Bird Watching in Costa Rica

Collared Aracari in Drake Bay Costa Rica

With an astounding biodiversity and approximately 850 species of birds, Costa Rica provides great bird watching opportunities at spectacular locations. For bird watching in Costa Rica, head to the beautiful rainforests or the numerous National Parks or wildlife reserves across the country. The dense foliage of the forests allows you to hear the calls and songs of the incredible birds. Bird watchers can stay at eco lodges; take bird watching hikes or tour with bilingual guides for sighting these wonderful creatures.

Best Place

The Santa Rosa National Park in Guanacaste and its humid forests encompass around 250 bird species including the Long Tailed Manakin and the Blue Crowned Motmot. Hear the unique croak song of the Keel-Billed Toucan with its rainbow colored bill and the repetitive mocking calls of the Laughing Falcon or ‘Guaco’, as the locals call it, while you hike through the park.

Other Locations

Resplendent Quetzal is the most popular among bird watchers and is found in the high altitude cloud forests in Central America. Head to the Monteverde Cloud Forest, the Barva volcano area or to Los Quetzales National Park and Cerro de la Muerte in the south of San José to hear the quetzal sing.The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is home to 400 species of birds that includes Three Wattled Bellbird, Montezuma Oropendola, thrushes, hummingbirds and other migratory fowls. At the Palo Verde National Park you will find the birds to be the biggest attraction in the wet season, when the migratory birds come to the marshes as well as in the dry season. Areas like the lowland rain forests of Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park, Manuel Antonio National Park and the Carara Biological Reserve offer protection to the endangered, yet fascinating Scarlet Macaws.

Costa Rica

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Costa Rica

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World Class

Integrated with ecotourism, the eco lodges in Costa Rica also cater to various educational and research projects by tropical biologist, offering world-class facilities for bird watching in Costa Rica.The Parque del Este Park in San Jose provides critical habitat to various bird species including the oropendola, blue-crowned motmot, herons, jacanas, limpkins, gallinules and the kingfishers. Another fine place for bird watching in Costa Rica is the Caño Negro Wildlife Reserve, which contains a major nesting and gathering site for the rare aquatic bird species or you can head to the Tortuguero National Park for watching the great green macaws and take a boat trip at the Tortuguero National Park for some great bird watching.