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Costa Rica Checklist

Please forgive some of the obsolete scientific names. This majority of this list was created over a 10-year period and some scientific names changed. This checklist was created during 1-week intervals from 1996-2006. I usually squeezed in 2-3 days of birding on each trip made. Most trips were made without a guide but not all. The list includes one winter tour made in 1992 and the summer ABA conference held in San Jose in 1996 which I attended. These were guided tours. All other observations were done by car between 2000-2007.

Key

BC= Braulio Carillo LS= La Selva area SJ=San Jose and vicinity
CA=Carara and vicinity LB=Lomas Barbudal and vicinity SR=Santa Rosa NP vicinity
CI= Cinchona MA=Manuel Antonio SV=Selva Verde Lodge
CF=Catfish Farm near Liberia MO=Monteverde TA=Tapanti
CM=Cerro de la Muerte PC=Playa del Cocos area TH=Throughout
CN=Canos Negro Refuge PO=Poas Volcano TI=Tilaran and Arenal vicinity
GU=Guanacaste NP PV=Palo Verde VI=Virgen del Socorro vicinity
HB=Hacienda Baru SA=Samara and vicinity UP=Road to Upala

(w) = winter sightings from 1992. All other sightings are summer sightings
Location Species Latin name

 

TINAMIDAE

 

MO, LS Great Tinamou Tinamus major
LS Slaty-breasted Tinamou Crypterellus boucardi
  PODICIPEDIDAE  

CF

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

 

PELECANIDAE

 

PC, SA

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

  SULIDAE  
PC Brown Booby Sula Leucogaster

 

PHALACROCORACIDAE

 

PC, CN,

Neotropic Cormorant

Phalacrocorax brasilianus

 

ANHINGIDAE

 

CF, CN

Anhinga

Anhinga anhinga

 

FREGATIDAE

 

PC, SA, MA

Magnificent Frigatebird

Fregata magnificens

 

ARDEIDAE

 

PC, CA, CN, PV

Bare-throated Tiger-Heron

Tigrisoma mexicanum

TI Fasciated Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma fasciatum

TH

Great Egret

Ardea alba

CF, CN

Snowy Egret

Egretta thula

TH

Little Blue Heron

Egretta caerulea

TH (w) Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor
TH (w) Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens

TH

Cattle Egret

Bubulcus ibis

TH

Green Heron

Butorides virescens

TH (w) Black-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa nycticorax

TH

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

CA (lagoon) Boat-billed Heron Cochlearius cochlearius
PV Limpkin

Aramus guarauna

 

THRESKIORNITHIDAE

 

TH

White Ibis

Eudocimus albus

CN Green Ibis Mesembrinibis cayennensis

CF

Roseate Spoonbill

Ajaia ajaja

  EURYPYGIDAE  
SV Sunbittern Eurypyga helias

 

CICONIIDAE

 

CF, PV

Jabiru

Jabiru mycteria

CF, PV

Wood Stork

Mycteria americana

 

CATHARTIDAE

 

TH

Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

TH

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

HB King Vulture

Sarcoramphus papa

 

ANATIDAE

 

TH

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

Dendrocygna autumnalis

PV (w) Fulvous Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna bicolor
PV (w) Muscovy Duck Cairinina moschata
PV (w) Blue-winged Teal Anas discors

 

ACCIPITRIDAE

 

TH (w) Osprey Pandion haliaetus
TH (w) Gray-headed Kite Leptodon cayanensis

GU, MO

Swallow-tailed Kite

Elanoides forficatus

TH

White-tailed Kite

Elanus leucurus

CN Snail Kite

Rostrahamus sociabilis

CN Black-collared Hawk Busarellus nigricollis

PC

Crane Hawk

Geranospiza caerulescens

LS Semiplumbeous Hawk Leucopternis principeps
SA, PC Mangrove Black-Hawk Buteogallus subtilus
CN Great Black-Hawk Buteogallus urubitinga

LB, SA

Gray Hawk

Asturina nitidus

GU (w) Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus

TH

Roadside Hawk

Buteo magnirostris

MO Short-tailed hawk Buteo brachyurus

TH - sporadic

Swainson's Hawk

Buteo swainsoni

TH (w) Zone-tailed Hawk Buteo albonotatus

 

