Is playing bird calls OK?
Use it sparingly or not at all. Playing calls stresses birds, especially in nesting season, and some parks ban it. Good guides find birds by ear instead.
Never use playback for quetzals, owls or any bird near a nest.
Birding guide
Birding in Costa Rica: Best Places, Seasons and Guides
Over 900 bird species in a country smaller than West Virginia. Here's where to go for quetzals, macaws, toucans and hummingbirds, when to come, and the local birding guides who know the calls, compared and ranked.
By Lior, wildlife photographer and guide from Guanacaste
Reserve with a 25% deposit on secure WeTravel checkout · Refundable up to 60 days before trips, 48 h before day tours
The short answer
- Where
- Monteverde, San Gerardo, Carara, Osa
- Every region has its own birds
- When
- December to April for most visitors
- Migrants October to April, quetzals best March to May
- How many species?
- Over 900
- In a country smaller than West Virginia
- Can you feed them?
- No
- Not wild birds in parks. Lodge hummingbird feeders are the exception.
Lyferr is a marketplace
We don’t run tours. Licensed local guides and operators list them, we rank them openly, and you reserve through Lyferr’s secure checkout on WeTravel.
How it worksSighting odds
What you'll likely see, spot by spot
Some birds are very likely in the right place. Here's the honest picture for a half-day walk with a birding guide.
| Spot | Chance | Who you’ll likely see |
|---|---|---|
| CararaCentral PacificScarlet macaw, Trogons | Almost certain | Scarlet macaw, Trogons |
| San Gerardo de DotaHighlands, best Mar to MayResplendent quetzal, Hummingbirds | Almost certain | Resplendent quetzal, Hummingbirds |
| MonteverdeCloud forestHummingbirds, Bellbird, Quetzal | Almost certain | Hummingbirds, Bellbird, Quetzal |
| SarapiquíCaribbean lowlandsKeel-billed toucan, Great green macaw | Almost certain | Keel-billed toucan, Great green macaw |
| Osa PeninsulaSouth PacificScarlet macaw, Fiery-billed aracari | Almost certain | Scarlet macaw, Fiery-billed aracari |
| TortugueroNorth CaribbeanHerons, Kingfishers, Toucans | Likely | Herons, Kingfishers, Toucans |
| Palo VerdeGuanacaste wetlandsJabiru, Roseate spoonbill | Likely | Jabiru, Roseate spoonbill |
| KèköldiSouth Caribbean, Sep to NovRaptor migration | Likely | Raptor migration |
Our local guides' estimate for a half-day guided walk. As guests report what they saw on Lyferr tours, these become measured rates.
Each tour page shows what guests actually saw, once reports come in.
Compare birding toursTown by town
What birds can you see where you're staying?
- Birds: yes
Are there birds in Monteverde?
Cloud forest birding at its best: quetzals, bellbirds and dozens of hummingbirds.
- Birds: yes
Are there birds in La Fortuna?
Toucans, motmots and tanagers on the hanging bridges and around Arenal.
- Birds: yes
Are there birds in Puerto Viejo?
Toucans and parrots in town, and raptor migration at Kèköldi in October.
- Birds: yes
Are there birds in Tortuguero?
Herons, kingfishers and toucans from the canals at dawn.
- Birds: yes
Are there birds in Sarapiquí?
La Selva and nearby reserves: hundreds of species in the Caribbean lowlands.
- No wild birds
Are there birds in San José?
San Gerardo de Dota for quetzals is about 2 hours south, Carara about 1.5 hours.
- Birds: yes
Are there birds in Manuel Antonio?
Toucans and trogons in the park, scarlet macaws at Carara an hour north.
- Birds: yes
Are there birds in Uvita?
Fiery-billed aracaris and macaws, with the Osa birds further south.
- Birds: yes
Are there birds in Jacó?
Carara National Park is 20 minutes away: scarlet macaws almost every morning.
