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One Day Birding in Costa Rica = 5 Owl Species Plus Potoo

How many birds in Costa Rica can be seen in a day? The answer depends on how you go birding just as much as where you go birding. Make a focused bird run through different avian-rich habitats in different habitats and well over 100 species are probable. Go the relaxed route at one or two sites and you might not have as much but you’ll still see a lot, and might connect with a few true blue rarities.

You might see a lancebill.

However, no matter how you do your birding thing, days with multiple owls are far and few between. I’ve done all sorts of birding in Costa Rica as well as a bunch of other places but owls are always the exception. They hide incredibly well, most don’t become active until it gets dark and even then, they ghost around the woods and fields on silent, moth-like wings. No wonder we hardly ever see them! One would think owls are rare, birds that you just don’t see, just can’t see.

Truth is, owls in most places are more common than expected, they just require a different way of birding, or, in depth local knowledge. That’s how we saw so many owls on the annual Buffalo Ornithological Society owl field trip. That special, memorable day was the exception, the day when you knew you had a good chance of seeing not one or two owls but a bunch and it was all because of invaluable local knowledge.

The owl trip was an all day winter event, a time when several of us would carpool to a meeting point with Glen Coady or other Canadian birders who would then graciously bring us to several sites in and near Toronto, Ontario. There were groups of Short-eared Owls coursing over snow-covered fields, a Northern Hawk Owl or two in suburban neighborhoods, Snowy Owls, and stacks of Long-eared Owls in a waterfront park. A closer, fine toothed check of the same park might turn up a Northern Saw-whet or maybe even a Boreal Owl (!).

Eastern Screech Owls would be scoped and revealed hiding in big, craggy trees, we might get lucky and see a Great Gray Owl, and we would usually round out the day with views of Barred and a Great Horned Owl or two.

Yeah, that many owls! An incredible day indeed and one that would have been impossible without the help of expert local birders who had put in countless hours to find those birds. I’ll always be grateful to those Canadian birders, other B.O.S. birders, and my father for taking me on those memorable, magical trips.

Although laying eyes on 8 to 10 owl species in one day of birding in Costa Rica is unlikely, the same sort of local knowledge can still turn up an owl or two just about every day of your trip. Play your birding cards right and you might even see several. This past March 2nd, I had one of these rare and special days.

It started with a visit to one of more reliable places to see an owl or two; Cope’s place at Union de Guapiles. Cope often know where the owls are hanging out but as with all things birding, you just really never know if they are gonna be there! Luckily, on March 2nd, the two hoped for species were present on roosts that Cope knew of. We still had to look for a bit, still had to check a few roosts, but yes (!), ended up with great looks at Crested Owl,

followed by Spectacled Owl.

While looking for other birds, Cope had mentioned that the night before, he had also heard a Central American Pygmy-Owl calling repeatedly from a nearby site. Would we like to look for that uncommonly seen species? Oh, I think so! Shortly after arrival, while scoping Masked Tityras and other lowland species, it didn’t take long for the teensy tiny owl to start tooting and a minute later, we were looking at one. Even better, it was calling from a nest!

We got more than our fill of the bird looking at us from its nesting hole as well as views of its mate before moving on to a stake out for another nocturnal specialty, the Great Potoo. Sure enough, the large, pseudo owl was present and with that sighting, we had four nocturnal species for the morning.

After lunch at the Hacienda La Isla (very much recommended, and for birds too), we made our way back to the Hotel Bougainvillea and birded the rest of the afternoon there. Wind and sun put a damper on birding activity but it didn’t stop us from seeing a known but well hidden Mottled Owl (!). Not long after, we saw our 5th owl species for the day when a pair of Ferruginous Pygmy-owls perched in the open.

That finished off yet another memorable day of birding in Costa Rica. Now, if we had known where Black-and-White Owl was hiding at Hacienda La Isla, and knew of a spot for roosting Tropical Screech-Owl, we would have had an impressive 7 owl species (!). Oh well, those will have to wait for another day.

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Costa Rica Birding Highlights- Nectar and Pollen

White Hawk Costa Rica
Find more birds in Costa Rica like this White Hawk.

Where to go birding in Costa Rica? Where to see birds in Costa Rica? These are pertinent question for any birder, and, for some, all important concerns. The right answers vary; they wholly depend on what you would like to see. Walk outside and look around, as the Urban Birder says, “Look Up!”, and you will see birds, even in the concrete byways of San Jose. However, if you carry out that same action in and near primary rainforest, you could see ten times as many birds.

If “quetzal” is in your personal birding equation, any number of forested sites in the highlands will work. The same goes for many of Costa Rica’s near endemics including birds like Yellow-thighed Brushfinch, an arboreal towhee with legs that sport yellow pom-poms.

Yellow-thighed Brushfinch

As you can see, I wasn’t kidding!

Looking for tanagers? Well of course you are! The best sites tend to be in quality foothill and middle elevation rainforest. How about hummingbirds? Yes please and with sabrewings on top! You’ll find those and much more at various middle elevation sites.

Violet-Sabrewing-male

Nothing like seeing a massive purple hummingbird to get the birding blood flowing!

Now if you would like to see lots of cool, choice tropical birds, all at once, there are good birding sites in Costa Rica for that fast and furious happiness too. One such place is Nectar and Pollen, these are some recent highlights and birds to look for at this easily accessible, gem of a spot:

Raptors

Some of best places to see raptors in Costa Rica are sites with good views of the canopy and sky over extensive primary rainforest. Walk into the pasture at Nectar and Pollen and you’ll see what I mean, especially during a sunny morning, right around 9:00 a.m. This is high time for raptors to take to the skies and if you hit a good day at Nectar and Pollen you could see several of these species:

King Vulture

Hawk-eagles, even the rare Black-and-White

White Hawk

Barred Hawk

Great Black Hawk

Gray Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk

Short-tailed Hawk

Double-toothed Kite

Rarely, you could also see Hook-billed and Gray-headed Kites

Scan the canopy at an early hour and you might also get lucky with finding a perched Tiny Hawk, Bicolored Hawk, Laughing Falcon, or other raptor species.

