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Costa Rica Birding News- The Poas Area

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

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

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

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

Resplendent Quetzal Activity

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

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

Lovely Cotinga Still Occurs in Virgen del Socorro

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

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

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

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

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

Cinchona Hummingbird Cafe- a Lot more Elbow Room

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

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

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

Fair Hummingbird Action

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

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

Coppery-headed Emerald birding Costa Rica

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

Ornate Hawk-Eagles and Other Raptors

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

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

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

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

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

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One Fine Day of Birding in Costa Rica= 150 Species

During one day of birding in Costa Rica, how many species can you find? The answer to that really depends on where and how you do your birding. For example, the current record for Costa Rica is 350 plus species; an incredible one day total for anywhere.

Identifying such an amazing bunch of birds was no simple feat. Local birding experts made it happen by visiting various habitats for nearly 24 hours.

At the lucky, extreme end of a non-stop birding Big Day in Costa Rica, I believe that even more are possible, 400 plus species. It would take stamina, focused skills, great fortune and other factors to fall into place but yes, it is a possibility.

That would be an incredible bunch of birds but they would come at a cost. It wouldn’t exactly be a day of rest. Birding would have to commence at midnight and wouldn’t end until late in the same calendar day. There would be literal running to and from sites while staying focused on birds the entire time. Really, there wouldn’t be much appreciation of birds either. It would be all about hearing as many as possible, maximizing the numbers to see how far you can bird to the limit.

That’s not the type of birding day most people would prefer and I would not recommend it for a birding trip to Costa Rica. You’d miss out on taking in the birds, enjoying them to the fullest. Instead, easier days of birding at various sites would be the ticket to happiness. The good thing is that even while birding like that, in Costa Rica, you can still see a heck of a lot of birds in one day.

Spend a full day in the field and you’ll probably see more than 100. Focus on birding in the right places and you’ll see and hear quite a few more. That’s how a recent day of guiding in the Poas-Cinchona area went. Out of 150 bird species identified, these were ten highlights:

Great Black-Hawk

The Great Black Hawk has declined in Costa Rica.

We had a few raptors and probably would have had more if there was sunny weather. Even so, we still saw one of the rarer species possible in this area, the Great Black-Hawk.

In Costa Rica, this forest raptor has become pretty uncommon and only occurs in high quality habitat. We had one suddenly fly close overhead in good habitat at the edge of Braulio Carrillo National Park. I wonder what else lives around there…

Resplendent Quetzal

In keeping with seeing this spectacular mega world bird in the Poas area, we had fantastic views of one or two males near the Volcan Restaurant. They probably move through that area on a daily basis but you gotta get there early.

We did just that and had the quetzal as one of our first birds of the day!

Black-bellied Hummingbird

Black-bellied Hummingbird

This uncommon hummingbird still shows at the Cinchona hummingbird cafe and is regular at the edge of Braulio Carrillo National Park. This square-headed local hummingbird is always a special one to see.

Fiery-throated Hummingbird

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Any day with Fiery-throated Hummingbirds is a good day! They are common in the upper parts of the road to Poas National Park. Even if I rarely spot color on their throats, I always love seeing them.

Scintillant and Volcano Hummingbirds

The two smallest hummingbirds in Costa Rica are also regular on this route. Watching birds that look like glittering feathered bugs is a treasured, surreal experience.

Zeledon’s Antbird

How can you not love the name of this bird? It sounds like something from another planet. With the big pale blue, natural eyering bling, this ant bird sort of looks like something from another planet too.

But this is of course our place, our world full of fantastic, sacred biodiversity meant to be treasured.

All nightingale-thrushes

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One…two…three..four..five! Ha ha ha! Five nightingale-thrushes! I admit, two were heard only but we still “had” all of them; one with an orange bill, one with a black bill, another with a ruddy cap, a fourth with a slaty back, and a final one with a black head.

Scarlet-thighed Dacnis

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In the Virgen del Socorro area, these small beauties were out in force.

Silky-Flycatchers

Quite a few Long-tailed Silky-Flycatchers were around.

Poas is a good area for both silky-flycatchers. We had excellent looks at several of both species.

Black-thighed Grosbeak

This hefty yellow and black grosbeak was singing and showing at a few different places. We had our first in the same spot as the quetzal, another beautiful bird to start a wonderful day of birding in Costa Rica.

