Birds of Manuel Antonio
SINAC counts about 352 bird species in Manuel Antonio National Park, from toucans and aracaris in the forest canopy to pelicans and frigatebirds over the offshore islands. You don’t need to be a birder to enjoy them: the big, colorful species are often heard first and seen from viewpoints, beach edges and hotel balconies. This page is a field guide to the birds visitors ask about most, and how to watch them well.
Birding in Manuel Antonio at a glance
| Birding at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Bird species recorded in the national park | About 352 (SINAC) |
| Bird species in all of Costa Rica | More than 900 on the official national list (Asociación Ornitológica de Costa Rica) |
| Best hours | The first two to three hours after sunrise, and again in the late afternoon |
| Northern migrants | Roughly October to April, with passage birds in autumn and spring |
| Regional specialties | Fiery-billed aracari, Baird's trogon, Cherrie's tanager, charming hummingbird, riverside wren, black-hooded antshrike, mangrove hummingbird |
| Where to look | Park trails and viewpoints, mangroves and river mouths, the coast and islands, and rainforest gardens such as ECOTICA's private reserve |
| What to bring | Binoculars, the free Merlin and eBird apps, a light rain jacket, closed shoes |
Why there are so many birds here
Travel Guide › Wildlife › Birds
Manuel Antonio packs very different habitats into a few square kilometers: humid forest, mangroves and estuaries, sandy and rocky shores, and twelve small islands. Each draws its own birds. The park’s management plan notes that most species are year-round residents, that about 93 migratory species use the park to rest, feed or breed, and that large birds of prey have become scarce as the surrounding forest has been fragmented.
This page is about which birds you might see and how to recognize them. For where and when to go birding, read our post Birdwatching in Manuel Antonio: Where, When and What to See.
Toucans and aracaris
SINAC names toucans among the park’s outstanding animals, and the park’s bird list includes three members of the toucan family.
Yellow-throated toucan (Ramphastos ambiguus)
The big toucan of the Central Pacific. In Central America it was long called the chestnut-mandibled toucan (Ramphastos swainsonii), and the park’s management plan lists it as tucán de Swainson. Adults reach 50 to 60 cm, and the bill alone can be 15 to 20 cm. Look for a black body with a bright yellow bib edged below by a thin white line and a red band, a white rump, and a two-toned bill: the upper part largely yellow, the lower part dark red at the base turning blackish toward the tip (Animal Diversity Web).
Listen for its yelping call. Animal Diversity Web notes that local people hear it as “Dios te dé, te dé, te dé” (“God give you”). Pairs and small groups keep to thick foliage in the heat of the day and become more active toward sunset, when groups may call in chorus from tall trees. They eat mostly fruit, plus insects and the occasional lizard, snake or nestling. IUCN status: Least Concern (assessed 2023).
Fiery-billed aracari (Pteroglossus frantzii)
A smaller, slimmer relative of the toucans, called cusingo in Costa Rica. According to Cornell’s Birds of the World, it lives only on the Pacific slope of Costa Rica and far western Panama, which makes the Central Pacific one of the few places in the world to see it. SINAC’s Spanish page names the tucancillo among the park’s outstanding species. IUCN status: Least Concern (assessed 2022). The park’s management plan lists it among the animals affected by conflicts with visitors, so please never offer it food.
Keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus)
The park’s bird list also includes the keel-billed toucan, whose Spanish name, tucán pico iris, means “rainbow-billed toucan”. IUCN status: Near Threatened (assessed 2021).
Scarlet macaw (lapa roja)
Scientific name: Ara macao. The scarlet macaw is on the park’s bird list, and at ECOTICA, a few minutes from the park, scarlet macaws are part of daily life. They are loud, big and hard to miss when they fly over.
Identification
About 89 cm long, and a third to a half of that is tail. Scarlet on the head and shoulders, a band of yellow on the back and wings, and blue wing tips and tail. The face is bare and white around pale yellow eyes. The bill is pale on top and black below (Animal Diversity Web).