White-tipped Sicklebill and Other Hummingbirds

Plantings can attract sicklebill, hermits, and several other hummingbirds. A recent visit turned up:

White-necked Jacobin

A male White-necked Jacobin.

Blue-chested Hummingbird

Violet-headed Hummingbird

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Scaly-breasted Hummingbird

Crowned Woodnymph, and

Green-breasted Mango.

On other visits, I have also had Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, Green Thorntail, Black-crested Coquette, Brown Violetear, Long-billed Starthroat, and that minute mega, the Snowcap.

A Flurry of Birds

If you do pay a visit, be prepared, the birds often happen fast and furious! One after another and sometimes, all at once. So as not to miss anything, your best bet is to let go and do what the guide says. A good guide will get you on the birds that need to be seen at that moment instead of looking at species more likely to be seen later the same day or on other days.

Be forewarned, whether birding with a guide or not, sensory overload is likely! Just try to stay focused, try to recall field marks, and wait until a lull in the bird action to check your birding app for Costa Rica or field guide book. Trust me, if you try to look up each bird as you see them, you could miss a lot.

As with any site, the fast birding at Nectar and Pollen varies but often includes troops of Black-faced Grosbeaks and Carmiol’s Tanagers, other tanagers in fruiting trees, euphonias, hummingbirds, parrots doing flybys and more. It’s bird action at its best!

Red-fronted Parrotlet and Other Uncommon Species

Although you can’t expect it on every visit, this is a perfect site to see the rare Red-fronted Parrotlet fly past in the morning and late afternoon. Watch for them from the small hill in the pasture while also enjoying views of Long-tailed Tyrant, Cinnamon, Rufous-winged, Black-cheeked, and Smoky-brown Woodpeckers, and other species.

If you walk the forest trail, keep a close eye out for Olive-backed Quail-Dove on the ground, Dull-mantled Antbird in the ravines, and White-flanked Antwrem and other small birds in understory mixed flocks. The umbrellabird and other rare species are also always possible!

Tanagers and White-vented Euphonia

The number of tanagers can vary but fruiting trees usually attract Green and Shining Honeycreepers, Scarlet-rumped and Crimson-collared Tanagers, and various other species. Emerald, Silver-throated, Speckled, and Bay-headed are regular and once in a while, Rufous-winged, Black-and-yellow, and even Blue-and-Gold Tanagers occur! On a recent visit, although the tanager scene was somewhat subdued, we still had uncommon White-vented Euphonia and several other nice birds.

As you may have surmised, the birding at Nectar and Pollen can be pretty darn good. The same goes for bird photography, especially for hummingbirds, Rufous Motmot, and tanagers. Visits must be arranged in advance but that’s easy enough to do. Just send Miguel a message at the Nectar and Pollen Facebook page and give him the date of your visit. A visit for one to two people costs $25 per person, $20 per person for groups of three or more. If you go, please leave a comment with your sightings or link to eBird list at the end of this post. I hope to see you there!

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Costa Rica Birding in Primary Forest- Most Accessible Highland Sites


Birding in Costa Rica is like birding everywhere; better habitat means better birding. In Costa Rica, the best habitat translates to large areas of mature tropical forest; the principal vegetation cover in much of this birdy country for thousands of years, the habitat that provides the complex structure and ecological connections that boost bird diversity.

Primary forest might not provide the easiest of avenues for birding but it does open the door for more raptors and the full complement of expected and rare species. While a birder will see more bird activity in young second growth, they won’t see nearly as many species and won’t have nary a chance at seeing dozens of birds that require the shade, vine tangles, and peculiar situations found in mature forest.

In the highlands of Costa Rica, the most intact, large areas of mature forest occur in the Talamanca Mountains. Check out satellite maps of southern and eastern Costa Rica and you’ll notice that big swath of deep green covering ridges and mountains from near Cartago on into Panama. As inviting as all that habitat looks, unfortunately for us birders, much of it is simply inaccessible. We shouldn’t complain though, that inaccessibility is why so much of that primary highland rainforest still stands.

On the fortunate side of the coin, thanks to protection being given to mature forests in Costa Rica, there are some places in the highlands where intact, fantastic forest can be visited. The following are the most accessible of those sites.

Quetzal National Park and Other Sites on Cerro de la Muerte

The main road that links Cartago to Perez Zeledon is also the primary conduit to the largest area of mature high elevation rainforest in Costa Rica. It only reaches a corner of the large forest block but it is enough to get you birding in groves of massive tropical oaks draped with lichens, moss, and bromeliads.

There are several places where such forest can be experienced but the most accessible spots are roads to and near Providencia. These roads pass through mature forests of Quetzal National Park and true to its name, yes, this is a good area to see that spectacular species. Roadside birding is excellent and can turn up all possible species (including Silvery-throated Jay). Trails are also present, to use them, visit the national park headquarters where the road to Providencia meets the main road between Cartago and Perez Zeledon.

If not using the trails, the public roads can be birded for free and at any time of the day or night.

Santa Elena Forest Reserve in Monteverde

Although an entrance fee is charged, this reserve has a number of good trails accessing excellent cloud forest in the Monteverde area. You will see some other people on the trails but not nearly as many as in the Monteverde Reserve or in Curi-Cancha.

The trails in this reserve can be especially good for Highland Tinamou, Buff-fronted Quail-Dove, and other shy species.

buff-fronted-quail-do

Bajos del Toro

Roadside birding in mature forest is possible on the main roads from Zarcero and Sarchi to Bajos del Toro. Be forewarned, they can be steep and narrow in parts but do pass through excellent habitat offering chances at rarities like Black-banded Woodcreeper and Azure-hooded Jay along with more common species like Flame-throated Warbler and Collared Redstart.

