Urban birding in Costa Rica? Does Costa Rica even have urban areas? Well, obviously yes but if all your conclusions about Costa Rica came from tourism marketing videos, that would be a valid question. According to images and videos, Costa Rica is (1) beaches, (2) zip lines through tropical forest, (3) volcanoes, (4) tropical wildlife like sloths, toucans (occasionally species that live in Brazil), and monkeys, and (5) everyone exclaiming “pura vida!”.
Hey, I don’t blame those marketers (except for using the wrong toucan species), after all, the goal is selling an experience, showing potential tourists highlights and reasons for vacationing in Costa Rica. They aren’t wrong either because this birdy nation is those things but, just like Niagara Falls, NY is more than the famous cataracts (to me it’s also family, DiCamillo’s bakery, a blizzard of gulls, and a lifetime of memories and fantastic stories), Tiquicia has so much more.
For the record, as with most countries, Costa Rica also has busy urban areas. For my nature-linked tastes, they are too busy but at least escaping them is pretty easy. Fly into SJO and you’ll experience that urban stuff pretty quick but, if you stay outside the metro area, you’ll also leave it behind just as soon as you arrive. However, if you do find yourself faced with urban birding in Costa Rica, don’t despair!
As the Urban Birder David Lindo reminds us, birds are everywhere, even in big cities, often more than you think and in places where you least expect them. With recent heavy rains and a mild cold keeping me from doing much birding, those urban birding concepts have been on my mind. These were a couple recent reminders that birds really are everywhere and they can even include rare and endangered species.
Yellow-naped Parrot at Walmart
Yes, sounds like an odd birding dream but it just goes to show that, in Costa Rica, birding dreams come true! The other day, I took a regular, random shopping trip to Walmart with my partner and her daughter. In Costa Rica, although one sees fewer “Walmart people” than in the USA, people watchers will be pleased to know there’s usually one or two folks shopping in would be pajamas, employees sport those same blue, Walmart vest things, and there’s always a couple of shoppers roving the store in motorized carts.
However, before you feel a bit too reminded of being back in the USA, you’ll notice many more differences. Forget about undercover security and shopping on your own. There’ll be a few security guards decked out with an impressive and potentially intimidating display of pseudo-military looking gear (stuff like tactical looking vests with too many pockets, maybe a flashlight and other random stuff but perhaps lacking weapons), and you’ll find yourself wondering how other shoppers manage to block entire aisles while being completely unaware that they do not have the entire store to themselves.
Actually, those aisles blockages are mostly because the aisles are too narrow but whatever. The worst thing, though, and the most different, will be the salespeople. These bastions of Costa Rica Walmart are invariably women who sport uniforms that represent what they want you to buy. You won’t help but notice them and not only because they stand in place and block the selections of tortillas or bread or sliced ham.
No, you’ll notice them mostly because as soon as you come within range, they will start talking to you, automatically telling you about this and that product in question or asking you what you are looking for. It doesn’t matter if you would rather look at those tortillas for yourself or check ham out on your own. It doesn’t matter if you stare straight ahead with a blank and unbecoming 1,000 yard stare. No, they will still want to “help” you.
I understand that’s their job, it’s good they have one, perhaps I should talk with them more? But the thing is I don’t go to Walmart to casually converse with people about ham discounts. I don’t really want to be there at all so I’m not keen on spending time to stand and listen to sales spiels. I’m not particularly anti-social, I would just rather not spend my time that way.
In an attempt to avoid the unwelcome conversation, I usually end up saying, “No, gracias” but then I invariably wonder why I thanked them for advice I didn’t ask for. My partner says to answer them in English and yes, that has helped. I have done that as well as occasionally answer in other non-Spanish languages and let me tell you, no matter how talkative, when presented with a classic language barrier, even the most gung-ho Walmart salesperson throws in the towel!
Now if you find yourself in a Costa Rica Walmart, in all likelihood, those organic, real life influencers will know you are a tourist and probably be too afraid to talk to you anyways. However, if not, and if you don’t feel like practicing Spanish or would rather spend time watching birds (because when birding in Costa Rica, every second counts), you can always smile and say something in English. Thanks to Duolingo and so many people wanting to learn English, it’s still a risk but what are you gonna do? You got birds to see (dammit)!
A word of advice; the coffee and tea aisle is especially challenging. It’s a veritable gauntlet of loquacious and determined coffee and tea influencing saleswomen so out of control, I never purchase coffee in Walmart for that very reason!
But so what about shopping in Walmart, like, isn’t this a birding blog? Yes but when birding abroad, you will likely need to step into a store, and Walmart is a common choice. It’s good to know what to expect. Also, when you step outside the store, at least the one in San Francisco, Heredia, you might see a Yellow-naped Parrot.
Yes! Insanely, when we exited Walmart yesterday afternoon, like magic, the laughter-like calls of Yellow-naped Parrots were somehow penetrating the urban din. Showing that nature must triumph (or that they had loud voices), a pair of these critically endangered species defiantly yelled over the nearby traffic. They were perched right on the tip of a non-native cypress and even without binos, the bright yellow on their napes stood out against their plumbeous sky backdrop.
It was a fantastic sighting! I mean, I almost ran back inside to confront the aisles influencers and tell them that no, I’m not interested in that block of Turrialba cheese but let me tell you all about the fantastic Yellow-naped Parrots at the edge of the parking lot! Oh, not interested? Well, I wasn’t interested in hearing about cheese either but you started telling me all about it anyways…touchee senora.
Now this doesn’t mean Walmart is a good place to see birds, in fact, I can’t recommend it. But, it is a reminder that birds can appear in Costa Rica in odd places, even rare species. When in Costa Rica, you stop birding at your own peril because even in urban areas, a Lineated Woodpecker may swoop into view, Short-tailed and Gray Hawks might be soaring above, and wood-rails are sneaking around the edges of polluted streams.
Centro de Recreo SITET
Speaking of wood-rails, this undiscovered birding gem has them along with lots more. I thought I knew about most of the places to go birding in Costa Rica, I mean, I included hundreds of sites in “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica” and yet, after a random school trip, I realize have to edit the book and include this place, the Centro de Recreo SITET.
Located in Rio Segundo, rather close to the airport, this is a small but excellent oasis to see common birds in an urban setting. Forget about that ridiculous Walmart Woods eBird hotspot, this is the place to go! We went to this small, private park for a school picnic and wished we had brought binoculars! A combination of mature Caribbean pines, huge figs, second growth, stream and pond attracted a surprising array of species.
Need Boat-billed Heron? Several roosted over the pond, even good enough for pictures! How about Gray-cowled Wood-Rail? A few of these fancy rails fed near a stream also frequented by Lesson’s Motmot and other common species. Chestnut-capped Warblers and Cabanis’s Wrens called from the thick stuff, Black Phoebe wagged its tail, and Ringed Kingfisher flew overhead, I wouldn’t be surprised if Cabanis’s Ground-Sparrow is also present.
This overlooked site looks especially good for migrants and interesting wintering birds. I’m definitely going back to see what I find. If you want to check it out, this site has a 2,000 colon entrance fee ($4), is closed Mondays and open other days from 8 to 4. It’s located off a busy road but once inside, the birding should be alright and there are various picnic tables and grills. I bet it can get loud and busy on the weekend but other days are probably quiet. This is my eBird list, it also shows exactly where this spot is located.
