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Birdwatching in Costa Rica

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Local Birdingpal Contacts

Local Birdwatchers

Using the Birdingpal resources you must agree to the following: If you contact a local Birdingpal and make arrangement to go birding, you should note it is common courtesy to make sure you show up for the appointment. If for any reason you are unable to do this, the least you must do is contacting the local Pal right away.
Please note that most Birdingpals are serious birdwatchers. It is a privilege to contact them, and your message should reflect it. A local Pal does not get paid, but should he/she offer to take you out birding, using their own vehicle, it would be courteous to pay for the fuel. A lunch and/or a small gift would also be appropriate, something as simple as a souvenir of your country, or a pin from your local birding club.


Initial Last Name Area Available Language
Inactive E Moya Santa Ana, San José Weekend Spanish, English native, a little Italian, French, basic Deustch, Mandarin
Our Country has a large BioDiversity and a very small area, I am a amateur birdwatcher fotographer.
You can find some of my pictures here


Professional Guides

If you contact a professional Birding Pal guide you must be prepared to pay a fee for guiding services.

Name Company Area Available Language

 



  Johan Fernandez The Birdway Carara, Puntarenas, Costa Rica Anytime English, Spanish
 

Costa Rica is a small Country with the greatest diversity of species per area in the world. Is just slightly larger that Maryland USA. There have been just over 900 species of birds recorded in Costa Rica, with approximately 800 of these species recorded on a year basis. Besides the 6 endemic species (3 on the mainland and 3 on Coco´s Island it is remarkable that more than 90 near endemic species.

Our Country has a nice variety of habitats for birding, and so many National Park, so it makes a birdwatcher paradise!.


Johan has worked as a guide from 2003, since then his passion about nature it been growing. In 2007 after amazing encounters with the birds of Carara National Park he decide to initiate a research about the birds of these National Park that leads him to create and organize the Christmas Bird Count of Carara National Park with Audubon National Society.

In September of the same year Johan is part of the organizing committee of Shore Birds Count of Costa Rica, and during the first count he reported by first time to its country the Pacific Golden Plover. Johan is also co-founder of the Costa Rican Ornithologists Union, where actively participates in the various bird conservation programs.

Johan has conducted several bird’s inventories in various areas of Costa Rica so he has a great knowledge about the status and distribution of the Costa Rican birds. During several years as a birdwatching guide he has developed a teaching technique full of analogies and metaphors which change the experience of just birdwatching into a very educational activity about natural history of birds which is reflected in all performing tours.


Area:
· Carara National and Tarcoles River
· Cloud Forest and Paramo of Talamanca Mountain range-San Gerardo de Dota-Los Quetzales
· Valley of El General- Southern Pacific foothills
· Carribean Plains- Sarapiqui low lands- La Selva Biological Station.
· Arenal Volcano Area.
· San Vito de Coto Brus. South Pacific foothills of Talamanca.
· Caribbean foothills Rancho Naturalista.
· Rio Frio area. Cano Negro National park.
· Northwest Dry forest. Santa Rosa National Park. Palo Verde National Park.
· North Caribbean region. Tenorio Volcano National Park

Area Birds:
Black Guan, Chamaepetes unicolor, Black-breasted Wood-Quail, Odontophorus leucolaemus, Chiriqui Quail-Dove, Geotrygon chiriquensis, Buff-fronted Quail-Dove, Geotrygon costaricensis, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Pyrrhura hoffmanni, Red-fronted Parrotlet, Touit costaricensis, Bare-shanked Screech-Owl***, Megascops clarkii, Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl, Glaucidium costaricanum, Dusky Nightjar, Caprimulgus saturatus, Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Panterpe insignis, Black-bellied Hummingbird, Eupherusa nigriventris, White-tailed Emerald, Elvira chionura, Purple-throated Mountain-gem, Lampornis calolaemus, White-throated Mountain-gem, Lampornis castaneoventris, Magenta-throated Woodstar, Calliphlox bryantae, Volcano Hummingbird, Selasphorus flammula, Scintillant Hummingbird, Selasphorus scintilla, Orange-bellied Trogon, Trogon aurantiiventris, Prong-billed Barbet, Semnornis frantzii, Ruddy Treerunner, Margarornis rubiginosus, Streak-breasted Treehunter, Thripadectes rufobrunneus, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Scytalopus argentifrons, Dark Pewee, Contopus lugubris, Ochraceous Pewee, Contopus ochraceus, Black-capped Flycatcher, Empidonax atriceps, Golden-bellied Flycatcher, Myiodynastes hemichrysus, Yellow-winged Vireo, Vireo carmioli, Silvery-throated Jay, Cyanolyca argentigula, Ochraceous Wren, Troglodytes ochraceus, Timberline Wren, Thryorchilus browni, Black-faced Solitaire, Myadestes melanops, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Catharus gracilirostris, Sooty Thrush, Turdus nigrescens, Black-and-yellow Silky-Flycatcher, Phainoptila melanoxantha, Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher, Ptilogonys caudatus, Flame-throated Warbler, Parula gutturalis, Collared Redstart, Myioborus torquatus, Black-cheeked Warbler, Basileuterus melanogenys, Wrenthrush (Zeledonia), Zeledonia coronata, Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager, Chlorospingus pileatus, Spangle-cheeked Tanager, Tangara dowii, Peg-billed Finch, Acanthidops bairdii, Slaty Flowerpiercer, Diglossa plumbea, Yellow-thighed Finch, Pselliophorus tibialis, Large-footed Finch