When you can spend a day sharing birds in beautiful tropical surroundings with fun people, that unto itself is the best highlight of all. However, we also saw more birds than the ones mentioned above, birds throughout the day including three toucan species, Prong-billed Barbet, and more. See the whole list at my eBird trip report.

This was a great day of birding but to be honest, identifying that many species in a day atthose sites isn’t out of the question. If the weather cooperates, incredibly, that’s more or less the norm when birding Costa Rica.

To learn about all the best sites for birding in Costa Rica and what to expect, support this blog by purchasing “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”. I hope to see you here!

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A Fine Morning of Excellent, Accessible Birding in Costa Rica

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The birding in Costa Rica is always good but some places are better, some birding mornings are more memorable than others. Recently, I had one such morning while birding a place I have visited much more than other sites. Easy, accessible, and good forest, I have made the 40 minute drive for birding at Poas on many an occasion. It’s always all good when I bring the binos to those high elevations but September 27th was one of the better visits, one that just might take the cake. Here’s why:

First Stop Has Most of the Birds

Upon reaching the high elevations, I stopped the car and said, “Let’s see what we find”. We barely exited the vehicle when a mixed flock found us. Yellow-thighed Brushfinches and other birds trooped into view and then stayed to feast on berries and I suppose to entertain us. I’m not sure how else to explain the close, constant, and easy views of so many Sooty-capped Chlorospingus, Fiery-throated Hummingbirds, Black-and-Yellow Silky-Flycatchers (we got tired of looking at them), Flame-throated Warblers, and more.

I didn’t think we would top that fantastic avian introduction but the highlights kept on coming.

Quetzal Perched in the Open

Next on the plate of birding happiness was a quetzal on a bare branch, backdrop of blue sky. It happened just after mentioning that we would search for quetzal but that we would still have to be lucky to find one. I pull up to the spot, look up to my left, and unbelievably, there goes a male Resplendent Quetzal, right in the open. It didn’t stay long but we got excellent, close looks. This was quickly followed by views of a Black Guan and a couple of Northern Emerald Toucanets. They must have been feeding from the same fruiting tree.

A Bunch of Chlorophonias

This was also a good morning for the miniature quetzal, the Golden-browed Chlorophonia. We had great looks at more than one male and were hearing their quaint calls at every stop.

Barred Parakeets Seen

I often hear the soft calls of Barred Parakeets when birding on Poas but rarely see the pint-sized parakeets. In needing to move around in search of feeding areas and doing so in flocks, this species reminds me of a crossbill. After hearing the birds, lo and behold, our luck continued when we saw a small group buzz overhead.

Barred Parakeets in flight.

Blue Seedeater (!)

This was arguable the rarest bird of the morning. Although it has been seen near the main road to Poas, I had never previously seen one at this site. If I recall correctly, the small dark finchy bird was responding to pishing. I heard its chip note and at first thought we may have found another uncommon bird for Costa Rica, a MacGillivray’s Warbler.

Even so, it didn’t sound quite right and with good reason because the bird that took form in my binoculars was a male Blue Seedeater. As is typical for this special species, it was calling from a patch of old bamboo.

Black Hawk-Eagle Displaying

Yes, Black Hawk-Eagle. Earlier this year, I was surprised to see one of these large raptors in the highest part of Poas. The other day, we had a pair and one was calling as it quivered its wings like a giant deadly butterfly.

The Poas area is always good but the other day was one for the books; we had all of these birds and some before 8 in the morning. It makes me wonder what else is lurking in the forests that overlook the cars and winding roads of the Central Valley?

To learn more about Poas, other birding sites, and how to identify hawk-eagles, promote the birding resources at this blog by purchasing “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”. I hope to see you here!

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Costa Rica Birding at Cinchona and Route 126: 3 Strategies

Birding as a kid in the 70s and 80s was about using cheap but precious binoculars to look at birds in the backyard, in nearby fields, and at state parks. It was about checking out and studying bird books in the public library and back at home, trying to see the differences among sparrows streaked with differents shades of brown, gazing at photos of Prairie Warbler, Indigo Bunting, and other birds (in books), and wondering how I could see them.

