10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 16, 2019

There’s so much more that can be said about this group of birds but that’s the first description that comes to mind. The two families of New World barbets, the Capitonidae and the Semnornithidae, are actually more related to toucans. Barbets are odd, chunky birds with large beaks. and the Prong-billed Barbet.

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Costa Rica Colombia South America Ecuador 183

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 7, 2019

This is also why so many of the birding tribe travel to watch birds, a good number of which eventually make it to Costa Rica. Like Resplendent Quetzals … A good number of birders who make it to Costa Rica visit a small, roadside diner located in the middle elevations of the Caribbean slope. Check out the toucanets.

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Costa Rica Cooking Birds Chickens 225

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2014

The Woodpeckers are one of the more popular of the avian families. Those woodpeckers are some smart-looking birds, and Costa Rica has her fair share with 16 species that head-bang from the dry forests of the northwest to the high-elevation rainforests of the mountains. A Pale-billed Woodpecker eats a grub in Costa Rica.

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Costa Rica Woodpeckers Honduras Panama 207

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 9, 2014

Few if any species are as emblematic of the Neotropics as Ramphastidae, the family that includes the toucans, toucanets, and aracaris. On the trip to Costa Rica that I just returned from I was pleased to see both of those species as well as Black-mandibled Toucan and Keel-billed Toucan.

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Costa Rica Horses Farming Collecting 243

10,000 Birds

MAY 30, 2015

There are lots of great birding sites in Costa Rica. Although most birders visiting Costa Rica hit pretty much the same sites, you could just as well go to a bunch of other, lesser known places with the same type of habitat and see most of the same birds. Nicaraguan Grackle only lives in marshes around Lake Nicaragua.

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Costa Rica Chile Nicaragua San Jose 181

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 30, 2017

Costa Rica? Although Cocos Island is halfway between Costa Rica and the Galapagos, we are still talking about hundreds of kilometers of ocean between us and the place of the big tortoises. As the ferry plodded along, small groups of shearwaters lifted off the water to flutter and glide just above the surface.

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Costa Rica Birds Tortoises Groups 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 1, 2017

As birders, we tend to spend more time in wetlands than most of our peers, neighbors, and family members. Although the few big wetland sites in Costa Rica require a bit of a trek, sun screen, and boat rides, the wetland birding is just as rewarding and acts as a welcome break from the quiet challenge of rainforest birding.

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Costa Rica Birds Ducks Pelicans 100

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 21, 2018

Our trip to Costa Rica has come to an end, and sadly, it ended with one of the best weeks of birding in the entire year. There is no way this week could have been as excellent as it was without a huge amount of help from the Costa Rica Birders and their “network”. I am saving the quetzal story for the end of this posting.

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Costa Rica San Jose Chinchillas Family 197

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2018

It’s needed if “success” is synonymous with seeing a higher percentage of target birds (even if that just means any possible species), the trip being rather glitch free, and having abundant coffee available at all hours. If the families are the same, that might not be too much of a problem. Do they puff?

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Costa Rica San Jose Birds Game 109

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 16, 2012

Ringer Hummingbirds are one of the most distinctive and immediately recognizable groups of birds on earth. They’re also one of the most diverse, with approximately 330 species, all in the Western Hemisphere. This group (the traditional order Apodiformes) is related to the weird , wonderful owlet-nightjars. And this one.

Family 212

Family Ecuador Costa Rica United States 212

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2016

When I went to Honduras in 2014, I was advised to use The Birds of Costa Rica by Richard Garrigues and Robert Dean (2014) and The Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America by Steve N.G. Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Northern Central America covers 827 species, including resident, migratory, and common vagrant birds.

El Salvador 235

El Salvador America Costa Rica Honduras 235

10,000 Birds

JUNE 10, 2022

Once you get to Costa Rica, you’ll already know those birds so well, it will be like meeting distant family members and famous folks for the very first time.Over and over! In brief, you’ll be ready for those birds in Costa Rica, ready to soak them up and have a fantastic trip. Right, say what?!

