What to Expect from Birdwatching with a Naturalist Guide

Bird watching is popular in Costa Rica because of the country’s home to over 900 species. Going on a tour specific to bird watching with a guide is a dream come true for those who want to see the many birds of Costa Rica.

Some experts estimate that while you might see about ten types of birds on a typical nature tour, on a tour specific to birdwatching with a trained guide, you’d see about 50. Some avid birder groups have even reported seeing 100-150 species in a single day.

Arenal

In the Arenal area, it is not unusual to see a Keel-Billed Toucan, a Montezuma Oropendola, or a Laughing Falcon, to name just a few.

You might tour the Arenal Volcano National Park, rainforest, around the Lake, the El Silencio Nature Reserve, or the Asis Animal Rescue Refuge. Your guide will know which spot is best depending on the season and will take you to an area with a significant concentration of birdlife waiting for you. Your guide will be a wealth of knowledge, and with eagle eyes, you won't be disappointed by the variety of birds you will spot. So enjoy the beautiful Costa Rican natural beauty all around you and the birds.

The Arenal Volcano area and the surrounding northern lowlands offer some of the best birding locations for birdwatchers and bird photographers. In addition, quality foothill rainforests are accessible at several sites, and there are bird-watching trails very close to the town of La Fortuna.

Monteverde

Some of the best birding happens in Monteverde. Monteverde is situated on top of a mountain range, 6000 feet above sea level. The continental divide and humid winds from the Caribbean arrive year-round, creating a cloud forest. Birdwatching in the cloud forest is truly something special.

Monteverde is home to 50% of Costa Rica’s flora and fauna. Five hundred bird species call it home. In addition, it’s a top birdwatching destination, known internationally.

Many birders go to Monteverde just to see the rare Resplendent Quetzal. Quetzals are spotted most frequently from April to July.

The area is also known for having multiple hummingbird gardens, and the giant hummingbird in the country is the Violet Sabrewing.

There are 140,000 acres of private reserves in Monteverde. Some places to birdwatch in Monteverde include the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve, Curi Cancha, the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, and the Santa Elena Reserve.

With the help of a trained eye, while birdwatching in Monteverde, you might see the Black and Yellow Silky Flycatcher, Chiriqui Quail Dove, Three-Wattled Bellbird, Green Crowned Brilliant Hummingbird, Black-breasted Wood-Quail, Emerald Toucanet, the Zeledon’s Antbird, Ochre Breasted Antpitta, Bare-necked Umbrellabird, Green Hermit, Buff Fronted Quail Dove, Keel-Bellied Trogon, Blue-throated Goldentail, Orange-Bellied Trogon, Black Guan, Golden-Browed Chlorophonia, Black-breasted Wood-Quail, and the Magenta-Throated Woodstar.

Birding in Monteverde is not complete until you see the Three-Wattled Bellbird, which has three beard-like tendrils hanging around its beak. Listen for its bell-like call.

Guanacaste

Birding in Guanacaste is interesting because marshlands, mangroves, and forests are close. In addition, it’s a tropical dry forest, the largest conserved area of tropical dry forest in all of Central America. It’s also the southernmost place to find MesoAmerican bird species.

Along the Pacific coastline, coastal birding is a breeze. You’ll see shorebirds and aquatic species.

Bird Island protects nesting grounds for marine birds like Pelicans and Frigates. In addition, it’s one of the best spots for birdwatching in Guanacaste.

Popular months to birdwatch in Guanacaste are January, February, July, and August, but birdwatching tours are offered and enjoyed year-round.

Expect to see some of the following: the Jabiru Stork, Limpkin, Bay-Winged Hawk, Spot Breasted Oriole, Elegant Trogon, Black Crowned Night Herons, Streak Backed Orioles, Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, Rufous-Necked Wood-Rail, Mangrove Hummingbird, Crested Bobwhite, Pacific Screech-Owl, Lattice-Tailed Trogon, Keel-Billed Motmot, Black Faced Solitaire, Branded Wren, Royal Fly Catcher, Thicket Tinamou, Red-Crowned Ant Tanager, Stub Tailed Spadebill, Ruddy Woodcreeper, Montezuma Oropendola, White-fronted Parrot, Spectacled Owl, Harris Hawk, and the Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher.

