Birds and Birding in Costa Rica

You could take a 60 minutes flight + a 5 hours drive to the amazing and pristine Corcovado National Park, or take a 3 hours boat ride to the unique and diverse canals of Tortuguero National Park... Amazing birds and birding? of course, but this will require more time and will show you some cool specific habitat... not all... That's why I recommend you to stick to the great birding sites not so far from the capital... this will produce you the major number of species in a short time and will leave the door wide open to see and enjoyed all those other cool places away in a second visit.

Said that, we'll go ahead now and have a look to this 4 areas not so far from San Jose Capital and with some of the best potential avifauna.

By far, the very best birding site of Costa Rica... and I bet, one of the best in the entire world!

Here you can get up to 100 species of birds in just a few hours, with real opportunities to some hard-to-get targets and sough birds like the amazing and almost extinct Great Green Macaw.

This is the ideal site to get started, big time!
I recommend you to stay -at least- two nights at the at the Station itself, is kind of basic-rustic and expensive, but you'll be considered as a resident guess, so that all trails will be open for you and the starting time will be up to you... If staying somewhere else, the gate will open 'till 7 am and they'll let you in -just- for a few hours...

Only outside the reception -in the gardens- all action gets started with some classic Caribbean species and some awesome birds coming and going from and to the Rain Forest, representing a perfect chance for clean looks and even photography on ideal light conditions.

Something pretty important to consider here, is how La Selva is connected to Braulio Carrillo National Park by a corridor, what gives a perfect chance for wildlife to have all that awesome and important attitudinal migration and converting La Selva into one of those Oasis of Biodiversity.

As well, this oasis is connected with the rain forest in Nicaragua by the San Juan - La Selva Corridor, what brings an amazing opportunity for species like the Great Green Macaw to come and go by a protected greenery.

There are 25 kilometers of trails in this amazing research station and although the opening will produce the major quantity of species, one should consider spending -at least- a day in the primary forest... less birds, yes, but each and everyone you find would be a great prize to your list.



La Selvas Official's Website Here

This is another amazing area of the country, as for a totally different diversity of species.

What makes Carara so particularly good is the fact of been located as the northernmost Tropical Rain Forest in the Pacific side of the country. Right at its endings, the Tropical Dry Forest changes the scenario dramatically. So, this 4,700 hectares National Park, has a good bit of both life zones, and a mix of them...

Besides, the Grande de Tarcoles River continuously floods some areas of the park and offers a wide quantity of wildlife at its edge... from the common river species, to the gulls and waders at the Mangrove and the Tarcoles River Mouth.

Your priority should by the limit route of the park, called "La Trocha". This one is -by far- the best of the best, ending on a great and active lagoon and with birds along the way as cool as the Royal Flycatcher. They open at 7 am, but you can go the day before to the Station and buy your tickets for the next morning.

Get to the gate around 5:30 and get ready for crazy action, right there! On the way back, just show the tickets to the guard at the gate and will be no problem... it's amazing there indeed!

You could also drive to the Tarcoles River Mouth and Estuary one afternoon and have a look through the scope (indispensable) for waders and much more.
Also, should drive a bit an afternoon to the Crocodiles Bridge and enjoy the amazing show of the Scarlet Macaws returning to roost from the beach and the 100 Nighthawks after that.

This is another destination I recommend to by at for -at least- two nights in one of the many hotels and resorts near by...
I like to stay at Villa Lapas, since it has cool birding areas, great birds just at the garden, has a nice stream surrounding it and even hanging bridges that can be very productive some times.



Information about Carara and Tarcoles here

Information about Villa Lapas

This is pretty much another birding sanctuary and by far is the best place in the country for the astonishing and amazing Resplendent Quetzal -named by many as the most beautiful bird of the world!-, amongst many other attractive highland specialties.

We are talking about the highlands here... The Tropical Cloud Forest and the Paramo. This is a fresh (cold sometimes) part of the country with a rich diversity of species and truly easy access.

I'll suggest you staying at Savegre Lodge, where birding is cool, guides are pretty good and the food is simply superb!!!
You can spend a full day inside their property and discover a SO different habitat and get truly good new sights for your life list... The Hummingbird Feeders are always pretty busy and colorful and the gardens itself are very good birding turf.

