Costa Rica offers some of the best birding in the world. More than 812 species of birds have been recorded in the country and most places offer a fair sample of the avian diversity. This was in a list published in 2007 by the scientific committee of the Ornithological Association of Costa Rica. Ornithological Association of Costa Rica (AOCR) has published an official checklist of the Birds of Costa Rica. The number in the list has been increased since then with nearly 840 species. The diversification of avian species has been greatly influenced by Costa Rica’s geological formation. Costa Rica has an amazing, large variety of birds. This makes birding an exciting and extraordinary experience. Some of the birds are permanent residents while others come for breeding. Costa Rica has a perfect climate and an environment that is full of flowers and fruits which are food to the many species of birds. Therefore this environment has continued to attract many species of birds into Costa Rica.
Bird species in Costa Rica
Blue-crowned motmot and oropendola. They are commonly found in a San Jose park called the Parque Del Este.- Marsh and stream birds. They are commonly found around the Bebedero River and around the Palo Verde Biological station. A common habitant for kingfishers and herons. It is also a breeding ground for jacans, limpkins and gallinules.
- Aquatic bird species. They are seen in places like the Cano Negro Lake and the Jabiru stork is seen in the Cano Negro National Wildlife Refuge.
- Scarlet Macaw. They are viewed in flight on the Carara National Park which is home to many scarlet macaws. They are very colorful and noisy birds.
Quetzal bird species. They are viewed in the Cerro de la Muerte. This place is commonly known as the mountain of death. This spectacular birds are green in color with a 2-foot-long tail and red breasts.- Hummingbirds and tanagers. They are plentiful at the Wilson Botanical Gardens. This place is also home to over 360 species of birds.
- Herons. They are found in all types in the Aviarious Sanctuary of Costa Rica. There are the white, boat-billed and the cattle herons are all nested here. It is also home to 330 species.
- The Ferrugineus Pygmy Owl.
Places to view the birds
In Costa Rica there are a variety of places where bird species are mostly viewed. They include;
- Lankester Botanical Garden. The main species found here are bronzed cowbird, yellow-billed cuckoo, Ringed kingfisher, belted kingfisher, hoofmann woodpecker and many others.
- National parks around CostaRica. These include Irazu volcano national park, Chirripo, Cabo blaco absolute natural reserve, Tortuguero, Tenorio, Santa Rosa, San Jose, Palo Verde, Osa Peninsula rainforest, Los Quetzales, Corcovado, Carara, Arenal,Cano Negro wildlife refuge and Braulio Carrillo national park.
- Other small gardens. For example, the selvatura park, which is a hummingbird garden.
Birdwatching in Costa Rica is the best spectacular experience many would want to go through.it gives those who like watching birds an opportunity to see them in places that are close to one another. These places are diverse in habitats with many different species living there. Therefore for an amazing birding experience either in watching or studying them, Costa Rica is the place.
For more information please read: www.costaricajourneys.com/birdwatching-in-costa-rica