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Best Birding Day Trips from San Jose- 5 Tips

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What birding day trips are possible from San Jose, Costa Rica? Is it worth birding in the city itself? How far can you go in a day and, most importantly, which birds can you see?

Oh yes, you can see Fiery-throated Hummingbirds.

Before we start answering those questions, there’s a few important things to know about staying in “San Jose, Costa Rica”. If you didn’t know, San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica. It’s also the general name given to the Central Valley, an urbanized area that also includes several other cities and towns. However, since housing has connected most of those places, it looks like one big urban conglomeration.

Although each place still has its own designation, its own municipality, visitors refer to the Central Valley as “San Jose”. In Costa Rica, we still say Heredia, Alajuela, and so on but everyone also knows the Central Valley as the Greater Metropolitan Area of San Jose. With that in mind, when you fly to SJO, Costa Rica, even though the destination says, “San Jose”, you are really landing in Alajuela.

You can also assume you are staying in San Jose when your hotel is actually at the edge of Alajuela (such as birdy Villa San Ignacio and Hotel Robledal), or even in Santa Ana.

Regarding day trips, it’s important to understand these distinctions because where you stay in the San Jose area has an influence on birding day trip logistics. The following tips deal with that and other factors that come in to play.

Some Places are Easier to Visit than Others, What About Birding in San Jose?

There’s a bunch of birding sites within reach of San Jose and even in the city limits. However, if you are already going to be birding in other parts of Costa Rica, don’t bother doing much birding in San Jose. You can see nearly all of those birds elsewhere along with lots more species.

The one exception might be the Cabanis’s Ground-Sparrow. Yes, there are good sites for it outside of San Jose but if you won’t be visiting the Orosi Valley area, you’ll need to find it in the Central Valley. There are several spots for this fancy towhee but you still have to know where to go and the bird is uncommon and tricky.

As far as birding trips from San Jose, the easiest places to visit sort of depend on where you are staying. Got a room at the classic Hotel Bougainvillea or in San Jose itself? Based on logistics, good day trips are Quebrada Gonzalez, Nectar and Pollen, and Centro Manu (those are some exciting places!).

Escazu or Santa Ana are good for day trips to the University of Peace area, sites near Orotina, and the Pacific lowlands, and the Poas area is ideal when staying near the airport or in Heredia.

How to Avoid Traffic

The number one challenge for day trips from the San Jose area is traffic. It truly is awful and can put a serious dent in your birding time. To make sure you are birding instead of wasting time on roads, you absolutely must leave the hotel by 5:30 at the latest. Earlier is even better, say by 4:30 or 5:00.

Seriously, if you head out after 5:30 or at 6, you might want to wait and bird the following morning. The worst morning traffic happens between 6 and 8; the best time for birding. You should really be at your birding site by 6.

The other worst time for traffic is between 4 and 6. 3:30 and 6:30 or even 7 aren’t so fun either but those two hours in the late afternoon are the worst. They might not eat into your birding day but it can be a real pain returning to your hotel.

There are two main ways to avoid that awful afternoon traffic. One is by limiting day trips to a morning of birding. You head out early, get in a good morning of birding, have lunch, and return to the hotel by 2 or so.

The other option is doing an extra-long day of birding. Really, with that traffic, it’s worth staying out until night, looking for owls, and then getting back to the hotel by 8.

bare-shanked-screech-owls
You might see a Bare-shanked Screech-Owl.

How Far Should You Go?

Costa Rica’s pretty small. When staying in the San Jose area, an impressive variety of habitats are within reach. The closest best spots are typically 45 minutes to an hour away with some places being an hour and half by car.

You can go further but leaving the hotel by 3:30 or 4 isn’t too fun, especially when it takes even longer to get back. Luckily, you can reach most major habitats in an hour and a half. The closest, easily accessible cloud forest is in the Poas area. Cloud forests near Coronado are also fairly close but are at the end of a rough road. Cloud forests near San Ramon are slightly further away and can also have bellbirds from March to August!

The nearest foothill rainforests are at and near Quebrada Gonzalez and the Virgen del Socorro area. Go a bit further and you can also bird the fantastic San Luis Canopy and Manuel Brenes road.

For high elevation forests, the road to Poas Volcano is good. Volcan Barva has even better habitat and is close but, sadly, is only accessible by a very rough road. If you travel a bit further, you can go to the Irazu Volcano area and try for Volcano Junco and Timberline Wren among other high elevation birds.

Unfortunately, the Talamancas are a bit far for a day trip from San Jose (at least for me). Sure, it can be done but you’ll be in for a fair amount of driving (unless you are coming from Cartago).

Dry forest birding is also close with several species even possible at sites like Villa San Ignacio and other places near Alajuela. It might only take 45 minutes to reach dry and open habitats around Orotina.

For South Pacific rainforest and coastal habitats, it takes an hour and a half to drive to Tarcoles and the Carara area. Go a bit further and you can also go birding at Mata de Limon and scan for seabirds from Puntarenas.

Day Trips to see Quetzals

What about quetzals? Can you see them on a day trip from San Jose? Absolutely! In Costa Rica, Resplendent Quetzals inhabit cloud forest and high elevation rainforest in all sorts of places. Find that habitat and quetzals should be somewhere in the area.

For their quetzal fix, a lot of folks visit Paraiso Quetzal and the Dota Valley. Those are great sites and you can do them as a day trip from San Jose but it will also take more than two hours to get there.

The closest quetzals are in the Poas and Barva Volcano areas. They move around and can be tricky but if you know how to look for quetzals, you can usually find them (at least I do). Incredibly, those birds are just 45 minutes or an hour’s drive from San Jose!

Quetzals are also possible near San Ramon. That usually takes an hour and 45 minutes and they aren’t as easy.

How Many Birds on Birding Day Trips from San Jose?

It’s all about time and location but most day trips from San Jose can turn up a good number of birds. If only doing a bit of birding in and near urban areas, you might get 40 or 50 species at most. It’ll mostly be common species with highlights like Lesson’s Motmot, White-eared Ground-Sparrow, and hopefully Cabanis’s Ground-Sparrow.