Honorable Mentions

In terms of easy access, entrance fees, and quality habitat, the three sites and areas mentioned above offer the easiest access to the best highland habitats. That said, many other sites are also possible, including these ones.
-Roble Trail at Savegre: Excellent forest at Savegre accessible with an entrance fee and hike or ride uphill. Inquire at the Savegre reception desk.
-La Georgina: Somewhat steep, free trails through excellent forest can be found just behind the La Georgina cafe on the highway through Cerro de la Muerte.
-The NocheBuena area on Irazu Volcano: Although the forest here is more fragmented than in the Talamancas, the trails at the NocheBuena do pass through quite a bit of good high elevation habitat. Most species are present, notable misses being Silvery-throated Jay and Ochraceous Pewee (although maybe they will eventually occur too?). A small entrance fee is charged.
-Tapanti National Park: This national park has excellent birding on the road through the park and on a few trails. The road to the park is also good and suitable for any vehicle but, as with most national parks in Costa Rica, Tapanti is only open from 8 to 4 and thus not during optimal birding times. Entrance fees must also be purchased online.

The sites mentioned above are particularly suited for DIY birding in Costa Rica. To learn more about where to watch birds in Costa Rica, support this blog by purchasing, “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”, a 900 plus page ebook that covers every corner of the country. Happy birding in Costa Rica, I hope to see you here.

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The Current Situation for Birding in Costa Rica- Tips and Highlights

Its February, 2023 and in Costa Rica, there’s a whole lot of birding going on. This current high season, I have seen several birding groups in various places and many an eBird list, perhaps even more than in previous pre-Covid years. It’s wonderful to see such a large number of folks enjoying the exciting avian delights found in this birdy nation. If you will be visiting Costa Rica soon, I hope these current tips and highlights will help with your trip.

The Medio Queso wetland

The name might translate to “half cheese” but when it comes to birding, this wetland is the full monty. Always good, lately, boat trips with Chambita have been even better. While enjoying the avian scenery on just such a tour last week, we were dazzled by flights of Fork-tailed Flycatchers, point blank looks at the pseudo sparrow Yellow-breasted Crake, Pinnated Bitterns, very local Nicaraguan Grackles, and more. Other recent trips have also had Jabirus in flight and other uncommon species. To sign up, contact me at [email protected]. I’ll put you in touch with Chambita.

Bare-necked Umbrellabird and Good Stuff at and Near Arenal Observatory Lodge

Sites at and near the Arenal Observatory Lodge are always good for birding. Recently, our group had a female mega umbrellabird right from the feeder deck. As this major bird tends to do, it snuck in with nary a sound to perch on a nearby branch for a few minutes before continuing on its merry way. If my friend Alec Humann had not been looking for birds away from the feeder, we could have easily missed it!

If you find yourself on the deck at Observatory Lodge, remember to keep looking around, keep checking trees for other birds, there might be an umbrellabird nearby. On that note, if you can walk up and down stairs, I suspect that the river trail below the feeder area could be good for it. Note that a male has also been recently seen on the Waterfall Trail.

Other extra nice bird species in that area have included Great Black Hawk seen on the road to the lodge, Fasciated Tiger-Heron frequenting the river just before the main entrance to the lodge, Black-crested Coquette at the Casona, Black-and-White Owls near lights at the reception (check trees near the lights), and White-throated Shrike-Tanager on the Waterfall Trail among many other species.

Crested and Spectacled Owls and Other Delights at Cope’s

Birding with Cope was wonderful as always and the main feeder watching area now features a concrete floor. We had wonderful feeder action there, King Vulture and Double-toothed Kite in flight from the road in front of Cope’s, and both Crested and Spectacled Owls in the forest.

Find the Crested Owls…

Speaking of much desired birds, although we did not see Black-and-White Hawk-Eagle, other birders have! Cope was telling me he suspects that one may be using the forest he brings birders to with some regularity and he has also seen it fly over his house (talk about a good yard bird!).

Spectacled Owls at Cope’s forest.

Cedar Waxwings are in the House

2023 is the year for Cedar Waxwings in Costa Rica. Yes, if you come from North America, big deal, you see waxwings all the time. However, if you are visiting Costa Rica from elsewhere, you just might be interested in seeing this bonus bird. I’m not sure if there has ever been a year when so many have been seen in Costa Rica; there have been flocks of a couple dozen to well over 100 birds.

They have mostly been spotted in the highlands and parts of the Central Valley and seem to be attracted to fruiting figs. Since they do move around quite a bit, the best way to find them is to check eBird for recent sightings and listen for their distinctive, high-pitched whispering calls, especially when birding the high elevations, sites around the Central Valley, and on the Pacific slope.

Cocora Butterfly Garden

The butterflies are lovely but this garden has a much more. For example, a few weeks ago, they had an umbrellabird and one or more could still be around, we had an Ornate Hawk-Eagle fly right over us, sicklebill has been visiting Heliconias there, and there’s lots of hummingbirds to see. In addition, they have a trail that accesses excellent middle elevation forest and serve absolutely fantastic coffee (it truly is fantastic). The trail is only for the physically fit but if you can do it, you could see any number of uncommon species. When I get a chance, I hope to do a dawn survey on that trail. I’ll let you know what I find!

Papa’s Place

Saving one of the best places for last, this is a new place in the Arenal area that I can’t recommend enough. Located just outside of Fortuna, Papa’s Place is actually the home of Gerald and Priscilla, a local, friendly birding couple who offer up a unique blend of Costa Rican hospitality and excellent birds.

After a warm welcome, we sat down to watch the wooded riparian zone out back. The birding was nonstop and we were treated to an avian show that featured Golden-olive, Rufous-winged, Black-cheeked, and Cinnamon Woodpeckers, Olivaceous Piculet, Double-toothed Kite, and various other species. Ironically, one of our best birds was a rare wintering juvenile female Cerulean Warbler! We also had looks at several tanagers including Plain-colored and the rare Rufous-winged Tanager, as well as other birds.

