COSTA RICA SPECIALTY BIRDS LIST
Accessible Species
NEOTROPICS
COSTA RICA
| Area (SqMi): | 19,730 |
| # Species: | 883 |
| # Excl Vagrants: | 814 |
| # Endemics: | 11 |
| # Near Endemics: | 78 |
| Species/1000 SqMi: | 41.3 |
OTHER COUNTRIES
IN THE NEOTROPICS
BIRDING LOCALES
DISTRIBUTION CODES
| Code | Description | ## |
| E | Endemic | 8 |
| LC | Local | 44 |
| NE | Near Endemic | 77 |
| RR | Restricted Range | 71 |
STATUS CODES
| Code | Description | ## |
| NT | Near Threatened | 37 |
| V | Vulnerable | 15 |
| EN | Endangered | 5 |
| CR | Critically Endangered | 3 |
Species counts in code tables depend on completeness of the data. For some countries or locales, data may not include all species or information on species presence may be incomplete.
List of all specialty birds in the country occurring in locales typically visited by birding tours. Specialties include endemics and globally threatened, vulnerable or endangered. Table indicates whether each species is globally threatened or endangered according to the IUCN and also whether it is migratory, very rare, or accidental in the country. See sidebar for meaning of location codes and symbols associated with common names.*
| 1 | Slaty-breasted Tinamou | Crypturellus boucardi | V | |
| 2 | Fulvous Whistling-Duck | Dendrocygna bicolor | RR | |
| 3 | Masked Duck | Nomonyx dominicus | LC | |
| 4 | Plain Chachalaca | Ortalis vetula | RR | |
| 5 | Crested Guan | Penelope purpurascens | NT | |
| 6 | Black Guan | Chamaepetes unicolor | NE | |
| 7 | Great Curassow | Crax rubra | LC | V |
| 8 | Tawny-faced Quail | Rhynchortyx cinctus | LC | NT |
| 9 | Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge | Dendrortyx leucophrys | LC | |
| 10 | Crested Bobwhite | Colinus cristatus | RR | |
| 11 | Marbled Wood-Quail | Odontophorus gujanensis | RR | |
| 12 | Black-eared Wood-Quail | Odontophorus melanotis | LC | NT |
| 13 | Black-breasted Wood-Quail | Odontophorus leucolaemus | NE | |
| 14 | Maroon-chested Ground Dove | Paraclaravis mondetoura | LC | |
| 15 | Violaceous Quail-Dove | Geotrygon violacea | LC | |
| 16 | Buff-fronted Quail-Dove | Zentrygon costaricensis | NE | |
| 17 | Purplish-backed Quail-Dove | Zentrygon lawrencii | NE | |
| 18 | Chiriqui Quail-Dove | Zentrygon chiriquensis | NE | |
| 19 | Smooth-billed Ani | Crotophaga ani | RR | |
| 20 | Lesser Ground-Cuckoo | Morococcyx erythropygus | RR | |
| 21 | Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo | Neomorphus geoffroyi | V | |
| 22 | White-tailed Nightjar | Hydropsalis cayennensis | LC | |
| 23 | /Chuck-will's-widow/ | Antrostomus carolinensis | NT | |
| 24 | Rufous Nightjar | Antrostomus rufus | LC | |
| 25 | Dusky Nightjar | Antrostomus saturatus | NE | |
| 26 | Black Swift | Cypseloides niger | V | |
| 27 | Costa Rican Swift | Chaetura fumosa | NE | |
| 28 | |Chimney Swift| | Chaetura pelagica | V | |
| 29 | Brown Violetear | Colibri delphinae | LC | |
| 30 | Veraguan Mango | Anthracothorax veraguensis | NE | |
| 31 | Black-crested Coquette | Lophornis helenae | RR | |
| 32 | <White-crested Coquette> | Lophornis adorabilis | NE | |
| 33 | Talamanca Hummingbird | Eugenes spectabilis | NE | |