FALCONIDAE

 

TH

Crested Caracara

Caracara plancus

HB Yellow-headed Caracara Milvago chimichima

GU, UP

Laughing Falcon

Herpetotheres cachinnans

CA Collared Forest-Falcon Micrastur semitorquatus
CN Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis

 

CRACIDAE

 

CL Gray-headed Chachalaca Ortalis cinereiceps
MO (W) Black Guan Chamaepetes unicolor
  ODONTOPHORIDAE  
PV Crested Bobwhite Colinus cristatus

 

RALLIDAE

 

CN Gray-necked Wood-Rail Aramides cajanea

CF

Common Moorhen

Gallinula chloropus

CA, PV, CN Purple Gallinule Porphyrula martinica

 

BURHINIDAE

 

LB

Double-striped Thick-Knee

Burhinus bistriatus

 

CHARADRIIDAE

 

TH

Black-necked Stilt

Himantopus mexicanus

 

JACANIDAE

 

CF, CN, PV

Northern Jacana

Jacana spinosa

 

SCOLOPACIDAE

 

CA (beach) Collared Plover Charadrius collaris
SA Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus
CA (beach) Sanderling Calidris alba

TH

Greater Yellowlegs

Tringa melanoleuca

TH

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

TH (w) Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria

TH

Willet

Catoptrophorus semipalmatus

TH (w) Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
TH (w) Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa
TH (w) Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria intrepres
TH (w) Least Sandpiper Caladris minutilla
  LARIDAE  
MA Laughing Gull Larus atracilla
TH (w) Royal Tern Sterna maxima
MA (w) Sandwich Tern Sterna sandivencensis
PC Black Tern Childonias niger

 

COLUMBIDAE

 

TH

Rock Dove

Columba livia

MA, LS Pale-vented Pigeon Columba cayannensis
MO Band-tailed Pigeon Columba fasciata
CM Ruddy Pigeon Columba subvinacea

GU, MO, SA, CN

Red-billed Pigeon

Columba flavirostris

LS Short-billed Pigeon Columba nigrirostris

TH

White-winged Dove

Zenaida asiatica

TH

Inca Dove

Columbina inca

CA, CN Gray-fronted Dove Leptotila rufaxilla
CA Gray-chested Dove Leptotila cassinii

GU

Common Ground-Dove

Columbina passerina

TH

Ruddy Ground-Dove

Columbina talpacoti

MA, HB Blue Ground-Dove Claravis pretiosa

SR, SA, PV, CN

White-tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

 

PSITTACIDAE

 

CA Scarlet Macaw Ara macao
LS, SV Great Green Macaw Ara Ambigua
CA, CN, LS Mealy Parrot Amazona farinosa
CN Crimson-fronted Parakeet Aratinga finschi
UP, CN Olive-throated Parakeet Aratinga nana

SR, PC, SA

Orange-fronted Parakeet

Aratinga canicularis

TH

Orange-chinned Parakeet

Brotogeris jugularis

MO, MA Brown-hooded Parrot Pionopsitta haematotis
CA, LS White-crowned Parrot Pionus senillus

LB, SA

White-fronted Parrot

Amazona albifrons

UP, CN, LS Red-lored Parrot Amazona autumnalis
CN, LS Mealy Parrot Amazona freonosa
PV (w) Yellow-naped Parrot Amazona auropalliata

 

CUCULIDAE

 

TH

Squirrel Cuckoo

Piaya cayana

TH

Groove-billed Ani

Crotophaga sulcirostris

  STRIGIIDAE  
PV (w) Pacific Screech-Owl Otus cooperi
SJ Tropical Screech-Owl otus choliba
CA Spectacled Owl Pulsatrix perspicilatta
PV (w) Ferruginous Pygmy Owl Glaucidium brasilianum
PV (w) Black-and-White Owl Ciccaba nigrolineata
MA (w) Striped Owl Pseudocops clamator

 

CAPRIMULGIDAE

 

TH

Lesser Nighthawk

Chordeiles acutipennis

PC, CN

Common Pauraque

Nyctidromus albicollis

  NYCTIBIIDAE  
MA (w) Common Potoo Nyctibius griseus

 