Now, when it comes to the amazing Quetzals, I recommend you taking a short drive up the hill and visit a pretty simple and friendly site called Paraiso del Quetzal (Quetzal's Paradise)... wow and wow!

This is the right place to get close and personal with so much beauty in a bird!...
This is a Paramo Ecosystem, so you'll have the chance for different birds... like for example the hummers in their feeders might show you a few new species right there... with a hot chocolate in hand!

Make sure of driving slowly up and down the hill from and to Savegre... not only because is a narrow road, but because this ride might produce some good species, like the Sooty Robin on the fences!



Information about Savegre Lodge

Information about Quetzal's Paradise

Palo Verde National Park has such a important relevance for migrating birds of the Americas, that it was amongst the first Ramsar sites nominated.

This is what you can certainly call an Oasis...
More than 300 species had been recorded, but when it comes to individuals, we are talking about so much, that seems like the black out your sky when flying if you're getting too close... :)

This unique site, will take you to find so many species that are unique and not covered in any of the previous areas... particularly wetland species (waterfowls) and dry forest specialties.

Besides, Palo Verde is connected to the Dr. Rafael Lucas Rodríguez Caballero Wildlife Refuge and, beyond that, the Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve, holding a huge protected area that allows wildlife moving up and down, giving you some cool chances to unusual species... even some rarities.

There are several places within range for staying, however I recommend you -again- the OTS Station, right in the heard of the action... with loads of waterfowl from your window.

Although this place is kind of further away than the other three spots, I consider it vital for complementing your list and the life zones diversity of your trip.
It might take a few hours driving... but trust me on this one... is quite worth the effort.



Information about Palo Verde

Hosting about 50% of the species found in Costa Rica (that's over 400 species of birds in 1500 square Hectares!!!), La Selva is indeed a Paradise for birdwatchers from all over the globe.

Here I'm sharing some names of cool birds, as well as a few of my images from last trip, in April 2008.

For my complete gallery of Birds from La Selva, and around the world, please follow this link:

Alex Vargas Bird Images

A FEW NAMES WITH A FEW IMAGES
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Great Green Macaw

Great Tinamou

Agami Heron

Crested Guan


Ornate Hawk-Eagle

Semiplumbeous Hawk

King Vulture

Collared Aracari


Keel-billed Toucan

Slaty-tailed Trogon

Chestnut-headed Oropendula

Northern Barred Woodcreeper


Black-striped Woodcreeper

Striped Cuckoo

Smoky-brown Woodpecker

Chestnut-colored Woodpecker


Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant

Black-crowned Tityra

Golden-crowned Spadebill

Long-tailed Tyrant


Bare-necked Umbrellabird

Snowy Cotinga

Three-wattled Bellbird

White-whiskered Puffbird


American Pygmy Kingfisher

Rufous Motmot

Short-tailed Nighthawk

Crested Owl


Tawny-capped Euphonia

Slate-colored Grosbeak

Crimson-collared Tanager

Red-throated Ant-Tanager


Streaked Saltator

Green Shrike-Vireo

Scarlet-thighed Dacnis

Shining Honeycreeper


La Selva's Birds List

Carara National Park is another hotspot with over 400 species of birds on it. Not so easy as in La Selva, this must site would get you great quantity and quality of birds for your Life List.

Here I'm sharing some names of cool birds, as well as a few of my images from last trip, in April 2008.

For my complete gallery of Birds from Carara National Park and Tarcoles River, as from around the world, please follow this link:

Alex Vargas Bird Images

A FEW NAMES WITH A FEW IMAGES
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Great Black- Hawk

Gray-headed kite

Orange-Fronted Parakeet

Scarlet Macaw


Tricolored Heron

Reddish Egret

Wood Stork

Gray-necked Wood-Rail


Roseate Spoonbill

White-throated Cracke

Sunbittern

White Ibis


Fiery-billed Aracari

Orange-collared Manakin

Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher

Royal Flycatcher


Black Skimmer

Black Tern

Northern Jacana

Whimbrel


Ruddy Quail-Dove

Lesser Ground-Cuckoo

Baird's Trogon

Stripe-headed Sparrow


Olivaceus Piculet

Staty Spinetail

Streak-chested Antpitta

Rose-throated Becard


I can't find a good list to the birds of Carara National Park, however, this one from Villa Lapas should give you a very good idea.