| 34 | Plain-capped Starthroat | Heliomaster constantii | RR | |
| 35 | Fiery-throated Hummingbird | Panterpe insignis | NE | |
| 36 | White-bellied Mountain-gem | Lampornis hemileucus | NE | |
| 37 | Purple-throated Mountain-gem | Lampornis calolaemus | NE | |
| 38 | White-throated Mountain-gem | Lampornis castaneoventris | E | |
| 39 | Magenta-throated Woodstar | Philodice bryantae | NE | |
| 40 | Volcano Hummingbird | Selasphorus flammula | NE | |
| 41 | Scintillant Hummingbird | Selasphorus scintilla | NE | |
| 42 | Garden Emerald | Chlorostilbon assimilis | NE | |
| 43 | Snowcap | Microchera albocoronata | LC | |
| 44 | Coppery-headed Emerald | Microchera cupreiceps | E | |
| 45 | White-tailed Emerald | Microchera chionura | NE | |
| 46 | Stripe-tailed Hummingbird | Eupherusa eximia | RR | |
| 47 | Black-bellied Hummingbird | Eupherusa nigriventris | NE | |
| 48 | Snowy-bellied Hummingbird | Saucerottia edward | NE | |
| 49 | Mangrove Hummingbird | Amazilia boucardi | E | EN |
| 50 | Charming Hummingbird | Polyerata decora | NE | |
| 51 | Rufous-necked Wood-Rail | Aramides axillaris | RR | |
| 52 | Yellow-breasted Crake | Hapalocrex flaviventer | LC | |
| 53 | Black Rail | Laterallus jamaicensis | EN | |
| 54 | Sungrebe | Heliornis fulica | LC | |
| 55 | Limpkin | Aramus guarauna | RR | |
| 56 | Double-striped Thick-knee | Hesperoburhinus bistriatus | RR | |
| 57 | Collared Plover | Anarhynchus collaris | LC | |
| 58 | /Red Knot/ | Calidris canutus | NT | |
| 59 | |Buff-breasted Sandpiper| | Calidris subruficollis | NT | |
| 60 | /Semipalmated Sandpiper/ | Calidris pusilla | NT | |
| 61 | /Elegant Tern/ | Thalasseus elegans | NT | |
| 62 | Leach's Storm-Petrel | Hydrobates leucorhoa | V | |
| 63 | Markham's Storm-Petrel | Hydrobates markhami | NT | |
| 64 | Galapagos Petrel | Pterodroma phaeopygia | CR | |
| 65 | Parkinson's Petrel | Procellaria parkinsoni | V | |
| 66 | Pink-footed Shearwater | Ardenna creatopus | V | |
| 67 | Sooty Shearwater | Ardenna griseus | NT | |
| 68 | Jabiru | Jabiru mycteria | RR | |
| 69 | Fasciated Tiger-Heron | Tigrisoma fasciatum | LC | |
| 70 | Boat-billed Heron | Cochlearius cochlearius | LC | |
| 71 | Agami Heron | Agamia agami | LC | V |
| 72 | Pinnated Bittern | Botaurus pinnatus | LC | |
| 73 | /Reddish Egret/ | Egretta rufescens | NT | |
| 74 | Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture | Cathartes burrovianus | RR | |
| 75 | Gray-headed Kite | Leptodon cayanensis | LC | |
| 76 | Crested Eagle | Morphnus guianensis | NT | |
| 77 | Harpy Eagle | Harpia harpyja | V | |
| 78 | Ornate Hawk-Eagle | Spizaetus ornatus | NT | |
| 79 | Savanna Hawk | Buteogallus meridionalis | RR | |
| 80 | Solitary Eagle | Buteogallus solitarius | LC | NT |
| 81 | Harris's Hawk | Parabuteo unicinctus | RR | |
| 82 | Choco Screech-Owl** | Megascops centalis | RR | |
| 83 | Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl | Glaucidium costaricanum | NE | |
| 84 | Striped Owl | Asio clamator | LC | |
| 85 | Unspotted Saw-whet Owl | Aegolius ridgwayi | RR | |
| 86 | Resplendent Quetzal | Pharomachrus mocinno | NT | |
| 87 | Lattice-tailed Trogon | Trogon clathratus | NE | |
| 88 | Baird's Trogon | Trogon bairdii | NE | NT |
