I never tire of watching wild parrots. Since I don’t exactly get tired of observing any birds, perhaps what I really mean to say is that an inescapable twinge of excitement accompanies every screech and sighting that can be attributed to any of Costa Ricas 17 Psittacid species.
Whether it’s the daily flyovers of Crimson-fronted Parakeets that screech from the skies above my house in the Central Valley, Scarlet Macaws that grumble from the canopy of the tall forests in Carara, or elusive Barred Parakeets that remind me of crossbills as they chirp and zip over the ridges of the high Talamancas, there’s always something special about seeing a wild Psittacid. I think “wild” might be the key word here because the parrots or macaws we saw in Niagara Falls, New York were either in the pet store or featured in television commercials. They just couldn’t be real, wild birds no matter what those bird books said because that would be just too cool to be fact. Therefore, every time I see a parrot, parakeet, or macaw in Costa Rica, I feel a flurry of excitement and recurring revelation that vanquishes my childhood doubts about the existence of such amazing birds.
Parrots in Costa Rica are as essential to the local landscape as Cecropia trees, Blue-gray Tanagers, and volcanoes and thank goodness because they add a bit of excitement to each day lived in this snow-free, tropical country. Not all are easy to see and there are identification challenges but I hope that the following information will give you a fair idea about what to expect as far as Psittacids go when birding Costa Rica:
Macaws, genus Ara– two species, easy to identify.
Scarlet Macaw: Bold, brilliant, and loud, its pretty hard to miss this species. In Costa Rica, they used to range the length of both slopes but habitat destruction and persecution have nearly eliminated them from the Caribbean slope and reduced them on the Pacific slope to two, well-known populations, one at Carara and a larger number of birds on the Osa Peninsula. There is also a small population around the dry forests of Palo Verde and Curu, and they have been making a slow comeback on the Caribbean slope.
Scarlet Macaws are always spectacular.
Great Green Macaw: This flagship species of Costa Rican conservation is kind of like the “sea turtle of the rain forest” in terms of its status and buzz about its plight. Like sea turtles, this bird is in serious trouble and needs as much help as it can to avoid going extinct in Costa Rica. The main threat to its future existence in Costa Rica is destruction of lowland rainforests and cutting of a tree that it very much depends upon, Dipteryx panamensis or “Almendro”. Like Scarlet and Red and Green Macaws in southeastern Peru, the Great Green relies upen big, old growth Dipteryx species trees for nesting and as a food source. Unlike, macaws in Peru, however, Great Green Macaws in Costa Rica have not used nest boxes with very much success. This awesome bird can still be seen in the Sarapiqui area and is more common in Tortuguero and near the Nicaraguan border but I doubt that I will see it again at Quebrada Gonzalez (I used to see flocks there during the wet season).
Amazona genus parrots- four species, watch for their distinctive, shallow wing beats and learn the calls!
Mealy Parrot: This large parrot is commonly seen in forested sites of the humid lowlands (although I get the impression that its numbers have decreased since I first came to Costa Rica). When perched, they are easy enough to identify but hard to see as they quietly forage in the canopy. Like most parrots, you are more likely to see them in flight. They are easily confused with Red-lored Parrots throughout their range and with Yellow-naped Parrots on the Pacific slope in the Carara area. Watch for the green front and pay attention to their harsh calls.
A Mealy Parrot attempting to hide behind a branch.
Red-lored Parrot: Another good sized parrot, this edge species is pretty common in the lowlands and is the only Amazona species parrot in Costa Rica with a red front. Its calls can sound similar to those of the Mealy Parrot but have a more ringing quality to them, like “clink clink” rather than the harsh squawking of the Mealy.
Yellow-naped Parrot: About the same size as the Red-lored, trapping and habitat destruction have reduced its population although it is still regularly seen in a number of areas including Cerro Lodge, Santa Rosa and Guanacaste National Parks, and Palo Verde. As the yellow nape can be hard to see in flight, pay attention to its distinctive calls that have a human-like or “laughing” quality to them.