Although we did not see them, White-fronted Nunbird can also show and they have also seen Yellow-eared Toucanet and various raptors. The birding was great but to top off the experience, we had a delicious lunch that featured authentic country Tico cuisine. Cooked with care, this food was a step far and above from the food we had been eating at hotels (which wasn’t bad by any means!), and some of our group also had fun learning how to make tortillas. Authentic, great birds in friendly surroundings, and supporting fellow birders, really, I can’t recommend the experience enough. I look forward to my next visit.

I could mention a lot more; when it comes to birding in Costa Rica, there’s always more to say. Suffice to say that when you go birding here, you will see a lot, especially when you visit the right places. To learn how to see more birds in every corner of Costa Rica, support this blog by purchasing my 900 page ebook, “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”. I hope to share birds in Costra Rica with you soon!

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Dark-billed Cuckoo Makes 933 for the Costa Rica Bird List

The official Costa Rica bird list stands at 932 species but soon, it’s going to hit 933. The bird species about to bump the list up a notch is the Dark-billed Cuckoo, an Austral migrant that was expected for Costa Rica but had never been documented until January 16. When the star bird appeared, a few people wondered if this was the same species I may had seen near Ciudad Neily two years ago. Although they are related, no, that bird was the Pearly-breasted Cuckoo, yet another Austral migrant that could also certainly occur.

That particular sighting was never confirmed to be the Pearly-breasted or the extremely similar Yellow-billed Cuckoo but at least the Dark-billed Cuckoo has been found and documented. Even better, the bird was photographed and subsequently seen by several local birders. If it sticks around, and you bird the rice fields south of the Ciudad Niely hospital, maybe you will see it too! I hope the bird also stays around long enough for me to see it but if not, at least a bunch of other local birders “got” it.

I figured it was a matter of time before a Dark-billed was found in Costa Rica because the species migrates within South America, is fairly common, and has already been documented from Panama, Nicaragua, Belize, and even Texas and Florida. As for it being found near Ciudad Neily, perhaps it’s not a coincidence that one (or maybe two) were seen there; this part of the country seems to routinely attract Coccyzus species cuckoos.

Some of the habitat near Ciudad Neily.

While birding around Ciudad Neily, I have personally seen several Mangrove Cuckoos, the possible Pearly-breasted (but more likely Yellow-billed), and other have also seen Yellow-billed. Perhaps the second growth and woodland edges adjacent to wetlands provide especially good habitat for larvae prey preferred by the cuckoos? Following that line of thought, it’s also interesting to note that, in winter, Mangrove Cuckoos utilize similar habitats at and near Cano Negro (speaking of that hotspot and megas for Costa Rica, Chambita found a Greater Ani there yesterday!).

Whatever the explanation may be, a new species for Costa Rica and other cuckoos are yet one more good reason to go birding around Ciudad Neily. The rice fields and associated wetlands are fun but there’s also other, forested habitats in the same area that harbor an excellent variety of species. To learn more about birding around this hotspot and where to watch birds in Costa Rica, get the second edition of “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”; a 900 plus page bird finding book for Costa Rica and overall birding companion for this birdy country. Go see some cuckoos, I hope to see you here!

Even if you don’t see the cuckoo, you might still see a Sapphire-throated Hummingbird.
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Costa Rica Birding News- January, 2023

Birding in Costa Rica is always exciting.; as far as birding news for Costa Rica goes, honestly, that about sums things up. Go outside, visit any bit of green space and you will certainly see some interesting birds, often, more than expected. Bring the binos to the best habitats and you’ll see a lot more.

Gray-crowned Yellowthroats are pretty common in brushy fields.

You could see a Gray-crowned Yellowthroat.

Even so, there are always some birds of note, some places turning up interesting species, and other information relevant for the visiting birder. As of late, the following are some of the more interesting bits of birding news I have noticed.

Waved Albatross and Tahiti Petrel

Not many people have seen a Waved Albatross in Costa Rica. In this birdy nation, the highly endangered pelagic species from the Galapagos Islands is typically recorded by fishermen off of Cabo Blanco or other parts of the Pacific Coast. The most recent sighting happened a few weeks ago and is a reminder to watch for these and other birds when taking a fishing trip, and impetus to take a pelagic trip focused on birds.

If interested in taking a pelagic trip, contact me at [email protected] . Head offshore and you also have a fair chance at another pelagic species recently seen off of Cabo Blanco; Tahiti Petrel. As it turns out, this long-winged wave master is regular in pelagic waters of Costa Rica. There’s also lots more to see!

Potoos

Roosting birds are being seen at several sites, at least Great and Common Potoos. As in past years, regular current sites for roosting Great Potoos include Donde Cope (Cope usually knows of a spot or two), Centro Manu, and the Cano Negro area.

There have also been some nice roosting spots for Common Potoo in Cano Negro, the Dominical area, and Sierpe.

As for Northern Potoo, although there aren’t any known and accessible roosting spots at the moment, you might find one in mangroves at Ensenada, Caldera, and Punta Morales as well as other mangrove sites north of Tarcoles. You might also hear or find one in Horizontes or any number of wooded sites in Guanacaste. The bird isn’t exactly rare, it just hides very well and occurs in low density populations.

A Northern Potoo from Rincon de la Vieja.

Red-fronted Parrotlet

Costa Rica’s trickiest parrot species is still as tricky as ever. Think of it like a crossbill or other wandering winter finch. Since they roam up and downslope in search of food, you might see (or hear) a few fly over at Cerro de la Muerte, and in any number of Caribbean foothill and middle elevation forest sites.

One reliable spot might be the entrance to the Santa Elena Reserve, as well as in the reserve itself. A few birds have been recorded there recently and while I was birding that site nearly one year ago, I also had a few birds fly over. Get there early, and learn their calls to connect with this mega in miniature.

Aplomado Falcon at Las Trancas

In late December, one of these cool falcons was seen at Las Trancas. This species is likely a rare annual visitor to Costa Rica and can occur at any number of spots, especially places with wide open and marshy habitats. If visiting sites like Las Trancas, farm fields near Filadelfia, or Medio Queso, keep an eye out for this special bird.