| 89 | Elegant Trogon | Trogon elegans | RR | |
| 90 | Tody Motmot | Hylomanes momotula | LC | |
| 91 | Keel-billed Motmot | Electron carinatum | LC | V |
| 92 | Turquoise-browed Motmot | Eumomota superciliosa | RR | |
| 93 | Pied Puffbird | Notharchus tectus | RR | |
| 94 | Prong-billed Barbet | Semnornis frantzii | NE | |
| 95 | Fiery-billed Aracari | Pteroglossus frantzii | NE | |
| 96 | Yellow-throated Toucan | Ramphastos ambiguus | NT | |
| 97 | Keel-billed Toucan | Ramphastos sulfuratus | NT | |
| 98 | Acorn Woodpecker | Melanerpes formicivorus | RR | |
| 99 | Golden-naped Woodpecker | Melanerpes chrysauchen | NE | |
| 100 | Red-crowned Woodpecker | Melanerpes rubricapillus | RR | |
| 101 | Hairy Woodpecker | Dryobates villosus | RR | |
| 102 | Red-rumped Woodpecker | Dryobates kirkii | LC | |
| 103 | Crested Caracara | Caracara cheriway | RR | |
| 104 | Red-fronted Parrotlet | Touit costaricensis | NE | NT |
| 105 | Yellow-naped Parrot | Amazona auropalliata | RR | CR |
| 106 | White-fronted Parrot | Amazona albifrons | RR | |
| 107 | Sulphur-winged Parakeet | Pyrrhura hoffmanni | NE | |
| 108 | Olive-throated Parakeet | Eupsittula nana | NT | |
| 109 | Orange-fronted Parakeet | Eupsittula canicularis | RR | V |
| 110 | Brown-throated Parakeet | Eupsittula pertinax | RR | |
| 111 | Great Green Macaw | Ara ambiguus | LC | CR |
| 112 | Scarlet Macaw | Ara macao | RR | |
| 113 | Rufous-rumped Antwren | Euchrepomis callinota | LC | |
| 114 | Black-hooded Antshrike | Thamnophilus bridgesi | NE | |
| 115 | Dull-mantled Antbird | Sipia laemosticta | NE | |
| 116 | Black-crowned Antpitta | Pittasoma michleri | RR | |
| 117 | Ochre-breasted Antpitta | Grallaricula flavirostris | NT | |
| 118 | Silvery-fronted Tapaculo | Scytalopus argentifrons | NE | |
| 119 | Black-headed Antthrush | Formicarius nigricapillus | RR | |
| 120 | Gray-throated Leaftosser | Sclerurus albigularis | NT | |
| 121 | Tawny-winged Woodcreeper | Dendrocincla anabatina | RR | |
| 122 | Ivory-billed Woodcreeper | Xiphorhynchus flavigaster | RR | |
| 123 | Buffy Tuftedcheek | Pseudocolaptes lawrencii | NE | |
| 124 | Ruddy Foliage-gleaner | Clibanornis rubiginosus | LC | |
| 125 | Streak-breasted Treehunter | Thripadectes rufobrunneus | NE | |
| 126 | Chiriqui Foliage-gleaner | Automolus exsertus | NE | |
| 127 | Ruddy Treerunner | Margarornis rubiginosus | NE | |
| 128 | Pale-breasted Spinetail | Synallaxis albescens | RR | |
| 129 | Lance-tailed Manakin | Chiroxiphia lanceolata | RR | |
| 130 | Velvety Manakin | Lepidothrix velutina | RR | |
| 131 | Orange-collared Manakin | Manacus aurantiacus | NE | |
| 132 | Bare-necked Umbrellabird | Cephalopterus glabricollis | NE | EN |
| 133 | Lovely Cotinga | Cotinga amabilis | LC | |
| 134 | <Turquoise Cotinga> | Cotinga ridgwayi | NE | V |
| 135 | Three-wattled Bellbird | Procnias tricarunculatus | V | |
| 136 | <Yellow-billed Cotinga> | Carpodectes antoniae | NE | NT |
| 137 | Speckled Mourner | Laniocera rufescens | LC | |
| 138 | Sharpbill | Oxyruncus cristatus | LC | |
| 139 | Tropical Royal-Flycatcher | Onychorhynchus coronatus | E | |
| 140 | Black-tailed Flycatcher | Myiobius atricaudus | LC | |
