10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2019

It would be uber cool to lay eyes on a rare lifer, on species that only seem to live on the pages of a field guide but isn’t that somewhat discriminatory? And why spend time only looking for one or two species when those hours could be used to put binos focused on a few dozen? Aren’t all birds worth watching?

Costa Rica 203

Costa Rica Panama Birds Eagles 203

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2020

Of those, two are only found in Costa Rica and Panama, the near threatened Baird’s Trogon of which is nearly exclusive to Costa Rica. Like several other species, this fancy one evolved to live in the humid forests of southern Costa Rica and adjacent Panama. I can’t wait to see you here.

Costa Rica 216

Costa Rica Panama Arizona Protection 216

10,000 Birds

JULY 19, 2018

It divides countries into categories, where the next category has 200 more species. In some cases the data are outdated, e.g. Costa Rica has 900 and not 800 species, but I made no corrections, remaining faithful to the original map data. Shown as a list, it looks like this: Less than 200 bird species: Antarctica; oceanic islands.

Equatorial Guinea 200

Equatorial Guinea Costa Rica Guyana Central African Republic 200

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 15, 2018

Just about anywhere a birder ventures, the miniscule members of the latter family can be seen, and in most tropical locales, it’s not just one species. Unlike much of the eastern United States, a dozen or even two dozen species of hummingbirds can be present in habitats south of of the Tropic of Cancer. The female.

Costa Rica 220

Costa Rica Nicaragua Panama Honduras 220

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 15, 2022

It consists of a small reserve with a well maintained in site trail (over 195 species recorded, many endemic and rare birds accessible), cozy lodging and a dining room. The consolation prize came in the form of two Prong-billed Barbets , chunky ochre birds with thick silver bills, a local endemic that Costa Rica shares with western Panama.

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Costa Rica Panama Squirrels Nicaragua 233

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 21, 2021

The trees that occur, that thrive in such places are various species of mangroves and as is typical of so many other tropical microhabitats, mangrove forests have their own suite of birds. It’s ironic because even though it doesn’t live anywhere else, even in perfect habitat, the Mangrove Hummingbird is not an abundant species.

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica Birds Protection Panama 264

10,000 Birds

JULY 1, 2020

There are 17 species of Becard. Eight occur only in South America, three spill over from there just into Panama, and one reaches from South America through much of Central America. Just one species of Becard spills across the border into the U.S., Species seen? Oh no; you should never underestimate my shallowness.

South America 264

South America Mexico America United States 264

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 10, 2022

It’s not just birding though, at least not if you are “year birding” Year birding is looking for species not heard or seen since January 1st and if you still want to hit a goal for 2022, December is now or never time. For me, that translates to betting on hitting 700 species. A birdable scene from Guanacaste.

Costa Rica 147

Costa Rica Birds Panama North America 147

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2021

Actively birding in Costa Rica as well as Nicaragua and Panama as well as the USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. Degree in Natural Resources Management, former part of Board of Directors for the Ornithological Association of Costa Rica, and involved with Bird Monitoring Projects and Sustainability Consulting.

Costa Rica 253

Costa Rica Experience Experiments Nicaragua 253

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 12, 2019

Our big month of bird movements in Costa Rica, the 10th month of the year, is when most of the swallows, Scarlet Tanagers , thrushes, and other species on the South American express push through. How do they compete with resident species? In October, it’s what’s happening in Costa Rica. What do they eat?

Costa Rica 263

Costa Rica Nicaragua Birds Panama 263

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 15, 2020

It’s also the high season for birding and with good reason; there are hundreds of birds waiting to be seen, some of them migrants from the north but the majority resident tropical species that are easy on the eyes. One of six toucan species in Costa Rica, fairly common at sites with rainforest. Red-headed Barbet. Masked Tityra.

Costa Rica 242

Costa Rica Birds Panama Woodpeckers 242

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

The first is that the illustrations by Dale Dyer are based, and largely seem to be the same, as the illustrations for his previous guide Birds of Central America: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama (co-authored with Andrew Vallely, PUP, 2018). Why are these issues? © 2023 by Steve N. Not every bird.