Bare-necked Umbrellabirds

Individuals of this much wanted mega species have been recently seen at Centro Manu, La Selva, and, just today (!), on the Waterfall Trail at Arenal Observatory Lodge. Note that they can also occur at various other forested lowland and foothill sites on the Caribbean slope, especially in lowland rainforest at the base of the mountains.

Three-wattled Bellbird

This cool cotinga also carries out altitudinal migrations and is, for the most part, currently in lowland and foothill zones. On the Pacific slope, watch for it in any lowland forest including remnant rainforest in the General Valley (especially near Peje). Interestingly enough, there have also been recent sightings from the Monteverde area; a place where bellbirds usually occur from late February to August.

Cape May and Yellow-Rumped Warblers

Although these species aren’t on the target lists of visiting birders from North America, local birders always hope to see them! If you see any of these or other wintering warblers, please do us a favor and make sure to eBird them (most visiting eBirding birders do and we appreciate it!).

There seem to be several Cape-Mays around, most are usually seen hanging with groups of Tennessee warblers at Bottle Brush and other flowering trees. It’s also a good year for Yellow-rumpeds, don’t be surprised if you run into one here and there (or even a flock at highland sites!).

Rancho Naturalista

Rancho is doing well and is birdy as ever. The male Lovely Cotinga is still being seen on a regular basis and Snowcap occurs along with other typical species of this wonderful hotspot. The picture of the Black-crested Coquette in the feature image was taken at Rancho Naturalista.

As always, a lot more could be said about the birds of Costa Rica. Fancy trogons and motmots, colorful tanager flocks, hawk-eagles and more than 40 hummingbird species…they are all here and waiting to be seen! To learn more about the sites mentioned in this post and the best places to see all of the birds in Costa Rica, support this blog by purchasing my Costa Rica bird finding guide, “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”. I hope to see you here!

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More High Season Tips for Birding Costa Rica in 2023

In Costa Rica, the dry and high season is most definitely here. I’m seeing beautiful sunny skies, dry conditions, and a lot more tourists than the times of the rain. Oh, it still rains, especially in the mountains and on the Caribbean slope but nothing like the deluges witnessed in 2022. With so many folks headed to Costa Rica any time now, I figured another post with some tips would be relevant.

Buff-fronted Quail-Dove

Although this highland endemic has never been rare, as with other quail-doves, it can be tough to espy one inside the forest. Thankfully, in recent times, this pretty bird has become much easier to see. When visiting the Cafe Colibri at Cinchona, keep a close eye for quail-doves on the ground below the feeders. They are sneaky and easy to miss but if you keep watching for them, you have a fair chance of connecting. The usual species is Buff-fronted Quail-Dove, sometimes two individuals but, just in case, we should also watch for possible Purplish-backed Quail-Dove (it has a more pale gray front and smaller patch of purple on the back), and Chiriqui Quail-Dove. Both of these beauties also occur in the area.

If you won’t be visiting Cinchona, pay a visit to the birding oasis of Casa Tangara dowii. Buff-fronted and occasional Chiriqui Quail-Doves are regular at this special site.

Clay-colored Thrushes are Very Common

This plain brown thrush isn’t our national bird for nothing. They can be very common in many areas, especially in the Central Valley and garden habitats. Keep that in mind when you see numerous brown, thrush-like birds flying past or in fruiting trees. On most occasions, that bird will be a Clay-colored.

So Are Winter-Plumaged Chestnut-sided Warblers

birding Costa Rica

Another bird worth knowing is the winter plumaged Chestnut-sided Warbler. In humid and semi-humid habitats, this warbler species is pretty darn common. See a small gray bird with an eye ring that reminded you of a gnatcatcher? That was a Chestnut-sided. Some still have chestnut sides, many do not, you should see a lot of them.

White-ringed Flycatchers Only Live in the Caribbean Lowlands

Remember that if you become tempted to believe you are seeing White-ringeds in the Central Valley and Pacific slope.

Nope.

Those aren’t White-ringeds. See a couple kiskadee-type flycatchers at the top of a tree in the Caribbean lowlands? Does the bird have a broad white eyebrow? Thin bill, bit of white below the eye, and a bit of white edging to the tertials? A sort of trilling call? Those are White-ringed Flycatchers.

Go Exploring in Guanacaste

The northwestern region of Costa Rica is spacious, birdy, and underbirded; perfect for exploration! Local birders do what they can but it’s a huge area with plenty of habitat. With that in mind, if you are wondering where to go birding in Guanacaste, you can see a heck of a lot with roadside birding. Check forested riparian zones, open habitats (a lot of that going on), and any wetlands.

To bird forest trails, you’ll have to visit national parks and protected areas like Santa Rosa, Palo Verde, Horizontes, and other places. To learn more about birding opportunities in Guanacaste and elsewhere, check out my 900 page bird finding guide for Costa Rica, “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”.

Consider Private Reserves or Roadside Birding Instead of National Parks

That might sound bonkers but it all comes down to access and entrance and exit times. While national parks protect critical habitat and do have great birding, sadly, most just aren’t open during the prime birding times of 6 to 8 in the morning and 3 to 5 in the afternoon. Trust me, in the dry season, you really have to be out birding by 6. If not, you’ll miss a lot!

For more productive birding, one idea is hitting the edge of national parks or nearby roads until opening time. Another is opting for private reserves or lodge grounds when the opportunity presents itself.

I’m sure I could think of some additional tips but that’s all for now. Remember to study before your birding trip to Costa Rica and be ready to get bird-dazzled.

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My “Best” Costa Rica Birds of 2022

birding Costa Rica

Are there any “best birds”? How about “better” birds? In the spirit of showing equal appreciation for all things avian, the short answer to both of these questions would be “no”. However, in the spirit of wanting to see some bird species more than others because they are either rare, more appealing to the senses, or hard to see, it would seem that yes, some birds are better than other ones, if only temporarily so.

