Tour Destinations

San Jose Central Valley 
Drained by the Tarcoles River, representing ⅕ of the land area of the nation, and home to ¾ of all Costa Rican residents, even in this most populous region, there are some nice birds one can see around town. Depending on arrival times, we may have an afternoon or the first or final morning to enjoy Costa Rican birdlife on the grounds of the hotel. Species like Gray-headed Chachalaca, Lesson’s Motmot, Hoffman’s Woodpeckers, Crimson-fronted Parakeet, Cabanis’s Wren and others are birds we may actually be seen here to better advantage than elsewhere. 

Cinchona
Just outside of San Jose there are some patches of forest that can have specials such as Prong-billed Barbet, Violet Sabrewing, Northern Emerald-Toucanet, or even Crimson-collared Tanager. We plan to hit one feeding station that can have these birds and sometimes even the endemic Coppery-headed Emerald.

Hotel Arenal Paraíso Resort
Our comfy lodging at Arenal not only offers wonderful views of the volcano, but is an eBird hotspot with 350 species and counting. The grounds can have some nice birds including Montezuma Oropendola, Yellow-throated Toucan, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Yellow-headed Caracara, and Red-billed Pigeon. Right nearby too is another little eBird hotspot called the Arenal--Natura Ecological Park that can be fairly birdy as well. A cozy spa and resort, if you feel like take some time to yourself at any point or just chilling out, you can absorb views of the volcano while you soak in the hot springs, or unwind with a massage, or take a saunter through town via a horseback tour. For the more adventurous, there is also the possibility of getting up in the trees for some ziplining. 

Volcano Arenal National Park
Exploring the area around Arenal Observatory & National Park, we will search for birds in the mid-elevation forests using the network of trails, and also soak up the action at the feeding stations. Feeders may attract Emerald and Golden-hooded Tanagers, Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, Crested Guan, and hummingbird gardens often offer experiences with Violet-headed Hummingbirds and the chance at Black-crested Coquette. On the trails we could find species like Ocellated Antbird, Spotted Antbird, Long-billed Gnatwren, Rufous Mourner, Fawn-throated Foliage-gleaner, White-collared Manakin, Thicket Antpitta, Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant or neotropical migrants we’re familiar with from home, such as Philadelphia Vireo, Worm-eating Warbler, or Golden-winged Warbler.

Lake Arenal
The nation's largest body of water, at 33 square miles, the lake is tucked right in at the foot of Arenal Volcano. It supplies 12% of the country's power, and some good birding to boot. Skirting the edges, we will look for species such as Long-tailed Tyrant, Bare-crowned Antbird, Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Keel-billed Motmot, Crimson-collared Tanager, White-fronted Nunbird. Sometimes it is possible to locate a day-roosting Great Potoo.

Sendero Bogarín
A short drive from our lodging, this private reserve packs in a lot of birds over a nice trail with easy walking. The entrance features a nice feeding station and a modest wetland as well. During our morning here we will keep alert and listen and look for species like White-throated Crake, Russet-naped Wood-Rail, Fasciated Antshrike, Blue-throated Goldentail, Slaty Spinetail, Olivaceous Piculet, Red-legged Honeycreeper, and really lucky observers sometimes have found Black-and-white Owl, Boat-billed Heron, Rufous-winged Woodpecker, and even Uniform Crake. Regardless, there is always something to see and the photo opps at the feeding station can be quite good.

Canopy Walkway
One morning we will visit an area offering canopy-level suspension bridges and trails through an amazing patch of forest. This provides us an amazing opportunity to see canopy species, sometimes right at eye-level. We will keep our eyes peeled for localized specialties like Black-and-Yellow Tanager, Yellow-eared Toucanet, and Blue-and-Gold Tanager. Watching for raptors soaring above the canopy in the mid-morning sun, we might even spot Ornate or Black Hawk-Eagles, or White Hawk among others. Antbirds will also be a focus here, as we work forest trails, with chances for Bicolored, Spotted, Ocellated, Dull-mantled, Zeledon’s and Dusky Antbird all possible.

Frio River Wetlands: Medio Queso & Caño Negro
This is the one site that requires a very early morning departure and a rather long day with a significant drive to reach the birding site. But it is a viable day-trip from the area where we’re based, and marks a dramatic shift in habitat. Those who prefer to can remain at the resort, relax and explore town, but for those who opt in to visiting these wetlands will be treated to an area some refer to as ‘the Pantanal of Costa Rica’. A RAMSAR site (of global significance in wetlands conservation), Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge & the Medio Queso wetlands, just south of the Nicaraguan border are good for birding an array of scarce species. With luck we could cross paths with birds such as Pinnated Bittern, Nicaraguan Grackle, Sungrebe, or Yellow-breasted Crake. These sites are among the best places in the world to see these birds. Not always do we see all of them, as some are tricky, but along the way we should also see other birds such as Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Black-collared Hawk, Snail Kite, Limpkin, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Green-and-Rufous Kingfisher, and Olive-crowned Yellowthroat. And, while this is not a ‘photography tour’ per se, this part of the trip often provides great photo opps. Plus we should see the prehistoric-looking Spectacled Caiman up close too.