- No wild birds
Are there birds in Santa Teresa?
Some dry-forest birds, but little guided birding. Carara makes a good day out.
- Birds: yes
Are there birds in Tamarindo?
Dry-forest birds, with Palo Verde's wetlands as a day trip.
- Birds: yes
Are there birds in Nosara?
Motmots, trogons and magpie-jays right in town.
Species expert program
Find a certified Bird Expert
Lyferr certifies guides one species at a time. A Bird Expert has the strongest proven record on Lyferr for finding and photographing birds, which makes them your best odds for a good sighting and a good shot.
- 175+ logged birding tripsCounted on Lyferr for this species only, not for wildlife tours in general.
- 290%+ composite scoreSighting success, cross-checked with public sighting records, weighted with traveller ratings of the guide's species knowledge.
- 3Earned species by speciesA guide can hold several badges. Each one is earned on its own and kept once earned.
How guides move up, one species at a time
- 01EmergingUnder 20 trips
- 02Skilled20+ trips · 60%+ score
- 03Specialist40+ trips · 75%+ score
- 04Species Expert75+ trips · 90%+ score
Founding experts
At launch, we award Founding Expert badges to guides with several years of premium tours focused on this species. Each one is confirmed or removed once the guide has logged 20 trips on Lyferr. After that, the badge is earned with logged trips and score.
No guide can promise a sighting. The badge shows the strongest track record for this species, not a guarantee.
See Bird Expert guidesDay tours from local guides
Compare bird tours from local guides
Day tours run by independent local guides, all held to the no-touch, no-feeding standard.
Ranked by sighting success, verified reviews and licence
Birds tours from local guides are being added. Tell us your dates and where you’re staying, and we’ll match you with a guide.
Ask LyferrClear refunds
up to 60 days before trips, 48 h before day tours, on every booking made through Lyferr. Booking fee (11% of the price) excluded.
Reserve with 25%
secure checkout on WeTravel, the rest paid before your tour
Group size, upfront
every listing shows its maximum group size
Your guide, confirmed
guide's name and WhatsApp arrive in your booking confirmation
Real reviews
only travellers who booked can review
How booking works
- 1Pick a tour or trip on Lyferr
- 2Choose your date and pay the 25% deposit on WeTravel
- 3The guide confirms within 24 h. Their WhatsApp arrives with your confirmation
Prices are set by each guide. The 25% deposit includes Lyferr’s booking fee (11% of the price), shown before you pay. Each card opens the tour’s booking page on WeTravel.
What bird is that?
Saw a colourful bird? Find it by colour
The birds people ask about most, sorted by what you noticed first.
Long tailScarlet macaw
Carara, Osa, Tárcoles
- Red rump
Cherrie's tanager
Pacific lowlands, gardens
- Rainbow bill
Keel-billed toucan
Caribbean lowlands, La Fortuna
- Yellow breast
Great kiskadee
Everywhere, even in town
- Yellow tail
Montezuma oropendola
Caribbean side, hanging nests
- Long tail
Lesson's motmot
Gardens and forest edges
- Long tail
White-throated magpie-jay
Guanacaste dry forest
- All blue
Blue-gray tanager
Gardens across the country
Long tailResplendent quetzal
San Gerardo, Monteverde
- Purple
Violet sabrewing
Cloud forest feeders
- All black
Great-tailed grackle
Towns and beaches
- Looks like a turkey
Crested guan
Forests, Monteverde, Osa
Not on the list? Your guide will know it by the call. The free checklist covers the 100 birds you're most likely to see.
Want names for everything you saw? Go with a birding guide.
Compare birding toursWhen to go
When is the best time to go birding in Costa Rica?
Any month works. December to April is dry and easiest, and North American migrants are here from October to April. Quetzals are easiest from March to May, when they nest. Birds are most active from first light to about 9 am.
Why a guide matters
How guides find more birds
You'll see the common birds on your own. A good birding guide doubles your list by:
- Knowing the calls: most forest birds are heard long before they're seen.