Just at Savegre Lodge, their count goes for about 200 species of birds and if you go higher to Cerro de la Muerte -with a totally different Ecosystem-, the count of a good site like Paraiso del Quetzal -for example- isn't bat at all.

You should cover a wide area with several Life Zones and altitudes in a few days here, with loads of cool birds... Just keep this fact in mind: In the highlands there aren't as many birds as in the Tropical Lowlands, however, endemics are much more frequent... meaning that most of what you find up there is unique to that particular area and most likely, there is a 70% of probabilities for lifers in every sight you get... cool hum?

Here I'm sharing some names of cool birds, as well as a few of my images from last trip, in April 2008.

For my complete gallery of Birds from Savegre Valley & the Cerro de la Muerte -highlands- as from around the world, please follow this link:

Alex Vargas Bird Images

A FEW NAMES WITH A FEW IMAGES
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Resplendent Quetzal

Collared Trogon

Dusky Nightjar

Emerald Toucanet


Black Guan

Highland Tinamou

Buffy Crowned Wood Partridge

Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush


Sulfur-winged Parakeet

Barred Parakeet

Chiriqui Quail-Dove

Ruddy Pigeon


Silvery-Fronted Tapaculo

Streaked-breasted Treehunter

Buffy Tuftedcheek

Black-and-Yellow Silky-Flycatcher


Torrent Tyrannulet

Ochraceous Pewee

Zeledonia

Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher


Bat Falcon

Ochraceous Wren

Slaty Flowerpiercer

Black-thighed Grosbeak


Volcano Junco

Yellow-bellied Siskin

Golden-browed Chlorophonia

Flame-colored Tanager


This is a wide area with several Life Zones and altitudes, so I'll show as a good reference the complete Bird List of Savegre Lodge here.

Palo Verde National Park is indeed a sanctuary for all that waterfowl, not only the residents, but that amazing quantity of migrants, coming to spend the winter on a Tropical Oasis. However, it is much more than that... The connection to the Dr. Rafael Lucas Rodríguez Caballero Wildlife Refuge and, beyond that, the Lomas de Barbudal Biological Reserve, makes this one a site with so much to discover... a unique birding paradise so rich, in terms of territory, and even more in terms of biodiversity.

Here I'm sharing just a few names of cool birds, as well as a few images of birds present at Palo Verde National Park and the Tempisque River.

For my complete gallery of Birds from Costa Rica and around the world, please follow this link:

Alex Vargas Bird Images

A FEW NAMES WITH A FEW IMAGES
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Elegant Trogon

Long-tailed Manakin

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Turquoise-browed Motmot


Least Grebe

Glossy Ibis

Jabiru

Anhinga


Pectoral Sandpiper

Limpkin

Greater Yellowlegs

Double-striped Thick-knee


Black-billed Cuckoo

White-necked Puffbird

Olivaceous Woodcreeper

Lineated Woodpecker


Blue-black Grassquit

Blue Grosbeak

Spot-breasted Oriole

Red-winged Blackbird


White-throated Magpie-Jay

Bright-rumped Attila

Greenish Elaenia

Great Kiskadee


White-necked Puffbird

Barred Antshrike

Long-billed Gnatwren

Rufous-naped Wren


A complete list of the Birds of Palo Verde here.

This is how I would plan a 12 days visit to maximize time and get the most birds having fun at the greatest spots of Costa Rica...

If you have the chance of flying to Liberia, the new and cool 360 degrees Airport, start with Palo Verde and get the far away destination done first.

If arriving by the Juan Santa Maria International, in Alajuela, keep the order I suggested here, why?... 3 reasons:

1- La Selva first, will produce so many and so cool birding memories that you'll get boosted up for the rest of your trip. Besides you will have to travel just a couple of hours by car after the plain trip.

