Costa Rica: 12th March 2020 - the Grand Finale

I was up early at Savegre, not wanting to lose a minute of potential birding time on our last half day.  I met Angie outside and we walked down to the river passing early rising Ruddy Capped Nightingale-Thrushes and Rufous-collared Sparrows on the way. An Osprey was a pleasant surprise as it headed for one of the trout fisheries we saw yesterday afternoon and the Acorn Woodpeckers were in and out of their nest hole.

Rufous-collared Sparrow

Ruddy Crowned Nightingale-Thrush

The same selection of Hummingbirds was on the stand of Cannas with the white flashes of the Stripe-tailed catching your eye as they dashed up and down.

We came back via the inside trail and found a Torrent Tyrannulet on the boating lake using the little white vessels as a lookout while a Louisiana Waterthrush bobbed around the edges, favouring the puddles where the water overflowed back towards the river. 

Torrent Tyrannulet

Yellow-bellied Siskins flew around calling and we heard the ‘plu-ip’ once again of Paltry Tyrannulet and managed a glimpse in a tree top where a couple of Tennessee Warblers were feeding.

However, the star performer for pre-breakfast was a Grey Breasted Wood Wren who fed, unconcerned with our presence as it poked around a flower bed and orchid strewn stump.

Grey Breasted Wood Wren

Grey Breasted Wood Wren

All too soon it was time to eat and then the final quick pack of the bags with a nodding glance at the Hummers, Slaty Flowerpiercers, Flame-coloured Tanagers and Clay Coloured Thrushes as we packed the bus.

Slaty Flowerpiercer

Soon we were off but stopped not too far up the road for a final attempt at American Dipper but to no avail although the Long-tailed Silky Flycatchers here put on a good show and both Torrent Tyrannulet and Mountain Thrush were to be seen but we had to move on as birding time was at a premium.

Torrent Tyrannulet

Mountain Thrush

It did not take too long to arrive at Paraiso Quetzal – a restaurant where we would be having an early lunch that afforded great views of the landscape and had some Hummingbird feeders actually in the sunshine.

 

A tiny wild Fuchia

What ensued was a frenzy of photography. The sunlight brought the four species present to life and they shone and sparkled. You did not need bins, they were so close and unconcerned.

Volcanos were the smallest and once again not one had any throat colour but they were so tiny and feisty with it. 

 

Volcano Hummingbird

Volcano - Steve Cullum

Next up were the Lesser Violetears which were a joy having only seen them ‘tick tocking’ in the canopy, decked out in iridescent green with almost projecting purple cheek patches. 

Lesser Violetear

Then the Fiery-throated and when the light caught them you heard everyone draw in breath. Pick a colour and it would appear and disappear somewhere on the throat patch and breast of this sparkly gem.  

Fiery-throated sharing with a sleepy Lesser Violetear

and likewise

Fiery-throated Hummingbird

Last but not least were the chunky Talamancas who suddenly went from just looking plain green to having a gleaming almost pink crown and peacock green front. The females almost looked like a different species as the bill appeared longer and more down curved.

Talamanca

Talamanca with a Fiery Throated

female Talamancas

female Talamanca - Steve Cullum

Talamanca with Lesser Violetear

Talamanca with Volcano

What you have to try and imagine is that all of these observations were taken at breakneck speed. A freshly filled feeder would suddenly be swarmed by glittering jewels hurtling in and out at lightning speed, causing you to flinch as they narrowly missed your head or other piece of inconveniently placed anatomy.  Occasionally one would perch and pause to catch its breath before rejoining the fray. The colours would flash like distant avian supernovas and be gone in an instant only to reappear a second later somewhere else.  We had all been watching Hummers for two weeks but nothing compared to this experience.

from top left Violetear, Talamanca, Fiery Throated

Fiery Throateds and a back on Violetear who has the best tail of any Hummer I saw

female Talamanca and Fiery Throateds

The three...

