COSTA RICA 2017 BIRD LIST

Key to Locations (See Journal Notes for full descriptions)

MH = Melrost Hotel, San Jose, Alajuela

LDL = Laguna del Lagarto Lodge, Alajuela

BT   =  Boca Tapada, Alajuela

RSC  =  Rio San Carlos, Alajuela

SRV  = Santa Rita Village, Alajuela

LLV  = Loma Lapa Verde, Alajuela

CL = Carolina Lodge, Alajuela

VTNP = Volcan Tenorio National Park and adjacent land, Alajuela

SRNP = Santa Rosa National Park, Guanacaste

FCC =  Finca Cañas Castillo, Guanacaste

PT = Playa Tamarindo, Guanacaste

PA = Playa Avellana, Guanacaste

SAM = Samara and vicinity, Guanacaste

CN = Caño Negro, Alajuela

RF = Rio Frio, Alajuela

Key to Frequency and Abundance

D = Observed daily or nearly every day

 I = Infrequently observed

R = Observed only once

U =  Ubiquitous in the appropriate habitat(s) within its range.

A =  A maximum of 10 or more individuals found during a single survey.

B =  A maximum of 3-9 individuals found during a single survey.

C =  Fewer than 3 individuals found during a single survey.

BIRDS NOTED

• Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) gregarious, often paired in trees at edge of wetland, estuary, river; I, B; PT; PA; CN; RF.

• Great Curassow (Crax rubra)  gregarious; often 3-4 females and 1 male; visiting garden daily; sometimes at banana feeders; D,B. LDL.

• Crested Guan (Penelope purpurascens)  often in pairs; roosting in tall trees in the evenings; feeding on new leaf buds; D, C; LDL, CL.

• Brown Pelican  (Pelecanus occidentalis)  diving offshore near estuary; I, C. PT.
• Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)  D,A; PT, CN.

• Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) usually solitary; perched on snags in mangrove and edge of river,  D, B; PT, CN, RF

• Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)  1 male soaring high in the clouds above the ranch; R, C, FCC.
• Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) gregarious; with GREG, SNEG, WHIB in field being ploughed with a tractor, R,B; SAM.
• Bare-throated Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum)  adults and imm.;  on shore and in vegetation at edge of wetlands; U, C; LDL, SR, BT, CN.

• Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)  solitary and gregarious in wetlands; U, B.
• Great Egret  (Ardea alba)  solitary and loosely gregarious in wetlands, pasture, U, B.
• Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) mostly solitary in wetlands, roadside, riverside, pasture, I, C.
• Cattle Egret  (Bubulcus ibis)  gregarious in pastures with livestock, wetlands, mangrove, A; FCC, PT, SAM.
• Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)  solitary and gregarious in pastures, shorelines and wetlands, A; U.
• Green Heron (Butorides virescens)  solitary or in pairs; shoreline and riverside, I, C; PT, CN.

• Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)  solitary in mangrove; R, C; PT.
• Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)  2 (ad, imm); perched in mangrove trees,C, R, PT.

• White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)  gregarious; mangrove, wetlands, riverside, I, B, FCC; PT, SAM.
• Green Ibis (Mesembrinibis cayenennsis) singles and pairs, I, C; LDL; FCC, PT.
• Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) gregarious; often soaring over; on and near roadways towns, D, U, A.
• Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  gregarious; not as abundant as BLVU; D, U, A.
• Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture  (Cathartes burrovianus) ?  1: solitary; about 30% smaller than TUVU; no conspicuous yellow coloration on head; extensive blue on crown and occipital; standing in roadside puddles in dry forest, R, C; SRNP.

• King Vulture (Sarcorhampus papa)  gregarious, often pairs circling with TUVU and BLVU; D,B; LDL, LLV.
• Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis)  perched in subcanopy of tall tree at edge of river, R,C; RF- CN.
• Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus)  soaring above the forest and waterfall, R, C; VTNP.
• Tiny Hawk (Accipiter superciliosus)  1 (imm.) sallying to forest edge pasture from roadside utility line, R,C; BT.
• Roadside Hawk (Buteo magnirostris)  roadside and village utility poles, I, U.
• Mangrove Black Hawk (Buteogallus subtilis)  perched in canopy of a mesquite tree, I, C; PT.

