Birding the Americas
Trip Report and Planning Repository
Return to the Main
Index
Return to the North
America Index
Return to the Central
American Index
Return to the Costa
Rica Index
COSTA RICA
6- 17 October 2007
by Mike Mulligan
This is the most recent in a series of informal birding adventures to
Costa Rica which I’ve assembled, with the thinly-disguised intent of
extending my personal CR bird list. It works this way: I find a max of
three compatible tropical-experienced birder friends, reserve the dates
with professional guide friend Kevin Easley, and away we go. No
Itinerary. No lodge reservations. No set commitments – except to have
fun and to see a ton of birds. Kevin lives in CR and owns Costa Rica
Gateway; I’ve worked with him for years. He stays close to unusual
sightings by local guides and has a network of lodge owners and
contacts who keep him well-informed.
We are Ron Cicerello of Kentucky (veteran of several of my searches),
Minnesotans Don Kienholz and Jerry Pruett (have been to CR and Panama
with me in the past), Kevin and me, crammed into Kevin’s sturdy Toyota
SUV.
Because of Kevin’s skill, experience and personal contacts we are quite
successful, noting some 460 species in 11 days.
Local, "good," rare and ultra-rare birds recorded include Thicket
Tinamou, Pinnated Bittern, a perched King Vulture, Pearl Kite,
Bicolored Hawk, perched Black Hawk-Eagle, Great Curassow pair,
Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge, Ocellated Crake heard (see note below),
Southern Lapwing, a group of 17 Great Green Macaws, Red-fronted
Parrotlet (my 750th country bird and a lifer), Black-and-white Owl,
Central American Pygmy-Owl, Striped Owl, White-tailed Nightjar,
Mangrove Hummingbird, Tody Motmot, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Pale-breasted
Spinetail, Striped Woodhaunter, Ruddy Foliage-gleaner, Tawny-winged
Woodcreeper, White-flanked Antwren, Bare-crowned Antbird,
Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Turquoise Cotinga, Purple-throated Fruitcrow,
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet, Bran-colored Flycatcher, White-throated
Flycatcher, Rusty-margined Flycatcher, Fork-tailed Flycatcher,
Black-chested Jay, Masked Yellowthroat, Blue-and-gold Tanager,
Nicaraguan Seed-Finch, Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch, Prevost’s
Ground-Sparrow, Shiny Cowbird, Crested Oropendola. Interesting/rare
migrants include Mississippi Kite, Marbled Godwit, Common Tern, Purple
Martin, Veery and MacGillivray’s Warbler.
Our travels the first few days took us to Orotina, Rio Tarcoles
mangrove forest, Colorado salinas, Liberia, Rincon NP, Heliconia Lodge,
Palo Verde NP, back to Rincon climbing in heavy rain, Hotel
Bougainvillea grounds, La Paz Waterfall, Cinchona hummingbird stop,
Laguna de la Luna, El Tigre Marsh, Butterfly garden and trails, the
tram grounds, and on down to Cahuita. Then the botanical garden,
Kekoldi hawkwatch, up to Guapiles, Paraiso, Christina Farms, Savegre
Lodge with a mudslide detour, La Georgina's, San Isidro, Buenas Aires,
Durika road. We finished with driving to La Gamba Road near Rio Claro,
San Vito and the San Joachim marsh, Vista del Valle and Providencia
Road.
Hearing the Ocellated Crake along the road to Durika was especially
noteworthy, as the only other record in over 30 years (in CR) is Kevin
and his brother Steven hearing it recently at the same location. Sure
wish we'd seen it.