White-fronted Parrot: The smallest of the Amazona genus parrots in Costa Rica, is still flies with shallow wing beats but is more frequently seen in flocks than the other Amazona species and is fairly common in dry forest. Its yellow bill, white front, and red patch on the forewing also separate it from Mealy, Red-lored, and Yellow-naped Parrots. Listen for its more rapid, staccato-like vocalizations.
A not so great shot of a psycho-looking White-fronted Parrot.
Pionus genus parrots- two species, watch for their distinctive, deep wingbeats.
White-crowned Parrot: This edge species is one of the more common parrot species in Costa Rica and can be seen from the lowlands to middle elevations (including green spaces in the Central Valley). The white crown and bill can often be seen in flight. Also listen for their screeching, “trebled” call.
A White-crowned Parrot hanging out in the canopy at El Gavilan lodge, Sarapiqui region.
Blue-headed Parrot: An edge species that replaces the White-crowned further south, the Blue-headed Parrot is mostly seen in the Golfo Dulce and southeastern lowlands of Costa Rica although it can show up at least as far north as Sarapiqui. They fly with the same deep wingbeats as the White-crowned but have a darker head and bill and more abrupt vocalizations.
Pionopsitta genus parrots- one species, “a parrot that sounds like a parakeet” and has wingbeats in between those of an Amazona and Pionus.
Brown-hooded Parrot: A bird of rainforests, this species is most common in heavily forested, humid zones although it is also sometimes seen in flight over the central valley or other deforested areas (how I got it on my yard list). Watch for the red on the underwings, look for the brownish head, and listen for the rather musical, parakeet-like calls. That’s probably a bad description of their vocalizations, but is what comes to mind!
Pyrrhura genus- one species, a long-tailed parakeet of the Talamancas.
Sulphur-winged Parakeet: Like most members of this primarily South American genus, it has a small range and is the only parrot species restricted to the highlands of Costa Rica and Panama. It’s pretty common in the cloud forests of the Talamancas and is usually located by its high-pitched, reedy calls. It is the only long-tailed parakeet likely to be seen in its range although sometimes can overlap with Crimson-fronted Parakeets when they move to lower elevations.
Sulphur-winged Parakeet from the Dota Valley.
Aratinga genus- four species, rather common, long-tailed parakeets.
Crimson-fronted Parakeet: One of the most common and easily seen Psittacids in Costa Rica, it has fortunately become adapted to nesting on buildings in the central valley. Long-tailed parakeets seen in the central valley are almost always this species. Watch for the red front and red underwings.
Crimson-fronted Parakeets- I see this species on a daily basis.
Olive-throated Parakeet: A bird of the northern Caribbean lowlands, it needs more forested habitats than the Crimson-fronted. Plain-looking, long tailed parakeets seen in the Caribbean lowlands are this species. They lack red in the plumage and have wings with darker, contrasting flight feathers than the Crimson-fronted.
Orange-fronted Parakeet: This is the common, long-tailed parakeet species of dry forest. They overlap with the Crimson-fronted in the Carara area but can be told by their orange fronts and duller green plumage.
Orange-fronted Parakeet from Tambor, Costa Rica.
Brown-throated Parakeet: A recent invader from Panama, watch for it in southwestern Costa Rica from the Panamanian border west to Piedras Blancas National Park. It overlaps with the more common Crimson-fronted Parakeet but lacks the red front and has an orangey-brown throat.
Brotogeris genus- one species, common, short-tailed parakeet of deforested lowlands.
Orange-chinned Parakeet: This common species vies with the Crimson-fronted for holding the title of the most frequently encountered Psittacid in Costa Rica. Any small parakeet with a short pointed tails seen in the lowlands is this species (it also occurs in the Central Valley).
Orange-chinned Parakeet, a species hard to miss when birding Costa Rica.
Bolborhynchus genus- one species, an uncommon highland parakeet.