There were more than just Hummers to see with Silkies and Mountain Elaenias in the bushes below and perhaps one of the more ludicrously coloured species as yet encountered with a pair of Golden-browed Chlorophonias. Both were bright lime green and egg yolk yellow and the male also had an electric powder blue crown and half collar.

Long-tailed Silky Flycatcher

Long-tailed Silky Flycatcher

Golden-browed Chlorophonia

Golden-browed Chlorophonia

Golden-browed Chlorophonia - Steve Cullum

A walk had been planned but Steve had been negotiating and we were back on the bus with a local guide from the lodge to head up to a Quetzal nest on a farmstead where the birds would be in the sunshine and where we would be helping the farmer and local tourist industry simply by showing up. We approached the nest site via the back of the small holding past the ‘house’ of the farmer that was basically a multitude of corrugated sheeting jumbled together to form a rambling one level dwelling. I could hear music inside and laughing kids and a lady waved through a plastic window.

In their garden stood a funny looking tree and our guide informed us that it was a man made nest box from an old trunk as so many nest sites were destroyed during a great storm several years before.  The team started with nest boxes but the Quetzals were not keen on them but these fake tree hole ones have been very successful. 

We had only been there a couple of minutes when the female came in with some insect food for the young inside but the male had to leave first which he did in a flurry of metallic green, red and white with that obscene tail trailing behind.  He did not linger and she soon disappeared into the hole with lunch.

female Resplendent Quetzal

female Resplendent Quetzal - Steve Cullum

off goes the male Quetzal

and in comes the female

The wait was now on to see if the male returned and with the clock ticking we took in all the other birds to be seen with Rufous Collared Sparrows coming to a feeder right alongside us and Long-tailed Silkies and Greyish Saltators in the trees opposite.  A Black-throated Green Warbler fed low down and a boisterous bunch of White Naped Brush Finches played chase and one confident bird even came all the way up to the Sparrow feeder which was considerate of it.  A Red-tailed Hawk condescended to find its way at last on to every list and a Rufous-browed Peppershrike sang behind us.

Greyish Saltators

Red-tailed Hawk

White Naped Brush Finches

Time was almost up and our collective willing for the male to return worked at last. He stayed at the back for a while flicking out those white tail sides and swooshing those elongated plumes before making a dash for the hole. He did not stay long and as he left you could hear the 25 people present praying that he would land on the specially placed high horizontal perch that had been created for him.

male Resplendent Quetzal

...doing his actually 'I am a big green cockerel' impression

He did just that and spent our last five minutes there posing in all his most resplendent glory.

It was a happy bus back towards lunch but our guide wanted to try for a couple of specialities for us.  He took us off piste on the Lodge entrance drive and within a few minutes we were surrounded by birds with Large footed Finches, Long-tailed and the hoped for Black and Yellow Silky Flycatchers and then we heard him saying ‘Wrenthrush’.

Black and Yellow Silky Flycatcher

 

And there, not a few yards away was the fabled Zeledonia that we had heard so close at Savegre yesterday. It was almost completely spherical, ash grey below and olive above with a blazing orange central crown with a black border. Thankfully everyone (eventually) got onto this enigmatic bird.

Zeledonia

We now tried for the other of the mega-elusive pair, the Silvery Fronted Tapaculo and although a singing bird came within just a few feet of us we could not see it at all and snuck in and out un-noticed.

It was time for a final lunch and a toast to Gina, Steve and Ramon for a magnificently executed adventure before a last little hummingbird fix and the tedious journey back into and out of San Jose to the airport and our long journey home.

It all went smoothly and we were all safely home by mid afternoon the following day having somehow managed to complete our holiday safely and in its entirety before the Covid pandemic shut the world down.

Postscript:

Writing this blog during the course of lockdown has been a therapeutic delight in troubled times. It has allowed me to relive each day from start to finish, to savour the images captured and experiences gained and to share them with whoever would care to work their way through 30,000 words and about a 1000 pictures.

I knew from the outset that Costa Rica would be a life changer.  My understanding of what biodiversity meant was blown apart. I had spent two weeks in a country about the size of Wales and experienced 433 species from about 900 present and lost myself in the sensory world of the jungle.  I cannot wait to go back.