A day in foothill rainforest typically results in 60 to 80 species or more. However, you might not see those birds in other spots. They include various tanagers and deep forest birds including chances at uncommon and rare birds like hawk-eagles, antbirds, and other species.

Juvenile male Spotted Antbird with adult male on the left.

Go birding in the Poas area and you can see a high number of species. The combination of high elevation and middle elevation habitats often turns up a 100 species. On my best days, I’ve shown birders 130 and even 140 species in a day. In addition to fair chances at the quetzal, a day of birding also usually includes Sooty Thrush, Yellow-thighed Brushfinch, many other regional endemics, several hummingbirds, and many other species.

Head down to the Pacific coast and you’ll also see a wide variety of species including Scarlet Macaw, parrots, maybe Double-striped Thick-Knee, raptors, trogons, and more. During a morning, I often see more than 120 species and a full day can result in 160 or more.

For the best birding day trip from San Jose, think about how you want to bird, what birds you want to see, and how long you want to stay out. Some spots are better for photography, others better for rare forest birds, and different areas of course have different bird species.

Really, there’s so many options, you could stay at a hotel in the San Jose area, do several day trips from there, and see more than 300 species!

To learn more about where to go birding in Costa Rica and support this blog, check out 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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Birding Trip to Costa Rica- Driving Dos and Dont’s

Driving to Bribri

Driving in Costa Rica. Should you do it? What’s it like? What about taking the bus? How about road issues and birding by car?

If you are thinking about driving in Costa Rica, wondering if you should take the wheel or let a local do the driving, this post is for you. If you don’t plan on driving but are still curious about what the driving is like in Costa Rica, this post is also for you.

I’ve written about this topic on other occasions, here’s my latest take on various aspects of driving in the land of quetzals, toucans, and visiting sloth watchers.

Driving Expectations in Costa Rica

Thinking of driving in Costa Rica? Not sure if you should drive yourself or go with shuttles? Those are good considerations, after all, driving in Costa Rica might not be the same as home.

In short, it’s not but it’s also not extremely different from driving in Canada, the USA, or Europe. In general, it’s not as relaxed, streets can get pretty crowded, and there’s a fairly high percentage of bad drivers. If that sounds like home, you’re all set!

Based on driving in Costa Rica for several years and in all conditions, here’s the deal. Expect similar driving rules but also expect people to break many of them on a daily basis. The rule breaking isn’t constant but it does happen enough to expect people to do it.

For example, here’s some of what I saw during the past week, and is typical:

-Vehicles stopped on the side of a busy road and partly blocking a lane because they are picking someone up or going to the bank or doing some other thing that’s more important to them than causing traffic jams and unsafe conditions.

-Occasional cars rushing into traffic to turn left without really checking.

-Cars rushing to cut in front of you because you left space between you and the car in front so you don’t smash into it (I also see such fender benders every day), in slow or fast traffic.

-Driving too slow with sudden inexplicable stops and driving too fast, even by schools.

-People passing in dangerous situations, especially on highways.

-Likely drunk driving, especially when bars close, and constant cell phone use while driving.

-Driving through red lights and maybe not quite stopping at stop signs. This doesn’t happen very often but often enough to be very careful!

Now these might be things you also see at home, if so, then you already know how to drive in Costa Rica. If not, just drive carefully and defensively and you’ll be alright.

Traffic Police

Costa Rica actually has a lot of driving rules but there’s not enough enforcement. Traffic police are the only police that really give tickets and we just don’t have enough.

Typically, traffic police in Costa Rica wait on the side of the road with a speed camera. They might also wait in spots where people illegally overtake over cars and mostly watch for cars that do not have their registration and inspection stickers up to date.

They also do occasional stops to check for a license. If you see a traffic officer step in your lane and wave to you to pull over, that’s what they are doing. Pull over and see what they want. They rarely stop rental cars but, if you are speeding well over the limit or illegally passing, yeah, they’ll stop you and give a hefty fine.

Be extra careful to slow down in spots where it drops to 60 ks per hour even if other cars are flying by!

Motorcycles

Dirt bikes, speed bikes, and even weekend Harleys, you’ll probably see them all. Motorcyles, especially dirt bikes, are common in Costa Rica. Cheaper than cars, faster and easier to get through traffic, you might want one too!

They are also supposed to follow the same rules as cars but they never do and that’s not really enforced (except maybe speeding and official things like having a license). Motorcycles are why you can’t just watch the road in front of you. I keep an eye on the mirrors, always watch what’s coming from behind; it’s very common for motorcycles to zip between cars and fly past you on both sides.

Turning left? Changing lanes? Make sure some motorcycle isn’t flying into view. Oh yeah, they do drive dangerously, and yes, there are many fatal motorcycle accidents. On weekends, you might also see youngsters doing wheelies on busy roads. Don’t be surprised!

Cyclists

Cycling has become very popular in Costa Rica. Many climb volcanoes, their feats are indeed impressive!

You’ll see lots on the weekends, and they’ll slow down traffic. Few Costa Rica roads have shoulders, there’s not a lot of room but that doesn’t stop cyclists. Just be patient and don’t expect them to move out of the way, even if they are taking up an entire lane. You’ll eventually get a chance to safely pass them.

Road Conditions, Four Wheel Drive?

What about the roads? I’m happy to say that most roads in Costa Rica are great! Some still have holes and lots of bumps but it’s nothing like 20 or even 15 years ago.

Most major roads are pretty darn good. You can still run into massive pot holes, you still gotta watch out for them but major roads are pretty good. Other, secondary roads vary but the ones with gravel are alright. However, many little used tracks are definitely not alright.

You can explore but play it by ear. If the track has slippery clay mud, turn around! Just because a road is on a map doesn’t mean you can use it. Go downhill on slippery mud and you might get stuck down there, might slide right off the road.

There’s also the issue of crossing streams. Just use common sense- if that stream looks too deep, don’t do it!

So what about four-wheel drive? Do you need it? Not if you are only travelling between birding lodges (as long as their entrance road doesn’t require four wheel drive!). However, if you want to explore other places and visit exciting places like Pocosol, El Copal, and Laguna del Lagarto, yes, to be sure, get the four-wheel drive.