Barred Parakeet: If you are birding above 2,000 meters in the Central or Talamancan Cordilleras and see small, plain, short-tailed parakeets that remind you of crossbills or other “winter finches”, you have probably seen Barred Parakeets. They could overlap with Red-fronted Parrotlets at certain times of the year but those will show red and yellow in their plumage.
Touit genus- one species, a rare, little known bird of middle elevations.
Red-fronted Parrotlet: If you see this one when birding Costa Rica, you will have hit the Psittacid jackpot. Not much is known about this species, it is seen very infrequently, and yours truly still needs a better look before counting it as a lifer! It mostly occurs in middle elevation forests and appears to make elevational movements in search of fruiting or seeding trees. Who knows, maybe it was more common in the past before so much of the Central Valley was deforested. I wonder about this because friends of mine saw a small flock for a few days in June in their urban backyard near Heredia! The birds were probably moving around in search of fruiting trees after breeding somewhere up in the Central Cordillera. They have also been recorded high up in the Talamancas as well as in lowland areas. If you see a small, short-tailed parakeet with red and yellow in the wings and lots of red on the head, then you may have gotten the coveted Red-fronted Parrotlet. On a side note, if you do see this species, take as many notes about its behavior, location, etc. as you can so we can get a better handle on its natural history.
Sijawahi kuchoka kutazama vipepeo wa porini. Kwa kuwa mimi si kweli kupata uchovu wa kuchunguza ndege yoyote, labda nini mimi kweli maana ya kusema ni kwamba pinch inescapable ya msisimko anaandamana kila screech na kuonekana kwamba inaweza kuwa sifa kwa yoyote ya Costa Rica 17 Psittacid spishi. Iwe ni kuruka kwa kila siku kwa parakeets za rangi ya nyekundu ambazo hupiga kelele kutoka angani juu ya nyumba yangu katika Bonde la Kati, macaws za rangi ya nyekundu ambazo hupiga kelele kutoka kwenye kifuniko cha misitu mirefu huko Carara, au parakeets za rangi ya baridi ambazo zinanikumbusha crossbills wakati wao chirp na zip juu ya vilima vya Talamanca, daima kuna kitu maalum juu ya kuona Psittacid ya mwitu. "Hata hivyo, ""wild"" ni neno la msingi kwa sababu papa na macaw waliotajwa katika Niagara Falls, New York, walikuwa katika duka la wanyama au katika matangazo ya biashara ya televisheni." Hawawezi kuwa ndege halisi, wa porini bila kujali kile vitabu hivyo vya ndege vilivyosema kwa sababu hiyo ingekuwa baridi sana kuwa ukweli. Kwa hiyo, kila mara ninapoona papa, parakeet, au macaw huko Costa Rica, ninahisi msisimko na ufunuo unaorudiwa ambao unashinda mashaka yangu ya utotoni juu ya kuwepo kwa ndege kama hao wa ajabu. Papa katika Costa Rica ni muhimu kwa mazingira ya ndani kama Cecropia miti, Blue-gray tanagers, na volkano na shukrani kwa Mungu kwa sababu wao kuongeza kidogo ya msisimko kwa kila siku aliishi katika hii theluji-free, nchi ya kitropiki. Si rahisi kuona wote na kuna changamoto za utambulisho lakini natumaini kwamba habari ifuatayo itakupa wazo la haki juu