Birds
of Costa Rica
The
following list of birds
of Quepos was compiled by lodge caretaker, Marc Dragiewicz,
during a 6-month detailed study from August 2002 through
February 2003. Despite the lengthy and in-depth wilderness
exploration, the list is far from complete and a work in
progress. Nearly every trip into the forest uncovers another
species, illustrating the incredible diversity of the vast
unspoiled wilds of Costa Rica.
The
lodge sits at about 600 feet elevation in a valley of mostly
primary, wet forest. Additional species that prefer highly
disturbed habitats can be sighted along the road between
Quepos and the lodge. The lodge property is only a small
part of a much larger protected area, which consists of
a vast, hilly, wilderness with corridors to much higher
elevations.
There are two trails excellent for birding
that begin at the lodge. One leads up the valley peaking
at 1000 ft. along abandoned farms and primary forest. It
is excellent for canopy flocks and beautiful views of virgin
rainforest canopy. The other trail begins in a small pasture
where many disturbed habitat species can be seen. It quickly
enters primary forest and climbs to about 2000 ft.
to
the crest of a hill near the lodge. It is excellent for
understory flocks and forest birds. There is a view of Manual
Antonio National Park and Quepos from the peak. A trail
leading down the other side of the hill provides access
to drier forest, which promises to hold many new species
for the list. Other trails accessing deeper forest or higher
elevations may be accessible with greater effort.
The taxonomy of this list follows Stiles and
Skutch’s order presented in A Guide to the Birds of
Costa Rica.
Special
thanks to Just
Birds Photographers for all of the beautiful photos
on this page.
* Indicates sightings from the lodge patio
or garden
(m) Indicates elevational or latitudinal migrant species
not present year round
| 
Olivaceous
Cormorants