| 141 | Gray-headed Piprites | Piprites griseiceps | LC | |
| 142 | Stub-tailed Spadebill | Platyrinchus cancrominus | RR | |
| 143 | Olive-streaked Flycatcher | Mionectes olivaceus | NE | |
| 144 | Sepia-capped Flycatcher | Leptopogon amaurocephalus | LC | |
| 145 | Rufous-browed Tyrannulet | Phylloscartes superciliaris | LC | |
| 146 | Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet | Camptostoma imberbe | RR | |
| 147 | Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet | Camptostoma obsoletum | RR | |
| 148 | Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet | Tyrannulus elatus | RR | |
| 149 | Lesser Elaenia | Elaenia chiriquensis | RR | |
| 150 | Bran-colored Flycatcher | Myiophobus fasciatus | RR | |
| 151 | Tawny-chested Flycatcher | Aphanotriccus capitalis | NE | V |
| 152 | |Olive-sided Flycatcher| | Contopus cooperi | NT | |
| 153 | Ochraceous Pewee | Contopus ochraceus | NE | |
| 154 | Dark Pewee | Contopus lugubris | NE | |
| 155 | Black-capped Flycatcher | Empidonax atriceps | NE | |
| 156 | Panama Flycatcher | Myiarchus panamensis | RR | |
| 157 | Nutting's Flycatcher | Myiarchus nuttingi | RR | |
| 158 | Brown-crested Flycatcher | Myiarchus tyrannulus | RR | |
| 159 | Rusty-margined Flycatcher | Myiozetetes cayanensis | RR | |
| 160 | Fork-tailed Flycatcher | Tyrannus savana | LC | |
| 161 | Scrub Greenlet | Hylophilus flavipes | RR | |
| 162 | Mangrove Vireo | Vireo pallens | RR | |
| 163 | Yellow-winged Vireo | Vireo carmioli | NE | |
| 164 | Silvery-throated Jay | Cyanolyca argentigula | NE | |
| 165 | White-throated Magpie-Jay | Calocitta formosa | RR | |
| 166 | Black-chested Jay | Cyanocorax affinis | RR | |
| 167 | White-lored Gnatcatcher | Polioptila albiloris | RR | |
| 168 | Nightingale Wren | Microcerculus philomela | RR | |
| 169 | Scaly-breasted Wren | Microcerculus marginatus | RR | |
| 170 | Ochraceous Wren | Troglodytes ochraceus | NE | |
| 171 | Timberline Wren | Thryorchilus browni | NE | |
| 172 | Grass Wren | Cistothorus platensis | LC | |
| 173 | Rufous-naped Wren | Campylorhynchus rufinucha | RR | |
| 174 | Black-bellied Wren | Pheugopedius fasciatoventris | RR | |
| 175 | Rufous-breasted Wren | Pheugopedius rutilus | RR | |
| 176 | Banded Wren | Thryophilus pleurostictus | RR | |
| 177 | Rufous-and-white Wren | Thryophilus rufalbus | RR | |
| 178 | Isthmian Wren | Cantorchilus elutus | NE | |
| 179 | Riverside Wren | Cantorchilus semibadius | NE | |
| 180 | Black-faced Solitaire | Myadestes melanops | NE | |
| 181 | Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush | Catharus gracilirostris | NE | |
| 182 | Sooty Thrush | Turdus nigrescens | NE | |
| 183 | Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher | Phainoptila melanoxantha | NE | |
| 184 | Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher | Ptiliogonys caudatus | NE | |
| 185 | Golden-browed Chlorophonia | Chlorophonia callophrys | NE | |
| 186 | Scrub Euphonia | Euphonia affinis | RR | |
| 187 | Thick-billed Euphonia | Euphonia laniirostris | RR | |
| 188 | Spot-crowned Euphonia | Euphonia imitans | NE | |
| 189 | <Yellow-bellied Siskin> | Spinus xanthogastrus | RR | |