I came home to a tentative early British spring only to think that I had had that taken away from me by the lockdown and being quite rightly Furloughed. However, I think that, for me at any rate, it may have been the best thing to have happened as I have been determined to get out and discover on foot, the area in which I have lived for the last twenty years. I have taken more delight in the simplicity of an English woodland emerging from a grey and dank winter, the territorial wrangling of my local Mistle Thrushes, the carpets of flowers under the trees and thriving on our roadsides and footpaths and the insects visiting them, the fact that Skylarks, Corn Buntings, Hawfinches, Firecrests and Ravens all breed within an hour walk of home and the sheer joy of being in my own garden waiting for the first Swift to come back for the summer.

It is not quite the end of April yet and there is more exploring to be done but Costa Rica will now always be in my head to fall back on when I need a memory fix to keep me going.

The Bird List: 

Great Tinamou	Tinamus major
Little Tinamou	Crypturellus soui
Neotropic Cormorant	Phalacrocorax brasilianus
Anhinga	Anhinga anhinga
Brown Pelican	Pelecanus occidentalis
Magnificent Frigatebird	Fregata magnificens
Reddish Egret	Egretta rufescens
Tricolored Heron	Egretta tricolor
Little Blue Heron	Egretta caerulea
Snowy Egret	Egretta thula
Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias herodias
Great Egret	Egretta alba
Western Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis
Green Heron	Butorides virescens
Yellow-crowned Night-heron	Nyctanassa violacea
Black-crowned Night-heron	Nycticorax nycticorax
Boat-billed Heron	Cochlearius cochlearia
Bare-throated Tiger-heron	Tigrisoma mexicanum
Fasciated Tiger-heron	Tigrisoma fasciatum
Pinnated Bittern	Botaurus pinnatus
Least Bittern	Ixobrychus exilis
Wood Stork	Mycteria americana
Jabiru	Jabiru mycteria
White Ibis	Eudocimus albus
Green Ibis	Mesembrinibis cayennensis
Roseate Spoonbill	Ajaia ajaja
Limpkin	Aramus guarauna
Black-bellied Whistling-duck	Dendrocygna autumnalis
Fulvous Whistling-duck	Dendrocygna bicolor
Muscovy Duck	Cairina moschata
Blue-winged Teal	Anas discors
Masked Duck	Nomonyx dominicus
Black Vulture	Coragyps atratus
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture	Cathartes burrovianus
Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura
King Vulture	Sarcoramphus papa
Grey-headed Kite	Leptodon cayanensis
Black-collared Hawk	Busarellus nigricollis
American Swallow-tailed Kite	Elanoides forficatus
White-tailed Kite	Elanus leucurus
Snail Kite	Rostrhamus sociabilis
Plumbeous Kite	Ictinia plumbea
Harris' Hawk	Parabuteo unicinctus
Semiplumbeous Hawk	Leucopternis semiplumbea
White Hawk	Leucopternis albicollis
Mangrove Black-hawk	Buteogallus subtilis
Grey Hawk	Asturina plagiata
Roadside Hawk	Rupornis magnirostris
Broad-winged Hawk	Buteo platypterus
Short-tailed Hawk	Buteo brachyurus
Swainson's Hawk	Buteo swainsoni
Zone-tailed Hawk	Buteo albonotatus
Red-tailed Hawk	Buteo jamaicensis
Ornate Hawk-eagle	Spizaetus ornatus
Osprey	Pandion haliaetus
Northern Crested Caracara	Polyborus plancus
Yellow-headed Caracara	Milvago chimachima
