Day 213: April 29, 2025 – Monteverde, Costa Rica
Costa Rica is known as a birding hot spot, and it did not disappoint. A day trip to Curi-Cancha Reserve in the Monteverde Cloud Forest gave me 28 lifers (birds I had not seen before), including two extra-special species, the Resplendent Quetzal and the Three-wattled Bellbird.
The Resplendent Quetzal is a stunningly beautiful bird with brilliant blue and green plumage. It was my target bird for Guatemala (where I thought I had the best chance of spotting it). So finding it before we even got there was a bonus.
The Three-wattled Bellbird is an odd creature, with three long wattles hanging from its bill and an unmistakable metallic call.
Watch the Bellbird show off his wattles while calling for his mate.
There was a lot of nesting going on this time of year.
Costa Rican lifers added to my list:
- Three-wattled Bellbird
- Resplendent Quetzal
- Long-tailed Manakin
- Costa Rican Warbler
- Golden-crowned Warbler
- White-eared Ground-Sparrow
- Golden-browed Chlorophonia
- White-throated Thrush
- Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush
- Black-faced Solitaire
- Yellowish Flycatcher
- Tufted Flycatcher
- White-throated Spadebill
- Lesson’s Motmot
- Boat-billed Flycatcher
- Northern Emerald-Toucanet
- Rufous-backed Wren
- Mangrove Swallow
- Dusky Antbird
- Green Kingfisher
- Amazon Kingfisher
- Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
- Double-striped Thick-knee
- Hoffmann’s Woodpecker
- Crane Hawk
- Brown Jay
- Streak-headed Woodcreeper
- Melodious Blackbird
5 responses to “Quetzals and Wattles”
Awesome pics! Thanks for sharing with us all.
Big list!
WOW, these are all spectacular birds, but the Resplendent Quetzal is the most grand! Your photography is outstanding. It’s a tremendous privilege for me to be able to follow your birding vicariously through your camera lens! 🙂
What a thrill for you! Agree, the resplendent quetzal is most mesmerizing! And its symbolism of freedom & wealth so important.
I still have some quetzals from a trip to Guatemala many decades ago.
Your captures are divine. Love the spadebill’s nest, the giant hawk wings and the wren at the moment of capture!
My fav- Lessons MotMot !!!!!!! you do an exquisite job capturing these birds with your camera!!!!!!!! But the Respondent Quetzal ….was truly magnificent.