I enjoy watching any bird but there are times when I would rather see some bird species than others. Even while birding in Costa Rica, a country with such fancy and elegant species as Spangle-cheeked Tanager, Resplendent Quetzal, toucans, and hawk-eagles, I hope to see the less common birds. I still appreciate all the rest but I suppose preferring to see birds I don’t see so often is commonplace among birders everywhere.

Over the past 12 months, I was fortunate to see a healthy variety of birds, as of December 30th, 691 species (I still got one more day to add a few..). That’s a lot of birds alright and I am pleased and grateful. I am also lucky to live in a country where it is feasible to see so many birds in a year without a huge deal of effort. Our 930 or so species bird list helps as does access to a variety of habitats, showing people birds in many such habitats, and knowing how and where to find birds in Costa Rica.

Since I routinely see a lot of birds that visiting birders would love to see, oddly enough, my best of the year doesn’t include much wanted species like Snowcap, Wrenthrush, or even Yellow-billed Cotinga. I realize that sounds just wrong on more than one level but my favorite or “best” sightings from 2022 include birds I don’t see as often, and/or sightings that come with a story. These are my personal top ten.

Hudsonian Godwit

One of these mega shorebirds stopped off in Costa Rica this past spring. Based on better coverage in the Pacific lowlands, I suspect one or a few birds make a rest stop in Costa Rica every year. This past year, myself, partner, and various other local birders were treated to an individual that chose to hang around Punta Morales for several weeks.

In addition to be being a rare bird for Costa Rica, when one contemplates how far this species travels (nearly from one pole to the other), it’s always cool to lay eyes on a Hudwit.

Pacific Golden-Plover

This one was probably my best bird of the year. Self found, new for my country list, rare and little known in Costa Rica, and very accessible, this bird has all the stuff to merit being my top bird for 2022. This Costa Rica Pacific Golden-Plover sighting took place at Puntarenas in April.

Gray-hooded Gull

Another mega for Costa Rica, all sightings from the past few years may be of the same individual. Impossible to say but what matters most is local birders seeing it. We had wonderful studies of this beautiful gull earlier in the year at its favorite hotspot, Punta Morales.

“Choco” Screech-Owl

"Choco" Screech-Owl

Hearing and briefly seeing this bird ranks as a major event because it’s not really a Choco Screech-Owl but an undescribed species endemic to or nearly endemic to Costa Rica. My 2022 bird happened while helping guide a wonderful group from the Buffalo Ornithological Society.

Tiny Hawk

I’m lucky if I get to see one of these miniscule raptors in a year. I usually see one or two but it can really come down to the line. Last year, my Tiny Hawk happened during the final days of December. This year, I was extremely lucky to see a juvenile in early December at the Cinchona hummingbird cafe.

Violaceous Quail-Dove

None of the quail-doves in Costa Rica (and most places) are particularly easy to see. This one is especially challenging. If I get one for the year, it’s usually a heard bird but not this time! The excellent looks at this infrequently seen bird shared with my partner and friends was priceless.

Bare-necked Umbrellabird

Oh yes, nothing like seeing one of the top birds in Costa Rica during some last minute year birding. As with so many sightings of this endangered species, Marilen and I saw saw it Centro Manu. Thanks to local guide Kevin, we knew where to look and lucked out with excellent prolonged views of a female. A bit later, we saw this same individual with another female or juvenile male. That sighting also gave me a clean sweep of the cotingas that live in Costa Rica.

Black-chested Jay

This isn’t a rare species in most of its range but it’s pretty uncommon in Costa Rica. For me, it was also looong overdue for my country list. I finally got my Costa Rica Black-chested Jay when I caught a bit of movement and scoped a distant bird near Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.

Violet-green Swallow

One of the lovelier of the swallows and a rare visitor to Costa Rica, it was nice to start off the year with views of several Violet-greens during a boat tour on the Tarcoles River (Jose’s Crocodile Tour, a tour and company I wholeheartedly recommend).

Yellow-rumped Warbler

I know, I know, how can I choose the original and common “butterbutt” over coquettes and cotingas?! Like I was saying, it’s all about birds rarely seen and the circumstances in which we see them. In the case of this species, most spend the winter much further north than Costa Rica. We’re lucky if we see one every other year. Based on the number of recent sightings, this past winter looks to be a good one for them in Costa Rica; Marilen and I have seen them at three different spots. It was surreal to watch a small flock of these beautifully patterned migrants sallying from a fencerow in Costa Rica.

I suppose I would choose the above bird sightings as my favorites for 2022 but I still appreciate the rest, too many to mention. Consolation prizes might go to watching a Common Potoo “sing” near Jaco, seeing stealthy Yellow-eared Toucanets, sharing the sighting of a male Lovely Cotinga at Rancho Naturalista with friends and clients, the list goes on… In Costa Rica, there’s a lot of birds to watch, I hope you can come visit and likewise experience the avian wealth of this birding nation.

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Notes on Rare and Elusive Birds in Costa Rica- Violaceous Quail-Dove

“Wait. What’s that up ahead ?!?” We had been trudging slowly but surely uphill, one step after another, through the foothill rainforests of the Soltis Center in the Tilaran Mountains of Costa Rica. It was midday and expectedly quiet; peaceful but not the best hour for birding. Even so, while birding in rainforest, anything can happen, at any time. Even during the quiet times, you can’t let your guard down. You have to be constantly ready, always on the alert for a shy bird to pop into view, to notice a deathly still viper, or hear the soft notes of a mixed flock.

While our group of five participated in the 2022 Arenal Bird Count, fortunately, despite the noon time quiet, Robert Dean, the artist of “The Birds of Costa Rica” and other field guides had kept his bird radar on. The bird he had noticed was one of the truly rare ones, one of those species often possible but rarely encountered. Even better, the bird didn’t flush and fly off into the woods. Our lucky number fluttered from a low perch and down onto the trail, right in front of us. As I focused in on it, I could barely believe what I was seeing.

