Birds & Birding in Costa Rica

Geographical regions and subregions

North Pacific 

North Pacific Lowlands - 500m (0 - 1640')

North Pacific Premontane - 500-1200 m (1650 - 4000')

South Pacific 

South Pacific Lowlands - 500m (0 - 1640')

South Pacific Premontane - 500-1200 m (1650 - 4000')

Caribbean

Caribbean Lowlands - 500m (0 - 1640')

Caribbean Premontane - 500-1200 m

Lower Montane - 1200 - 2000 m (4000 - 6560)

Montane - 2000-2600 m (6560 - 8500')

Subalpine Páramo - > 2800 m (9186')

North Pacific Lowland Forests 

Elevation Range: 0-500m

Primary Holdridge Life Zones: Tropical Dry Forest

Location(s) Visited:

• Mata de Limon and Caldera Mangrove - <100'

South Pacific Lowland Forests 

Elevation Range: 0-500m

Primary Holdridge Life Zones: Tropical Moist Forest

Locations:

• Punta Leona <100'

• Carara NP <100'

• Tarcoles River Boat Tour <100'

Montane Cloud Forests

Elevation Range: 6000-9000m

Primary Holdridge Life Zones: Tropical Lower Montane Wet Forest

Locations:

• El Toucanet Lodge - 6400'

• Alma de Arbol restaurant and Vuelta del gato - 7256'

• Savegre Valley - Miriam’s Restaurant 8790'

• Paraiso Quetzal Lodge - Km 70 - 8950'

Páramo (Alpine) Highlands

Elevation Range: 9000-12000m

Primary Holdridge Life Zones: Tropical Montane Rainforest

Locations:

• PN Los Quetzales--Cerro Buenavista communication towers - 11400'

Caribbean Mid-Elevation Rainforests

Elevation Range: 1500-4500m

Primary Holdridge Life Zones: Tropical Premontane Rainforest & Wet Forest

Locations:

• Arenal Observatory Lodge, Alajuela Province - 2417'

• Parque Aventura San Luis (San Luis Canopy), Alajuela Province - 3074'

• Rancho Naturalista, Cartago Province, 3,100’ 

• Galeria de Colibrí y Soda Cinchona, Alajuela Province - 4200'

Caribbean Lowland Rainforests

Elevation Range: 100-500m

Primary Holdridge Life Zones: Tropical Wet Forest

Locations:

• Chilamate Rainforest Eco Retreat

• Estación Biológica La Selva-OTS - 192'

Geographical regions and subregions

North Pacific Lowlands - 500m (0 - 1640')

South Pacific Lowlands - 500m (0 - 1640')

Caribbean Lowlands - 500m (0 - 1640')

South Pacific Upper Lowlands - 500-1200 m (1650 - 4000')

Caribbean Upper Lowlands - 500-1200 m

Lower Montane - 1200 - 2000 m (4000 - 6560)

Upper Montane - 2000-2600 m (6560 - 8500')

Páramo - > 2800 m (9186')

Highland Cloud Forests and Paramo

Elevation Range: 6000-9000m

Primary Holdridge Life Zones: Tropical Moist Forest

Locations:

• El Toucanet Lodge - 6400'

• Alma de Arbol restaurant and Vuelta del gato - 7256'

• Savegre Valley - Miriam’s Restaurant 8790'

• Paraiso Quetzal Lodge - Km 70 - 8950'

According to this classification, the five most extensive Costa Rican vegetation types are: tropical wet forest (wf-T) (10.5% of the total country area), premontane wet forest (wf-P) (7.2%), lower montane wet forest (wf-LM) (5.9%), premontane rain forest (rf-P) (5.6%), and tropical moist forest (mf-T) (5.5%) (Obando 2002).