COSTA RICAResplendent Quetzals, Three-wattled Bellbirds, and Scarlet Macaws in a friendly country with easy travel and good facilities; a wealth of interesting birds and natural history.
$4475 (2008 fee); $4575 (2008 summer). 16 days See our triplists for: 2007 (Marchor Summer) or 2006 (March or Summer) or 2005 (March or Summer)
Isolated from other mountain ranges to the north and south, the highland regions of Costa Rica and Panama share a large number of endemics, including some of Costa Rica’s most sought-after species. Our tours will take us to a number of montane sites (including Monteverde, Rancho Naturalista, and the lovely, secluded Savegre Valley) where up to 50 species of these Chiriqui endemics may be encountered. Included in this group are species such as Black Guan, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Blue-throated Toucanet, Lattice-tailed Trogon, Ochraceous Pewee, Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, Flame-throated Warbler, Spangle-cheeked Tanager, and Golden-browed Chlorophonia. We may also see many spectacular non-endemics in these areas, from the diminutive Snowcap to the bizarre Three-wattled Bellbird to the simply stunning Resplendent Quetzal, among many others. Carara National Park in the Pacific lowlands is a transitional area where dry tropical forest habitat meets the rainforest of regions to the south. With mangroves and coastal habitat nearby, the resultant mix of species is truly astounding. As in the mountains, some species here are endemic to forest habitats of Costa Rica and adjacent western Panama, and we should see many of these, such as Baird’s Trogon, Fiery-billed Araçari, Black-hooded Antshrike, Orange-collared Manakin, and Riverside Wren. Other species we’ll search for in this region include Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, the gorgeous Scarlet Macaw, the rare endemic Mangrove Hummingbird, Pale-billed Woodpecker, Black-striped Woodcreeper, Streak-chested Antpitta, Green Shrike-Vireo, and Red-legged Honeycreeper. Our tour will also take us to La Selva Biological Station, an important tropical forest research facility in the Caribbean lowlands. Birds abound in this region as well, and our time here will be spent searching for such gems as Slaty-breasted Tinamou, Great Curassow, Semiplumbeous Hawk, Spectacled Owl, Ocellated Antbird, Snowy Cotinga, and the very local Nicaraguan Seed-Finch, as well as an amazing variety of parrots, woodpeckers, wrens, and tanagers. Costa Rica has long been a favorite destination for tropical birding, and with its wonderful system of parks and reserves, excellent tourist infrastructure with many comfortable hotels and lodges, friendly and welcoming people, and abundance of birdlife, it’s not hard to understand why. Join us this year, and experience the joys of birding this beautiful country for yourself!
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