With more and more people trying their hands at bird-watching, there is a greater need to develop sustainable bird-watching opportunities around the world. Some places have a particularly high concentration of birds and this makes them ideal bird-watching destinations. But without some sort of supportive infrastructure in place, it can be difficult, daunting or nearly impossible for the average bird watcher to visit such locations. The first protected zone in Central America is providing bird lovers with the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a world of color and beauty.

Costa Rica is not a big country – in fact it is about the same size as West Virginia. Yet despite this it is home to more bird species than the entire North American continent! The country is home to some 850 different bird species just waiting to be discovered by amateur and professional ornithologists. Now, thanks to the efforts of the Rainforest Biodiversity Group and the help provided by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Costa Rican Bird Route provides bird watchers with the opportunity to scour the Sarapiquí region of the country and search out the more than 400 bird species that can be found in this wonderfully rich part of the country. Bird lover’s will find themselves dazzled by the bright colors of green and blue Macaws, multi-colored Toucans and orange and green Motmots, among others.

The Costa Rica Bird Route has seen the teaming up of a number of new and established biological reserves to make twelve different birding sites available to bird lovers. The route takes advantages of the San Juan-La Selva Biological Corridor and makes a number of bird watching opportunities and programs available. The route not only gives visitors easy access to beautiful, primary rainforest, but also works towards a more environmentally sustainable economy since it gives land owners and their employees access to the benefits of tourism. This limits the need for activities that are potentially harmful to the environment and so benefits everyone in the long term. It is hoped that by providing landowners with a chance to get involved in eco-tourism, there will be more of a focus on protecting habitats and this will greatly assist with the protection of the rainforest. With some 51.3 million Americans currently reporting a fondness for bird watching, it would seem that this bird route is definitely a viable option. However, the jungle corridor is home to more than just birds, and animal lovers will find 139 species of mammals, 135 species of reptiles and 80 species of amphibians in the area, while botanists will simply be delighted at the abundance of amazing and aged plant life.

Bird lovers wishing to enjoy the Costa Rica birding experience will find that established sites such as Selva Verde are a great place to start. Here you will find comfortable, affordable accommodation and a wide selection of enjoyable activities. However, newer sites offer the more adventurous a chance to get off the beaten path and explore new areas. Whatever you prefer, make sure that you consider Costa Rica for your next bird watching holiday.

Related posts:

1. Costa Rica: A perfect bird-watching holiday
2. A Bird Extravaganza: Central California in Winter
3. Bird Watching Galore in Panama

The Central American country of Costa Rica is bordered by Nicaragua and Panama with the Pacific Ocean to the west and south and the Caribbean Sea to the east. With more than 870 registered species of birds, Costa Rica is a prime destination for birding enthusiasts. The Quetzal is one of the most unusual birds in Costa Rica and bird-watchers are thrilled when they manage to sight one of these rather elusive beauties.

The name of the Quetzal is taken from the Aztec word meaning “precious” or “beautiful”. When the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés visited Mexico in the early 1500s, he was given a headdress of Quetzal feathers as a gift from the Aztecs. This was indeed an honor, as only Aztec royalty had the privilege of adorning themselves with the highly esteemed jade-green plumes of the Quetzal.

The Quetzal can be found from Mexico through to Panama. They reside in the cloud forests at altitudes of between 1,200 to 3,000 meters. As a result of rising warm air cooling quickly, cloud forests have year-round lush vegetation with massive trees that reach up into the semi-permanent mist, to a height of 30 meters or more. This densely forested habitat makes the Quetzal even more difficult to spot, as its stunning jade coloring blends into the forest’s verdant foliage.

The guides in the areas that the Quetzal calls home are generally expert at coaxing this beautiful bird out into the open by imitating its soft, mellow call which is remarkably similar to the whimpering of a puppy. Once the Quetzal is out in the open, birders come to appreciate just how spectacular this bird is. The breast of the male is a deep crimson-red which contrasts with the jade coloring of the rest of its body. Its long tail feathers – known as streamers – are white with two contrasting iridescent green ones. A Quetzal in flight is an unforgettable sight.

The Quetzal’s favorite food is the wild avocado, which it swallows whole, regurgitating the seed about 20 minutes later. In their search for wild avocados, Quetzals migrate to different slopes within the Continental Divide, following the fruit’s ripening cycle from the Pacific slope through to the Caribbean side. Another favorite meal is the wild blackberry that grows on thorny bushes. At times their long tail feathers hook on the thorns and are lost, but soon grow back.

Sadly, man has tried to cash in on the Quetzal’s beauty, and captured birds are either sold as pets or their feathers and skins are sold as souvenirs. Also, development has made inroads into their natural habitat. In an effort to prevent this plunder of its natural resources, Costa Rica has set aside 27 percent of its land as nature reserves and endangered species such as the Quetzal are considered to be protected. It is in these protected areas that bird-watchers can pursue their hobby and stand a good chance of seeing the Quetzal – one of the most beautiful birds in the world.

Related posts:

1. Costa Rica: A perfect bird-watching holiday
2. First Bird Route Opened in Central America
3. Your Pet Bird Also Needs Its Beauty Sleep

Despite their name, no antbird would actually eat an ant (ants have formic acid in their bodies that makes them unpalatable to most birds and mammals). Antbirds get their name from the 30 species that spend their lives following ants- especially army ants. Army ants march through the rainforest in huge swarms, eating every insect or small animal in their path. Many insects flush up in front of the swarm, trying to flee the hungry ants. The antbirds snap these fleeing insects up.

Antbirds, including the many species that don’t associate with army-ants, often travel in mixed-species flocks. This works well- each species hunts for a slightly different kind of insect. Thus, the flock’s birds don’t compete with each other, and everyone gets enough to eat.

Antbirds are excellent at hopping and gripping onto branches, but they’re not strong fliers. They almost never cross waterways or even roads. This is one reason humans can negatively affect antbirds- more roads and clearings in the rainforest may restrict antbirds’ ability to travel in search of food.

Related posts:

1. Birds in Folklore from Around the World
2. The Wonders of Migration
3. First Bird Route Opened in Central America