Species
recorded – Kevin Easley (guide), Ron Cicerello, Don
Kienholz, Mike Mulligan, Jerry Pruett
TINAMOUS
Great Tinamou
Little Tinamou
Slaty-breasted Tinamou
Thicket Tinamou
GREBES
Least Grebe
PELICANS
Brown Pelican
CORMORANTS
Neotropic Cormorant
ANHINGAS
Anhinga
FRIGATEBIRDS
Magnificent Frigatebird
HERONS, EGRETS AND BITTERNS
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Tricolored Heron
Little Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Boat-billed Heron
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
Pinnated Bittern
STORKS
Wood Stork
IBIS AND SPOONBILLS
Green Ibis
White Ibis
Roseate Spoonbill
DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Blue-winged Teal
NEW WORLD VULTURES
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
King Vulture
OSPREY
Osprey
HAWKS, EAGLES AND KITES
Pearl Kite
White-tailed Kite
Snail Kite
Mississippi Kite
Tiny Hawk
Bicolored Hawk
Barred Hawk
Common Black-Hawk
Mangrove Black-Hawk
Gray Hawk
Roadside Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Short-tailed Hawk
Swainson's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Black Hawk-Eagle
Ornate Hawk-Eagle
FALCONS AND CARACARAS
Crested Caracara
Yellow-headed Caracara
Laughing Falcon
American Kestrel
Bat Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
GUANS, CHACHALACAS, CURASSOWS
Gray-headed Chachalaca
Great Curassow
NEW WORLD QUAIL
Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge
Crested Bobwhite
Spotted Wood-Quail
LIMPKIN
Limpkin
RAILS, GALLINULES AND COOTS
Ocellated Crake
White-throated Crake
Purple Gallinule
Common Moorhen
JACANAS
Northern Jacana
AVOCETS AND STILTS
Black-necked Stilt
THICK-KNEES
Double-striped Thick-knee
PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS
Southern Lapwing
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Collared Plover
SANDPIPERS
Short-billed Dowitcher
Marbled Godwit
Whimbrel
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Willet
Ruddy Turnstone
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
GULLS
Laughing Gull
TERNS
Gull-billed Tern
Elegant Tern
Sandwich Tern
Royal Tern
Common Tern
SKIMMERS
Black Skimmer
PIGEONS AND DOVES
Rock Dove
Scaled Pigeon
Pale-vented Pigeon
Red-billed Pigeon
Short-billed Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Common Ground-Dove
Ruddy Ground-Dove
Inca Dove
Blue Ground-Dove
White-tipped Dove
Gray-chested Dove
Purplish-backed Quail-Dove
Olive-backed Quail-Dove
PARROTS
Great Green Macaw
Scarlet Macaw
Crimson-fronted Parakeet
Olive-throated Parakeet
Orange-fronted Parakeet
Orange-chinned Parakeet
Red-fronted Parrotlet
Brown-hooded Parrot
Blue-headed Parrot
White-crowned Parrot
White-fronted Parrot
Red-lored Parrot
Yellow-naped Parrot
Mealy Parrot
CUCKOOS
Squirrel Cuckoo
Smooth-billed Ani
Groove-billed Ani
Striped Cuckoo
Lesser Ground-Cuckoo
OWLS
Pacific Screech-Owl
Black-and-white Owl
Central American Pygmy-Owl
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
Striped Owl
NIGHTJARS
Short-tailed Nighthawk
Pauraque
White-tailed Nightjar
SWIFTS
White-collared Swift
Band-rumped Swift
Chimney Swift
Vaux's Swift
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift
HUMMINGBIRDS
Band-tailed Barbthroat
Green Hermit
Western Long-tailed Hermit
Stripe-throated Hermit
Scaly-breasted Hummingbird
Violet Sabrewing
Brown Violet-ear
Green Violet-ear
Green-breasted Mango
Violet-headed Hummingbird
Green Thorntail
Canivet's Emerald
Garden Emerald
Fiery-throated Hummingbird
White-tailed Emerald
Coppery-headed Emerald
Stripe-tailed Hummingbird
Violet-crowned Woodnymph
Blue-throated Goldentail
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Cinnamon Hummingbird
Blue-chested Hummingbird
Mangrove Hummingbird
Steely-vented Hummingbird
Snowcap
Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer
