-Tours by Activity-
BIRDWATCHING
In
a country where more than 850 species have been identified - more than total
of what North America has- packed into an area just about the size of West
Virginia, it’s not hard to become enthusiastic about the variety of
feathered creatures one encounters in Costa Rica. One of the reasons for Costa
Rica's extraordinary bird life is the country's great variety of habitats:
rain forests, mangrove swamps, beaches, cloud forest, rivers, etc. And any
two of those ecosystems, with their resident bird species, are often only
a short distance apart.
In the book “A guide to the Birds of Costa Rica “ by F. Gary
Stiles and Alexander F. Skutch avid bird watchers will find more than just
a field guide concerning the bird life in Costa Rica.
Our Natural History tour packages take visitors to some of the best bird
watching areas in the country. The Go Widlife! Package and the Off
the Beaten Track trip prove to include some of the best birding possibilities
in Costa Rica.
Birding Hot Spots:
1. San Gerardo de Dota & Cerro de la Muerte:
The new Cloud Forest of Costa Rica! Located at a close distance from San
Jose (90 min approx) San Gerardo de Dota hosts one of the largest population
of Resplendent Quetzal in the country who reside here year round as well as
other 170 different bird species, including a great array of hummingbirds
(Volcano, Magnificent, Fiery-throated and Scintillant, among others). It’s
still virgin and exuberant cloud forest, provides a mystic and magical experience.
Our recommend hotel in the area is Trogon
Lodge. The Hotel located amid a 83 ha private reserve caters to adults
searching for peace and tranquility and has a resident biologist who is more
than glad to join guests on bird watching sprees either on their private trails
or the surrounding areas.
2.
Monteverde Reserve:
One of the legendary and classic bird watching spots where 350+ bird species
have been identified. Located at an altitude ranging from 1400 to 1700 meters
above sea level, this cool retreat is home to hundreds of tropical birds.
Apart from the popular quetzals and toucans, other species commonly seen include
wood creepers, flycatchers and migratory species like orioles and grosbeaks;
although not often seen but frequently herd, the three-wattled bellbird also
resides here. In the area, Hotel
Fonda Vela is one of the closest ones to the Monteverde Reserve, and with
its commitment to ecotourism in harmony with nature, it offers a truly ecological
experience complemented by the good taste and charm of the property.
3. Tortuguero National Park:
Not only turtles come to Tortuguero! A great number of over 309 species of
birds reside in the area’s interconnecting canals, lakes and rivers.
A boat trip into the various back water canals is truly a bird watchers delight
and an opportunity to discover all the flora and fauna of the area. Toucans,
pelicans, cormorants, herons, roseate spoonbills, hawks, ospreys and eagles
are just very few examples of the rich bird and wildlife life found in the
area. Mawamba Lodge offers the best location in the area,
facing both the Tortuguero Canals and the Caribbean Ocean. The private trails
in the property, with its open butterfly garden, provide great opportunity
for bird watching and exploration and their early morning boat tour (6 to
8 am) provides the best opportunity to watch the awakening of nature.
4. Sarapiqui:
In the lowlands of the Caribbean at a close distance from San Jose, and bordering
the Braulio Carrillo National Park, this small town is set on the banks of
the Puerto Viejo River and a great location to bird watch. Here, around 430
bird species have been identified. In the area is the renowned “La Selva
Biological Station” (owned by the Organization of Tropical Studies)
is a birdwatchers hideaway; it comprises 1,600 hectares (3,900 acres) of tropical
wet forests and disturbed lands. Our recommendation to stay in the area is
La Quinta Country Inn, who works hard on sustainable tourism
and is in the constant search for new attractions to offer their guests. The
grounds of the Inn include nature trails, a swimming pool a butterfly garden,
an insect & butterfly museum and a Heliconia and ornamental flower garden.
5. Corcovado & the Osa Peninsula:
The
remoteness of the area and its yet almost untouched wilderness, provide one
of the greatest bird watching and rainforest expeditions. Although getting
south might seem complicated, a short hour flight from San Jose will get you
really close to explore the area. Here you will be immersed in a wild wonderland
where birds and wildlife abound. Some of the 350 bird species recorded, frequently
seen species include the Riverside Wren, Parrots, Palm Tanager, Banaquit,
Great Kiskadee and the Endemic Black-Cheeked Ant-tanager. The deluxe Casa
Corcovado Lodge offers an early morning bird tour which is perfect to
observe the wildlife of the area; keen birders and animal lovers will have
a chance to see numerous species of birds, morpho butterflies, monkeys and
other animals. Indulge yourself with a stay at Casa Corcovado!
6. Arenal & Caño Negro Widlife Refuge:
During the summer green season water from the mountains is plentiful and
the Rio Frio overflows its banks at Cano Negro. The entire reserve turns into
a shallow lake that serves as a wintering site for migrant American birds.
During the winter dry season from November until April, the water level is
continually falling, and by the beginning of the summer, all that is left
is the main channel of the Rio Frio. Among the many birds usually present
in the winter are: Glossy Ibis, Black-necked Stilt, Anhinga, American Widgeon,
Northern Shoveler, Wood Stork, White Ibis, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Snail
Kite, Green Backed Heron, and Blue-winged Teal. This is one of the best places
to see the Nicaraguan Grackle, whose only Costa Rican habitat is Cano Negro
and other marshy areas just south of Lake Nicaragua. When visiting Arenal,
we highly recommend the Hotel Montaña de Fuego a comfortable
property surrounded by nice vegetation and fauna. From the hotel you can admire
the amazing Arenal Volcano.
HONEYMOON &