Laughing Falcon	Herpetotheres cachinnans
Barred Forest-falcon	Micrastur ruficollis
Bat Falcon	Falco rufigularis
Peregrine Falcon	Falco peregrinus
Grey-headed Chachalaca	Ortalis cinereiceps
Crested Guan	Penelope purpurascens
Black Guan	Chamaepetes unicolor
Great Curassow	Crax rubra
White-throated Crake	Laterallus albigularis
Yellow-breasted Crake	Porzana flaviventer
Russet-naped Wood-Rail	Aramides albiventris
Uniform Crake	Amaurolimnas concolor
American Purple Gallinule	Porphyrio martinicus
Common Gallinule	Gallinula chloropus
Sungrebe	Heliornis fulica
Northern Jacana	Jacana spinosa
Black-necked Stilt	Himantopus mexicanus
Double-striped Thick-knee	Burhinus bistriatus
Southern Lapwing	Vanellus chilensis
Hudsonian Whimbrel	Numenius hudsonicus
Greater Yellowlegs	Tringa melanoleuca
Lesser Yellowlegs	Tringa flavipes
Solitary Sandpiper	Tringa solitaria
Spotted Sandpiper	Actitis macularia
Willet	Catoptrophorus semipalmatus
Least Sandpiper	Calidris minutilla
Dunlin	Calidris alpina
Pectoral Sandpiper	Calidris melanotos
Laughing Gull	Larus atricilla
Caspian Tern	Sterna caspia
Rock Pigeon  (Feral)	Columba livia 'feral'
Scaled Pigeon	Patagioenas speciosa
Band-tailed Pigeon	Patagioenas fasciata
Pale-vented Pigeon	Patagioenas cayennensis
Red-billed Pigeon	Patagioenas flavirostris
Ruddy Pigeon	Patagioenas subvinacea
Short-billed Pigeon	Patagioenas nigrirostris
White-winged Dove	Zenaida asiatica
Inca Dove	Columbina inca
Common Ground-dove	Columbina passerina
Ruddy Ground-dove	Columbina talpacoti
Blue Ground-dove	Claravis pretiosa
Gray-headed Dove	Leptotila plumbeiceps
White-tipped Dove	Leptotila verreauxi
Gray-chested Dove	Leptotila cassini
Buff-fronted Quail-Dove	Zentrygon costaricensis
Ruddy Quail-Dove	Geotrygon montana
Great Green Macaw	Ara ambigua
Scarlet Macaw	Ara macao
Finch's Parakeet (FKA Crimson-fronted)	Psittacara finschi
Olive-throated Parakeet	Eupsittula nana
Orange-fronted Parakeet	Eupsittula canicularis
Sulphur-winged Parakeet	Pyrrhura hoffmanni
Orange-chinned Parakeet	Brotogeris jugularis
White-crowned Parrot	Pionus senilis
White-fronted Parrot	Amazona albifrons
Red-lored Parrot	Amazona autumnalis
Yellow-naped Parrot	Amazona auropalliata
Mealy Parrot	Amazona farinosa
Mangrove Cuckoo	Coccyzus minor
Squirrel Cuckoo	Piaya cayana
Groove-billed Ani	Crotophaga sulcirostris
Tropical Screech-owl	Megascops choliba
Striped Owl	Pseudoscops clamator
Mottled Owl	Ciccaba virgata
Black-and-white Owl	Ciccaba nigrolineata
Spectacled Owl	Pulsatrix perspicillata
Unspotted Saw-whet	Aegolius ridgwayi
Central American Pygmy-owl	Glaucidium griseiceps
Ferruginous Pygmy-owl	Glaucidium brasilianum
Great Potoo	Nyctibius grandis
Common Potoo	Nyctibius griseus
Chuck-Wills-Widow	Antrostomus carolinensis
Short-tailed Nighthawk	Lurocalis semitorquatus
Lesser Nighthawk	Chordeiles acutipennis
Common Pauraque	Nyctidromus albicollis
Dusky Nightjar	Antrostomus saturatus
White-collared Swift	Streptoprocne zonaris
Costa Rican Swift	Chaetura fumosa
Grey-rumped Swift	Chaetura cinereiventris
Vaux's Swift	Chaetura vauxi
Band-tailed Barbthroat	Threnetes ruckeri
Green Hermit	Phaethornis guy
Long-billed Hermit	Phaethornis longirostris
Striped-throated Hermit	Phaethornis longuemareus