It was also about seeing how I could reach places outside of my backyard and joining local trips with an older birding crowd. I went on day trips with the Buffalo Ornithological Society and the Ranbow County Birders to local reserves to look for warblers in May, shorebirds in August, and migrating hawks in early spring. Living in Niagara, we had a fantastic gull trip and were fortunate to have Canadian friends that treated us to 9, even 10 owl species in a day in cold, snowy places. There were different levels of interest but the way we went birding was pretty much the same.

A trip usually started with a meeting time and place that tended to be a McDonald’s parking lot. That way, folks could use the restroom, get a coffee, and maybe a quick breakfast. Before GPS and associated modern digital wayfaring, the big golden arches came in handy as an easy and obvious point of reference. From our meeting spot, the trip leader would convoy us to our morning birding stops and we would watch birds, talk about how to identify them, and maybe look at some through scopes. We would check out field marks in field guides, maybe a Perterson or a Golden Guide. After the Nat. Geo. became available, that fantastic storehouse of updated birding knowledge took center stage. It was a huge help with identification, especially with gulls and shorebirds. We would bring our own lunches and at some later point, say our goodbyes and head back home.

This was how most birding trips were. It was birding without digital cameras, apps, nor any access to broader, collated information about sightings and advanced identification. In other words, birdwatching was just that; watching birds, and there was a big emphasis on field identification. There had to be. The birding community was still figuring out how to identify all sort of things and didn’t have any immediate picture taking devices to check the birds we had seen. Sometimes, people would bring print-outs of articles on identification. When Kenn Kaufman’s book on advanced bird identification was published, that fantastic resource also found a place in the car. Birding was often about getting good looks as fast as you could, knowing what to look for, taking notes and maybe making field sketches.

Since those pre Internet days, birding has evolved and expanded into a many-faceted hobby. The birding spectrum includes everything from watching birds to simply watch them and not worry much about their names, solely taking pictures of birds, and using every technolgical resource on hand to race and see as many species as possible. People also watch birds for other reasons but no matter how you go with the birding flow, in Costa Rica, everyone is welcome at the birding table.

Birds like the stunning Crimson-collared Tanager are waiting for you.

Costa Rica has enough birds and birding sites to please every aspect of the hobby. One of several choice areas to visit for any degree of birding or bird enjoyment or bird photography is Cinchona and Route 126. Situated around an hour or less from San Jose, this route provides access to several habitats, each of which have their fair share of birds. Cinchona is the name of a small settlement on that road where a small restaurant with a wealth of birds is located. It’s called the “Cafe Colibri” or “Mirador San Fernando“.

More than a dozen hummingbird species, tanagers, Black Guan, quetzal, Flame-throated Warbler and other highland endemics, Cinchona and Ruta 126 has enough birds and birding sites to please all aspects of birding. These are three strategies for a day of birding in this area, each tailored to a distinct manner of birding:

Focusing on Birds in Costa Rica and Not Much Else

I admit, this is the birding I have usually done, the birding I prefer to do because it pushes me to concentrate on my surroundings, to listen and look closer and become enveloped by natural surroundings. This type of full scale birding makes for some nature connection at its finest. If you bird like this on Ruta 126 and Cinchona, there are a couple of ways to start your long yet exciting day.

If you can’t sleep, at some pre-dawn hour, drive up the road towards Poas Volcano as far as you can go. Listen and look for Bare-shanked Screech-Owl and Dusky Nightjar. Keep an ear out for the less common tooting whistles of Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl and be aware that Unspotted Saw-whet might also occur up there (it has yet to be documented from Poas but you never know..).

Roosting Bare-shanked Screech-owls near Poas. This species is a common bird of highland habitats in Costa Rica.

From dawn to 9, get in roadside high elevation birding in that same area before making your way to Varablanca. Keep an eye out for Black Guan, quetzals, silky-flycatchers, and just about everything else. Make sure to stop at the Volcan Restaurant and enjoy a coffee and a snack while watching the hummingbird feeders. Still need Scintillant Hummingbird? Maybe Magenta-throated Woodstar? Check out the Porterweed bushes in the parking lot for the Corso farm.

When you reach Varablanca, make the turn towards Sarapiqui, drive downhill for a little bit and turn right on the San Rafael Road. Bird forest patches there and watch for Dark Pewee, Golden-bellied Flycatcher, and various other cloud forest species.

At some point, head back to Ruta 126 and keep driving downhill. You could make stops at the Peace Waterfall to look for American Dipper and and other species, and at one or more overlooks to watch for Ornate Hawk-Eagle and other soaring raptors.