ya nini cha kutarajia kama Psittacids kwenda wakati wa ndege Costa Rica: Macaws, jenasi Ara <unk> spishi mbili, rahisi kutambua. Scarlet Macaw: Mjasiri, mwenye akili, na mwenye sauti kubwa, ni vigumu sana kukosa spishi hii. Katika Costa Rica, walikuwa na urefu wa mteremko wote, lakini uharibifu wa makazi na mateso karibu wamewaondoa kutoka mteremko wa Karibea na kuwakata kwenye mteremko wa Pasifiki hadi idadi mbili, moja huko Carara na idadi kubwa ya ndege kwenye Peninsula ya Osa. Pia kuna idadi ndogo ya wanyama hao karibu na misitu ya Palo Verde na Curu, na wamekuwa wakirudi polepole kwenye mteremko wa Karibea. Nyigu-Marao wa rangi nyekundu huwa wenye kuvutia sikuzote. Mnyama huyu wa kipekee wa Costa Rica ni kama kasa wa baharini wa msitu wa mvua kwa suala la hali yake na msisimko kuhusu hali yake mbaya. Kama vile kasa wa baharini, ndege huyu yuko katika shida kubwa na anahitaji msaada mwingi iwezekanavyo ili kuepuka kutoweka huko Costa Rica. Tisho kuu kwa kuwepo kwake katika siku zijazo huko Costa Rica ni uharibifu wa misitu ya mvua ya chini na kukatwa kwa mti ambao unategemea sana, Dipteryx panamensis au <unk>Almendro<unk>. Kama vile macaws nyekundu na nyekundu na kijani katika kusini mashariki mwa Peru, Great Green hutegemea upen kubwa, ukuaji wa zamani Dipteryx spishi miti kwa ajili ya nesting na kama chanzo cha chakula. Hata hivyo, tofauti na papa huko Peru, papa mkubwa wa kijani-kibichi huko Kosta Rika hajafanikiwa sana kutumia masanduku ya kufanyiza viota. Ndege huyu wa ajabu bado anaweza kuonekana katika eneo la Sarapiqui na ni wa kawaida zaidi katika Tortuguero na karibu na mpaka wa Nicaragua lakini nina shaka kwamba nitaiona tena huko Quebrada Gonzalez (Nilikuwa naona makundi huko wakati wa msimu wa mvua). Vipepeo wa jamii ya Amazona - spishi nne, angalia mapigo yao ya kipekee ya mabawa yasiyo na kina kirefu na ujifunze sauti zao! Papa huyu mkubwa huonekana kwa kawaida katika maeneo yenye misitu ya maeneo ya chini yenye unyevunyevu (ingawa nina hisia kwamba idadi yake imepungua tangu nilipokuja Costa Rica kwa mara ya kwanza). Wanapokuwa wameketi, ni rahisi kuwajua lakini ni vigumu kuwaona wanapotafuta chakula kwa utulivu kwenye vilima. Kama papa wengi, huenda ukawaona wakiruka. Wao ni rahisi kuchanganyikiwa na Red-lored Parrots katika eneo lao lote na na Yellow-naped Parrots juu ya mteremko wa Pasifiki katika eneo la Carara. Angalia mbele ya kijani na makini kwa wito wao kali. Papa mwenye unga akijaribu kujificha nyuma ya tawi. Mnyama mwingine wa kawaida wa Kosta Rika, Mnyama wa Red-Lored, ni aina ya pekee ya Mnyama wa Amazoni huko Costa Rica na mbele nyekundu. Sauti yake inaweza kufanana na ile ya Mealy Parrot lakini ina ubora zaidi wa kupiga, kama <unk>clink clink<unk> badala ya squawking kali ya Mealy. Mnyama huyo ana ukubwa sawa na wa Red-necked Parrot, lakini kwa sababu ya uharibifu wa mazingira yake, idadi yake imepungua, ingawa bado anaonekana mara kwa mara katika maeneo kadhaa, ikiwa ni pamoja na Cerro Lodge, Santa Rosa na Hifadhi za Taifa za Guanacaste, na Palo Verde. Kwa kuwa huenda ikawa vigumu kumwona mnyama huyo akiwa anaruka, makini na sauti zake za kipekee ambazo zinafanana na za binadamu