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AR=Arenal Vicinity

GR=Guanacaste Region Throughout

PO=Poas Volcano

BC=Braulio Carillo

GU=Guanacaste National Park

PV=Palo Verde and Vicinity

CA=Carara and Tarcoles River

HL=Heliconias Lodge Area

RN=Rancho Naturalista and Vicinity

CI=Cinchona and Waterfall Gardens

LS= La Selva Area

SR=Santa Rosa NP Vicinity

CM=Cerro de la Muerte

MA=Manuel Antonio

TA=Tapanti

CN=Canos Negro Refuge

MO=Monteverde

TH=Throughout or Widespread within Range

DO=Dominical, Uvita lowlands    

Links above are my own sightings at each location

Arenal Vicinity
(my own list)
 
CRESTED GUAN
BLACK-CHEEKED WOODPECKER
SMOKY-BROWN WOODPECKER
PALE-BILLED WOODPECKER
WHITE-FRONTED NUNBIRD
BROAD-BILLED MOTMOT
KEEL-BILLED MOTMOT
CRIMSON-FRONTED PARAKEET
CHESTNUT-COLLARED SWIFT
WHITE-COLLARED SWIFT
VAUX'S SWIFT
GREEN HERMIT
LITTLE HERMIT
WHITE-TIPPED SICKLEBILL
CROWNED WOODNYMPH
SPECTACLED OWL
SHORT-TAILED NIGHTHAWK
PALE-VENTED PIGEON
GREY-CHESTED DOVE
WHITE-THROATED CRAKE
SWALLOW-TAILED KITE
SEMIPLUMBEOUS HAWK
RED-TAILED HAWK
LEAST GREBE
FASCIATED TIGER-HERON
SLATY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER
YELLOW TYRANNULET
SULPHUR-RUMPED FLYCATCHER
EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER
BRIGHT-RUMPED ATTILA
GREY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER
PIRATIC FLYCATCHER
WHITE-COLLARED MANAKIN
GREAT ANTSHRIKE
STREAK-CROWNED ANTVIREO
SLATY ANTWREN
DUSKY ANTBIRD
BARE-CROWNED ANTBIRD
CHESTNUT-BACKED ANTBIRD
DULL-MANTLED ANTBIRD
BICOLORED ANTBIRD
SPOTTED ANTBIRD
OCELLATED ANTBIRD
SLATY SPINETAIL
SPOTTED WOODCREEPER
THICKET ANTPITTA
TAWNY-CROWNED GREENLET
BROWN JAY
WHITE-THROATED MAGPIE-JAY
BLACK-HEADED NIGHTINGALE THRUSH
WOOD THRUSH
WHITE-THROATED THRUSH
BAND-BACKED WREN
BLACK-THROATED WREN
BAY WREN
STRIPE-BREASTED WREN
WHITE-BREASTED WOOD-WREN
SONG WREN
TAWNY-FACED GNATWREN
BLUE-AND-WHITE SWALLOW
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW
BLACK-STRIPED SPARROW
CHESTNUT-CAPPED BRUSH-FINCH
GREY-CROWNED YELLOWTHROAT
GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER
BUFF-RUMPED WARBLER
OLIVE TANAGER
YELLOW-CROWNED EUPHONIA
BLACK-HEADED SALTATOR
BLUE-BLACK GROSBEAK
BLUE GROSBEAK
MONTEZUMA OROPENDOLA
YELLOW-BILLED CACIQUE
BRONZED COWBIRD

Notes on Specific Birds

This trip was two days at Arenal Observatory Lodge. I hired a guide from Costa Rica Gateways for this particular trip as I was aiming specifically for antbirds.

The Best chance at White-fronted Nunbird is likely to be on the Arenal Hanging Bridges close to most of the Arenal and Fortuna lodges.

White-tipped Sicklebill should not be expected anywhere. It doesn't come to hummingbird feeders. You can find it only near heliconias plants... but you must be lucky. I was.

The Arenal area is a good place for Fasciated Tiger-Heron in the fast moving streams.

There is a dirt road not far from most Arenal lodges that skirts part of the lake towards the south end. This road produced White-throated Crake (grassy field with tape), Great Antshrike, Bare-crowned Antbird, and Yellow Tyrannulet. My guide also knew of a place for Keel-billed Motmot on this road.

Most all of the other antbirds and the Thicket Antpitta were found near an antswarm on the El Zaino Trail at Arenal Observatory Lodge - one of two trails worth your time. The other was the Waterfall Trail not far from the El Zaino trail. Any trail would be fine if you found an antswarm.

Arenal Website

Throughout Costa Rica
All birds here can be included in any list at most locations conditional to the appropriate habitat

This list includes birds seen commonly throughout my trips to Costa Rica. These birds were either quite common or easily seen in the appropriate habitat and season. Admittedly, as a U.S. birder, I became a slacker when it came to listing the more common North American migrants.

In the case of shorebirds, your best bet is the Tarcoles River mouth near Carara or near the city of Puntarenas. Mudflats are near the highway.

BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK
SQUIRREL CUCKOO
GROOVE-BILLED ANI
ORANGE-CHINNED PARAKEET
WHITE-NECKED JACOBIN
RUFOUS-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD
LESSER NIGHTHAWK
PAURAQUE
ROCK PIGEON
RUDDY GROUND-DOVE
MARBLED GODWIT
WHIMBREL
GREATER YELLOWLEGS
LESSER YELLOWLEGS
SOLITARY SANDPIPER
WILLET
RUDDY TURNSTONE
LEAST SANDPIPER
BLACK-NECKED STILT
LAUGHING GULL
ROYAL TERN
OSPREY
WHITE-TAILED KITE
ROADSIDE HAWK
BROAD-WINGED HAWK
SWAINSON'S HAWK
CRESTED CARACARA
TRICOLORED HERON
LITTLE BLUE HERON
SNOWY EGRET
GREAT EGRET
CATTLE EGRET
GREEN HERON
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON
WHITE IBIS
BROWN PELICAN
BLACK VULTURE
TURKEY VULTURE
MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD
YELLOW-BELLIED ELAENIA
YELLOW-OLIVE FLYCATCHER
DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER
TROPICAL KINGBIRD
GREAT KISKADEE
MASKED TITYRA
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO
CLAY-COLORED THRUSH
HOUSE WREN
GREY-BREASTED MARTIN
BARN SWALLOW
HOUSE SPARROW (entirely urban or perhaps at gas stations)
TENNESSEE WARBLER
YELLOW WARBLER
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER
WILSON'S WARBLER
BANANAQUIT
SUMMER TANAGER
WESTERN TANAGER
BLUE-GREY TANAGER
GOLDEN-HOODED TANAGER
BLUE-BLACK GRASSQUIT
VARIABLE SEEDEATER
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK
INDIGO BUNTING
ORCHARD ORIOLE
EASTERN MEADOWLARK
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE