Costa Rica Focus

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Costa Rica
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Costa Rica Focus

Birding Experts

23/05/2026

Heavy rain. Frustrated guests. One more short stop before calling it.
What happened next is the kind of sighting that doesn't make any itinerary — because it can't be planned.
We wrote about it, and about why the best birding in Costa Rica often happens in the moments you didn't schedule.
Read the post → https://www.costaricafocus.com/best-birding-between-the-plans/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=between-plans

15/05/2026

We’re happy to share that Costa Rica Focus has been recognized with the 2026 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award. This is six times in a row!

A huge thank you to everyone who traveled with us, shared their sightings, trusted our guides, and took the time to leave reviews over the past year. This award is based on real traveler feedback, and that makes it especially meaningful to our team.

At Costa Rica Focus, we’ve always tried to keep things simple: small-group experiences, knowledgeable local guides, realistic expectations, and birding that’s built around the species and habitats people actually come here to see. From owls in the highlands to antbirds in the foothills and seabirds offshore, every tour is shaped by years spent in the field and by the guests who continue coming back to bird Costa Rica with us.

Whether you joined us for a custom private tour, a photography workshop, or your very first birding trip, thank you for being part of it.

And to our guides, drivers, lodge partners, and office team — this recognition belongs to all of you too.

Here’s to another year of early mornings, muddy boots, surprise sightings, and shared lifers.

Thank you for helping Costa Rica Focus earn the 2026 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309293-d15011383-Reviews-Costa_Rica_Focus-San_Jose_San_Jose_Metro_Province_of_San_Jose.html

11/05/2026

A good birding guide doesn’t just help you find birds — they completely change the pace and quality of the experience.

Our latest article breaks down what private birding guides in Costa Rica actually do, who benefits most from hiring one, and why many birders consider it the best investment of the trip: https://www.costaricafocus.com/private-birding-guide-costa-rica/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=hunt-hummingbirds

10/05/2026

What does a 202-species bird photography tour in Costa Rica look like?

For an international group of eight photographers and birders, it meant early mornings in quetzal country, hummingbird-filled gardens in the cloud forest, Scarlet Macaws crossing the Caribbean lowlands, and long afternoons working feeders, trails, and natural setups across the country.

Our latest trip report follows the route from the Central Valley to Tárcoles, Rancho Naturalista, Sarapiquí, Arenal, and beyond — with 29 hummingbird species recorded along the way: https://www.costaricafocus.com/costa-rica-bird-photography-tour-report-202-species-and-29-hummingbirds/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=hunt-hummingbirds

12/04/2026

I keep to the shadows where streams cut the land,
You’ll hear me in pairs if you stop and you stand.

A sharp little phrase, then it drops toward the ground—
And sometimes my partner will echo the sound.

I won’t come to feeders, I won’t pose in the light—
You earn me by listening, not chasing in sight.

Who am I?

We'll share the answer on Monday!

11/04/2026

March through May is when things overlap.

You’ve got migrants heading north, resident birds nesting, and activity picking up across habitats at the same time. It’s one of the most interesting windows to be in the field—and one a lot of people overlook.

If you’re planning a trip, this helps you time it right.

Read more: https://www.costaricafocus.com/spring-bird-migration-in-costa-rica-what-to-expect/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=spring-migration

10/04/2026

222 species, multiple life zones, and one very serious photography agenda.

This latest King Vulture Venture II trip report breaks down what happens when you stop chasing checklists and start working light, positioning, and timing properly. Over 15 days, the group moved from Tárcoles to the highlands and into the Caribbean lowlands, building a portfolio shaped by patience—not luck.

If you’ve ever wondered what a real bird photography trip in Costa Rica looks like (early starts, blinds, feeders, and a few moments that actually deliver), this one’s worth a read.

👉 Read the full trip report: https://www.costaricafocus.com/king-vulture-venture-ii-february-2026-trip-report/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=spring-migration

14/03/2026

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠? 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞.

On a recent Costa Rica Focus trip, three generations traveled together: grandparents, parents, and two sisters (ages 8 and 12) exploring the country with guide Alex.

The girls had one request early on: they wanted to see colorful tanagers. Not long after reaching the mountains, they spotted a brilliant Blue-and-gold Tanager.

From there the bird list kept growing. Near La Fortuna, the girls added a 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐫, 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡 𝐢𝐭 while their parents took pictures of the moment.

Later came the biggest mission of the trip: a 4:30 a.m. search for a Resplendent Quetzal in Savegre. The girls were already waiting at the car before sunrise.

They found the quetzal — and by the end of the trip their guide Alex had officially been renamed “Uncle Alex.”

Sometimes the best way to get kids interested in birds is simple: 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴?

𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗲.

13/03/2026

One of the most useful lessons many visiting birders learn in Costa Rica is simple: slow down.

Spending more time in one place often reveals far more than rushing between sites. A quiet morning on a single forest trail can produce tanagers moving through a mixed flock, trogons sitting motionless in the canopy, and the subtle movements that give away antbirds in the understory.

Many returning guests discover this on their second visit. With less pressure to “see everything,” they begin to notice behavior, vocalizations, and the small details that tropical birding rewards — the kind of observations that are easy to miss when moving too quickly between regions.

If you’re interested in why slowing your pace can improve both your species list and your field experience, you can read the full article here: https://www.costaricafocus.com/slowing-down-makes-you-a-better-birder-in-costa-rica/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=slow-down

Dirección

3 Kilometros Este De Plaza De Deportes Cachi,Peñas Blancas De Cachi, Quelitales
Cachí
30204

Teléfono

888 788 4272

Página web

http://www.costaricafocus.com/

Notificaciones

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