Bird Watching

Costa Rica has an abundance of birds of spectacular diversity. And none is more famous than the vibrantly-colored quetzal, inhabiting the Monteverde Cloud Forest in the north-central region, and San Gerardo de Dota in the south. Scarlet macaws, toucans and countless other exotic species can be found in the mid-Pacific region's Carara Wildlife Reserve and the secluded Corcovado National Park. Visitor's interested in covering a lot of ground at once should visit La Selva Biological Station. Located in the Caribbean lowlands of Sarapiquí, it is believed that this bird watcher's paradise contains half of the country's bird species. Those interested in migratory birds may want to check out Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge and Palo Verde National Park, both located in the north.

Variety	Location	Best Season for Viewing	Special Information
Black Guan	Monteverde	All year
Blue-crowned Motmot	Central Valley, South Pacific slope below 1,800m	All year	Found in the suburbs of San José
Cerise-throated Hummingbird	Poas Barba	All year
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan	Forests of Caribbean and South Pacific below 1,000m	All year
Collared Redstart	Highlands above 2,000m	Mar-May	Sings during this period
Double-striped Thick-knee	Palo Verde	All year
Great Curassow	Corcovado	All year	Populations being greatly reduced by hunting
Jabaru	Marshes of Guanacaste	Early day; Jan-Apr
Laughing Falcon	Wooded lowlands of both coasts	All year
Masked Tityra	Wooded regions below 1,200m	Feb-Jul
Montezuma Oropendola	Caribbean lowlands and slope	All year
Purple-crowned Fairy Hummingbird	Widely distributed below 1,000m	All year
Quetzal, Resplendent	Monteverde, Cerro de la Muerte, Barba Volcano	Jan-Jun	Calling: Mar-Jun
Scarlet Macaw	Corcovado, Palo Verde, Santa Rosa	All year	Populations are being greatly reduced because of the cutting of nesting trees
Scarlet-rumped Tanager	Clearings, Caribbean and South Pacific below 1,200m	All year
Silvery-fronted Tapaculo	Monteverde	All year
Snow cap	Finca la Selva	Jan-Apr
Squirrel Cuckoo	Widely distributed below 1,500m	All year
Sun Bittern	Tortuguero, La Selva, Monteverde	All year	Along stream banks, very difficult to find
Three-wattled Bellbird	Monteverde, Cerro de la Muerte, highland forests	All year	Mar. Aug. best viewing; calls all year, migrates to coasts, high in trees
Torrent Tyrannulet	Mountain torrents, both slopes	All year
Volcano Junco	Highest summits, Irazu	All year
White-throated Magpie Jay	Guanacaste, Northern Puntarenas	All year
Wren-thrush	Monteverde, Cerro de la Muerte	All year
Yellow-billed Coringa	Corcovado	All year	Mangrove estuaries and adjacent forests

Bird Watching

Costa Rica Guide and Information