web analytics

Category: Costa Rica bird finding guide

Categories
Birding Costa Rica birds to watch for in Costa Rica Costa Rica bird finding guide

Highlights from Two Weeks of Birding in Costa Rica

Who doesn't want to see a Snowcap?

I slept in this morning, didn’t even go birding! That will change tomorrow when I awake before dawn for guiding in the Poas area. It’ll be good, in the highlands of Costa Rica, the birding always is. I experienced some of that memorable montane birding last week along with another week of birding in lowlands and middle elevations while guiding a couple of birders from one corner of Costa Rica to the next.

It was a biodiverse birding rush, an immersion into natural Costa Rica to see how much we could find on an itinerary carefully planned to experience as much of the Costa Rican avifauna as possible. There was a fair bit of driving, lots of walking, less rain than expected, wonderful hospitality, and great food in various, small, out of the way places.

The plan worked out because there were also more than 475 bird species seen along with 40 that were heard only. Highlights were a daily occurrence including that last bit of birding yesterday morning when we saw the elusive Cabanis’s Ground-Sparrow (a suiting final bird for the list!).

I’m still wrapping my head around the trip, wondering which highlights to mention. Rolling up to the salt pans at Punta Morales and seeing dozens of roosting Black Skimmers along with hundreds of Marbled Godwits, Willets, and other shorebirds? Fantastic, glittering views of a male Mangrove Hummingbird at Caldera quickly followed by a Lesser Ground-Cuckoo hopping into view? Or, how about Resplendent Quetzals shining jade green in stately oak forests decorated with lichen and bromeliads?

Those are a few highlights that come to mind, here are some others.

Last Minute Birding in Los Chiles

After a long, unbirdy drive from Pocosol Biological Station, we made it to Los Chiles just in time for late afternoon bird action. As soon as we stepped out of the vehicle, new birds came fast and furious. It didn’t matter that people were chatting and walking around the river “dock” and nearby park.

Spot-breasted Wrens scrambling in the vines here! Flyover Red-lored Parrots, flyby Roseate Spoonbills, whoah…Black-collared Hawk! A quick Harris’s Hawk next, Lesser Swallow-tailed Swifts over the trees, Barn Swallows zipping, kingfishers rattling and flying, it was all around and all at once!

As dusk approached, a Bat Falcon followed the course of the river and nighthawks fluttered into view. That first one was an uncommon migrant Common Nighthawk! The others with the blunt wing tips and smaller patches of white were Lessers!

It was welcome birding after a drive and preparation for birding action the following morning.

Medio Queso Marsh Action

After a night at CyC Hotel (much recommended for a night or two), we headed to the nearby Medio Queso marsh before dawn. I was hoping for Striped Owl, wishing on an Ocellated Poorwill. I suspect we almost got the owl; we did notice a pale owl fly up from a ditch. However, we didn’t see it well enough, never saw it again and couldn’t discount an American Barn Owl. No longshot poorwills either but we did have perfect looks at Pacific Screech-Owls before a fine morning in a flooded marsh.

Water levels were high and that likely kept us from seeing Snail Kite and Limpkin but we still saw lots of other birds. There were great looks at Pinnated and Least Bitterns, the pinkish-beaked Nicaraguan Seed-Finch, a distant Sungrebe, unexpected White-tailed Hawk, and more.

Yellow-breasted Crakes walked and fluttered into view without playback, a White-throated Crake swam across the channel, and a wintering Sora briefly flushed from the grass. Luckily, just before leaving, we focused in on Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures doing their harrier movements over the marsh.

Tirimbina

We had an afternoon, full day, and a bit of morning in Sarapiqui. That’s somewhat of an injustice for this birdy region but we had other places to visit, couldn’t afford more time in the Caribbean lowlands.

To bird the forest, I opted for the Tirimbina Reserve. This reserve has beautiful lowland rainforest, a “canopy” walkway over a ravine, rushing river, and a heck of a lot of birds. I also like Tirimbina because it is open to the public at 6. Walk in, pay the entrance fee and the birds are yours’ to see.

Our morning visit was more or less exceptional. Fasciated Tiger-Heron from the bridge, Gray-cheeked Thrushes, White-collared Manakins, and other birds in the gardens, and we hadn’t even reached the forest.

Once we got there, it didn’t take long before we lucked into that dream Neotropical birding situation; Army Ant swarm!

There were a bunch of birds including point blank Ocellated Antbirds, furtive Spotted Antbirds, woodcreepers, and more. Hard to pick a best bird but the three Olive-backed Quail-Doves are a good contender! We had perfect looks as they walked around the edge of the swarm, probably wondering if they should stick around or walk away from the biting ants.

There was also that Great Tinamou that walked towards us on the trail, White-fronted Nunbirds going crazy, Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, puffbirds, and the Black Hawk-Eagle that wheeled over the river at eye level as we walked back across the bridge. Yeah, Tirimbina is a pretty good site!

An eBird list from that morning.

Paint-billed Crakes in Flight

Wait, what? Um, yes…maybe not like flying around normally but still in flight! On our morning visit to the rice fields and marshes south of Ciudad Neily, we came across a couple tractors preparing a field to plant rice. Noting that the mostly tractored field was already filled with egrets, caracaras, and other birds, I figured we should stick around and see what happens.

Sure enough, while watching one of the tractors, I noticed a Sora fly out of the old, marshy rice. We kept watching and much to our fortune, eventually saw at least 6 Paint-billed Crakes flush from the grass. Actually, we probably saw more. The birds would quickly flush and then hide although one flew right past us, close enough to see the red on its beak!

At a distance, they looked like chunky, dark grayish rails with red legs, and were more unform dark blue-gray than the white-bellied Soras. I also witnessed a small crake get flushed, might have been a Gray-breasted. But, in the few seconds waiting for a better look, an adult Peregrine suddenly snatched it from my view!

The raptor dispatched the small bird immediately, I can still picture its legs and neck dangling from the falcon’s talons as the master hunter carried the crake away.

We also witnessed Savannah Hawk catching something as well as egrets and a Wood Stork snatching rats, and a Crested Caracara unsuccessfully staking a Paint-billed Crake.

This night, we stayed at Fortuna Verde, certainly the best place to stay while birding this area. They have some forests out back and their hospitality is second to none. Very much recommended!

Snowcap and 36 other Hummingbird Species

Male Snowcap

I’m happy to say we did pretty good on the hummingbird front. Violetears, sabrewings, Blue-throated Goldentails. Coppery-headed and White-tailed Emeralds, Black-crested Coquettes, and more. However, the prize might go to the Snowcap.

After the briefest of looks at Pocosol, we were very much in need of much better views. We got them right at the end of the day at one of the few reliable sites for this species; Centro Manu.

It took some anxious waiting but just before 5 p.m., like fairies with headlamps, two males flew into our field of view. Even better, one of them perched and let us admire its deep wine, beetroot colors for several minutes.

Enigmatic Birds Heard but not Seen

This might not be as much of a highlight as other birding experiences but birders with an auditory bent may appreciate it. I enjoy the visual experience that birds bring, I always love seeing them but I also love hearing them. I might even listen for birds more than looking for them. I’m not sure if I can help it, I don’t think I could turn off my ears if I wanted to. Hearing birds shows me who and where they are just as much as visually noting them.

