The Birds Of Selva Verde & Sarapiqui Area

I was really excited about the birding at Selva Verde because of the amazing bird list and superb guides they employ.  We were up at the crack of dawn as usual for our birding walk with one of Costa Rica’s top birding guides, Alejandro Esquival.  He is also the person who gives the lectures around 5pm in a little pavilion near the swimming pool to give you an idea of what can be seen in the area.  Alejandro is also a skilled photographer and has some amazing images on his Flickr page.  He did a fantastic job of finding most of our targeted species and some that were so well hidden we never would have found them on our own.

Our guide, Alejandro Esquival

Our guide, Alejandro Esquival

Selva Verde Lodge has a checklist and more information on their website.  They do a bird count every year around Christmas time as they mention on their blog.  I have copied the parrot section here and highlighted in yellow the ones we saw both the evening before and during the guided walk.

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This is one of the best places in the world to see the endangered Great Green Macaw in the wild and we were very lucky to see 2 flying over the swimming pool in the late afternoon.

MY PHOTOS

Sorry, most are pretty bad.  The birds were far away and often backlit so I can’t even see the colours.  I tried to identify most of them.  I did get some good ones of the Crimson-fronted Conure with Alejandro’s help.  At least he was perching nicely and holding still!

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Montezuma Oropendula

Montezuma Oropendula

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Great Green Macaws

Great Green Macaws

Toucan in flight

Toucan in flight

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Swainson's Toucan

Swainson’s Toucan

Swainson's Toucans

Swainson’s Toucans

Hanging Bridge, Selva Verde

Hanging Bridge, Selva Verde

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Swainson's Toucans

Swainson’s Toucans

Swainson's Toucans

Swainson’s Toucans

Swainson's Toucans

Swainson’s Toucans

Swainson's Toucans

Swainson’s Toucans

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Swainson's Toucans

Swainson’s Toucans

Mealy Parrots

Mealy Parrots

Mealy Parrots

Mealy Parrots

Mealy Parrots

Mealy Parrots

Greater Kiskadee

Greater Kiskadee

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Swainson's Toucan

Swainson’s Toucan

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

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Mealy Parrots

Mealy Parrots

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Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

Crimson fronted Conure

There's a bird in here somewhere!

There’s a bird in here somewhere!

I think this is a female Blue-grey Tanager

I think this is a female Blue-grey Tanager

Greater Kiskadee

Greater Kiskadee

Either Red-lored or Mealy Parrots, I can't see the colours

Either Red-lored or Mealy Parrots, I can’t see the colours

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This stream is a great place to see birds, just 10 minutes walk from Selva Verde Lodge

This stream is a great place to see birds, just 10 minutes walk from Selva Verde Lodge