• Great Black Hawk (Buteogallus orubitinga) in canopy of riverine forest, R, C; RF.
• Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)  perched high in canopy in mangrove, R,C; PT.
• Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway)  utility poles, isolated trees,, roadside pastures, second-growth; dry forest, U; C.

• Laughing Falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans)  calling (unseen) from edge of forest,  I,C; LDL, LLV.
• Gray-necked Wood-Rail (Aramides cajanea) preening in  low vegetation on riverbank, I,C; RF-CN.

• Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa)  wading in marsh; on mudflats, D,B; CN.
• Sungrebe (Heliornis fulica)  swimming, diving in backwater, R,C; RF-CN.
• Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  2  on shore and in backwater in estuary, PT.
• Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)  on shore with WILL, R,C; PA.
• Willet (Tringa semipalmata)  2 on shore with WHIM, R, C, PA.
• Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)  1  on shore, foraging between rock outcrops, PT.
• Feral Rock Pigeon  (Columba livia)  ubiquitous in and around townships and cities (except BT).
• Red-billed Pigeon  (Patagioenas flavirostris)  1  tree-top perch, early morning, LDL.
• Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata)  2  tree-tops in pasture, MH.
• Short-billed Pigeon (Patagioenas nigrirostris)  1  in tall trees at edge of forest,   LDL.
• White-winged Dove  (Zenaida asiatica)  on street and in gardens, D,B; MH; PT.

• Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina)  edge of heavy second growth, roadways, I, C; LDL;SRNP.
• Inca Dove (Columbina inca)  ubiquitous in villages, towns and cities.

• Ruddy Ground Dove (Columbina talpacoti)  I, C; LDL, BT, CN.
• White-tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi) D,C; LDL,                                                              
• Crimson-throated Parakeet (Psittacara finschi) gregarious; flying over forest edge, R,C; BT.
• Olive-throated Parakeet (Eupsittula nana) vocal, gregarious; occasionally visiting banana feeders, I, A; LDL.
• Orange-fronted Parakeet (Eupsittula canicularis) gregarious; a flock resting in a distant Guanacaste tree on hillside  I, A; FCC.
• Orange-chinned Parakeet (Brotogeris jugularis) vocal, gregarious; in garden trees and secondary forestI, B; LDL, PT.
• Brown-hooded Parrot (Pyrilia haematotis) D, B; LDL.

• White-crowned Parrot (Pionus senilis) R, C; LDL.                                                                   
• Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) pairs occasionally seen flying over the lodge in the morning and early evening, I; C; LDL
• Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) vocal, gregarious; one afternoon nine birds together in a tree; pairs allopreening; feeding on small, unripe green fruits in roadside tree (photo).  D; B; LDL, LLV.

• Red-lored Parrot (Amazona autumnalis) vocal, gregarious; often heard before seen flying over forest canopy, D, B; LDL, LLV.
• Mealy Parrot  (Amazona farinosa) vocal, gregarious; easily confused with RLPA in flight (note MEPA higher pitched calls), I, C; LDL.
• Squirrel Cuckoo  (Piaya cayana)  one resting on lawn, sunning itself with outstretched wings following rains, FCC; subcanopy of creekside woodland, I, C; PT.

• Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) commonly seen in fallow fields and roadside second-growth, D, U, A.
• Vermiculated Screech Owl (Megascops guatemalae)  in a subcanopy cavity beneath a bromeliad about 15 ft high in a mature tree overhanging the river, R, C; RF.