With that in mind, it was a special gift to hear the undescribed “Puntarenas” Screech-Owl calling near Mirador de Osa. We tried for it pre-dawn and eventually found one a few kilometers east of the cabins and small restaurant (great service, food and drink, also recommended). Unfortunately, the owl wouldn’t budge from its hidden spot but it was still magical to hear it give its brief vocalization as day broke over the rainforest.

Earlier in the trip, at Pocosol, we had another singing bird we would have loved to have laid eyes on. While hiking the beautiful yet steep Fumaroles trail, a Lanceolated Monklet finally decided to respond to my imitation of its call. Whenever I’m in monklet land (ravines and rivers in foothill rainforest), I call like one. They rarely respond but I still try because every once in a while, one of those shy little puffbirds does fly in.

At Pocosol, unfortunately, the monklet only called back somewhere way out of sight but it was still cool to hear. I should also mention that, as far as I have seen, I don’t think the monklets in Costa Rica sound quite like birds from the eastern Andes. I have still had them respond to recordings of Andean birds but, it might warrant further investigation.

The other notable bird heard but not seen was Unspotted Saw-whet Owl. Like the previous two birds, this one is also a tough one to find and doesn’t necessarily fly in and look at you. As in May of this year, just before dawn, one called from forest adjacent to Myriam’s Cabins. It called a few times but never flew in close enough to see. It’s a treat to hear that enigmatic owl, hopefully, we’ll lay eyes on it next time!

Well, those are the highlights that come to mind but they aren’t the only ones. As I was saying, the birding highlights were daily and constant; somewhat par for the course for Costa Rica. To learn more about the sites mentioned in this post and hundreds of birding sites throughout Costa Rica, support this blog by getting “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica“.

Get ready for your birding trip to Costa Rica, I hope to see you here!

Categories
Birding Costa Rica Costa Rica bird finding guide planning birding trip Costa Rica planning for a birding trip to Costa Rica preparing for your trip

5 Key Strategies for Your Best Birding Trip to Costa Rica

Wrenthrush.

What does it take to have the best birding trip to Costa Rica? The birding trip that surpasses your goals?

Make no doubt about it, the birds of Costa Rica are calling- literally and figuratively. This morning, in my residential neighborhood, I heard the laugh of a Lineated Woodpecker. There were Rufous-collared Sparrows bringing some morning cheer and groups of excited Crimson-fronted Parakeets screeching overhead.

Looking to the north, I can see green mountains topped with clouds. There’s different bird voices up there and they might be too far to hear but as I gaze into the distant living jade, I still know what’s calling.

Black-billed Nightingale-Thrushes sing like Hermit Thrushes from the top parts of Poas Volcano.

birding Costa Rica

Their voices are joined by the odd cascading calls of Large-footed Finches (think big, weird, olive-colored towhees), the chips of Sooty-capped Chlorospinguses, and even the high-pitched calls of the unique Wrenthrush.

You will also hear the soft mournful calls of Golden-browed Chlorophonias.

There are dozens of other birds up there, even more on the way to the mountains, and hundreds of species on the other side. All are calling, beckoning birders to come see them.

At least that’s the way I see it. I hear them and my perpetual hope is that birders everywhere can hear those birds too, can come and witness this treasure of biodiversity, this natural gift.

It’s also why I hope that when you do go birding in Costa Rica, you have the best birding trip to Costa Rica. To make that happen, consider these five suggestions. Whether birding Costa Rica a tour or on your own, stick to these tips and you can’t go wrong.

Decide how you want go birding in Costa Rica and know what that means

These days, birding isn’t just looking at birds. There is strict bird photography, adventurous full on focused birdwatching, relaxed birding combined with beach visits, you name it. It’s still birding but before you take a birding trip anywhere, you need to decide what sort of birding you want to do and arrange your trip accordingly.

For example, if bird photography in Costa Rica is your thing, you won’t want to spend a lot of time in low light situations. You’ll be on the road to surpassing expectations if you focus on the very best sites for bird photography. This means that you’ll probably sacrifice seeing some other species but you’ll get great shots of lots of other birds.

If you want to see as many birds as possible and are willing to work to make that happen, true full monty birding requires early starts, long days, and maybe some visits to sites off the beaten track. This is giving yourself over to the birds and although that means no coffee tours or beach time, it could also translate to 400 species and some of the best birding days of your life.

Relaxed birding in Costa Rica? Sure! Most people actually do this type of birding and it just means watching birds at a less frenzied pace. Maybe birding with some pool time, maybe some time on a beach, and perhaps doing a few other things. You’ll still see a lot but know that you probably won’t see various shy birds or other species that require focused birding ay key sites.

Go birding with friends

I like to bird on my own too but let’s face it, the best birding is shared with like-minded people whom you enjoy spending time with. Yeah, you gotta pick the right travel companions but there’s nothing like experiencing the unreal nature of a Three-wattled Bellbird and the magnificent madness of a Resplendent Quetzal with birding pals.

Your local birding club will work too!

Hire an experienced local guide

No matter where you go, the birding trip will be much better if you hire a good, local guide. Even one or two days of guiding can help you see dozens more birds, and maybe even owls and rare species.

However, to make this work, you can’t just hire any old guide. Sure, a number of guides will help you see some new birds and will be alright but you’ll have a better chance of surpassing expectations if you find a birding guide with lots of experience, who truly knows where every bird is, what it takes to see them, and how to identify them in an instant.

Your guide should be able to recognize every elaenia species in Costa Rica.

If you go the birding tour route, do your research and see which company has the best local guides.

On your own? Research where to go

If you do the trip on your own instead of taking a tour, research that trip far in advance. Do that and you’ll find the places best for you and your birding needs with as little in-country travel as possible.

But where to find the best birding information for Costa Rica?

Checking out other trip itineraries and eBird hotspots are good places to start. Keep in mind, though, that they aren’t the final word. I can promise there are dozens of other fantastic sites for birding in Costa Rica that are not visited on tours. Such sites don’t work with the tour route or just with the logistics of a group. However, they can be perfect for birding on your own.

However, many of these sites don’t stand out on eBird either. This is because, in Costa Rica, a high percentage of eBirding takes place at the same places commonly visited on birding tours, and there isn’t nearly as much coverage as in the USA and Canada.

So how can a birder know about other good, possible birding sites? Satellite maps. As with everywhere, in Costa Rica, the birds are where the habitat is. Check maps and it won’t take long to find the largest areas of forest.

You have to factor in accommodation and access but at least you will know where a lot of the best birding sites are.

Sites with a better chance at seeing Yellow-eared Toucanet for example.

But what about suggestions on social media sites? While you will get plenty of answers on where to go birding, from what I have seen, the majority of answers come from people who simply enjoyed their time in Costa Rica, are selling something, or are submitted by local casual birders. In other words, there’ll be lots of suggestions but few answers from the real experts.

Think of someone asking where to go birding in your region and a dozen people answer how they had wonderful times at local parks seeing common birds. They are giving answers based on their experiences but what do they really know about birding in your region? Probably very little. This doesn’t mean their experiences aren’t valid and that they didn’t have a good time, but maybe they didn’t visit places where owls roost, nor the best places for certain species.

You’ll get the best answers from expert local guides or from other, more detailed information (my 900 page birding site guide for Costa Rica will probably help).

Accompany early morning coffee with the dawn chorus

One of the simple joys in life is sipping high quality Costa Rican coffee while listening to the dawn chorus, especially in tropical habitats. I was going to start that sentence with “For the birding crowd” but then I realized that this is a simple joy suited for everybody.