When Not to Drive in Costa Rica and other Safety Issues

Are there times when you shouldn’t drive in Costa Rica? Not necessarily, but I don’t recommend doing much night driving, especially in the mountains. Night driving in Costa Rica is not fun because most roads have poor or no lighting, it’s harder to see pot holes and other odd things to avoid, and people with dark clothing and bikes sans reflectors are regular.

Lanes and reflectors on the edge of the road are also poor or non-existent. When combined with mountain fog, those factors in particular can make for particularly terrifying driving conditions.

As for other safety issues, never leave anything of value in an unattended car, and don’t leave binos or other valuable things in a vehicle even in a guarded parking lot. Unattended cars are frequent targets, guarded parking areas less so but it can still happen, why take the chance?

Is Birding in Costa Rica by Car Possible?

It sure is! There’s a lot of places with good roadside habitat and I bird this way on a regular basis. I have seen everything from quetzals to hawk-eagles and antbirds.

To have a better chance at forest interior species like tinamous and quail-doves, it’s important to include trail birding too but you can certainly see a lot while road birding in Costa Rica.

However, you can’t really stop on busy roads, most lack shoulders anyways. I stop on other roads but still stop where occasional vehicles can get by and no matter how remote the road may seem to be, I always bird within sight of it.

Renting a Vehicle in Costa Rica, Shuttles, or Buses

Rent a vehicle and you get that wonderful freedom of the road. I usually work with Vamos Rent a Car but lots of folks have had good experiences with other companies too.

Know that prices go up quite a bit with optional insurance but I always feel better getting the full coverage.

Shuttles are nice and comfortable. They aren’t cheap but it’s a nice, relaxed way to get from one place to another. Of course, this limits movement but if you only plan on birding on hotel or ecolodge grounds, you’ll be alright.

Buses also go just about everywhere and they are the cheapest way to get around but, they’ll eat up a lot of your precious birding time.

Pumping Gas

It’s all full service in Costa Rica. Nope, no pumping your own gas, you have to wait for the attendant and tell them how much you want. To fill the car, say, “Lleno porfavor”. You’ll also have a choice of two or three types of gas with “super” costing the most. Speaking of cost, gas is pretty expensive in Costa Rica and runs around $5 a gallon.

Distances aren’t huge but it is costly.

The attendant can also wash the windows, check tire pressure, etc..

The Electric Car Situation in Costa Rica

Electric vehicles are becoming more and more popular in Costa Rica! I like it, we’ve got way too much air pollution in the Central Valley and, as a species, we need to stop burning fossil fuels now.

So far, electric cars are also feasible in Costa Rica because the distances aren’t that far. Driving uphill and using necessary air conditioning eats up the charge but the distances are still close enough. There are also an increasing number of charging stations although some require special cards only acquired through bureaucratic processes, and some don’t work.

However, to meet the demand, it looks like there will be more charging station services available.

Wondering where to drive and go birding in Costa Rica? Support this blog by 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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Hints of Fall Birding in Costa Rica

Fall migration doesn’t really start in autumn. It happens as soon as birds feel like moving. Several shorebirds get that urge, not that long after arriving in the Arctic!

Despite flying thousands of miles north from their wintering grounds, as soon as Surfbirds, plovers, and various sandpipers nest, they turn right back around and migrate south.

It seems crazy but that’s just how things evolved, at least for those species. They aren’t the only ones either. Other “early” migrants leave their breeding grounds by late summer. By fall, some are hardly present in the north.

Autumn doesn’t really happen in Costa Rica but we still get hints of the changes in the north. The first ones come in the form of early “fall migrants”. Lately, birders in Costa Rica have been seeing some of those first fall birds, bearing witness to these ancient avian movements.

Here’s why we know fall is coming soon:

Flocks of Swallow-tailed Kites

Yesterday, while reviewing eBird sightings, I noticed one that sounds like a birding dream. Birders in the Caribbean lowlands saw well over 100 Swallow-tailed Kites, all soaring together as they made their way south.

I approved it and even if they didn’t have pictures, would have still confirmed that sighting. Now is when those elegant raptors move south through Costa Rica and yes, we can see flocks numbering in the hundreds!

It doesn’t happen for long but if you go birding in the Caribbean lowlands for the next month or so, you should see some on the move. I’ll have to keep an eye on the skies in the Central Valley, a few might fly this way too.

One of those kettles of Swallow-tailed Kites.

Louisiana Waterthrushes

Anyone who knows this cool bird won’t be surprised that a few have already arrived in Costa Rica. These stream-loving, eastern warblers get to their wintering grounds very early.

Mountainous Costa Rica provides them with an abundance of habitat. Seems like I see them on most highland streams and rocky rivers. I wonder how many actually winter here?

Yellow Warblers, Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, and Pewees

I haven’t seen or heard any of these early migrants yet but they should be arriving any day now. Yellow Warblers and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are especially common in Costa Rica. If you see a wintering Empid here, chances are it’s a Yellow-bellied.

Pewees will be moving through in numbers too, both Western and Eastern. I look forward to hearing them call; they bring me back to their breeding grounds; “pee o wees” in humid summer woods of maple and beech where American Redstarts flit and Great-crested Flycatchers “wheep!”

The hoarse calls of Westerns are perfect for their dry, mountainous homes. Seems like a call a bird should give that lives near cowboys, that flies out from sage and wild, western pinelands. I remember spectacular Colorado mountains and the beautiful woods of Washington state.

Voices of Summer Birds Have Gone Silent

Meanwhile, in Costa Rica, the constant voices of our summer birds have gone silent. Yeah, you might still hear an adventurous Piratic Flycatcher or a Yellow-green Vireo that can’t help itself but most are quiet.

The same goes for the other main summer resident, the Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher. These birds are like the migrant warblers and vireos of the north; only here to take advantage of a sudden, wet season boost of arthropods.

Once they’ve raised their young, there’s no more need to sing. Only time to eat, probably change feathers, and head back to the Amazon.

Shorebirds

And yes, some of the shorebirds are back! A few never left but most are migrants stopping or staying in Costa Rica after nesting in far northern wetlands.

Someone posted pictures of breeding plumage Surfbirds, some Spotties have been here for at least a month, and today, I noticed Least, Willet, and Whimbrels at Tarcoles.