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Costa Rica Birds Panama Rights 261

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2017

Spring is in the air, and all around the Baja desert I am seeing a plethora of species, all looking for love, in what appears to the right places. Last Sunday, it was never as obvious as it was with the small group of Phainopepla , Phainopepla nitens. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them swoop erratically from tree to tree to cactus.

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Costa Rica Panama Nevada Guatemala 108

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2019

I saw 863 species of birds, bringing my life list to 1,820. I also spent a week in northwestern Costa Rica on a family vacation, a long weekend in Barbados, a week in Georgia, and two week-plus-long trips to visit relatives in southern California. How can I narrow down the eight-hundred-sixty-three species to ten?

2019 144

2019 Barbados Uganda Costa Rica 144

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 2, 2021

The text goes far beyond just those two birds, however, as Doug works his way through the puzzles presented by the incredibly wide diversity of bird behavior, even within species, citing current research and new and old theories, reasoning out the most likely and unlikely answers. The six middle chapters are my favorite reading. ” (p.

Science 232

Science Albatross Research Birds 232

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

The brilliant orange coloration and rich, haunting song of the Spot-breasted Oriole ( Icterus pectoralis ) makes this species one of my favorite permanent residents in southeastern Florida, even though it is an introduced exotic. How can an introduced species be a favorite among birders? Don’t they compete with native birds?

Miami 179

Miami Costa Rica Florida 2005 179

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2015

These arid hills, cloaked in a mosaic of deciduous scrub and desert vegetation, form a northern outpost for several Neotropical species while also harboring several key endemics and southwestern Nearctic species. Think Arizona meets Costa Rica with a Mexican twist.

Mexico 206

Mexico Costa Rica Arizona Birds 206

10,000 Birds

MAY 6, 2016

Once you eliminate the risque jokes (I know, I know, but it’s a family blog) the Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet might have the most comical name in American birding. The tyrant flycatchers, in turn, derive their name from the first member of the family to land a Latin name, the Eastern Kingbird. Which brings us to Northern.

Costa Rica 104

Costa Rica 2014 Family Collecting 104

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2015

That was the first thing we–our New Jersey Audubon group of 11 birders, led by Scott Barnes–noted as we exited the airport. If you’ve birded the Neoptropics, then you’re familiar with the haunting sound of Great Tinamou, and may have even seen the bird, as I did in Costa Rica, walking through thick rain forest foliage.

Honduras 259

Honduras Birds Costa Rica Groups 259

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2019

I think this is one of the reasons why so many people visiting Costa Rica want to see the bird with the big banana bill, some ask if you have seen “the toucan” Photos and field guides have shown them that these fantastic cartoonish birds do indeed exist and they have heard that a lot of visitors to Costa Rica see toucans.

Costa Rica 190

Costa Rica Panama Eating Eggs South America 190

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 28, 2014

En route they will be “birding in nearly every country in mainland North and South America,” and, as they say on their excellent blog , “Our journey is about collecting valuable data on bird species, their status and distribution, current conservation issues, and more along the way. Bicolored Antbird.

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San Diego South America Costa Rica America 199

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2017

1,712 species, 12% of which are endemics. Our group saw over 400 birds on our 15-day tour of the Pantanal, Cerrado and the Amazon (Cristalino Lodge). Our group saw over 400 birds on our 15-day tour of the Pantanal, Cerrado and the Amazon (Cristalino Lodge). And, of course, Pat sees Jabiru every year in Costa Rica.

Brazil 165

Brazil Birds Los Angeles Tigers 165

10,000 Birds

JULY 25, 2015

In fact, thanks to the Empids, few other groups of birds seem to be more associated with dread than the tyrant-flycatchers. At first glance, every single species seems to be nothing more than an eye-ring and pair of wing bars. For example, let’s take a look at two common flycatcher species; the Great Kiskadee and the Boat-billed.

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Costa Rica Panama Species Sparrows 208

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2017

The guide presents 69 species and 1 subspecies, from “NEW WORLD VULTURES: Cathartiformes” to “OSPREY: Pandioninae” to “FAMILY: Accipitridae” (Kites, Hawks, Eagles, Hawk-Eagles), to “FALONIDS: Falconidae” (Falcons, Forest-Falcons, Caracaras, Kestrels, Merlin). That’s a lot of visual information!