Well, as long as you like coffee but seriously, sipping fantastic coffee as the rainforest comes to life? Hard to beat my friends, hard to beat.

Bonus Tip- Study Your Field Guide (learn some sounds too!)

As with birding in any new place, even if you go with the best birding guide, your trip will always be better if you study beforehand. Take time to see which birds to expect, and which ones you want to see the most. Learn about their habits, habitats, and what to expect. It’s also worth learning some of their songs.

The Boat-billed Flycatcher’s song is a good one to learn.

Maybe not all 930 plus species (yes, that many, sites that say 800 species either don’t know what they are talking about or need a serious update) but learning vocalizations for 50 or even 20 common birds can enhance your trip.

At the moment, there are a couple must have field guide books. They are “The Birds of Costa Rica- A Field Guide” by Garrigues and Dean, and “The Birds of Costa Rica” by Dyer and Howell. Both are good for any birding trip to Costa Rica.

The best digital field guide is the Costa Rica Birds app. Yes, Merlin is free but this app has:

  • All species on the Costa Rica list and various expected species that could occur including all pelagic birds.
  • Sounds for most species on the app.
  • Tips for identifying and seeing each bird.
  • Filters to show birds by region, habitat, and more.
  • It can be personalized to show target species, birds that you see, and more.
  • At this time, it’s only available for IOS.

I could always say more but at least the tips mentioned above will help you set up your best birding trip to Costa Rica. If you need help arranging a trip or guiding for yourself or for a group, I’m happy to help! Contact me at information@birdingcraft.com

As always, I hope to see you here while watching some White-fronted Parrots or marveling over a roosting Great Potoo.

Categories
bird finding in Costa Rica Birding Costa Rica Costa Rica bird finding guide

Costa Rica Birding News, October, 2022

October. It’s the threshold of winter, Halloween, and pumpkins (with all of their orange colored spice). By the cool breeze from the north and the slowing down of deciduous trees, the birds know the deal is up. They know it’s past time to have fattened up and made the journey south. Indeed, up north, most of the first migrants have already paid heed to instincts and fled to the tropics. Thrushes, warblers, vireos, flycatchers, and Scarlet Tanagers; most have gone, many have made it to Costa Rica.

A fair number are here on winter territory, searching for insects in tropical trees and avoiding the eyes of Bat Falcons and creeping Vine Snakes. Others are just stopping off to fuel up and continue to the incredible forests of the Amazon, or to find a sweet wintering spot in mossy rainforest of the Andes.

Rainforests at Bosque del Rio Tigre-excellent wintering habitat.

In a few months, a number of birders will also make a temporary migration to Costa Rica. They will visit to delve into tropical birding, watch toucan antics while delighting in the coffee fruits of volcanic soils, and photograph Purple-throated Mountain-gems (like the multicolored bird featured above). The birds are awaiting, I can promise you that! Here’s some other news items from October, 2022, Costa Rica.

Very Heavy Rains=Tragic Flooding and Road Closures

October in Costa Rica is bird migration but it can also be a month of rains. The rains from this past October have gone from being exceptional to extreme. Sadly, in the Central Pacific region, more rain fell in a day or two than typically falls over the course of the entire month. We’re talking about a country where it normally rains every afternoon of every day in October, we’re talking about a horrible deluge.

During the past week, so much rain came slamming down in the central and southern Pacific regions, parts of the town of Jaco flooded. Flooding also occured near Parrita and in some other areas, and landslides affected several roads. Although people weren’t swept away like the terrible climate crisis induced floods in Nigeria, Pakistan, and other places, in Costa Rica, a number of people have lost everything, businesses have been terribly affected, and many roads have been damaged.

Those roads will likely be fixed well before the high season but if visiting Costa Rica over the news few weeks, you will need to pay close attention to information about road closures. Keep an eye on whatever driving app you may use, especially if traveling anywhere on Cerro de la Muerte, Route 32, and other mountain roads, and anywhere from Tarcoles south to Panama.

Arctic Terns near Shore, Fewer Migrants?

Arctic Tern from a few years back.

On the bird migration scene, one of the more interesting sightings has been that of Arctic Terns on the central Pacific Coast. At least a few (and maybe more) were documented by local birders in the Playa Hermosa area, foraging close to shore. Typically, in Cosa Rica, this species is a bird of pelagic waters although perhaps they occur closer to shore more often than expected? Were they overlooked in the less birded past? Who knows but in any case, this us always an uncommon species for Costa Rica.

As far as other migrants go, some local birders have wondered if we are seeing fewer numbers. Although various factors cloud accurate assessment of abundance during migration, given the effects of climate disruption, insect decline, and other nasty factors on breeding grounds and migration routes, yeah, I bet we are seeing fewer birds. That would match the latest State of the Birds Assessment that shows continued declines in many species.

Off hand, I have had a strong impression of far fewer Cliff Swallows than other years and can’t help but wonder if this is related to so much of their western breeding areas being impacted by climate-change induced drought and heat waves. I have seen quite a few vireos and pewees but perhaps less than in previous years, and although there have been many Swainson’s Thrushes, there still doesn’t seem to be as many as in other years.

Hopefully, there will be good numbers of wintering birds; we do have a good amount of habitat for them.

Southern Nicoya Peninsula= Probable Migrant Hotspot

Once again, the southern Nicoya yields a rare for Costa Rica migrant. On October Global Big Day, Wilfreddo Villalobos found a small group of Bobolinks! The smart looking hay meadow birds might be regular up north but in Costa Rica, you would be lucky to add it to your country list. In common with other migrant hotspots, the southern Nicoya Peninsula is bordered on each side by water and thus could possibly act act as a “funnel” for migrants, or at least attract lost birds flying over the Pacific Ocean.

Any migrant effect isn’t as pronounced as that of the famed hotspots but the place certainly does attract rare migrants every year. I wonder what else is hiding in the tropical forests of that fun, underbirded area? What would a birder see while seawatching from the coast near Cabuya? Go and see what you find!

Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo and Other Rare Resident Birds

The ground-cuckoo has been seen again at antswarms at the Pocosol Station. Honestly, this is no surprise, nor would it be surprising to find them at swarms in other suitable areas but given how generally difficult it is to see this species, it’s always good to know where and when they are being seen.

Another rare resident species seeen recently was a Black-and-White Hawk-Eagle at Nectar and Pollen (!). Lucky local birders had excellent looks at one that took to the air right in front of them! This site and other nearby sites are good places to look for this species but you still need a lot of luck to see one.

Newly Updated, Second Edition of Costa Rica Bird Finding Guide Now Available!

On a personal note, it took a while but the second edition of “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica” is finally edited, updated, and available. Since the previous edition was more than 700 pages, one might not expect much more could be said about birding sites in Costa Rica. One could easily be wrong.

This edition includes:

  • Updated information on strategies to find and see tropical birds in Costa Rica, including the best ways to see uncommon and rare species.
  • Updated lists of birds to expect, birds to not expect, birds that could be splits, and more.
  • Updated information for dozens of sites to watch birds in Costa Rica.
  • Several new sites throughout the country.
  • Several updated sample itineraries.
  • Local insider, accurate information about finding birds in Costa Rica.

At more than 900 pages, this book is a tome of birding information meant to enhance every birding trip and birding tour to Costa Rica. One of the benefits of this book is that since it is digital, it doesn’t weigh anything and any subject matter can be easily searched from the table of contents or within the text of the book.

