Celebrating "La Pura Vida"

Costa Rica's national motto and tourism slogan, "La Pura Vida" loosely translates to Enjoy Life. With such a vast diversity of bird species recorded here, there is certainly lots to enjoy!

Why should you go birding in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica is a bird-watching haven, boasting over 900 species in an area the size of West Virginia, surpassing the bird counts of the United States and Canada combined. With 12 of the world’s 18 life zones, its diverse landscapes, including tropical rainforests, cloud forests, mangroves, and savannas, provide habitat for a wide range of iconic birds. The nation’s varied ecosystems, from the Nicoya Peninsula’s dry tropics to the Caribbean Coast’s humid lowlands, offer unparalleled bird-watching prospects.

What causes such diversity in Costa Rica's Bird Populations?

While some of Costa Rica's resident species are widespread, most are restricted to specific zones with certain vegetation, rainfall and temparature requirements. Costa Rica is home to 12 life zones and 12 transition zones, classified by the Holdridge Life Zone System. The life zones are named according to the latitudinal belt (in Costa Rica they are all tropical forests), humidity (in Costa Rica: dry, moist, wet, rain) and the elevational belt (lowlands 0-500 m, premontane, lower montane, montane, subalpine). With such a vast array of different life zones within such close proximity, one can quickly transition to new sets of bird species within a short amount of time. It is not uncommon for birders to log over 100 uniques species in a day of birdwatching.

Purpose of this Website

It is this author's goal to familiarize nature enthusiatists with the birds that can be enjoyed in this natural wonderland called Costa Rica. From the ubiquitous Clay-colored Thrush to the endemic Mangrove Hummingbird, birders never lack for new species to enjoy. 

Where to go birding in Costa Rica? What Life Zones can be found in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica is home to 12 life zones and 12 transition zones, classified by the Holdridge Life Zone System. The life zones are named according to the latitudinal belt (in Costa Rica they are all tropical forests), humidity (in Costa Rica: dry, moist, wet, rain) and the elevational belt (lowlands 0-500 m, premontane, lower montane, montane, subalpine). With such a vast array of different life zones within such close proximity, one can quickly transition to new sets of bird species within a short amount of time.

What bird species can be found in Costa Rica?

With 600+ resident bird species and over 300 migratory species, Costa Rica is a bird-watching haven boasting species like toucans, scarlet macaws, over 50 species of hummingbirds, and the Resplendant Quetzal.  In an area the size of West Virginia, it surpasses the bird counts of the United States and Canada combined.

A true paradise for bird enthusiasts, Costa Rica stands out as one of the greatest destinations for birdwatchers:

• Costa Rica's national motto and tourism slogan, "La Pura Vida" loosely translates to Enjoy Life. With over 900 bird species recorded here, there is certainly lots to enjoy!

• Few places can boast having so many bird species within an area roughly the size of West Virginia!

• The country’s 12 different life zones provide a huge range of climates, and its volcanoes and rolling hills add to the species variety.

The country’s varied landscapes, including tropical rainforests, cloud forests, mangroves, and savannas, provide a habitat for a wide range of birds, from brightly-colored toucans and parrots to majestic eagles and exotic hummingbirds.

*Some of this website's species' photos (all taken by me) may have been taken in other nearby countries. 

MIDDLE AMERICA