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ARENAL NATIONAL PARK

COSTA RICA
LOCALE

Area (ha):12,016
Altitude (m):500-1657
# Species:518
# Excl Vagrants:517
# Endemics:2
# Near Endemics:24
Species/100 ha:4.3
Habitat: Primary forest, secondary forest, gardens, thickets, lakeshore

ABOUT THE BIRDING

Some of the best birding in Arenal National Park is in areas around Arenal Observatory Lodge, located within the park. Flowers in the lodge gardens attract a nice variety of hummingbirds, including Stripe-throated Hermit, Black-crested Coquette, Violet-headed Hummingbird, and Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer. Feeders near the lodge attract several tanagers as well as euphonias, saltators, and sparrows. A small patch of primary forest near the lodge excellent for antshrikes, antbirds, flycatchers, wrens. tanagers and other forest species. If you find an army ant swarm, you may find ant followers such as Dusky Antbird, Dull-mantled Antbird, Spotted Antbird, and Ocellated Antbird. It's also possible uncommon species such as Spectacled Owl, Three-wattled Bellbird, and Bare-necked Umbrellabird.

The road circling north around Lake Arenal provides access to good secondary and primary forest. Numerous species are possible including Gray-headed Chachalaca, the rare and much sought-after Keel-billed Motmot, which occurs nowhere else in Costa Rica, Yellow-billed Toucanet, found only in primary forest, Slaty Spinetail, and a nice variety of parrots, trogons, antbirds, flycatchers, tanagers, and more.

LOCATION OF SITE

Arenal National Park is reached by traveling from Alajuela to Fortuna, about 153km (3 hours). The national park is located about 23km west of Fortuna on the main road, which is well paved asphalt.