au "zinazocheka". Papaya wa mbele nyeupe ni aina ndogo ya papaya wa jamii ya Amazona, ambayo huonekana mara nyingi katika makundi kuliko spishi nyingine za Amazoni. Mdomo wake wa manjano, sehemu ya mbele nyeupe, na sehemu nyekundu kwenye mrengo wa mbele pia humtofautisha na papa mwenye manyoya mekundu, papa mwenye manyoya mekundu, na papa mwenye manyoya ya manjano. Sikiliza sauti zake za haraka zaidi, zinazofanana na za staccato. Picha isiyo nzuri sana ya Papa mwenye uso mweupe anayeonekana kuwa mgonjwa wa akili. Vipepeo wa jamii ya Pionus - spishi mbili, angalia mapigo yao ya mabawa ya pekee, yenye kina kirefu. Mnyama huyu ni mmoja wa aina za papa zinazopatikana sana nchini Costa Rica na anaweza kuonekana kutoka maeneo ya chini hadi maeneo ya kati (ikiwa ni pamoja na maeneo ya kijani kibichi katika Bonde la Kati). Mara nyingi taji na mdomo mweupe waweza kuonekana ukiwa unaruka. Pia sikiliza sauti yao inayopiga kelele, "kutoa sauti mara tatu". Papa mwenye taji jeupe akining'inia kwenye paa la nyumba ya El Gavilan, katika eneo la Sarapiqui. Mnyama wa kawaida wa Kosta Rika, Mnyama wa Blue-headed Parrot, ni aina ya mnyama wa kawaida wa Kosta Rika, ambaye hupatikana katika maeneo ya chini ya Kosta Rika, ingawa inaweza kuonekana kaskazini kama Sarapiqui. Wao huruka kwa mapigo ya mabawa yenye kina kama ya White-crowned lakini wana kichwa na mdomo mweusi zaidi na sauti za ghafula zaidi. Pionopsitta genus parrots- spishi moja, <unk>parrot ambayo ina sauti kama parakeet<unk> na ina wingbeats kati ya wale wa Amazona na Pionus. Brown-hooded Parrot: Ndege wa misitu ya mvua, spishi hii ni ya kawaida katika misitu mikubwa, maeneo ya unyevu ingawa pia ni wakati mwingine kuonekana katika ndege juu ya bonde kuu au maeneo mengine deforested (jinsi mimi got juu ya orodha yangu ya bustani). Angalia rangi nyekundu kwenye mabawa ya chini, angalia kichwa chenye rangi ya kahawia, na usikilize sauti zenye sauti ya muziki, kama za papa. Hiyo ni pengine maelezo mbaya ya vocalizations yao, lakini ni nini inakuja akilini! Pyrrhura genus- spishi moja, parakeet ya mkia mrefu ya Talamancas. Parakeet wa Sulphur Winged ni aina ya papa pekee ya nchi za juu za Costa Rica na Panama. Ni kawaida sana katika misitu ya mawingu ya Talamancas na kwa kawaida hupatikana kwa sauti yake ya juu, sauti ya mianzi. Ni parakeet tu ya mkia mrefu uwezekano wa kuonekana katika mbalimbali yake ingawa wakati mwingine inaweza overlap na Crimson-fronted Parakeets wakati wao hoja kwa urefu wa chini. Parakeet mwenye mabawa ya sulfuri kutoka Bonde la Dota. Jamii ya Aratinga - spishi nne, za kawaida, za mkia mrefu. Mnyama huyo ni mmoja wa aina za Psittacid zinazopatikana kwa urahisi nchini Kosta Rika, na kwa bahati nzuri amezoea kutengeneza viota kwenye majengo ya bonde la kati. Karibu sikuzote vipepeo wenye mkia mrefu wanaoonekana katika bonde la katikati ni wa spishi hii. Jihadharini na mbele nyekundu na underwings nyekundu. Parakeets wenye uso mwekundu - ninaona spishi hii kila siku. Ndege anayeitwa Olive-throated Parakeet: Ndege anayeishi kaskazini mwa eneo la chini la Karibea, anahitaji maeneo yenye misitu zaidi kuliko ndege anayeitwa Crimson-fronted. Ndege aina ya