Scaly-breasted Hummingbird	Phaeochroa cuvierii
Violet Sabrewing	Campylopterus hemileucurus
White-necked Jacobin	Florisuga mellivora
Lesser Violet-ear	Colibri cyanotus
Green-breasted Mango	Anthracothorax prevostii
Violet-headed Hummingbird	Klais guimeti
Black-crested Coquette	Lophornis helenae
Green Thorntail	Discosura conversii
Cannivet’s Emerald	Chlorostilbon canivetii
Crowned Woodnymph	Thalurania colombica
Fiery-throated Hummingbird	Panterpe insignis
Blue-throated Sapphire (FKA BT Goldentail)	Hylocharis eliciae
Blue-chested Hummingbird	Amazilia amabilis
Mangrove Hummingbird      E	Amazilia boucardi
Cinnamon Hummingbird	Amazilia rutila
Blue-vented Hummingbird (FKA Steely-vented)	Amazilia hoffmanni
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird	Amazilia tzacatl
Stripe-tailed Hummingbird	Eupherusa eximia
Black-bellied Hummingbird	Eupherusa nigriventris
Coppery-headed Emerald     E	Elvira cupreiceps
Talamanca Hummingbird (FKA Magnificent)	Eugenes spectabilis
Purple-crowned Fairy	Heliothryx barroti
Plain-capped Starthroat	Heliomaster constantii
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Archilochus colubris
Volcano Hummingbird	Selasphorus flammula torridus
Scintillant Hummingbird	Selasphorus scintilla
Resplendent Quetzal	Pharomachrus mocinno
Slaty-tailed Trogon	Trogon massena
Black-headed Trogon	Trogon melanocephalus
Orange-bellied Trogon	Trogon aurantiiventris
Black-throated Trogon	Trogon rufus
Gartered Trogon	Trogon caligatus
Belted Kingfisher	Megaceryle alcyon
Ringed Kingfisher	Megaceryle torquata
Amazon Kingfisher	Chloroceryle amazona
Green Kingfisher	Chloroceryle americana
American Pygmy Kingfisher	Chloroceryle aenea
Broad-billed Motmot	Electron platyrhynchum
Keel-billed Motmot	Electron carinatum
Turquoise-browed Motmot	Eumomota superciliosa
Rufous Motmot	Baryphthengus martii
Lesson's Motmot  (FKA Blue-diademed)	Momotus lessonii
Tody Motmot	Hylomanes momotula
Rufous-tailed Jacamar	Galbula ruficauda
White-necked Puffbird	Notharchus hyperrhynchus
Pied Puffbird	Notharchus tectus
White-whiskered Puffbird	Malacoptila panamensis
Red-headed Barbet	Eubucco bourcierii
Prong-billed Barbet	Semnornis frantzii
Blue-throated Toucanet (FKA Emerald )	Aulacorhynchus caeruleogularis
Collared Aracari	Pteroglossus torquatus
Fiery-billed Aracari	Pteroglossus frantzii
Keel-billed Toucan	Ramphastos sulfuratus
Yellow-throated Toucan (FKA Chestnut-mandibled)	Ramphastos ambiguus
Olivaceous Piculet	Picumnus olivaceus
Acorn Woodpecker	Melanerpes formicivorus
Black-cheeked Woodpecker	Melanerpes pucherani
Hoffmanns' Woodpecker	Melanerpes hoffmannii
Hairy Woodpecker	Picoides villosus
Smoky-brown Woodpecker	Picoides fumigatus
Rufous-winged Woodpecker	Piculus simplex
Golden-olive Woodpecker	Colaptes rubiginosus
Lineated Woodpecker	Dryocopus lineatus
Pale-billed Woodpecker	Campephilus guatemalensis
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper	Glyphorynchus spirurus
Northern Barred Woodcreeper	Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae
Cocoa Woodcreeper	Xiphorhynchus susurrans
Spotted Woodcreeper	Xiphorhynchus erythropygius
Streak-headed Woodcreeper	Lepidocolaptes souleyetii
Spot-crowned Woodcreeper	Lepidocolaptes affinis
