With more than 850 species of resident and migrant birds identified throughout the country,
Costa Rica abounds with great bird-watching sites. Lodges with the best bird-watching include Savegre Lodge, in Cerro de la Muerte, off the road to San Isidro de El General (quetzal sightings are almost guaranteed); La Paloma Lodge in
Drake Bay in the
Osa Peninsula,
South Pacific, where you can sit on the porch of your cabin as the avian parade goes by; Arenal Observatory Lodge, on the flanks of
Arenal Volcano; La Selva Biological Station, in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí; Aviarios del Caribe, just north of
Cahuita; Lapa Ríos and Bosque del Cabo, on the Osa Peninsula; Rainbow Adventures, on Playa Cativa along the Golfo Dulce; La Laguna del Lagarto Lodge, up by the
Nicaraguan border; and Tiskita Lodge, down by the Panamanian border.
Some of the best parks and preserves for serious birders are Monteverde Biological Cloud Forest Reserve (for resplendent quetzals and hummingbirds);
Corcovado National Park (for scarlet macaws); Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge (for wading birds, including jabiru storks); Wilson Botanical Gardens and the Las Cruces Biological Station, near San Vito (the thousands of flowering plants here are bird magnets); Guayabo, Negritos, and Pájaros Islands biological reserves in the Gulf of Nicoya (for magnificent frigate birds and brown boobies); Palo Verde National Park (for ibises, jacanas, storks, and roseate spoonbills); Tortuguero National Park (for great green macaws); and Rincón de la Vieja National Park (for parakeets and curassows). Rafting trips down the Corobicí and Bebedero rivers near Liberia, boat trips to or at Tortuguero National Park, and hikes in any cloud forest also provide good bird-watching.
In San Jose your best bets are to head toward the lush grounds and gardens of the University of Costa Rica, or to Parque del Este, a little farther east in the foothills just outside of town.
U.S.-Based Tour Operators
Field Guides (tel. 800/728-4953 or 512/263-7295) is a specialty bird-watching travel operator. Its 16-day tour of Costa Rica costs $3,995, not including airfare. Group size is limited to 14 participants.
Wings (tel. 888/293-6443 or 520/320-9868) is also a specialty bird-watching travel operator, with more than 28 years of experience in the field. Its 14-day Costa Rica trip covers all the major bird-watching zones in the country and costs around $3,690, not including airfare. Group size is usually between 6 and 14 people.
Where to See the Resplendent Quetzal
Revered by pre-Columbian cultures throughout Central America, the resplendent quetzal has been called the most beautiful bird on earth. Ancient Aztec and Maya Indians believed that the robin-size quetzal protected them in battle. The males of this species have brilliant red breasts; iridescent emerald green heads, backs, and wings; and white tail feathers complemented by a pair of iridescent green tail feathers that are more than .5m (1 3/4 ft.) long.
The belief that these endangered birds live only in the dense cloud forests cloaking the higher slopes of Central America's mountains was instrumental in bringing many areas of cloud forest under protection as quetzal habitats. (Since then, researchers have discovered that the birds do not, in fact, spend their entire lives here.) After nesting, between March and July, resplendent quetzals migrate down to lower slopes in search of food. These lower slopes have not been preserved in most cases, and now conservationists are trying to salvage enough lower-elevation forests to help the quetzals survive. It is hoped that enough land will soon be set aside to ensure the perpetuation of this magnificent species.
Although for many years Monteverde Biological Cloud Forest Reserve was the place to see quetzals, throngs of people crowding the reserve's trails now make the pursuit more difficult. Other places where you can see quetzals are in the Los Angeles Cloud Forest Reserve near San Ramón, in Tapanti National Wildlife Refuge, and in Chirripo National Park. Perhaps the best place to spot a quetzal is at one of the specialized lodges located along the Cerro de la Muerte between San Jose and San Isidro de El General.
