Description

Talon Tours, in partnership with Cotinga Tours, is pleased to announce this tour to Costa Rica, a birding paradise in Central America. Costa Rica has long been considered the perfect introduction to tropical birding. The country is well known for its peaceful attitude, excellent logistical support for birders, amazing biodiversity and abundance of birds.

With a bird list exceeding 850 species, 350 species of reptiles and amphibians, 4 species of monkeys, 6 species of cats and more butterflies than all of Africa, Costa Rica assures birders of great opportunities to experience tropical diversity in a short period of time.

Our tour will cover the country from sea level to 9,000 feet and both the Pacific and Caribbean slopes of three different mountain ranges.

Departing from our hotel on the first day we will drive to the Talamanca Mountains where we will stay at a lodge nested in the beautiful Savegre Valley at 7,000 feet. This beautiful part of Costa Rica is home to highland specialties such as Resplendent Quetzal, Long-tailed Silky Flycatcher, Gray-tailed Mountain gem and Large-footed Finch.

Leaving the mountains we will descend to our next lodge located on the banks of the Tarcolito River near the Pacific coastline where a meeting of habitat types provides an opportunity to find birds and animals from both the northern dry forests and the southern rainforests. Birds we hope to see here include Orange–collared Manakin, Royal Flycatcher, Scarlet Macaw and up to five species of trogon. This year we have included birding by boat on the Tarcoles River.

Driving north to the Guanacaste region we will complete the transition to Dry Tropical Forest habitat where the White-throated Magpie-Jay and Double-striped Thicknee are at home. Exploration of the Coastal Mangroves may produce views of Mangrove Hawk, Rufous and White Wren and Mangrove Vireo. A visit to a working cattle ranch will expose us to the vast freshwater wetlands and the abundance of waterfowl and raptors. Jabiru often nests here at this time.

Moving north and east we will drive into the northern reaches of the Tilaran Mountains, home to the very active Volcan Arenal. Here in the transition zone from the Pacific to the Caribbean we will search for Three-wattled Bellbird and Ocellated Antbird. The striking Emerald Tanager often visits the heavily used feeders at the lodge.

Continuing on into the Caribbean Lowlands we will stay near La Selva Biological Station, one of the four most famous tropical research facilities in the world. The Sarapiqui region hosts the greatest diversity of flora and fauna in the country including birds such as Great Green Macaw, Green Ibis, Scarlet-rumped Cacique, Pale-billed Woodpecker, Sunbittern and Gray-necked Woodrail.

Our final destination is located along the Continental Divide of the Central Mountain Range at an elevation of 4,200 feet to 7,350 feet. Here in this Cloud Forest habitat we will enjoy the comforts of a fine lodge and its impressive hummingbird feeders while searching for Highland Tinamou, Spotted Wood-Quail and the diminutive Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant.

At each of our locations we will spend one night owling, with chances of seeing Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Mottled Owl and Striped Owl.

Click here to see more photos from our 2007 trip to Costa Rica.