Wildlife Holidays in Costa Rica: Birding Highlights

Wildlife holidays in Costa Rica are a truly unforgettable experience for birders. The country’s habitats vary widely and are all rich in bird species, from the beautiful Resplendent Quetzal to flocks of Scarlet Macaws and the remarkable Sun Bittern. Top locations for birders include the Talamanca Mountains, Carara National Park, La Ensenada Wildlife Refuge, Monteverde and Santa Elena Reserve, and the research station at La Selva.

Talamanca Mountains

By starting in the Talamanca Mountains, birders will have the opportunity to see species they will not be likely to sight in subsequent locations, such as Fiery-throated Hummingbird and the Large-footed, Peg-billed and Yellow-thighed Finches. These high mountains — up to 3,350 metres — are a stunning setting for the first days of a nature holiday.

Carara National Park

This lowland Pacific Coast reserve is generous in its resident and visiting bird species. Especially memorable is the spectacle of Scarlet Macaws flying to their night-time roosting locations, while several days spent in the reserve can offer numerous sightings of egrets, herons and shorebirds in the wetlands and trogons, manakins, tanagers and woodpeckers in the forest.

La Ensenada Wildlife Refuge

The coastal wetlands and mangroves of La Ensenada Wildlife Refuge are one of the country’s most important wetland habitats, making the refuge an ideal stop on wildlife holidays in Costa Rica for birders with a particular interest in migrating waders and other species typically found in such locales. At the Colorado Salinas, the migrating Willet, Marbled Godwit and Stilt Sandpiper can be seen, while the mangroves are host to flitting Prothonotary Warblers. Overhead, flocks of soaring Magnificent Frigatebirds are sure to please. Nature enthusiasts will also enjoy excursions into the dry forests to see and hear Mantled Howler Monkeys, in addition to the many bird species present there.

Monteverde and Santa Elena Reserve

The cloudforests of Monteverde are home to the Resplendent Quetzal, which is widely hailed as the world’s most beautiful bird. One sighting of its plumage is adequate for most birders to agree with this assessment. Monteverde and the nearby Santa Elena Reserve are an excellent stop on wildlife holidays in Costa Rica for hummingbird enthusiasts, with sightings of over 10 species possible, especially at the stunning ‘Hummingbird Gallery’. Going up into the mountains also gives groups the opportunity to stay at Arenal Volcano National Park, where the forests and lakes of the area are home to various bird species — and lucky visitors can see a small eruption in the volcanic cone.

La Selva

A rather different biome is found at the research station of La Selva on the Atlantic slope - a lowland evergreen forest. The bird life is astounding: with expert guidance, in just two days it is possible to see over 150 species. La Selva is clearly a must for birders on wildlife holidays in Costa Rica. One highlight is the remarkable Sun Bittern, but it will be just one among many. Nature enthusiasts will also be able to look for birds in the middle elevation forests surrounding the waterfall of Virgin del Socorro.

Marissa Ellis-Snow is a freelance nature writer. If you’re looking for wildlife holidays in Costa Rica Naturetrek specialises in expert-led natural history and wildlife tours worldwide. Naturetrek brings over 25 years of experience to polar expeditions and tours to other spectacular regions on Earth.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.