Ruddy Treerunner	Margarornis rubiginosus
Lineated Foliage-gleaner	Syndactyla subalaris
Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner	Automolus ochrolaemus
Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner	Philydor rufum
Tawny-throated Leaftosser	Sclerurus mexicanus
Plain Xenops	Xenops minutus
Fasciated Antshrike	Cymbilaimus lineatus
Great Antshrike	Taraba major
Barred Antshrike	Thamnophilus doliatus
Black-hooded Antshrike	Thamnophilus bridgesi
Black-crowned Antshrike	Thamnophiluss atrinucha
Russet Antshrike	Thamnistes anabatinus
Slaty Antwren	Myrmotherula schisticolor
Dot-winged Antwren	Microrhopias quixensis
Dusky Antbird	Cercomacroides tyrannina
Chestnut-backed Antbird	Poliocrania exsul
Dull-mantled Antbird	Sipia laemosticta
Bicoloured Antbird	Gymnopithys bicolor
Spotted Antbird	Hylophylax naevioides
Ocellated Antbird	Phaenostictus mcleannani
Black-faced Antthrush	Formicarius analis
Streak-chested Antpitta	Hylopezus perspicillatus
Thicket Antpitta	Hylopezus dives
Silvery-fronted Tapaculo	Scytalopus argentifrons
Snowy Cotinga	Carpodectes nitidus
Purple-throated Fruitcrow	Querula purpurata
Red-capped Manakin	Ceratopipra mentalis
White-crowned Manakin	Dixiphia pipra
Blue-crowned Manakin	Lepidothrix coronata
Long-tailed Manakin	Chiroxiphia linearis
White-collared Manakin	Manacus candei
Orange-collared Manakin	Manacus aurantiacus
Olive-striped Flycatcher	Mionectes olivaceus
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher	Mionectes oleagineus
Common Tody-Flycatcher	Todirostrum cinereum
Paltry Tyrannulet	Zimmerius vilissimus
Northern Beardless Tyrannulet	Camptostoma imberbe
Southern Beardless Tyrannulet	Camptostoma obsoletum
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet	Tyrannulus elatus
Greenish Elaenia	Myiopagis viridicata
Yellow-bellied Elaenia	Elaenia flavogaster
Mountain Elaenia	Elaenia frantzii
Torrent Tyrannulet	Serpophaga cinerea
Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant	Lophotriccus pileatus
Northern Bentbill	Oncostoma cinereigulare
Yellow-olive Flatbill	Tolmomyias sulphurescens
Northern Royal-flycatcher	Onychorhynchus coronatus mexicanus
Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher	Myiobius sulphureipygius
Tufted Flycatcher	Mitrephanes phaeocercus
Dark Pewee	Contopus lugubris
Eastern Wood-pewee	Contopus virens
Tropical Pewee	Contopus cinereus
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	Empidonax flaviventris
Yellowish Flycatcher	Empidonax flavescens
Black-capped Flycatcher	Empidonax atriceps
Least Flycatcher	Empidonax minimus
Black Phoebe	Sayornis nigricans
Long-tailed Tyrant	Colonia colonus
Bright-rumped Attila	Attila spadiceus citreopyga
Rufous Mourner	Rhytipterna holerythra
Nutting's Flycatcher	Myiarchus nuttingi
Dusky-capped Flycatcher	Myiarchus tuberculifer
Great Crested Flycatcher	Myiarchus crinitus
Brown-crested Flycatcher	Myiarchus tyrannulus
Tropical Kingbird	Tyrannus melancholicus
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	Tyrannus savana
Boat-billed Flycatcher	Megarynchus pitangua
Streaked Flycatcher	Myiodynastes maculatus
Social Flycatcher	Myiozetetes similis
Grey-capped Flycatcher	Myiozetetes granadensis