Mexico 177

Mexico America North America Falcons 177

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2021

If you had your choice of one bird family to pursue, to seek out and observe and photograph and kvell over, which one would you choose? A passion for one bird family is also very useful. Hummingbird species, on the other hand, number in the hundreds. So, when British natural history writer Jon Dunn (not to be confused with U.S.

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Costa Rica Brazil Ecuador Bolivia 264

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

Covering 1,261 species with data and taxonomy current up to August 2017, the field guide is an exciting achievement. And, then there are the more familiar birds–Wood-warblers, sandpipers, hawks–some species migrants, some species with a wide range. Can you guess which of the species cited above are endemic?

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America El Salvador Costa Rica Honduras 214

10,000 Birds

MARCH 17, 2011

And a very happy Masemas for anyone who observes my son Mason’s birthday (probably not as many as the last group!) more migratory sky shots here ) Tags: march , weekend • Camping tents - Check out our pop up tents , family tents , and more! While we’re celebrating, let’s have three cheers for the coming equinox.

2011 150

2011 Birds Deer South Dakota 150

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 4, 2018

The hope and claim is that transferring this process to gull identification works more easily and just as accurately (at least for species) as an examination of plumage and molt patterns. Species Accounts. Gulls Simplified covers 25 species. From the Laughing Gull species account. These vary according to species.

North America 210

North America America El Salvador Nicaragua 210

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 26, 2018

Despite their every effort to accumulate every bit of money that was in my wallet, and available on my credit card, this island group totaling more than 700 islands does have some nice birds. Our first stop was the Lakeview Drive Ponds, Corey’s primary birding location when he and his family visited the island a few years ago.

Bahamas 132

Bahamas Costa Rica Abandon Abandoning 132

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2011

Nice. ((** all names have been changed to protect identities and have been substituted with (almost) randomly chosen substitutes suitable for a family of Alpine Accentors.)) Dale studied scarlet macaws, and worked in their conservation, for three years in southern Costa Rica, followed by a year in the Caribbean working on Whale Sharks.

2011 224

2011 Breeders Breeding Deer 224

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

My best bird of the year is based on the sighting rather than the species. Obviously my best bird of the year is going to come during this trip, what with several species of endemic pitta and broadbill possible, not to mention 8 species of hornbill and numerous babblers, storks, kingfishers, trogons and even the endemic Bornean Bristlehead.

2013 168

2013 Birds Costa Rica India 168

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2012

Press in 2009), active participation in the Dragonfly Society of the Americas and leading dragonfly trips to Costa Rica and, hopefully this summer, Panama. I know from experience how accessible Dennis is, last year he helped me identify a damselfly I photographed in Costa Rica (Argia anceps, no common name).

United States 244

United States Costa Rica Massachusetts North America 244

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 3, 2017

I started the year in Florida, traveled to India with the ABA in February, combined family and birding in an August trip to California, and in-between saw very good birds in New York and New Jersey. It was a good birding year. Many sad and unfortunate things occurred in 2016, but the birding was good. 1) Dusky Eagle-Owl. 7) Piping Plover.

2016 115

2016 India Ducks Birds 115

10,000 Birds

JULY 2, 2019

I hesitated because a 496-page book about two skulky neotropical bird groups is a little intimidating. Patrick has had his share of sightings in Costa Rica as well. And, I looked at my eBird list and realized I’ve seen nine species of Antpitta and one of Gnateater. Species Accounts. The artwork is beautiful.

Research 153

Research Eggs South America Costa Rica 153

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 17, 2015

When people find out that I moved to Costa Rica from Niagara Falls, New York, one of the first things they ask is if I miss much from the City of the Cataracts. I don’t have a Goat Island in Costa Rica but I do have plenty of places where I can see hundreds of bird species. One of those very many pewees.

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Costa Rica Goats South America New York 198

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2015

During my previous five trips to Indonesia, I only heard but never caught a glimpse of three species. Now my tally stands at four species seen and a fifth heard-only. Finally we heard a single call and after some dedicated tracking in the undergrowth everyone except one of the group managed to see this very secretive bird.

2015 189

2015 Costa Rica Birds Sparrows 189