Birding Costa Rica 

Birding in Costa Rica

Where should we begin when trying to tempt you to visit Costa Rica to enjoy some bird watching, or birding? How about if we were to tell you that you will find over 850 species of birds, of which over 650 are resident birds, and 11 are endangered species. Our favorite? Now that’s a tough one as the Scarlet Macaw is a stunning bird, but it is still just a macaw, whereas the Keel Billed Toucan is just the most incredible bird to see in the wild. Its colors are so striking you almost have to rub your eyes to make sure of what you are seeing.

A few of the most beautiful birds found in Costa Rica

• Keelbilled Toucans – also known as rainbowbilled toucans for obvious reasons. One of the most resplendent birds to spot in the wild, with the best places being within the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, La Selva Protected Zone & Biological Station, or Tortuguero National Park
• Trogons – found in many varieties including the gartered trogon, the black­headed trogon, the slaty­tailed trogon, and the orange­bellied trogon. Spotted in most of the rainforests throughout Costa Rica, one of the best places to see them is Cerro de la Muerte
• Scarlet Macaws – one of the most vibrant colored birds in Costa Rica. Keep a look out for them when ziplining or traversing hanging bridges as these birds live in the treetops. Often seen in the Corcovado National Park, Palo Verde National Park and Carara National Park
• White-throated Magpie Jay – these are noisy bird which usually travel in large flocks. Often found in cleared ground, like coffee plantations. Nicoya Peninsula and Arenal National Park are favorite birding hotspots
• Resplendant Quetzals – small and prettily colored birds with long tails. A rare species and usually spotted in the forest canopies of the Chirripo National Park, Braulio Carrillo National Park, Poas Volcano National Park and Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
• Hummingbirds – there are 54 varieties of these bird found throughout Costa Rica, and for those of you who are relatively new to birding, or are just fans of trivia, the hummingbird is totally unique as a species of bird, as it is the only one which can fly backwards!

Best places in Costa Rica for birding

As you can imagine with all the greenery and trees in Costa Rica, you don’t have to look far in any direction to see birds. However, there are one or two places in the country which are worth a special visit, including Corcovado, Savegre, Palo Verde National Park, Tortuguero, Quetzal National Park and the Sarapiqui Eco Observatory.

Birding lodges in Costa Rica

A number of eco lodges also make great birding lodges in Costa Rica, of which Lapa Rios with over 300 species of birds, and Bueno Vista Beach which has over 200 species of birds, are very popular.

Specializing in adventure vacations in Costa Rica, here at Costa Rica Rios, aside from our 8-day Adventure Tour, we can create individual, bespoke adventure packages, including a Honeymoon Adventure Vacation, to concentrate on your favored activities, including birding, or birdwatching.

It is hard to resist the allure of Costa Rica if you like exploring and are looking for the adventure of a lifetime, so take advantage of our local knowledge and give us a call. We’ll be glad to talk you through all you can expect from an adventure vacation in Costa Rica, and happily answer any questions you may have.