White-bellied Mountain-gem
Purple-throated Mountain-gem
Gray-tailed Mountain-gem
Green-crowned Brilliant
Magnificent Hummingbird
Purple-crowned Fairy
Scintillant Hummingbird
Volcano Hummingbird
TROGONS AND QUETZALS
Black-headed Trogon
Violaceous Trogon
Collared Trogon
Orange-bellied Trogon
Black-throated Trogon
Slaty-tailed Trogon
KINGFISHERS
Ringed Kingfisher
Amazon Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher
American Pygmy Kingfisher
MOTMOTS
Tody Motmot
Blue-crowned Motmot
Broad-billed Motmot
PUFFBIRDS
White-whiskered Puffbird
BARBETS
Red-headed Barbet
Prong-billed Barbet
TOUCANS
Emerald Toucanet
Collared Aracari
Fiery-billed Aracari
Yellow-eared Toucanet
Keel-billed Toucan
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan
WOODPECKERS
Olivaceous Piculet
Acorn Woodpecker
Black-cheeked Woodpecker
Red-crowned Woodpecker
Hoffmann's Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Smoky-brown Woodpecker
Lineated Woodpecker
Pale-billed Woodpecker
OVENBIRDS
Pale-breasted Spinetail
Slaty Spinetail
Red-faced Spinetail
Ruddy Treerunner
Plain Xenops
Buffy Tuftedcheek
Streak-breasted Treehunter
Striped Woodhaunter
Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner
Ruddy Foliage-gleaner
WOODCREEPERS
Tawny-winged Woodcreeper
Plain-brown Woodcreeper
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Northern Barred-Woodcreeper
Cocoa Woodcreeper
Black-striped Woodcreeper
Spotted Woodcreeper
Streak-headed Woodcreeper
Spot-crowned Woodcreeper
Brown-billed Scythebill
TYPICAL ANTBIRDS
Fasciated Antshrike
Great Antshrike
Barred Antshrike
Black-hooded Antshrike
Western Slaty-Antshrike
Russet Antshrike
Checker-throated Antwren
White-flanked Antwren
Slaty Antwren
Dot-winged Antwren
Dusky Antbird
Bare-crowned Antbird
Chestnut-backed Antbird
Immaculate Antbird
Bicolored Antbird
Spotted Antbird
TAPACULOS
Silvery-fronted Tapaculo
COTINGAS
Turquoise Cotinga
Snowy Cotinga
Purple-throated Fruitcrow
MANAKINS
White-collared Manakin
Orange-collared Manakin
White-ruffed Manakin
Long-tailed Manakin
White-crowned Manakin
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS
Yellow Tyrannulet
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Lesser Elaenia
Mountain Elaenia
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher
Rufous-browed Tyrannulet
Paltry Tyrannulet
Northern Scrub-Flycatcher
Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant
Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant
Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher
Common Tody-Flycatcher
Eye-ringed Flatbill
Yellow-olive Flycatcher
Bran-colored Flycatcher
Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher
Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher
Tufted Flycatcher
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood-Pewee
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
White-throated Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Yellowish Flycatcher
Black-capped Flycatcher
Black Phoebe
Long-tailed Tyrant
Bright-rumped Attila
Rufous Mourner
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Panama Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Brown-crested Flycatcher
Great Kiskadee
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Rusty-margined Flycatcher
Social Flycatcher
Gray-capped Flycatcher
Golden-bellied Flycatcher
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Eastern Kingbird
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Fork-tailed Flycatcher
Thrush-like Schiffornis
Cinnamon Becard
White-winged Becard
Masked Tityra
Black-crowned Tityra
SWALLOWS
Purple Martin
Gray-breasted Martin
Mangrove Swallow
Blue-and-white Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
SILKY-FLYCATCHERS
Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher
Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher
WRENS
Band-backed Wren
Rufous-naped Wren
Black-throated Wren
Rufous-breasted Wren
Bay Wren
Stripe-breasted Wren
Banded Wren
Rufous-and-white Wren
Plain Wren
House Wren
Ochraceous Wren
Timberline Wren
White-breasted Wood-Wren
Nightingale Wren
Scaly-breasted Wren
Song Wren
THRUSHES
Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush
Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush
Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush
Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Sooty Robin
Mountain Robin
Pale-vented Thrush
Clay-colored Robin
White-throated Thrush
GNATCATCHERS
Tawny-faced Gnatwren
Long-billed Gnatwren
White-lored Gnatcatcher
Tropical Gnatcatcher
CROWS AND JAYS
White-throated Magpie-Jay
Black-chested Jay
Brown Jay
VIREOS AND ALLIES
Mangrove Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-winged Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Yellow-green Vireo
Tawny-crowned Greenlet
Lesser Greenlet
Green Shrike-Vireo
Rufous-browed Peppershrike
WOOD WARBLERS
Golden-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Flame-throated Warbler
Tropical Parula
Yellow Warbler
Mangrove Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Mourning Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler
Olive-crowned Yellowthroat
Masked Yellowthroat
Gray-crowned Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler
Canada Warbler
Slate-throated Redstart
Collared Redstart
Golden-crowned Warbler
Rufous-capped Warbler
Black-cheeked Warbler
Buff-rumped Warbler
Wrenthrush
BANANAQUIT
Bananaquit
TANAGERS AND ALLIES
Common Bush-Tanager
Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager
Ashy-throated Bush-Tanager
Black-and-yellow Tanager
Olive Tanager
Gray-headed Tanager
White-throated Shrike-Tanager
White-shouldered Tanager
Tawny-crested Tanager
White-lined Tanager
Red-crowned Ant-Tanager
Red-throated Ant-Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Summer Tanager
Flame-colored Tanager
Passerini's Tanager
Cherrie's Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
Blue-and-gold Tanager
Scrub Euphonia
Yellow-crowned Euphonia
Yellow-throated Euphonia
Elegant Euphonia
Spot-crowned Euphonia
Olive-backed Euphonia
White-vented Euphonia
Tawny-capped Euphonia
Plain-colored Tanager
Emerald Tanager
Silver-throated Tanager
Speckled Tanager
Bay-headed Tanager
Golden-hooded Tanager
Scarlet-thighed Dacnis
Blue Dacnis
Green Honeycreeper
Shining Honeycreeper
Red-legged Honeycreeper
BUNTINGS, SEEDEATERS, ALLIES
Blue-black Grassquit
Variable Seedeater
White-collared Seedeater
Yellow-bellied Seedeater
Nicaraguan Seed-Finch
Thick-billed Seed-Finch
Yellow-faced Grassquit
Slaty Flowerpiercer
Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch
Sooty-faced Finch
Yellow-thighed Finch
Large-footed Finch
White-naped Brush-Finch
Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch
SPARROWS, TOWHEES, JUNCOS
Orange-billed Sparrow
Black-striped Sparrow
Prevost's Ground-Sparrow
White-eared Ground-Sparrow
Stripe-headed Sparrow
Rufous-collared Sparrow
SALTATORS, CARDINALS AND ALLIES
Streaked Saltator
Grayish Saltator
Buff-throated Saltator
Black-headed Saltator
Slate-colored Grosbeak
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, GRACKLES, ETC.
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Melodious Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Shiny Cowbird
Bronzed Cowbird
Streak-backed Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Black-cowled Oriole
Yellow-billed Cacique
Scarlet-rumped Cacique
Crested Oropendola
Chestnut-headed Oropendola
Montezuma Oropendola
OLD WORLD SPARROWS
House Sparrow
Species total - 466
Mike Mulligan
Calgary Alberta Canada
potoo@shaw.ca