Birds

In Costa Rica we have six species of toucan, and they can be found in all the country's habitats. They are also opportunistic and will eat frogs, lizards, insects, baby birds and eggs to supplement the fruits. Some of the best places to observe these birds are the Arenal Volcano area, the Manuel Antonio National Park, Sarapiqui and Puerto Viejo, Limon.

Macaws are known as the giants of the parrot world. Brilliantly colored and impossible to miss while in flight, both the scarlet and great green macaws can be seen in parts of Costa Rica. Travelers in Costa Rica are more likely to see macaws when they're traveling on the Pacific Coast, particularly if they are visiting Corcovado National Park, Carara National Park, and Palo Verde National Park.

In Costa Rica, there are more than 50 species of hummingbirds, which are distributed throughout the country, mainly at medium and high elevations. And there are 2 species of hummingbirds that are ONLY found in Costa Rica! Awesome, right? They are the mangrove hummingbird, and the coppery-headed emerald.

Parrots and parakeets live throughout Costa Rica. The scarlet macaw is found from the Central Pacific south to the Osa Peninsula. Parrots, macaws, and parkeets choose their mate for a lifetime and you can watch pairs of them sitting romantically together and grooming each other. In Costa Rica, quite a few parrot species thrive as long as they have tree cavities for nesting, enough fruiting and seeding trees where they can forage, and aren’t persecuted by people.

If there is a family of birds that are representative of Central America it is the motmots. This vibrant, beautiful bird originated here in Central America and radiated south. The most recognizable feature of motmots are their “racket” tails, resembling a badminton or tennis racket. They are often spotted in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Manuel Antonio National Park, Carara National Park, Corcovado National Park, and Santa Rosa National Park.