Bird-Watching
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Trip Ideas
- The Best of Costa Rica
- Costa Rica’s Top Spots for WIldlife
- Costa Rica’s Most Beautiful Beaches
- Costa Rica’s Best Beaches for Wildlife
- Best Surfing Beaches in Costa Rica
- Costa Rica’s Unique Retreats & Resorts
- Surf’s Up in Costa Rica
- Off-The-Beaten-Path Eco-Adventures
- Costa Rica Family-Friendly Adventures
- Adrenaline Rush
Few places in the world can boast so many different bird species in such a small area. However, bird-watching requires some knowledge of where you are going, what you’re looking for, and the best season.
No self-respecting ornithologist would be caught in the field without his copy of A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica by F. Gary Stiles and Alexander Skutch; Birds of the Rainforest: Costa Rica by Carmen Hidalgo; or A Travel and Site Guide to Birds of Costa Rica by Aaron Sekerak.
Even with these in hand, your best bet is to hire a qualified guide or to join a bird-watching tour. Of the dozens of superb freelance guides, I recommend Karla Taylor (tel. 506/8915-2386, www.tortuguerovillage.com/karlastravelexperience). Another standout is eagle-eyed Pietra Westra (tel. 506/2574-2319, www.aratinga-tours.com). He leads bird-watching tours in fluent English, Dutch, or Spanish; his website provides an excellent primer on birds.
In Costa Rica, dozens of companies offer bird-watching tours, including Costa Rica Expeditions (tel. 506/2257-0766, www.costaricaexpeditions.com) and Horizontes (tel. 506/2222-2022, www.horizontes.com).
In North America, Cheeseman’s Ecology Safaris (tel. 408/741-5330 or 800/527-5330, www.cheesemans.com); Field Guides (tel. 512/263-7295 or 800/728-4953, www.fieldguides.com); and Holbrook Travel (tel. 800/451-7111, www.holbrooktravel.com) offer bird-watching tours to Costa Rica.
In Europe, Journey Latin America (tel. 020/8747-8315, www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk) offers a 16-day bird-watching tour.
© Christopher P. Baker from Moon Costa Rica, 8th Edition
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Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.