This Costa Rica birding site guide e-book is perfect for birders and bird photographers of all levels planning a birding trip to Costa Rica, wanting to learn more about the birds of Costa Rica, and hoping to see more birds in Costa Rica. Not to mention, every purchase helps keep this blog going. As always, I hope to see you here!

If you purchased the first version in 2022, let me know and I’ll send you the updated version for free. If you bought the book before 2022, this updated, second version is available for $9.00.

Categories
bird finding in Costa Rica Birding Costa Rica Costa Rica bird finding guide

Easy Going Birding in Costa Rica = 14 Hummingbirds, Black Guan, and More

Silver-throated Tanager1
The Cafe Colibri is a fantastic, reliable place for getting good shots of Silver-throated Tanager.

Some of the best birding in Costa Rica is easy-going, relaxed birding. Although a definition of “best birding” is subjective and related to (1) what a birder wants to see and (2) how they want to do their birding, when the results of an easy morning of birding include several hummingbirds and various regional endemics (including uncommon and threatened species), that’s pretty darn good.

When birding in Costa Rica, you really don’t need to take long jungle hikes to see lots of great birds. To see a fantastic variety of species, visiting remote areas isn’t vital, nor is testing the limits of a rental vehicle’s suspension. It does help to know where to go birding in Costa Rica, know the best places to visit, and how to see those birds but you won’t have to buy any trekking boots.

Don’t get me wrong, expedition birding has its advantages too and I love being immersed in remote forest birding but Costa Rica offers much easier options. One of the best is the Poas and Cinchona area. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again; roadside birding from the Central Valley to Poas and along Route 126 can turn up an astonishing number of birds (a quick tally of birds that have occurred resulted in 500 species!). More than 100 are rare, various elevations are involved, and 50 of those birds are only present during the winter but that still leaves lots of birds to look for on any visit, any time of year. On a recent morning of birding with very limited walking, some birding highlights included:

14 Hummingbird Species

All were seen from the vehicle or at the Mirador San Fernando (the Cinchona Hummingbird Cafe). They included such sweet birds as

Fiery-throated Hummingbird

Fiery-throated-Hummingbird

Scintillant Hummingbird

scintillant-hummingbird

and the uncommon Black-bellied Hummingbird.

Black-bellied Hummingbird
At least you can still see Black-bellied Hummingbird and other hummingbird action in the rain.

14 hummingbird species are a good total but amazingly, on the route we took, further effort can turn up at least 7 or more additonal species.

Large-footed Finch and Other Highland Endemics

In the high elevation areas of Poas Volcano, bird activity was somewhat hindered by cold rain. Even do, we still had excellent looks at regional endemics like Large-footed Finch, Sooty Thrush, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, and Flame-throated Warbler along with various other montane species.

Large-footed Finch doing its foraging thing in the leaf litter.

The Large-footed Finch is a towhee-like bird that needs cool, wet forest habitats. Like so many other bird species on Poas, it only lives in Costa Rica and western Panama.

Coffee with Black Guan, Buff-fronted Quail-Dove, and other Great Birds

We spent around two hours at Cinchona and had excellent birding. Most of the usual species came to the fruit feeders including “the Cinchona trio” of Northern Emerald Toucanet, Prong-billed Barbet, and Red-headed Barbet.

The hummingbirds were also very active and gave us multiple close views of species like Green Thorntail, Green Hermit, Violet Sabrewing and others.

As a bonus, a Barred Hawk soared into view, Black Guan showed at the feeder, and two juvenile Buff-fronted Quail-Doves occasionally appeared on the ground below the feeder.

There’s nothing like accompanying quality coffee with constant tropical birds at Cinchona!

Costa Rica is made for birding. Whether taking the easy birding route or exploring remote locations, fantastic birding is in the cards. See “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica” to learn about the best sites for seeing more birds in Costa Ricaa nd prepare for your trip. I hope to see you here.

Categories
bird finding in Costa Rica Costa Rica bird finding guide planning birding trip Costa Rica preparing for your trip

Mixed Flock Birding Tips for Costa Rica

White-throated Shrike-Tanager

Mixed flock…bird wave…sudden bird bonanza. Three terms for the same wonderful situation but be forewarned; this birding experience may leave you speechless, it might leave you stunned and when birding in Costa Rica, you can expect it.

Personally, I prefer the term “mixed flock”. I don’t know why, I must have read it somewhere, it’s just what I have always called it. To be clear, this esteemed birding situation is when several species are seen flocking and foraging together. Contraringly, a mixed flock is NOT when birds come in to a pygmy-owl call and not when you see a few different heron species in the same part of the Tarcoles River. It IS when a bunch of tanagers convene on a fruiting tree and ESPECIALLY when those same tanagers are seemingly accompanied by a few woodcreepers, antwrens, flycatchers, and other birds.

A Back-faced Grosbeak at El Zota. One of several species commonly seen in mixed flocks when birding Costa Rica.

After many a quiet minute stalking though the rainforest, a mixed flock is a welcome burst of birding excitement, your chance to see one new bird after another in quick succession. If it happens during your only visit to a particular habitat or site, that mixed flock can also act as your one big break, your main chance at seeing a satisfying bunch of birds. The birding challenge is real but don’t panic! Keep calm, be quick with the binos and try these tips:

Mixed Flocks can Happen Anywhere but the Mega Flocks are in Mature Humid Forest

Some may dispute this statement but I stand by it. Yes, mature second growth can also entertain with groups of flocking birds and I have seen forest edge in the Caribbean lowlands doing the avian bounce but then again, that particular edge was the border of a large area of mature rainforest. I doubt there would have been as much variety in a smaller patch of woods.

When it comes down to it, remember that while birding tropical forest habitats, although you may find a mixed flock in second growth, you’ll find a lot more birds in large areas of mature forest. The higher degree of complexity generated by massive trees, vines tangles and profuse vegetation translates to a higher variety of specie and when they flock together, the result can make for some life goal birding madness.

The mega mixed flocks of Costa Rica can’t compare with those of the Amazon but I’ve seen a few that come close; notably in foothill rainforests birding on the Manuel Brenes Road, in the Osa Peninsula, and a couple other places. The mega mixed flock is a good thing to keep in mind while walking through quiet mature forest. Be ready for it because, at some point, the birding will pick up and things could get giddy.

Follow the Flock

A mixed flock doesn’t just move through and that’s all she wrote. They can and do move fast but at some point, the birds will slow down and work that forest, work it to the bone.

Like a classic house track, mixed flocks don’t stop moving. You gotta keep up, find the mixed flock groove, and you will eventually catch that Sharpbill, see most of the birds. Listen for the flock, try to find it and then stay with the birds as long as you can. But don’t leave the trail, potential hidden vipers and getting lost aren’t worth it.

Know the Flock Leaders Before You Go Birding

Even birds have leaders, choice birds followed for survivalist reasons. Anthropomorphisms aside, there are certain vocal species that act as nucleous species of a flock. Know what they sound like and you will find the flock. It also pays to know what they look like but since hearing birds is everything in the tropical forest, it pays to learn their calls.

In Costa Rica, the erstwhile mixed flock leader of foothill rainforest (and lowland rainforest of the Pacific slope) is the White-throated Shrike-Tanager. This stand out oriole-looking, flycatcher-like tanager is so associated with big mixed flocks, it deserves an invisible crown. Find it in mature forest and you will find birds. But be prepared, on some lucky days, there could be a mind-blowing bonanza of avian life being led by this bird wave king/queen combination.