| 190 | Rosy Thrush-Tanager | Rhodinocichla rosea | LC | |
| 191 | Ashy-throated Chlorospingus | Chlorospingus canigularis | LC | |
| 192 | Sooty-capped Chlorospingus | Chlorospingus pileatus | NE | |
| 193 | Stripe-headed Sparrow | Peucaea ruficauda | RR | |
| 194 | Grasshopper Sparrow | Ammodramus savannarum | RR | |
| 195 | Olive Sparrow | Arremonops rufivirgatus | RR | |
| 196 | Costa Rican Brushfinch | Arremon costaricensis | NE | |
| 197 | Sooty-faced Finch | Arremon crassirostris | NE | |
| 198 | Volcano Junco | Junco vulcani | NE | |
| 199 | Large-footed Finch | Pezopetes capitalis | NE | |
| 200 | Cabanis's Ground-Sparrow | Melozone cabanisi | E | NT |
| 201 | Yellow-thighed Brushfinch | Atlapetes tibialis | NE | |
| 202 | Eastern Meadowlark | Sturnella magna | NT | |
| 203 | Red-breasted Meadowlark | Leistes militaris | RR | |
| 204 | Crested Oropendola | Psarocolius decumanus | RR | |
| 205 | Yellow-tailed Oriole | Icterus mesomelas | LC | |
| 206 | Streak-backed Oriole | Icterus pustulatus | RR | |
| 207 | Spot-breasted Oriole | Icterus pectoralis | LC | |
| 208 | Nicaraguan Grackle | Quiscalus nicaraguensis | NE | |
| 209 | /Golden-winged Warbler/ | Vermivora chrysoptera | NT | |
| 210 | Flame-throated Warbler | Oreothlypis gutturalis | NE | |
| 211 | Chiriqui Yellowthroat** | Geothlypis chiriquensis | NE | |
| 212 | Cerulean Warbler | Setophaga cerulea | NT | |
| 213 | /Golden-cheeked Warbler/ | Setophaga chrysoparia | EN | |
| 214 | Black-cheeked Warbler | Basileuterus melanogenys | NE | |
| 215 | Costa Rican Warbler | Basileuterus melanotis | NE | |
| 216 | Collared Redstart | Myioborus torquatus | NE | |
| 217 | Wrenthrush | Zeledonia coronata | NE | |
| 218 | Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager | Habia atrimaxillaris | E | NT |
| 219 | Black-thighed Grosbeak | Pheucticus tibialis | NE | |
| 220 | Blue Seedeater | Amaurospiza concolor | LC | |
| 221 | /Painted Bunting/ | Passerina ciris | LC | |
| 222 | White-throated Shrike-Tanager | Lanio leucothorax | NT | |
| 223 | Blue-and-gold Tanager | Bangsia arcaei | NE | NT |
| 224 | Spangle-cheeked Tanager | Tangara dowii | NE | |
| 225 | Rufous-winged Tanager | Tangara lavinia | RR | |
| 226 | Black-and-yellow Tanager | Chrysothlypis chrysomelas | NE | |
| 227 | Slaty Flowerpiercer | Diglossa plumbea | NE | |
| 228 | <Slaty Finch> | Haplospiza rustica | RR | |
| 229 | <Peg-billed Finch> | Acanthidops bairdi | NE | |
| 230 | Ruddy-breasted Seedeater | Sporophila minuta | LC | |
| 231 | Yellow-bellied Seedeater | Sporophila nigricollis | LC | |
| 232 | Streaked Saltator | Saltator striatipectus | RR |
*Nomenclature and taxonomic affinities are based on Clements 6th Edition published 2007 with updates through 2021 maintained by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, which relies largely on the AOU and SACC nomenclature committees. IUCN status may reflect splits not currently recognized by Clements.
**Species not accepted by Clements, AOU, or SACC that we recognize based on the IOC, field observations along with geographical separation, consensus opinions of field guide authors, and other sources. These species are potential splits in future Clements updates.