- Knowing which trees are fruiting this month, and which birds will come to them.
- Keeping a list for you, with the names in English and Spanish.
- Carrying a spotting scope, so a speck in the canopy becomes a bird you can see.
Not sure where to go? Send us your dates and where you're staying, and we'll suggest the right guide.
Ask Lyferr a questionFOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Best light is 5:30 to 8:30 am, which is also when birds are most active.
Ethical wildlife watching
Birds first, photos second
Can you feed wild birds?
Not in national parks. Feeders at private lodges and gardens are fine, and they're where most hummingbird photos come from.
Keep your distance from nests and never move branches to get a clearer shot.
Go birding with a guide who knows the calls
Find a no-touch guideThe sound of the forest
What's that call?
Most forest birds are heard before they’re seen. The three-wattled bellbird’s metallic "bonk" carries up to a kilometre in Monteverde, and oropendolas gurgle like water from their hanging nests.
Toucans croak like frogs, macaws screech in flight, and the quetzal gives a soft, rising whistle at dawn.
Mornings are when birds are loudest and most active.
See morning walksNot booking yet?
Take the Costa Rica bird checklist with you
One printable page: the 100 birds you're most likely to see, by region, with a box to tick for each. Sent to your inbox.
Bird facts people ask about
- 900+bird species recorded in Costa Rica
- Dawnis when birds sing most
- 50+hummingbird species live here
- 2.5 millionraptors fly past Kèköldi most autumns
- Yigüirrothe clay-colored thrush is the national bird
Who wrote this
Lior, founder of Lyferr
Wildlife photographer and guide who grew up in Guanacaste, and a finalist in the Sony World Photography Awards and Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Lior has spent years photographing Costa Rica's birds, from motmots in the Guanacaste dry forest to quetzals in the cloud forest. This guide is what he tells friends before they go.
- Sony World Photography Awards finalist
- Wildlife Photographer of the Year finalist
- Born in Guanacaste
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How many bird species are in Costa Rica?
More than 900, from quetzals and macaws to over 50 kinds of hummingbird.
Does Lyferr run the tours?
No. Lyferr is a marketplace. Licensed local guides and tour operators list their tours here, and we rank them by sighting success, reviews and client experience (and photography expertise for photo tours). You book and pay the deposit through Lyferr, and the operator you choose runs the tour.
Where is the best birding in Costa Rica?
Monteverde and San Gerardo de Dota for highland birds and quetzals, Carara and Osa for macaws, and Sarapiquí or Tortuguero for Caribbean lowland birds.
What is the best time of year for birding?
December to April for dry weather and North American migrants. March to May for nesting quetzals.
What time of day is best for birding?
From first light to about 9 am, and again in the late afternoon.
How much does a birding tour cost in Costa Rica?
Group walks start at about $40 to $70 per person, and a private guide costs about $150 to $250 a day. Every tour on Lyferr shows its price before you book.
What is Costa Rica's national bird?
The clay-colored thrush, or yigüirro. Not the quetzal, which is Guatemala's national bird.
Where can you see a resplendent quetzal?
San Gerardo de Dota and Monteverde, best from March to May.
Where can you see scarlet macaws?
Carara National Park, the Tárcoles River and the Osa Peninsula.
What are birds called in Spanish?
Aves or pájaros. The toucan is the tucán and the scarlet macaw the lapa roja.
Keep exploring
More Costa Rica wildlife
Most trips combine two or three of these. Each guide covers where, when and the local guides who know them.
- SlothsBoth species, town by townWhere to see them
- MonkeysAll 4 species, town by townWhere to see them
- Sea turtlesNesting season, month by monthWhere to see them
- WhalesTwo humpback seasons a yearWhere to see them
Hummingbirds50+ species and how to shoot themWhere to see them - ToucansSix species and the toco mythWhere to see them
FrogsNight walks and poison frogsWhere to see them