White-throated Shrike-Tanager
The mixed flock king is in the house.

In Caribbean lowland rainforest, I’m not sure if there is similar royalty but there are noisy species that often occur with other birds. A couple of the stand outs are Black-faced Grosbeak and White-shouldered Tanager.

Up in the middle elevation cloud forest, mixed flocks are fairly common and can come in many sizes. Keep checking the Common Chlorospingus and listen and look for mixed flock standards like Lineated Foliage-gleaner and Spotted Woodcreeper.

In the high elevations, check the groups of Sooty-capped Chlorospingus and listen for the likes of Yellow-thighed Brushfinch and Buffy Tuftedcheek.

Take Notes and Look at Field Guides After Watching the Flock

If I was limited to mentioning just one tip, it would be this one. No matter how well or little you know the birds creeping up branches and flitting in the foliage, whatever you do, do not stop watching them to look in a field guide. The same goes for taking written notes. I know, the temptation is real but so are the consequences and those would be missed birds.

A mixed flock in tropical forest won’t behave like birds back home (unless your birds come in quick moving groups of a dozen or more species that can move on past in nearly every level of a dense forest with a tall canopy). When a flock appears, if you don’t stay focused and try to see as much as possible, if you take eyes off the bird action to look up one or two birds in a field guide, the other 20 will likely move right on out of view. Try to see as much as you can, keep looking, and take mential notes. After the birds have moved out of reach and the forest has gone back to being humid and seemingly unreasonably quiet, that is the time to jot down notes and check out your field guides to the birds of Costa Rica.

Mixed flock action is waiting in Costa Rica. To learn more about birding mixed flocks, the best places to experience them, where to go birding in Costa Rica and more, support this blog by getting How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica, a 700 plus page companion for birding this beautiful country. As always, I hope to see you here!

Categories
bird finding in Costa Rica Costa Rica bird finding guide

Tips and News for Birding in Costa Rica- July, 2019

Birding in Costa Rica soon? Already looking at Snowcaps

and Speckled Tanagers?

Want to look at these and hundreds of other birds? If you nodded or thought “yes” for any of the questions above, this blog post is for you. Check out these tips and news items for birding Costa Rica in July, 2019.

Rain?

Expect at least some. Although a short dry season often occurs during July, we may have already experienced those sunny days in late June. It’s going to rain and maybe even a lot but that won’t ruin any birding trip to Costa Rica in July. Quite the contrary, occasional rain and cloudy weather are better for prolonged bird activity than the hot, sunny, cicada days of the dry season.

If it does pour down a deluge for hours, don’t ford any streams and be careful with flooding. A few of the areas more prone to excess water are Upala, Parrita, some sites near Ciudad Neily, and other flat areas adjacent to rivers (aka floodplains…). During lashing bouts of very heavy rains, it’s also a good idea to avoid driving route 32; landslides are typical on this mountain road.

Oilbirds

This enigmatic, odd bird of a bird visits Costa Rica every year during the wet season and at least one was recently seen in the Monteverde area. Difficulties in detection make it impossible to give an accurate estimate of the number of Oilbirds that come to Costa Rica but good places to look are the cloud forests of Monteverde (the best place- take guided night hikes in the Monteverde Refuge), and high elevation forests in the Talamancas. They have also been seen on Irazu.

Bare-necked Umbrellabird

This mega, crow-sized cotinga is always rare and difficult to see but it might be slightly easier in July. I saw one in June and others have been seen in the Pocosol area of the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, and at Arenal Observatory Lodge. These sightings are probably of birds moving into foothill forests after breeding at higher elevations. Bird the foothill zone and keep umbrellabirds in mind at fruiting trees and when encountering groups of toucans and other large birds.

Ferry Birding

I think birding from the ferry is always worth the ride and especially so during the rainy season. It’s easy to do and despite the constant barrage of silly dance music on the boat back to Puntarenas, birdwise, it’s always interesting. Don’t expect a lot but keep watching, you might see storm-petrels, some odd rarity, or a Brown Noddy (as Mary and I did a couple of weeks ago).

Where to go birding in Costa Rica

It’s hard to say which sites are best right now because the birding is great all year long wherever good habitat occurs. However, a birder can’t go wrong with these suggestions:

Dry forest sites– Visit sites from Carara to Guanacaste in July and you might wonder about the “dry” in tropical dry forest. Everything is wet and green and the birds are singing and this is why it’s such a fun time for visiting this important habitat. Although there is more vegetation to hide the birds, frequent song can still make them easier to find and the birding can be good all day long. Another bonus of dry forest birding right now is that most species can also be found along any number of roads that pass through a patchwork of forest and farms. Those would be birds like Crested Bobwhite, Turquoise-browed Motmot, White-necked Puffbird, Yellow-naped Parrot, White-throated Magpie-Jay, and many others.

The best sites are places like Santa Rosa National Park, Horizontes, and any number of roads that pass through patches of dry forest.

Rincon de la Vieja– An excellent site at any time, July might be the best month to visit this wonderful park. There isn’t as much wind, uncommon Rusty and Botteri’s Sparrows are easier to find, and the same bunch of excellent bird species are just as present now as other months.

Foothill rainforest sites– See Bare-necked Umbrellabird… Along with that species, now can also be a great time to find Yellow-eared Toucanet, White-crowned Manakin, more tanagers, and lots of other species hanging in the foothill zone.

It depends on how you want to bird– As with any place, what you see depends on how you want to watch birds, what you want to see. For example, birders who would rather relax with tanagers and toucans at a lodge can do just that at any number of places. Birders who want to see as many birds as possible and don’t mind hiking in rainforest can do that at Tirimbina, Curi-Cancha, and various other parks and reserves. No matter how you want to bird or what you would like to see, the information in How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica can help. Purchase this book to get the most comprehensive information about finding birds in Costa Rica while also supporting this blog.

Forget the mid-summer birding doldrums, July birding in Costa Rica is great! I hope to see you here.

Categories
Birding Costa Rica caribbean slope Costa Rica bird finding guide

A Few Tips for Birding Costa Rica around La Fortuna and Arenal

Arenal is the name of a young volcano in northern Costa Rica. When Arenal experienced its explosive rebirth in the 1960s, a plethora of tourism activities based around the volcano were also spawned including soaks in hot springs, hikes to jungle waterfalls, the usual horse back rides, and so on. If you find yourself headed to Arenal because the rest of the family wants to partake in those and other activities, count yourself lucky because the Arenal area is also fantastic for birding. Quality foothill rainforests are accessible at several sites, there are birdy trails very close to town, and the area also hosts a mosaic of habitats to please birders of all ilks. Try these tips to make the most of your birding time around La Fortuna and Arenal:

Visit the Fortuna Nature Trail: Also known as the “Sendero Bogarin” or just “Bogarin”, this oasis is an absolute must visit for ANY birder wearing binos around La Fortuna. Thanks to the dedication, perseverance, and hard work of local guide and naturalist Geovanni Bogarin, you can walk a good, easy trail through second growth and wet areas that host the most reliable Uniform Crakes on the planet, and dozens of other bird species. The presence of everything from Rufous-tailed Jacamars to Rufous-winged Woodpecker, Barred Antshrike, Long-billed Gnatwren, Black-crested Coquette, and other species is testament to what can happen when you just let the vegetation grow. The fact that most of the trail used to be pasture that now hosts wintering Golden-winged, Hooded, Chestnut-sided, and Mourning Warblers also provides hope for restoration of winter habitat for migrant species. Check out my eBird list from a recent, short visit. Oh yeah, and if you like to take pictures, the feeders can be sort of unbelievable.

wood-rail

This was at the feeder last weekend.

green-honeycreeper

So were these.

white-throated-crake

And White-throated Crake along with around 20 other species.