Ornate Hawk Eagle is uncommon but regular in this area.

Arrive at Cinchona just before noon. If you visit on a weekend, the cafe could be crowded. From January to March, it might also be crowded with birders. Find a table, order some food and enjoy the avian show.

While keeping an eye out for both barbets, Black-bellied Hummingbird, and White-bellied Mountain-gem, don’t forget to check the undergrowth and nearby vegetation for surprise birds like a quail-dove or two, Middle American Leaftosser, Black-faced Solitaire, and other species. Make sure to support this important, birder friendly place with a donation.

Post Cafe Colibri, watch for perched Bat Falcon and soaring raptors as you continue driving downhill. For the rest of the afternoon, you can’t go wrong with birding Virgen del Socorro (four wheel drive), Mi Cafecito, and lower foothill birding on the San Miguel-Socorro Road. Checking streams could yield Faciated Tiger-Heron and other nice birdies.

Finish off the day by relaxing at Albergue del Socorro or further on in the Sarapiqui lowlands with a cold beer, or dinner, or counting the 100 plus species you have seen.

Bird Photography in Costa Rica

You still want an early start but unless you want to take a stab at capturing images of night birds, pre-dawn birding won’t be necessary. You might even want to stop for breakfast at Freddo Fresas. That way, you can also set up in their gardens just across the road.

birding Costa Rica

Although you can do bird photography on the road up to Poas, if you can, I suggest saving high elevation photography for places like Batsu or other spots in the Dota Valley. Whether you stop at Freddo Fresas or not, you may want to check out the hummingbird bushes in the parking area of the Corso farm and ice creamery. Further on, make your way down Ruta 126 towards Sarapiqui and on to Cinchona and spend a good few hours there. Make sure to buy lunch and also give them a donation of at least $10 per person. They may also charge a small photography fee. Whatever you do, please do what you can to support this important, fantastic, locally owned place. They have suffered tragedies, worked very hard to rebuild after being destroyed by an earthquake in 2009, and have supported birding and bird photography for many years.

Post Cinchona, keep an eye out for perched and soaring raptors on the drive downhill. The next best stop for photography would probably be Mi Cafecito. Although photo options vary, the area of the canyon overlook can have toucans, guans, tanagers, and other species at fruiting trees. Be careful on that cement trail, it can be very slippery!

After Mi Cafecito, head to your hotel in the Sarapiqui lowlands. To maximize photo opps, you may also want to skip Mi Cafecito altogether and visit Dave and Daves, or just shoot at your hotel.

Dave and Daves

Easy-Going Birding in Costa Rica

If you just feel like seeing whatever you can see, you should still get up early but you won’t need to rush out the door. If you are staying at a place like Villa San Ignacio, enjoy some nice easy birding in their gardens before and during a tasty breakfast. After that, drive up towards Poas and stop at Freddo Fresas to visit their gardens and perhaps buy some strawberry bread for an afternoon snack.

After checking out the gardens, continue on towards Varablanca and start driving downhill towards Sarapiqui on Ruta 126. Stop at one or two overlooks (with small parking areas), scan for flying raptors, and enjoy the scenery. Further on, if you feel like seeing various rescued wildlife in a somewhat zoo-like setting in beautiful surroundings and nice trails, visit the La Paz Waterfall Gardens (there is an entrance fee). If not, continue on, make an optional stop at the Peace Waterfall and then visit the Cafe Colibri at Cinchona.

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

Pick a table, order some food and drinks, and enjoy the birds. Take your time and keep watching, see how many species you can find! You might also want to browse their souvenirs and pick out some quality organic chocolate before easing on down the road. Please give a donation to help support this special place.

Further downhill, if you feel like walking a short trail in foothill rainforest, visit Mi Cafecito and walk to the overlook (be careful of slippery trail conditions). This place is also an excellent spot to take a coffee tour. After Mi Cafecito, continue on or head back to your hotel.

No matter how you watch birds, in Costa Rica, there’s a heck of a lot to see. For example, on the route mentioned above, over the years, I have seen more than 330 species. You won’t see all of them there in one day, but you can expect to see a lot and if you visit the Cafe Colibri at Cinchona, the norm has been close, prolonged views of fantastic tropical bird species.

To learn more about birding routes in Costa Rica, sites, and how to find and identify more birds, prepare for your trip with How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica. I hope to see you here!