Costa Rica 220

Costa Rica Belize El Salvador Birds 220

10,000 Birds

JUNE 25, 2022

Even so, in the short term, it can be hard to accept that hundreds of species are close to being extinguished from this irreplaceble tapestry of life, that hundreds more are headed for the same eventual abysmal stop. We would see how species that used to be common, even abundant, became remnants of their former, robust populations.

Costa Rica 263

Costa Rica Parrots Albatross Birds 263

10,000 Birds

MARCH 19, 2022

In Costa Rica, we have our pewees, 6 species of them. A common bird of hot, tropical habitats, it is very much an edge species. This high elevation pewee only occurs in the mountains of Costa Rica and a smidgeon of western Panama. This appropriately named bird is just what its name says. Yes, a cool endemic pewee!

Costa Rica 267

Costa Rica Pennsylvania South America Panama 267

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 13, 2021

12 species of cuckoos are on the Costa Rica bird list. This Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo was seen and captured on camera by Josh Beck in Panama, the most reliable place to connect with this rare species. Tortuguero- one of many excellent birding areas in Costa Rica. Another, the Cocos Cuckoo requires a looong (but pelagic filled!)

Costa Rica 259

Costa Rica Panama Cats Washington 259

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2022

This species qualifies as Critically Endangered because extensive habitat destruction and capture for the cagebird trade are causing extremely rapid and continuing population declines. Coming to Costa Rica, I needed only a few dozen species to cross my first big threshold: a thousand species. My OCD would not stand that!

Costa Rica 241

Costa Rica Nicaragua 2019 Farming 241

10,000 Birds

JULY 31, 2019

The Yellowthroat group is an odd collection of bird species. The one migratory species, aptly named the Common Yellowthroat , can be seen almost anywhere in North America. Both are marsh-dwelling species. The first can be found from Mexico to Panama, while the second is endemic over a fairly large part of eastern Mexico.

Mexico 196

Mexico Bahamas South America Panama 196

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2019

Dawn broke somewhere on the way down and was accompanied by two species of caracaras patrolling the roads, a motmot or two on the wires, and early morning on the edge of the ocean. Other dry forest species made appearances, Stripe-headed Sparrows being especially common. Pishing brought out a couple of White-lored Gnatcatchers.

Costa Rica 146

Costa Rica Morals Panama Parrots 146

10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2019

If a list also shows the status for each species, birders on their way to Costa Rica would realize that they shouldn’t really expect vireos with white eyes nor blue heads (but would hopefully know that they should very much report those species on eBird so local birders can chase them!). Toucan species with new names.

Costa Rica 201

Costa Rica Birds Owls South America 201

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 10, 2015

Although marching up and down and up and down can be a literal pain, the feathered rewards come in the form of super cool local species that rarely or never make it down to lower elevations. Here are ten of those special species: This yellow-eyed bird is a Volcano Junco. At least that’s the case for Costa Rica.

Costa Rica 150

Costa Rica Panama Nicaragua Honduras 150

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 17, 2022

Within 140 ac / 60 ha of Rancho Naturalista’s Reserve, there are 500 bird species – or 55% of the nation’s total! And Verbena attracts another specialty bird and a regional endemic (from Honduras to Panama), the Snowcap. Located within its private premontane forest reserve at 3000 ft / 900 m a.s.l. km (Manakin Trail).

Costa Rica 252

Costa Rica Rats Parrots Raccoons 252

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. A member of the small Ptiliogonatidae family of silky-flycatchers, of which there are only three other species besides our local Phainopepla , Phainopepl nitens.

Costa Rica 106

Costa Rica Panama Nevada Guatemala 106

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2021

Based on population estimates and migration routes, yes, millions, and for some species, many millions! A stop at the one area of mature lowland rainforest next to the road to the boat “docks” at La Pavona was replete with a fine mix of resident rainforest species and migrants. For birds, there are no borders.

Costa Rica 263

Costa Rica Nicaragua Ohio Honduras 263

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 16, 2019

Although most New World Barbets live in the tropical forests of South America (“the bird continent”), us birders in Costa Rica are fortunate to have two species to watch and listen to. A common resident of cloud forest, this species is often seen in pairs as it forages in mixed flocks or feeds at a fruiting tree.