This trail is just outside of La Fortuna, on the gravel road that runs next to the Backpackers Hostel. I’m not sure what Geovanni charges but please be generous with  donations, he is doing this on his own and for the love of nature.

Visit the Waterfall: Another trail just outside of town, despite the constant stream of tourists both local and foreign, the site will probably surprise you with its excellent birding. The road in passes through birdy fields, second growth, and riparian zones, and the parking lot for the trail can be good for toucans (even Yellow-eared was showing well a few months ago), woodpeckers, and lots of other possibilities. Check the lights near the forest in the early morning for White-whiskered Puffbirds and other birds in search of easy insect prey. On the trail itself (which might not open until 8 a.m.) check for raptors and perched canopy species from the overlook, and watch for antbirds, great mixed flocks, and even Lanceolated Monklet on the steps down towards the waterfall. You might even see umbrellabird, two were recently seen there during this year’s Christmas Count!

This trail costs $10 to enter, and although it consists of steps, you will be walking on metal and concrete ones instead of dealing with treacherous, slippery mud.

view

The view from the overlook.

Bird the hotel grounds: Bird are where the habitat is. Whether the hotel has a garden or some forest, check it out, you might be surprised at what you find.

Bird the road to the Observatory Lodge: This is also the bumpy road that leads to the national park. Although the national park is alright, the road to the lodge and then to El Castillo tends to be excellent and reliable for Bare-crowned Antbird, other antbird species, raptors, and so on and so on. Check the rivers for Fasciated Tiger-Heron, and maybe Sunbittern, and just keep watching. Don’t be surprised if you see a rare Lovely Cotinga at a busy fruiting tree, Bicolored and Semiplumbeous Hawks, and Rufous-winged Tanager.

Access excellent forest at Skytrek, the Observatory Lodge, and Mistico: There are other trails in the area but these have some of the best forest. Mistico has Hanging Bridges and a hummingbird garden with Snowcap. The Observatory Lodge has good trails in good forest with great mixed flocks and chances at many forest birds. Skytrek is pricey but also has good trails through some of the best forest, a couple hanging bridges, and a fair chance at Black-headed Antthrush, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, and many other species including rarities like Sharpbill, Yellow-eared Toucanet, and other goodies.

ornate-hawk-eagle

There are healthy populations of Orante Hawk-Eagle around Arenal. Geovanni has even seen it catch a squirrel on his trail!

Enjoy your birding time around Arenal! To see more information about sites throughout the country as well as information to find and identify bird species in Costa Rica, check out my 700 plus page e-book, “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”.

Categories
Birding Costa Rica Costa Rica bird finding guide Costa Rica birding app preparing for your trip Where to see birds in Costa Rica

Why It’s Important to Study Before a Birding Trip to Costa Rica

Study for birding? What? Didn’t we spend enough of our lives studying during high school and university? To pass our tests for a driver’s license? To compete on Jeopardy? Whether you dislike studying or not, it’s the right thing to do before a birding trip to Costa Rica. Make that any birding trip anywhere. This is why it’s especially important to study before testing your bino skills in Costa Rica:

Unfamiliar birds, unfamiliar bird families: Just like Dorothy, you can kiss Kansas goodbye! Not only are the birds unfamiliar, but so are many of the families. Have you ever seen a Blue-gray tanager at the home patch? That common bird is pretty easy but what about a Dull-mantled Antbird or dozens of other skulking species with poetic names? But at least House Wren is on the list right? Well, yes, it is and it pretty much looks like the ones back home but it’s not going to sound like them. But what about folks who have already birded in Costa Rica or other areas in the Neotropical region? See the next point to answer that question.

Ocellated Antbird

Almost too many birds: Almost because there can never be enough. But seriously, though, there are so many possible birds, it’s always worth studying before the trip no matter how many times you have birded Costa Rica. Study to brush up on field marks of foliage-gleaners, to know which species are possible in given areas (get the targets set), and to always be ready- see the next point.

Black-bellied Hummingbird is one of 50 plus hummingbird species that live in Costa Rica.

You only get one look: Maybe, maybe not, but serious biodiversity comes at a price- almost everything is is rare by nature. Not so much the second growth and edge species (most of which can also be seen from Mexico south to the bird continent), but most of the forest-based birds and raptors. Combine small populations with major skulking and hiding skills and we have a recipe for challenging birding that can afford very few sightings. The up-side is that you can go birding at the same quality forest site day after day and see more species every time. Since we might only get a few looks at various species during a one or two week trip, we need to be ready to focus on the field marks. A good birding guide will be a major help but it still pays to know what to look for.

What’s an antbird?: Back to unfamiliar families. Try and become more familiar with things like puffbirds, forest-falcons, motmots, and antbirds. These things don’t occur at home. They don’t act like most birds at home. This makes you want to see them more of course, so study them in the field guide and read about their behavior (this blog is a good place to start).

Keel-billed Motmot

Check out the vocalizations: Yeah, it’s a lot to study and not everyone’ s cup of tea but knowing at least a few of those sounds before the trip is going to be a huge help. To give an idea of how important knowledge of bird vocalizations is when birding in the Neotropics, when we do point counts, we hardly use our binoculars at all. The majority of birds at dawn and in the forest you can’t really seem at that hour anyways. But, you can hear them and you can hear a lot, like dozens, even one hundred species in some spots. With a list that tops 900 species, no one can be expected to know every single chip and song, but even knowing what certain bird families sound like can really help.

Study common birds, study the birds you want to see the most: If you don’t have the time and memory for hundreds of species, stick to the common ones along with your favorite targets. The more you study, the more you will see (even with a guide), and you will be seeing birds that are already sort of know instead of random, totally unfamiliar species.

Some stuff to study:

Field guides: First and foremost, this the first tool to get. Although the best way to learn any new bird or family is to see it in person, studying before a trip will help. Some people prefer illustrations and others prefer photos. Both will help but an advantage of photos is that they can capture subtleties and other aspects of birds that can be hard to show with an illustration. They also tend to show how the birds look in the field. We won’t know anything about the birds in Costa Rica if we don’t have a study guide and although there are a few others, these are the best ones to get:

-The Birds of Costa Rica a Field Guide by Carrigues and Dean: Compact, complete, good illustrations and maps, the book to get.

–Costa Rica Birds Field Guide app by BirdingFieldGuides: On a mobile device, photos for 850 plus species, vocalizations for more than 600 species, and information and maps for all species on the list (over 900). Also, ability to take and email notes in eBird format, variety of search functions, similar species function,no Internet needed for app to work.

Reference books: The best book to get is Birds of Costa Rica by Stiles and Skutch. It might be a bit out of date, kind of big for the field, and the illustrations are ok, but it has the best set of information about the ecology of birds in Costa Rica. This is an excellent book to study to learn about the behavior of the Costa Rican avifauna. Other good choices include:

– Any other books by Alexander Skutch.

– Birds of Tropical America by Steven Hilty is an excellent treatise on the behavior and ecology of neotropical birds.A fun, informative read before and after the trip.

-The Wildlife of Costa Rica: A Field Guide by Reid, Leenders, and Zook also works as a field guide and has information about other animals in addition to birds.