This is just the beginning of fall migration but I’ll take it. I’ll be pleased to see those birds while looking forward to the big bird movement, the avian flow that rushes through Costa Rica in October.

Preparing for a birding trip to Costa Rica? Check out my Costa Rica bird finding guide! I hope to see you here!

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Birding Costa Rica- Late July, 2024

Historically, July isn’t the most exciting time for birding. At least that’s how the birding rumors tend to roll in the temperate zone. No migration, birds finishing up nesting on lazy summer days, not much to see… Those mid-summer times always seemed better for studying your field guides, going to ball games and taking full advantage of sweet summer days.

Rumors can have some base of truth and those summer birding sayings are no exception. Even so, maybe we just weren’t seeing much because we weren’t going birding? Birds don’t disappear in July, neither up north and especially not in Costa Rica. Some linger on their breeding grounds and several are raising second broods. Other birds are on their way south, some shorebirds are already here!

Red-legged Honeycreepers? Always!

There are also birds that wander north, and, in Costa Rica, it’s a good time to look for seabirds in the Gulf of Nicoya (some Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrels were seen today). If you are headed to Costa Rica soon, you bet the birding’s gonna be exciting. Wonder what to expect? Check out these tips and birding news items:

Heavy Rains

Not to tone down any birding expectations but yeah, you’ll have to be ready for rain. As with several other places across the globe, Costa Rica has been seeing some heavy rains. It’s no surprise, the atmosphere is warmer than we have ever known and that makes it hold more water.

It eventually comes back down, and with a vengeance. In Costa Rica, we’ve had flooding here and there, especially in the northern foothills and parts of the Pacific slope. Some roads have also been affected, especially the main road between San Ramon and La Fortuna. If you are driving yourself, make sure to check Waze to see which roads are open. Certain birding spots could also be flooded, especially sites near Ciudad Neily and Guanacaste.

Most roads are fine but with these rains, that situation can change from one day to the next.

Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo Sightings

With more diligent birders in the field, we have far more regular sightings of this mega bird than we used to. Recently, a pair with a juvenile have been attending an antswarm near Turrialba, and another one or two have been seen again at the San Luis Canopy.

These major birds can also show at various other sites but, away from swarming Army Ants, can be very difficult. A couple of the other regular sites are Rincon de la Vieja and the road to Manuel Brenes but they also occur in any sizeable tracts of mature foothill rainforest on the Caribbean slope. There is also a small population in the Carara hills and Cangreja National Park, and maybe elsewhere but those birds are much less accessible.

Even Mangrove Cuckoos are easier to see than the Rufous-vented variety.

Sooty Tern Seen at Medio Queso!

It looks like Hurricane Beryl probably did give us one lost bird! On a visit to Medio Queso during a Wings birding tour, Scott Olmstead photographed a distant tern. Upon checking pictures after the tour, it turned out to be a juvenile Sooty Tern!

As far as I know, this is the only inland record for this pelagic species in Costa Rica. You can watch these graceful birds flock and forage over tuna in offshore waters but we don’t even usually see them from the coast.

Beware Illegal Tours to Poas Volcano and Turrialba

Lately, the authorities have busted tours visiting prohibited areas on Turrialba and Poas Volcanoes. They weren’t birding tours and the tourists were locals but I figured I would mention it anyways.

Apparently, some locals have offered hiking trips to closed sites on these volcanoes. I get looking for adventure and wanting to see new places but there are some pretty good reasons why certain parts of active volcanoes are off limits.

I seriously doubt any visiting birders would sign up for these tours but figured I’d mention it anyways!

Fortunately, you don’t need to visit closed areas to see this particular bird.

As for other birding opportunities, there’s not a whole lot to say other than the birds are all here. They are in their expected habitats and, as always, the birding in Costa Rica is fantastic! For more tips, check out this blog, get my Costa Rica bird finding guide, study your Garrigues and Dean field guide and mark target species on your birding app for Costa Rica.

There’s a heck of a lot to see and the birds are waiting. I hope to see you here!

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Observations from Birding the Old Cinchona Road

I saw several Green Thorntails.

Birding hotspots are brewed from a blend of particularly good birding (rare species and/or high numbers), and accessibility. That access part is key because without it, of course a birding hotspot is “only good for the birds”. Yes, healthy ecosystems and birds having places to live are what’s most important but let’s face it, we’re also talking about birding.

And without the “birding” part, by definition, a good place for birding can’t really be a birding hotspot. For example, I can assure that the forested depths of Braulio Carrillo National Park are fantastic birding. I haven’t been but we’re talking about a large area of intact, untouched rainforest (mostly of the middle elevation variety). It should host a range of rare and uncommon species!

Ornate Hawk-eagles definitely live there.

BUT, we can only assume because no one has really birded there. Yes, a little bit but most areas in the park have yet to be adequately explored. No birding = no birding hotspot. It’s one of those places that would be nice and exciting but…nope, can’t really get in there.

At least we got some sites at and near the edges of that big tropical forest block and yes, several live up to their hotspot status. One of the best known is a little route 126 roadside place called, “Cinchona”.

Cinchona made its birding mark when two cafes put up fruit and hummingbird feeders in the early 2000s. As expected, lots of cool birds came to visit, even fancy ones like barbets and Northern Emerald Toucanets.

The in your face views of beautiful tropical birds put Cinchona on the global birding map. Although the tragic 2009 earthquake halted visits for a while, the Cinchona hummingbird cafe was eventually rebuilt and has definitely rebounded. This special place continues to live up to its birding hotspot status and yet, there’s more!

Some months ago, local birders got curious and checked out the birding across the street from the cafe. Not like at the farm animal stalls (you’ll see what I mean) but above and behind that spot. Back along the old road that went through the settlement, they found some pretty good stuff. A couple days ago, I got the chance to bird that road. Here’s some of what I found and what to expect.

People Still Live in Old Cinchona

It probably seems odd to mention that but there’s a reason why a community just down the road is called, “Nuevo Cinchona”. “New Cinchona” was built to accommodate the folks who lost their homes during the 2009 quake.

The violently shaking earth knocked down most of old Cinchona, maybe all of it. Several people also lost their lives. Knowing about New Cinchona, I had assumed that everyone had moved there, that the old place had been totally abandoned. As I learned the other day, nope, not so!