Behavior and diet
Pairs stay together for life and are usually seen flying or feeding as a couple, while larger groups gather to sleep at night. They eat mainly fruit and nuts, sometimes nectar and flowers, and can crack very hard seeds; they often eat fruit before it ripens, before other animals can reach it. Animal Diversity Web describes them as important seed predators of large tree fruits, with a possible influence on which trees grow in the forest.
A Central Pacific comeback
A 14-year study published in Bird Conservation International (Vaughan and colleagues, 2005) followed one of Costa Rica’s two viable scarlet macaw populations, in the Central Pacific Conservation Area. Counts were falling in the early 1990s. After local groups began environmental education, nest protection and artificial nest building in 1995, August counts rose by about 37 birds in two years to an average of around 243, and stayed roughly stable through 2003.
IUCN status: Least Concern globally (assessed 2022). The park’s management plan lists the scarlet macaw among its birds of conservation concern, based on national and international listings.
The scarlet macaws nesting at ECOTICA
A few minutes from the park, on ECOTICA's own 10-acre private rainforest reserve, a pair of scarlet macaws has chosen two of our royal palms as home. A palm trunk is soft inside, and the macaws open a hollow there to raise their family. Guests almost always hear them first, a rolling, raucous call from above the canopy, and then the colors arrive: red, yellow and blue against the green. We tell the whole story in our post Scarlet macaws nest at ECOTICA.
How to enjoy the nesting pair
- Come out early. The first hours of the morning are when the pair is busiest, flying out to feed and back again.
- Watch from the paths and terraces and give the nesting palms generous room. A nest cavity is the most sensitive place in a macaw's life, and a relaxed pair is a pair that stays.
- Keep the flash off and the phone speaker quiet. The birds behave naturally when nobody is calling to them.
- Found a feather? Take a photo and leave it where it fell. Scarlet macaws are a protected species, so their feathers stay in Costa Rica.
Your bird list starts on the porch
The macaws have plenty of company. Toucans call from the treetops on most days, and the reserve's fruiting trees and flowering plants draw tanagers, hummingbirds and parrots right up to the bungalows and suites. Many guests begin their bird list before breakfast, coffee in hand, without leaving their own porch, and the same forest is shared with howler, capuchin and squirrel monkeys, sloths and butterflies. None of it runs on a schedule, which is exactly the charm. More in our post on wildlife where you stay, or check dates for a bungalow or suite and see for yourself.
Other notable birds of Manuel Antonio
All of the birds below appear in the national park’s bird list (management plan 2013–2018). Being on a list doesn’t mean you will see one on any given day.
Over the sea and the islands
- Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens), brown booby (Sula leucogaster) and bridled tern (Onychoprion anaethetus). The park’s management plan records these seabirds, along with white ibis (Eudocimus albus), using the offshore islands, with Olocuita and Toro Amarillo the most used for nesting.
In the mangroves and estuaries
- Mangrove hummingbird (Amazilia boucardi). Found only in the mangroves of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, and listed as Endangered by the IUCN (assessed 2020). The management plan records it in the park’s mangroves near the Naranjo and Savegre river mouths.
- Herons, egrets and the boat-billed heron (Cochlearius cochlearius), plus kingfishers (the park list has five species) and, in some estuaries, the roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja).
In the forest
- Baird’s trogon (Trogon bairdii). A forest trogon listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN (assessed 2022). The park list includes four trogon species in all.
- Parrots and parakeets, including the orange-chinned parakeet (Brotogeris jugularis) and the red-lored parrot (Amazona autumnalis).
- Laughing falcon, guaco (Herpetotheres cachinnans), a bird of prey of forest edges.
- Common potoo (Nyctibius griseus), a well-camouflaged night bird.
- Tanagers and honeycreepers, such as the blue-gray tanager (Thraupis episcopus), the palm tanager (Thraupis palmarum), the red-legged honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus) and the green honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza): small, colorful birds of forest edges and gardens.
- Hummingbirds at flowering plants, and woodpeckers such as the lineated woodpecker (Dryocopus lineatus) and the pale-billed woodpecker (Campephilus guatemalensis).
