|
Bird Watching
This small
Central American country boasts of an amazing 850 species that
can be found within its national boundaries. Astoundingly, this
figure is higher than the amount of birds that can be found in
all of North America, from the southern border of the U.S. to
the Arctic extremes of Canada and Alaska. Another way to look
at this statistic is that it represents over 8% of the world's
bird species.
Half of the
country is mountainous or at least hilly, and this in combination
with varying temperatures and levels of rainfall creates a plenitude
of forest and vegetation types. These ecosystems, in turn, support
the wealth of birds.
The story
behind this diversity takes one back into the regions' geological
history. About 65 million years ago the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans
were connected in the region where Costa Rica stands today. Tectonic
activity prompted the creation of volcanic islands that began
to fill the gap that separated southern Nicaragua from northern
Panama. These early islands were probably visited by members of
bird families, such as cuckoos, parrots, pigeons, and waterfowl,
renowned for their ability to colonize remote islands. Larger
islands were believed to have been centers of evolution in their
won right. What today are the mountains of the Cordillera de Talamanca
and the Chiriqui highlands of Panama are home to many endemic
genera, species, and subspecies, which lends validity to the idea
that this mountainous area might have been just such an island.
In time the
islands rose far enough out of the sea to form a land bridge (Approximately
3 million years ago). This began a cycle of migrations, both north
and south, that enriched the avifauna of Costa Rica and Panama
immensely. Neotropical families such as the antbirds, jacamars,
puffbirds, hummingbirds, and the woodcreepers pushed north from
South America, whilst thrushes, guails, jays, and gnatcatchers
spread southwards. Subsequent glaciations might have facilitated
the spread of highland species from both the north temperate and
Andean regions. In the present day, the existence of an arid northwest,
mangroves, paramo, and two long coastlines set the stage for even
greater diversity.
Apart from
sheer abundance, the neotropics also offer visitors from the temperate
zone exposure to whole new taxonomic groups and phenomena particular
to the area. Imagine for a moment, a horde of a million ants marching
in search of prey. They can cover the forest floor like a rippling
blanket, and fleeing before them are dozens of grasshoppers, spiders,
cockroaches, and occasionally larger vertebrates such as lizards.
These are the army ants. Certain members of the neotropical avifauna,
such as the Bicolored Antbird, have evolved to forage exclusively
in accompaniment of army ant swarms. These swarms will often attract
up to a dozen different species, all drawn to the meal of flushed
insects that have emerged from their hideouts, hoping to avoid
the ants.
A second memorable
experience might be your mixed flock. A hauntingly still forest
can burst into life with a frenzy of birds whizzing by. Up to
thirty species have been recorded in Costa Rican mixed flocks.
Hawking and foraging in all levels of the habitat, the effect
can be dizzying to the observer. Then, as quickly as it arrived,
the flock can peter out and disappear into the deeper reaches
of the forest. In truth, this manner of birdwatching can be the
most fruitful in terms of species diversity.
Those with
a bit of good fortune might happen upon a bird lek. Males of species
such as the Bare Necked Umbrellabird and Long Tailed Manakin for
leks, where two or more males gather to perform songs and dances
to attract and mate with females. These displays can be simple
or elaborate. In the case of the Manakin, it involves singing
solos and duets, summersault dances, and a laborious butterfly
fight just to have a female become interested.
Costa Rica
is incredibly suited to birdwatching trips and expeditions. To
begin with there is a well-developed system of parks and conservation
areas, many of which are easily accessible. A rising awareness
and a growing conservation ethic are helping to consolidate protection
even further. Paralleling the park system is a network of hotels
and accommodations that run the spectrum of price ranges. Travelers
with even a modest budget allowance can still visit many a rich
bird habitat.
Ecosystems
and avifauna change considerably over rather short distances.
As a result, a half day of travel or less can usually bring you
to a completely different type of forest or habitat with a significant
change in bird species. This translates into less travelling time
and more time to simply savor the experience. It is not uncommon
to witness between 300-400 species of birds during a two week
visit.
It must be
said that this small sliver of the world has much to offer in
terms of natural history beyond the realm of birds alone. Anyone
interested in botany, butterflies, reptiles, primates, and ecology
as a whole will be well rewarded during a visit. In any case,
for those who enjoy it all, or even for those who would rather
spend their time looking exclusively for feathered friends, a
trip to Costa Rica is an exploration of one of the most fascinating
biomes of the planet.
Manuel Antonio National
Park Tour
Costa
Rica Rentals Contact
|
|