2- You're starting on a tropical climate, what might help you getting adapted to the country and the temperature. Then, after a great heat in Carara, you climb to Savegre for a break and recovery... When you get to the hot, dryness of Palo Verde, is just for the final days before getting home...

3- Palo Verde, besides the hottest weather, means the longest ride. Do it at last, will keep you sharp and positive. Palo Verde is such a great birding scenario and a beautiful place that you'll get in loved with the place and its birds... I'm sure you'll do quite well there and when you get on the car again is for going to the airport and rest...

I'm presenting here an scenario where you fly to Juan Santa Maria International and get to La Selva mid morning or lunch time.

Day 01- Arriving to La Selva, you should get busy enough by the buildings, the gardens, the road going back to the main gate, the football field area, the -impressive- suspension bridge, the Puerto Viejo River, and -at the other side of the river- the gardens in between the visitor center and the laboratories.
If you still have some time (I don't think so) go back and check the football field area again... it can get crazy active at the end of the day.

Day 02- In the morning, even when birds will be very active and calling you at the gardens, use the best of your strength, keep walking and save the first hours for the trail (Sendero Arriera-Zompopa) starting just by the football field and explore this amazing source of cool birds.
Besides the arrival day, one can spend sometime scouting the gardens during lunch time and before a second walk on a trail.

In the afternoon, you could walk the trail in the forest called Sendero 3 Rios (3 rivers trail) and get less birds at once, but many cool ones are possible and very likely to show up.

Day 03- Here you should go -very- early to the Primary Forest. I recommend you take the Sendero Canta Rana, the River Station and go as far as you can get 'till 10:30am in the Sendero Oriental.
After that, go back to the station, get everything ready, have lunch, check a final bit the gardens and get back on track to Carara.

You'll be arriving there, late afternoon -nearly the night- of the third day. Focus on getting rested and enjoy the beautiful grounds at Villa Lapas... cool birds can come here at late afternoon...
You need to get the tickets for the following morning to enter the National Park. Villa Lapas can arrange this for you... Just ask them to do it since the moment you make the reservation. They can also arrange a boat trip on the Tarcoles River on day 5. I prefer the one starting around 7:30am... good light and getting warm, birds tempt to show up by the river.

Day 04- Get up early and scout the gardens and river edge in Villa Lapas, then go on to La Trocha, in Carara National Park.

This trail is completely safe for you and you can count on it... however, DO NOT leave the car alone outside this trail!!! They take like 10 minutes to break in and give you a headache.

You have two options here: A)- You can leave the car at Villa Lapas, make them to arrange your transportation to La Trocha and set a time to return and pick you up to go back. -This is the option I always use. I just carry some box lunch prepared by Villa Lapas and agree with the Lodge for going back around 3pm... Is really good, and time flies!

B)- The other choice would be starting in Carara's Trail later on. You can spend some time at Villa Lapas grounds near the rooms and some time at the parking lot of La Trocha... many birds are usually out there and you stay with the car 'till the guard arrives, at 7 -7:30 am. Then, head up on the trail.

This afternoon, you should go to the Tarcoles Bridge (called the Crocs Bridge) around 5:00pm and wait for the show of the Scarlet Macaws going back to roost in the park. Lots of Nighthawks will also come out during the very last minutes of daylight.

Day 05- This morning you should drive straight to Tarcoles Town. A whole group of Scarlet Macaws feed on a patch of Beach Almond trees, just in the central park of the small town, in front of the police station. This is as close as you will ever get to those fantastic animals... Remember, by 6:30am, they are likely to be gone for the day... So, get there early and stay until they fly away.
You have to be at the boat pier at 7:30am to go on the Tarcoles River Boat Ride. This is a very productive - guided experience of a few hours.

When finished, you could scout a bit the roadsides heading back to Lapa Rios. There are several ponds and mangrove spots with good species here.

Take some time to walk and watch from the suspended bridges, the trails and surroundings of Villa Lapas, most likely you'll get a few new ones there.
Get packed, take a shower and have lunch to hit the road towards the mountains.