While several structures are ruined and abandoned, some people do live in old Cinchona. They have small farms and a few probably also work at the cafe. As is typical of tracks passing by farms, a couple dogs will come out to bark and growl but the ones we encountered were more scared of us than dangerous.

Walk Uphill but Bring a Walking Stick

To visit, head to the Cinchona hummingbird cafe (aka Mirador de Catarata de San Fernando) and walk up the concrete driveway next to the animal stalls. It’s not a long walk but it is a steep one and, in wet weather, that driveway could be slippery.

After parking at the cafe, it would also be good to tell the cafe workers or owners that you’ll be birding up there. Tell them, “Voy arriba a la calle vieja para observar aves. Regresare para comer en el cafe.” That also means you’ll be returning to do some dining or coffeeing at the cafe. And you of course will because they have feeders with several nice birdies.

Sometimes, Brown Violetear is present. We had one the otehr day.

After surviving the driveway, you have two main choices; walking left or to the right. I have yet to walk right but those roads seem to lead to nice second growth and perhaps fair forest too. However, the best habitat seems to be to the left, walking uphill.

The old road is actually a track generally not used by vehicles. Since it’s also slippery in some parts, if you choose to brave it, bring a walking stick or two!

Good Overlooks for Raptor Watching

Upon venturing onto the old road, one of the first things I noticed was the enticing, raptor watching view. Low clouds and mist removed seen raptors from our list but better weather could turn up several species.

Barred and Short-tailed Hawks are regular but other taloned birds hunt there too. Bring a scope to scan for distant Solitary Eagles soaring over forest on the other side of the canyon. Don’t get your hopes up for the eagle but it would be a good place to watch for it.

Instead, you might see Ornate Hawk-Eagle (I heard one and at least one pair commonly uses that area), Black Hawk-Eagle, and maybe even Black and White Hawk-Eagle. Other possible raptors include White Hawk, Bicolored Hawk, Gray Hawk, Swallow-tailed Kite, Great Black Hawk, and Bat Falcon.

A Barred Hawk from Cinchona.

Good Habitat, the Best is at The End of the Road

Overall, the road has some nice habitat. It starts with second growth, passes through forest patches next to pasture, and ends in nice cloud forest. There are various edge species including Gray-crowed Yellowthroat (probably Olive-crowned too) and Slaty Spinetail as well as many small birds feeding on fruiting bushes and trees (like tanagers, Prong-billed Barbet, Collared Trogon, and more).

The forest hosts expected middle elevation species along with some goodies like foliage-gleaners (I had both Lineated and Buff-fronted), White-throated Spadebill, and Rufous-breasted Antthrush. The antthrush was one of our main targets but despite getting close to one of three birds heard, it still gave us the slip.

Lots of other good birds are up there too. Azure-hooded Jay is around (we heard one), we had a brief look at a quetzal, and other birders have seen Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl, Black-banded Woodcreeper, and Red-fronted Parrotlet. I bet Strong-billed Woodcreeper also occurs and who knows what else might show?

If you visit the Cinchona hummingbird cafe, are good at walking up tracks with some slippery spots, and feel like being adventurous, you’re a good candidate for the Old Cinchona Road. I’m looking forward to more exploration in that area. It definitely lives up to birding hotspot status!

I need to update my Costa Rica bird finding ebook with this site but “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica” still covers hundreds of other birding sites in Costa Rica. It also shows how to look for those birds too.

I hope to see you here, maybe birding on the Old Cinchona Road.

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Expectations for Birding in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Manzanillo

Going birding in Costa Rica? I hope so! The birding excitement in the tropics is constant and Costa Rica is no exception. Believe me, there’s lots to see in Costa Rica and always more.

In Costa Rica, among the many nice birding things is the fact that so many birding hotspots are so accessible. Whether looking for quetzals in the highlands or antbirds down low, it doesn’t long to reach excellent habitat.

This is some birdy rainforest in southern Costa Rica.

The past few days, my partner and spent a few days birding and relaxing in the southern Caribbean zone. We stayed at MyA Glamping, a nice little spot located between Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Manzanillo on the aptly named Toucan Road.

Some tips, observations, and suggestions from the past few days:

The Highway to Limon is a Lot Better but Not Quite Finished Yet

Route 32 has come a long way. What used to be a two lane highway replete with loads of trucking now has sizable stretches of fast, four-lanes (still replete with trucking but more manageable). The route has become much more comfortable and faster but…not for the whole ride.

There are still spots where barrels and other lane blocking thingies suddenly appear in the fast lane, forcing you to go over to the right lane. They don’t seem to be there for any logical reason but that doesn’t stop them from acting as potentially dangerous obstacles. Keep an eye out and make sure to drive in the right lane long before you have to suddenly and inexplicably merge.

Road work is also still happening. On our drive there, we had an easy going and quick ride. On the way back, it was still alright for us but folks heading towards Limon weren’t so lucky. One or two spots with road work caused lines of stopped traffic for an impressive number of kilometers.

Oh yeah, and as a bonus, at the moment, road work to widen bridges just before Puerto Viejo is causing additional lines of stopped traffic. Widening those bridges is needed, hopefully they’ll finish them soon.

The South Caribbean Has Become a Busy, Touristy Place

That’s nothing new but it’s important to mention and not only because it’s so radically different from my first visit in 1994. Back then, this region was truly a different world.

This is a spot in Manzanillo that used to have wintering Mourning Warbler, other wintering birds, and other stuff. Hopefully, the small kingfishers can still occur at the ditch/stream next to this property.

Pot-holed roads, not many people, limited dining and lodging options…you sort of felt like you had the place to yourself. Lots more habitat too! It’s still pretty good but you’ll be sharing those paved streets with hundreds of other folks on bicycles and e-scooter things.

There are also many more places to stay and great places for dining too but the days of low prices are long gone. Look around and you can still find fair prices and so on but, in general, expect to pay fairly high prices.

Still Good for Night Birds

Lowland rainforest is pretty good night birding, at least in Costa Rica. Around Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo, forests host a high density of Great Potoos (we counted 5 from one spot and had one swooping low over our pool!), and the expected owls.