Top birds to see in Manuel Antonio: a quick-reference table
Use this table as a field checklist. “Where” and “when” describe good odds, never promises: birds follow the fruit, the tides and the weather. Species details come from the park's own bird list (SINAC), Animal Diversity Web and Cornell Lab's Birds of the World.
| Bird | Look for | Where | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet macaw (Ara macao) | Big red parrot with yellow and blue wings and a long, pointed tail; harsh calls in flight | Over the canopy and in tall trees; ECOTICA's royal palms | Early morning and late afternoon flights |
| Yellow-throated toucan (Ramphastos ambiguus) | Black body, yellow bib, huge two-toned bill; yelping call | Tall fruiting trees, forest edges, hotel gardens | Morning, and again toward sunset |
| Fiery-billed aracari (Pteroglossus frantzii) | Slim toucan relative with an orange-red upper bill; moves in small, chattering groups | Forest edges and fruiting trees; park trails | Morning |
| Baird's trogon (Trogon bairdii) | Sits upright and very still in the shade; males have a rich red belly and a pale blue eye-ring | Shaded forest interior along park trails | Morning; a guide's ear helps |
| Motmots (family Momotidae) | Long tail ending in two bare-shafted “rackets” that swing like a pendulum | Ask your guide which species are around; the turquoise-browed motmot is common on the Pacific lowlands from Tárcoles north | Early morning, often on a low, quiet perch |
| Hummingbirds (charming hummingbird, mangrove hummingbird and others) | Tiny, fast, glittering green; listen for the hum and squeaky chips | Flowering shrubs and gardens; mangroves near river mouths for the mangrove hummingbird | Through the day wherever flowers are open |
| Tanagers (Cherrie's, blue-gray, palm) | Cherrie's tanager male is velvet black with a scarlet rump; blue-gray and palm tanagers are soft blue and olive | Gardens, forest edges, around hotels | All day, busiest in the morning |
| Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) | Large gray-brown seabird that flies in lines low over the waves and plunge-dives headfirst | Over the bays, the rocks and the islands; Quepos waterfront | Any time; mornings are calmest |
| Magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) | Long, angled black wings and a deeply forked tail; hangs on the wind and rarely flaps | High over the coast and the offshore islands | Any time, especially on breezy days |
| Raptors (laughing falcon, roadside hawk, osprey, vultures) | Laughing falcon: cream head with a black mask and a loud “laughing” call; osprey: white below with a dark eye stripe | Forest edges and open country; ospreys along the coast and rivers | Laughing falcon calls carry early and late; ospreys mostly in the northern-winter months |
Ticking off the whole table in one visit is a happy challenge, and a naturalist guide makes it far more likely. Planning ahead? Book a birding or nature guide with our concierge and we will match you with someone who knows the calls.
Birds you can see here and almost nowhere else
Manuel Antonio sits in a part of the world that birders travel far to reach: the humid Pacific lowlands of southern Costa Rica and western Panama. Several birds here live almost nowhere else, so even a common garden bird for us can be a once-in-a-lifetime sighting for you. Alongside the fiery-billed aracari and the mangrove hummingbird described above, keep these on your list.
Cherrie's tanager (Ramphocelus costaricensis)
The male is velvet black with a glowing scarlet rump; the female is softer, with an orange wash on the chest and rump. It was long known as the scarlet-rumped tanager until scientists split the Pacific birds from their Caribbean cousins. It lives in the Pacific lowlands of Costa Rica and western Panama and loves semi-open places: second growth, forest edges and gardens (Birds of the World, Cornell Lab). Small, noisy family groups often visit fruiting shrubs around hotels.
Charming hummingbird (Polyerata decora)
A glittering green hummingbird of edges, clearings and gardens, found only in Costa Rica and western Panama, mainly on the Pacific slope. It was treated as part of the blue-chested hummingbird until 2014 (Birds of the World, Cornell Lab). Watch flowering shrubs at mid-morning, when the light makes its colors flash.
