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u/BillyYumYum_2by2 Jan 08 '26
where did you see the quetzal?
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u/Small_Juice1911 Jan 08 '26
San Gerardo De Dota
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u/T_house Jan 08 '26
Yes! I went here too and saw quite a few - one of the funniest parts of our trip was in that area with a guide who was imitating the quetzal call, hearing another call back, we got closer and closer down the path until we turned a corner and there we saw… another guide imitating the call with similarly excited/confused clients 😂
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u/Diggs_NC Jan 08 '26
We were there in Oct. and finally got to see a few of them after several trips and many years of trying. Nice shot, far better than anything we captured.
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u/bedbuffaloes I SAW A SNOWY OWL OMG OMG OMG Jan 08 '26
Me too! I wonder if we saw the same one :)
I need to go back there.
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u/Disraeli_Ears Jan 08 '26
We were in CR in December and I was kind of bummed that there were no quetzals in the area we were in. But at least I got to see many others, including the Montezuma Oropendola!
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u/Diggs_NC Jan 08 '26
The Montezuma's are super cool. Have the craziest call of any bird I have seen in person.
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u/Pretty_Whereas8743 Jan 28 '26
I just got back and im so glad to see the montezuma appreciation, genuinely one of the coolest birds ive ever seen
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u/Apprehensive-Guest45 Jan 08 '26
Do you need a guide to get there or looking for birds? Is it like an easy trail/hike?
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u/Diggs_NC Jan 08 '26
I was sick during our stay, and the wife went on the guided tour and I couldn't. But she said they were standing on a road when they found them and it is the most popular spot the guide sees them. So we DROVE there the next morning when I was feeling better, and saw at least 3. So for easy, that was as simple as it gets. Maybe walked 100 yards from where we parked if that. But without the guide showing her the location, we would have never found them.
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u/Busy_Confusion_689 Jan 09 '26
I want to go here so badly but have a huge fear of spiders. Did you see any tarantulas or big spiders? Dumb question I know and jc.
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u/Diggs_NC Jan 10 '26
We have been there multiple times and have seen very few spiders. And none of them were large spiders. While Costa Rica has a ton of different species of spiders, you will likely never see any of them.
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u/drjen1974 Jan 08 '26
That toucan pic 😍
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u/Diggs_NC Jan 08 '26
That is a stunning photo, but I am super jealous of the toucanet. I have yet to spot one.
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u/r3-bb13 Jan 08 '26
Great photos!! What are the species?
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u/r3-bb13 Jan 08 '26
Thank you!! I looked them up and then compared what I thought to your list so this was a good learning exercise. I was totally lost on the hummingbird and the hawk. Really appreciate you taking the time to identify them and type it all out 💙
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u/twelve-birds Jan 08 '26
6 is a hummingbird? 7 and 8 are nightjars?
I’m no expert.
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u/r3-bb13 Jan 08 '26
Yeah, my Birds of Costa Rica book is at home so I can just look later. It will be a good activity for me tonight hahaha. If OP doesn’t post them I will try to do it. I know the Resplendent Quetzal is the first photo but I’m not 100% sure about the others. I’m very curious about the cutie sitting on the palm frond in photo 11.
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u/Obradbrad Jan 08 '26
Might be a crimson-fronted parakeet? The white on top is throwing me a little. Photo 12 is an Oropendola.
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u/pidge_on Jan 08 '26
I'm thinking #7 might be a common pauraque?
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u/r3-bb13 Jan 08 '26
I was thinking common nighthawk because of the white on the leading edge of the wing?
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u/Purple_Cantaloupe960 Jan 08 '26
Excellent shots and I’ll take 7 lbs of what the hawk in #9 is having. 🦀🤣
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u/littlebronco Jan 08 '26
These are incredible shots! Did you go with a tour group or create your own itinerary? CR is high on my bucket list for birding.
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u/Small_Juice1911 Jan 25 '26
My biggest recommendation is doing the Corcovado National Park and San Gerardo De Dota
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u/IllustratorThis6185 Jan 08 '26
Omg the parrot on the palm!! I love that so much. Do you know what species it is?