Interests:
Nature: birdwatching, twitching, photography, hiking, butterflies, fishing, sport fishing, boating, skiing, swimming, surfing, snowmobiling, sky diving
Travel: train, bus, car, hitchhiking, biking, long walk, packpack, canoe, portage, dog sled, snow mobile
Visit: tourist site, museum, restaurant, club, vineyard, outdoors, nature spot, beach, lake, ocean, architecture, shop, antique, swap
Attend: concert, horse race, ballet, dance show, theatre, live music, sports event, auction, antique, convention, political rally, protest, competition
Participate: night life, party, dance, club, bar, rock, country, classical, hiphop, rap, swing, wine, beer, liquor, social games, computer games, casino

Arrange a tour any time or...
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Let's meet in Costa Rica

Two Tours To Consider; February and November
Johan Fernandez Johan Fernandez Johan Fernandez


February 1st until the 12th, 2020

Johan Fernandez

12 nights/ 13 days


Day 1: San José. Capital of Costa Rica. Arrival day at International airport Juan Santamaria.
Day 2: La Selva Biological Station. Nicaraguan Seed-Finch, Purple-throated Fruitcrow. Visit to Cinchona hummingbird Station. Spectacular Emerald toucanet, the endemic Coopery headed Emerald, Magenta-throated Woodstart.
Day 3: La Selva Biological Station. Great-green macaw, Toucans and Tanagers.
Day 4: Arenal Volcano. Rufous and Broad billed motmots, Rufous-winged Woodpecker.
Day 5: Arenal Volcano vicinity, Keel-billed motmot, Turquoise Cotinga, Great Curassow.
Day 6: Abangaritos, North Pacific Dry Forest, Shorebirds, Jabiru, Long-tailed Manakin
Day 7: Abangaritos, North Pacific Dry Forest, White throated Magpie-jay.
Day 8: Carara. Central Pacific. Emblematic Scarlet Macaw, Manakins and Antbirds.
Day 9: Carara. River Boat tour at Tarcoles. Crocodiles, Spoonbills, Kingfishers
Day 10: San Gerardo de Dota. Most beautiful bird in the world Resplendent Quetzal.
Day 11: San Gerardo de Dota. Hummingbird, Warblers and lots of near-endemics
Day 12: Depart to San Jose. Hotel Robledal.
Day 13: Departure day. Fly home.




November 15th until the 25th, 2021

Johan Fernandez

9 nights/ 10 days


Day 1: Arrival day at International airport Juan Santamaria. Your guide will be waiting for you to take you to your hotel at San José. Hotel Robledal.
Day 2: Laguna Lagarto lodge. Boca tapada San Carlos. Great photos of Keel-billed Toucan, Collared Aracari, Brown hooded Parrot.
Day 3: Laguna Lagarto Lodge. Boca tapada San Carlos. King Vulture hide.
Day 4: Bosque de Paz: Amazing hummingbird feeders, Violet Sabrewing, Magnificent Hummingbird, Green-crowned brilliant.
Day 5: La Selva Biological Station. Great-green macaw, Toucans and Tanagers
Day 6: La Selva Biological Station. Nicaraguan Seed-Finch, Purple-throated Fruitcrow
Day 7: San Gerardo de Dota. Most beautiful bird in the world Resplendent Quetzal.
Day 8: San Gerardo de Dota. Hummingbird, Warblers and lots of near-endemics
Day 9: Depart to San Jose. Hotel Robledal.
Day 10: Departure day. Fly home.


Birding with Johan Fernandez and The Birdway

Birding CR
Join Pals on our group tour




Juan Diego Vargas San Carlos, Alajuela Anytime English and Spanish


Authentic, affordable, and professional that's precisely the approach that I bring to a birding adventure. I've been providing highly personalized birdwatching and bird photography services in Costa Rica for almost 10 years.

I can create itineraries for every kind of trip, ranging from day tours to hotspots around the Northern Part of Costa Rica to more extensive, custom-made experiences that can take you to any other region of this megadiverse country.

I can provide small discounts to all Birding Pal Members.


Area:
Arenal, Cao Negro, La Selva, Carara, Savegre and more

Area Birds:
Couples of Keel-billed x Broad-billed Motmot, Agami Heron, Nicaraguan Grackle


Interests:
birdwatching



Dionisio Paniagua Puerto Jimenez, Puntarenas Anytime English and Spanish


Yellow-bellied Cotinga, Turquoise Cotinga, White-crested Coquette, Black-cheecked Ant-Tanager, Black-bellied Wren, Spot-crowned Euphonia, Mangrove Hummingbird, Panama Flycatcher, Mangrove Warbler, Feiry-billed Aracari, Scrub Greenlet, Scaly-breasted Leaftosser, Ruddy breasted Seed eater, Yellow bellied Seedeater, Pearl Kite.


Area:
Corcovado National Park and Osa Peninsula

Area Birds:
Bosque del Rio Tigre, Rincon area, Corcovado NP


Interests:
birding



Local Information
Service Information
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Costa Rica
Local weather Yahoo
Electronic maps Google Maps
Bird check list Printable
Asociación Ornitológica de Costa Rica Club
Santa Rosa Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre Non-profit society
Richard Garrigues's Gone Birding
Dave L'Hoste's Photos
Area de Conservación Guanacaste Butterflies
Birding Hotspots around the world Sites