Green
Heron

King
Vulture

Roadside
Hawk

Laughing
Falcon

Orange-chinned
Parakeet

Red-lored
Parrot

Squirrel
Cuckoo

White-necked
Jacobin

Black
Throated Trogan

Ringed
Kingfisher

Fiery-billed
Aricari

Lineated
Woodpecker

Masked
Tityra

Blue-gray
Tanager

Scarlet-rumped Tanager
|
| Common
Name |
Latin Name |
| Tinamous |
Tinamidae |
| Great Tinamou |
Tinamus
Major |
| Little Tinamou |
Crypturellus
Soui |
| |
|
| Cormorants |
Phalacrocoracidae |
| Olivaceous (Neotropical)
Cormorant* |
Phalacrocorax
olivaceus |
| |
|
| Herons |
Ardeidae |
| Green Heron* |
Butorides
striatus |
| Bare-throated Tiger Heron* |
Tigrisoma
fasciatum |
| |
|
| Vultures |
Cathartidae |
| Turkey Vulture* |
Cathartes
burrovianus |
| Black Vulture* |
Coragyps
atratus |
| King Vulture* |
Sarcoramphus
papa |
| Hawks
and Kites |
Accipitridae |
| American Swallow-tailed
Kite* (m) |
Elanoides
forficatus |
| White Hawk* |
Leucopternis
albicolis |
| Roadside Hawk* |
Buteo
nitidus |
| Broad-winged Hawk* (m) |
|
| Gray Hawk* |
|
| |
|
| Falcons and Caracaras |
Falconidae |
Laughing Falcon* |
Herpetotheres cachinnans |
| Collared Forest-Falcon |
Micrastur
semitorquatus |
| |
|
| Chachalacas |
Cracidae |
| Gray-headed Chachalaca* |
Ortalis
cinereiceps |
| Crested Guan |
Penelope
purpurascens |
| |
|
| Quails |
Phasinidae |
| Marbled Wood-quail |
Odontophorus
gujanensis |
| |
|
| Sandpipers |
Scolopacidae |
| Spotted Sandpiper* (m) |
Actitis
macularia |
| |
|
| Pigeons
and Doves |
Columbidae |
| Ruddy Ground-dove* |
Columbina
talpacoti |
| Blue Ground-dove* |
Claravis
pretiosa |
| White-tipped Dove* |
Leptotila
verreauxi |
| Gray-chested Dove* |
Leptotila
cassinii
|
| Parrots |
Psittacidae |
| Orange-chinned Parakeet* |
Brotogeris
jugularis |
| White-crowned Parrot* |
Pionus
senilis |
| Red-lored Parrot |
Amazona
autumnalis |
| |
|
| Cuckoos |
Cuculidae |
| Squirrel Cuckoo* |
Piaya
cayana |
| Groove-billed Ani* |
Crotophaga
sulcirostris |
| |
|
| Nightjars |
Caprimulgidae |
| Common Paraque |
Nyctiromus
albicolis |
| |
|
| Swifts |
Apodidae |
| White-collared Swift* |
Streptoprocne
zonaris |
| Band-rumped Swift* |
Chaetura
spinicauda |
| |
|
| Hummingbirds |
Trochilidae |
| White-tipped Sicklebill |
Eutoxeres
aquilla |
| Bronzy Hermit |
Glaucis
aenea |
| Long-tailed Hermit |
Phaethornis
superciliosus |
| Little Hermit* |
P. longuemareus |
| White-necked Jacobin |
Florisuga
mellivora |
| Brown Violet-ear* (m) |
Colibri
delphinae |
| Violet-headed Hummingbird* |
Klais
guimeti |
| Crowned Woodnymph* |
Thalurania
colombica |
| Blue-throated Goldentail* |
Hylocharis
eliciae |
| Rufous-tailed Hummingbird* |
Eupherusa
eximia |
| Purple-crowned Fairy* |
Heliothryx
barroti
|
| Trogons |
Trogonidae |
| Baird’s Trogon* |
Trogon
Bairdii |
| Slatey-tailed Trogon |
T. massena |
| Black-throated Trogon |
T. rufus |
| Violaceous Trogon |
T. violeaceus |
| |
|
| Kingfishers |
Alcedinidae |
| Ringed Kingfisher* |
Ceryle
torquata |
| Green Kingfisher* |
Chlorocerle
americana |
| |
|
| Motmots |
Momotidae |
| Blue-crowned Motmot |
Momoyus
momota |
| |
|
| Toucans |
Ramphastidae |
| Fiery-billed Aracari* |
Pterglossus
frantzii |
| Chestnut-mandibledToucan* |
Ramphastos
swainsoni |
| |
|
| Woodpeckers |
Picidae |
| Golden-naped Woodpecker* |
Melanerpeschrysauchen |
| Hoffmann’s Woodpecker |
|
| Rufous-winged Woodpecker |
Piculussimplex |
| Lineated Woodpecker |
Dryocopuslineatus |
Pale-billed woodpecker |
Campaphilusguatemalensis
|
| Woodcreepers |
Dendrocolaptidae |
| Ruddy Woodcreeper |
Dendrocinclahomochra |
| Wedge-billed Woodcreeper |
Glyphorhynchusspirurus |
| Barred Woodcreeper |
Dendrocolaptescerthia |
| Buff-throated Woodcreeper |
Xiphorhynchusguttatus |
| Black-striped Woodcreeper |
X. lachrymosus |
| |
|
| Ovenbirds |
Furnariidae |
Slatey Spinetail |
Synallaxisbrachyura |
Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner |
Automolusochrolaemu |
| Plain Xeops |
Xenopsminutus |
| |
|
| Antbirds |
Formicariidae
|
| Great Antshrike |
Tarabamajor |
| Barred Antshrike |
Thamnophilusdoliatus |
| Black-hooded Antshrike |
T. bridgesi |
| Russet Antshrike |
Thamnistesanabatinus |
Slaty Antwren |
Myrmptherulaschisticolor |
Dot-winged Antwren |
Microrhopiasquixensis |
Dusky Antbird |
Cercomacra tyrannia |
| Chestut-backed Antbird |
Myrmecizaexul
|
| Tityras and Becards |
Tityridae |
| Masked Tityra |
Tityrasemifasciata |
| |
|
| Cotingas |
Cotingidae |
| Rufus Piha |
Lipaugusunirufus |
| |
|
| Manakins |
Pipridae |
Red-capped Manakin |
Pipra mentalis |
| Blue-crowned Manakin |
P. coronata |
| Orange-collared manakin |
Manacusaurabtacus |
| White-ruffed Manakin |
Corapipoleucorrhoa |
| Thrushlike Manakin (Schiffornis) |
SchiffornisTurdinus
|
| Flycatchers |
Tyrannidae |
| Black Phoebee* |
Sayornisnigricans |
| Tropical Kingbird* |
Tyrannusmelancholicus |
| Boat-billed Flycatcher* |
Megahynchuspitangua |
| Bright-rumped Attila |
Attila spadiceus |
| Gray-capped Flycatcher* |
Myiozetetesgranadensis |
| Great Kiskadee* |
Pitangus sulphuratus |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher
(m) |
Conotopusborealis |
| Eastern Wood-pewee (m) |
C. virens |
| Tropical Pewee |
C. cinereus |
| Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher |
Terenotriccuserythrurus |
Sulpher-rumped Flycatcher |
Myiobiusatricaudus
|
Golden-crowned Spadebill |
Platyrinchuscoronatus |
Eye-ringed Flatbill |
Rhynchocyclusbrevirostris |
Common Tody-flycatcher* |
Todirostrumcinerium |
Yellow-bellied Elania |
Elania flavogaster |
| Northern Bentbill |
Oncostomacinereigulare |
| Slaty-capped Flycatcher |
Leptopogonsuperciliaris |
| Olive-striped Flycatcher |
Mionectesolivaceus |
| |
|
| Jays |
Corvidae |
| Brown Jay |
Cyanocoraxmorio |
| |
|
| Wrens |
Troglodytidae |
| Riverside Wren |
Thryothorussemibadius |
| House Wren* |
Troglodytes aedon |
| White-breasted Wood-wren |
Henicorhinaleucostica |
| Southern Nightingale
Wren |
Microcerculusphilomela
|
| Robins |
Turdidae |
| Clay-colored Robin* |
Turdusgrayi |
| |
|
| Gnatcatchers |
Sylviidae |
| Tropical Gnatcatcher |
Ramphocaenusmelanurus |
| Long-billed Gnatwren |
Ramphocaenusmelamurus |
| |
|
| Greenlets and vireos |
Vireonidae |
| Green Shrike-vireo |
Vireolaniuspulchellus |
| Red-eyed Vireo* |
Vireo olivaceus |
| Tawney-crowned Greenlet |
Hylophilusochraceips |
| Lesser Greenlet* |
H. decurtatus |
| |
|
| Banaquits |
Coerebidae |
| Banaquit* |
Coerebaflaveola |
| |
|
| Warblers |
Parulidae |
| Yellow Warbler |
Dendroicapetechia |
| Northern Waterthrush |
Seiurusnoveboracensis |
| Kentucky Warbler |
Oporornisformosus |
| Buff-rumped Warbler |
Phaeothlpisfulvicauda |
Rufous-winged Warbler*
(m) |
|
| Blackbirds |
Icteridae |
| Scarlet-rumped Casique |
Casicusuropygialis |
| |
|
| Tanagers and Honeycreepers |
Thraupidae |
| Spotted-crowned Euphonia* |
Euphoniaimitans |
| Speckled Tanager (m) |
Tangaraguttata |
| Silver-throated Tanager* |
T. icterocephala |
| Golden-hooded Tanager* |
T. larvata |
| Bay-headed Tanager* |
T. gyrola |
| Green Honeycreeper* |
Chlorophanesspiza |
| Shining Honeycreeper* |
Cyanerpeslucidus |
| Blue-gray Tanager* |
Thraupisepiscopus |
| Palm tanager* |
T. palmarum |
| Scarlet-rumped Tanager* |
Ramphoceluspasserinii |
| Red-crowned Ant-tanager |
HabiaRubica |
| White-throated Shrike-tanager |
Lanioleucothorax |
| White-shouldered Tanager* |
Tachyphonusluctuosus |
| Hepatic Tanager (m) |
|
| |
|
| New World Sparrows, Finches
and Grosbeaks |
Emberizidae |
| Buff-throated Saltator |
Saltatoratriceps |
| Blue-black Grosbeak |
Cyanocompsacyanoides |
| Variable Seedeater* |
Sporophilaaurita |
| Orange-billed Sparrow |
Arremonaurantiirostris |
| Black-striped Sparrow |
Arremonopsconirostris
|
Great
Kiskadee |
Green
Honeycreeper |
| |
|
|