are natural world circuit overload in the best way; sights, sounds, and colors that surpass your wildest birding dreams.

It would seem that there’s an unwritten rule that such an incredibly surreal species as the Resplendent Quetzal should also be rare and tough to find. I’m pleased to say that nope, that’s not the case, especially not in Costa Rica. Although quetzals aren’t flying around like grackles or exactly simple to see, they aren’t all that rare either. The quetzal situation in Costa Rica is similar to so many other birds in so many other parts of the world.

Watch for them in the right habitat, know how to look for them, and you’ll probably find them. Yes, it might take some time but they are out there, feeding on wild “avocados” in cloud forest.

Wrenthrush

Wrenthrush.

The Wrenthrush is another one of those must see birds. Nope, it doesn’t have an iridescent coat, it’s not big, and its song is as high pitched and wiry sounding as they get. But, it’s one heck of a unique bird and that’s why I hope every birder sees one.

Wren? No. Thrush? No again. Wrenthrush? Yes!

What used to be an aberrant wood-warbler is so different, ornithologists figured the Wrenthrush deserved its very own family. Like the quetzal, happily, it’s not very rare either! I wouldn’t call the Wrenthrush very common and it may have declined in some areas but I still hear and see them quite often. Even better, they live in the same places as quetzals.

Like some wrens, Grasshopper Warblers, and other species with a strong aversion to open spaces, Wrenthrushes happily skulk in dense, wet vegetation. The good thing is that you can see them, at least if you know what they sound like and how to look for them.

Hummingbirds

There’s lots of hummingbirds in Costa Rica and who doesn’t want to see them all? I still enjoy seeing Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds in my urban neighborhood, even as ultra common as they are. Recently, we have also been seeing a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird wintering here and then there are other species, lots of other hummingbirds further afield.

It’s not much further afield either; I’m talking within an hour and a half drive from the San Jose area. There are four or five hummingbird species in the high elevations, 7 more or so in middle elevations, and a couple others here and there’ more than enough to see a dozen species in a day, probably more.

An Easy and Productive Birding Day Trip from the San Jose Area

There are mountains visible from the airport, also from my neighborhood and they are topped with cloud forest; Poas and Barva Volcanoes. Just on the other side, the weather and forest is wetter and the forests host another suite of species.

From the San Jose area (especially from Alajuela and near the airport), it only takes 45 minutes to an hour to drive up there on good roads. No hiking needed, only a vehicle that will get you up there, help you enter the realms of quetzals, Wrenthrushes, Fiery-throated Hummingbirds and lots more. Bird your way down to and below Cinchona and you’ll see more hummingbirds, probably find more than a dozen species.

I spend a morning birding this route and I routinely see quetzal, Wrenthrush, and several hummingbirds along with 70 more. Spend the whole day and 100 plus species is par for the course. You can’t go wrong with a day trip to the Poas-Cinchona area when birding Costa Rica. To learn more about doing this easy and exciting day trip, send me an email today. In the meantime, here are some FAQs about the Resplendent Quetzal in Costa Rica:

FAQs about Quetzals in Costa Rica

Is there a quetzal season in Costa Rica?

No, technically, there is no quetzal season in Costa Rica. Although various sources mention a “quetzal season”, they are referring to the quetzal nesting season that usually takes place from February to March. Yes, it is easy to wait at a quetzal nest but, in addition to needing to be careful to not disturb the birds, it’s not necessary.

Quetzals live and feed in Costa Rican cloud forests all year long.

Do Quetzals migrate in Costa Rica?

Quetzals do not migrate in Costa Rica, at least not outside the country. However, after nesting, they often move around in search of fruiting trees and some can migrate to lower elevations. The lowest I have seen quetzals is 500 meters, always females.

Do you need a guide to see a Resplendent Quetzal in Costa Rica?

No, you do not need a guide to see a Resplendent Quetzal in Costa Rica. However, as with many bird species, you’ll have a much better chance seeing one if you hire an experienced guide who knows how to find them.

Are quetzals rare in Costa Rica?

No, quetzals are not rare in Costa Rica. They are uncommon but regular species of cloud forest habitats from 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) to more than 3,000 meters (9,000 to 10,000 feet).