Lore › Birds by region › Costa Rica

Birds of Costa Rica

Lore covers 884 bird species that have been recorded in Costa Rica, and 654 of them are regular birds you can reasonably expect to see. You learn them from real photos taken by birders, one question at a time: pick the right name, earn points and keep a daily streak. It is free and it works in your browser, no app needed.

The most common birds in Costa Rica

These are the birds you will meet first. Lore starts every guide with the common species, so you learn what you actually see in the field.

• Scarlet-rumped Tanager
  Ramphocelus passerinii
  Resident
• Yellow-throated Toucan
  Ramphastos ambiguus
  Resident
• Great Kiskadee
  Pitangus sulphuratus
  Resident
• Scarlet Macaw
  Ara macao
  Resident
• Clay-colored Thrush
  Turdus grayi
  Resident
• Great-tailed Grackle
  Quiscalus mexicanus
  Resident
• Black Vulture
  Coragyps atratus
  Resident
• Blue-gray Tanager
  Thraupis episcopus
  Resident
• Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
  Amazilia tzacatl
  Resident
• Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
  Tigrisoma mexicanum
  Resident
• Lesson's Motmot
  Momotus lessonii
  Resident
• Tropical Kingbird
  Tyrannus melancholicus
  Resident
• Great Curassow
  Crax rubra
  Resident
• Green-crowned Brilliant
  Heliodoxa jacula
  Resident
• Crested Guan
  Penelope purpurascens
  Resident
• Montezuma Oropendola
  Psarocolius montezuma
  Resident
• Keel-billed Toucan
  Ramphastos sulfuratus
  Resident
• Collared Aracari
  Pteroglossus torquatus
  Resident
• Lesser Violetear
  Colibri cyanotus
  Resident
• Resplendent Quetzal
  Pharomachrus mocinno
  Resident
• Red-legged Honeycreeper
  Cyanerpes cyaneus
  Resident
• Green Heron
  Butorides virescens
  Resident
• Rufous-collared Sparrow
  Zonotrichia capensis
  Resident
• Little Blue Heron
  Egretta caerulea
  Resident
• White-throated Magpie-Jay
  Cyanocorax formosus
  Resident
• Yellow-headed Caracara
  Daptrius chimachima
  Resident
• Common Black Hawk
  Buteogallus anthracinus
  Resident
• Summer Tanager
  Piranga rubra
  Visitor from the north
• Northern Jacana
  Jacana spinosa
  Resident
• Violet Sabrewing
  Campylopterus hemileucurus
  Resident
• Gray-headed Chachalaca
  Ortalis cinereiceps
  Resident
• Palm Tanager
  Thraupis palmarum
  Resident
• Spotted Sandpiper
  Actitis macularius
  Resident
• Hoffmann's Woodpecker
  Melanerpes hoffmannii
  Resident
• Brown Pelican
  Pelecanus occidentalis
  Resident
• White-winged Dove
  Zenaida asiatica
  Resident

Birds in Costa Rica through the year

Of the 654 regular birds in Costa Rica, Lore counts 523 resident species that stay all year and 47 winter visitors. The rest are partly migratory or irregular.

Most species are present in March (640 regular birds) and the fewest in June (571). Lore's guides follow the seasons, so you can learn the birds that are around this month, or the ones that arrive next month.

Regular birds present per month.

Which bird families are most common in Costa Rica?

The families with the most regular species in Costa Rica are Tyrant Flycatchers (58), Hummingbirds (49), Tanagers and Allies (42), New World Warblers (34) and Hawks, Eagles, and Kites (29).

How Lore teaches you the birds

• Real photos. Every picture was taken by a birder and credited in the game.
• Guides for your region. Common birds, year-round birds, summer and winter visitors, birds by family, and more.
• A daily mystery bird. Clues first, the photo last.
• Challenges. Play the same birds as your friends in a group, or join the open Ultimate Birders' Challenge.

More birds in North America

• All of North America
• United States
• Canada
• Florida
• California
• Texas
• Arizona
• Mexico
• Panama

Frequently asked questions

How many birds can I learn in Costa Rica? Lore has 884 species for Costa Rica, of which 654 are regular. The most common are the Scarlet-rumped Tanager, Yellow-throated Toucan and Great Kiskadee.

Is Lore free? Yes. Lore is free, has no ads and is made as a hobby. You do not need an account to start.

Where do the photos and data come from? Photos come from iNaturalist and Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licences, and rarity and names come from eBird. See the photo credits.