I suspect this was the Great Potoo swooping over the pool.

On Toucan Road, our first night started with flyover Short-tailed Nighthawk and was accompanied by the afore-mentioned Great Potoos, a pair of Black and white Owls, two calling Crested Owls, and the bark-like vocalizations of one distant Mottled Owl.

That was all in two blocks distance. At one point, I may have also heard Middle American Screech-Owl (common there and wouldn’t be hard to find), and am sure you could also turn up Spectacled Owl.

Roads Worth Exploring but There Will Be Traffic

A few side roads are worth birding but a few other sites might be better. The Toucan Road was alright but it doesn’t go back very far and we didn’t turn up anything unusual. It certainly could but the birding is limited to a fairly small area.

This trip, we did not check the Paradise Road although it’s been good on past trips. I still think that road can harbor some rare species. On our final morning, we checked the Margarita Road. It was Ok and could have some rare birds but we didn’t find anything of great note. Also, there’s a fair amount of housing and we had near constant traffic (especially of the horribly annoying dirt bike variety).

We still had parrots, Great Green Macaws, fruitcrows and other birds but nothing crazy.

A canopy view of a Purple-throated Fruitcrow.

With that in mind, the best spots might be the Kekoldi trail and tower, early morning roadside birding between Punta Uva and Manzanillo, and the RECOPE Road.

Best During Migration

This part of Costa Rica is definitely at its best during migration, especially October. You’ve probably seen the birds that pass through but it’s always cool to see flocks of Eastern Kingbirds, Scarlet Tanagers, and other migrants on the move.

The resident birding is also good but it’ll be best if you can visit the “best spots” mentioned above and Cahuita. Further afield, you’ll do even better at Selva Bananito, Hitoy Cerere, and Veragua.

If you’re headed to this part of Costa Rica, enjoy the natural bird show and take pictures of any odd birds you happen to see. To learn more about where to watch birds in Costa Rica, see my bird finding guide for Costa Rica (a 900 page ebook). To identify the birds of Costa Rica, get the Garrigues and Dean field guide, and the Costa Rica Birds Field Guide app.

As always, I hope to see you here!

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Costa Rica Birding Expectations for July- The Mini High Season

Happily, Emerald Toucanets showed up to eat papaya and entertain with stunning colors at close range.

Costa Rica is a popular destination, especially during the winter. Warm and welcoming weather instead of slushy driveways? Toucans, parrots, macaws, and manakins? Throw in a few dozen hummingbirds and it’s a sweet combination!

Fiery-throated-Hummingbird

Although most birders visit Costa Rica in the winter, we’ve also got a second, mini high season. That would be this month, July. Yes, it’s the summer in the northern half of the globe but no, it’s not any hotter in Costa Rica. Weather just doesn’t work that way.

If anything, cloud cover makes Costa Rica cooler now than sun-drenched February and March! This second high season started happening some years ago when bird tour companies realized that Costa Rica’s brief wet season break might work for tours.

The pause in rains happens most years, usually during the first two or three weeks of July. It does make for some easier birding and although you won’t see wintering birds from backyards up north, everything else is around. If you are headed to Costa Rica soon, here’s some of what’s in store!

A Better Time for Some Birds?

July birding in Costa Rica is just as good for resident species as the high season. For some birds, July might even be easier.

This month and other parts of the wet season seem to be better for wetland species like Masked Duck and Paint-billed Crake. Both of those sneaky birds are always around but in the dry season, they aren’t nearly as accessible.

Now is a good time to look for both species in the Ciudad Neily area.

Masked-Duck

July also marks the return of Oilbirds! Yeah, they are pretty rare but if you take a night tour in the Monteverde area, you might see one. Another good place to look for Oilbirds is Cerro Paraguas near San Vito. They might even live in that area all year long.

Last but not least, July is also a fine time to study Austral migrants like Yellow-green Vireo, and Piratic and Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers.

Weather

July can be dry but then again…maybe not! This is Costa Rica after all, a nation with mountains that trap huge amounts of moisture from two different oceans.

Hopefully, it won’t rain as much as other times of the year but to be honest, in 2024, it’s hard to say what might happen. Hot water in the Caribbean has already spawned one hurricane and more are likely to come.

Although Beryl didn’t hit us, we still got heavy side effect rains that caused landslides and flooding. We could still get more; keep a close eye on weather advisories, be aware that landslides can close mountain roads, and that flooding is very possible near lowland rivers.

Lately, the Pacific lowlands have been especially hard hit with flooding happening near Jaco, Parrita, Quepos, and near Ciudad Neily.

A Few Birds to Watch For

Bellbirds are calling and are mostly still in their highland haunts. Umbrellabirds are still in cloud forest areas but some have already moved into foothill zones.

Other resident species are in their usual spots although there might be more Green-fronted Lancebills and Black-bellied Hummingbirds in foothill forests.

birding Costa Rica

See any big, funny looking Bank Swallow? Take pictures, you’re probably looking at vagrant Brown-chested Martin!

Think you see a funky looking Purple Martin? Take more pictures, those could be another vagrant hirundine- the Southern Martin!

Can You Still See Quetzals in Costa Rica?

In a word, “yes”. A lot of folks ask when they can see quetzals in Costa Rica, or when is the best time to see them. For me, it’s any time of the year. While many do nest in March and April, Resplendent Quetzals don’t exactly fly away.

Those incredible birds are in Costa Rica all year long, you just have to bird the right habitat and places.

Cloud forest is quetzal habitat.

A Great Time for DYI Birding in Costa Rica

July is also a good time for some DYI birding in Costa Rica. In other words, it’s a good time to visit Costa Rica on your own. There’s a lot more vacancy, more elbow room, and always plenty to see!

If you want to hire guides, more are also available in July than during the high season. To find the birds, yes, eBird will give you some good ideas but don’t count on it as the only option. Just remember, birds don’t live where people go eBirding, they live in places with the right habitat. To learn how to see more birds in Costa Rica and about hundreds of sites to see them, get “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”.

To prepare for your birding trip to Costa Rica, don’t forget to bring a good field guide (I like Garrigues and Dean), and customize your target lists with the Costa Rica Birds Field Guide app.

