Bird Watching

Costa Rica is the birders paradise and has become world famous with its avifuana.   Within this small countries borders approximately 850 different species can be found.  This magnitude is on par with some continents like Europe, North America and Australia.  For those with a long life list this is the place to get a head checking off many unique and beautiful birds.

The country boasts 16 different species of Parrots with the best in show being the Scarlet Macaw.  Fifty species of hummingbirds can also be found in Costa Rica and 20 of those species can commonly be found at local feeders.  The highlight hummingbird is the Violet Sabrewing.  Ten species of Trogons are also found in Costa Rica including the Resplendent Quetzel -the most dazzling and culturally important bird of Central America.   Six species of Toucans make Costa Rica home with the most popular being the Chestnut-mandible toucan and the brilliant billed Keel-bill toucan.  

Some of the popular waterbirds that can be found in marshes as well as long both coasts include the magnificent Frigatebird, Brown Pelican, Boat-billed Heron, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Roseate Spoonbill and the Jacana (known as the 'lily trotter' due to its unique ability to run across water foliage).  

However, half of Costa Rica's birds are in the Passerines category.   These include Warblers, Sparrows and Finches.  Some of the more unique Passerines that are more limited to tropical areas are the Tanagers and Cotingas.  The highlights in these species are the Blue-grey Tanager, Scarlet-rumped Tanager, Three Wattled Bellbird in the Contingas species and the Red-headed Barbet.