Costa Rica 172

Costa Rica Colombia South America Ecuador 172

10,000 Birds

APRIL 25, 2020

Now is when we can venture into the closest park and see birds of the deep woods, species that breed far from town. It’s the other species hiding out there, the ones that can be here from one day to the next that I am really hoping for. Now is the special time that birders look forward to all year long.

Costa Rica 213

Costa Rica 2020 Spain Panama 213

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 26, 2014

Fortunately, like most birders, we like hummingbirds, and having eight species buzzing around was very very nice. Black-bellied Hummingbirds can only be found in Costa Rica and western Panama. Which makes me very glad to have seen this species. Because, honestly, when am I going to get back to Costa Rica again or go to Panama?

Costa Rica 181

Costa Rica Panama Humane Species 181

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 27, 2021

Passing through the high oak dominated rainforests of Quetzal National Park, this road can also turn up Unspotted Saw-whet Owls and other species of the night but is much more birdy during the day. A bird of treeline and paramo habitats in Costa Rica and Panama, this wren is a main target for visiting birders.

Costa Rica 228

Costa Rica Birds Farming Litter 228

10,000 Birds

JULY 23, 2016

Birders concerned with ticking off bird species from a list in North America already know all about the AOU Supplement. Green Violetear – Another name for a widespread species bites the dust! However, like any supplement, this publication does provide something extra, something additional.

Costa Rica 100

Costa Rica 2016 South America Panama 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 25, 2015

A new paper out this month attempts to paint the most comprehensive picture yet of the origins and diversification of the American sparrows, wood-warblers, blackbirds, cardinals, tanagers, and their kin, an enormous group of birds more than 800 species strong.

Sparrows 257

Sparrows North America South America Blackbirds 257

10,000 Birds

APRIL 11, 2013

In light of spring’s recent arrival, do you ever find yourself wondering how some species are able to withstand freezing, wintery days and yet still thrive in summer’s heat? This kind of detailed genetic and developmental work has traditionally relied on model species in the lab (aka chickens). Thanks for your support! Maria’s Project.

Panama 214

Panama Research Investigation Chickens 214

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

Bird species with big eyes and small bills tend to be labelled like so because those anthropomorphic features can trigger an emotional response but so what? Go birding in Costa Rica to get these avian examples of cuteness on the life list: Collared Redstart – cute and common in the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama.

Costa Rica 181

Costa Rica Emotional South America Birds 181

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 19, 2015

However, that doesn’t mean that the bird species in question is necessarily endangered. The same goes for some bird species commonly encountered by many an American and Canadian birder. At least looking for them can result in encounters with Galapagos Shearwater , storm-petrels, and other pelagic species.

Costa Rica 161

Costa Rica Birds Panama Sparrows 161

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2020

With around 400 species recorded for the area, yeah, it’s where we might all like to quarantine for a bit! Named after the Army Ants that are often seen in that area, David Segura has been documenting an expected large number of bird species (check put the eBird list). A Fantastic Day of 200 Plus Species.

Costa Rica 219

Costa Rica Birds Thailand Farming 219

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 26, 2020

This being an uncommon species in upstate New York, I appreciate having an abundance of Cliff Swallows to look at. Bank and Barn Swallows also migrate through in huge numbers, maybe even the majority of the individuals of these common species that breed in North America. By morning, they are probably in Panama.

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Costa Rica West Virginia New York South America 325

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 10, 2020

If the wind carries them on, maybe they will go to Panama, or even make it to Colombia. At the moment, night excursions to Poas are limited by pandemic driving restrictions but I can still surmise about the species flying overhead. For a bird with resources and long wings, those destinations are just a bit further down the flyway.

Costa Rica 271

Costa Rica South America Colombia Paraguay 271

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2016

The proximity of both slopes also facilitates seeing a lot of different species in a short span because the montane barrier has resulted in differences in terms of species and habitats. But, if you want to go further afield, fear not, there is some wonderful lowland forest birding up near Nicaragua and down south by Panama as well.

Costa Rica 165

Costa Rica San Jose Panama Birds 165

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2014

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. It’s also one of the most common and easily seen species, and the most likely woodpecker in urban areas of the Central Valley.

Costa Rica 199

Costa Rica Woodpeckers Honduras Panama 199