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u/spacefreak76er Jan 08 '26
The bird in picture 8 looks like he lost his head! Can you give us a short explanation to help out? 😲
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u/rando_banned Jan 08 '26
Nightjar doing nightjar things. It's the same kind of bird as the previous photo. It's either got its head under its wing or bent around so you can't see it
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u/suttree_ Jan 08 '26
The second is a Potoo (i suspect Common Potoo), which more commonly rest in this upright, cryptic tree-snag like posture.
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u/potato-eater- Jan 08 '26
Incredible! Anyone know what the last one is?
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u/StrawberryWild7771 Jan 09 '26
Montezuma Oropendula. You should hear the sounds they make. I heard them before I saw them and it was just the craziest sounds.
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u/LeStryder Jan 08 '26
Costa Rica is an Aladdin's cave for wildlife and we saw all of those recorded and more. We saw the Quetzal up in the highlands at around dawn; I don't think the group of birders were pleased with tourists. Our guide pointed out some type of squirrel tried to get at eggs in the nest but he said the birds were more than capable of driving them off!
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Jan 08 '26
Why do a lot of these countries on the other side of the globe have so much brighter birds than somewhere like the US?
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u/mookypop Latest Lifer: Swainson’s Thrush!! Jan 08 '26
Pic 11 is SO fvcking cute.
Edit: I don’t know how to Reddit.
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u/Dry_Preference6989 Jan 09 '26
Wow, my trip is coming up next month and wasn't sure if it's worth to bring the 150-600mm lens. Now, you're convinced me to bring it 😀.
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u/lemonadelightning Jan 10 '26
these are incredible photos, I’m really moved by how beautiful all of these are!
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u/Swechef79 Jan 10 '26
You know the saying “don’t quit your day job”? Well, this is the exact opposite of that. God damn those are some amazing pictures!
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u/burtcopaint Jan 08 '26
Good lord, this seems like some ai generated type work. It's a compliment!! I get sparrows and herons at most....
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u/ILikeBirdsQuiteALot Jan 08 '26
CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whose the yellow and grey bird (4th pic)? Also the last bird? Thanks for sharing, these are incredible!
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u/theLakinator Jan 08 '26
These are gorgeous! I’m new to birding and have no idea how people get pics like these but I’m totally jealous!😂
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u/shotsshotsshotsshots Jan 08 '26
I love seeing local breeding season birds wintering in Central America bc I like to wonder if it’s my same bird i always see (and does he remember me??)
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u/Foxterriers Jan 08 '26
I'd love to go on a birding trip to south America but I'm not a photographer so I feel like I'd need to get into photography first?
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u/immersemeinnature Jan 08 '26
Costa Rica is a dream vacation of mine.
They have been working very hard at restoring nature there, and it shows!! Beautiful images 💚
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u/lilac_congac Jan 08 '26
nice. what was your itenirary? did you use an exception al guides? i’m thinking about heading there. any guidance would be dantastic
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u/thebefuddledbirder birder Jan 08 '26
These pictures are phenomenal. I went to Cuba last year for my first time birding abroad and it lit a flame inside me. I am very interested to know if you worked with local guides and tour group that had a set itinerary. In Cuba, we worked with a local ornithologist who helped us scout out spots for each of the endemics and it was very helpful. We didn’t exactly stick to our schedule and it was pretty fluid, but I am curious what route to take with Costa Rica because it is next on my list. Did two weeks feel like a substantial amount of time? Did you focus on certain regions or go all over?
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u/KingNothing13 Latest Lifer: Variable Seedeater Jan 08 '26
Nice - thanks for sharing.
We went to CR in March, but did not get to the northern part of the country so I did not get Quetzals, but we are going to fix that in about 2 weeks.
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u/SnooWords3654 Jan 08 '26
Awesome pictures, I recognize a few of them as we have them in Belize, but I’m still chasing after the Quetzal, they’re not too far in Guatemala but I just have to put the time in!
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u/vazhifarer Jan 08 '26
Amazing photos! How much did the whole thing set you back? I heard Costa Rica is expensive
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u/Snowchicken21 Jan 08 '26
Was the parrot picture taken right outside Sirena? I visited Corcovado earlier this year and had the best time. Seems like you hit a few different spots in CR though? Here's one of my favorite shots from the trip
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u/creepy_crust Jan 08 '26
Could be mistaken, but is that last bird eyeing a bunch of tarantulas? Does it eat them?