– Travellers Wildlife Guides Costa Rica by Les Beletsky is another field guide with lots of cool information about birds and other wildlife.

eBird: What modern day birder doesn’t use eBird as a study tool? If you don’t check it out but be aware that it can be a serious eater of time. Most of all, it’s good for knowing where birds have been seen. Pay it back by sending in your own lists.

Bird finding guides: There are a few old ones that still have some valid information but as with any country, bird finding information changes over time. the most recent bird finding guides are:

– A Bird Finding Guide to Costa Rica by Barrett Lawson has a lot of good bird finding information for various places, especially well known sites. Available in print.

– How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica by Pat O’Donnell (yep, that’s me) is like two or three books in one with the most up to date bird finding information for most of the country, including several little known sites, as well as information about behavior, ecology, and identification of Costa Rican birds. Available in e-book format and for Kindle devices.

Categories
Costa Rica bird finding guide Pacific slope

Advice for Birding the Cerro Lodge Entrance Road

Cerro Lodge is the place to stay when bathing in the mega-birding in and around Carara National Park. Other options include the oft-used Villa Lapas, the sometimes crowded Punta Leona, the new Macaw Lodge back in the hills on the other side of the park, and at least one hotel right in the middle of tiny Tarcoles. However, none of them share the blend of proximity, and diverse array of birds not found in the park possible around Cerro Lodge.

One of those birds is White-throated Magpie-Jay- we had these and others near Cerro.

Part of Cerro’s appeal comes from the birdy entrance road. This unassuming dirt road passes through open areas with scattered trees, second growth, and part of a river floodplain that results in a host of good birds. Whether staying at Cerro or not, this road is worth some serious binocular time. A couple of hours on that road that week reminded me of its worth as a site unto itself, here’s some advice on birding it :

  • Make time for this site: If you have plans to enter the national park, check out the road from 6 until 7 (opening time for the park during the dry season), or until 8 (opening hour at other times of the year). Or, if you have an extra day of birding, spend a full day on this road. Like every high diversity site, the more you bird it, the more you find, especially since the habitats also seem to act as a corridor between mangroves, other forest, and the park itself.

It’s also good for lots of common and edge species like this Lineated Woodpecker,

and Rose-throated (not) Becard.

  • Quality birds: If someone ever tells you that all birds are “quality” or that every bird is the same, they are either masquerading as a birder, or don’t know the difference between “common” and “rare”. Quality birds are the ones we don’t see that often, can’t really be seen elsewhere, or happen to be major targets because they look so cool. In other words, endangered and rare species, endemics, and stuff like Double-striped Thick-Knee. In the case of the Cerro Lodge road, it hosts a bunch of those quality species including the cool and crazy thick-knee.

Its cool, its crazy, its got thick knees and hypnotic golden eyes.

  • Double-striped Thick-knee: This target seems to be more frequent on the entrance road than in the past. Check for it in one of the first open pastures, and in the pastures in the floodplain. We saw 6 last week.
  • Crane Hawk: The road is one of the better places in Costa Rica to see this odd raptor. Watch for it flopping its way through the trees in the canopy or near the ground anywhere along the road. It also soars on occasion. We had rather distant looks at two different Crane Hawks.
  • Other raptors: Hang out on this road long enough and you have a chance at a pretty good variety of raptors. The long sight lines and birdy habitats offer chances at such other species as Gray-headed, Hook-billed, and Plumbeous Kites, occasional Harris’s Hawk and Pearl Kite (in the floodplain), Short-tailed, Broad-winged, Gray, Roadside, Zone-tailed, and Common Black Hawks, Laughing Falcon, Collared Forest-Falcon, and both caracaras. Even Tiny Hawk has nested on the road in the past!

Short-tailed Hawk is one of the most frequently seen raptor species in Costa Rica.

  • Owls: Cerro is known as a site for Black and white Owl and this species can also show on the road along with Mottled, Striped, Barn, and Pacific Screech Owls. Not to mention, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl is common during the day.
  • Swifts: Spot-fronted and Black Swifts are sometimes seen from the road in the morning along with more common White-collared and Chestnut-collared Swifts.
  • Psittacids: This can be a great area for parrots, parakeets, and their kin as they visit fruiting trees and move to and from roosting and foraging sites. The numbers and species vary throughout the year but lucky birders might see every possible species in one morning, mostly as flyovers. If not, it’s still pretty normal to see Scarlet Macaw, Red-lored, Yellow-naped, and White-fronted Parrots, and Orange-fronted and Orange-chinned Parakeets.
  • Good variety of dry forest species: Expect several dry forest species, including Black-headed  Trogon, Turquoise-browed Motmot, White-lored Gnatcatcher, Nutting’s and Brown-crested Flycatchers, occasional Stub-tailed Spadebill, Banded and Plain Wrens, White-throated Magpie-Jay, Stripe-headed and Olive Sparrows, Painted Bunting, and so on.

This is a good site for Nutting’s Flycatcher-  it looks almost exactly like the local variety of the Brown-crested but check out the small bill.

  • Keep an eye out for the cotinga: Last but not least, Yellow-billed Cotinga moves through this area, maybe even once or twice a day. The size of this population is very small (and, sadly, will likely disappear from the Carara area within ten years) but the few remaining birds are seen now and then near Cerro Lodge and in trees near the floodplain.
  • Bring a scope: It comes in handy when checking out distant crowns of trees and open areas.
  • Check the small marsh at the edge of the floodplain: It’s been so dry, this small wetland might not even be around when you visit. But, if so, check it for Bare-throated Tiger-Heron and other expected wetland species, possible American Pygmy-Kingfisher, and rarities like Masked Duck and maybe even a rail or two.

How to get there: From the turn off to Jaco on the Caldera highway, drive five minutes and watch for the turn off to Guacalillo on the right. Go a bit further and watch for the Cabinas Vasija on the left. The road will start going down a hill and shortly after comes to the entrance road to Cerro Lodge (the next road on the right). Be careful, it’s easy to miss!

For more information about how and where to see birds in Costa Rica, buy “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”, the most comprehensive bird-finding guide for the country.

Categories
Birding Costa Rica birding lodges Costa Rica bird finding guide Where to see birds in Costa Rica

The Real Birding Hotspots in Costa Rica Part Two

In continuation, this is my take on birding hotspots for major habitats in Costa Rica (see part one for the three main factors used in determining hotspots):

  • The Central Pacific area: We could also just call this “Carara National Park and vicinity” because that is the main hotspot for this part of the country. In fact, this mega-ecotone is such a crossroads of biodiversity, it’s a strong candidate for being the top birding hotspot in Central America. Few other places can claim a list of around 600 recorded species within such a small area as well as regional endemics, uncommon forest species, and so on. Carara and nearby has it all; quality, protected forest, a variety of major habitats (lowland rainforest, dry forest, open areas, mangroves, lowland river, estuaries, and seashore) with a subsequent huge variety of species, and easy access. If there are any downsides to birding the Carara area, they would be the limited opening hours for the national park (7 to 4 during the high season and 8 to 4 in the low season), and the damn heat. That said, easy solutions to those disadvantages come in the form of good birding just outside the national park, and using a combination of air conditioning, lightweight clothing, and cold drinks. There are a few choices for lodging with Cerro Lodge being a stand out for quality birding, photo opportunities, habitat restoration, and proximity to the national park. Villa Lapas also offers similar advantages for the birder, and other choices for lodging a bit further from the park are The Macaw Lodge and Punta Leona.

