If, ‘is it a bird, is it a plane, no it’s…it’s actually a pigeon after all of that’ sound all too familiar then it is time to discover the superheroes of the bird world! Latin America is full of unique landscape and nature which will blow your mind. Now if you think that bird spotting just doesn’t sound that appealing when comparing it to spotting pink dolphins in the Peruvian Amazon, getting a perfect picture of the tiny yet deadly dart frogs in Costa Rica or swimming with piranhas in the Amazon; you’d be wrong!
Costa Rica and Peru have some of the most spectacular areas where you can spot some of the world’s rarest and most beautiful birds that will turn even the most skeptical of travelers into an avid bird spotter for at least the duration of your natural encounter.
Get your binoculars, bird watching guide and pencil at the ready as you meet the magnificent and impressive birds of Peru and Costa Rica!
♦ The Amazon Rainforest, Peru
Peru is believed to be home to 10% of world’s avian population and it therefore comes as no surprise that a large proportion of these can be seen in the pristine Peruvian Amazon Rainforest. At one site of the Peru’s Amazon Rainforest in just a 5,500-hectare section of the rainforest, 575 different bird species were identified. This number is truly startling when you consider that in the whole of North America there are 700 different bird species!
True bird spotting enthusiasts, those interested in nature or travelers wanting an Amazonian experience in Peru will be greeted by one of the highest concentrations of bird species in the world.
At the famous clay licks of the Amazon Rainforest, the brightly colored macaws and parrots but on a colorful spectacle for all those visiting! The Amazon in Peru is perhaps one of the best and most exclusive sites to see the beauty and natural wonders of our world!
♦ Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica
‘The early bird gets the worm’ could not be truer when exploring the verdant cloud forest of Monteverde in Costa Rica. At 4,724ft (1,440m) above sea level, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve attracts a wide range of tropical birds and is one of the best places in Costa Rica to see the dazzling quetzal bird.
With over 400 bird species in Monteverde, there are 30 species of brightly colored hummingbirds as well as the endangered three-wattled bellbird.
The Monteverde Reserve will astound all those who visit this beautiful area with its perfect, untouched ecosystem and its numerous species of birds and animal life that can be seen.
The grand Colca Canyon does not do anything in small sizes, from being almost twice as deep as the Grand Canyon to the Andean Condors that swoops above the stunning landscapes below and the giant hummingbird everything here is supersized!
Peru’s Andean Condor is known as the largest flying bird in the world and images of the giant hummingbird can only but excite your imagination and intrigue to see these flying wonders.
The Cruz del Condor lookout is perhaps one of the most reliable places in Peru to spot the enormous Andean birds flying overhead however, following some of the many trails deeper into the Colca Valley will also give you spectacular views of the landscapes and birds above. With hawks, kestrels, eagles and falcons on offer, the elegant flight of some of the mountain region’s most famous birds will take you on an encapsulating bird watching adventure of the lords and masters of the Colca Canyon.
♦ Caño Negro Reserve, Costa Rica
The Caño Negro Wildlife Reserve is renowned as one of the most important conservation sights in the world. These amazing wetlands located in the northwest of Costa Rica near to its border with Nicaragua provide breath-taking scenery and introduce you to the many different species of migratory birds as well as many endangered animals and plant species not found anywhere else in the world.
With more than 200 different species of birds including the large, endangered and most beautiful Jaribu bird; Caño Negro is a natural paradise.
The different waterways that wind through this area create an exciting sense of discovery as you spot the different species of birds as well as cougars, jaguars and several species of monkeys. With the wet and dry season changing the wetland landscape, visiting this region in either season will provide you with completely different experiences due to the different migratory species that flock to the area.
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