• Central American Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium griseiceps)  calling continuously in afternoon (unseen) in forest at edge of garden at trail head, R, C; LDL.
• Common Paraque (Nyctidromus albicollis)  flushed by auto headlights on main road, I; B; BT, SR, LDL.
• Short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus)  flushed by auto headlights on main road near lodge entrance, I, C; LDL.
• White-collared Swift (Streptoporocne zonaris) flying 300 ft. a.g.l. above pastureland, I, C; FCC.
• Gray-rumped Swift (Chaeturea cinereiventris) flying above forest canopy, I, C; LDL.
• Stripe-throated Hermit (Phaethornis striigularis) visiting flowering garden shrubs; I, C; LDL, CL..
• Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis longirostris) visiting garden hummingbird feeders;, R, C, SR.

• Bronzy Hermit (Glaucis aeneus) visiting garden hummingbird feeders; R, C, SR.
• Scaly-breasted Hummingbird (Phaeochroa cuvierii) visiting shady garden hummingbird feeders; R, C, SR.

• White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora)  bold and  territorial when visiting flowering garden shrubs and hummingbird feeder; I, B; LDL, SR.

• Canivet’s Emerald (Chlorostilbon canivetii)  visiting low-growing purple- flowering herbs; I, C; PT, (SR?).
• Steely-vented Hummingbird (Amazilia Saucerrottei) visiting flowering shrubs in garden, I, C; LDL.
• Violet-crowned Woodnymph (Thalurania colombica) visiting garden hummingbird feeder, R, C; SR.

• Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) (m,f) visiting a variety of garden flowering plants and feeders, U; C.

• Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 1 (f) perched alone in the shade of  Adolfo’s garden; R, C; SR (photo).

• Plain-capped Starthroat (Heliomaster constantii) visiting tall flowering shrubs and trees in garden, R,D; PT.
• Violet-headed Hummingbird (Klais guimeti) at feeders in shady garden with other hummers, R; D; SR.
• Black-headed Trogon (Trogon melanocephalus) vocal, gregarious; one copulating pair; hawking large insects in subanopy in riparian forest in late morning, I, C; PT.

• Elegant Trogon (Trogon elegans) flying across main road of park interior,  R;C; SRNP.
• Slaty-tailed Trogon (Trogon massena)  flying from tree to tree; landing in subcanopy, I; C; LDL.

• Lattice-tailed Trogon (Trogon clathratus) (f) flying to perches in subcanopy at edge of forest, R,C; CL.
• Ringed Kingfisher  (Ceryl torquatus)  active in mornings in lagoon, river and marsh, I,C; LDL,  PT, CN, RF.
• Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana)  edge of streams; river in riparian forest, I, C; , FCC;RF.
• American Pygmy Kingfisher (Chlorocereyle aenea)  perched on low snags in lagoon, I, C; LDL.
• Amazon Kingfisher (Chloroceryle amazona) riparian forest at edge of river, I, B; RF.
• Turquoise-browed Motmot (Eumomota superciliosa) active in subcanopy of shady riparian woodland, R,I; PT.
• Yellow-throated Toucan (Ramphastos ambiguus swainsonii) vocal, gregarious; regular visitor to banana feeders and edge of forest on rivers and streams; D, B; LDL, CL, CN, RF.

• Keel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) individuals and pairs; relatively shy, largely silent, visiting banana feeders each day. D, C; LDL.
• Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus)  gregarious; frequent visitor at banana feeders; I, B; LDL, FCC, PT, CN.

• Black-cheeked Woodpecker (Melanerpes pucherani) frequent visitor to garden palms and trees; occasional at banana feeders. D, B; LDL, BT, CL, CN.

• Hoffmann’s Woodpecker (Melanerpes hoffmannii) vocal, gregarious;  on large trees  in gardens and second growth; D, U; B.

• Chestnut-colored Woodpecker (Celeus castaneus) foraging on coconut halves attached to a low tree stump, R, C; SR.