As always, I hope to see you in Costa Rica!

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It’s a Good Time for Birding in Monteverde

Monteverde is one of Costa Rica’s classic birding hotspots. The cloud forests have always been a good place to see Resplendent Quetzals, Black Guans, and lots of other birds. The area is always good, it’s always worth birding there but right now, it might even be a little bit better.

There’s some sweet birding benefits for birding Monteverde right now. Check it out.

Bare-necked Umbrellabird

In the past, Umbrellabirds rarely if ever visited the cloud forests of Monteverde. They lived close though, just a little bit lower on the Caribbean side of mountains. There are a couple of trails that descend from Monteverde and the Santa Elean Reserve to reach those spots, notably at the San Gerardo Biological Station.

This fantastic area used to be one of the most reliable areas for these endangered crow-like cotingas. You can still see them there but, sadly, they no longer seem to frequent a lekking spot that they previously used.

However, these days, lucky birders can run into umbrellabirds in much more accessible spots! Although not exactly common, a small number of Bare-necked Umbrellabirds use the cloud forests in Curi-Cancha and other reserves near Santa Elena. There have been recent sightings and the birds may stick around until August or September.

As with other sites, seeing them requires a lot of luck but you might up your chances by watching fruiting trees, especially the same ones used by quetzals (because everyone likes a good avocado!).

Three-wattled Bellbird

Bellbirds live in a few different parts of Costa Rica but Monteverde is the easiest spot. Visit the Monteverde area from March to August and you should hear their calls.

They can turn up in all sorts of spots, even right outside of town! The best way to see them is to scan the canopy wherever you can and to track down calling birds.

Oilbird

Oilbird? What?!? Oh yes. These nocturnal mystery birds aren’t common by any means but some Oilbirds do seem to visit the Monteverde area every wet season. I don’t know how many are present this year but do know that at least one has been seen.

More are probably present. The best way to see them is to take a night tour, especially in the Monteverde Wildlife Reserve.

Azure-hooded Jay and the other Usual Good Birds

Oh yeah, there’s always lots of other nice birds to watch in Monteverde too. Recently, a Black Hawk-Eagle was nesting in the area and Ornate Hawk-Eagles are regularly seen.

Patiently watch trails and the forest floor in the Santa Elena and Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserves and you might see shy species like Black-breasted Wood-Quail, Highland Tinamou, quail-doves, and leaftossers.

An old picture of an Azure-hooded Jay. This is a digitized photo of one I took at the entrance to the Santa Elena Reserve in 1996.

The cloud forests are also the best place in Costa Rica to connect with Azure-hooded Jay (which should also be eventually split), and there’s lots of other birds to watch too. Even sites around and near town can be good!

A Bit More Elbow Room

Not to mention, these days, there’s also fewer visitors than during the high season. You’ll still share nature space with a fair number of people but not nearly as much as the windy winter months.

Headed to Costa Rica soon? I hope you make it to Monteverde! Hopefully, I can visit that birdy area soon too. Get my birding site guide for Costa Rica to learn more about birding sites in Monteverde as well as the rest of Costa Rica. Good birding, I hope to see you here!

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How to Go Birding in Costa Rica and Win $2,500

Any birding trip to Costa Rica is a win. Find your way to this mountainous, bio-rich country and you’ll see birds. Oh yes indeed. To give an idea of what’s in store, just this morning, without birding and in an urban zone, I was treated to several avian connections.

A Gray Hawk flap flap flap soars over a busy road. The voices of a Tropical Mockingbird, Great Kiskadees, and a Hoffmann’s Woodpecker bounce off concrete walls. Blue-and-white Swallows chattered above, a pair of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks floes overhead, and a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird zips between flowering bushes.

If I would have listened more, maybe gone for a morning walk, I would have probably identified 20 other birds.

In the many other, more birdy parts of Costa Rica, the day list moves with leaps and bounds. Toucans in rainforest, flocks of screeching parrots, dozens of hummingbirds, antbirds calling, and more, always more.

Always a win and yet, if you go birding in Costa Rica from now until September 30th at the Hotel Rivel, you could get paid for seeing those birds! There won’t be some wonderful birder benefactor with bottomless pockets. But, there will be a raffle, here’s how to play.

Go Birding at the Hotel Rivel up Until September 30th, 2024

The Hotel Rivel is an eco-retreat located in the Tuis River Valley, south of Turrialba. If you’ve visited Rancho Naturalista, there’s a fair chance you’ve gone birding along that river. It’s one of the commonly visited hotspots near Rancho and a good place to see Sunbittern and tanagers among many other birds.

Sunbittern

Lucky birders might connect with Red-fronted Parrotlets and Great Black Hawk. Mega lucky ones could even see a Lanceolated Monklet!

If you hadn’t guessed yet, it’s a wonderful area for birding. To participate in this birding challenge, you’ll have to bird the part of the valley at the Hotel Rivel. Make observations within 3 kilometers of the hotel and you can be in play.

Register for the Birding Challenge, eBird Your Sightings

Before you watch any birds in that area, make sure to sign up for the birding challenge. The hotel has a simple registration form at the bottom of the birding challenge page. They mention that you can also sign up via Whatsapp.

The next thing to do is go birding at the Hotel Rivel, and submit an eBird list from their property that also includes a photo of at least one bird.

More Birding at the Hotel Rivel = More Chances to Take Home the Grand Prize

To participate, you only have to submit one eBird list with a photo of a bird from the Hotel Rivel property. However, to boost your odds, go birding at the Hotel as much as possible.

Here’s how it works (from the birding challenge page):

  • Birds = Points = Number of Tickets: Every bird you identify and include in your ebird.org checklist earns you an entry into the final draw. The more birds you see, the more chances you have to win! If you don’t log them in ebirg.org – they won’t count.
  • Note that you can have multiple lists but a bird species is only counted once. In other words, three lists that only have Clay-colored Thrush are worth just one point. However, one list with ten species is worth 10 points. If another list is uploaded with those same ten species, it won’t be worth any extra points.
  • Photos Matter: Take a photo of each bird you identify. Photos are worth 5 points each, compared to 1 point without a photo. Submit your photos to ebird.org for them to be accepted. Photos must be taken within 3 ks of the Hotel Rivel.
  • Rare Bird Bonus: Spot 1 of the 60 rare birds on our list within 3km of Hotel Rivel, and with a photo, you get a whopping 50 points per bird! (3 birds with photos = 150 points = 150 draw tickets!). The rare birds are listed on the birding challenge page. Several would be pretty tough, a few not as much but you’ll still need to get pictures of them.

