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The area covered by this checklist includes the road from Pital to the Lodge, surrounding roads to neighboring farms; the Rio San Carlos near the lodge to the Rio San Juan; a small portion of the Rio San Juan near Boca San Carlos. Habitats included are primary and secondary rainforest, rivers and streams, riverine forest, sandbars and mudflats, pastureland, plantations, gardens, weedy roadsides and fields. This list shows the many bird species you may encounter on a 3-5 day visit as you explore the excellent birding spots at and nearby the lodge. The codes reflect the chances an average birder will have at observing or hearing a particular species. Keep in mind that some resident breeding birds (e.g. Great Green Macaw) become relatively scarce or entirely absent seasonally.
It should also be noted that this part of northern Costa Rica contains a wide variety of birds (390 species on this list) owing to many microhabitats within the general habitats listed above. For example, some species (e.g. Agami Heron) are found only in the quiet backwaters of rainforest lagoons. Many other bird species of the rainforest have a unique and often limited set of ecological requirements. Thus, by visiting a variety of habitats and paying attention to subtle changes within a particular habitat, the careful observer may be rewarded with sightings of some rare and beautiful species. |
1 =
2 =
3 =
4 =
5 =
? = |
Permanent resident
Wintering species (Sept.- April)
Passant migrant only - usually spring & fall
Sporadic visitor-from up slope or elsewhere
Out of normal range, accidental
status unclear, more data needed |
C
FC
U
R
VR
X |
= Common. Seen or heard daily.
= Fairly common. Usually seen or heard daily.
= Uncommon. May be seen weekly but could be missed.
= Rare. Seen or heard monthly; local and/or secretive habits.
= Very rare. Low population numbers; difficult to find, even in the right habitat.
= Occasional. Unexpected; fewer than 5 documented occurrences. |
|
1 C
1 C
1 FC |
Great Tinamou
Little Tinamou
Slaty-breasted Tinamou |
Tinamus major
Crypturellus soui
Crypturellus boucardi |
4 U
1 U
2 R |
Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Muscovy Duck
Blue-winged Teal |
Dendrocygna autumnalis
Cairina moschata
Anas discors |
1 X
1 U
1 R |
Gray-headed Chachalaca
Crested Guan
Great Currasow |
Ortalis cinereiceps
Penelope purpurascens
Crax rubra
|
| 1 R |
Tawny-faced Quail |
Rhynchortyx cinctus |
| ? X |
Least Grebe |
Tachybaptus dominicus |
| 4 R |
Wood Stork |
Mycteria americana |
| 5 X |
Magnificent Frigatebird |
Fregata magnificens |
| 1 FC |
Phalacrocorax brasilianus |
Phalacrocorax brasilianus |
| 1 FC |
Anhinga |
Anhinga anhinga |
| 5 X |
Brown Pelican |
Pelecanus occidentalis |
? X
? X
1 R
1 R
2 FC
2 FC
2 FC
2 C
4 U
1 C
1 C
1 R
X R
4 R
1 R |
Pinnated Bittern
Least Bittern
Rufescent Tiger Heron
Bare-throated Tiger Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Agami Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Boat-billed Heron |
Botaurus pinnatus
Ixobrychus exilis
Tigrisoma lineatum
Tigrisoma mexicanum
Ardea herodius
Ardea alba
Egretta thula
Egretta caerulea
Egretta tricolor
Bubulcus ibis
Butorides virescens
Agamia agami
Nycticorax nycticorax
Nyctanassa violacea
Cochlearius cochlearius |
| 1 U |
Green Ibis |
Mesembrinibis cayennensis |
1 C
1 C
4 X
1 U |
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture
King Vulture
|
Coragyps atratus
Cathartes aura
Cathartes burrovianus
Sarcoramphus papa
|
| 2 C |
Osprey |
Pandion haliaetus |
1 R
1 X
2 U
1 U
3 R
1 U
3 VR
3 U
1 VR
2 X
? VR
2 X
1 VR
1 X
1 R
1 R
1 U
1 R
1 R
2 C
1 FC
1 FC
3 U
1 X
1 R
1 VR
1 VR
1 R
1 U
4 X
4 X
1 FC
1 FC
2 R
|
Gray-headed Kite
Hook-billed Kite
Swallow-tailed Kite
White-tailed Kite
Snail Kite
Double-toothed Kite
Mississippi Kite
Plumbeous Kite
Black- collared Hawk
Northern Harrier
Tiny Hawk
Sharp-shinned
Bicolored Hawk
Crane Hawk
Barred Hawk
Semiplumbeous Hawk
White Hawk
Great Black Hawk
Roadside Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Gray Hawk
Short-tailed Hawk
Swainson's Hawk
Zone-tailed Hawk
Black Hawk- Eagle
Black and White Hawk- Eagle
Ornate Hawk- Eagle
Slaty-backed Forest Falcon
Collared Forest Falcon
Red-throated Caracara
Crested Caracara
Laughing Falcon
Bat Falcon
Peregrine Falcon |
Leptodon cayanensis
Chondrohierax uncinatus
Elanoides forficatus
Elanus leucurus
Rostrhamus sociabilis
Harpagus bidentatus
Ictinia mississippiensis
Ictinia plumbea
Busarellus nigricollis
Circus cyaneus
Accipiter superciliosus
Hawk Accipiter striatus
Accipiter bicolor
Geranospiza caerulescens
Leucopternis princeps
Leucopternis semiplumbeus
Leucopternis albicollis
Buteogallus urubitinga
Buteo magnirostris
Buteo platypterus
Buteo nitidus
Buteo brachyurus
Buteo swainsoni
Buteo albonotatus
Spizeatus tyrannus
Spizaetus melanoleucus
Spizaetus ornatus
Micrastur mirandollei
Micrastur semitorquatus
Ibycter americanus
Caracara cheriway
Herpetotheres cachinnans
Falco rufigularis
Falco peregrinus |
| 1 X |
Sunbittern |
Eurypyga helias |
1 X
1 FC
1 R
1 U
1 VR
? X
1 FC
1 R |
Ruddy Crake
White-throated Crake
Gray-breasted Crake
Gray-necked Woodrail
Uniform Crake
Yellow-breasted Crake
Purple Gallinule
Common Gallinule |
Laterallus ruber
Laterallus albigularis
Laterallus exilis
Aramides cajanea
Amaurolimnas concolor
Porzana flaviventer
Porphyrio martinica
Gallinula galeata |
| 1 R |
Sungrebe |
Heliornis fulica |
5 X
4 X
? X
2 VR |
Southern Lapwing
Collared Plover
Wilson's Plover
Killdeer |
Vanellus chilensis
Charadrius collaris
Charadrius wilsonia
Charadrius vociferus |
| 2 R |
Black-necked Stilt |
Himantopus mexicanus |
| 1 C |
Northern Jacana |
Jacana spinosa |
2 C
2 VR
2 X
2 X |
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Willet
Short-billed Dowitcher |
Actitis macularius
Tringa solitaria
Tringa semipalmata
Limnodromus griseus |
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Acknoledgements
This bird list represents the latest revision (2012) following the previous editions of 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2002. In addition to my field studies in the region (1997-2012), the LDL bird list is the result of many hours of field observations by several experienced ornithologists and other biologists working in the area during the past twenty years. Indeed, the LDL bird list continues to be a collaborative effort and is a significant contribution to ornithology in northern Costa Rica. I am indebted to the following individuals for their excellent work (in alphabetical order): Oscar Artavia, Didier Castro, Mark Digirolamo, Adolfo Gonzalez, Tyler Hicks, Dan Keller, Gerard Phillips, and Nicholas Wilkinson. |
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