Manuel Antonio

The best time to visit Manuel Antonio to birdwatch is from December to September, as October and November are quite rainy. The driest months are December through March.

Manuel Antonio is a preserved primary forest. As a result, there are more birds per square meter in Manuel Antonio than in any other country.

The jungle meets the coast in Manuel Antonio, providing the chance to see both terrestrial and sea birds. Birdwatching in Manuel Antonio will not disappoint.

You may see gulls, terns, pelicans, boobies, cormorants, the Golden-Naped Woodpecker, Ocellated Piculet, Fiery-Billed Aracari, or the Charming Hummingbird.

There’s a wheelchair-accessible trail in the Manuel Antonio National Park.

The elusive Scrub Greenlet has been spotted in El Rey Marsh, a birding spot near Manuel Antonio. This is an excellent spot for birding in Manuel Antonio.

Just about 20 minutes from Manuel Antonio, there’s a town called Esquipulas. It’s 400 meters above sea level, and over 300 bird species have been spotted there, including Tanagers, Raptors, Manakins, Parrots, Toucans, and Flycatchers. This is the place for the best birding in Manuel Antonio.

Osa Peninsula

Birding on the Osa Peninsula allows you to see mangrove species and those from the primary rainforest in one day.

This lowland rainforest is an undisturbed natural wilderness full of unspoiled land. The remote area is home to some of the last remaining old-growth rainforest. It boasts 400 species of birds. Some are the Rufous Mourner, Black-faced Antthrush, Marbled Wood-Quail, Turquoise Cotinga, Mangrove Hummingbird, Riverside Wren, Spot-Crowned Euphonia, White-Tipped Sicklebill, and Black-and-White Hawk-Eagle.

The pristine Southern Pacific coastlines call out to birds. At least 60 species spend the winter on the peninsula, including Wood Thrush, Canada Warbler, and Wilson’s Plover.

From December to February, the dry season is preferred for the best birding on the Osa Peninsula.

Central Valley

Between the coasts, rainforests, and cloud forests of Costa Rica sits the Central Valley. The climate from December through September is ideal for checking off some of the birds you most want to see from your list.

Let’s talk about the different species types you can watch out for—starting with the Fiery-Throated Hummingbird, Yellow-Thighed Finch, Golden Browed Chlorophonia, and the Mountain Robin. Next up, we have the Slaty Flowerpiercer, Maroon Chested Ground-Dove, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, White-fronted Nunbird, and the beautiful Solitary Eagle. Last but not least, the Clay-colored Thrush, Northern Crested Caracara, Crimson-Fronted Parakeet, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, and the Laughing Falcon

Additionally, the region is home to 25 hummingbirds and 365 bird species in total. You might birdwatch as you go hiking or from a rainforest aerial tram for a bird’s eye view.

FAQ About Birdwatching With a Naturalist Guide

What is the best time to go birdwatching in Costa Rica? The transition months of May through September are highly recommended, but you’ll have great finds year-round.
Where are the most hummingbirds in Costa Rica? A hummingbird gallery and a hummingbird garden are found in Monteverde, making it easy to spot at least ten species.
Where can I photograph birds in Costa Rica? Have your camera ready at all times. You never know if you’ll see an excellent bird as you’re driving along a highway, but the best places to photograph rare birds are deep in the forests, at least a mile or so from highly trafficked areas. Arenal, Osa, and Monteverde are some of the top spots.
What should I bring on a birding trip? Binoculars, a list of birds you hope to see, and a quality camera.
Where can you see wild macaws in Costa Rica? In Manuel Antonio and on the Osa Peninsula, you can occasionally see them at Playa Carrillo along the Guanacaste Coast in the beautiful palm trees.