• Lineated Woodpecker (Dryocopus lineatus) vocal; active in old secondary forest on a variety of trees and substrates, I, C; LDL, FCC.
• Streak-headed Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes souleyetii)  vocal, active on a variety of trees in gardens and secondary forest; often in pairs but separated vertically on the same tree or on neighboring trees; I,C; LDL, PT, CL.
• Barred Antshrike (Thamnophilus doliatus) male and female pair interacting in subcanopy of tall deciduous tree at edge of marsh, R,C; CN.

• Common Tody Flycatcher (Todirostrum cinereum) active in a variety of garden shrubs and trees, I, C; LDL, FCC. PT..
• Long-tailed Tyrant (Colonia colonus) a pair nesting simultaneously with Black-crowned Tityras in an old Black-cheeked Woodpecker cavity in crownless palm trunk next to observation deck, D, C; LDL.

• Dusky-capped Flycatcher (Myiarchus tuberculifer) active in crowns of garden trees near river, R,C; BT-RSC.
• Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) vocal, active in a wide variety of modified habitats; D, U.

• White-ringed Flycatcher (Conopias albovittatus) at banana feeder in garden, R,C; CL.
• Social Flycatcher (Myiozetetes similis) individuals and small flocks; on utility lines; roadsides;  in a variety of disturbed habitats; D,B; U.
• Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) solitary and gregarious in disturbed habitats, D, B; U.

• Cinnamon Becard (Pachyramphus cinnamomeus) active in garden trees and secondary forest, I,C; LDL, FCC.

• Black-crowned Tityra (Tityra inquisitor)  a pair nesting in an old BCWO cavitiy of a topless palm tree trunk simultaneously  with nesting pair of Long-tailed Tyrant in a separate cavity; foraging on large orthopterans and returning to the nest site with them, D, C; LDL.

• Three-wattled Bellbird (Procnias tricarunculatus)  a male singing from the canopy of a tall tree overhanging the river, R,C; RF-CN.

• White-collared Manakin (Manacus candei) (unseen) calling from second growth I, C; LDL, LLV..
• Long-tailed Manakin (Chiroxiphia linearis) female active in lower middle level of riparian forest, I,C; FCC.
• Yellow-green Vireo (Vireo flavoviridis) active in subcanopy of hillside secondary forest, I, C, FCC.
• White-throated Magpie Jay (Calocitta formosa) vocal, gregarious; frequenting gardens, adjacent forest, roadsides (C-1), D,B; FCC, SRNP
• Mangrove Swallow (Tachycineta albilinea) pairs flying low over river, open fields, mangrove, I, C; BT; FCC, PT.
• Gray-breasted Martin (Progne chalybea)  flocks over towns and shoreline; a nesting colony under metal roof of a roadside service station (C-21: west of Liberia), D, B; U.
• Tropical Gnatcatcher (Polioptila plumbea) active in garden shrubs and trees; mangroves, second-growth, I, C; LDL, PT.
• Rufous-naped Wren (Campylorhynchus rufinucha) vocal, gregarious;  nesting and active in gardens and secondary forest; D,C; MH, FCC, PT.

• Cabanis’s Wren (Cantorchilus modestus) active in garden shrubs and trees, I,C; PT.
• Southern House Wren (Troglodytes musculus) vocal, active in garden, D,C; LDL.
• Clay-colored Thrush (Turdus grayi) vocal, active in gardens and second-growth; D, B; U.
• Yellow (Mangrove) Warbler (Setophaga petechia) active at edge of mangroves; I, C; PT.
• Buff-rumped Warbler (Myiothlypis fulvicauda)  highly vocal,  a pair active early AM on ground in garden and streamside, D;C; CL.
• Gray-crowned Yellowthroat (Geothlypis poliocephala) a pair in a weedy roadside lot, R,C; BT.
• Rufous-capped Warbler (Basileuterus rufifrons) a pair active in small trees at the edge of the forest and pasture, R;C; FCC.
• Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)  usually solitary; active in garden shrubs and trees; I,C; LDL, BT; CL.
• Passerini’s Tanager (Ramphocelus passerinii) gregarious; active in gardens and second-growth; D;B; BT, LDL, LLV.