“Violaceous Quail-Dove!” There it was, right in the middle of the trail, the most elusive and weirdest of quail-doves in Costa Rica (and maybe elsewhere too). Uncharacteristically, the male dove let us watch it for several minutes as it walked back and forth and eventually flew back to its low perch. I should stress here that “several minutes” in quail-dove watching time is equal to at least three hours. Most forest encounters with quail-doves are painfully brief and give you scarce chance to appreciate their beautiful iridescence and plumage patterns. In other words, they might be pretty but away from any feeding situations, they aren’t all that birder friendly.

A Buff-fronted Quail-Dove running for cover.

In fact, not long before we saw our super birder-friendly Violaceous, I might have glimpsed another quail-dove. I say “might have” because in true Q-Dove fashion, I saw a plump dove shape in the undergrowth and just as I raised my binos, the bird fluttered off into dove sp. netherland. It could have certainly been a Gray-chested Dove too but oh well, whatever name that missed species went by was made up for by our crazy good views of the V Q-Dove.

The bird sat on its perch until our need for more trail progress flushed it into the safety of the forest. This sighting was arguably our best bird of a 150 plus species day and the best I have ever had of that species. Given that I’ve only seen this species something like three times, that’s a pretty easy statement to make. Yes, it’s a dove, a bird in the same family as the classic pigeon of cathedrals and city streets, as Mourning Doves, Collared Doves, and other familiar birds but, along with several other little known dove species, it’s an odd and elusive one.

The ironic thing about the V Q-Dove is that despite it being very little known and infrequently seen, the bird is not considered threatened. This is mostly on account of its large, if disjunct, range and because we know little about the bird. It’s assumed that it occurs in regular numbers in various parts of its range and that may be true but honestly, what do we really know? How many are out there? Are they just tough to find?

I suspect that the answer is a little bit of low numbers and being difficult to detect but if it were more common, it seems that there would have to be a lot more records. Based on my experience with the species in Costa Rica, what I have read and heard about it from other places, and known life histories of other uncommon doves, here’s my take on the bird as well as a tip or two for seeing and identifying it:

Nomadic

This dove doesn’t like to stick around. Well, it probably will if the habitat is to its liking but it likely rolls with the changes and needs to keep moving until it finds what its looking for. This would explain its scarcity and why there are random records from heavily birded places like La Selva and San Luis Canopy. Similar nomadic behavior is also shown by several other dove species in various parts of the world.

I wish I knew what sort of food it was looking for but I do have an idea about its preferred microhabitat.

Advanced, Viney Second Growth in Mature Forest

I don’t know for sure but what I can say is that the bird we saw at Soltis seemed tied to this one distinctive part of the forest that was dominated by old second growth decorated with hanging vines. In fact, its favorite perch was this classic, thick, hanging u-shaped vine. Sturdy, maybe a meter above the ground, good visibility, and a nice ruddy color…I mean if I were a bird, I’d be claiming that perch too.

For what it’s worth, this is where we saw the bird at Soltis Center.

This microhabitat also happened to look very much like the other spot where I have encountered more than one individual of this species in Costa Rica. This was in Hitoy Cerere in advanced second growth at the edge of mature rainforest. For what’s its worth, that spot also had lots of hanging vines and at that site, Robert and I also saw the dove perched in them.

I don’t know if this microhabitat is what the bird truly needs but a preference for such a limited type of habitat would explain its scarcity and likely nomadic behavior.

Low Population

There’s no way to know how many of this species are in Costa Rica or elsewhere but I don’t see how they could be numerous, at least not in Costa Rica. Even taking into account the challenges of seeing them, they are still very rarely seen or heard even in the most reliable of places. If they do need some special type of habitat, then any degree of deforestation could further limit their numbers. I doubt they are in serious trouble overall but then again, who knows?

In Costa Rica, I owuld guess that their numbers are probably pretty low, maybe less than 500 total.

Perhaps More Common in Moist Forest of the Nicoya Peninsula and Mountains of Guanacaste

According to Stiles and Skutch and sightings by local birders, this species is somewhat more reliable in moist forests of the Nicoya Peninsula and the northern volcanoes in Guanacaste. The plain dove with the amethyst nape and rufous tail is seen and heard more regularly in such places but even then, it’s not in any way common. Bird forested ravines near Cabuya, Bijagua, and Rincon de la Vieja and you’ll have some chance of finding it but it could still take a fair bit of focused effort.

What to Look For

With a good look, the V Q Dove is pretty easy to identify. Just in case, here are some tips.

  • Like a Leptotila– As in, it looks and even sounds a lot like a White-tipped Dove. This raises a further subset of questions; like has it evolved to mimic the White-tipped Dove (or other Leptotila) and does this perhaps help it blend in while looking for habitat? Or, did it evolve similar plumage and voice because it occurs in similar ecological situations? In any case, with its pale underparts and plain head, it looks a lot like a Leptotila (albeit a very elegant one).
  • Pale, plain head, white underparts, rufous rump and tail, rufous wings– Although other descriptions don’t mention the rufous tail, the bird sure has one and in conjunction with other field marks, this is a good characteristic.
  • Reddish bill– Although this wasn’t noticeable on the bird we watched, this is usually a good field mark.
  • Listen for calls, look for the perch– If you hear a funny sounding White-tipped Dove in appropriate habitat, look for that perched bird. It can sit high or low on a favorite hanging vine.

Will you see a Violaceous Quail-Dove when birding in Costa Rica? To be honest, the odds aren’t in your favor but I sure hope you see one anyways. Hopefully, the tips above can up the odds. To learn more about finding birds in Costa Rica, including the rare and elusive ones, support this blog by purchasing my recently updated bird finding book for Costa Rica, “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”.

Happy birding and wishing you the best of happy holidays, I hope to see you here!

All photos of Violaceous Quail-Dove were gracioiusly provided by Nancy Stevick.

