Macaw	Blue Throated Golden Tail Hummingbird	Bob Bird	Esmerald Toucanet	Keel-Billed Toucan
Palm Tanager	Red legged honeycreeper	Slaty Tailed Trogan	White-fronted Parakeet

Bird Watching in Costa Rica: General Information

Costa Rica, with only 19,714 square miles, constitutes a paradise for those seeking a once-in-the-life-time bird watching experience. Approximately 850 species of birds have been identified in Costa Rica, one tenth of the world's total.  The presence of lowland, misty cloud forest, cool temperate forest, páramo, dry and humid forest with its transitions make Costa Rica the mecca for bird watching.

In the lowlands of Rio Sarapiqui  Aracaris, Parrots, Mot Mots, Cuckoos, Laughing Falcons, Kingfishers, Sun grebes, Egrets, Wood storks, Ospreys, Trogons and 7 different species of Herons including the Boat-Billed Heron can be observed

In the Cloud Forest of Monteverde, Three-wattled Bellbirds, Quetzals, Long-tailed Manakins can be seen. At Cerro de la Morte (Páramo), Fiery-throated Hummingbirds, Timberline Wrens, Wrenthrushes and Finch Yellow-thighed Finch birds can be seen.

Hummingbirds

In Costa Rica, 51 of the 300 species of hummingbirds can be spotted. The green-crowned brilliant, purple-throated mountain gem, Buffoon's plummeteer, and the bold and strikingly fiery-throated are among these exotic birds.

Macaws 

Macaws, the largest neo-tropical parrots, are distinguished by dazzlingly colors of bright yellow and blue,
green, or scarlet. Only in Costa Rica, can bird watchers appreciate both the scarlet macaw (lapa roja) and the Buffoon's macaw (lapa verde). 

Macaws are an endangered species. Today, there are only three protected wild populations in Central America, two of them in Costa Rica: Carara Biological Reserve with  approximately 200 scarlet macaws and Corcovado with 1,600 scarlet macaws. However, macaws can often be seen  at Palo Verde National Park, and Santa Rosa National Park.

Quetzal

The Quetzal (resplendent trogon), is easily seen in Costa Rica. The Quetzal, a protected species, can be seen at  Braulio Carrillo National Park, Poás Volcano National Park, Chirripó, La Amistad National Park, Monteverde and Los Angeles cloud forest reserves. 

Monteverde Rain Cloud Forest

Cloud Rain Forest
Monteverde, located 115 miles northwest of San Jose, was originally settled by a  group of Quakers. These settlers established  the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, a 26,000-acre reserve. Today, This Reserve is administered by the Centro Cientifico Tropical.

Resplendent Quetzal

In Monteverde, you will enjoy over 2,500 plant species, including 420 different kinds of orchids; 100 species of mammals; 400 bird species; 120 reptilian and amphibian species. You will have a chance to see the resplendent Quetzal, the unique Golden Toad, the Baird's tapir and jaguars. Howler and whiteface monkeys, sloth, blue morpho butterflies, and three wattled bell birds can also be seen at this dazzling cloud forest

Carara National Park

Carara National Park, located 55 miles west of San Jose and near Jaco Beach, lies in the transitional zone between tropical dry forest and tropical rain forest. Here it is common to see scarlet macaws.  Bird lovers will also enjoy the sight of the pink crane and the anhinga; waterfowl including roseate spoonbills, jacanas, pied-billed grebes and Mexican tiger-bitterns. Monkeys, armadillos, peccaries, pacas, iguanas, sloth and small cats have been seen in this area.
 
 Carara is home to parrots, parakeets, toucan, trogons and three species of monkeys. Most visitors are able to witness rare American Crocodiles, which bask along the embankments of the Tarcoles River bordering the park. 

You may witness rare American Crocodiles which bask along the embankments of the Tarcoles  River bordering the park.

Manuel Antonio National Park

 Manuel Antonio National Park provides the perfect combination of activities for a wonderful vacation. Manuel Antonio contains lush tropical forests, extraordinary wildlife and long white sandy beaches. Manuel Antonio has two beaches, and several hiking trails. Along the hiking trails you will come across two cliffs from where you can rest and observe the secluded and unspoiled coast line.

The abundance of wildlife in the area can be easily spotted. The animals are quite tolerant of visitors and allow you ample opportunity to get that special photo or video.  Animals in the area include the white face monkey squirrels, two and three toed sloth, squirrel monkeys, raccoons and other species.
Approximately 200 hundred species of birds are located within the park, and 60 other species are present during  migrations. The birds include parakeets and parrots as well as 15 different types of hummingbirds including purple-crowned fairies.  Willet, pelican, least sandpiper, Blue-crowned motmot, Golden-naped woodpecker, orange-collared manakin, Social flycatcher, Bank swallow are also very common in Manuel Antonio.

Palo Verde National Park

Palo Verde, located 150 miles northwest of San Jose and between the Bebedero and Tempisque River, is considered the heart of the Tempisque lowlands. 257 species of birds: herons, storks, egrets, grebes, ibis, ducks, northern jacanas can be observed along the park trails. Several other species can be seen at Isla Pájaros (Bird Island), located inside the National Park, including the black-crowned night herons

Corcovado National Park

Corcovado National Park, located on the Southwest side of Osa Peninsula on the Pacific coast, has some 56,439 Hectors.  Macaws are a protected species in Corcovado National Park. Approximately 1,600 scarlet macaw inhabit the park where as many as 40 may be seen at one time. In addition, 367 species of birds, including king vulture, white hawk, short-billed pigeon, tovi parakeet, bronze-tailed have been seen in this park.