• Golden-hooded Tanager (Tangara larvata) active in garden; frequents banana feeders; D,C; LDL.

• Plain-colored Tanager (Tangara inornata) gregarious; occasional visitor to banana feeder, I,C; LDL.
• Blue-gray Tanager (Thraupis episcopus) vocal, gregarious; frequents garden shrubs, trees, banana feeders; D,B; U.

• Palm Tanager (Thraupis palmarum) gregarious; adults with fledglings at banana feeders; gardens and second-growth, D, B; LDL.

• Green Honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza) gregarious; pairs (m,f) frequenting banana feeders, D,C; LDL.

• Shining Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes lucidus) gregarious; pairs frequenting banana feeders; often with other species, e.g. Green Honeycreeper and Red-legged Honeycreeper, as well as tanagers; D,C; LDL.
• Red-legged Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus) pairs and individuals frequenting banana feeders; often with other species (see above); D, C; LDL.
• Nicaraguan Seed Finch (Oryzoborus nuttingi) gregarious; active in tall grass and second-growth on the outskirts of Boca Tapada village, I;C; BT.

• Variable Seedeater (Sporophila corvina) (Caribbean dark morph) gregarious (m,f); in weedy second growth and gardens; D;C; LDL, LLV, BT, CN.
• White-collared Seedeater (Sporophila torqueola) gregarious (m,f) roadside grassy areas and edge of marsh, SR, BT, CN.
• Yellow-faced Grassquit (Tiarus olivaceus) with VASE and PATA, on utility line at edge of forest and pasture, R,C; SR.
• Blue-black Grassquit (Volatina jacarina) gregarious; grassy areas along roadways; gardens and second-growth, I, C; U.
• Black-striped Sparrow (Arremonops conirostris) gregarious; foraging on lawns;  one feeding a parasitic Bronzed Cowbird, I, C; CN.
• Stripe-headed Sparrow (Peucae ruficauda) gregarious; foraging in weedy vacant lots; I,C; PT.

• Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) gregarious; a pair foraging in a suburban pasture, I, C; MH.
• House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) gregarious; towns and villages; I, C; U.
• Grayish Saltator (Saltator coerulescens) in garden trees; I,C; MH.

• Buff-throated Saltator (Saltator maximus) in garden trees; foraging on lawn beneath banana feeder, D, C; LDL.
• Black-faced Grosbeak (Caryothraustes poliogaster) vocal, gregarious; flock moving quickly through fruiting trees at edge of forest, R, B; LLV.
• Blue-black Grosbeak (Cyanocompsa cyanoides) active in second-growth, R,C; CN.
• Melodius Blackbird (Dives dives) a pair foraging low in trees at edge of pasture, R, C; MH, CN.
• Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aenus) a young male in the garden following and being fed by a Black-striped Sparrow, R;C; CN.

• Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) gregarious; in villages and towns, D, C; U.
• Giant Cowbird (Molothrus orizyvorus) roadside grassland, pasture and second-growth, I, C; BT.
• Streak-backed Oriole (Icterus pustulatus)  garden trees, R, C; PT.
• Yellow-billed Cacique (Amblycercus holosericeus) in tall riverside trees, R,C; RF–CN.
• Chestnut-headed Oropendola (Psarocolias wagleri) gregarious; a pair briefly visiting the canopy tall garden tree near banana feeder, R, C; LDL.

• Montezuma Oropendola (Psarocolias montezuma) vocal, gregarious; males about 30% larger than females; usually only one male with several subordinate females at the banana feeders; female pecking order well established, each taking turns picking pieces from bunches of bananas;  generally agile and acrobatic at the feeders; birds apparently flying in each day from distant overnight roosts northwest of Laguna del Lagarto lodge; D, B; LDL; CL, CN.

                                                                    

• Olive-backed Euphonia (Euphonia gouldi) frequenting banana feeders; subordinate to most larger species at the feeders; often at the feeders during and immediately following rains; D,C; LDL.

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