parakeet wenye mkia mrefu na wenye sura ya kawaida wanaopatikana katika maeneo ya chini ya Karibea ni aina hiyo. Wao hawana rangi nyekundu katika manyoya yao na wana mabawa yenye manyoya meusi zaidi, yanayotofautiana na yale ya ndege wenye manyoya mekundu. Parakeet mwenye uso wa machungwa: Hii ni aina ya kawaida ya parakeet yenye mkia mrefu ya msitu wenye ukame. Wao hufanana na wale wenye nyuso nyekundu katika eneo la Carara lakini wanaweza kutambuliwa kwa nyuso zao za rangi ya machungwa na manyoya yao ya rangi ya kijani kibichi. Parakeet mwenye uso wa machungwa kutoka Tambor, Kosta Rika. Parakeet wa koo la kahawia ni mnyama wa asili wa Panama, na huishi katika eneo la kusini magharibi mwa Costa Rica, kuanzia mpaka wa Panama hadi kwenye mbuga ya kitaifa ya Piedras Blancas. Inafanana na Parakeet mwenye uso mwekundu lakini haina uso mwekundu na ina koo la rangi ya machungwa. Brotogeris genus- spishi moja, kawaida, parakeet fupi-mwiba wa deforested lowlands. Parakeet wa rangi ya machungwa: Aina hii ya kawaida inashindana na parakeet wa rangi ya nyekundu kwa kushikilia cheo cha Psittacid inayopatikana mara nyingi zaidi huko Costa Rica. Parakeet yeyote mdogo mwenye mkia mfupi wenye ncha unaoonekana katika maeneo ya chini ni spishi hii (pia hutokea katika Bonde la Kati). Parakeet mwenye kidevu cha machungwa, spishi ambayo ni vigumu kukosa unapotazama ndege huko Kosta Rika. Jamii ya Bolborhynchus - spishi moja, parakeet isiyo ya kawaida ya milimani. "Kama wewe ni birdwatcher juu ya 2,000 mita katika Cordillera ya Kati au Talamanca na kuona ndogo, wazi, mfupi-mwiba parakeets kwamba kukumbusha wewe ya crossbills au nyingine ""winter finches,"" pengine umeona ""barred parakeets.""" Wanaweza kufanana na Vipepeo wa Mbele Nyekundu wakati fulani wa mwaka lakini hao wataonyesha rangi nyekundu na manjano katika manyoya yao. Jamii ya Touit - spishi moja, ndege asiyejulikana sana wa maeneo ya kati. Mbwa-mwitu mwenye uso mwekundu: Ikiwa utaona mnyama-mwitu huyu unapotazama ndege huko Kosta Rika, utakuwa umeshinda tuzo kubwa ya Psittacid. Si mengi inayojulikana kuhusu spishi hii, ni kuonekana mara chache sana, na yako kweli bado anahitaji kuangalia vizuri kabla ya kuhesabu kama lifer! Inapatikana hasa katika misitu ya mwinuko wa kati na inaonekana kufanya harakati za mwinuko katika kutafuta matunda au mbegu za miti. Ni nani anayejua, labda ilikuwa ya kawaida zaidi katika siku za nyuma kabla ya sehemu kubwa ya Bonde la Kati kuharibiwa na misitu. Ninajiuliza kuhusu hili kwa sababu marafiki wangu waliona kundi dogo kwa siku chache mwezi Juni katika bustani yao ya nyuma karibu na Heredia! Huenda ndege hao walikuwa wakizurura-zurura wakitafuta miti yenye matunda baada ya kuzaliana mahali fulani katika Mlima wa Cordillera wa Kati. Pia zimerekodiwa juu katika milima ya Talamanca na pia katika maeneo ya chini. Ikiwa unaona parakeet ndogo ya mkia mfupi na rangi nyekundu na manjano kwenye mabawa na rangi nyekundu nyingi kichwani, basi unaweza kuwa umepata Parrotlet ya Red-fronted. Kwa upande mwingine, ikiwa utaona spishi hii, chukua maelezo mengi juu ya tabia yake, eneo, nk. Kama unaweza, unaweza kupata mwongozo bora juu ya historia yake ya asili.