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Some Local Tips for Birding Costa Rica in Guanacaste

Guanacaste is the big northwestern part of Costa Rica. In Costa Rica birding terms, its a mosaic of tropical dry forest, pasture, and wetlands. In non-birder terms (or birders who wouldn’t mind blending birding with relaxation), this distinctive, sun-drenched region of Costa Rica is also a place of beaches, resorts, and trails for birding in Rincon de la Vieja National Park. That latter bit is also important for the birding crowd; there are birds in those old forests, even if they are sometimes hard to find.

White-throated Magpie-Jays will be waiting for you in the parking lot of Rincon de la Vieja.

For the past few days, my partner Marilen and I did some exploration birding in a few corners of Guanacaste. We picked up several year birds while also discovering a few other aspects of birding this fun part of the country. Based on our recent journeys, here are some tips I hope will help with your birding endeavors in Guanacaste.

Us while looking for birds in Rincon de la Vieja National Park.

Chomes isn’t Getting Any Better but Punta Morales is Good and Bebedero Birding can be Excellent!

As part of my over enthusiastic master birding plan, on the first day, I figured we would drive and bird through La Ceiba de Orotina, seawatch for a bit in Puntarenas, and then check Chomes and Punta Morales before spending the night in Canas.

That sort of worked out in the form of a lucky randomly flushed a year Wilson’s Snipe in a remnant wetland at Ceiba, and year Caspian Tern at an otherwise dry Chomes. Even if we did not see any distant jaegers or rare tropicbirds at Puntarenas, it was still nice to have lunch there and watch the waters of the Gulf of Nicoya. As for Chomes, sadly, this important site has seen much better days. The squatter community continues to grow and edge its way into the mangroves, and the main ponds were completely dry. I’m not sure if they are being maintained, it didn’t really look like it.

Punta Morales had the birds but none of the rare species or odd seabirds we had hoped for. For whatever reason, no skimmers or terns or gulls flew in to roost for the night. You just never know what will turn up (or not) at Punta Morales. All a birder can do is check the place out.

As for the Bebedero area, yes, that was good. Situated a short drive from Canas, we decided to bird there early before returning to the hotel for breakfast at 8. As luck would have it, that all worked out with roadside wetlands sporting dozens and dozens of yellowlegs and Least Sandpipers foraging and flying overhead. We didn’t pick out any rarities but based on the number of birds we saw, that would certainly be a good area to check.

Continuing on, another roadside check of wetlands turned up a mega Jabiru (!) in a roadside ditch along with more usual herons and Wood Storks. We then looped our way to the Bebedero Road that passes by La Soga and reaches highway 1. Although we found little in wetlands and rice fields in this area, it can be fantastic during migration, and we did chance upon our one and only Northern Harrier (a rare wintering bird in Costa Rica). I can still see that gray ghost course fast just over an open, windy field. In retrospect, I would have liked to check out as much of that area as possible over a couple of days. I bet there’s some rare birds out there.

Need to Stay in Canas? Stay at the Kam Tu

We stayed in a local hotel known as the Kam Tu. It’s nothing fancy but rooms were clean and with AC, the place was well maintained, it had a nice pool, good friendly service, and it was a bargain. Your stay also comes with a good breakfast. They won’t serve it super early but if you feel like birding and coming back at 8:30, that can work. I would absolutely stay there again.

Palo Verde- Maybe Not…

Palo Verde National Park is a big, important protected area in the Tempisque River basin. The birding here and on the road in can be great but, as with so many wetland areas, that good birding is dependent on water levels. On our way back home, we decided to drive in with the hope of seeing a bunch of birds in the main Palo Verde marsh, maybe some wetland and dry forest birds on the way in.

Unfortunately, very little of this plan worked out and I would not recommend a visit. With so little of the marsh accessible, you are much better off saving your wetland birding for Cano Negro, Viejo Wetlands, and maybe a couple other sites. Our visit consisted of a looong drive in on a very bumpy road, fewer wetlands than in the past (some have been converted to birdless sugar cane), and the marsh having no open water and no uncommon birds. A November visit could have better conditions but then again, the road might also be impassible. With that in mind, go to Cano Negro instead.

Liberia is a Good Birding Base but Don’t Stay at the Hotel Wilson

Liberia can act as an excellent base for visiting various national parks and other birding sites in Guanacaste. It also has a restaurant with good Indian cuisine and other good places (we enjoyed the MariaJuana for craft beer and tasty fare). There are also several places to stay, one which I cannot recommend being the Hotel Wilson. It was never anything special and mostly caters to corporate clients but it’s still worth mentioning that you’ll be better off staying somewhere else.

It wasn’t all that bad but just pretty basic, uncomfortable, and with noisy AC that kept us awake. There are other and better options for Liberia.

Take a Break at the Alma Dolce Cafe

On a much brighter note, a place I can’t recommend enough is the Alma Dolce cafe at the Do It Lagar plaza. This small, family run establishment offers reasonably priced, authentic Italian pastries, pizza, espresso, and gelato. What more could you want? It’s a gem of a place we always look forward to visiting. On our final morning, after checking Las Trancas and the Catfish Ponds (which were mostly dry and birdless), breakfast there was perfect before continuing on with our drive.

Rincon de la Vieja

This big national park is always a good place for birding but before you go, keep these tips in mind:

  • Closed on Monday.
  • The Waterfalls Trails are long walks only meant for fit hikers and by the time you reach the grassland areas where the sparrows live, they probably won’t be active.
  • The park hours are terrible for birding. Bird early on the drive to the national park, it doesn’t open until 8.
  • Consider walking and birding on the Las Pailas trail and the in the Santa Maria sector. Both of these are easier than the waterfall trails, especially Las Pailas, and are just as good.
The birdless sparrow habitat after a long tough hike.

Guanacaste is big and much of it little birded. I could say a lot more, I would love to bird less accessible corners of those wild and windy lowlands. To learn more about where to go birding in Costa Rica in this and all regions of this birdy nation, support this blog by getting the 900 plus page ebook and Costa Rica birding companion, “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”. I hope to see you here!