Photo: Alvaro Cubero / Tiny Snowcap hummingbird

If admiring the different species of birds is what you enjoy and whenever you travel you are hoping to capture with your camera lens the perfect photo of a colorful and unique bird, Costa Rica is certainly the place to visit with close to 10% of the species of birds in the planet.

In the right places in Costa Rica a bird watcher can see up to 100 species in just one day being that this small country has 910 species of birds.

The project Costa Rica Birding Hotspots which has the support of the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) and the Costa Rica Ornithology Association brings together different hotels that due to their location and conditions are perfect for birdwatching.

“We bring together the top birding reserves & accommodations in Costa Rica, located in the four great ecoregions of the country (Caribbean, Lowlands, Highlands, Central & South Pacific Lowlands, Dry Northwest Lowlands) and the most important ecosystems of the country”, explains the Costa Rica Birding webpage.

The migration periods, August-December and January-May, are the best seasons to find higher numbers of resident and migratory species.

Hotels that are part of this project have to comply with certain requirements, such as having a private reserve or large conservation areas, they must be located close to wildlife protected areas or biological corridors and must be certified with the Ecological Blue Flag or the Tourist Sustainability Certification.

“Visiting the whole hotspots and the core sites will take from 10 to 20 nights, exploring the 4 regions, the most important ecosystems, national parks and other protected areas for the Costa Rica birdlife, however you are invited visit your favorite hotspots according to your target birds, available time, favorite lodges or ecosystems”, continues the website.

Some of the hotels included in this initiative are: Arenal Observatory Lodge; Manatus Hotel in Tortuguero; Rainforest Adventures Nature Lodge in Sarapiquí; Macaw Lodge in Carara; Rancho Humo in Palo Verde and Hacienda Guachipelín in Guanacaste.