I'm making this itinerary as if I was driving... If you are ok with it, you can drive all the way up to Savegre 5-6 hours (this is what I always do), or if too heavy road for you, drive back to San Jose, sleep there and go -very- early (to beat the traffic)next morning.

Day 06- This should be a complete day at Savegre's turf. The morning on the trails with a guide (I recommend you Melvin, he's a cool gent and very knowledgeable) and the afternoon, the hummingbird feeders and the gardens will show you some birds... some new ones, for sure.

Ask the guys at Savegre's Reception to make you a reservation for Mr. Serrano, the guide at Paraiso del Quetzal the following morning.

Day 07- Spend the morning at Paraiso del Quetzal. The first 3 hours, walk around and let the guide to impress you with how close you can get to the wonderful Quetzals and many other Paramo specialities... Then, take a couple of hours and seat outside the cafeteria, enjoy the amazing hummingbird feeders -3 feet away from your nose!- and keep your eyes open for some cool and unique birds coming and going by the fruit trees in front.
Please have lunch there and support this nice people who need it and who we should keep on working... remember, this site offers the very best views to that special species so hard -pretty much- everywhere else!!!

After lunch, you could drive down to La Georgina. 15 kilometers past Savegre's entrance and give it a try for a different elevation and some different birds on their trails. Their hummingbird feeders show -sometimes- very good-different species.

Day 8- Spent the morning re-checking the grounds at Savegre Lodge, get better images of those colorful hummingbirds at the feeders and spent a while by the river... You might get lucky with some river birds that come and go as unique targets.

Leave Savegre around 11:30am and drive back to San Jose with no hurries. Have lunch in Paraiso del Quetzal and check the feeders one last time.
This night you need to stay in the capital and I recommend you go to bed early, for an early departure next day for the longest drive of the trip.

Day 9- Leave San Jose very early -kind of before dawn- for beating the traffic and reaching Palo Verde in good time, with light and with a late afternoon to get a taste of the amazing marshes.

Day 10- This day you should spend it complete by the station, overlooking the marshes... up and down! Ask on the Station of owl roosting sites and arrange a guide to take you out next day.

Everything will be new here... pay attention to anything moving, 'cause even the pasture lands might get you some nice birding.

Day 11- This day I strongly recommend you to get a guide from the station to take you around on the trails and the Tempisque River. Those guys are pretty good and know their turf with all secrets!

Day 12- Get packed and ready from the night before. Get up, have breakfast and drive very slowly, checking the roadsides on the way back to the main road. There are several great birds only found there during the morning. Make sure you reach the main road by 10:00am to start heading back to San Jose and get to rest there before your flight next day.

If you follow this itinerary, I bet you'll get between 300 and 500 species. If you hire a GOOD guide for the whole trip and get him to follow this itinerary, then I guarantee you between 400 and 500 species of exotic and fantastic Neotropical Birds!

Costa Rica is indeed a Paradise of Nature, hosting about 4% of the World's Biodiversity in 52000 squared Kilometers!!!

In just a few hours you can drive from the Caribbean Coast to the Pacific Shoreline... passing all kinds of elevations and ecosystems along the way, thanks to its irregular terrains and to the fact of being the most protected country of the world in average, with about 30% of the total territory under the categories of National Parks, Wildlife Refuges and Biological Preserves.

When it comes to birds, 886 species in such a small area makes this little land of freedom, the perfect target for many exotic birds in a short term.
That's about 10% of the birds of the world!!!

Some one could say that other great countries for birding host that much as well, however there you might have to fly North and South and drives are normally for -at least- half a day...
That's the magical fact about Costa Rica... few kilometers, tons of cool birds accessible!

Finally, Costa Rica does not have an army since 1949 and all the gross of national budget -going to weapons and military training in the countries around it- goes to health and education, making this beautiful country an Oasis of Peace and Nature, where Ecotourism -as the first income of the state- has lifted a great infrastructure that besides taking a good care of the visitors, has created -kind of- an strong defense to the natural resources.

To find out what birders and bird photographers are up to in Costa Rica, visit Foto Naturaleza ... a forum from Costa Rica and for everyone!

My wife and my daughter are the boosters of my existence... thanks my loves for sharing the birds and birding with me... I love You so Much!!!