Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Costa Rica is famous for its biodiversity, including more than 918 species of rare and fascinating birds! One of the top tourist attractions for visitors is watching the birds of Costa Rica in their natural habitats. For wildlife enthusiasts, seeing toucans in Costa Rica or the Scarlet Macaw of Costa Rica is a bucket list item. Booking a tour with an experienced tour operator like Gondwana Ecotours is one way to guarantee a birding adventure that you’ll never forget!

Looking to bump up your knowledge about Costa Rica’s feathered inhabitants? Here are a few fun facts to get you started:

• The birds of Costa Rica are classified in three ways: Endemic (native to Costa Rica), migratory, and introduced (by humans).
• Toucans in Costa Rica are considered an endemic species. Six varieties of toucan can be found in this tropical paradise!
• The Scarlet Macaw of Costa Rica is also a native species. It is considered endangered.
• There are 62 species of migratory birds in Costa Rica, including hummingbirds, warblers, and orioles.
• Four bird species were introduced to Costa Rica by humans: The Red-billed Koa, House Sparrow, Common Pigeon, and White-winged Doves.
• Costa Rica’s national bird is the Quetzal, which is also an endangered bird.

When Is The Best Time to See The Birds of Costa Rica?

If you want to see birds like toucans in Costa Rica, you’ll want to schedule your trip between December and April. This is Costa Rica’s birding season, which also falls during the dry season! The weather during this time is ideal for travel, but you’ll also have the best chance at spotting migratory birds as well as the native birds of Costa Rica during your trip.

Pro tip: Many incredible bird species, like the rare resplendent quetzal, are more active during this time, which makes for more rewarding bird sightings!

If you want to explore local rainforests to see birds on your own, that is a good option. However, hiring a local guide or booking a comprehensive tour that includes birding will significantly enhance your experience! A guide will be knowledgeable about bird species, their behaviors, and where to find the different species. This will considerably increase your chance of seeing rare birds, like scarlet macaws in Costa Rica.

Explaining the Incredible Biodiversity of Costa Rica

Although Costa Rica is a small country, it is home to a wide variety of birds that includes colorful tropical species like toucans and hummingbirds, as well as a bevy of migratory birds. Each region is home to a unique collection of species, so exploring different habitats is a must if you want to get a true picture of the birds of Costa Rica.

Costa Rica boasts less land mass than West Virginia, but it has the greatest density of bird species of any continental American country! Part of the reason you can see rare birds like toucans in Costa Rica is the wide array of habitats within the country. From the mangrove swamps along the Pacific coast to the wet Caribbean coastal plain in the northeast and the dry northern Pacific lowlands, Costa Rica presents opportune habitats for a variety of native and migratory species alike. And don’t forget the mountains! The steep mountain chains found in this country have formed a geographical barrier that has allowed different but related species to develop within just miles of each other.

Top 3 Places to See The Birds of Costa Rica

As mentioned above, there’s no shortage of locations to visit within Costa Rica if you want to see the country’s famous birds. Here is a quick list of our three favorite places to see the birds of Costa Rica, as well as which species can be found at each location!

• Osa Peninsula: The Osa Peninsula is one of the most biodiverse places in Costa Rica. Although it is remote and difficult to reach, more than 460 species of birds can be found there. It’s also home to Corcovado National Park, which is one of the best birding destinations in Costa Rica. The park can only be accessed as part of a tour, but the experience is certainly worth it! The list of birds you can see at Corcovado includes: Red-throated caracaras, King vultures, turquoise cotingas, orange-collared manakins, and mangrove hummingbirds. The Osa Peninsula is also one of the best places to see the Scarlet Macaw of Costa Rica!
• La Fortuna: This vibrant, small town is located in the northern highlands of Costa Rica, near the Arenal Volcano Park. It’s a popular tourist destination, especially if you want to see sloths, but it’s also a great place to see birds. The town is located in the lowlands, but it’s also surrounded by mountains covered in rainforest. This makes for an interesting and diverse range of birds for you to see. Some of the most exciting birds to spot in and around La Fortuna include: The orange-billed sparrow, the clay-colored thrush, a variety of toucans of Costa Rica, the short-tailed hawk, Hoffman’s woodpecker, the glossy ibis, and the snail kite.
• Monteverde: Located in the Puntarenas province, Monteverde is one of the most popular ecotourism destinations in Costa Rica. It is also famous for the Monteverde Cloud Forest, which is one of the premier destinations to see the birds of Costa Rica. One of the most famous birds to see near Monteverde is the resplendent quetzal, a small bird that is known for its bright green feathers and red underbelly. Other bird species you can spot in this region include: The coppery-headed emerald, the magenta-throated woodstar, the golden-browed chlorophonia, and the black and yellow silky flycatcher.

Discovering the Scarlet Macaw of Costa Rica

The Scarlet Macaw is an iconic bird that is native to Costa Rica. The birds are very colorful and can live up to 50 years! Interestingly, the Scarlet Macaw is a parrot. These large, brightly colored birds average about 32 inches long and have bright scarlet red feathers with yellow and blue wings.

The Scarlet Macaw of Costa Rica can be found in humid, lowland rainforests, open woodlands, river edges, and savannas. They are one of the longest-living birds in the world, surviving for 40-50 years in the wild, but often living up to 75 years in captivity. However, this species is endangered because their habitat is endangered – Scarlet Macaws depend on healthy native trees for survival.

Other macaw species in Costa Rica include the Great Green Macaw and the Yellow-naped Parrot.

I Can, You Can, Toucan!

Toucans in Costa Rica come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. While six species of this majestic bird live within the country, the keel-billed toucan is the most popular variety with tourists. Adult keel-billed toucans can grow up to 22 inches long and are black with a yellow bib edged in red. However, it’s their bills that stand out – the red, yellow, blue, and green patches make this bird eye-catching!

Keel-billed toucans are also incredibly playful and entertaining. If you are lucky, you may spot members of family groups playing ball with one another by throwing fruit bits around with their beaks while you're on a hike. They have also been spotted play-fighting with each other by batting their beaks in simulated duels.

Taking Flight in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a veritable playground for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you want to hike, lie on the beach, or go in search of the birds of Costa Rica, there’s something for everyone. Start planning your trip to this incredible country today! Gondwana Ecotours makes it easy and guarantees an amazing, one-of-a-kind adventure that you’ll never forget.