Grand Prize Drawing on October 5th, 2024 and other Important Information

On October 5th, we’ll find out who wins $2,500 to watch birds at the Hotel Rivel! It’s a beautiful area and although I have yet to visit the eco-retreat, the pictures sure look nice.

However, I can say that I have birded in the Tuis River Valley and look forward to birding there again. It’s a nice hotspot, especially for tanagers!

The Hotel Rivel has 120 acres of birdy habitats and 8 ks of hiking trails, mountain bikes for guests, good food, and excellent, locally grown coffee.
What birds occur there? The list for the Rio Tuis should give a fair idea, and there’s probably more possibilities.

I hope you get a chance to participate in this birding challenge. I hope we do too! The general area near the Hotel Rivel (especially Rancho Naturalista) is fantastic for birding. If Rancho happens to be out of your price range, the Rivel and Vista Aves (another spot with excellent birding) might be good alternatives. It will be interesting to see what people find during this birding challenge!

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A Morning of Dry Forest Birding, June 8, 2024

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Dry forest is one of Costa Rica’s major ecosystems. Occurring on the Pacific slope from Nicaragua to the river at Tarcoles (the Rio Grande), this tropical forest provides habitat for a bunch of birds.

Fancy birds too. Black-headed Trogons, White-throated Magpie-Jays, Yellow-naped Parrots, Orange-fronted Parakeets, Lesser Ground-Cuckoos and some!

Lesser Ground-Cuckoo poses form the camera.

Lucky for the birds and us people who watch them, most of the dry forest birds in Costa Rica are rather tolerant of habitat loss. Given the near absence of extant old growth tropical dry forest on much of the Pacific slope, that’s a darn good thing!

The birds persist in forest patches, living fig hedgerows, vital riparian zones, and pastures dotted with big trees. They are also increasing in various areas of second growth; some of that famous reforestation going on in Costa Rica.

Not pseudo reforestation of Teak and other commercial trees either but honest to goodness forest doing its best to make a natural comeback. The growing areas don’t have it easy. They lack the full suite of original pollinators, seed spreaders, and who knows what else but a forest’s gonna keep on trying, keep on growing. There’s some damn ignorant burning too but if we can get a handle on it, we might give those dry forests a chance.

The biggest and oldest areas of dry forest in Costa Rica are in and near Santa Rosa National Park. Go there to see the real, long-term deal. However, if you can’t make it up to Liberia way, you can still see lots of birds in other places.

Some of the closest tropical dry forest habitats near San Jose’s concrete and cars are sites between Orotina and Tarcoles. I was there the other day. It was just for a morning but the birding was worthwhile as always.

Not So Dry

Bird those dry spots in the winter months and you’ll be dealing with dusty winds. The grass is brown, trees have dropped their leaves and it’s one sunny day after another.

June is another story. Lush green grass, trees heavy with foliage, and storm clouds rolling in. Life is rejoicing with the rains, growing and breeding and naturally living it up.

Singing Birds

Some of that joy is expressed with bird song. Drive or bike or walk by fresh green dry forest trees and vireos will be singing. They sound sort of like Red-eyeds but their phrasing is shorter. Get a look and you’ll see a heftier beak for bigger caterpillars and more yellowish underparts for their basic name- Yellow-green Vireo.

There’s lots of them vireos in Costa Rica but almost only in the wet season, and mostly on the Pacific slope. They sing from the trees, Banded Wrens belt out bird tunes from the thick below, and Yellow-olive Flycatchers (Flatbills) give hearing tests for high-frequency sounds.

Black-headed Trogons make staccato beats, Gartered Trogons also call, and Rufous-naped Wrens make you think of babblers on the other side of the world (at least they do that for me).

Some Nice Spots with Regenerating Forest

Out on those low and hot country roads, I was happy to see some places where forest was rallying for its natural and leisurely relentless comeback. I saw reason to cheer the trees on and wish them well, especially on the Guacimo Road.

This is a road that leaves the coastal highway and makes its way towards the sea. It goes for a ways and you can make a nice birding loop that reaches mangroves and the beach itself at Guacalillo. There’s also a riparian zone replete with towering cashew trees; a perfect haunt for Spectacled Owls.

It’s one of the many sites covered in my bird finding ebook for Costa Rica, a good place to play hide and seek with Mangrove Cuckoos, call for Crested Bobwhites, and watch for soaring raptors.

A Morning for Kites

Speaking of raptors, this birding route is typically good for em! You never know what will show but there’s lots of possibilities. The birding chances include species like Collared Forest-Falcon, Laughing Falcon, Crane Hawk, and others, even the occasional King Vulture.

I had those birds in mind the other morning but they failed to report to the outdoor office. Didn’t see Short-tailed Hawk either! However, at least they were substituted by some other taloned birds.

Grays Hawks were present as they usually are, we saw both caracaras, and had distant views of Harriss’s Hawks. It was also a good morning for kites. As the vultures took to the skies, sure enough, a non-vulture was thermaling with them, a bird with rufous patches on pointed wings.

That was the only Plumbeous Kite we saw but it was a nice look in good light. A dark Hook-billed Kite was also soaring around and showing its distinctive paddle-winged shape.

Those were good but if I had to pick a prize, I would have given it to another birds that hunts lizards in those open fields; the svelte little Pearl Kite. I was pleased because this species can be a real challenge. In Costa Rica, they seem to occur in low numbers at low density populations. Factor in their small size and Pearl Kites are all too easy to overlook.

A closer Pearl Kite from another day.

One perched on a cable high over open fields was one of the morning’s top treasures.

I’ve birded that area many times but I would love to explore it more, especially at night. There’s always more to see, especially when birding in Costa Rica.

Check out an eBird trip report from that fine morning of birding-

June 8, 2024 dry forest near Tarcoles – eBird Trip Report