Bird Watching Destinations in Costa Rica

Are you a lover of outdoors? You will love being in Cost Rica. Not only that this destination has the best rafting waves in the Caribbean, but it is also a haven for bird enthusiasts or for people who only just want to hang out with nature and experience how bird creatures dwell in the land and over. 

So, where to go bird watching in Costa Rica? There are a number of national parks in Costa Rica that will give you a good view of the diverse bird creatures in the place. There are also guided tours that can assist you if you are novice in this hobby.

Watch over 300 bird species in La Selva Biological Station

With a superb trail framework through a mixed bag of territories, from thick essential rainforest to open pasture lands and cacao estates, this is one of the finest spots for bird viewing in Costa Rica. With such an assortment of natural surroundings, the quantity of species spotted rushes to well in excess of 300. La Selva is located simply a couple of miles south of Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica.

Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge

Caño Negro Lake and the Río Frío are staggeringly rich in natural life and a real settling and social event site for aquatic bird animal species. These huge winged creatures are getting less regular in Costa Rica, however this is still one of the best places to recognize one. Caño Negro Natural Lodge sits right on the edge of the shelter and makes an incredible base for exploring this area to the north of La Fortuna.

Sighting the Scarlet Macaw Flying over Carara National Park

Home to Costa Rica's biggest population of red macaws, Carara Biological Reserve is an extraordinary spot for dedicated fledgling watchers and novice alike. Macaws are uproarious and vivid birds that use their days in the recreation center yet decide to perch in the night times close to the coast. They touch base as predictable as the rising sun each morning and afterward set out toward the beachfront mangroves around sunset. These day by day movements give birders an extraordinary opportunity to see these great flying creatures in flight. The national park is at around 2 hours from San José along the focal Pacific coast.

Birds in the Costa Rica Rainforest

Included in the Costa Rica attractions a tourist must see is not only the rainforest of Costa Rica but as well as the creatures living inside of these luscious greens and the teeming surrounding. Bird enthusiasts as well as local and foreign tourists will love to go Costa Rica bird watching once they learn about the hundreds of bird species flying over and under the rainforests.

Many species are only found in Costa Rica, some of which we will be listing below. If you are interested in finding out about the birds in the Costa Rica rainforest, check out the list and equip yourself of the possible birds you’ll encounter in your upcoming rainforest adventure in the Caribbean.

Trogon.
Commonly seen living on the rainforest of Costa Rica, Trogon habitat are the lowlands and chilly cloud forests. These bird species have distinct, bright, colorful feathers which may include a mix of blue, yellow and red. However, inspite of their bright colors, Trogon can only be seen by the keen observant tourists.

The most renowned of the trogons, and maybe of all Costa Rica, is the brilliant quetzal. Indeed with its blustering plumage, the most capturing of all neotropical winged animals, a quetzal can without much of a stretch be ignored as it remains still in its dim cloud woods home. The best time to look for quetzals are March through May when they home and feast upon the fruiting Aguacatillo tree, a wild avocado and their most loved food.

Motmot. Costa Rica's tropical rainforest is home to the bird known as Motmot. The six types of motmots in Costa Rica mix the shades blue, green, and rufous in their plumages. Their most prominent characteristic is their tail. In every species aside from one, there is an exposed area of the quill shaft close to the end of the tail, a special characteristic around all bird species.

The most normally seen species in the greater part of Costa Rica is the blue-crownedmotmot, with its striking blue eyebrow.

Toucan. Around the most notable birds of Costa Rica rainforetsts are the toucans, all effectively distinguished by their immense bills. The toucan utilizes the serrated edge of its tremendous bill for consuming a mixture of apples and oranges. U
nfortunately, toucans additionally utilize their delightful bills to attack the homes of different winged creatures and consume their chicks or eggs. Case in point, emerald toucanettes, a rich and often seen occupant of the cloud backwoods, are a predictable predator of baby quetzals. The chestnut-mandibled toucan, the biggest species in Costa Rica, now and then even consumes infant monkeys.

Bananaquit; Bird of Costa Rica Rainforest

Ever heard of a ‘nectar-robber’ bird? Well, the Bananaquit Bird of Costa Rica is guilty of being one. Usually, we are only hearing this matter through butterflies, but here is bird species that also feeds on the nectar of flowers. Acting also as a pollinator of flowers, the Bananaquit plays a vital role in balancing the ecosystem.

How can I classify one?

Easy. As you go along its usual habitat, it is easy to spot one. The Bananaquit is a small bird ranging from 7.5 to 12.5 centimeters, characterized by its series of high-toned queaks all year-long. Being a nectar feeder, it is easy to spot one in an array of flowers. We’ll talk about the habitat later on. One important thing to consider when classifying Bananaquit is its unique appearance. The one native in Costa Rica has a dark-gray back with white-spotted wings. The underside is unique, which is bright yellow. It also has a white stripe above the eye and a gray throat. Females are easily recognized from males due to its color; the juveniles and females are less bright. Bananaquits have a thin black beak, and is pointed adapted for sucking nectars.

Where can I find Bananaquit Birds?

When it comes to its geographic range, Bananaquit can be found on Mexico to Argentina, and almost all of the islands in the West Indies aside from Cuba. It can be found on most parts of Costa Rica except those of higher elevations and those with tropical dry forest. As observed, the bird avoids higher elevations but survive in areas of lower and middle elevations. There are national parks that houses Bananaquits like Corcovado National Park and Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.

What makes it different from other birds?

Aside from the fact that it can be compared to butterflies for being a nectar feeder, the Bananaquit also has interesting characteristics that makes it unique among all others. It can also take nectar from the plant without pollinating it, by making a hole on the flower’s side. While feeding, Bananaquit needs a perch, for it cannot stay in the air at the same spot like hummingbirds do. 

Sugar bird is its nickname due to its close likeness for sugar, which is a way to most effectively attract these birds. One interesting fact to know about Bananaquits is their ability to adjust to human environments. In fact, it has the capacity to build its nest by the use of man-made objects. The breeding season usually is in line with the most productive flowering season; it starts by courting rituals and ends with the mating partner separated again.

Image credits: birdsoftt.com