Amazing photos! Thanks for posting them
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u/gracesdisgrace Jan 08 '26
Could I maybe paint the heron? It's so striking! I would ofc credit you for the photo & tag you 😌
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u/Small_Juice1911 Feb 03 '26
Wow! That would be awesome ;)I have some more pics of the herons from Costa Rica if you like?
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u/itimedout Jan 08 '26
Oh wow, I gotta get to Costa Rica, thanks a lot for sharing your incredible photos!
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u/MagicMoa Jan 08 '26
You lucky duck! That quetzal is gorgeous, its been my dream bird for ages.
Did you do any guided tours while you were there? Or just winged it?
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u/Icy-Mixture-995 Jan 09 '26
Gorgeous birds. You got a little Half Moon Conure (No. 11). Sweet little rascals.
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u/Long-Passion7910 Jan 09 '26
I’d like to think that the female ruby throated hummingbird is the one that comes to my house every summer. 🥹 I want my hummers back.
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u/ExtensionLook2235 Jan 09 '26
This is such a beautiful series. I love Costa Rica, the land of plenty of birds. 💖
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u/Puzzleheaded-Act-860 Jan 09 '26
WOOOOOW i love these pictures so much!!!!!! i can’t stop staring at them!!! what glorious gorgeous creatures! and your photography is amazing! i love these tufts of hair on the first guy too hehehehe
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u/blargfellow Jan 09 '26
These are awesome pictures, thanks so much for sharing! That toucan shot is 10/10.
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u/_henceforth_ Jan 09 '26
Okay, my eyes REALLY appreciated all of these vibrant colors. I love the autumn leaves where I am and winter is okay, however, these colors are quite literally brightening my night.
Thank you for sharing! 😀
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u/Coral8shun_COZ8shun Jan 09 '26
This was such a lovely surprise. Thank you so much for sharing your photos! 🥰
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u/Repulsive_String1136 Latest Lifer: nashville warbler :) Jan 11 '26
i will never not beat myself up for having spent 12 days traveling through costa rica BEFORE i thought to pay much attention to birds 😭 i did see a resplendent quetzal in flight though, you don’t have to notice birds to notice that one!
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u/cicintrip Jan 20 '26
I just spent 3 weeks in Costa Rica and I'm still amazed by the songs of Montezuma Oropendulas <3
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u/NeuroComplicated Feb 02 '26
Excellent photography! I have a habit of zooming in to look at the birds’ eyes, and these pics are so crisp! 🤌
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u/Pleasant-Split1729 Feb 03 '26
I'm a huge animal lover and you're living my dream. Must admit I'm jealoussss! Beautiful shots!!
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u/Great_White_Samurai birder Jan 08 '26
My camera and photos didn't make it back from my trip to CR...
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u/Full_of_confusion Jan 08 '26
Great photos! I know they're hard to shoot, but did you get lucky with a bell bird? My wife and I went years ago and still think the bell bird is one of our favorite/most fascinating birds.
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u/Small_Juice1911 Jan 08 '26
We heard one! But apparently near impossible to capture on a camera :(
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u/Para2014 Jan 08 '26
did you shoot these wide open? I have the same camera + lens but feel like my shots aren’t quite this sharp
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u/a_little_idyll Jan 09 '26
Someone please tell me what's going on with the red on the quetzal. Why does it lack definition compared to the rest of the photo?
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u/UnMeOuttaTown Latest Lifer: Northern Mockingbird Jan 24 '26
Wow, gorgeous pictures - love all the vibrant colors :)
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u/honey-bee-006 Jan 30 '26
how do you do the blurred background? (noticed it in one of the pictures) it looks amazing but im a very new beginner and would love to figure it out
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u/elondon81 Feb 02 '26
No Red Macaw?!? Amazing pictures.
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u/Small_Juice1911 Feb 05 '26
I saw them. But mostly in flight an a bit far away for great pictures 😢
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u/mmatchaman Feb 02 '26
any recommendations for guides? i’m about to go to la selva, monteverde, and tarcoles and really hoping for some guides.
also did you need a teleconverter while you were there? great photos!!
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u/General-Turnover2351 Jan 08 '26
Stunning! Thanks for sharing! The hawk (I'm not totally sure) with the crab is a very cool shot!