Riverside wren (Cantorchilus semibadius)
A small wren, about 13 to 14 cm long, with a chestnut back and finely black-barred underparts. It lives along the Pacific slope from the Gulf of Nicoya into western Panama and keeps to thick cover near streams and rivers. You will likely hear its loud, liquid song long before you see it; a guide can help you follow the sound.
Black-hooded antshrike (Thamnophilus bridgesi)
A Central American endemic confined to the Pacific slope of Costa Rica and adjacent western Panama, mostly below about 1,000 m (Birds of the World, Cornell Lab). The male is sooty black with small white spots on the wings; the female is grayer with fine white streaks. Look low in tangled forest edges.
Baird's trogon (Trogon bairdii)
Its whole world runs from roughly the Tárcoles River south along Costa Rica's Pacific slope and just into western Panama, from sea level to about 1,200 m, and it is mostly found in protected areas. That makes a calm morning on the park trails one of the best chances anywhere to meet it.
How to watch birds well
- Go early. Many birds are most active in the first hours after sunrise, before the heat. The national park opens at 7:00 a.m. (check current days and hours in our national park guide).
- Bring binoculars and walk slowly. Stop often and listen: calls tell you where to look.
- Keep your distance from nests, and never handle eggs or chicks.
- Don’t use recordings to call birds in, and don’t feed them. The park’s management plan flags calling animals in and feeding them as problems in the park.
- No flash.
- Stay on the trails and keep noise low, as SINAC asks of every visitor.
Seasonal migrants: what changes through the year
Manuel Antonio is wonderful for birds in every month, and the cast shifts gently with the seasons. The park's management plan counts about 93 migratory species, and many of them are birds that visitors from the United States and Canada already know from home, seen here in a completely different setting. Baltimore orioles spend the northern winter across Central America, on both coasts and up into the mountains (Journey North), and the chestnut-sided warbler is so common in Costa Rica's winter months that birders joke about it. Summer tanagers, ospreys and a variety of warblers and flycatchers join them.
| Months | What changes | Birding tip |
|---|---|---|
| September to October | Northern migrants pour south; October is often the busiest migration month | Check the coast and forest edges for new arrivals among the resident flocks |
| November to April | Wintering migrants mix with resident birds; from December the dry season brings drier trails | Look for warblers and orioles in mixed flocks along the forest edge |
| March to April | Migrants head north again, many in brighter plumage | A good time to see familiar North American birds looking their best |
| May to August | Green season: lush forest, afternoon rain, many residents busy with nests and young | Bird the morning, then let the rain set the rhythm of the afternoon |
For weather, crowds and what each month feels like beyond the birds, read our seasonal guide to the best time to visit.
Birding etiquette, gear and the apps worth downloading
Good birding manners are mostly kindness: to the birds, to the people next to you on the trail, and to the guide who found the bird in the first place. A few habits make every outing smoother.
Etiquette on the trail
- Point with words. “Toucan, dead branch, two o'clock, just above the vine” helps everyone find the bird without sudden arm movements.
- Share the view. When a guide sets up a spotting scope, take a good look, then step aside so the next person can enjoy it too.
- Keep voices soft and steps slow. A quiet group sees more, and the birds stay relaxed.
- Give a perched bird its space. If it starts to fidget or stops feeding, back off a few steps; you will usually get a longer, better look.
- Stay on trails and public paths, and ask before stepping onto private land for a better angle.
- Add your sightings to eBird. Cornell Lab's free checklist app turns your morning into data that scientists use to follow bird populations.
Gear that earns its place
- Waterproof binoculars with close focus, so you can enjoy a hummingbird a few meters away as well as a hawk on a far ridge.
- A light rain jacket and a dry bag for your phone and camera, especially from May to November.
- Muted, breathable clothing, a hat, water and insect repellent.
- Closed shoes for forest trails, as SINAC recommends.
Apps and books
- Merlin Bird ID (Cornell Lab, free) identifies birds from a photo or a recording and has a Costa Rica bird pack with photos, songs and calls. Download the pack on Wi-Fi before you arrive and it works offline in the forest.