APODIDAE

 

SA Black Swift Cypeseloides niger
MA (w) Spot-fronted Swift Cypseloides cherrei
GU, LS White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris
MO Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi
HB Costa Rican Swift Chaetura spinicauda
LS Gray-rumped Swift Chaetura cinereiventris
SA (north of range) Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift Panyptila cayennensis

 

TROCHILIDAE

 

MA Band-tailed Barbthroat Threnetes ruckeri
LS Bronzy Hermit Glancis aeneus
MO, CA, LS Green Hermit Phethornis guy
MA, LS Long-tailed Hermit Phethornis superciliosus
MA, LS Stripe-throated Hermit Phaethornis striigularis
BC Green-fronted Lancebill Doryfera ludoviciae
MA (w) Scaly-breasted Hummingbird Phaeochroa cuvieri
MO, CI Violet Sabrewing Campylopterus hemileucurus
TH White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora
MO, CI Green Violet-ear Colibri thalassinus
CI Brown Violet-ear Colibri delphinae
PV (w) Green-breasted Mango Anthracothorax prevostii

GU

Violet-headed Hummingbird

Klais guimeti

VI, CI Green Thorntail Discosura conversii
GU (w) Canivet's Emerald Chlorostilbon caniveti
BC, CI Violet-crowned Woodnymph Thalurania colombica
PO (w) Fiery-throated Hummingbird Panterpe insignis
MA (w) Blue-throated Goldentail Hylocharis eliciae
CM Blue-chested Hummingbird Amazilia amabilis
MA (w) Mangrove Hummingbird Amazilia boucardi
MO Steely-vented Hummingbird Amazilia saucerotti

TH

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Amazilia tzacatl

LB

Cinnamon Hummingbird

Amazilia rutila

TA Black-bellied Hummingbird Eupherusa nigraventris
SA Fork-tailed Emerald Chlorostilbon canivetti
HB Charming Hummingbird Amazilia decora
MO Stripe-tailed Hummingbird Eupherusa eximia
MO, CI Coppery-headed Emerald Elvira cupreiceps
LS (rare here) Snowcap microchera albocoronata
LS, CI Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer Chalybura urochrysia
CM White-bellied Mountain-gem Lampornis hemileucus
MO Purple-throated Mountain Gem Lampornis calolaema
MO, CI Green-crowned Brilliant Heliodoxa jacula
CM Magnificent Hummingbird Eugenes fulgens
MA Purple-crowned Fairy heliothrix barroti

PC

Plain-capped Starthroat

 Heliomaster constantii

MO (w) Magenta-throated Woodstar Calliphlox bryantae
TH (w) Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
CM Volcano Hummingbird Selasphorus flammula
GU (w) Scintillant Hummingbird Selasphorus Scintilla

 

TROGONIDAE

 

MO Resplendent Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno

PC, SA

Black-headed Trogon

Trogon melanocephalus

CA Baird's Trogon Trogon bairdii
MA, CL Violaceous Trogon trogon violaceus
CM Collared Trogon Trogon collaris
MO (w) Orange-bellied Trogon Trogon aurantiiventris
BC Lattice-tailed Trogon Trogon clathratus
LS Slaty-tailed Trogon Trogon messena

 

MOMOTIDAE

 

PC, SA

Turquoise-browed Motmot

Eumomota superciliosa

MO, MA, HB Blue-crowned Motmot Momotus momota
LS Rufous Motmot Baryphthengus martii
LS Broad-billed Motmot Electron carinatum
  GALBULIDAE  
CA Rufous-tailed Jacamar Galbula ruficaula

 

ALCEDINIDAE

 

GU, CN, SV

Ringed Kingfisher

Ceryle torquata

GU, SA, CN

Green Kingfisher

Chloroceryle americana

UP, CN Amazon Kingfisher Chloroceryle amazona
HB American Pygmy Kingfisher Choloroceryle aenea

 

BUCCONIDAE

 

PC

White-necked Puffbird

Notharchus macrorhynchows

  CAPITONIDAE  
MO Prong-billed Barbet Eubucco frantzii
TA, CI Red-headed Barbet Eubucco bourcieni

 

RAMPHASTIDAE

 

GU, UP, MO