Costa Rica
Volcanos, Wetlands & Rainforests
November 10-19, 2022
Your place on this Venture is reserved when your completed registration form and deposit of $400/person has been received. Deposit may be made via the ‘book now’ button above, or by contacting the Ventures office. We accept credit cards for an additional fee (2.9% for MC, Visa, Discover; 3.9% for AmEx), but you may also pay by bank transfer, cash, check, or money order (payable to ‘VENTURES BIRDING’) sent to PO Box 1095, Skyland, NC 28776. This Venture is limited to 10 participants.
Cost of the Costa Rica Venture: $4,650 per person, based on double occupancy, from San Jose; Single supplement $665 Price includes: All ground transportation in Costa Rica, all meals, taxes, entrance fees, trip information packet, bird list, and services of 2 guides (one local, one Ventures) Not included: Round trip airfare to San Jose, alcoholic beverages, gratuities, laundry, and items of a personal nature
A relaxed 9-day tour featuring great birding lodges, gorgeous scenery, lush forests, mostly mild temperatures, and incredible birding, primarily in the Northern part of the country. This trip includes two boat trips at the Cano Negro wetlands.
Costa Rica has long had a reputation for being a birder’s paradise, a place where beginning and experienced birders alike can enjoy neotropical birding at its very finest. The reputation is certainly well deserved – life abounds here! Over 900 species of birds have been recorded within its borders, boasting one of the highest diversities per square mile of any country in the world!
Our 9-day exploration of this bird-rich nation begins in the marvelous shadow of the Arenal Volcano. This is one of the best places in Costa Rica to find a number of species, including Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Talamanca Hummingbird, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Northern-emerald Toucanet, Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, Rufous Motmot, Spotted Antbird, White-tipped Sicklebill, Brown-hooded Parrot, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, and many more. Next, we visit the magnificent Cano Negro wetlands. Here we will take two boat trips searching for a number wetland species including numerous waders, Russet-naped Wood-Rail, Southern Lapwing, Bay Wren, Crested Guan, Northern Jacana, Black-headed Trogon, Yellow-headed Caracara, Tawny-chested Flycatcher, Sungrebe, and many more. Next we head to the Pacific slope and lowlands. Palo Verde National Park is a great place for Giant Anteater, White-faced Capuchin Monkeys, Howler Monkeys, Iguanas, and American Crocodile, in addition to all the birds. We then continue to the highlands near Monteverde, and the lush cloud forests where Resplendent Quetzals reside. The birding reserves of Curicancha and Monteverde Cloudforest Reserve are bustling with birdlife. Here we can expect yet more key hummingbirds from Coppery-headed Emerald and Violet Sabrewing to Magenta-throated Woodstar, plus additional treats like Silver-throated Tanager and Highland Tinamou.
Some of the Birds We Hope to See
Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Boat-billed Heron, Sunbittern, Sungrebe, Jabiru, Fiery-throated, Volcano, Black-bellied, Stripe-tailed, and Mangrove Hummingbirds, Snowcap, White-crested and Black-crested Coquettes, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Baird’s and Collared Trogon, Resplendent Quetzal, Red-headed Barbet, Northern Emerald-Toucanet, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Fiery-billed Aracari, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Ruddy Treerunner, Chiriqui, Buff-throated & Buff-fronted Foliage-Gleaners; White-crowned, Red-capped, Blue-crowned, Orange-collared Manakins; Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher, Dark Pewee, Black-capped Flycatcher, Golden-bellied Flycatcher, Tawny-chested Flycatcher, Golden-crowned Spadebill, American Dipper, Black-throated Wren, Black-cheeked Warbler, Flame-throated Warbler, Collared Redstart, Flame-colored, Bay-headed, Spangle-cheeked, Speckled, Silver-throated, Tawny-crested Tanager, Ashy-throated Chlorosphingus, Orange-billed Sparrow, Cabanis’s Ground Sparrow (E), Tawny-capped Euphonia, Black-thighed Grosbeak, Black-faced Grosbeak, Large-footed Finch, Peg-billed Finch, Yellow-thighed Brushfinch, Costa Rican Brushfinch, Slaty Flowerpiercer, Volcano Junco, Montezuma Oropendola, and many more.