The Fabulous Birds of Costa Rica: An Eco Tour Adventure

Gartered Trogon
Image Source: http://osaconservation.org

A bird watching tour is one of the most popular eco tours in Costa Rica. There are over 800 different kinds of birds in Costa Rica that is more than all the birds in United States and Canada combined. The Osa Peninsula being a pocket of incredible biodiversity is home to over 400 species of birds including the Scarlet Macaw, Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager, Baird’s Trogon, White-tipped Sicklebill, Band-tailed Barbthroat,  Turquoise Cotinga, Yellow-billed Cotinga, White-crested Coquette, Marbled Wood-Quail, Charming Hummingbird, Mangrove Hummingbird, Golden-naped Woodpecker, Red-rumped Woodpecker, Black-hooded Antshrike, Pearl Kite, King Vulture and Red- throated Caracara. What makes Costa Rica so incredibly rich in plant and animal life?

Scarlet Macaws, Osa Peninsula
Image Source:Ryanphotographic.com

Costa Rica was formed through earthquakes and volcanoes making it incredibly rich. Central America is a bridge between the North America and South America. This bridge formed some 3 to 5 million years ago and allowed very different flora and fauna to mix creating a habitat that can support incredible biodiversity. With over 16 different ecosystems, Costa Rica is comprised of many micro-ecosystems. It is a place that can nurture a diverse range of flora and exotic species. It represents species from both continents through cross migration patterns making it unlike any other place in the world.  Costa Rica is home to species found nowhere else on the planet, which is why protecting the biodiversity of this small country is so important.

Scarlet Macaws, Osa Peninsula
Image Source: Ryanphotographic.com

Osa Conservation has launched a Scarlet Macaw conservation program to protect the Macaw by building nests in schools and colleges. The organization is working with students on teaching them conservation tactics to achieve two aims at the same time: protect the Macaw and educate students on conservation techniques. These types of programs teach young people about wildlife and biodiversity in a way that is very hands on and effective. It’s the same way when people come to Costa Rica and take a bird watching tour. By coming in direct contact with these magnificent, colorful birds, they become more aware of issues surrounding biodiversity and species protection.

Hummingbird
Image Source:Lookout-inn.com

When taking a bird tour it is best to start early in the morning. You can go for a full day or just a few hours.  Corcovado National Park is a great place for a bird watching tour and it is likely that you will spot over 50 types of birds along the way. There is such an enormous concentration of biological diversity here that you will not be at a loss for seeing something, nor will it take much effort beyond walking.  Crocodile Bay’s tour guides know the area well and will be able to point out to you important details and significant information about a particular species of bird spotted. If you opt for  half day you can spend the rest of the day languishing at the beach. Not bad for a vacation.

 

Sportfishing Calendar

January

Tuna, marlin and dorado taper off. Number of sailfish begins to increase.

February

Prime time for sailfish. Occassional marlin, tuna or dorado.

March

Prime time for sailfish.

April

Sailfish numbers drop mid-April and some marlin begin to appear.

May

Slower for billfish. Typically we start seeing schools of spinner dolphins with yellowfin tuna.

June

Slower for billfish. Spinner dolphins with yellowfin tuna.

July

Marlin begin to appear. A chance for black marlin as well as blues and striped marlin. A chance for tuna.

August

Marlin and tuna.

September

Slower for billfish. A chance for tuna and dorado.

October

Dorado begin to appear in numbers with marlin close behind.

November

A mixed bag of dorado, marlin and some big tuna.

December

Marlin, dorado, tuna and sailfish are all possibilities.