- eBird (Cornell Lab, free) keeps your list, shows recent sightings nearby and lets you contribute to science.
- A printed field guide such as The Birds of Costa Rica by Richard Garrigues and Robert Dean is lovely for reading on the porch in the evening.
Forgot something? Our concierge is happy to help: send us a request before you travel.
Where visitors may encounter these birds
Birds move with the fruit, the tides and the weather, so no spot comes with a promise. These are good places to start.
- Manuel Antonio National Park, especially in the morning: forest trails for toucans, trogons and tanagers; the mangrove edges behind Playa Manuel Antonio and Playa Espadilla Sur for waterbirds; and the viewpoints for seabirds over the islands. See our national park guide.
- The coast for pelicans and frigatebirds, and a boat trip for a closer look at the islands. Our concierge can book ocean and boat tours.
- Forest around your hotel. At ECOTICA, toucans and scarlet macaws are part of daily life, never on a schedule. Our post on seeing wildlife where you stay has more.
- With a guide. A naturalist guide will find and name birds you would never pick out alone. See our wildlife and nature tours.
More wildlife: the wildlife guide, monkeys and sloths.
Photographing birds in the rainforest and on the coast
Rainforest bird photography is a lovely puzzle: bright sky behind dark leaves, fast wings, and subjects that rarely sit in the open for long. These habits help, whether you carry a long lens or a phone.
- Chase the soft light. The first hours after sunrise and the hour before sunset give warm, even light and the most active birds.
- Mind the bright sky. A toucan against a white sky turns into a silhouette. Dial in a little positive exposure compensation, or move until the bird has leaves behind it.
- Freeze the wings. For scarlet macaws and frigatebirds in flight, a fast shutter speed (around 1/2000 s) keeps the feathers sharp; for hummingbirds, faster still.
- Let the ISO climb under the canopy. A slightly grainy sharp photo beats a smooth blurry one, and modern cameras handle it well.
- Get to eye level. A bird photographed level with its eye feels intimate; step back and use the zoom instead of tilting straight up.
- Try digiscoping. Many guides will help you hold your phone to their spotting scope, which turns a distant trogon into a frame-filling portrait.
- Wait by the fruit. A fruiting tree is a stage; settle in and let toucans, aracaris and tanagers come to you.
- Keep it kind. Flash off, no playback, and never trim leaves or approach a nest for a cleaner shot.
For the coast, a boat trip brings pelicans, frigatebirds and boobies to eye level around the islands. See our ocean and boat tours, and our ocean and marine life guide for what lives below the surface.
A sample birding morning from ECOTICA
Here is one way to shape a birding day from ECOTICA, unhurried and with time left for the pool. Adjust it to the season and to what the birds are doing.
- First light on the porch. Costa Rica sits close to the equator, so the sun rises early all year. Step outside with the first light and listen: scarlet macaws heading out to feed, toucans yelping from the treetops, the dawn chorus rising from the reserve.
- Coffee by the pool. La POZA opens at 6 a.m. Take a coffee to the edge of the garden and watch the flowering plants for hummingbirds and the fruiting trees for tanagers.
- Into the park with a guide. Be at the gate for the 7:00 a.m. opening (check the current days and hours in our national park guide). The shaded trails are the place for Baird's trogon, aracaris and antshrikes, and the mangrove edges behind the beaches hold herons and kingfishers. The same walk often turns up monkeys and sloths as a bonus.
- Seabirds from a viewpoint. Before the heat builds, look out over the islands for brown pelicans, frigatebirds and boobies.
- Back for a late breakfast. Breakfast is included at ECOTICA, and it tastes better with a new bird list to go over. The middle of the day is quiet for birds, which makes it the perfect time for a swim or a treatment at the Jungle Spa (open daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.).
- Golden hour. Toucans become active again toward sunset, and macaw pairs cross the sky. Watch it all from La POZA during happy hour, 3 to 6 p.m.
Planning this ahead of time? Book your birding guide with our concierge or ask us for details, and we will have the morning arranged before you land. For a full trip plan, see our 1, 3 and 5-day itineraries.