Great Kiskadee	Pitangus sulphuratus
Barred Becard	Pachyramphus versicolor
Cinnamon Becard	Pachyramphus cinnamomeus
Rose-throated Becard	Pachyramphus aglaiae
Masked Tityra	Tityra semifasciata
Black-crowned Tityra	Tityra inquisitor
Mangrove Swallow	Tachycineta albilinea
Grey-breasted Martin	Progne chalybea
Blue-and-white Swallow	Notiochelidon cyanoleuca
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Southern Rough-winged Swallow	Stelgidopteryx ruficollis
Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica
Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher	Ptilogonys caudatus
Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher	Phainoptila melanoxantha
Rufous-backed Wren (FKA Rufous-naped )	Campylorhyncus capistratus
Band-backed Wren	Campylorhynchus zonatus
Rufous-breasted Wren	Pheugopedius rutilus
Spot-breasted Wren	Pheugopedius maculipectus
Bay Wren	Cantorchilus nigricapillus
Stripe-breasted Wren	Cantorchilus thoracicus
Canebrake Wren	Cantorchilus zeledoni
Rufous-and-white Wren	Thryothorus rufalbus
House Wren	Troglodytes aedon musculus
Ochraceous Wren	Troglodytes ochraceus
Timberline Wren	Thryorchilus browni
White-breasted Wood-wren	Henicorhina leucosticta
Grey-breasted Wood-wren	Henicorhina leucophrys
Nightingale Wren	Microcerculus philomela
Song Wren	Cyphorhinus phaeocephalus
Tropical  Mockingbird	Mimus gilvus
Black-faced Solitaire	Myadestes melanops
Black-billed Nightingale-thrush	Catharus gracilirostris
Ruddy-capped Nightingale-thrush	Catharus frantzii
Black-headed Nightingale-thrush	Catharus mexicanus
Swainson's Thrush	Catharus ustulatus
Wood Thrush	Hylocichla mustelinus
Sooty Thrush	Turdus nigrescens
Mountain Thrush	Turdus plebejus
Clay-coloured Thrush	Turdus grayi
Trilling Gnatwren (FKA Long-billed )	Ramphocaenus melanurus
Tropical Gnatcatcher	Polioptila plumbea
White-lored Gnatcatcher	Polioptila albiloris
Brown Jay	Psilorhinus morio
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus
Rufous-browed Peppershrike	Cyclarhis gujanensis
Yellow-winged Vireo	Vireo carmioli
Blue-headed Vireo	Vireo solitarius
Yellow-throated Vireo	Vireo flavifrons
Philadelphia Vireo	Vireo philadelphicus
Red-eyed Vireo	Vireo olivaceus
Yellow-green Vireo	Vireo flavoviridis
Brown-capped Vireo	Vireo leucophrys
Lesser Greenlet	Pachysylvia decurtatus
Yellow-bellied Siskin	Carduelis xanthogastra
Lesser Goldfinch	Carduelis psaltria
Ovenbird	Seiurus aurocapilla
Golden-winged Warbler	Vermivora chrysoptera
Tennessee Warbler	Oreothlpis peregrina
Flame-throated Warbler	Oreothlpis gutturalis
Tropical Parula	Setophaga pitiayumi
Yellow Warbler	Setophaga petechia
Mangrove Warbler	Setophaga erithachorides
Chestnut-sided Warbler	Setophaga pensylvanica
Bay Breasted Warbler	Setophaga castanea
Black-throated Green Warbler	Setophaga virens
American Redstart	Setophaga ruticilla
Black-and-white Warbler	Mniotilta varia
Prothonotary Warbler	Protonotaria citrea
Northern Waterthrush	Parkesia noveboracensis
Louisiana Waterthrush	Parkesia motacilla
Olive-crowned Yellowthroat	Geothlypis semiflava
Gray-crowned Yellowthroat	Geothlypis poliocephala
Wilson's Warbler	Cardellina pusilla
Collared Whitestart	Myioborus torquatus
Golden-crowned Warbler	Basileuterus culicivorus
