Costa Rica is recognized worldwide for its biodiversity. Within only 19,730 square miles of territory, 4,5% of the world´s species can be found. So, it is natural that bird watching in Costa Rica is considered as one of the best experiences by the lovers of this discipline. If you consider yourself a passionate about birds or you are an ornithologist, a visit to our tiny country should be in your pocket list and today, we tell you why.
Why bird watching in Costa Rica?
Bird Life International identifies more than 10,000 species of birds in the world, of which 8,6% are recorded in Costa Rica by the same organization. Even though Costa Rica is placed in the 24th position of countries with more bird species, it is important to note that absolutely all these countries overdo the size of Costa Rica in thousands of miles. As an example, int he case of China, it exceeds the size of Costa Rica by up to 190 times its size, as is the case of China. Therefore, if you take a closer look, Costa Rica has the highest density of species per square foot of all the countries that preceded it on the list.
Especially relevant is the number of endangered species found in Costa Rica. Out of the 857 species, 24 species are in globally threatened status. Some of this are: the Critically Endangered Guanacaste Hummingbird (Amazilia alfaroana), the Galapagos Petrel (Pterodroma phaeopygia) and the Great Grenn Macaw (Pterodroma phaeopygia).
Also, in Costa Rica, the rainbow paints the feathers of these magnificent animals. Some of the most breathtaking species that you will find in Costa Rica are:
The Hummingbird
Blue-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia cyanura by Glen Tepke
The Resplendent Quetzal
Resplendent Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno by adlayasanimals
The Scarlett Macaw
Scarlet Macaw Ara macao by Bill Beard’s Costa Rica
The Keel-billed toucan
Keel-billed Toucan Ramphastos sulfuratus by Bence Mate
The Trogon
Lattice-tailed Trogon – Trogon clathratus by Wiki Commons
The Long-tailed manakin
Long-tailed Manakin Chiroxiphia linearis by daemonsandanalyses
The Red-headed barbet
Red-headed Barbet Eubucco bourcierii by Francisco Piedrahita
The Roseate Spoonbill
Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja by Scott Olmstead
The Northern Royal Flycatcher
Northern Royal Flycatcher Onychorhynchus mexicanus by Alonso Quevedo Gil
The Turquoise-browed Motmot
Turquoise-browed Motmot Eumomota superciliosa by leesbirdblog
Route of the Birds: the new bird watching experience
One of the great advantages of bird watching in Costa Rica is the possibility of experiencing 12 different ecosystems, each with different species of birds, in relatively short distances.
Recently, the national tourism authorities of Costa Rica recognized the importance of this discipline announcing the “Route of the Birds”. The itinerary includes 12 destinations throughout the country that guarantees an amazing experience.
With the launch of this program, the government itself will invest to enhance the bird watching experience in the country. Consequently, it is expected to expand schedules in National Parks, create self-guided trails, improve accessibility, generate more value to the tourist, invest in research that minimizes the impact of this tourism, create specific signage, among others.
No matter if you would like to embark on an extensive adventure across the country or if you will be spending just a few days in our land. It does not matter if you are an expert ornithologist or if you barely recognize some bird names. Therefore, bird watching in Costa Rica is an activity that anyone can enjoy. It is said that by day you can appreciate around 100 species, and whether you know their name or not, the beauty of these winged animals will surprise you.
We invite you to discover all that Costa Rica can offer with our personalized tours. For bird watching, we recommend our tours to Palo Verde and Monteverde. Tell us what you would like to experience and we help you make it happen.