Keel-billed & Chestnut-mandibled Toucan · Collared Aracari · motmots · trogons · tanagers · honeycreepers
Resident birds all year
View experience / plan
King Vultures, Boca Tapada · Photo from a VIVO tour
Birdwatching
Costa Rica birding seasons by area
When to see the quetzal, nesting Great Green Macaws, Agami Heron and more, with a link to each tour.
Month-by-month calendar
Sightings are not guaranteed; timing varies with the weather. Seasonal observation windows do not guarantee tour availability.
La Fortuna / Arenal
Best December–April. May–November: resident breeding and fewer visitors.
| Target species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keel-billed & Chestnut-mandibled Toucan · Collared Aracari · motmots · trogons · tanagers · honeycreepers | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Great Curassow · Crested Guan | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Spectacled Owl · Sunbittern | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Snowcap · Black-crested Coquette | ● | ● | ● | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ● | ● |
| Chestnut-sided · Golden-winged · Bay-breasted Warbler · Baltimore Oriole · Summer Tanager | ● | ● | ● | ● | — | — | — | — | — | ● | ● | ● |
● VIVO observation window · — outside that window does not mean the species is absent.
Great Curassow · Crested Guan
At Arenal Observatory
View experience / planSpectacled Owl · Sunbittern
Sunbittern occasional
View experience / planSnowcap · Black-crested Coquette
Best with flowering, November–March
View experience / planChestnut-sided · Golden-winged · Bay-breasted Warbler · Baltimore Oriole · Summer Tanager
Northern migrants, October–April
View experience / planMonteverde
Cloud forest: quetzal February–June; bellbird singing March–August.
- Resplendent Quetzal
Best February–June; nesting March–June, fruiting wild avocado · Feb / Mar / Apr / May / Jun
- Three-wattled Bellbird
Singing March–August; altitudinal migration during the rest of the year · Mar / Apr / May / Jun / Jul / Aug
- Emerald Toucanet · Black Guan · Violet Sabrewing · Purple-throated Mountain-gem · Orange-bellied Trogon
Year-round residents · Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr / May / Jun / Jul / Aug / Sep / Oct / Nov / Dec
- Northern migratory birds
October–April · Oct / Nov / Dec / Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr
Boca Tapada
Forest, wetlands and nesting windows in the northern lowlands.
- Great Green Macaw
Nesting December–April, mountain almond trees · Dec / Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr
- Agami Heron
Colony April–September; check the session operating dates separately · Apr / May / Jun / Jul / Aug / Sep
- Sunbittern
Nesting February–May · Feb / Mar / Apr / May
- King Vulture · Royal Flycatcher · Snowy Cotinga
Year-round · Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr / May / Jun / Jul / Aug / Sep / Oct / Nov / Dec
- Northern migratory birds
October–April · Oct / Nov / Dec / Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr
Caño Negro
Best January–April: low water concentrates birds.
- Jabiru · Roseate Spoonbill · Wood Stork · Nicaraguan Grackle · herons · kingfishers
Low-water observation window · Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr
- Migratory ducks
November–March · Nov / Dec / Jan / Feb / Mar
Cinchona & Valle de los Quetzales (San Ramón)
Quetzal January–May; barbets and hummingbirds year-round.
- Resplendent Quetzal
January–May · La Paz de San Ramón, general area only · Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr / May
- Prong-billed Barbet · Red-headed Barbet · Northern Emerald-Toucanet · Coppery-headed Emerald · Green Thorntail
Year-round · Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr / May / Jun / Jul / Aug / Sep / Oct / Nov / Dec
Manuel Antonio / Central Pacific · Esquipulas
Resident Pacific forest birds year-round; northern migrants October–April.
- Fiery-billed Aracari · Baird's Trogon · Turquoise Cotinga · Riverside Wren · White-crested Coquette
Year-round · Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr / May / Jun / Jul / Aug / Sep / Oct / Nov / Dec
- Northern migratory birds
October–April · Oct / Nov / Dec / Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr
Guanacaste
Dry forest, best December–April.
- White-throated Magpie-Jay · Turquoise-browed Motmot · Long-tailed Manakin · parrots
Best dry-season window; arrange a custom itinerary · Dec / Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr
- Jabiru
Wetlands, December–March; custom itinerary · Dec / Jan / Feb / Mar
Frequently asked questions
What is the best birding season by area?
Arenal and Guanacaste are best December–April; Caño Negro January–April. Monteverde quetzal is best February–June and bellbird singing March–August.
When is the Agami Heron colony season?
April–September in Boca Tapada. This observation window is not the session operating calendar; check the tour dates separately.
When do Great Green Macaws nest?
December–April in Boca Tapada, associated with mountain almond trees.
Are sightings guaranteed?
No. Sightings are not guaranteed and timing varies with the weather.