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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

Cerro De la Muerte Area
(my own list)
 
ACORN WOODPECKER
HAIRY WOODPECKER
COLLARED TROGON
WHITE-BELLIED MOUNTAIN-GEM
MAGNIFICENT HUMMINGBIRD
VOLCANO HUMMINGBIRD
RUDDY PIGEON
TUFTED FLYCATCHER
DARK PEWEE
YELLOWISH FLYCATCHER
YELLOW-WINGED VIREO
BROWN-CAPPED VIREO
LONG-TAILED SILKY-FLYCATCHER
BLACK-BILLED NIGHTINGALE-THRUSH
RUDDY-CAPPED NIGHTINGALE-THRUSH
SOOTY THRUSH
VOLCANO JUNCO
YELLOW-THIGHED FINCH
PEG-BILLED FINCH

Notes on Specific Birds

I went to Cerro one day when I had an extra day in San Jose. One can get just about any natural history service to drive you up there for a day. Or you could get a bird guide for one day from Costa Rica Gateways. I took a day trip, but you could benefit from a longer stay in the area.

Cerro de la Muerte is high mountain habitat. The highway goes right through the mountain pass, so it's not a long drive out of San Jose. There's a biological station and some public access. We just had a driver stop by the side of the road when we wanted to bird.

Because this is high mountain habitat - above cloud forest at times - there are several birds here, like Volcano Junco, that can be difficult to see in a few other places. It's also a good place for Timberline Wren which I missed.

The other side of Cerro is where cloud forest begins in earnest. Savegre Lodge and some smaller lodges have good access to areas where Resplendent Quetzals are found and other high-elevation birds are located more successfully. You may need more than a day to visit one of these lodges and bird it effectively.

Weather can be tricky in the mountains, so you have to be a little lucky.

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 (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