Black-cheeked Warbler	Basileuterus melanogenys
Buff-rumped Warbler	Basileuterus fulvicauda
Zeledonia (FKA Wrenthrush)	Zeledonia coronata
Bananaquit	Coereba flaveola
Common Bush-tanager	Chlorospingus ophthalmicus
Sooty-capped Bush-tanager	Chlorospingus pileatus
Carmiol’s Tanager	Chlorothraupis carmioli
White-throated Shrike-tanager	Lanio leucothorax
White-shouldered Tanager	Tachyphonus luctuosus
Tawny-crested Tanager	Tachyphonus delatrii
White-lined Tanager	Tachyphonus rufus
Red-crowned Ant-tanager	Habia rubica
Red-throated Ant-tanager	Habia fuscicauda
Flame-coloured Tanager	Piranga bidentata
Tooth Billed Tanager	Piranga lutea
Summer Tanager	Piranga rubra
Crimson-collared Tanager	Ramphocelus sanguinolentus
Cherries Tanager	Ramphocelus costaricensis
Passerini’s Tanager	Ramphocelus passerinii
Blue-grey Tanager	Thraupis episcopus
Palm Tanager	Thraupis palmarum
Blue-and-gold Tanager	Bangsia arcaei
Scrub Euphonia	Euphonia affinis
Yellow-crowned Euphonia	Euphonia luteicapilla
Yellow-throated Euphonia	Euphonia hirundinacea
Olive-backed Euphonia	Euphonia gouldi
Tawny-capped Euphonia	Euphonia anneae
Golden-browed Chlorophonia	Chlorophonia callophrys
Emerald Tanager	Tangara florida
Silver-throated Tanager	Tangara icterocephala
Bay-headed Tanager	Tangara gyrola
Golden-hooded Tanager	Tangara larvata
Spangle-cheeked Tanager	Tangara dowii
Scarlet-thighed Dacnis	Dacnis venusta
Green Honeycreeper	Chlorophanes spiza
Shining Honeycreeper	Cyanerpes lucidus
Red-legged Honeycreeper	Cyanerpes cyaneus
Rufous-collared Sparrow	Zonotrichia capensis
Volcano Junco	Junco vulcani
Stripe-headed Sparrow	Peucaea ruficauda
Orange-billed Sparrow	Arremon aurantiirostris
Olive Sparrow	Arremonops rufivirgatus
Black-striped Sparrow	Arremonops conirostris
White-naped Brush-finch (FKA  Yellow Crowned)	Atlapetes albinucha parvirostris
Chestnut-capped Brush-finch	Atlapetes brunneinucha elsae
Large-footed Finch	Pezopetes capitalis
Yellow-thighed Finch	Pselliophorus tibialis
Blue-black Grassquit	Volatinia jacarina
Variable Seedeater	Sporophila corvina
Morelet's Seedeater (FKA White-collared )	Sporophila morelleti
Nicaraguan Seed-finch	Sporophila nuttingi
Thick-billed Seed-finch	Sporophila funerea
Yellow-faced Grassquit	Tiaris olivacea
Slaty Flower-piercer	Diglossa plumbea
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Pheucticus ludovicianus
Black-faced Grosbeak	Caryothraustes poliogaster
Black-headed Saltator	Saltator atriceps
Buff-throated Saltator	Saltator maximus
Greyish Saltator	Saltator coerulescens
Blue-black Grosbeak	Cyanocompsa cyanoides
Painted Bunting	Passerina ciris
Montezuma Oropendola	Psarocolius montezuma
Chestnut-headed Oropendola	Psarocolius wagleri
Scarlet-rumped Cacique	Cacicus uropygialis
Baltimore Oriole	Icterus galbula
Orchard Oriole	Icterus spurius
Streak-backed Oriole	Icterus pustulatus
Black-cowled Oriole	Icterus prosthemelas
Red-winged Blackbird	Agelaius phoeniceus
Red-breasted Blackbird	Sturnella militaris
Eastern Meadowlark	Sturnella magna
Melodious Blackbird	Dives dives
Great-tailed Grackle	Quiscalus mexicanus
Nicaraguan Grackle	Quiscalus nicaraguensis
Bronzed Cowbird	Molothrus aeneus
Giant Cowbird	Molothrus oryzivora