    The Black-headed Trogon is one of 5 trogon species possible around Carara.
  • The Southern Pacific: Although the forests at Carara are essentially part of the southern Pacific bioregion, there are a few very good sites rather far from Carara that also deserve hotspot status. Good birding can be had around Manuel Antonio National Park and several sites around Dominical but the best birding is found on and near the Osa Peninsula. Outside of the Osa, the Esquinas Rainforest Lodge and vicinity is a major birding hotspot. This is one of my favorite sites in the country simply because you can see a huge variety of species, including many uncommon birds.  Bird the road through La Gamba and you might see Crested Oropendola, Brown-throated Parakeet, Scrub Greenlet, Pale-breasted Spinetail, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, and several other birds that can be tough in Costa Rica. If the remaining rice fields have not been converted to oil palm plantations, you might find Paint-billed Crake and rare vagrants. Flowering trees can have everything from Veraguan Mango to White-crested Coquette, and once you reach the rainforests at the lodge and in Piedras Blancas National Park, it’s fairly easy to see four trogon species, several wrens, antbirds, woodcreepers, and so on with chances at the endemic Back-cheeked Ant-Tanager, and Uniform Crake. Check out the 158 species I had during a fairly casual day of guiding in this area.

    The Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager only occurs in and around the Osa peninsula.
  • The Osa: The good birding in the South Pacific doesn’t stop at Esquinas. There are several excellent sites on the Osa peninsula, including two of the best birding lodges in the country; Bosque del Rio Tigre and Luna Lodge. Both of these are comfortable lodges with fantastic birding and excellent guides with the best local gen you could hope for, and have primary forest connected to the forests of Corcovado National Park. Many of the same species as Esquinas can also be found at and near these sites. Although the birding in the national park is great, problems with access exclude Corcovado from hotspot status. Other great birding sites in the Osa can also be found at stations run by Osa Conservation, at Lapa Rios, Bosque del Cabo, and lodges in the Drake Bay area. Rincon de Osa also deserves mention since it’s the most reliable site in the world for the highly endangered Yellow-billed Cotinga.
  • Caribbean foothills: Somewhere between cloud forest and lowland rainforest, the wet foothill forests of the Caribbean slope are very important habitat for hundreds of bird species. In addition to providing a home for Lattice-tailed Trogon and other foothill specialties, these forests are also an important refuge for many lowland forest birds that no longer occur in large areas of the deforested Caribbean coastal plain. There are several good foothill sites to choose from, the most accessible being El Tapir and the Quebrada Gonzalez Ranger Station in Braulio Carrillo National Park, sites around Arenal National Park and Bijagua, and Rancho Naturalista. Rancho in particular, is a classic birding lodge with various feeders, excellent guides, and excellent gen for the lodge and surrounding areas. Near Rancho, El Copal merits a mention because the birding is some of the very best in the country but it’s not as accessible nor as comfortable as Rancho. The same can be said about the Pocosol Research Station, a fantastic site located in the Children’s Eternal Rainforest on the route between San Ramon and La Fortuna. Past La Fortuna, excellent birding can also be had on the grounds of Arenal Observatory Lodge. Further north, sites near Bijagua also offer high quality forest with equally high quality birding including fair chances at Tody Motmot, Lovely Cotinga, uncommon raptors, and much more.

    A Crowned Woodnymph from Rancho Naturalista.
  • Caribbean lowlands: Historically, the Caribbean lowlands were cloaked in fantastic ranforests.  and the birding must have been spectacular. Stories of that level of birding still exist in the form of tales told by researchers who worked in La Selva during the 70s. They tell of seeing Great Jacamar, hearing about Harpy Eagle sightings, and bearing witness to an abundance of birds, frogs, and other rainforest wildlife rarely encountered in present times. However, this was before massive deforestation changed the ecological landscape of the Caribbean lowlands and the difference in birding is notable. Good birding can still be had at several sites but the best lowland birding is found in areas with connection to the most intact lowland habitats. Such sites also tend to be difficult to access and is why Hitoy Cerere, Veragua, and much less accessible sites fail to make it onto hotspot lists. If you can get there, expect excellent lowland birding. If not, then some very good alternatives are Laguna del Lagarto, the Sarapiqui area, and sites near Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Manzanillo.

    Great Green Macaw- a signature species of the Caribbean lowlands. This bird was just outside of La Selva.
  • Laguna del Lagarto might be the best birding hotspot for the Caribbean lowlands because the ecolodge offers a fine combination of comfort, good service, and great birding. Visit and you will be asked when you want to see Agami heron, roosting owls, or other birds they know about. Watch from the porch and you can photograph toucans, parrots, and other birds that visit an excellent feeder. You might also see raptors, King Vulture, Scaled Pigeon, toucans, or Snowy Cotinga in nearby treetops. Inside the forest, you might find White-fronted Nunbird, antbirds, Semiplumbeous Hawk, and even Tawny-faced Quail. Since those forests are also connected to the extensive lowland rainforests of southeastern Nicaragua, maybe Harpy Eagle or Red-throated Caracara will make an appearance?
  • That said, if you can’t make it to Laguna del Lagarto, the easiest accessible lowland rainforest is in the Sarapiqui area. Take the early morning birding tour at La Selva for an excellent variety of birds along with great birding on the entrance road to the research station. Stay at La Selva or more comfortable ecolodges like Selva Verde, the Quinta Inn, Sueno Azul, or Tirimbina for good birding on the grounds of the hotel. The reserve at Tirimbina is especially good and can be visited by non-guests of the hotel for a fee although the opening hours are a bit limited. Time should also be made for a boat trip on the Sarapiqui to see Green Ibis, look for Sungrebe, roosting potoos, Sunbittern, and other birds.
  • The forests south of Limon can also be excellent for birding and are very easy to access. Much of the habitat around Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Manzanillo is a mix of lowland rainforest and old shade cacao plantations. Most lowland species seem to be present including Purple-throated fruitcrow, Great Potoo, Green and Rufous Kingfisher, and Tiny Hawk, the birding is often very good right around the hotel, and the area is excellent for migrants.

    A birdy track near Manzanillo.
  • Wetlands: There are two top wetland areas in Costa Rica. These are the wetlands of the Tempisque floodplain and the Cano Negro area. Palo Verde National Park is the main site in Tempisque but there are a few other privately owned wetlands as well. Bird Palo Verde for Jabiru and many other wetland species, and a good selection of dry forest birds including Thicket Tinamou. Jabiru is also possible at Cano Negro along with Sungrebe, Great Potoo, Black-collared Hawk, and various other wetland species. Remaining forests at Cano Negro are also good for a fair variety of lowland rainforest species as well as Gray-headed Dove, Spot-breasted Wren, and Bare-crowned Antbird. If visiting Cano Negro, make sure to also take a boat ride in the Medio Queso wetlands near Los Chiles. This is the best area for Pinnated Bittern, Spotted Rail, Least Bittern, Nicaraguan Grackle, Nicaraguan Seed-Finch, and several other rare species.

    A Nicaraguan Grackle displays at Medio Queso.

Visit Costa Rica and you will find good birding in lots of places. Visit the hotspots mentioned in these two posts and you will be visiting the best sites in the country. Make the most of any birding trip to Costa Rica by hiring an experienced birding guide.

To support this blog and find the most comprehensive information about birding sites in Costa Rica, get How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica, a 700 plus page e-book that will enrich the birding experience in Costa Rica at every level.