La Ensenada Reserve is a working cattle ranch that the owners are operating in an ecologically sensitive manner. The ranch includes the Madrigal Estuary, located on the property, mangroves, and remnants of the endangered life zone know as semi-deciduous or tropical lowland dry forest.
Trails on the property offer birding opportunites along the mangrove fringes and through the dry forest. The estuary is accessible by road. Birding opportunities include specialty birds such as Spot-bellied Bobwhite, Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, Spotted-breasted Oriole, and Streak-backed Oriole that are not readily seen farther south. Another attraction is the nocturnal Double-breasted Thick-Knee, which can often be seen resting in shady areas during daytime, as well as other nocturnal species such as Common Potoo and White-tailed Nightjar.
