Above: A Crested Guan roosts in a tree.
Costa Rica is a great location for bird watching. It hosts a wide variety of birdlife, including migratory and year-round residents, from seashore to mountains. Many North American birds spend winter in Central America.
Costa Rica is a great location for bird watching. It hosts a wide variety of birdlife, including migratory and year-round residents, from seashore to mountains. Many North American birds spend winter in Central America.
Two of my favorites: the Frigatebird, above left, and the Tanagers. They are very different. Frigate Birds are seabirds, and have the greatest ratio of wingspan to body, which allows them to stay aloft for hours. Watching these athletic birds soar high over the Pacific is a treat. When they spot a school of fish, they glide just above the water's surface with their lower beak submerged. When a fish is detected, the beak snaps shut.
The Bay Head Tanager, above right, are found inland, especially in the dense rain forests. Tanagers have brilliant plumage that makes them attractive for bird watching.
The Bay Head Tanager, above right, are found inland, especially in the dense rain forests. Tanagers have brilliant plumage that makes them attractive for bird watching.
Aquatic birds rely on rivers and ponds. The Tiger-Striped Heron, above left, and the Black Crowned Heron, center, can be found along waterways, especially in the early morning. Both were photographed in Palo Verde National Park. The Turquoise-Browed Mot Mot, above right, is found in dry forests of the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
Creatures great and small. A Red Lored Parrot, below left. A Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird, below right. Costa Rica has over 20 types of hummingbirds.