Birds of Manuel Antonio: questions and answers
How many bird species live in Manuel Antonio?
SINAC counts about 352 bird species in Manuel Antonio National Park, out of more than 900 recorded in all of Costa Rica. About 93 of the park's species are migrants.
What is the best time of year for birdwatching in Manuel Antonio?
Every month is good. From about October to April northern migrants join the resident birds, and the dry season from December makes trails easier; the green season from May brings lush forest and nesting residents.
What time of day is best for seeing birds?
The first two to three hours after sunrise are the most active, and there is a second, gentler peak in the late afternoon. Midday is quiet, which makes it a good time for the pool.
Can I see scarlet macaws in Manuel Antonio?
Yes, scarlet macaws are on the park's bird list and fly over the area most days. At ECOTICA a pair nests in the royal palms on our private reserve; read Scarlet macaws nest at ECOTICA.
Where can I see toucans in Manuel Antonio?
Look in tall fruiting trees along forest edges, on the park trails and in rainforest gardens. Toucans call from the treetops at ECOTICA on most days, often in the morning and again toward sunset.
Do I need a guide for birdwatching?
You can enjoy plenty on your own, but a naturalist guide hears calls you would miss, carries a spotting scope and knows where each species tends to be. Our concierge can book a birding guide for you.
Which bird app works best in Costa Rica?
Merlin Bird ID from the Cornell Lab is free, identifies birds by photo or sound, and has a Costa Rica bird pack that works offline once downloaded. Pair it with eBird to keep your list.
Are there birds found only in this part of Costa Rica?
Several birds here live only on the Pacific side of Costa Rica and western Panama, including the fiery-billed aracari, Baird's trogon, Cherrie's tanager, the charming hummingbird, the riverside wren and the black-hooded antshrike. The endangered mangrove hummingbird lives only in Pacific mangroves of Costa Rica.
Can I see seabirds on a boat trip?
Yes. Brown pelicans, magnificent frigatebirds and brown boobies use the offshore islands, and a boat trip brings you closer than any viewpoint. See our ocean and boat tours.
Is it okay to feed the birds?
Wild birds stay healthiest on their natural food, and feeding wildlife is prohibited in the national park (SINAC). The kindest way to enjoy them is from a respectful distance with good binoculars.
Keep exploring
Keep exploring: our birdwatching post covers where to go and when, wildlife hour by hour shows what wakes up when, and responsible wildlife watching explains how to enjoy it all kindly. Meet the rest of the forest in the wildlife guide, monkeys, sloths and frogs, butterflies and the night, and learn the trees the birds depend on in plants and rainforest. When you are ready, choose your bungalow or suite.
Spot an injured or grounded bird? Here is what to do and whom to call. For human emergencies, our health and safety guide lists the numbers you may need.
Arrive with everything ready
Bring your binoculars and your dates; we will arrange the rest so your mornings belong to toucans and macaws:
- Book a birding outing: the national park at first light with a naturalist guide, mangrove and boat trips, or zip lines at treetop height
- Reserve Jungle Spa time: after an early start with the birds, settle into massages, couples treatments, facials and body rituals
- Book your airport ride: a private transfer from San José, US$195 each way for up to 5 people, so you arrive rested for dawn birding
- Concierge help: dinners, celebrations and any request that rounds out a birding escape
- Book ECOTICA: check dates and rates for our bungalows and suites, your perch for a week of birdwatching
Sources for our birding guide
- SINAC – Manuel Antonio National Park (official English page on the protected forest these birds call home)
- SINAC – Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio (official Spanish page: hours, fees and rules for birders entering the park)
- SINAC – Plan General de Manejo, Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio 2013–2018 (PDF; the park’s bird records and habitats)
- Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan) – Chestnut-mandibled toucan (Ramphastos swainsonii): diet and behavior
- Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan) – Scarlet macaw (Ara macao): range and habits
Photos: Veronika Andrews, Samuel Sweet, Crisbel Solano, Adrien Stachowiak, Tomáš Malík / Pexels.
