Best Birding - A Top Itinerary for a Wildlife Holiday in Costa Rica

The immense biodiversity of this small Central American country makes any wildlife holiday in Costa Rica a rewarding experience for the avid birder, and they are spoilt for choice when it comes to selecting an itinerary. All good itineraries will encompass the range of elevations and habitats the country has to offer, with possible destinations including the Talamanca Mountains, the lowland Carara National Park, the wetlands and dry forest habitats in La Ensenada Wildlife Refuge, the Monteverde cloudforests and the varied forests of Selva Verde Lodge. A spectacular array of the country's more than 850 recorded bird species awaits whilst exploring the best birding locations.

Talamanca Mountains

The Talamanca Mountains reach elevations of over 3,350 metres and provide a cloudforest habitat for numerous bird species. It is an excellent first stop on a wildlife holiday in Costa Rica, introducing birders to their first hummingbird species – Fiery-throated Hummingbird – and several other species that are unlikely to be sighted elsewhere, such as Yellow-thighed, Large-footed and Peg-billed Finches.

Carara National Park

This lowland forest reserve is one of the richest areas in the country for bird life. Exploring the forest reveals many trogons, manakins, tanagers and woodpeckers, while the wetlands are a superb habitat for shorebirds, egrets and herons. One of the definite highlights in Carara National Park is watching Scarlet Macaws flying overhead to their night roost.

La Ensenada Wildlife Refuge

La Ensenada Wildlife Refuge is a perfectly sited base from which to explore Pale Verde, one of the country's most important wetland habitats. Visitors can explore the Colorado Salinas for migrating waders, such as Willet and Marbled Godwit and Stilt Sandpiper, and then venture into the mangroves for Prothonotary Warblers. The wildlife refuge is also near dry forests - home to many other bird species and troops of lively Mantled Howler Monkeys.

Monteverde

The cloudforests of Monteverde are a prime habitat for one of the finest birds to see on a wildlife holiday in Costa Rica: the Resplendent Quetzal. Many birders consider it the most beautiful bird of all, and with one sighting of its brilliant plumage it will be easy to understand why. While staying at Monteverde, it is also possible to visit Santa Elena Reserve and see 10 or more species of hummingbirds, some very close-up in the ‘hummingbird gallery’.

Selva Verde Lodge

The Atlantic slopes at Selva Verde Lodge are the site of a lowland evergreen forest: one of several forest habitats that can be explored while staying here. Around the research station at La Selva, the tropical forest is incredibly rich – it is possible to see over 150 species in just a two-day stay – while pristine middle elevation forests are accessible around the waterfall of Virgin del Socorro. This range of forests is a fitting way to finish a wildlife holiday in Costa Rica – a land of variety and diversity.

Marissa Ellis-Snow is a freelance nature writer. If you’re looking for a wildlife holiday 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.